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Thread: Need "TV for Gaming" Advice

  1. #1
    Registered User Tim's Avatar
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    Default Need "TV for Gaming" Advice

    I can't compete with my wife for the TV anymore. She must watch her reality shows! So, I have decided to buy a smaller TV for the den exclusively for Xbox gaming.

    After researching several TV's, I am very close to deciding on an Apex 20" Flat screen, about $179 at Circuit City. I don't want to spend anymore than this and would like to spend less.

    Does anyone have an opinion on this TV or another suggestion for a good gaming TV?

    Thanks for your help!!

  2. #2
    Master Frogman MerimacHamwich's Avatar
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    Stay away from Sony. They are overpriced and usually are overhyped in the performance aspect. I'd say check out a Hitachi and/or a Panasonic.
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    Gotta get home carlbme's Avatar
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    Sony's WEGA series are great and you can't compete with the picture quality. However, it does come at a price. As far as cheap ones go...

    *shrugs*

    Dunno.

    Although if it were me I'd save up for a few months and get a smaller HDTV to get the full effect of the Xbox.

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    Master Frogman MerimacHamwich's Avatar
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    I have to disagree with you carlbme. Every Sony TV I have seen has had really bad scan lines. Meaning they are obvious to the naked eye, this is not a good thing. It ruins the picture quality, To be honest my Sears TV has the best picture quality of any non-hdtv tube tv I have ever seen. Its great, the scan lines are not noticable to the naked eye, except when at extremely close ranges. Its getting old now though and the TV needs to be realigned/reset. Seriously, if you look around you will be surprised at what you will find.
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    I want to eat your brain VenoM's Avatar
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    i to have a problem...my tv went bad yesterday...everything has a gloden tint to it now..looks even worst on games so now i have to see how im gonna get a new tv...ive been looking at walmart and walmart has an apex also but its 27" instead of 20"..its not flat screen but normal screen...but its under 200 bucks and looks nice..im considering it...heres the link if ya wanna take a look at it

    http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...%3A3996%3A4560

    its cheap and looks cool....i dont have a ton of money so something like this will have to do for me...right now im using my back up old tv which my computer monitor is even bigger then that junk...doesnt even have av inputs

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    Master Frogman MerimacHamwich's Avatar
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    Originally posted by VenoM
    i to have a problem...my tv went bad yesterday...everything has a gloden tint to it now..looks even worst on games so now i have to see how im gonna get a new tv...ive been looking at walmart and walmart has an apex also but its 27" instead of 20"..its not flat screen but normal screen...but its under 200 bucks and looks nice..im considering it...heres the link if ya wanna take a look at it

    http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...%3A3996%3A4560

    its cheap and looks cool....i dont have a ton of money so something like this will have to do for me...right now im using my back up old tv which my computer monitor is even bigger then that junk...doesnt even have av inputs
    Just sounds like it needs to be reset or whatever. You could probably bring it to a TV repair shop and get it working like new for 50$.
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  7. #7

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    I feel your pain. I have to play on a 1981 Zenith. No av inputs and the screen is messed up: the colors are all wrong. The worst part is that i make tons of money and my parents wont even let me buy one. That TV that you found looks WAY cool and I even showed it to my mom. But she just said that she wont let me spend my money on that "stupid X thingy". Geesh......

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    Too Sixy
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    I got you all beat on age, but mine still has the right colors etc. Its an RCA ColorTrak, made in probably around 1970 or so. It turns on by itself and is incased in a wooden set. This thing is vintage. I just hope it hold out until I move out in the fall.
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  9. #9

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    ATI Radeon All In Wonder (as low as 7500)

    and a 19" + monitor

    you will NOT be disappointed

    Still use TV for big gatherings but you'll probably have your big one then. Solo play, your monitor can't be beat because it's crisp and you can get full res from an All In Wonder

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    Registered User Tim's Avatar
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    VenoM:

    Thanks Bro! That looks like a great TV at Walmart. I will definatley take a closer look at it at my local store when I make my final decision. I'm just not sure if I should go with a smaller flat screen vs. a bigger screen that isnt' flat.

  11. #11
    Registered User Dream Theater's Avatar
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    Well, as far as getting your tv fixed, I repaired them for years with my electronics class and it sounds like one of your color circuits went. Tubes usually die slow. No, a breaker does not reset a problem with a set, only a surge. My friend had the same dillema BIGGER vs SMALL & FLAT. I would go small and flat. Go with the best picture, at least an s-video input. I have the 5.6" xbox screen for one of my xboxes. It was 150.00 but worth it if your looking directly down on it. It also works with any other game device or ??? you plug into it. I love it. I also have a 36" s-video TV that my other Xbox is plugged into that looks great.

    I'd say get the Intec game screen. It's got a great picture and plays movies and everything else. Plug vcr's or anything into it. It's also portable so you can take it anywhere. and besides, it's great for system link play on another set in the house.
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    GO SEAHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! l Maximus l's Avatar
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    Hey, Tim...

