Best "TV" for Wii?

[Gothch1ck]

Ok... I played wii last year with my sissy and family (wii bowling mostly) and I got semi-hooked, but I haven't had the money for it.


Before I get into it - first off - wii is great, its a more "family and friends" fun console - I don't want any flaming, sure it's not next generation graphics or anything but facts are facts - it's FUN - something the PS3 is lacking.


With that said I want to get a New TV - to use as a secondary monitor for my PC, as a TV for cable viewing (Family Guy and all that adult swim I can handle) and for consoles like Xbox360 and Wii.

But I read that Wii is only currently 480P and "looks horrible on 1080P".
I need some hardware help on this... and pictures showing it on "480P" and "480P blown up to 1080P" to compare would be nice....

But basically it's going to be a screen 22-30inches in size, and I only plan to be at my desk (or standing a few feet back for the Wii purpose) and I don't know how much it will be noticable or if it will be problematic since it's a smaller screen.

I do know that 480P stretched to 1080P on a 40+Inch screen looks horrible from 3 feet back. (even worse up close) but since I won't be using a big screen like that I am not sure if the 480-to-1080 stretch will be noticed that much.

In addition to a TV for this (roughly that size area) I want to get some good speakers - since LCD Screen monitor/TV speakers are pretty lacking - so having that in mind as well for this whole fun.

I want to keep it close by as a second monitor for my PC as well though, when it's not in console use, or TV use... so yeah. I don't plan to play PC games on it though, more of it being my Desktop and having my IM programs, internet forums loaded,and pages displayed function - so Delay shouldn't matter.

 

[KSoD]

Sorry but i have to fully disagree with the whole 480p thing.

First off it can only do 480p. If someone takes that image and turns it to 1080p of COURSE it is going to look bad. Here is another bit of charming info, watching shows on non HD Channels do NOT look as good as those in HD. Shocking i know.

The simple fact is this. Any decent HDTV will be able to switch to 480 P to play your Wii in its native resolution with giving you full screen capabilties. My Samsung 510 series does this. I have played Wii Bowling, Baseball and Zelda on it and it looks absolutely amazing. I can then plug in my XBOX 360 with HDMI and guess what, it plays in 1080p just fine. And it also looks amazing.

I have a 40" screen and it is at least 7 feet away. the simple fact is DO NOT STRETCH IT. It would be like trying to take a old TV station before the digital transition and trying to watch that channel in HD.

Samsung 40 in. (Diagonal) Class 1080p LCD HD Television

If i am not mistaken, that is my TV right there. I know that the first instinct is to run 1080 cause you can. But honestly playing the Wii with a Component cable looks amazing. I would seriously consider that route over trying to force 1080p on the Wii.

 

[Gothch1ck]

Actually it does on most screens - most TVs don't instant scale - you can manually set it to 480P if it's supported (some 1080P don't support 480P, like my monitor, it only supports 1080 and has no options to change it.)


And you missed the point of it all... Iam trying to pick a TV 20-30inch size for use that will look good with everything - your example of a 40 inch doesn't help me one bit. The bigger ones, and plasmas, have a lot of bonus stuff to help with images. But I have seen a Wii on a Non-plasma 40+ inch and it IS blocky and horrific. (the farther back you get the better it looks though due to optical standards)

Get 2 feet away from your 40 and you'll notice jagged edges - if your eyesight isn't horrid.

I can only be a couple feet away due to small room/apartment size (no 4player Wii games, only 2 player tops, or 4 player "one up at a time") and generally will be sitting 2-3 feet away when I sit and watch TV/play Xbox/Use as monitor.

 

[Peter.Cort]

the problem with getting anything under a 32 is that they are really expensive in comparison to a 32". If you're looking at like a 26" or something it's only another hundred or so dollars to upgrade to a 32" and if you get a 32" that runs at 720p the Wii will look great on it as it's a lower resolution and a smaller screen so it won't look too stretched. If you really do want something under 30" and a 32" won't cut it, then KDL-26L5000 | 26" BRAVIA L Series LCD HD Television | Sony | Sony Style USA this is a good TV. Sony makes great tv's as does Samsung, and as far as quality goes I wouldn't get anything other than a Sony or Samsung. You pay a bit more but the quality is worth it in my opinion.

 

[Yami]

I'd recommend a large HDTV-monitor (the differences between monitors and TVs are almost negligible nowadays), something like this.
24.6? Widescreen Touch of Color LCD HDTV Monitors P2570HD - Premium - Monitors | SAMSUNG

 

[KSoD]

No i am not missing the point at all. I think you are though.

Just because i gave a link to a 40" does not mean i recommended it. It was merely to show you what I had not what you should get. There is a BIG difference. You can find that TV in the size you want. Just have to look for it.

Yes IF you are 2 feet away you will notice jagged edges. But guess what? You can see that on any TV. I noticed it on my old tube TV's and i still see it now. It is not something that goes away. I see distortion in the XBOX 360 games running in HD. It is everywhere. It is all in the ways the games are made. Given your space requirements, even a TV that is only 20-30" will still net you the blocky aspect. Even on a smaller set. In fact you could see it more depending on the TV set in use. If it has a low refresh rate, contrast ratio and so on.

The Samsung 500 Series and 600 Series LCD HDTV's are very good. I see them in just about every size due to my job at Sears which carries them. I also see Sony's as well. I see Visio's and Panasonic and so many more. Of all of them i would take the Samsung first then Sony and then Visio. I have been able to view the Wii, XBOX 360, PS3 and BluRay demonstrated on all sets, due to the fact i had to have it for product knowledge. But again due to the constraint on your distance, there isnt going to be much choice in the matter as you will notice the blocky aspect if you are looking for it intensively. You will have to go to a place where you can see the sets demonstrated and make a call on which is the best for your viewing distance.

 

[Gothch1ck]

The big reason I chose a TV and not a Moni with TV adapter/etc is the hook ups - a lot of the 23-32 monis don't have the composite (or was it component... grr I always get those 2 confused... the Red Yellow White connection) I also need HDMI or 2 HDMI because of how much I am going to connect to the TV (and don't really wanna pay $100 for a box to connect them to)

I have limited choices here especially with a low budget.. so it may all be for nothing anyway. Works been a pain >.< bout $200 is all I have (and that's including my christmas budget)

I'll bookmark this page though for future use, since some TVs were mentioned and I can use those to compare "future products" that may be available when I get money to buy something.

Thanks to everyone for helping.

 

[Peter.Cort]

For 200 bucks you're gonna be extremely limited in your options for a TV as in you're looking at a CRT or DLP off of craigslist...

 

[KSoD]

Composite is the Red, white and Yellow. Yellow for Video and Red/White for Audio.
Component is the Reg, Green & Blue all video.

Flat Panel Televisions including LCD TVs and plasma TVs at Sears.com

There is a list of TV's from Sears. The 21-30" range. They are having what they call their Friends and Family night either Dec 6th or 8th where you can get a big discount on items. See if you can find someone who knows someone who works there to be able to hook you up with a coupon. You can get a decent TV for a blockbuster deal.

Samsung 22 in. (Diagonal) Class 720p LCD HD Television ENERGY STAR®

With any luck you could get that with up to 25% off. So you would just have to scrape another $25 to get that TV. But like i said you would have to get a coupon. Other than that, PC is right. You are looking at a 2nd hand TV from fleabay or Craigslist.

 

[Chad711]

It's just a wii so what you play it on doesn't even matter. I play it on my daughters 13 inch tv and then sometimes on my 40" lcd and sometimes on the 46 lcd. Doesn't matter since it's 480p.

Also don't waste money on the component cables...you really don't see any improvement.