Table of Contents
0: Introduction
1a: Video Resolutions
1b: Sound Formats
2: Connections
3: Consoles
4: Televisions
5: Final Thoughts

0: Introduction

So, you want to get the most out of your gaming experience in terms of picture and sound quality? This guide will hopefully help you make sense of all the terms that are bound to be thrown your way if you’re shopping around for new equipment or just interested in understanding a/v hookups, resolutions, and the like… also, don’t trust employees at Best Buy or other general electronics retailers to know what they’re talking about: they’re usually only interested in selling you the HDTV for a commission, not in actually helping you determine what the best gaming setup for your budget range is.

First, I’ll explain the different kinds or video resolutions and sound formats. Then, I’ll move onto types of connections, both for sound and picture. Third, the console specific section which explains what each system is capable of in terms of a/v stuff. Up fourth is an explanation on television types and which ones are best for gaming. And last but certainly not least, is a quick summary of the previous sections’ info with a tidy little conclusion.

If you’re lazy and don’t want all of this background info… feel free to just skip to the 2 sections on console-specific and TV info, though you’ll probably have to refer to previous sections to understand what all the terms mean.

1a: Video Resolutions

(note, this information mostly centers around NTSC… but most of it can still apply to PAL and SECAM)

First, let me explain the difference between interlaced and progressive scan.

An (obviously exaggerated) comparison of interlaced and progressive versions of the same image in a possibly seizure-inducing animated .gif...

An interlaced signal splits up the video information into 2 fields (even and odd lines) and displays each separately. Interlacing relies on persistance of vision for viewers to put the 2 fields together as one image and was developed to reduce the amount of bandwidth needed to broadcast video. If you look hard enough, especially at still images you will see a flicker in interlaced video signals.

A progressive signal displays all lines at once and arguably results in sharper pictures with less ghosting than interlaced images.

Resolutions are usually listed using the following abbreviation scheme:

vertical resolution, interlaced or progressive, (framerate)

So, a 480i30 picture is 480 scanning lines tall, interlaced, and refreshing at a rate of 30 frames per second. A 1080p24 picture is 1080 scanning lines tall, progressive, and refreshing at a rate of 24 frames per second. The framerate is usually omitted as it tends to differ between television (typically 29.997 Hz), film (24 Hz) and games (anywhere from 30 to 60 Hz).

Standard definition television (SDTV) is 480i. This is the standard resolution for broadcast television and games on the PS2, Xbox, and GCN.

Enhanced definition television (EDTV) is 480p. The overall picture size is the same as SDTV, but the progressive scan doubles the temporal resolution and does make a visible difference in terms of video quality.

High definition television (HDTV) is currently available to the consumer in 3 formats: 720p, 1080i, and 1080p.

• 720p is the most common format for HD broadcasts (especially sports) and any television listed as HD-ready or with the HDTV logo on it is capable of at least displaying this resolution.
• 1080i is also used in HD broadcasts. Because it is interlaced, motion might not be as smooth and it arguably offers the same picture quality as 720p. Most HDTVs can output 1080i in addition to 720p.
• 1080p is the highest resolution available to consumers. No HD broadcasts support this resolution, but the PS3 and recently XB360, plus HD video formats, are capable of outputting at 1080p. Only a handful of HDTVs/HD projectors on the market support 1080p right now, though that percentage is steadily growing.

Comparison of SDTV vs HDTV image sizes...

Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of the horizontal to the vertical dimensions of a picture. Aspect ratios are most commonly divided into full screen (4:3) and widescreen (16:9, 1.85:1, 2.35:1). 4:3, which used to be typical of all television broadcasts, is slowly being phased out. On the other hand, all HDTV is widescreen and fullscreen versions of movies (which crops out some of the original image) are becoming less common. There are in fact 2 common widescreen formats for movies – scope and flat, scope being even wider than flat. Widescreen TVs tend to be flat (1.85:1), so even scope (2.35:1) movies will end up with some letterboxing (black bars at the top and bottom) to preserve the correct aspect ratio on your widescreen TVs.

