What is the best size TV for any system?

[MegaDrive20XX]

For years, I have used 27 inch TV's...yet it bugs me when the image scrolls off the screen giving a wrap around look...and you can't see anything (like how much health you have or your score)


I want to know, with all the flat screen TV's now...which is the best size?

24?
25?
27?

[tritium]

Especially with older consoles I prefer a 19" or 20" TV. For some reason 27" TV's look much to pixilated for me.

-Tritium

[Jibbajaba]

Especially with older consoles I prefer a 19" or 20" TV. For some reason 27" TV's look much to pixilated for me.

-Tritium

I agree. I use a 19 inch TV in my game room and I think it's perfect. I don;t really get it when peope talk about having huge TV's or projection setups that they use to play NES games. That would look pixelated as hell.

Chris

[The Manimal]

I was thinking about this.


Perhaps getting a 27" TV for my games, but right now I have a 20".


What size is the normal arcade monitor? For like, Mortal Kombat, Double Dragon, Simpsons, etc etc etc....


Arcade monitor size would feel the most 'right', I guess. Perhaps one day make a custom cab out of wood and plop a TV inside it. I am actually second-guessing the idea of getting a 27" TV for games.... :)

My 20" is an analog flatscreen with both 16X9 "enhanced widescreen" mode as well as a "zoom" function which will take widescreen format stuff and stretch it to 4X3. This is a Samsung I bought about 3/4 years ago, for nearly $400. I know these cost around $200 now, but I do know that they stripped the thing of the 16X9 mode as well as lowered the horizontal resolution from 800 (insane for an ANALOG tv of this size!) to something lower, so if I needed to buy one NOW I would get with a WEGA. But I would not trade mine for one unless it was HD. The built in audio fucking sucks on this TV though...and I don't use it.

[Zing]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "wrap around". If you are having problems with part of the screen not being visible, that is simply the overscan that every analog TV has. Any brand name TV 27" or higher should have screen size settings, either analog (dials on the back) or digital (service mode). My Sony 27" was cutting off the bottom of some of my games, so I found out how to get into the service mode settings (press a certain combination of buttons on the remote) and adjusted the screen using the "THX Optimizer" on a Star Wars DVD. Now I have almost zero overscan.

The optimal size of a TV is directly related to your sitting distance. Complaints of "pixelization" or blockiness suggests that you are sitting too close. The average person will be comfortable at a viewing distance of 2-3 times the screen dimension. For a 27" TV, this would be 5-6 feet. Any closer and images may look blurry or have excessive scan lines. Any farther and the screen may appear too small.

[8bitnes]

I have ran my NES on a 13", 19", 25", and 27". I have no complaints on any of them.

[FlufflePuff]

All of my systems are hooked into a 32" RCA CRT. Very little pixelation, except with my Gameboy Player and Super Gameboy. My only wish is that this tv had a coax jack included with the front av plugins. I hate it when I go to test out a new used system and I have to fiddle around with jacks in the back. *grr*

[tholly]

i have a 27" and i have no problems with the currents or the classics

i would like to get a flat screen hd tv though.....something along the lines of 40" would be optimal

[dj898]

I have 41" screen using with Xbox and GC coz I can get the wireless pads for those two. It's bit too big to sit up close...

For other last-gen consoles I use 27" SONY TV I got for free...

cheers

[Habeeb Hamusta]

I would have to say 25 but I've never played on one. A friend has a huge 61 inch that's very fun to play on.

[qbertandernie]

i dig the 13" for 2600, but i dont know if id play anything else on it. 2600 is so basic you dont need a big screen...and 13" tvs are easily had for $5 :)

[MegaDrive20XX]

well prime example is multiplayer mode for FPS, Puzzle games, that sort of thing, I have a normal 27 Inch

And the 1st and 4th player cannot see the edge of the screen on the left and right

I have seen a RCA 27 flat screen, and I was impressed with that..like when playing fighting games you can see everything perfectly..like the health meters, score board, and Super meters on the bottom

[Raedon]

27" Trinitron before the year 2000 for everything up to the last systems.

