Playstion/tv help! bring your A game! [Text View]

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roy123

10-18-09, 09:57 AM

Hey guys, first time poster here at the avsforums. A little backround on myself! I've be an avid pc gamer for back 5 years, starting on the original ghost recon (alpha squad if anyone played), raided in world of warcraft for sometime, and then finished up with some competitive tf2. Now that im in collage i'd like to step away from the computer scene and i've finally decided to get a PS3!!!

Okay - that got a tad' to dragged out. Here are the questions, please keep in mind i DO NOT KNOW ELECTRONICS, RATIOS, ANYTHING - please speak to me as if you were talking to your grandmother.

Question 1
I'm woundering what PS3 is the best?

The Slim?
or
PS3 60GB

I absolutely am looking at the slim , no doubt in my mind - i just figured i'd make sure here before i made the purchase.

Question 2 (read question 3 before you type)
Best tv in the $300-500 price range?
I know , i know not that much. I want the best TV for my PS3, being picture quality since i have the audio system.

Question 3
Can i hook my pc monitor up to my PS3, for now atleast?
I payed $200 for this monitor at BJs :

Vizio 25.5" 1920x1200 3ms LCD
Specs:

# Height adjustable stand extends effortlessly more than 4" high
# Detachable stand allows for wall mounting in your favorite den or dorm room location
# Four total USB inputs and outputs allow for superior connectivity of all USB devices
# All glass panel cover renders images with crisp and clean detail
# Side access HD game port including HDMI allows simple connectivity of gaming or other devices
# Headphone jack - perfect for late night gaming
# Cables Included: Power cord, VGA cable, DVI cable, audio cable, USB upstream cable
# Panel Type: 26" diagonal (25.5" viewable), 16:10 wide screen, color TFT active matrix LCD
# Monitor Surface Treatment: Covered glass and high polish rear cover
# Supported PC Formats: 1080p (FHD)
# Native Panel Resolution: 1920 x 1200
# Supported PC Resolutions: 640 x 480, 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 1024, 1440 x 900, 1680 x 1050, 1920 x 1200 via VGA/HDMI
# Pixel/Dot Pitch: 0.2865mm (H) x 0.2865mm (V)
# Display Compatibility: FHD (1080p)
# Signal Compatibility: 480i, 480P, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
# TV Tuner: No
# Response Time: 3 ms (typical)
# Colors: 16.7 million
# Brightness: 300 cd/m2 (typical)
# Contrast Ratio: 2000:1 (w/DCR) - Dynamic
# Viewable Angle: 170°/ 160° (horizontal and vertical)
# Advanced Power Saving Management
# Color Temperature: 6500K (warm) and 9300K (cool)
# Color Fine Tuning: Independent Red, Green and Blue
# Audio: Built-in 3W x 2
# Lamp (LCD) Life: 50,000 hours
# Power: IEC Connector for direct power line connection
# Voltage Range: 100v~264vac @ 50/60Hz
# Power Consumption: 160W average
# Inputs: 2 HDMI (v1.2a) - 1 rear, 1 side; DVI: 1 rear; VGA: 1 rear; USB 2.0 Upstream: 1 rear; Stereo Audio: 1 rear
# Outputs: 4 USB Down Stream: 3 rear, 1 side; Headphone (Stereo Mini-Jack): 1
# Tilt: -5°/+20°
# Height Adjust: 0-110mm (4.3")
# Swivel: 120°/120°
# Certifications: FCC, UL/cUL, CB, CCC
# Energy Star Qualified
# Wall Mounting Specifications: Hole Pattern: 100mm x 100mm; screw size: M4; screw length: 20mm; screw pitch: 1.25

Is it worth hooking my PS3 up to this? i want the best possible picture - unfortuantly i don't have the budget so i'd figured i'd throw this out there.

Can someone state the difference between using a tv and my monitor?