1b: Sound Formats

Most people at least know the difference between mono (one channel of sound) and stereo (two channels, one for the left and one for the right). Typically a television’s stock speakers will either be mono or stereo. But did you know that the surround sound you experience in theaters is easily available for a home setup and that all the current- and next-gen consoles support multi-channel sound formats?

Comparison of 2 Surround Sound Layouts

• 2.1 channels indicate the the addition of a subwoofer to a set of stereo speakers. A subwoofer is an additional audio component that projects low-range sounds because most speakers lack the size/power to deliver anything aside from mid- and high-range sounds. Anytime you see “.1,” it stands for the subwoofer.
• 5.1 channel sound has 1 center speaker, 2 front, and 2 side. This is what people usually mean when they say “surround sound.” Pretty easy to understand, right?
• 6.1 (adds a rear speaker to 5.1) and 7.1 (adds 2 rear speakers) offer slightly more immersive sound but are much less common… 7.1 basically outputs the exact same audio info as 6.1 except it splits the rear channel into 2 speakers as opposed to 6.1’s single rear speaker.

You will see these sound formats and Dolby and DTS’s logos on the back of DVDs, games, etc. Most audio/video sources will list how their sound information has been encoded. The following are common encoding schemes to look out for in order to determine what kind of sound you should be able to get…
5.1 — Dolby Digital Surround, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS
6.1 or 7.1 — Dolby Digital EX, DTS Neo, and DTS ES

Different sound processing technologies differ slightly in sound quality (DTS has less compression than Dolby and there are even lossless audio formats for multichannel sound, but you need some good high-bandwidth cables and a pretty high-end receiver to make use of them).

a receiver hooked up to a 2.1 sound system (subwoofer not pictured)

In order to utilize surround sound, you’ll need a receiver that will take the audio from your source (your console or DVD player or cable box or whatever) and split the audio into multiple channels to your speakers. When buying a receiver, be sure to check that it is capable of processing the formats you’re interested in. And of course, you’ll also need the required number of speakers + subwoofer set up. Home Theaters in a Box (HTIBs) are becoming increasingly common and usually include a receiver, a set of 5.1 speakers, and a DVD/HD format player and are actually pretty affordable if you’re not too keen on shopping for each component individually.

2: Connections

There are 2 kinds of signals… analog and digital. Digital isn’t necessarily better than analog, contrary to popular belief, though it’s quickly becoming more and more common and is clearly the future in a/v connections because of convenience.

Analog Connections

RF Cables are the oldest a/v connectors I’ll be mentioning and unsurprisingly offer the worst in terms of picture and sound quality. You can only get mono sound and a maximum of 330 line vertical resolution out of these (have you been paying attention? that’s less than SDTV). Not to mention all the interference stray RF signals can wreak on your audio/video output. Only used for the oldest of a/v components and televisions… avoid RF if you can.

composite, s-video, and analog audio

The composite video cable is the yellow RCA jack on your standard yellow-red-white cords that come default with most game systems and a/v components these days. It offers passable video quality and outputs a maximum of 480i. The red-white jacks on that same cable put out an analog stereo signal, which can be processed through Dolby Pro Logic II or DTS Neo:6 and therefore is capable of being split into a multichannel sound setup.

S-video is a step up in visual quality because unlike composite (which carries all the video info in one line) it carries 2 separate signals for brightness and color. It has the exact same bandwidth as composite though, and is therefore also only capable of up to 480i. S-video connectors are black jacks with multiple little prongs and usually come attached to stereo sound jacks (red-white) and sometimes an additional composite video jack (yellow) in case.

