best picture (RGB,s-video,ect)

[SpeedStarTMQ]

The type of cable which suits best depends on the console. RGB is best for any consoles up till 7th gen. If the console doesn't have an RGB output but has composite, go for that. It's really best not to use the aeriel cables because they give inferior sound and quality with only mono sound.

Anything 7th gen or after, use component or HDMI. The Wii is best with component and it's the highest quality cable you can get for it. With PS3 and 360 HDMi is best.

I have to say, after being quite a perfectionist when it comes to picture and sound quality for my games, I've found the perfect TV and set up. I actually don't use it for HD consoles, but it also works perfectly with those too!

The Sony Bravia 22EX310 22 inch is amazing for retro gaming. For one, it's easy to tune and set up for aerial/RF cables whilst many new TV's are harder to tune due to being digital nowadays.

It also has a great SCART socket which works wonders with older consoles. I've hooked up my Mega Drive and my GameCube and they look fantastic. It has component cable slots (the R/Y/B/G/R ones) for the Wii and that looks crisp and clean too. It has two HDMI slots for the Xbox and PS3 or whatever device you want to attach, built in headphones jack, the usual old R/Y/W cable sockets for older consoles that don't use SCART/RBG slots too. The only thing it's missing is an S-Video which no one uses do they?

As a plus, it also has left and right audio out connection points for HiFi systems and a PC input too.

It has a range of settings, of which I can give advice and help with, though it's easy to set up. It even has a gaming preset picture style which works great for older consoles to give them smoother images if you like to have your games a little less sharp but still with good detail. Bearing in mind many older games are built specificaly with slightly blurer low quality pictures in mind this is particular useful. The Mega Drive is known for this. Games like Sonic and The Lion King take advantage of a visual effect called dithering (see http://retro-sanctuary.com/comparisons%20-%20differing.html%20%20) which means that the softer the image, the better some games will look. It's good to have a happy medium.

I'll upload some photos if anyone wants?

£300 it cost me, and frankly it's the ultimate TV for everything, especially gaming. I love it.

[BuckoA51]

If it doesn't have RGB output use S-Video, that's a country mile better than composite.

The very best gaming TV's Sony ever made are the KDL series, eg the KDL-32W400 or the KDL-40Z4500. What makes these TV's so special is there almost complete lack of input lag in game mode, a stunning 0-10 ms. You still need to pair them with a good upscaler for 240p/288p content of course.

The Sony Bravia 22EX310 22 inch is amazing for retro gaming

If you're happy that's great, but as with any HDTV you're still getting 240/288p converted to 480i and all the problems that causes. A CRT will still trounce it for retro.

It even has a gaming preset picture style which works great for older consoles to give them smoother images

The gaming preset is there to reduce input lag by turning picture processing off. Without it lag will spike on interlace content (which as far as the TV is concerned is all your retro stuff).

The only thing it's missing is an S-Video which no one uses do they?

N64? Commodore 64? I don't think the Bravia's are missing S-Video anyway, check the manual it's probably there on the SCART.

[SpeedStarTMQ]

To be totally honest I've been gaming for about 17/18 years, and three quarters of that was on a CRT. There's really no difference when plugging, say- the Mega Drive- in to the SONY I have. I'm so so picky with the sets and combinations I use too. I sit for literally hours scanning my settings and images for issues. Perhaps behind the scenes 240/288p converted to 480i isn't the best idea (I have no idea how it works) but it makes no difference to the screen and picture quality itself. If anything, Mega Drive games look clearer and more vibrant, with pixel perfect images displayed.

Can't quite vouch for older consoles though, because the oldest one I use is the Mega Drive, but I really don't have a problem. The screen can also be changed to accomodate the borders around the outer of the screen for PAL games, effectively eliminating them whilst gaining a larger image.

I'm really not technical, but I only see improvements.

Also, I don't think the gaming present accounts for lag input, I'm pretty sure it just adjusts the sharpness, brightness, colour and other small settings to a level which SONY believe is best for gaming- pretty much set to how they want people to play the PS3. All I use it for is the Mega Drive because it's a pretty sharp image through the RGB and it helps soften it for that dithering effect to look a little better.

As for S-Video, my Bravia doesn't have it. I'm in the UK, whereas as I'm aware it's more NTSC regions that use this often, so it's not a standard over here. My last TV had it, but then, my last TV was awful, didn't display the Mega Drive properly at all and had various issues with certain 60htz images (especially when older games were forced 60htz like Zelda I & II on the GameCube Zelda Collectors Edition- they didn't display at all).

[BuckoA51]

Perhaps behind the scenes 240/288p converted to 480i isn't the best idea (I have no idea how it works) but it makes no difference to the screen and picture quality itself.

It makes a huge difference, converting 240/288p to 480i effects a lot of things, scrolling, drop shadows, input lag and more. Look how the set blurs the pixels during scrolling in games. This page explains it best http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/ You absolutely cannot beat a CRT for retro stuff.

I'm really not technical, but I only see improvements.

If you're happy then great, but it's definitely not as good as a CRT. Once you've used a proper linedoubler you'll wonder how you ever kidded yourself into thinking it was OK the way it was.

Also, I don't think the gaming present accounts for lag input

The gaming mode is to minimise input lag, it turns off all picture processing. You can still manually set things like sharpness if you want to. The thing with input lag is you might not notice it, but it may still affect your game.

As for S-Video, my Bravia doesn't have it.

I'm almost certain the Bravia's support S-video on their SCART sockets, mine does, and I don't see why Sony would remove it.

[BuckoA51]

Just checked, Bravia 22EX310 does have S-video on it's SCART socket, though it only has one SCART making it inconvenient to use I guess. (see http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4288091112.pdf)

[SpeedStarTMQ]

That link is password protected, is there any other way?

I'm talking about the right thing, right? S-Video? That little round slot you connect a games console to a TV with? My Bravia absolutely does not have one of those.

[BuckoA51]

Password?? Odd, the link opens just fine for me.

Yes, S-Video is supported on your Bravia TV via its SCART socket.

[Lord Innit]

That link is password protected, is there any other way?

I'm talking about the right thing, right? S-Video? That little round slot you connect a games console to a TV with? My Bravia absolutely does not have one of those.

Many TV's have a scart socket that accept the S-Video signal. It doesn't have to be the little round connecter.

[hydr0x]

That link is password protected, is there any other way?

I'm talking about the right thing, right? S-Video? That little round slot you connect a games console to a TV with? My Bravia absolutely does not have one of those.

The Bravia supports S-Video signal via its SCART-connector. Just use a real S-Video to SCART adapter and you should be fine.

[SpeedStarTMQ]

Ah right, I understand now thanks!

[Liamh1982]

You can pick up S-Video to SCART converters in pound shops. I use one for my N64 and it works fine - just make sure the switch is set to Input or you'll get no signal.

[discopot]

Hi Mate

RGB has to have the best picture for retro games, unless you have a n64 then its a s video

stuart