[atomicthumbs]

Well, it all depends on how close you're sitting.

Like one of my friends, he has a 62" HDTV and he has the couch about three feet from the set. EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE SHIT (especially videogames). Me, I prefer a 32" TV for all games. It's nothing fancy, but it has great picture. Everything looks great on it (couch positioned six feet away) from VCS to XBOX! Hell, it even makes the Channel F look good.

So my final answer would be NO LESS than 27".

[slip81]

I play everything on a 27" with no complaints. I also have a few older systems hooked up to a 19", but that's only because I don't have room for them on my main set up. I've played everything from the 2600 to the Xbox on my main t.v and everything looks fine.

27 - 32" seems to be the ideal screen size for gaming, it's not so big that it pixcelates and looks bad at close distances, you don't need to be a mile away (5 feet is about the right distance for 27, 7-8 for 32) and it's not too small.

My suggestion would be a 27" flat screen with HDTV if you can afford it.

[acem77]

bigger the better :evil:

i play all my stuff on a 61 dlp

http://home.adelphia.net/~acem77/samsung.jpg

[MegaDrive20XX]

http://home.adelphia.net/~acem77/samsung.jpg

Ok for those who dont know what Im talking about when I say "Wrap Around" I'lll use this photo as the example

As you can see, the bottom that says "Credit 03" cannot be seen on my TV nor the top of the roof on that building in the background...and especially the left and right edges...most TV's I have used (25 and 27 inches) always gives me a hugged look to the image like a globe

[charitycasegreg]

I have never had a tv that did that wrap wthing where it leaves part of the game out. But I have been to many friends' houses that their tvs did this. I always laugh at them...suckers. But I would pick a 27 inchfor flatscreen. I like bigger TVs.

[acem77]

wrap around problem.
if you can get the service mode menu code for your tv you should be able to fix that.

you can change many options in these menus. there are many options for colors and screen geometry. just like you have for your pc monitor.

there are many settings in the service mode. if you get in it be very careful
write down all the setting b4 you change anything.

[MegaDrive20XX]

wrap around problem.
if you can get the service mode menu code for your tv you should be able to fix that.

you can change many options in these menus. there are many options for colors and screen geometry. just like you have for your pc monitor.

there are many settings in the service mode. if you get in it be very careful
write down all the setting b4 you change anything.

Say what? How in the world do I do that? Sounds cool, but how can I find out?

[alexkidd2000]

I play SMS and NES on my 51" TV and I think it looks sweet. Sure you see some pixels but if its a clear picture they look cool. Who wants to play on a friggin 19" crappy TV? The bigger the better! I always wanted to play games somehow at the theatre. That would be totally tits.

[Zing]

Say what? How in the world do I do that? Sounds cool, but how can I find out?

I was lucky since I have a Sony 27" and the service modes for Sony TVs are well documented.

What model/brand of TV do you have? You basically need to adjust the horizontal and vertical size of the screen.

Older TVs sometimes have knobs or holes that you stick a tool into along the back of the TV. Some models have the knobs inside the TV and you have to actually open the TV case up to get to them. Most newer TVs of 27" or larger will have the settings in the service mode.

[Anthony1]

Well, I've played my various systems on everything from a 13 inch RGB monitor to a 113 inch Home Cinema screen, so I think I'm the most qualified here to comment on this.


I've heard alot of people talk about older systems, and not wanting to play them on a large TV because of too much pixelization.

I have to disagree with that. Sure, anytime you blow something up, and magnify something, you will also be magnifying all the flaws, but I think it's perfectly fine to play a Atari 2600 on a 51 inch Widescreen HDTV. I've done that before, and it's not a problem at all.

Overkill? Yes, but not a bad thing.