    If you want a brilliant picture, regardless of the size of the TV, make sure it has Component Video inputs. The video inputs are colored "Blue, Green, and Red"...and the audio, of course, are usually white and red (for stereo).

    Component Video gives you 800 dots of resolution per square inch and XBox games appear wicked cool! Things that seemed fuzzy before are crystal clear. It's definately worth it. The TV doesn't have to be flat.

    Personally, I don't buy into the flat tubes at all. I figure, if a person is willing to dish out the extra money for a flat TV, they might as well as go all the way with an HDTV which has a far more superior picture than any tube (unless it's a HDTV tube, of course )

  13. #13

    Default Re: Need "TV for Gaming" Advice

    Originally posted by Tim
    I can't compete with my wife for the TV anymore. She must watch her reality shows! So, I have decided to buy a smaller TV for the den exclusively for Xbox gaming.

    After researching several TV's, I am very close to deciding on an Apex 20" Flat screen, about $179 at Circuit City. I don't want to spend anymore than this and would like to spend less.

    Does anyone have an opinion on this TV or another suggestion for a good gaming TV?

    Thanks for your help!!
    Dude, that's like my wife exactly. You coulnd't pay me enough to watch her shows, they are soo boring. I bought a 2nd tv but what sucks is, if I want to use the big TV with 5.1 system, I have to send my wife to Walmart. She wont come back for 4-5 hours. I bought a 2nd power&AV cord so my xbox is "hot swappable" in both rooms.

  14. #14
    Registered User Tim's Avatar
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    Maximus,

    Thanks for the input.

    I checked out the TV I am interest in. It does have have component video inputs, but it is not HD.

    Should I still get the High Definition AV Pack? Or, should I get the Advanced AV Pack? I really don't know the difference.

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    GO SEAHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! l Maximus l's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Tim
    Maximus,

    Thanks for the input.

    I checked out the TV I am interest in. It does have have component video inputs, but it is not HD.

    Should I still get the High Definition AV Pack? Or, should I get the Advanced AV Pack? I really don't know the difference.
    If your new TV has Component Video Inputs (Colored Blue, Green, and Red), then definately get the High Definition A/V pack. You technically won't get high definition, however, the High Definition A/V pack is the only pack by Microsoft that has the Blue, Green, and Red video cables (called Component). You're set once you pick up a set of those bad boys

  16. #16
    GO SEAHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! l Maximus l's Avatar
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    I see that Lynxfx-XBA is in this room now...lol...I know he'll want to add his input hehe

  17. #17
    Home Theatre Guru LynxFX's Avatar
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    Just to clarify Maximus' otherwise great post, component inputs have nothing to do with resolution. So you don't gain anything there just by the cables. But to achieve HD res you will need component or DVI inputs, but like you have found out, there are non-HDTV sets that have component inputs.

    To answer your question, yes you will still want to buy the HD AV pack. You won't be playing with High Definition but you will have the best image quality you can get on a standard def tv. Component video seperates out the colors across three cables.

    And flat is always better than concaved. :wink: Just run a geometry test pattern and you will see why.

    Good luck with your new tv.
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    Master Frogman MerimacHamwich's Avatar
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    Yeah, like Lynx said. The component cables give you the best video transfer. There is little to no intereference between the video and audio and the colours are seperated into the 3 basic colors of our known universe.

    The proper scale is ROYGBIV
    Red
    Orange
    Yellow
    Green
    Blue
    I..Forget this one
    Violet

    So when they come out with cables like that it will be the ultimate video transfer but for now they have 3 basic colors, which is good.
    Yellow
    Green
    Blue


    Worst to best video transfer.
    UHF
    RF
    Coaxial(Cable TV cable)
    RCA
    S-Video
    Component
    DVI
    I may be missing some or whatnot.
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  19. #19

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    Originally posted by VenoM
    i to have a problem...my tv went bad yesterday...everything has a gloden tint to it now..looks even worst on games so now i have to see how im gonna get a new tv...ive been looking at walmart and walmart has an apex also but its 27" instead of 20"..its not flat screen but normal screen...but its under 200 bucks and looks nice..im considering it...heres the link if ya wanna take a look at it

    http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...%3A3996%3A4560

    its cheap and looks cool....i dont have a ton of money so something like this will have to do for me...right now im using my back up old tv which my computer monitor is even bigger then that junk...doesnt even have av inputs
    wait so this tv's flatscreen? and its only 189?!? I am also looking for a new tv, and i want one that is big and cheap... lol. Well i really dont care if its flatscreen, but for 189 bucks u can't beat it. If anyone finds any better deals, for a bigger tv than 27 inches, please notify me via PM

  20. #20
    GO SEAHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! l Maximus l's Avatar
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    Originally posted by MerimacHamwich


    The proper scale is ROYGBIV
    Red
    Orange
    Yellow
    Green
    Blue
    I..Forget this one
    Violet
    I is for Indigo

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