How big is the difference between standard and HD TVs (for games)?

So i have always gamed on standard dev TVs but i always hear about how great HDs are... can someone who has played both tell me if their is a large difference? im thinkin of getting a HD TV soon....How big is the difference between standard and HD TVs (for games)?
I'm thinking of getting a HDTV soon too. I have a 360 and the text for some games is really small.How big is the difference between standard and HD TVs (for games)?
[QUOTE=''killtactics'']So i have always gamed on standard dev TVs but i always hear about how great HDs are... can someone who has played both tell me if their is a large difference? im thinkin of getting a HD TV soon....[/QUOTE] They're pretty amazing. I remember making the switch myself, about5 years ago. It will breathe new life into your old games, when you see the resolution difference, especially if you're a 360 or PS3 owner.It was much more expensiveback then. You can get a very good '32 HDTV for $600-900 nowadays. Back then I paid $1800!If you want an incredible buying guide for TV's, and electronics in general, try http://www.consumerreports.com It costs $5 a month for full access to their review archives, worth every penny if you're planning on making a big investment.Good luck!
There's definitely a difference, but the longer you have HD, the less you'll notice it. I always like to either drop my 360 down to 480 or hook up my old TV every once in a while to remind myself what a game would've looked like on my old set. And when I do, the difference is pretty amazing.
[QUOTE=''Shame-usBlackley''] There's definitely a difference, but the longer you have HD, the less you'll notice it. I always like to either drop my 360 down to 480 or hook up my old TV every once in a while to remind myself what a game would've looked like on my old set. And when I do, the difference is pretty amazing. [/QUOTE] This is definitely true. I'm way too spoiled with mine. I got a new appreciation recently, however, when I got a Wii. Since it only supports 480p, the graphics looked grainy to my 720p trained eyes. When I went back to my 360, it was like I was playing a game from the future! :P
The only difference is an increase of pixels and sharpness. You get the same graphical experience (in terms of games) on a SDTV as you would a HDTV except there are less total pixels and the image doesn't look as ''sharp or clear.'' Right now is probably the worst time to get a HDTV for the sole reason that nothing is ''standard'' yet. There is no standard HD media format (Blu-ray is still being challenged by HD-DVD), there is no standard HD connection format (HDMI seems to release a new version every couple months which makes the previous version obsolete) and there are so many different types of HDTV's that anyone willing to get one will end up being sorely confused when they try to shop for one.

I myself would suggest waiting at least a year so that HD can become more ''standardized'' and become more affordable to the average consumer. There is really no point in owning a HDTV unless you plan on getting HD cable, HD movies and HD games and using them all. It is a huge investment just like VCR's and DVD Players were back in the day. You must tread carefully and not get taken up in all the ''HD'' hype. If you want a ''HD'' display for you 360 or PS3 just get a 22'' LCD monitor with a 1650x1050 resolution. They cost all of $300, are just as good as their bigger brethren and you don't need a whole room to house them.
The difference is well worth what it costs these days especially to gamers, everything is sharper and more vibrant and text fits on the screen better and is easier to read. And this is coming from somebody who has yet to buy an HD console :cry: I still have to resort to hooking my pc up to the TV for HD gaming, but I have pinched my little bro inlaws 360 a couple of times :evil:.
[QUOTE=''foxhound_fox'']The only difference is an increase of pixels and sharpness. You get the same graphical experience (in terms of games) on a SDTV as you would a HDTV except there are less total pixels and the image doesn't look as ''sharp or clear.'' Right now is probably the worst time to get a HDTV for the sole reason that nothing is ''standard'' yet. There is no standard HD media format (Blu-ray is still being challenged by HD-DVD), there is no standard HD connection format (HDMI seems to release a new version every couple months which makes the previous version obsolete) and there are so many different types of HDTV's that anyone willing to get one will end up being sorely confused when they try to shop for one.