Component video cables split the video information into 3 channels. It uses the same RCA connectors as composite, but instead of just having one yellow jack for video, it has 3 jacks: green, blue, and red. The green jack, usually labeled Y, contains the black and white picture. The blue and red jacks, labeled Pb and Pr respectively, carry color information. In addition to upping the video quality considerably, component cables offer higher bandwidth and are therefore capable of outputting EDTV and HDTV resolutions. Component video typically comes attached to stereo sound RCA jacks (red-white… getting tired of me saying that yet?) when coming out of a game console.

component video with analog audio

VGA (video graphics array) should be really familiar to anyone who’s used a computer (which should be everyone reading this, haha). It’s the video connector for computer monitors. Today’s VGA cables have enough bandwidth for HDTV resolutions, but finding VGA connections outside of computers is rare, the notable exceptions being the Xbox 360 and a few select HDTVs.

VGA male cable end

Speaker wires are just that… wires to pipe an audio signal out to your speakers. Typically, you’ll use these to connect your receiver to your speakers + subwoofer. In general, a lower gauge is better (the lower the number, the thicker the wire), with 10-12 gauge or lower satisfying audiophiles.

a roll of speaker wire

Digital Connections

Digital coaxial audio has little to do with the coaxial cables used for cable TV or on RF connections… It only carries sound and puts out a digital signal. Offers better sound quality than analog stereo.

digital coaxial audio cable

Optical audio is another digital audio connector, though it uses a TOSLINK optical fiber connection rather than just a solid wire. Comparable audio quality to digital coaxial, though many consider optical wires more manageable than coax.

optical audio cable

DVI-D (digital video interface, digital mode) is a digital video connection that was created to optimize the image quality on LCD flat panel displays and digital projectors. It has enough bandwidth to output HDTV resolutions.

DVI-D male-male cable

HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) is a digital connection that carries both video and audio information. Its image quality is comparable to DVI, but since it also includes audio, many people consider it more convenient. HDMI has very high bandwidth and can carry HDTV resolutions and even lossless, discrete multichannel sound.

HDMI audio/video cable

Some Extra Notes

The HDMI Factor

HDMI offering better picture/sound quality than all other connections is a myth.

Yes, HDMI is convenient because it offers high-quality video and audio through one cable, but it is not necessarily the best. The “best” audio and video connections vary from component to component, setup to setup, etc. The main reason companies are pushing HDMI is because it is compatible with HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), a DRM technology that automatically downsamples content (meaning you won’t get the full resolution picture) to “untrusted” devices.

You will need HDMI to watch movies in 1080p, because HD-DVD/Blu-Ray player manufacturers must restrict 1080p output to only HDMI. Many upscaling players have this same restriction. So, for simplicity’s sake: if you plan to use 1080p content, buy a TV with HDMI connections and make sure the TV is HDCP compliant.

More Expensive Cable = Better Quality?

For the most part, Monster and other super expensive cables are not worth the extra money, especially for digital signals. The most affordable cables should be more than satisfactory for any consumer’s needs… the only time you should consider getting high-end gold-plated cables, for example, is if you require long cable runs. Anything under 5 feet or so though, and the cheapest ones will be more than adequate.

Monoprice, Newegg, RadioShack, and any other number of retailers should be able to provide for most of your a/v cable needs.

Cable Ends and Converters

Consoles aside, almost every a/v device simply has ports / female connectors, which require you to supply your own cables. You can purchase male/male cables at just about any general electronics store or online.

There are converters/hybrid cables for just about everything, though you may experience a loss in quality. Ideally, you’ll want to have the same kind of inputs on your TV, receiver, and a/v components.

3: Consoles

Alright, so all this info is all well and dandy… but how can you apply it to gaming?

I’m not going to get into anything older than the Dreamcast… because I’m lazy. But a few kind souls have volunteered information on legacy consoles, which I’ve included here:

Nintendo Entertainment System

The NES supported RCA composite cables on the side (single channel audio only) and RF output through the back. The multi-channel RF cable supported the NES’s signal as well as a coaxial cable for cable TV or a hardwired antenna. It displayed at 256×240, though most games were 256×224 to ensure there wasn’t clipping on the top and bottom.

(Thanks for the NES info, Bobby!)

However, the toploader NES does NOT have composite video.

