Half Japanese
01-31-2007, 12:00 AM
We've had tons of topics started with relatively simple questions in mind regarding A/V or HDTV questions, so I figured that between us all we could compile all of this knowledge into one gigantic thread that encompasses almost all the information any one could ever want to know about current consoles and their video/audio capabilities. The thing is, I'm no expert. I certainly have interest and have a bit more than a passing knowledge about these matters, but many of your guys know way more than I do or things that I forgot or neglected, so contribute. I've got a few things here as a starter, but we need much more. Feel free to contribute information where it is missing or incorrect or to suggest questions or write Q&A's of your very own to be included here. I have chosen to go with the Dreamcast and work forward, but we can work backwards too if anyone is interested and would like to contribute that information (everyone that contributes will be credited for their contributions). Here's my very basic starter info that hopefully we can build upon:
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What kind of cables should I use?
This all depends on your connection, your budget and your tolerance level. The basic breakdown is this (from worst to roughly best, though the last 3 are very comparable):
- RF: This one plugs into the coax connection on the back of your television (where the cable/antenna plugs in). This was pretty standard fare in the 8 and 16-bit days, but has been growing increasingly long in the tooth since then. Picture quality is pretty blah with an RF connection and sound is mono, meaning you'll want to upgrade your TV/cables before delving into any next-gen system.
- Composite: Your standard video cable consisting of 3 wires: yellow (video), red and white (audio). This is what many consoles come packed with. You'll notice a nice increase in quality going from an RF connection to these, but this one's getting outmoded fast. The picture quality isn't as blurry as an RF connection and sound is in stereo (unless your TV is mono).
- S-Video: S-Video is a nice step up from composite and really began to gain popularity in the era of the Playstation, N64 and Dreamcast. Picture quality is noticeably sharper than composite and colors stay within their borders giving a cleaner picture all-around. Generally these cables are stereo as far as audio is concerned, but in rare cases they can provide optical audio as well (see: Xbox Advanced A/V Pack).
- Component: This is where video will really start to shine. Composite splits the video signal into three wires, color-coded as green, blue and red. Component is also the first level of cable at which you will be able to experience progressive scan (more on that later), offering higher resolutions and making your games look drastically better than any other cable is capable of. The audio on most component cables is generally stereo and/or optical.
- VGA: A standard connection method on PCs, VGA is the top- tier connection method for the Dreamcast and the 360 (well, unless Microsoft releases an HDMI enabled 360...) and can carry video signals at 480p and up. While technically superior to component video, actual performance is similar. VGA is the only connection method that allows Dreamcast games to be played in 480p/ progressive scan, which poses a problem since many HDTVs do not have a VGA connection. VGA can be converted to component video via a transcoder such as this Audio Authority box. For the 360, VGA may be good connection chioce if you have a VGA- equipped TV, or if you need to conect the 360 to a PC monitor. However, some users have reported a lighter and more "washed out" picture using VGA. So, for most users, using the stock component cables with the 360 should be more than adequate.
- HDMI: The "latest and greatest" connection standard, HDMI stands out from the rest of the pack because, unlike compenent, VGA, s-video, composite, etc, it carries a digital (rather than analog) signal for a theoretically cleaner picture. The PS3 is the only console that supports this standard. While companies like monster take advantage of general consumer ignorance and charge a ton of cash for HDMI cables, they can can be had cheaply if you know were to look (http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?spcDB=10240&spcWord=Video%20Cable%20-%20%3Cb%3EHDMI%3C/b%3E&keyword=HDMI).
(thanks to mario2butts for VGA and HDMI descriptions)
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I'm looking to buy a new TV and get into this HD gaming goodness...what are my options?
This all depends on your preference, your budget and your living space/lifestyle. Here's a quick rundown of some popular HDTV formats:
- CRT: The same tech as the boob tube you grew up with. Fewer and fewer new HDTVs are CRTs. Despite their massive size and weight, CRTs boast excellent picture quality, and are generally under $1k but max out at 34”. Be aware that some (older) CRT HDTVs do not support 720p resolution, which poses a problem for some PS3 games as the PS3, unlike the 360, has no scaling capabilities. When buying a CRT, be sure that it supports 480p, 1080i, AND 720p. No CRTs support 1080p, the upper-tier resolution for 360 and PS3.