I myself would suggest waiting at least a year so that HD can become more ''standardized'' and become more affordable to the average consumer. There is really no point in owning a HDTV unless you plan on getting HD cable, HD movies and HD games and using them all. It is a huge investment just like VCR's and DVD Players were back in the day. You must tread carefully and not get taken up in all the ''HD'' hype. If you want a ''HD'' display for you 360 or PS3 just get a 22'' LCD monitor with a 1650x1050 resolution. They cost all of $300, are just as good as their bigger brethren and you don't need a whole room to house them.[/QUOTE]No offense, but you really are a fountain of misinformation on this particular topic. Your statement that ''The only difference is an increase of pixels and sharpness.'' is odd, since that is exactly what HD is supposed to accomplish and the difference between SD and HD is massive. Also, your comment about a lack of standardization regarding inputsis nonsensical because both component and HDMI connections deliver a true HD signal. Both can and do co-exist and a standardization of inputs is completely irrelevant to the quality of an HD signal. Both work equally well and most HDTV's come with both. The media war is also of no consequence and has no bearing on the quality of HDTV's. Both Blueray and HD DVD do the same thing: display movies in true HD resolution. The real issue here is waiting to see which format is the best investment. (And for the record, Blueray is destroying HD-DVD in terms of software sales) Lastly, there is no ''HD hype'' or confusion. All HDTV's basically do the same thing, the only differences being quality and resolution. Your solution of purchasing a 22'' LCD monitor really isn't all that great considering my brother-in-law just picked up a 32'' SonyBraviafor about 700 dollars.HDTV's are affordable and for well under 800 dollars a person can grab a nice, name brand HDTV.
It depends on the system and the TV and the connection.With something like a Wii or a PS2, I dont see that much of a difference. In fact, I personally think something like PS2 and Wii looks worse on HDTV then on Standard TV. I have an Xbox 360 hooked up to a 40 inch Samsung LCD HDTV however, and there is definitely a difference in the clarity and picture quality on that system. It also helps with certain games. Assassin's Creed for example, the text, markers, and hud definitely are much easier to read on an HDTV. In fact, from what I have hooked up to the TV, a gaming system like Xbox 360 (can't comment on Ps3) looks the best out of all my components like a 1080p DVD player and HD DVR. In fact, I would say the gaming system is the only thing I personally find beneficial from an HDTV. Widescreen also makes a bit of a difference.However, it isn't as mindblowing as people making it out to be.....it's definitely clear, but it isn't the lucid-dream like quality some make it out to be, and to be honest, it hasn't dractically changed my overall enjoyment of games....maybe cause I'm so used to PC games that ''HD quality'' and high resolutions doesn't seem as ultra modern to me as it would to some people. Don't even get me started on TV or DVDs....I'm actually disappointed in that regard. I've also found HDMI to be a ripoff....I seriously haven't noticed any difference between HDMI and Component. Granted, the few High Def TV broadcasts that are actually out there only happen in 1080i or 720p (at least from what I have) and I'm still using standard DVDs, but even on the 360 where I thought it would be noticable I didn't notice a difference.
[QUOTE=''Grammaton-Cleric''] [QUOTE=''foxhound_fox'']The only difference is an increase of pixels and sharpness. You get the same graphical experience (in terms of games) on a SDTV as you would a HDTV except there are less total pixels and the image doesn't look as ''sharp or clear.'' Right now is probably the worst time to get a HDTV for the sole reason that nothing is ''standard'' yet. There is no standard HD media format (Blu-ray is still being challenged by HD-DVD), there is no standard HD connection format (HDMI seems to release a new version every couple months which makes the previous version obsolete) and there are so many different types of HDTV's that anyone willing to get one will end up being sorely confused when they try to shop for one.

I myself would suggest waiting at least a year so that HD can become more ''standardized'' and become more affordable to the average consumer. There is really no point in owning a HDTV unless you plan on getting HD cable, HD movies and HD games and using them all. It is a huge investment just like VCR's and DVD Players were back in the day. You must tread carefully and not get taken up in all the ''HD'' hype. If you want a ''HD'' display for you 360 or PS3 just get a 22'' LCD monitor with a 1650x1050 resolution. They cost all of $300, are just as good as their bigger brethren and you don't need a whole room to house them.[/QUOTE]No offense, but you really are a fountain of misinformation on this particular topic. Your statement that ''The only difference is an increase of pixels and sharpness.'' is odd, since that is exactly what HD is supposed to accomplish and the difference between SD and HD is massive. Also, your comment about a lack of standardization regarding inputsis nonsensical because both component and HDMI connections deliver a true HD signal. Both can and do co-exist and a standardization of inputs is completely irrelevant to the quality of an HD signal. Both work equally well and most HDTV's come with both. The media war is also of no consequence and has no bearing on the quality of HDTV's. Both Blueray and HD DVD do the same thing: display movies in true HD resolution. The real issue here is waiting to see which format is the best investment. (And for the record, Blueray is destroying HD-DVD in terms of software sales) Lastly, there is no ''HD hype'' or confusion. All HDTV's basically do the same thing, the only differences being quality and resolution. Your solution of purchasing a 22'' LCD monitor really isn't all that great considering my brother-in-law just picked up a 32'' SonyBraviafor about 700 dollars.HDTV's are affordable and for well under 800 dollars a person can grab a nice, name brand HDTV.[/QUOTE] ''A Fountain of misinformation'' :lol: Couldn't have said it better myself.
If you are playing a 360 or PS3 on a non HD TV you are missing out. The difference is gigantic, its not a slight difference, its not sharper, no its OMG HOW DID I LIVE WITHOUT THIS!! difference. Buy an HDTV now.
To be honest, I didn't find it as mindblowing as some people, that's perhaps due to gaming on high resolutions (higher than HD actually) for basically a decade now. I went from PC to console games and back all the time and I never thought to myself 'OMG low res, my eyes are BURNING!'. It's nice that console gaming finally offers high resolution gaming, no doubt about that, but it's not really that big of a deal in my book.If you want to know the difference in hard numbers:SD - 640x480 pixels (PAL is slightly higher)HD - 1280x720 pixels
[QUOTE=''Robnyc22''] However, it isn't as mindblowing as people making it out to be.....it's definitely clear, but it isn't the lucid-dream like quality some make it out to be, and to be honest, it hasn't dractically changed my overall enjoyment of games....maybe cause I'm so used to PC games that ''HD quality'' and high resolutions doesn't seem as ultra modern to me as it would to some people. [/QUOTE]I tend to agree.I mean, the difference is there -- there's no doubt about that, but it's like movie theatres, you know? I went to a theatre a few months back and saw 30 Days Of Night, and it was on a plain Jane screen in a small theatre and loved it. Conversely, I saw War of the Worlds a few years ago at the Cine-Capri theatre, which showed it in full digital, had bleeding edge sound, seats that reclined, and food brought to you. Know what? The movie still sucked. It just sucked in higher definition and in Dolby digital.HDTV is nice, but it sure hasn't made my eyes pop, hasn't made a bad game better or a mediocre game good.
I found the difference to be major. I honestly feel those with HDTV even have a nice advantage when playing games like COD 4 online. The picture is so much sharper and detailed it's easier to spot guy's at a distance. When I first bought my 360 I was using a SD and I thought the games look great but when I bought my HD I was blown away. The ones that say you will only see a slight difference I question their set up or the quality of their tv honestly. Not all HDTV's are created equal.
The difference is there, there's no denying it. No, it won't make your games better, in the same way that getting an Xbox 360 or a Playstation 3 doesn't automatically mean that you'll be getting better games than on Xbox or PS2. It's a necessary upgrade, much in the same way that switching to a high resolution monitor was essential for PC owners who upgraded from Hercules and CGAto EGA and Super VGA.As far as video goes, the switch to HD movies is not as essential, but the truth is that if you get an HDTV for gaming, then DVDs (even upscaled ones) just can't cut it. Also any potential HD video buyer should note that older movies with analogue masters are not going to look much better on BR or HDDVD than they did on DVD. On the other hand, animated films and digitally mastered ones like Apocalypto or Batman Begins do look phenomenal.
It is a pretty big difference. I made the switch myself like two months ago. I got a 27'' Widescren LCD TV with a built in dvd player, supports HDMI hookup, has VGA hookups so you can use it as a PC monitor and it looks dead sexy. Cost? $450. WELL worth the purchase.