I also must say that if you have a modded XBOX, then playing old school games on a very large HDTV can be an amazing experience. Some of the Emulators on the XBOX allow you to play NES and Genny and SNES games in 720p or 1080i, with XBOX Tri Linear filtering turned on, and Super Scale 2X mode turned on as well. The resulting image is amazing.

In fact, I've played the old, original Contra game for the NES, on a huge 113 inch screen, and the results were quite good. This was on my modded XBOX, with a NES emulator that allows you to play it in a HDTV mode.

Also, when you do go to larger TV's, the key is to use the best possible video output for whatever system it is that you are hooking up. Like use S-Video when possible.


And, of course, I can't stress enough how good a nice little RGB monitor can be. Any system that outputs a native RGB signal will always look it's best on a RGB monitor.

I actually have 2 RGB monitors, one is 13 inches, and one is 25 inches. The 25 inch RGB monitor that I have is an absolute dream come true. It's made by Sony, and it was originally made for TV Production Studios. The fact that it's capable of analog RGB is just a side bonus. But playing a game like Bonk's Adventure in RGB on that 25 inch Sony is just an amazing experience. It really can't be beat.

And when it comes to the latest and greatest modern systems like the XBOX, nothing beats playing it on a 113 inch screen. Halo 2 on the screen will bring any true gamer to their knees in worship.

[jdc]

I've been using various 27" for years.

Cube, PS2, DC, N64, Nes and Genny are hooked to a 27" standard.

XboX is hooked to a 27" super black. It tends to be too dark sometimes.

I'm considering a 32" flatscreen in the spring.

[MegaDrive20XX]

Say what? How in the world do I do that? Sounds cool, but how can I find out?

I was lucky since I have a Sony 27" and the service modes for Sony TVs are well documented.

What model/brand of TV do you have? You basically need to adjust the horizontal and vertical size of the screen.

Older TVs sometimes have knobs or holes that you stick a tool into along the back of the TV. Some models have the knobs inside the TV and you have to actually open the TV case up to get to them. Most newer TVs of 27" or larger will have the settings in the service mode.

Well I know many will go crazy....but I have an Apex 27...I know many say this TV is a piece of shit...but I've had it for 3 years with no problems.

So which steps do I take in order to do this?

[Zing]

I would have to agree that Apex is pretty crappy. :)

To enter service mode:
Decrease the volume to 00. Press the MUTE button on the remote control and "Mute" appears on the TV screen. Then press and hold the MUTE button on the remote control and MENU on the TV at the same time for 3 seconds.

Press up and down arrows on remote to go through the settings. Press left and right to change setting. Turn TV off to exit service mode.

You may want to write down the value of any settings that you are going to change before you change them. That way you can set it back if you need to.

The settings you are looking for may be called "v shift" and "h shift". Looking at the service manual, those seem to be the right ones, but you will have to check for yourself. There may also be a setting called "overscan" that can be set to 0 or 1, but it probably won't be good enough.

[Queen Of The Felines]

This is what I picked up today...

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1077624908010&skuId=6376637&productCategoryId=cat03003&type=product

Widescreen + component video = ONE HAPPY KITTY! :D

Kristine

[MegaDrive20XX]

this is what i got,

AFW: 240khz: 1
IF=PLL: 1
AFA: Inside 1
AFB: Below 1
AGC over f 7
IFS 0
MOD 0

What's next?

[Zing]

Here are the Apex service manuals if you want to check them out yourself:
http://www.worldwideelec.com/apex_asc_site/apex.html

[MegaDrive20XX]

Awesome! I got it! thanks Zing! you just saved me $300 from buying a flat screen in the near future! lol Now it looks and plays better then before!

[ec_gamer]

We just got a 30" HD Panasonic and I was very impressed. I loved it when I switched from A/V to S-Video and was pleasantly surprised! :)

[Chronodriftersx]

I saw a tv at best buy which was a 27 inch HD Advent at $350