Other Older Systems

(All courtesy of Brendan, thanks!)
Sega Master System has composite and RF. Mono only.
Genesis/Megadrive has stereo+composite and RF.
TurboGrafx (PC Engine if you prefer) only had RF unless you got a turbo booster, then you get composite.
SNES has stereo+composite and RF, plus you can get multi A/V S-video cables (same ones as the N64 and the gamecube) and use them with an SNES, so by default, the N64 has the same thing except it abolishes RF.
Dreamcast does VGA, composite, s-video
PSX you have composite, don’t know if an s-video cable exists, maybe for the PSone but probably not PSX.

Many systems, generally starting with the 16bit era, can be modded for RGB “reasonably” easily.

Gamecube

The stock cables that come with a GCN are composite video + analog stereo. You can easily buy s-vdeo cables in any game store and the upgrade is definitely welcome. Component cables on the other hand, are much trickier…

First off, GCN component cables have been discontinued, so buying them used or off of Ebay is probably your only bet. Also, newer Gamecube models do not have the necessary port to connect these cables.

All the details can be found here…

Details on component cables for the GCN

The native resolution for GCN games is 480i, but many support 480p provided you have component cables / an early enough model / a TV that supports it. Simply hold down B when turning on the console and booting a game, and it will ask you whether you want to play the game in prorgressive scan mode.

The easy way to play your Cube titles in 480p? Get a Wii, which has much more easily available component cables.

As far as audio goes, there are no upgrades past the analog stereo jacks though many Gamecube games offer Dolby Pro Logic II. Simply make sure you turn the audio option to PLII in the in-game menu and have your audio jacks hooked up to a receiver that can split the audio into surround and you’re good to go.

16:9 widescreen is a feature in some games, typically accessible through in-game menus.

List of games that offer widescreen, 480p, and PLII modes…

GCN games which offer widescreen, 480p, PLII / Alternative list

PlayStation 2

Again, your stock cables for the PS2 are composite video + analog stereo. Unlike the Cube, both s-video and component cables are still easily available for the PS2 at any major game store.

The PS2’s native resolution for games is typically 480i but select titles have 480p support. You can activate progressive scan either by holding down triangle and X as a game boots up or by changing the option within the game itself, if it’s included.

Just like the Cube, analog stereo jacks are as good as you’ll get, but many games offer PLII which must be activited through an in-game menu.

16:9 widescreen is a feature in some games, typically accessible through in-game menus.

List of PS2 games with 480p and/or widescreen:

PS2 games with 480p and/or widescreen / Alternative list

Xbox

Your Xbox’s stock cables are, you guessed it: composite video + analog stereo. Like the PS2, s-video and component cables for the Xbox are easily available at any game store.

Unlike the other 2 systems of its gen, the Xbox is fully capable of HD resolutions and has the option of outputting audio through a digital optical connection.

To use optical, you have to buy 1 of 2 speciality Xbox AV packs:

Xbox Advanced AV Pack / HD AV Pack

The Advanced AV pack will let you use optical audio and s-video connections (basically you have to supply your own male-male cables here). The HD AV Pack will let you use optical audio and component video, which lets you do EDTV and HDTV resolutions.

List of Xbox games with 480p, 720p, 1080i, 16:9, and 5.1 sound:

Xbox games with ED/HDTV and multichannel sound

Notes for PS2/GCN/XB

You can buy RF adaptors for all 3 of these systems… but why would you want to? It’d make me sad.

Also, regarding previous generations… The Gamecube analog AV cables are compatible with the N64 and the SNES, so you can actually play those systems through the same composite or s-video cable you’re using for your Cube. Component cables connect to the GCN’s digital-out port however, so no luck on getting to use your older Nintendo systems on component.

Same goes for the PlayStation series of consoles. The PS1, PSone, and PS2 all use the same a/v port on the back, so you can use any of your composite, component, or s-video cables on any of your Sony consoles.

