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[TheGreenGiant]

thinking about picking up a new telly

what should I look for in a tv? I want something widescreen for Re4 when it hits but I was wondering how distorted my games might possibly look. Say, non widescreen compatible games?

And all that S-video/component discussion? What should I be aware of when picking up a WS? And definitely what's a good size?

thanks in advance.

 

[DCX]

It doesn't look that bad...you'll get used to it after a few weeks, actually you'll get used to watching anything in stretched mode in a few weeks.

DCX

 

[Solid]

I never play or watch any games/dvds in 16:9 unless they support it. It looks like crap IMO. I can't stand it.

I have this TV: http://www.comet.co.uk/comet/html/cache/453_897902.html

 

[Dagon]

We have a widescreen in the house and my housemates insist on stretching everything to 16x9. I think it looks quite shit. The black bars on the sides when you play games in their correct aspect ratio can look a little weird, but at least everyone doesn't look like they need a diet.

 

[TheGreenGiant]

those comments about the stretching actually sounds real bad - I've looked at widescreen tvs a bit in store and I don't know if I can get over everything looking distored; people look odd... everything looks a tad off reality. I do want to experience WS burnout though :|

from what it sounds.. WS is not that good? So... I could be better off picking up a bigger 4:3 telly?

 

[amrum]

I have a WS TV for movies & a cheap good old 4/3 (21 inches) TV for gaming !

 

[Solid]

from what it sounds.. WS is not that good? So... I could be better off picking up a bigger 4:3 telly?

If you're just gonna play on the TV then yes. If you're gonna watch DVDs on it no. Unless you want 50% black borders on the screen

Playing a game like RalliSport Challenge 2, Gran Turismo 3 or Ninja Gaiden in 16:9 is really something. And playing a game in 4:3 mode isn't that bad. Sure there are two black borders on each side but you get used to it quite quickly. It looks better then stretching it.

 

[Kiriku]

Zoom is much better than stretch. Sure, you slightly cut off the top and bottom, but the proportions are correct at least.

 

[open_mouth_]

I can't stand PS2 or non widescreen games on widescreen at all, so I have a separate TV for those types of games.

 

[Korranator]

Not all widescreen TVs come with just zoom 16:9 and 4:3. Some come with a Just mode which will display a 4:3 at it's full size, but aspect correction applied to the sides of the screen so that "streched out look" can only be seen at the left and right edges. Much better than that stretched out look.

 

[Drexon]

I hate widescreen. It's _only_ movies, and not all of them, that are in widescreen in my life. And I don't watch that many movies. Still the electronics boutiqes only carry 90% widescreen. Widescreen this, widescreen that. Flatscreen, 100hz, Black matrix tubes and no progressive scan, welcome to europe.

PS. NTSC games look like shit on 100hz TV's.

 

[teepo]

i run mine on 4:3 mode, their is no biggie. it looks ugly streched and you'll get use to the black bars in like 10 minutes.

 

[Ferrarisimo]

Buy the widescreen TV and run anything that doesn't support 16:9 in 4:3 mode. I don't understand why people freak out over the vertical black bars.

 

[8bit]

I've been playing games on a 16:9 for about 4 years now. I find the black bars annoying.

 

[KingV]

One of my friend's has a TV that does the stretching quite well, it has a slight zoom, and stretches things near the edge of the picture, so the center stays in correct proportions. It might not work for most games, but it looks great on regular TV/DVD. Can't remember the model he has, however.

 

[davis]

there are much better options on the good HD widescreens to display 4:3 stuff much better than some others. if your gonna spend around $2000 or more on a TV might as well go down to the store maybe even take your system with you and games many will let you try them out then see if you like it.

 

[maynerd]

I think the big question is how much are you willing to spend. Start there and then let's talk.

 

[jedimike]

I game on widescreen. I always stretch my 4:3 material. Really, after a while it's not even noticeable.

As far as how big? That all depends on how far you are going to be sitting away from the TV. You can go to some of the home theater forums to check on reccomendations. I think they reccomend 12' feet away for a 55" screen.

As far as analog inputs go component >> s-video >>>> composite. However, you should consider getting a TV with a digital input (DVI) in addition to the analog ones. It will be very useful in the future.