Overview
Best PS3
Best monitor in the $300-500 price range
How/can i hook up the ps3 to my monitor

edit : HDMI cabe?

putox1051

10-18-09, 10:20 AM

roy123

10-18-09, 10:32 AM

putox1051

10-18-09, 10:43 AM

I messed up on my post - i didn't mean what monitor do i need. I ment what TV do i need for 300-500$, or did you notice that?
Also:
What cables do i need?
I don't have an HDMI cable (does it come with the PS3)
What cable do i need to connect to my monitor? Having two HDMI ports could i leave my pc hooked up and switch over to my PS3 threw the other port some how?

I wouldn't recommend any TV in that price range. Nothing I know of that's any bigger or better than the monitor you now have. If you were to double your TV budget, then there are a ton of choices out there. A 50" 720P panasonic plasma can be had nowadays for less than $900.00.

Don't know which interconnect ships with the PS3 slim, but I'm sure a quick search would tell you. You'd need a PS3 to HDMI cable to hook up to the 2nd HDMI input on your monitor. They are available everywhere.

roy123

10-18-09, 10:49 AM

Last question , when i do the PS3 to HDMI. What setting do i turn the output on 720p or the 1080?

Krzykrl

10-18-09, 10:59 AM

roy123

10-18-09, 11:12 AM

Thank you! okay, how about on my 25.5" monitor? 720p or 1080p? i'll assumo 720

putox1051

10-18-09, 11:16 AM

Thank you very much - last question , what am i looking for in a tv?just the 720p or?

BTW, just checked & the PS3 slim comes with a composite AV cable, the worst possible connection type.

For a TV of 50" or less, 720P is indistinguishable from 1080P at normal viewing distances for most people. The best values (if size matters) currently available are 720P plasmas from panasonic/samsung, or 720P LCDs from sony/toshiba. For gaming, plasmas are preferable (arguably), as long as you don't leave a static image on the screen for extended periods of time. But most plasmas exhibit high sgreen reflectivity (in brightly lit rooms, LCDs look better). Most LCDs exhibit motion blur or lag during fast action scenes. It all depends on the user's susceptability or tolerance for these various artifacts as to which to choose. Look for HDMI 1.3 inputs, ATSC/Clear QAM built-in tuners, & PC connectivity (15 pin D-Sub).

257Tony

10-18-09, 11:56 AM

Get the Slim, get a couple HDMI cables from Monoprice in whatever color you prefer, get a 6" and a 10" just in case. Get this TV, and use it for your PC (with VGA) and for your PS3 with HDMI.

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=210899020&listingid=42106669

I'm currently using that setup in my Office and absolutely love it, it has PiP for watching football and playing games at the same time :D

tfoltz

10-18-09, 12:13 PM

I wouldn't recommend a refurbished tv. Look for a 42x1 or 50x1 panasonic plasma. Spectacular picture quality at affordable price.

mgr_stl

10-18-09, 04:45 PM

Now that im in collage i'd like to step away from the computer scene and i've finally decided to get a PS3!!!

Good luck in collage :rolleyes:

Big Wes

10-18-09, 10:52 PM

Yep, I think your pickings for a new display are going to be slim. My suggestion on the PS3: Hold off until the 250 GB Slim releases. You're getting over twice the storage for $50 more. Also, to stretch your budget a little farther, try to get in on the credit card deal at sony style.com. It can save you $100 on your PS3 purchase if you can pass the credit check and be approved for the card. I would go with your current monitor right now until you save a little more toward a high quality display. You'd just be throwing your money away on a run of the mill display on your budget and it would be pretty small to boot.

WJonathan

10-19-09, 06:00 AM

Good luck in collage :rolleyes:

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo230/wijoco/collage1.jpg

$mitty

10-19-09, 09:59 AM

the ps3 does not ship with HDMI cables. simply go to www.monoprice.com to pick up your cable

secondly that monitor would work just fine for ps3 gaming. but if you are looking for a tv in that price range, it would most likely be 32-37 inch tv's

heres some links:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4445435&csid=_21

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4660176&csid=_21

as far as 720p vs. 1080p .. in that TV size range (32-37) 720P is just fine. ALSO most ps3 games output to 720p.