- LCD: LCDs are an attractive choice; they are reliable, offer an excellent picture, and are dropping in price: sub- 30” sets are less than or around $1k. LCDs have traditionally been weak in contrast and pixel response time, but these limitations are beginning to dissapear with recent models. LCDs by their nature have one fixed resolution, and must scale the image if it does not match that resolution. For the 360 and its scaling options, this isn't a problem at all. Pretty much any LCD HDTV on the market today can accept and scale the most common resolutions (480i,480p,720p,1080i). Only some of the newest LCDs can display 1080p, so look for that capability if you want the absolute best picture from your 360/PS3. The only real problem is when you feed an LCD a 480i (or lower) resolution (read: any classic console, most PS2, some DC, GC, Xbox, Wii). In these instances the TV has to do some serious processing to scale up the picture, introducing blurring and lag. The only true fix is to stick with your SDTV for 480i or get an upscan converter, such as the XRGB-3, which at $300 is a pricey box, but well worth it (as I can personally attest ). Some LCDs can handle 480i better than others, (indeed, the lag may in some cases be unnoticeable) so it would be prudent to test games in store before you buy. Guitar Hero II for PS2 has a lag test in the game that you can use.
- Plasma: Expensive but beautiful looking. However, Plasmas have had problems with static images (like videogames) burning into the screen. Manufacturers have claimed that burn- in issues have been solved, and some users report no problems. You should avoid displaying non-widescreen games in their original aspect ratio (with black bars on the sides) and use the TV’s stretch mode instead, as this so-called “pillarboxing” is a common cause of burn-in. The same resolution and scaling caveats mentioned for LCDs apply to Plasmas. Plasmas are creeping down in price to around $1k for 42” 480p sets, closer to $2k for 720p. Prices rise dramatically with screen size/ resolution.
- Projection: Projection-based HDTVs work by magnifying a small screen that sits in the back of the unit, allowing a cost effective means of producing large images. CRT-based Projection TVs are cheap but nearly defunct, massively large, and not recommended as they are susceptible to burn-in. Remember that warning in most 90’s game instruction manuals advising against using “projection televisions”? They were talking about these bad boys.
LCD Projection HDTVs work like standard LCDs, they’re just fatter and cheaper by the inch. DLP Projection HDTVs are similar to LCD projection HDTVs, but offer better contrast. They work by spinning a color wheel in front of a tiny screen made with spinning mirrors. This technology offers a great picture, but can generate distracting streaks of “rainbows” caused by the color wheel. The rainbows are only really apparent when a bright object moves across a dark background very quickly. Some are more distracted by DLP rainbows than others, so try before you buy. I for one occasionally notice but am never bothered by DLP rainbows. Note that both LCD and DLP projection sets have lamps in them that must occasionally be replaced, and have the same resolution and scaling caveats as standard LCDs and plasmas. Projection sets range in price from $1,500 to $5,000: that’s from a 42” 720p to a 70” 1080p.
Projector: Projectors, morseso than other HDTV technologies, require the user to jump through many hoops to enjoy. Firstly, they must be properly installed in your room (usually they are hung on the ceiling with a separately purchased mount), require a separately purchased screen to project onto (a white wall, while not the best solution, still gives a good picture, though), and do not have built in TV tuners or audio output, meaning you’ll need a separate VCR or cable box to watch TV and a stereo system for sound. Expect to pay more for cables as the projector will likely be far away from your AV rack/shelf. Projectors work optimally in total darkness, like a movie theater. Ambient light washes out the picture. And lastly, their bulbs must be occasionally replaced, at considerable cost. So clearly, projectors are not for everyone. BUT (and this is a big “but”), IF you can jump through said hoops, you’ll be rewarded with a massive, stunning, and surprisingly cheap picture.