 

[hirokazu]

widescreen rocks - i watch 4:3 stretched to widescreen most of the time, but occasionally switch back to 4:3 once in a while when i want to see the correct aspect ratio and such. anyhow, you don't have to stretch it, most TVs give you several options on what you want to do with 4:3 material.

i play all my games in 16:9, some games look a bit off, but you get used to all of them. Metroid Prime used to give me headaches after about 1/2 hour when stretched to 16:9 due to the sluggish "running" and turning speed mixed with the odd aspect ratio, but i've slowly gotten used to that too.

 

[mrklaw]

I'm a sucker for proper aspect ratio for movies, but some things just don't need such perfection.

Such as games - work fine stretched (just, not full wide), as they contain artificial elements, and rarely human faces close up (where stretching is really noticeable)

Also normal TV, like crap on UK Food I don't care. Most mainstream channels in the UK are proper wide, so I just leave the TV on wide all the time

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

I think many TVs let you watch 4:3 aspect signals in 4:3, with black bars along the side. Its what I usually do.

 

[DCX]

Zoom is much better than stretch. Sure, you slightly cut off the top and bottom, but the proportions are correct at least.

Ummm...you'll lose health bars and the such, i rather try to adjust to a slightly stretched image than compromise game elements.

DCX

 

[PanopticBlue]

One of my friend's has a TV that does the stretching quite well, it has a slight zoom, and stretches things near the edge of the picture, so the center stays in correct proportions. It might not work for most games, but it looks great on regular TV/DVD. Can't remember the model he has, however.

This is how my Hitachi 51s500 does it. It has a really nice 4:3 expanded mode where only the sides are stretched..I watch all 4:3 content this way, it looks just fine, either tv or games. I'd prolly go crazy if my tv could only do the straight 16:9 stretch. Also, there's no way in hell I'd buy a 4:3 hdtv in 2004. Good thing I did a ton of research before I bought my tv, I got exactly what I wanted *kisses Hitachi hdtv*

 

[Deg]

I always watch stretched. you get used to it. No big deal really. Really pays off for 16:9 stuff. Some channels like BBC have borders on the side oddly with digital tv.

 

[Kiriku]

Ummm...you'll lose health bars and the such, i rather try to adjust to a slightly stretched image than compromise game elements.

DCX

You MIGHT lose health bars, or just a part of them. It's usually possible to move the screen up or down after zooming too.

 

[TekunoRobby]

HDMI for future compatability, DVI is rather good but HDMI is apparantly the new thing in video connection.

 

[Deg]

You MIGHT lose health bars, or just a part of them. It's usually possible to move the screen up or down after zooming too.

Most tv's have an auto function nowadays so you dont miss stuff. Or as you said you can fine tweak for problematic stuff like BGE.

HDMI for future compatability, DVI is rather good but HDMI is apparantly the new thing in video connection.

Yep. Although bear in mind there seem to be copy protection methods in place for tv even! DVD recorders get blocked for some stuff etc.

 

[hirokazu]

This is how my Hitachi 51s500 does it. It has a really nice 4:3 expanded mode where only the sides are stretched..I watch all 4:3 content this way, it looks just fine, either tv or games.

my TV has that option too, but i've hardly ever used it because you can tell of the distortion from the center being correct ratio and the sides being stretched when something moves across the screen, especially news tickers - that and a slight bit of the image gets cut from top and bottom.

 

[isamu]

I game on widescreen. I always stretch my 4:3 material. Really, after a while it's not even noticeable..

Hear hear! I have a 65" Toshiba Widescreen RPTV. When watching 4:3 material in "full" mode, which fills up the entire area(duh), there is absolutely no distortion whatsoever in the picture and neither people or objects appear to look stretched or "fat" in any way! Toshiba widescreen sets are the only brand I know of that do a FANTASTIC job of stretching the picture without any noticeable distortion or "fatness" at all. I love it.

 

[Nos_G]

Hear hear! I have a 65" Toshiba Widescreen RPTV. When watching 4:3 material in "full" mode, which fills up the entire area(duh), there is absolutely no distortion whatsoever in the picture and neither people or objects appear to look stretched or "fat" in any way! Toshiba widescreen sets are the only brand I know of that do a FANTASTIC job of stretching the picture without any noticeable distortion or "fatness" at all. I love it.

I'll back you up isamu... my 30HF83 never has to use its grey 4:3 bars... 16:9 all the way.

Widescreen gaming, when supported, is where its at. In fact, I don't think I can ever go back. :O