Ditto. Go to monoprice for your HDMI cables. You can get them for less than 10 bucks. At the big box stores they charge you $50-100 for one cable! I have 2 of them and they have worked perfectly with no problems. Picture/audio quality just as good as the expensive (overpriced) stuff.

$mitty

10-19-09, 10:10 AM

Here's a thought that might help you get a better TV...Best Buy offers no interest on TVs if you open one of their credit cards. As long as you pay the bill on time every month, you never have to pay interest, so it's same as cash. Usually you have 2 years to pay it off with no penalties. That's what I did to afford my 46" Panasonic plasma. Their prices might not be the cheapest, but you can always find something on sale as they have different deals every week.

MIAaron

10-19-09, 10:34 AM

We have had a Vizio vw37l hooked up to our bedroom ps3 for two years. It works great. With video games there is a VERY slight difference in image quality between our Panasonic plasma and the Vizio. HDTV material looks a lot better on our Panasonic, but for a TV that is mainly for PS3 gaming I wouldn't go over your budget. You can find the Vizio 32"(vw32l) for $400, and the 37"(vw37l) for $500 at Walmart.

I don't know about the Vizio 32", but the Vizio 37" has an RGB input...so it can be your computer screen as well. That could come in handy if you're in a dorm...

tfoltz

10-19-09, 11:07 AM

But he could spend $98 bucks more and get a 42" Panasonic plasma. Then he could enjoy games and blu-rays.

Suntan

10-19-09, 11:28 AM

I would suggest just using your current monitor and saving your money. Use it for something novel, like taking girls out on dates. You’re in college now, don’t spend all your time in front of your new PS3. Go out and try to get laid. (No this isn’t advice I’d be giving if I was pretending to talk to my grandmother.)

In addition to the cost, keep in mind that a 50” plasma or the like in your dorm room is going to take up a lot of space. Also, he who has the best TV has the rest of the floor camping in his room… even when you want them to get the F out so you can go to sleep.

Lastly, be aware, 16x10 screens will stretch the 16x9 image. The distortion is usually unnoticeable, but it is there. In addition to geometric distortion, this will also cause some image degradation due to less than stellar scaling in the monitor (just a guess here, but more than likely correct as your PC monitor will not have a very good scaler.)

-Suntan

$mitty

10-19-09, 11:38 AM

Forgot you were in college...I would stick with the monitor you have. Having a nice TV at college would be awesome, but everyone will be using that thing and nice things tend to get broken/abused/stolen at college. I wouldn't drop the money for a plasma...maybe a cheaper/smaller vizio would work out. If you've got your own place, that might be a different story. If you're living in a dorm, would go the cheaper route. And don't forget to put the controller down so you can do the most important things at college...like drink, smoke, skip class and chase tail.

MIAaron

10-19-09, 02:54 PM

But he could spend $98 bucks more and get a 42" Panasonic plasma. Then he could enjoy games and blu-rays.

I was trying to stay in his budget and that money buys a lot of cheap beer(especially if the 32" is big enough). I don't really want to get into an LCD/Plasma debate, but I just see an LCD being a better college/dorm option. As much as I don't believe burn-in is a major issues these days, I can only worry cause everyone I knew in college with a nice TV and game system had burn-in issues from almost non-stop use...even crt's(lcd's weren't around then). The plasma's glass panel is irritating if your light source is in a bad spot, not to mention being a lot more fragile in a college enviroment. And the current Panasonic plasmas are having issues with the primary HDMI ports getting burnt out when connected to a PC. As much as I love my Panasonic plasma and believe it is a better TV, I just don't think it is the best way to go in his situation.

tfoltz

10-19-09, 03:11 PM

I'm not going to get into an LCD/Plasma debate either. 5" more TV for $98 is a no brainer to me; plus it will have deeper blacks and will show blu-rays off a lot better. If I were him I would just get a PC monitor with 1080p resolution - something like this, but find a sale (this same monitor was on sale for $169 a few weeks ago): http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9183224&st=h233h&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1218049006792

What I'm trying to say is go big or go small. Don't mess around in the middle.