Like projectION sets, projectORs come in three flavors. CRT projectors do exist, but they are massive, expensive, and rare. LCD and DLP projectors offer similar performance to each other, with LCDs immune to the dreaded “rainbow effect” and DLPs offering higher contrast and black levels. Projectors are plummeting in price and becoming a great value; 720p projectors like the popular Optoma HD-70 are creeping into the sub-$1k range. 480p projectors are currently being phased out, but are ridiculously cheap. The Infocus SP4805 and IN72 can be had for nearly $500 on ebay. 1080p projectors still demand a premium, with the cheapest being the Sony “Pearl” at $5,000. Lamp costs should be considered, though: most projectors offer a lamp life in the 2,000 to 4,000 hour range with replacement bulbs costing $300-400. If you used a standard 3,000- hour bulb 8 hours a day, you’d be buying a new bulb every year. Still, considering the cost of similarly sized plasmas and LCDs, projectors are still a bargain. Of course, the same resolution/scaling caveats for LCD, plasma, and projection sets also apply to projectors.
(thanks to mario2butts for this entire section!)
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What kinds of cables are available for the current systems?
For 'current,' we're going to go with everything from the Dreamcast forward (unless someone else would like to add information before the DC). “*” will denote the stock cable(s) that comes with the system. Here we go:
- Dreamcast: RF, composite*, S-video, VGA (select games)
- Playstation 2: RF, composite*, S-video, component
- Gamecube: RF, composite*, S-video, component (earlier models)
- Xbox: RF, composite*, S-video, component
- Xbox 360: RF, composite*, S-video, component*, VGA
- Playstation 3: -PS3: RF, composite*, S-Video, component, HDMI (with the exception of HDMI, uses same cables as PS2)
- Wii: RF, composite*, S-Video, component (incompatible with Gamecube cables)
(thanks to mario2butts for ps3 & Wii descriptions)
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Links
Great places to head for information as well as a few places to check out if you're in the market for cables and other AV goods:
HDTV Arcade (www.hdtvarcade.com)
Great, constantly updated list of which games support which resolutions and features (online, surround sound, etc.). Any HD gamer should have this in their bookmarks.
MonoPrice (www.monoprice.com)
One of the best places to buy cables online. DO NOT buy HDMI cables (or most others for that matter) in a store when they can be had here for often less than 1/4 the price you'd pay at any of the big-box retailers. They also sell KVM switches and computer cables.
Got a link? Feel free to post it in a reply or shoot me a PM with it and I'll add it here. Please include a brief description of the link!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What kind of cables should I use?
This all depends on your connection, your budget and your tolerance level. The basic breakdown is this (from worst to roughly best, though the last 3 are very comparable):
- RF: This one plugs into the coax connection on the back of your television (where the cable/antenna plugs in). This was pretty standard fare in the 8 and 16-bit days, but has been growing increasingly long in the tooth since then. Picture quality is pretty blah with an RF connection and sound is mono, meaning you'll want to upgrade your TV/cables before delving into any next-gen system.
- Composite: Your standard video cable consisting of 3 wires: yellow (video), red and white (audio). This is what many consoles come packed with. You'll notice a nice increase in quality going from an RF connection to these, but this one's getting outmoded fast. The picture quality isn't as blurry as an RF connection and sound is in stereo (unless your TV is mono).
- S-Video: S-Video is a nice step up from composite and really began to gain popularity in the era of the Playstation, N64 and Dreamcast. Picture quality is noticeably sharper than composite and colors stay within their borders giving a cleaner picture all-around. Generally these cables are stereo as far as audio is concerned, but in rare cases they can provide optical audio as well (see: Xbox Advanced A/V Pack).
- Component: This is where video will really start to shine. Composite splits the video signal into three wires, color-coded as green, blue and red. Component is also the first level of cable at which you will be able to experience progressive scan (more on that later), offering higher resolutions and making your games look drastically better than any other cable is capable of. The audio on most component cables is generally stereo and/or optical.