(Thanks to Sollosi for the PS info)

Regarding DVD playback on the PS2 and Xbox… SCPH5000 and newer models of the PS2 support progressive scan for DVDs. As far as I know, the Xbox does not support any progressive scan for movies, even though it has it for almost every single game.

Wii

The stock cables are composite video + stereo analog. Both s-video and component cables are easily available at any major games retailer. Almost all Wii games support both 480i and 480p resolutions, though you’ll need component cables to utilize the latter of course. Just about every Wii game has PLII audio as well.

The nice thing about the Wii is that you can set your video and audio settings on the main menu of the system itself… Just go to Wii Settings > Screen to change between 480i/p and widescreen/fullscreen. The Audio tab will also let you choose between mono, stereo, and surround (which is still just PLII). Still, it’s a good idea to make sure the settings are correct in the game itself, provided it’s a title that does support these extra bells and whistles.

List of Wii games with 480p, PLII, and 16:9:

WIi games supporting 480p, PLII, and 16:9 / Alternative list (Excel spreadsheet)

PlayStation 3

Sony’s new console is all about HD and surround sound… It comes stock with composite video and analog stereo as far as the a/v cable goes; in fact it’s the exact same port/cable as the PS1/PS2’s. It also has optical audio and HDMI ports right on the back, which is really nice and an easy way for you to get much nicer picture and audio quality out of the system.

The PS3 can support everything from 480i up through 1080p for PS3 games, though only a few games are natively 1080p (most force output to 720p, regardless of what your XMB displays at). Unlike the 360, however, the PS3 lacks an internal scaler for games and will output games only up to their native resolution. This means you may have issues playing PS3 games in HD on the few, older 1080i-only sets.

As far as backwards compatibility goes… that’s trickier, especially with the firmware upgrades and differences in hardware (some PS3s have the Emotion Engine which will basically mean it’s compatible with all PS2 games without a hitch, some don’t). I do know that even with the latest firmware, the hardware upscaling lags pretty noticeably, which isn’t a big deal except with games that require a lot of timing precision. I played all of the Metal Gear Solid Essential Collection without a hitch on my 60gb (in fact, scaling to 720p makes them look much better than dealing with a 480i source on an HDTV), though Beatmania and fighters were essentially unplayable because of the lag in the backwards compatibility.

In summary: you can use any brand of male-male optical or HDMI cables to hook up your PS3 because it just has the standard ports on the back of the console itself or the standard Sony PS a/v cables for just composite or s-video. Check the menu’s options and overview of firmware upgrades to figure out backwards compatibility, resolutions, etc. supported.

Xbox 360

Like the PS3, the 360 is all about HD gaming. There are a number of connection options available to you, though they require proprietary AV packages/cables, just like with the original Xbox…

• For the Core 360 (and 360 Arcade?), your stock connections are composite video + analog stereo.
• For the Premium 360, your stock connections are component video + composite video + analog stereo. (note: Premium 360s now come with HDMI ports on the back too)
• For the 360 Elite, you get both component video + stereo analog cables and an HDMI cable.

Component cables for the 360 also include a port for optical audio out. You can also buy a VGA cable for the 360, which also includes an optical port, and lets you use your 360 on computer monitors or specific HDTVs with VGA ports.

The 360 can output everything from 480i to 1080i straight out of the box, but it can also do 1080p through component, VGA, and HDMI with a firmware upgrade.

While the 360’s backwards compatibility isn’t all inclusive, the supported Xbox titles are upscaled to whatever resolution your 360 is set to, even if the game only supported up to 480i/p on the original system. Panzer Dragoon Orta in 720p? You betcha. Definitely a nice bonus.

No clue on XBLA games right now as I haven’t downloaded any yet, but I’ll be sure to test it later this summer.

Notes for Wii/PS3/XB360

The Wii doesn’t have DVD playback (at least, legitimitely). The end.

