Video games harmful for an HDTV?

[5.1 DTS guy]

I just bought component video cables for my PS2 so I could play my video games on the HDTV (1080i or 480p, no 720p on PS2), and was wondering if playing video games on a Sony rear projection LCD screen tv is harmful? I notice that sometimes when the screen changes, weird shapes/colors appear, but I think this only happens when the output mode changes (like from 1080i to 480i). Is this normal? Should I worry bout burn-in? I know plasmas are vulnerable but I wouldn't think rear projection tvs are. Lastly, does it really matter what brand of component video cables you buy, because the ones i bought (from Sony) look rather basic compared to some of the 50 dollar cables from Monster. Is there really a difference in picture quality?

Thanks in advance.

[Jedi2016]

CRT rear projections are prone to burn-in.. they're the source of those stories you hear about playing video games on projection TVs. LCDs, DLPs, all the current type of projectors are all but immune to burn-in. Unless you leave the same image on-screen for about two years, you'll be fine.

The "weird" stuff is normal when the output mode changes. It's like changing channels on the TV, there's always a split-second where it's got to tune in the new input.

As for cables.. I've gotten the impression that as long as you stay away from the über-cheap, bottom-of-the-barrel cables, they're pretty much all alike. With your setup, I'd say you went the right way.. connecting two Sony devices together with Sony cables? Yeah, you're fine.

[Pyrrho]

The only kinds of TVs that are prone to burn in are those with CRTs (picture tubes) and plasmas. It doesn't matter if the CRT TV is rear projection, front projection, or direct view; the issue is with the CRT, not the manner of projection. With your LCD projector, you could not burn in an image no matter how hard you tried. If you put a single image on the screen, turned the contrast and brightness all the way up, and left it on for a year, you would not burn in the image.

Strange things when switching sources is normal; do not worry about that.

As for the cables, Sony probably knows how to make them, and it is doubtful if any other cable would give you a better picture. Don't fall for magical cable thinking. Don't judge the performance by the appearance of the cable; judge it by its actual performance. You don't need thick cables. Of course, there is a minimum size that will work (which is fairly small, though how small depends on things like length), but there is no performance benefit to bigger than it needs to be. Very likely many of the "thicker" cables just have thicker insulation to impress fools who judge cables by looking at the cable rather than by measuring their performance.

So, if you play your games all you want, you will not hurt your TV, but do not play so much that you get carpal tunnel syndrome.

[Hi Ho]

CRT projection systems are much more prone to burn-in than direct view CRT's. Look at modern computer monitors, they sit for days displaying static images and don't burn in. Old ones from the 80's had severe burn-in problems though. I have never seen a direct view CRT TV showing signs of burn-in.

A friend of mine has a TV from the early 80's for which he had lost the remote. The channel number had been displayed in the upper corner of the screen for 20+ years. His TV is on all day and most of the night. When he finally bought a universal remote a few months ago and was able to get rid of the channel number, there were no signs of burn-in.

[jonnythan]

Originally Posted by Pyrrho

If you put a single image on the screen, turned the contrast and brightness all the way up, and left it on for a year, you would not burn in the image.

But you might get some image retention, which goes away over time once you change the image. I've seen this happen on cell phones and LCD monitors.

[Tsunamii]

Ive got a Panny Plasma and play alot of video games on it over the last 3 years with no burn in. I also have a camera in babys room to check in on him without waking that sits in the bottom corner alot and it has not burnt in either...

[jawilljr]

Originally Posted by Pyrrho

The only kinds of TVs that are prone to burn in are those with CRTs (picture tubes) and plasmas. It doesn't matter if the CRT TV is rear projection, front projection, or direct view; the issue is with the CRT, not the manner of projection. With your LCD projector, you could not burn in an image no matter how hard you tried. If you put a single image on the screen, turned the contrast and brightness all the way up, and left it on for a year, you would not burn in the image.

Strange things when switching sources is normal; do not worry about that.

As for the cables, Sony probably knows how to make them, and it is doubtful if any other cable would give you a better picture. Don't fall for magical cable thinking. Don't judge the performance by the appearance of the cable; judge it by its actual performance. You don't need thick cables. Of course, there is a minimum size that will work (which is fairly small, though how small depends on things like length), but there is no performance benefit to bigger than it needs to be. Very likely many of the "thicker" cables just have thicker insulation to impress fools who judge cables by looking at the cable rather than by measuring their performance.

So, if you play your games all you want, you will not hurt your TV, but do not play so much that you get carpal tunnel syndrome.

LCD's do suffer Burn-In.

Burn-In on an LCD projector

My Sanyo PLV-Z2 is doing the same thing as that person Panny 700.

Jerry

[Hi Ho]

I cannot access the thread you are linking to here at school but I can say with confidence that it is not burn-in. On an LCD, it would either be retention, which is temporary, or the polarizing panels are getting too hot/discoloring.

[Buckle-meister]

Originally Posted by Pyrrho

The only kinds of TVs that are prone to burn in are those with CRTs (picture tubes) and plasmas...With your LCD projector, you could not burn in an image no matter how hard you tried.

Originally Posted by jawilljr

LCD's do suffer Burn-In.

I've heard that plasma burn-in is a non-issue these days.

[Buckle-meister]

Originally Posted by Hi Ho

I cannot access the thread you are linking to here at school...

Man you're pretty clued-up for a school kid Hi Ho.