- VGA: A standard connection method on PCs, VGA is the top- tier connection method for the Dreamcast and the 360 (well, unless Microsoft releases an HDMI enabled 360...) and can carry video signals at 480p and up. While technically superior to component video, actual performance is similar. VGA is the only connection method that allows Dreamcast games to be played in 480p/ progressive scan, which poses a problem since many HDTVs do not have a VGA connection. VGA can be converted to component video via a transcoder such as this Audio Authority box. For the 360, VGA may be good connection chioce if you have a VGA- equipped TV, or if you need to conect the 360 to a PC monitor. However, some users have reported a lighter and more "washed out" picture using VGA. So, for most users, using the stock component cables with the 360 should be more than adequate.
- HDMI: The "latest and greatest" connection standard, HDMI stands out from the rest of the pack because, unlike compenent, VGA, s-video, composite, etc, it carries a digital (rather than analog) signal for a theoretically cleaner picture. The PS3 is the only console that supports this standard. While companies like monster take advantage of general consumer ignorance and charge a ton of cash for HDMI cables, they can can be had cheaply if you know were to look (http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?spcDB=10240&spcWord=Video%20Cable%20-%20%3Cb%3EHDMI%3C/b%3E&keyword=HDMI).
(thanks to mario2butts for VGA and HDMI descriptions)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm looking to buy a new TV and get into this HD gaming goodness...what are my options?
This all depends on your preference, your budget and your living space/lifestyle. Here's a quick rundown of some popular HDTV formats:
- CRT: The same tech as the boob tube you grew up with. Fewer and fewer new HDTVs are CRTs. Despite their massive size and weight, CRTs boast excellent picture quality, and are generally under $1k but max out at 34”. Be aware that some (older) CRT HDTVs do not support 720p resolution, which poses a problem for some PS3 games as the PS3, unlike the 360, has no scaling capabilities. When buying a CRT, be sure that it supports 480p, 1080i, AND 720p. No CRTs support 1080p, the upper-tier resolution for 360 and PS3.
- LCD: LCDs are an attractive choice; they are reliable, offer an excellent picture, and are dropping in price: sub- 30” sets are less than or around $1k. LCDs have traditionally been weak in contrast and pixel response time, but these limitations are beginning to dissapear with recent models. LCDs by their nature have one fixed resolution, and must scale the image if it does not match that resolution. For the 360 and its scaling options, this isn't a problem at all. Pretty much any LCD HDTV on the market today can accept and scale the most common resolutions (480i,480p,720p,1080i). Only some of the newest LCDs can display 1080p, so look for that capability if you want the absolute best picture from your 360/PS3. The only real problem is when you feed an LCD a 480i (or lower) resolution (read: any classic console, most PS2, some DC, GC, Xbox, Wii). In these instances the TV has to do some serious processing to scale up the picture, introducing blurring and lag. The only true fix is to stick with your SDTV for 480i or get an upscan converter, such as the XRGB-3, which at $300 is a pricey box, but well worth it (as I can personally attest ). Some LCDs can handle 480i better than others, (indeed, the lag may in some cases be unnoticeable) so it would be prudent to test games in store before you buy. Guitar Hero II for PS2 has a lag test in the game that you can use.
- Plasma: Expensive but beautiful looking. However, Plasmas have had problems with static images (like videogames) burning into the screen. Manufacturers have claimed that burn- in issues have been solved, and some users report no problems. You should avoid displaying non-widescreen games in their original aspect ratio (with black bars on the sides) and use the TV’s stretch mode instead, as this so-called “pillarboxing” is a common cause of burn-in. The same resolution and scaling caveats mentioned for LCDs apply to Plasmas. Plasmas are creeping down in price to around $1k for 42” 480p sets, closer to $2k for 720p. Prices rise dramatically with screen size/ resolution.
- Projection: Projection-based HDTVs work by magnifying a small screen that sits in the back of the unit, allowing a cost effective means of producing large images. CRT-based Projection TVs are cheap but nearly defunct, massively large, and not recommended as they are susceptible to burn-in. Remember that warning in most 90’s game instruction manuals advising against using “projection televisions”? They were talking about these bad boys.