You can get a nice bedroom size HDTV (like 27'') for under $500 you just have to shop around a bit. Like others the difference wasnt as drastic for me being a PC gamer for so many years and used to LCD monitors as the norm, but after console gaming on a standard TV for so long you do notice the difference.



Mass Effect and Assassins Creed look particularily shexy.
I would say the difference isn't quite as substantial as going from a black and white tv to a color tv...but it's pretty damn close
Both my 360 and my PC are linked to a HDTV 27', and I would NOT go back to a 22' tiny thing.Sometimes I assist to the return of Captain Pixels, as the games could have been developped by cheap companies working on 15' monitor.Any serious company would definitely make artists work on at LEAST a 27' HDTV, and probably bigger. Unless graphics are not important to them. Some customers are there, they should be ahead, not behind!As to explaining the details...I can't. But my characters in CoV are a lot nicer on my HDTV 27' then on a 22' lowly monitor, don't ask me the details, just ask me the global lasting feeling...the whoofing! :)
im with grammaton on the issue of standards and buying issues. just like the PC market, the TV market is constantly changing. you will wait forever if you keep wondering when the specs and standards will change. go look on any computer forum, they are fill with people asking ''buy now or wait?''. if you find a good deal and can afford it, ask around quick and make sure there are no known substantial changes comming up very soon, and if not just buy.the difference between HD and standard television is massive. i went from a decent SD sony trinitron to a samsung HDTV a year ago, and i am STILL constantly blown away. the level of detail is mind blowing in games that take advantage of it. seeing all the blades of grass on a football game like you could grab them, or the pores on someone's skin is something to really behold. everything is so crisp and clear. and in games, forget about it. take a look at some of the starfields in mass effect or the textures in gears of war, it is astounding.by no means am i saying you cannot enjoy gaming in SD but it is absolutely 1000% worth it to upgrade if you have the means. you won't miss much if you dont have it, but once you do you would cry if you had to go back.
[QUOTE=''Shame-usBlackley''][QUOTE=''Robnyc22''] However, it isn't as mindblowing as people making it out to be.....it's definitely clear, but it isn't the lucid-dream like quality some make it out to be, and to be honest, it hasn't dractically changed my overall enjoyment of games....maybe cause I'm so used to PC games that ''HD quality'' and high resolutions doesn't seem as ultra modern to me as it would to some people. [/QUOTE]I tend to agree.I mean, the difference is there -- there's no doubt about that, but it's like movie theatres, you know? I went to a theatre a few months back and saw 30 Days Of Night, and it was on a plain Jane screen in a small theatre and loved it. Conversely, I saw War of the Worlds a few years ago at the Cine-Capri theatre, which showed it in full digital, had bleeding edge sound, seats that reclined, and food brought to you. Know what? The movie still sucked. It just sucked in higher definition and in Dolby digital.HDTV is nice, but it sure hasn't made my eyes pop, hasn't made a bad game better or a mediocre game good. [/QUOTE] High Definition isn't going to make you like games you normally wouldn't. But it will enhance your experience.War Of The Worlds was pretty good I thought; until the bogus, let-down ending.