The PS3’s Blu-Ray support does not upscale SD DVDs at the time of this writing, but Sony have said that it will be possible to include upscaling in a firmware update in the future. Blu-Ray playback can reach resolutions up to 1080p through HDMI, but can only achieve lesser resolutions through component because it’s an “unprotected” connection. No idea what the max resolution for Blu-Ray playback through component on the PS3 is… and the information doesn’t seem to be out there.

(NOTE: Sony has indeed enabled upscaling of regular DVDs up to 1080p through a firmware update, and it is fantastic. In fact, I would argue that the PS3 is possibly the most future-proofed Blu-Ray player on the market and is a steal at its price-point for anyone looking for a high-def player. Though that’s not exactly relevant to gaming, just thought you’d like to know that the PS3 is at least a good investment for anyone with an interest in a/v components.)

The Xbox 360 by itself can play DVDs, either in 480i or 480p. I’m not sure whether progressive scan requires an online update… The HD-DVD add-on will let you play DVDs and HD-DVDs at resolutions up to 1080p through VGA and HDMI, but only up to 720p through component.

UPDATE: Blu-Ray has officially won the HD format war, so don’t bother with the 360′s HD-DVD add-on.

4. Televisions

Alright, so now you know all about connections and what your consoles are capable of… time to move onto TVs!

Important Terms

Display technologies refer to the different ways in which images are projected onto a screen. CRT, LCD, DLP, LCoS, Plasma, etc. are all different kinds of display tech. The bulk/weight of your display device mostly depends on the kind of technology it contains.

Viewing angle refers to how well you can view the picture on a display at a slant. CRT pictures retain the exact same quality/color when viewed from any angle, whereas any other display technology will have a degree of distortion when viewed any further than 45 degrees from the center.

Native resolution is the actual, physical resolution of a display, though all displays can process and output lower resolutions with some work… this will be explained in more detail under Video Game Lag.

Contrast ratio is a measure of the difference between pure black and pure white on your display. Obviously, a bigger number is better, but recent TVs boasting 10,000:1 contrast ratios are overkill…

Black levels measure how well your display outputs dark pixels. Some technologies have advantages over the other in terms of black levels because they can completely “turn off” a pixel, while others always have some sort of light bleeding through.

Refresh rate refers to how often picture info is updated on a screen. Lower numbers are better in this case and anything higher than 12ms may result in blurring during fast-paced video output.

The screendoor and rainbow effects are “deficiencies” in LCD and DLP technologies respectively that only the most hardcore of the hardcore videophiles will notice…

For the most part, getting the absolute best when it comes to contrast ratio and black levels is only a concern for huge videophiles. Most people won’t care about the difference between 5000:1 or 1000:1, or the blacks on a CRT vs an LCD. However, keep in mind that a lot of these numbers that are listed in a TV’s specs are often deceptive; if picture quality is a deal-breaker for you, nothing can replace walking into the store and demoing the TV for yourself. Feel free to bring in your own source (such as your PS3 or 360) and test it out on the sets you’re considering.

Video Game Lag

Every television has a native resolution. Whenever any video information is input into the display, it is output at the native resolution. If the source’s resolution does not match up with the TV’s native resolution, the TV’s scaler has to process the video data to make it fit. Regardless of the resolution of the content that’s being piped in, the television will always scale the image to fit into its native resolution, and this is where video game lag arises.

For older sets (non-HD CRTs), the native resolution is typically standard def (480i or 240p) but it’s a bit difficult to pin down because CRTs are not fixed pixel displays… CRTs that support HDTV resolutions can have 2 native resolutions: 480p and 1080i, though sometimes they only natively support 1080i. The final word on CRTs and lag? For SDTV CRTs, continue playing any video game system at 480i and you will have zero game lag. For HD CRTs… you will experience lag with 480i sources, and you may not with 480p ones.

All flat-panel and non-CRT projection displays are fixed pixel displays, meaning the screen displays image information pixel by pixel. Whatever the number of pixels, that’s the absolute most detail a television can display. EDTVs have a native resolution of 480p. HDTVs have native resolutions of either 720p or 1080p.

