Gaming quality TV

[fallenangle]

I'm in the market for a new TV, particularly with gaming in mind. I've been unhappy with my 100Hz 32" widescreen Sony CRT which unfortunately has significant problems when used for this purpose.I thought I decided on a HDTV ready LCD 32" (Toshiba) which has all the connections and future proofing stuff you could want. But after looking more closely I've discovered that some 32" LCD TVs give lousy results with current and older game consoles because they have to add interpolation due to the larger screen size.Use them with a HD source (like the new XBOX360) and you're in image heaven (allegedly) but otherwise you're apparently better off with smaller or going for plasma screens instead. Advice would be welcome.

[sj33]

You probably can't beat a CRT for SD content, that's why so many people still use them.

I've personally feel the quality 'issues' with SD content on flat-panel HD screens are blown out of proportion though. It's never so bad that you wish you never bothered, and it's nice not to deal with interlace lines.

[fallenangle]

SD content?

[sj33]

Standard Definition.

[Baseley09]

Sony are complete gay for stopping standard aspect TV's, we have the last one they did over here and that is probably one of the best TV's made as far as gaming goes, as are most of the 21" - 32" Trinitrons from around 92 on.

Basically you want a non widescreen, 60hz, ntsc compatible with a flat CRT screen.

[Kongster]

Lots of people seem to have reliablity issues with Sony TVs.....

[wod]

i've still got a 21" sony 4:3 tv and its been working for over 5 years rock solid , ntsc compatible and everything

[Brats]

Basically you want a non widescreen, 60hz, ntsc compatible with a flat CRT screen.

Fair points on all, except that if you plan on playing most of your games from this or the forthcoming gen, a widescreen TV would serve better.

[fallenangle]

There's nothing wrong with my Sony widescreen Trinitron TV when used for broadcasts. It is, on paper, a good gaming machine: flat screen, 3 Scarts (2 x RGB), NTSC, 5 image formats plus RGB manual set up. It's very sharp too.Problem is that the 100Hz scan rate results in noticeable motion blur. It's 4 picture pre-sets clearly are not designed with RGB gaming in mind - all useless. Only one personal set up too. But worst of all is the terrible pixel memory effect you get with dark areas when the brightness is set too high. The set gives a RGB image which is just too contrasty but when you lower the contrast settings you lose dark tone detail necessitating an increased brightness setting. So you either play an overly contrasty image without shadow detail or suffer the weird posterisation in the dark tones.

[LaParka]

Sorry if this is going to bump it slightly off-topic but whats a very good TV for turning on its side almost exclusively?

[Rei]

Mmmm,difficult one this,i mean i personally have virtually all consoles out there,right from early 80's,i've only ever used CRT screens of 21" and above,i had a Sony HI BLACK 29" CRT back in 1992,when i was a teen ,and now aged 27 i use a Toshiba 37" CRT Monster,and to be honest given that i like paying old consoles on the TV,i could'nt care less for widescreen as i think they are ****e and don't do gaming any justice,and im not bothered about the next gen of consoles because all the games will still look damn fine on a CRT,non widescreen TV for real.You just have to say to yourself,ok do i go with next gen,or keep to old school gaming!

Or come to think of it,simple solution,use 2 TV's!!!!

[Mad Gear]

My 5 year old 32" Sony Wega is perfect for games but i'm moving soon and this monster will probably have to go. I will probably go for a 28" Widescreen for my new games room though for my older consoles.

[andrewfee]

LCDs display a great image with current content; it's just that their de-interlacers are designed for film, and aren't suited for games. If you have a progressive signal (480p) then they look stunning.

I believe Sharp LCDs actually let you put them into an "interlaced" mode, but haven't personally tried this. I have however, spent ?100 on an XRGB2+ which uses a "bob" de-interlace method, and makes interlaced-only systems (most ps2 games and consoles before it) perfectly playable on an LCD.

99% of Xbox games run in 480p, and look fantastic. (if you have a PAL system, there is a "soft-mod" to enable it, which still lets you play online)


If standard definition content is all you'll be using for some time, the Sharp P50 LCDs will be perfect for you. They're "PAL optimized" and run at a native PAL resolution. They will downscale 720p/1080i perfectly; 720p= 3/4, 1080i = 1/2.

It won't be as good as a HD screen, but will still look amazing with HD content.

As it's a Sharp LCD, you may or may not need to bother with an XRGB2+ I just haven't personally used the "interlaced" mode on them.

[fallenangle]

Very useful advice/info - thanks.
I like widescreen - many games already support it and even older platform titles fit the (pseudo) panoramic format when correctly sized. Very few (PAL) games seem to be exact 4:3 anyway. I still regularly play PSOne titles like Command & Conquer Red Alert Retaliation and in many cases the actual image area is an almost perfect 14:9, a common alternative format option many widescreen TVs allow.

It seems we're in a sort of pre-HDTV limbo time and there's no one ideal solution for everything. If I could afford it I'd buy a good flat screen 28" 50/60Hz widescreen (or dual format 28 " 4:3) CRT to replace my unsatisfactory Sony AND a new LCD HDTV ready flat panel. But my budget won't allow both so I'm still unsure what to do.