42" HDTV recomendations?

[Pradeep]

Pradeep:
Yes, it is the PS3. My Yamaha amp doesn't have a HDMI connector. It does appear to have an optical cable input/output, so that might work. Have to check around a bit...

Well you can always set the PS3 to output video via HDMI (or component, composite, svideo etc) and set the audio to output from the optical out. You will get dolby digital 5.1 that way (provided your receiver can decode it).

 

[Santilli]

I'm going to ask the local blockbuster guys to put a regular DVD in the PS3 they have setup. See how it looks, since Blueray may still be expensive. Also, never saw a game on a PS 3, vs. computer.

 

[ddrueding]

I play games on my 42" 1080P hooked up to my computer, and it kicks the ass of any console. It better, considering the cost, but it really is. I've played PS3 and the rest at Fry's on the big HD screen, but it isn't as good. Besides the obvious advantages of the interface (keyboard and mouse), the graphics have more detail. I suspect I have more processing power than a PS3 and can turn the graphics up accordingly.

 

[Mercutio]

The PS3 is architecturally different from a PC. From my understanding, it's closer to how a mainframe works, with lots and lots of little execution units rather than a few monolithic ones. I'm not sure that a PC does have more processing power than a PS3, depending on the task. It's just different.
On the other hand, in side by side graphics samples, an Xbox360 does seem to do a slightly better job drawing pictures on a screen, and anyone with a high end PCIe graphics card can certanily outdo either of the above.

 

[Santilli]

... I suspect I have more processing power than a PS3 and can turn the graphics up accordingly.

Probably then most small countries;-)

What would you consider the specs to drive such a display, both in Bluray, and a 42" screen?

Also, what sort of cable connection do you use to the HDTV?

 

[ddrueding]

Depends on what you want to do with it. If all you want is to watch movies than just about anything will do. If you want some hardcore gaming action, get an 8800GT, it is awesome and great bang-for-the-buck.

I use a DVI - HDMI converter cable for video and coaxial SPDIF to a receiver for audio.

 

[Stereodude]

What would you consider the specs to drive such a display, both in Bluray, and a 42" screen?

huh? What does the size of the display have to do with it? A dual core processor with a video card from the last generation or so can decode a blu-ray or HD-DVD disc.

Also, what sort of cable connection do you use to the HDTV?

DVI to HDMI cable.

 

[ddrueding]

I wall-mounted the LCD behind my desk this afternoon. It gives me so much space, it's amazing.

 

[Santilli]

Hmm.

My experience with HD trailers was my old Matrox 750 didn't have enough ram to run it. Required 256MB vram to run HD trailers easily.

ATI 700X series and 256 mb/vram plust Athlon 3000 seems to work fine.

 

[ddrueding]

All the cards at Fry's yesterday had at least 256MB of RAM. For $109 you could get an 8400 with 512MB.

 

[Pradeep]

The new ATI HD 3450/3650 series looks like good value at the $100-$150 price level.

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTQ1MSwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==

Greg, remember that many of the larger memory cards actually have slower running speeds or smaller interface widths, and actually run slower than smaller memory cards.

 

[Santilli]

HMMMM

I thought it was a storing function in games like Quake 4, that without the memory, the game has to use some other sort of storage, like virtual memory, and that just slows things to a crawl...

Funny thing about this is my ATI 800XL just died, so, I'm back to the 700XL, and, once tweaked a bit, it works for what I use it for.