This means that you will have lag playing any non-HD sources on an HDTV. The 360 and PS3 both offer the option to play their games in any resolution from 480i to 1080p, so you won’t have to worry about lag with next-gen games. The Wii, which only offers 480p as its maximum resolution, does alright as well because scaling a progressive source to a progressive display (almost every HDTV is progressive by nature) has much less lag than scaling interlaced video. Same goes for PS2, XB, and GCN games that support EDTV.

The games that only output at SDTV, however, will experience significant lag on any HDTV. Period. So this means that a good amount of your current-gen games will lag on HDTVs. This isn’t an issue for most genres, but for timing-sensitive types like fighting games, rhythm games, or shooters, you will probably be able to feel the discrepancy.

You can minimize lag for non-HD sources by switching to your TV’s game mode (if it has one) to lessen the amount of processing that occurs during scaling. It won’t be as “pretty” as a fully processed image, but it won’t lag as much either. You can also spend $1500-3000 on an external scaler that is more efficient at dealing with interlaced signals, but that’s kind of unreasonable to ask most people. ^^; Some titles, such as Guitar Hero 2, conveniently have in-game options that let you calibrate the game’s timing to your TV’s lag.

For wayyy more detailed information on HDTV lag… check out these pages:

HDTV Lag / FubarDuck’s HDTV Lag FAQ

And now… onto types of TVs and projectors.

Direct View / Tube TVs

The big ol’ fat set with a glass front that you’ve been using for the majority of your life is the tube television that uses CRT (cathode ray tube) technology (3 colored tubes shoot out light onto the screen). Tube TVs are available in SD, ED, and HDTV resolutions, though they are being phased out as we speak.

They also happen to be ridiculously cheap compared to other display technologies, but the weight/size is pretty inconvenient. CRTs arguably offer better picture quality than other TVs, hands down offering the best black levels of any display technology.

If portability/space is not an issue and/or you’re on a tighter budget, then go for the CRT HDTV. If lag on HD content is a big issue, keep your CRT SDTV to use with your legacy consoles.

Front Projection

Projectors are not televisions per se, but they use a display method that you’re probably familar with thanks to experience going to movie theaters… the picture is put out by an external device and displayed on a surface (usually a wall or a screen) a couple of feet away.

Advantages include the ability to change screen size on the fly (just adjust the distance of the projector) and small size of the device itself (at least LCD/DLP projectors), which is great for portability/storage. Most projectors nowadays output HD resolutions.

However, if you’re looking to get the most out of your picture quality on a projector, you should invest in a proper screen and make sure you don’t have any interfering light sources (make it dark, just like a movie theater).

Different projectors use different kinds of display methods, most notably CRT, LCD, and DLP technology.

CRT projectors are generally not used by the average consumer. Like CRT tube TVs, these things are huge and heavy, but they do offer great picture quality. Unlike CRT tube TVs, CRT projectors are ridiculously expensive. Also, CRT projectors tend to get very loud and hot while in use. Only full-blown movie theaters tend to be able to purchase and use these monstrosities, and even then they’re being phased out.

LCD (liquid crystal display) and DLP (digital light processing) projectors, however, are quite affordable, much quieter, and smaller/lighter. They may not offer the same quality as CRT projectors, but they still offer impressive picture size and quality that puts TVs to shame, provided you have the proper lighting environment. Aggressive manufacturers have even begun to output 1080p projectors for less than $3000… truly consider projectors an option if you want to immerse yourself in a cinematic or atmospheric game and have a good space for it.

Fun fact: Many movie theaters that are boasting digital projection are in fact switching over to DLP projectors by Texas Instruments. Perhaps if you catch a movie at your local cinema, you may be able to see one in action. While nothing will beat a clean 35mm film being competently projected, digital projection takes out the fuss of analog media’s being prone to scratches and damage and is much easier to properly project.

Rear Projection Televisions

Rear projection TVs, or RPTs, basically use the exact same technologies as front projectors except they encase the output device and screen in one box.

