Post your Gaming Setups

[Uli]

But to play it in its proper ratio would make the screen a LOT narrower. If it looked all stretched like some cheaper widescreen TV's...then it would be a problem. At least Halo 2 has proper widescreen support...

Also what's the point of a big TV to play the game 4:3 mode? The screen would look like a cheap 14" job sizewise.

my 32" Philips has a great zoom function called "super zoom" that leaves most of the original image on screen but reduces the stretched look to a minimum!

[Naiera]

But it still sucks. Watch 4:3 in 4:3 and 16:9 in 16:9. End of story. B*atchez

[mid]

Also what's the point of a big TV to play the game 4:3 mode? The screen would look like a cheap 14" job sizewise.

Help! I'm trapped in 1998!

Don't do it, man. Ratio stretching is evil.

[sam1981]

Plus, a 32" widescreen in 4:3 mode is the same image size as a 25" 4:3 telly.

We're saving you from a life of obesity - if you carry on like that you'll think its normal for everyone to be that wide!

[Weinberg]

It kind of defeats the object of a big screen TV though...surely most people with Plasmas here play games like Halo full screen?

[Yoshimoto]

I must admit to playing some 4:3 games stretched to fit a widescreen TV but only stuff like Halo. Metroid Prime or Zelda etc.

2D games look absolutely appalling when stretched out using any of the zoom or stretch modes.

[mid]

It kind of defeats the object of a big screen TV though...surely most people with Plasmas here play games like Halo full screen?

Not me; it looks seriously messed up like that in my view. Do you ruin your widescreen films by watching them zoomed, too?

[Weinberg]

If a film is widescreen, then my TV will detect it and go to the appropriate ratio so no I don't zoom in on them.

If a game isn't supported in widescreen, I let it autofit (which looks absolutely fine unless you have a crap TV).

[mid]

If a game isn't supported in widescreen, I let it autofit (which looks absolutely fine unless you have a crap TV).

More accurately, looks absolutely fine if you're not as picky about presentation as I am.

Sorry, I'm a certified film snob, and so this sort of thing really winds me up. Seriously, if you're happy with it, then carry on; its just not the "right" setting.

[charlesr]

Nooooooooo. MD and mid are right. autofit either keeps the ratio and chops the bottom and top off or stretches the screen. Use 4:3. It's the law.

[Rushy]

(which looks absolutely fine unless you have a crap TV).

Not the case at all. You could have the best TV on earth but it still won't look right. Yes some do it better than others but most TV's nowadays do it to a similar standard (well the major manufacturors anyway). It's just plain wrong :P

[sam1981]

Lets attack Weinberg for not thinking like we do!

I get genuinely annoyed when i go round people's houses and they're watching telly and it's all streched. Everything plainly looks stupid cos everyone's too fat, but they don't seem to realise. I suppose there must be something wrong with me to get so annoyed.

[Weinberg]

Believe me I hate it when some TV channels look hideously stretched-I do put the TV into 4:3 mode. However IMO any games which don't sport a widescreen mode, which I've put on my TV, look absolutely fine to me. Now stop having a go at me for how I choose to display images on my TV! It's disturbing.

[Kron]

Everyone please do not worry, The aspect ratio police have been dispatched to Weinberg's immediately and he shall soon be apprehended for this foul crime.

[HaHaUK]

Moodman, leaving your gamecube in the drawer aint very wise as there is no ventilation, so itll lead to it exploding and leaving nasty fumes all over your house