I was trying to stay in his budget and that money buys a lot of cheap beer(especially if the 32" is big enough). I don't really want to get into an LCD/Plasma debate, but I just see an LCD being a better college/dorm option. As much as I don't believe burn-in is a major issues these days, I can only worry cause everyone I knew in college with a nice TV and game system had burn-in issues from almost non-stop use...even crt's(lcd's weren't around then). The plasma's glass panel is irritating if your light source is in a bad spot, not to mention being a lot more fragile in a college enviroment. And the current Panasonic plasmas are having issues with the primary HDMI ports getting burnt out when connected to a PC. As much as I love my Panasonic plasma and believe it is a better TV, I just don't think it is the best way to go in his situation.

MIAaron

10-19-09, 03:53 PM

So 42" is big and 37" isn't? As someone that uses both sets everyday, the difference in screen size between a 37" and 42" isn't very noticeable.

Your "go small or go big" reasoning is saying that there isn't a good option for the OP within his budget. As someone who has used a TV in that price range, with a similar intended usage(mainly ps3 gaming), I completely disagree.

Suntan

10-19-09, 04:03 PM

I’d take more issue with the notion that 42” is in any way “going big.”

When you no longer measure the screen size in inches, then you are “going big.”

In any case, the OP already said he had a PC monitor and gave about 40 lines of specifications for it, yet this guy suggests buying a PC monitor… Honestly, do people even read what the original posters put in their posts?

-Suntan

257Tony

10-19-09, 04:35 PM

I wouldn't recommend a refurbished tv. Look for a 42x1 or 50x1 panasonic plasma. Spectacular picture quality at affordable price.

Meh, I've got 3 refurbed LCD's and they all look and work perfectly, even the one that's a few years old.

tfoltz

10-19-09, 05:23 PM

Ok, he has my blessing to get a $500 refurbished 37" LCD over a brand new $598 42" panasonic plasma. Glad I never checked the PlayStation area for TV advice.

And yes, this "guy" recommends that 42" is "going big" with his budget. And yes this "guy" recommended using a PC monitor. Yes the OP has one; I was saying I would get the biggest/best tv possible NEAR his budget (especially since the picture quality is significant IN MY OPINION), or just use a PC monitor. He already fits category #2.

lwright84

10-19-09, 05:58 PM

1. This is better than both of them:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665695056&XID=A:2485085:10383604::CJ&XID=A:1225267:10396361:u47603t1610889f0fp0c0s525:CJ&ref=http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1610889&p=23813789&highlight=

2. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889253136

3. HDMI

roy123

10-19-09, 09:33 PM

That funny i looked at the bundle but it was $100 more everywhere else, thanks for pointing that out.

What is there a huge difference in quality between these HDMIs? I rather pay more for the quality if it's visually noticeable on my monitor.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11039942
and
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665288192

I'd rather get the second one because it comes with the usb cable to charge my remote (does that bundle come with a usb cable ? i looked and didn't see one)

Suntan

10-20-09, 09:20 AM

I'll sell you this cable for half of what Sony is asking...

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024004&p_id=3661&seq=1&format=2

You’ll get the same performance… but it won’t say “Sony” on the cord.

Also, the PS3 will come with a USB cable to hook up/charge the controller.

-Suntan

$mitty

10-20-09, 09:56 AM

MONOPRICE BABY! Don't waste your money on namebrand HDMI cables. Such a scam. The mark up on those is rigoddamndiculous from companies like Monster, Sony, etc. Me and my friends only get them from monoprice and they work exactly the same and cost less than $10.

I worked part time at Best Buy a couple years back when I was between jobs and the cost of an HDMI cable was about 10 bucks...we sold them for $100! There's no benefit in buying the expensive ones.

257Tony

10-20-09, 11:16 AM

tfoltz

10-20-09, 11:59 AM

The tv is 720p. The OP didn't mention that he wanted to connect the tv to his pc in his original post. If this is the plan, then I do not recommend it.