Getting the whole picture

Today's TVs can deliver a gorgeous picture — but what will it take to really make Link or Master Chief pop? Below, you'll find some features to look for and other factors to consider.

Aspect ratio — shaping up the picture
TVs typically come in two different screen shapes or "aspect ratios." Traditional TVs have a squarish "4:3" aspect ratio, while new TVs feature a wider "16:9" ratio. TV shows, movies, and video games also come in different aspect ratios. When the source material and the TV's aspect ratios don't match, the people on-screen may look too tall or too wide, there may be black bars, or the image may be zoomed in to fill the screen.

Because most current-gen games are in a 16:9 aspect ratio, a lot of gamers are switching to a widescreen TV.

Stretched or zoomed-in images can be annoying for some folks when watching TV or movies, but it can be a bigger problem for gamers. For example, if the image is stretched, you might have a hard time gauging distance and timing, and the controls may behave differently. That's why it's important to play each game in the aspect ratio it was intended for, even if it involves black bars. Since nearly all current-gen games support a 16:9 ratio, many gamers are switching to a widescreen TV to enjoy accurate, full-screen game play. See our article about aspect ratio for more info.

Viewing angle
If you'll be the only one playing games on your TV, viewing angle might not be a big deal — you can sit directly in front of it and see every shade and detail clearly. But if you're planning on having multi-player games, you should look for a TV with a wide viewing angle, both side to side and up and down. That way, folks sitting on the couch, easy chair, floor, and loveseat will all see a crisp, clear image.

Gaming modes
Just about every TV comes with a handful of picture presets to choose from, like "Movie" and "Vivid." A lot of models also feature special gaming picture modes. These sometimes make the colors richer and more saturated, and increase the contrast for deeper blacks. While this mode could make your TV shows look artificially vibrant and cartoonish, it can make your video games more playable by providing greater image detail. (Fortunately, many TVs allow you to assign different picture settings to each input.) Some game modes also minimize image processing time, so that a player's commands take less time to register on the screen.

Screen size
It might seem obvious that a big, detailed picture can make the gaming experience more immersive and engaging. But when you're deciding on a screen size, you should also consider how many people will be playing at one time. For example, 26" might be plenty if it's just you, but how will it look if the screen's split in four for a multiplayer game? Our experience has been that in most situations, you should go with the largest screen your room, viewing distance, and budget will accommodate. That's because we occasionally hear people wishing their TV's screen was bigger, but rarely hear them wishing their screen was smaller. See our article on choosing TV screen size for more info.

TV technology
Advances in TV technology mean that pretty much any kind of HDTV will make a capable gaming display. We're not going to get too in-depth with each kind of TV technology, but below, you'll find a few quick gaming-related tips.

• It's true that plasma TVs are still more susceptible to burn-in than other models, and you don't want an outline of your health bar on the screen through every DVD and TV show you watch. But if the gamers in your household will only play games for an hour or so a day, and won't leave the game paused for long periods of time, you should be fine. Still, look for a model with burn-in combating features such as pixel shifting. For more information, check out our plasma and LCD TVs.
• LCD's immunity to burn in makes it great for gaming. Recent flat-panel models also boast fast pixel response times (8 milliseconds or less), so that when your character jumps across the screen, you won't see motion blur. For more information, check out our article on flat-panel TV article.

• Rear-projection models — like DLP, LCD, and LCoS — offer more screen real estate for your buck. All three are immune to burn-in, and can deliver vivid, detailed images. For more information, check out our article on shopping for a big-screen TV.
• Nothing beats the cinematic scope of a front-projection TV — your on-screen character may actually be life-sized. If you decide to go this route, you'll need a dedicated room with little direct or ambient light (like a room in the basement). For more info, check out our front-projection TV article.

Resolution
All three current generation consoles will look great with an HDTV. But to take advantage of every pixel, here's what you'll need:

• PS3 — When it comes to HD video connectivity, the PS3 keeps things simple. It sports an HDMI output which can handle video up to 1080p. You'll just need to purchase a standard HDMI cable, and hook it up to a compatible HDTV.
• Xbox 360 — There are a couple of options for getting HD video from the 360 to your TV. If you have the Xbox 360 Elite, a newer Xbox 360 "Pro," or the Xbox 360 Arcade, you can connect it to an HD-capable TV via an HDMI cable, and get as high as 1080p resolution. The Elite comes with an HDMI cable; the Elite and "Pro" also support HD over component video and include a component video adapter cable. If you have the Xbox 360 Arcade or older Core system, you can connect it to an HD-capable TV via a component video adapter cable (not included).
• Wii — This console can't produce high-def images, but it can provide a smooth, progressive-scan 480p picture. To make this happen, you'll need to purchase a Wii-compatible component video adapter cable, and hook it up to a 480p-capable TV with component video inputs. (Even though this console doesn't deliver HD images, we still recommend going with an HDTV — Wii games will look great, and if you get HD programming as well, you'll be blown away.)

See our article on HDTV resolution for more info.

Movie playback
For the current-gen consoles, one of the biggest stories isn't about games — it's about movies. The PS3 in particular can play Blu-ray movies, which provide high-definition images and fuller, less compressed audio. Here's the lowdown:

• PS3 — The PS3 has a built-in Blu-ray Disc™ drive, allowing it to play high-definition movies from Blu-ray discs and send them to a compatible TV via on optional HDMI cable at up to 1080p resolution. You can purchase or rent Blu-ray discs from local and online retailers. The PS3 can also play your regular DVDs and upconvert them to a 1080p like many of today's DVD players can. For more information, see our article about Blu-ray technology.
• Xbox 360 — The Xbox 360 can play standard DVDs, and the 360 Elite, newer "Pros," and Arcade can upconvert them to a higher resolution when connected to your TV via HDMI.
• Wii — The Wii can only play video games, not DVDs or other video formats.