JDog1892

What is the ideal size for a video game television? I would think that bigger would be better, but then again, maybe a large screen will make the graphics look blurry and faded. What do you think is the ideal TV for playing videogames? Also, what brand is the best?

Don Catchpole

I'm not sure about brands but I can tell you that bigger is not better in my opinion. I've put video games on my movie screen and it's pretty intense for the first few moments but once you start playing it gets frustrating. Your eyes just can't take in everything and you end up getting your butt kicked. I do like racing games on the screen because the cars end up being life sized (screen is 8' by 12'). Sometimes when you wreck it's a little too real. I like playing much better on the 55".

Static Cling

I don't know if it's the size of the TV that would make graphics seem blurry and faded, but maybe the method of projecting the image could make the image not look as clear.

I have a 32" WEGA TV, and my PS2 games look beautiful on it.

Fire bad!

loadzone

Pioneer 53" Widescreen HDTV using Component Cables on the Xbox, Looks Amazing. Much Better than my sony 32"

chess

as long as you can sit far enough away, a big screen is fine.

Draven

Agreed: Distance from the screen makes some of the larger projection TVs less "blurry."

Ghym

I have our XBOX, PS2, and Gamecube hooked up to a 65" HD Widescreen TV and they all look great. I think I probably sit about 10 feet away. The cube would probably look better if we had the HD connection for it, but we're out of component connections at the moment.

Cardiff Giant11

Ghym,
Go out and buy a AV switcher that has composite inputs and outputs. Connect the component cables to the composite video and red and white audio inputs. Then use the output to connect to the TV. You'll have to route the sound to a reciever but this will allow you to have a switchbox for component inputs. I heard about this trick over at another forum.

Josh H

There was a feature on this in a magazine a year or two ago, maybe EGM, and the concensus was that 27-32" was the ideal size. I'd have to agree. I have a 27" Wega and it's perfect. My coach is 6-8 feet away from the tv, so it's just the right size. You really can't use a big screen unless you have wireless controllers, or use more than one extension cable, otherwise you can't sit far enough away to take everything in. At least I can't anyway.

JaxComet

Not at all! I'm playing my XBOX on a Toshiba 55H70 (55") with the HD component hookups and it looks incredible.....

The XBOX has long controller cords which allow you to sit 9-10 feet back...

goatweed

I have my X-Box hooked up to a Sony 36" XBR400 via the hi-def hookups, and I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever. This is also the first console I've owned since ColecoVision was around. I also sit about 9 or 10 feet from the set usually, and I don't find the graphics to be blurry at all.

Michael T Hudson

36 inch here. With DC VGA and component for Xbox, PS2, and GCN looks great.

Goblincat

I just hooked my old N64 up to my 50" TV. It looked like crap, all blocky and stuff. I guess I need to try a newer system with better graphics and at least an s-video hookup.

Real Boba Fett

I think it also depends of what you are used to. My last console was a Super Nintendo but when I bought a new computer (almost 2 years ago) with a TVout card I really wanted to play to my PC games with a "big screen" instead of my small 17' monitor. So I used the S-Video cable and pluged my Matrox G400 in a Sony 36' TV... I tried Tomb Raider 4 (4 or 5, I don't really remember) and Unreal Tournament. I was with my friend and we both were really disapointed. It was way too blurry, fine details could not be seen.

At least the TVout card is usefull for DVDs (It looks as good, if not better, than my friend's standalone Toshiba DVD player)

Cyberock

27 inch Sony Wega works fine for me. T.V. sits at the foot of the bed so I have to do is prop my head up on some pillows and lay there playing video games all day and night.

M O V I E F A N

Well it seems HD ready TVs are not good for all games. I am starting to find out that the light gun games do not work on a set with a line doubler. I have an XBR400 36" and intended on purchasing a PS2 to play the light gun games.

Boot

As a broke son of a bitch, I have to be content to play my Dreamcast on my 19" crappy TV. Too many things hooked up to my MASSIVE 25" Zenith to use it.

I'm so damn tired of being broke.

tsohg

So is it ok to play games on an HDTV? I will be buying one (TV) with my tax refund and I have not decided if I should go HD or not because I will play alot of games on it.

FWIW I have a PS2 and will probably pick up a GC

Cardiff Giant11

Yes it's fine to play games on an HDTV set. Just make sure that you turn the brightness and contrast down from their factory set "torch mode" levels(especially if you buy a RPTV) as this prevents burn in which games can do to TVs. I think the only problem with gaming on HDTVs is that light guns don't work because of a conflict with the sets line doubler.

JaxComet

I would hope that anyone who is into home theater enough to but an HD TV set would know enough to make these adjustments as soon as they got the TV.........

Dave Scarpa

I've gone back to a 20" sony to play I have a 65" Wide Mits but some games especially FPS like Half Life etc are often too dark to play.

kvrdave

I have a JVC 21" that is perfect. I sit pretty close and the TV is dedicated just to games. I tried a 25" and it just didn't do the trick as well.

On occassion, though...I will hook up to my 61" for certain racing games.

Cardiff Giant11

as would I but you'd be suprised how few people actually do this.

tsohg

I will make sure to do it now thanks to you guys this will be my first real tv I'm still watching my 7 year old superduper hi tech RCA 25 in. with a WOPPING 1 rf/antena connection so I never really cared to calibrate anything on it since it still looks like crap anyway.

Thrillhouse

I have a 27" Sony Trinatron, it seems to be a good enough size to play games on. Considering I can't afford that much more, because I'm only 15 .