CRT RPTs are very large and heavy, but can reach larger sizes than your normal tube CRTs. Available in SD, ED, and HD resolutions.

LCD and DLP RPTs are still quite large and heavy, but not quite as bulky as a CRT display. Mostly available with HD native resolutions.

Notes Regarding Projection Technology

In general, you’ll want to stay away from DLP projectors/projection TVs if playing non-HD sources on them is an issue. DLP technology tends to be slower at upscaling non-native sources, even progressive ones, than LCD or CRT.

If you’re thinking mostly about picture quality, CRT offers the best black levels, followed by DLP, followed by LCD. All 3 offer HD resolutions and great contrast and sharpness, provided you properly calibrate your display.

Both projectors and rear projection TVs tend to be cheaper than the latter options…

Flat Panel TVs

The flat panel TV is dominating the market these days, and with good reason. The slim profile and (relatively) light weight of these sets makes big screen gaming more viable than ever.

LCD (liquid crystal display) panels are prized for their light weight and slim size. They are mostly available in EDTV and HDTV resolutions. The amount of lag for non-HD sources on LCDs mainly depends on the manufacturer and the scaler they choose to put into the TV, though a built-in game mode should help significantly in most cases. Arguably offers poorer contrast than other types of TVs and often suffers from the “screen door” effect,” if you’re really picky and/or sitting far too close to the TV.

Plasma flat panel TVs are just as slim as LCDs but tend to be a bit heavier, but they also tend to be cheaper than LCD panels of the same size. Again for the picky viewer, the black levels are between LCD and CRT quality and a few, unfortunate people experience a color distortion called the “rainbow effect” when watching plasma displays. Plasmas also risk having image burn in on their screens… display a static image for too long on a plasma, and you’ll end up having a ghost of it permanently on your screen.

In general, go for LCD for the smaller sizes and if portability is a huge concern. For really large, flat-panel displays, plasma is the way to go unless you’re paranoid about burn-in. Either one is a good choice if space is an issue and/or you’ve got money to throw away.

5: Final Thoughts

Extra Notes: Audio

So you now know that to make the most of your gaming, you may want to upgrade from your old TV + its stock speakers.

Some TVs conveniently have outputs for external speakers that you can use to improve your audio. Otherwise, you’re going to want to invest in a receiver that can split the sound to multiple speakers and/or a home-theater-in-a-box… not to mention that a receiver can make switching between multiple consoles on a limited number of inputs a snap. The following are some tips for putting together your a/v components…

Conclusion: Visuals

Just to sum things up, your main concerns when buying a TV should include…

budget – CRTs are still king here, but smaller LCD EDTVs/HDTVs, and DLP or LCD projectors are quite affordable.

size/portability – Flat panels clearly win here, though a projector may suit your needs…

picture quality – Though you shouldn’t get too hung up on numbers, be sure to keep an eye on refresh rates (stick to <8ms… don’t want your fast-paced gaming footage blurring, now do you?) and decent contrast. Let me say it again: Your best bet for assessing this is not by looking up the advertised numbers, but by seeing the TV for yourself in-store.

number/type of inputs – How many systems are you going to hook up to your TV? What kinds of cables do you have available to each console, and how important is getting high-quality video to you?

And of course… resolution/how well the TV’s scaler deals with lag – In general, look to review sites or ask fellow gamers if you’re interested in telling whether a TV performs well at scaling non-HD sources. Or just keep your CRT TV for non-HD gaming if you have the space to spare!

Credits

• online shopping sites for having pictures of all these cables
• Google and Wikipedia for helping me get all the details straight…
• AVSForum and Ecoustics for having wayyy too much information on a/v technology
• Brendan, Bobby, and Sollosi for console-specific info
• My dad for knowing his stuff and teaching me about it… oh, and for being able to afford all this equipment so I could actually get hands on experience with it, haha
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for being an awesome movie and the source of my screenshots
• the members of the Gamers Club at UVA for the feedback