LCD Projection HDTVs work like standard LCDs, they’re just fatter and cheaper by the inch. DLP Projection HDTVs are similar to LCD projection HDTVs, but offer better contrast. They work by spinning a color wheel in front of a tiny screen made with spinning mirrors. This technology offers a great picture, but can generate distracting streaks of “rainbows” caused by the color wheel. The rainbows are only really apparent when a bright object moves across a dark background very quickly. Some are more distracted by DLP rainbows than others, so try before you buy. I for one occasionally notice but am never bothered by DLP rainbows. Note that both LCD and DLP projection sets have lamps in them that must occasionally be replaced, and have the same resolution and scaling caveats as standard LCDs and plasmas. Projection sets range in price from $1,500 to $5,000: that’s from a 42” 720p to a 70” 1080p.
Projector: Projectors, morseso than other HDTV technologies, require the user to jump through many hoops to enjoy. Firstly, they must be properly installed in your room (usually they are hung on the ceiling with a separately purchased mount), require a separately purchased screen to project onto (a white wall, while not the best solution, still gives a good picture, though), and do not have built in TV tuners or audio output, meaning you’ll need a separate VCR or cable box to watch TV and a stereo system for sound. Expect to pay more for cables as the projector will likely be far away from your AV rack/shelf. Projectors work optimally in total darkness, like a movie theater. Ambient light washes out the picture. And lastly, their bulbs must be occasionally replaced, at considerable cost. So clearly, projectors are not for everyone. BUT (and this is a big “but”), IF you can jump through said hoops, you’ll be rewarded with a massive, stunning, and surprisingly cheap picture.
Like projectION sets, projectORs come in three flavors. CRT projectors do exist, but they are massive, expensive, and rare. LCD and DLP projectors offer similar performance to each other, with LCDs immune to the dreaded “rainbow effect” and DLPs offering higher contrast and black levels. Projectors are plummeting in price and becoming a great value; 720p projectors like the popular Optoma HD-70 are creeping into the sub-$1k range. 480p projectors are currently being phased out, but are ridiculously cheap. The Infocus SP4805 and IN72 can be had for nearly $500 on ebay. 1080p projectors still demand a premium, with the cheapest being the Sony “Pearl” at $5,000. Lamp costs should be considered, though: most projectors offer a lamp life in the 2,000 to 4,000 hour range with replacement bulbs costing $300-400. If you used a standard 3,000- hour bulb 8 hours a day, you’d be buying a new bulb every year. Still, considering the cost of similarly sized plasmas and LCDs, projectors are still a bargain. Of course, the same resolution/scaling caveats for LCD, plasma, and projection sets also apply to projectors.
(thanks to mario2butts for this entire section!)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What kinds of cables are available for the current systems?
For 'current,' we're going to go with everything from the Dreamcast forward (unless someone else would like to add information before the DC). “*” will denote the stock cable(s) that comes with the system. Here we go:
- Dreamcast: RF, composite*, S-video, VGA (select games)
- Playstation 2: RF, composite*, S-video, component
- Gamecube: RF, composite*, S-video, component (earlier models)
- Xbox: RF, composite*, S-video, component
- Xbox 360: RF, composite*, S-video, component*, VGA
- Playstation 3: -PS3: RF, composite*, S-Video, component, HDMI (with the exception of HDMI, uses same cables as PS2)
- Wii: RF, composite*, S-Video, component (incompatible with Gamecube cables)
(thanks to mario2butts for ps3 & Wii descriptions)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Links
Great places to head for information as well as a few places to check out if you're in the market for cables and other AV goods:
HDTV Arcade (www.hdtvarcade.com)
Great, constantly updated list of which games support which resolutions and features (online, surround sound, etc.). Any HD gamer should have this in their bookmarks.
MonoPrice (www.monoprice.com)
One of the best places to buy cables online. DO NOT buy HDMI cables (or most others for that matter) in a store when they can be had here for often less than 1/4 the price you'd pay at any of the big-box retailers. They also sell KVM switches and computer cables.
Got a link? Feel free to post it in a reply or shoot me a PM with it and I'll add it here. Please include a brief description of the link!