Can anyone point me to a good HDTV for my needs?

[Maben]

Hey guys, looking for some advice from fellow gamers and you guys are the best community I know .  Currently my wife and I only have one HDTV, a 46" Dynex from Best Buy that she got about 3 years ago.  This TV works great, and the thing I love most about it is all the inputs!  It boasts 2 AV (RWY Composite), 2 S-Video (married to the AV ports), 3 HDMI, 2 Component, and a VGA.  It means I can have virtually all my consoles hooked up at once, and they can all use their highest quality connections.

Problem is, lately I've been wishing I had my own TV for gaming so we can use them separately and simultaneously.  HDTVs have come way down in price in the last few years, but they also seem to be eliminating all the old inputs.  Every time I go to a store it's all HDMI now.  Here's what I'm looking for:

* 32"-46" HDTV.  The model or technology is not very important to me, but not too thick.
* At least one of each type of input (Composite, Component, S-Video, HDMI)
* Has a stand and can also be wall mounted.

Any suggestions?  I know a lot of you hardcore gamers prolly have separate tube TVs for your old systems but I'm in a small apartment and don't have room for such a setup.

[Seraph Man]

Hey guys, looking for some advice from fellow gamers and you guys are the best community I know .  Currently my wife and I only have one HDTV, a 46" Dynex from Best Buy that she got about 3 years ago.  This TV works great, and the thing I love most about it is all the inputs!  It boasts 2 AV (RWY Composite), 2 S-Video (married to the AV ports), 3 HDMI, 2 Component, and a VGA.  It means I can have virtually all my consoles hooked up at once, and they can all use their highest quality connections.

Problem is, lately I've been wishing I had my own TV for gaming so we can use them separately and simultaneously.  HDTVs have come way down in price in the last few years, but they also seem to be eliminating all the old inputs.  Every time I go to a store it's all HDMI now.  Here's what I'm looking for:

* 32"-46" HDTV.  The model or technology is not very important to me, but not too thick.
* At least one of each type of input (Composite, Component, S-Video, HDMI)
* Has a stand and can also be wall mounted.

Any suggestions?  I know a lot of you hardcore gamers prolly have separate tube TVs for your old systems but I'm in a small apartment and don't have room for such a setup.

Well, by default, most HDTVs in the 32"-46" have stands but can be wall-mounted as well, so that shouldn't be an issue.

As for the inputs, don't go by what the box says. Boxes don't always advertise things like composite or component connections. If there is a floor model, don't be afraid to really give it a good looking at. Most still have component connections, and usually one of those component connections will double as a composite. S-Video, however, is harder to find. Chances are, you'll have to look for that specifically. Ask whoever's running the department of that store if they know if any of their TVs have S-Video.

My TV is a 42" with everything you want except S-Video, so I can't reccommend it. Good luck though.

[Maben]

S-Video perhaps isn't that important...I only use it for my N64 anyways.  I'm betting the quality difference on an HDTV is probably not a whole lot anyways.

[Seraph Man]

S-Video perhaps isn't that important...I only use it for my N64 anyways.  I'm betting the quality difference on an HDTV is probably not a whole lot anyways.

Then just go to whatever store you intend to buy your TV from and look at the floor models. I'm willing to bet most of the TVs have about 2 component inputs and at least one of those component inputs doubles as a composite input.

[Maben]

I never knew that TVs could have an input double as both a component and composite.  Thanks for the info!

[scarmullet]

What are you trying to use it for? Classic Gaming? Modern HD Gaming?

If you are trying to use it for classic gaming (I am lumping Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, and Wii in this group), I would forego the HDTV and pick up a nice CRT with Component and S-video. It will save you alot of hassle and money. PS3, 360, Wii U, I do recommend an HDTV.

[ChaosCat]

Personally Id say if you have the room for it Pick up an old tube TV for any Retro Consoles you may Have they Look much Better on the Tv's they Where meant for (Personally I think Retro Games Look Horrible on HDTV's) and then you also wont have so much Trouble getting an HDTV to fit your Needs either as you will have a separate TV for the Older Inputs 

But that is my Oppinion and it only Works if you Have the Room For 2 more TV's 

[Seraph Man]

I never knew that TVs could have an input double as both a component and composite.  Thanks for the info!

That's how mine is. It has one composite, one component, and another component where you can plug in just a yellow video cable in the green component video slot and it'll register as a composite input instead of component. Plus the two HDMI ports and a DVI port for my computer.

What are you trying to use it for? Classic Gaming? Modern HD Gaming?

If you are trying to use it for classic gaming (I am lumping Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, and Wii in this group), I would forego the HDTV and pick up a nice CRT with Component and S-video. It will save you alot of hassle and money. PS3, 360, Wii U, I do recommend an HDTV.

If it's for one or the other, yeah a nice CRT probably would be better. I use it for both, and I really don't mind the fact that I've got my NES, SNES, (fake) Atari 2600, and Playstation plugged into the same TV that my 360, Wii, and Blu-ray player are plugged into. But I'm not as finicky about such things, and I don't have a light gun, so that doesn't factor in either.

[Maben]

My systems right now are SNES, N64, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360.  I don't mind the look of old games on HDTVs.  They look more pixelated sure, but I'm not convinced the quality is actually better on a CRT...I think it's just blurred together more.

[ChaosCat]

My systems right now are SNES, N64, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360.  I don't mind the look of old games on HDTVs.  They look more pixelated sure, but I'm not convinced the quality is actually better on a CRT...I think it's just blurred together more.

What it is the Pixels get Stretched out on an HDTV and I find when it comes to older 3D games the Environments seem Very Dark on An HDTV and I have to Fix the Brightness for those Games! also Being more Pixelated is lower Quality, its caused because they stretch a single pixel over multiple Pixels because there are so many more Pixels on an HDTV! I kept all my consoles hooked up to my HDTV till I moved and Had enough Room for Both TV's Myself so It really is not a Big Deal just Thought if you Had the Room It Could Save you Some hassle cause then you would just need to make sure you had the HD inputs