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]

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]

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]

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.

LCD's do suffer Burn-In.

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

 

[Buckle-meister]

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

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

 

[jawilljr]

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.

Technically you are probably correct, but since it takes ~30 minutes or longer for the image to disapear... I will call it Burn-In.

I would still watch out on LCD's... they are not as robust as they say.

Jerry

 

[jonnythan]

If you can fix it, it's not burn in.

 

[Jack Hammer]

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.

I bought some aftermarket cables for $10 at best buy and there was an immediate and noticeable improvement in picture quality over the stock PS2 cables from Sony. My experience is that Monster makes good cables at a highly inflated price. Look for a different more affordable brand.

 

[xboxweasel]

CRT projection systems are much more prone to burn-in than direct view CRT's.

Pretty much true, except for the Toshiba 26HF84 that I got. It is a widescreen CRT. On almost every page in the manual it warns against not viewing a picture at full tube width. I was not too worried, since I have had many direct view CRTs without any burn in problems. Well, not long after watching some 4:3 sources I switch to 16:9 and noticed some yellow discoloration around the point where the gray bars start. I was rather let down by this since I have always held Toshiba TVs in high regards. So, from now on I make sure that all sources (4:3 or 16:9) fill the entire screen (by stretching, etc). Either way that is the last CRT I will ever purchase.

 

[Pyrrho]

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

That is not burn in; it is image retention, and it goes away. Burn in never goes away.

If it were real and permanent, don't you think you would be able to find a source other than a bunch of guys posting whatever they feel like saying on the internet? Hell, I can show you web sites where they claim the earth is flat (just do a search for "flat earth society" to find a few interesting sites).

 

[Pyrrho]

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

Well, if you want to test it, go ahead and buy a plasma TV, feed it a static image (test patterns can be good for this), turn up the contrast and brightness all the way, and leave it on for a couple of weeks. I would advise against doing this, but go ahead and do it if you want.

 

[Pyrrho]

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.

Yes. But image retention is not a condition that is permanent damage to the set. Burn in is.

 

[Pyrrho]

Pretty much true, except for the Toshiba 26HF84 that I got. It is a widescreen CRT. On almost every page in the manual it warns against not viewing a picture at full tube width. I was not too worried, since I have had many direct view CRTs without any burn in problems. Well, not long after watching some 4:3 sources I switch to 16:9 and noticed some yellow discoloration around the point where the gray bars start. I was rather let down by this since I have always held Toshiba TVs in high regards. So, from now on I make sure that all sources (4:3 or 16:9) fill the entire screen (by stretching, etc). Either way that is the last CRT I will ever purchase.

Well, they were right to warn you, weren't they? Whether burn in will occur depends on the exact use made of a CRT or plasma set. Some things are more likely to burn in than others, and usually it involves significant differences in contrast, which would be likely when dealing with bars at the sides (or top and bottom) of the screen. Whenever an owner's manual gives warnings about burn in, pay attention to them. They are not likely to tell you their equipment is going to have such a problem unless it is a real possibility, as many people will not want to buy it with such warnings.

 

[Spiffyfast]

I play video games on my mitsu rptv all the time, and I've had it for over 2 years now with no burn in at all, I think it really depends on the quality of the set

 

[abboudc]

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

I read the whole thread you linked and that doesn't sound like burn in. It sounds like one of the guy's LCD panels is failing. It's happening after an image is on the screen for a minute or two, which shouldn't burn in even the most vulnerable of sets.

I've seen computer LCD panels stay on for 3+ years straight, 24x7, and not suffer burn in. However, leaving them on with the same image for that long caused the plastic covering on the screen to have the image "burned in".