[Red Dwarf]

I saw this on the Nintendo site.


Image Retention Warning Nintendo home consoles will work just fine with most standard televisions. However, we have some precautions when using video game systems with other types of TVs.


Projection TVs: (the following is from the Precautions Manual that comes with each Nintendo system)


Do not use a Front or Rear Projection Television with your Nintendo system or games. Your projection television screen may be permanently damaged if video games with stationary scenes or patterns are played on your projection television. Similar damage may occur if you place a video game on hold or pause. If you use your projection television with any Nintendo system or games, neither Nintendo nor any of Nintendo's licensees will be liable for any damage. This situation is not caused by a defect in any of the above listed systems or games; other fixed or repetitive images may cause similar damage to a projection television. Please contact your TV manufacturer for further information.


HDTVs: Nintendo systems can be connected to standard (tube) HDTV's; however, they should not be connected to projection style HDTV's. Projection style HDTV's display the image in much the same manner as a standard projection TV and as such the same warning as above applies.


Plasma TVs: We have no information on Plasma TVs. Since image retention is a variable of the TV, please check your TV manual or contact the manufacturer directly before connecting any videogame system to your television.



I was wondering if you have your brightness and contast turned down, if this is still a danger?

 

[pcold]

I play my sega dreamcast on my Rear projection HDTV all the time. I would guess that I play about 5-10 hours a week since I've had the tv. I've had the tv for about 5 months. There is no image burn on my screen.


I don't think this problem differs from console to console. Maybe from game to game, based on the still images that the game puts on the screen. Nintendo probably put this in the manual on the advise of the legal team to prevent any claims that image burn is their fault.


No one is going to tell you that this or that will burn your screen. People will tell you to be careful. I just use common sense when when gaming on my HDTV. Avoid 10 hour marathon gaming sessions. don't leave a game paused for a long time, etc, etc....


I know that image burn is a posibility even when i limit my gaming, but i'll be damned if i'm going to play on the old 25" tube when i got a 46" big screen play on!


have fun!

 

[pcold]

oh yeah, i do have the brightness and contrast cranked way down, but that more due to a calibration with the avia dvd than than to gaming...

 

[feldon23]

Show me a console since the Playstation that doesn't have this warning. You can't!


Keep your brightness down and try not to play games with very bright fixed indicators or health meters.

 

[Aslan]

Most projectors (at least those that I've seen) have a feature that slowly moves the image a small amount around the screen in a circle or figure-8 to prevent burn-in. Check your manual or w/ mfr.


Aslan...

 

[AllenD]

you'd think they'd incorporate this in their games programming and shift around the different still amages.

 

[Michael Mullis]

I would venture a guess the real risk comes from keeping a game on pause for an extended period of time, as Nintendo stated. I've been playing on my RCA MM52110 for some time now, and I have no screen burn of any kind.


BTW, has anyone told Microsoft and Nintendo that if they want to support HDTV or Progressive Scan, that the majority of TV's out there are rear projection?

 

[Paul K]

My vintage 1977 Atari 2600 would cycle thru the color palette if I left it on unattended for a long period of time. This simple feature prevented burn-in 20 + years ago. Why don't they program this into the bios of all consoles?