Gaming on a Plasma!?

[Wump]

Hi guys, I was wondering what the pros and cons of gaming on a Plasma TV?

Just had broadband ADSL2+ installed and the engineer was a gaming nut like myself, he said he used a Panasonic plasma for gaming, which I thought was a bit odd since I have always been told get an LCD for gaming...

I understand that plasmas are faster and have less input lag for time critical games etc but thats all I do know about plasmas really, was considering a 37" or 42" LG LH4010 but now I'm not so sure.

PS will be using the set for a fair amount of online gaming, nameky COD modern warfare and other fps.

I am going around the bend please help

Many thanks

 

[Monarch]

Well, the reason you would have been advised to use an LCD for gaming is that plasmas suffer from image retention and burn in which is bad for games with static images (ie most of them!). This is a reason for really really hardcore gamers to avoid all plasmas, and a reason for fairly big gamers to avoid LG and Samsung plasmas (if sessions are longer than 3-4 hours). But Panasonic plasmas are very resistant to image retention, to cause bad image retention on a Panasonic you would need several hours longer than 3-4. That's the only real downside of gaming on a plasma these days.

Some would argue that phosphor trailing is also an issue, but the chances are that it wont be, the vast majority of people don't see it on the modern sets (with sensible settings), at most you would see the odd flash of green on high contrast scenes, but in my opinion much easier to live with than motion blurring on LCDs! Some would also argue that you can get high resolutions (1080p) in smaller sizes, but you can with a 42" model, although it would cost you £700 or so.

As for pros you have superior contrast and black levels, which makes it more 3D and dramatic in a way, low input lag and superior motion handling. LCDs are brighter, but this generally shouldn't be an issue unless you game in really bright lighting, LCDs are also a bit sharper, but the actual detail is generally the same.

 

[audiphile76]

With my Panasonic plasma, i game 5-6 hours at a stretch. I havent had any image retentions that dont disappear in a few seconds of normal tele viewing. KZ2 and Resistance2 online games have been amazing. I have not experienced much lag in either of the games.

 

[y2k]

I use my panasonic for COD4 and 5, never had any problems and have played for hours at a time, if you are worried about screen burn or ir when playing and COD games online then play hardcore and that takes away the map but its never been a problem for me.

 

[audiphile76]

if you are worried about screen burn or ir when playing and COD games online then play hardcore and that takes away the map but its never been a problem for me.

OP: I read one very smart work around form IR some time back. If you really are worried with gaming long hours, every couple of hours turn off and turn on the overscan. With moving pixels, you dont have to worry about IR.

 

[Wump]

Wow guys that was fast! brilliant thanks for the info!

Interesting points, to be honest I have a fair amount of free time on my hands at the moment as I lost my job a few weeks ago, cue violins...

I was on the xbox online for about 8 hours which is long but most of my sessions will be around the four hour+ mark.

Is it then adviseable to use a plasma? Would I be safe just using the 'overscan', (not sure what this is exactly)?

If not does it mean that I will have to go below 32" in an LCD?

Thanks again

 

[audiphile76]

Wow guys that was fast! brilliant thanks for the info!

This is not normally that fast, but thanx anyways

I was on the xbox online for about 8 hours which is long but most of my sessions will be around the four hour+ mark.

Is it then adviseable to use a plasma? Would I be safe just using the 'overscan', (not sure what this is exactly)?

If not does it mean that I will have to go below 32" in an LCD?

Thanks again

With 4 hour sessions, imo, you will do just fine with a panasonic plasma. With overscan on and off, pixels shift for the same picture. Thats about it.

 

[Monarch]

make sure you get a Panasonic plasma, and maybe make sure you've got 100 hours through it before spending over 4 hours gaming, but you could get a Panasonic, even if 8 hours became regular, just make sure that image retention has enough time to wash away (not long at all) before you play that game again.

I don't think you'd even need the overscan (I'm not even sure you can on HD sources of the Panasonics), if you were concerned, a 10 minute break (put it on normal TV) after 4 hours would be plenty

 

[petet66]

From a health point of view you should take a break every couple of hours for ten minutes or so anyway Just switch to a TV channel on during that break (BBC 1 is good because it has no ident logo) and take your time in the loo - ten minutes or so every few hours will wash out the screen and help prevent IR.

 

[Wump]

Cool thanks chaps.

PS would anyone have any idea what kind of picture to expect if I use VGA for online gaming to get rid of input lag?

 

[ozzzy189]

if it helps, the pioneers are bombproof, and there are one or two about, either new or second hand.

 

[Jim Di Griz]

OP - Get a Panasonic G10, biggest screen size you can afford and youll be as pleased as I am.

My brother has a nice Samsung 32" LCD which he is happy with but he admits my G10 stomps all over it and he likes the fact he doesnt have to move close to the TV when playing games like he does with his set!

Co-op Left for Dead is just unbelievable on the 50" G10. Best fun Ive had on the 360 for sure!

 

[wez7]

hello everyone. yesterday i purchased a panasonic tx-42s11b from comet will i be able to connect 360 via component cable as my xbox has no hdmi and i can't afford a new one at the moment. thanks

 

[Fatwaz]

yes though i dont think you wil be able to do 1080p over component but seing as nearly all games are 720p anyway shouldnt be much of a problem

 

[wez7]

thanks for the reply mate i'll be happy with that should be an improvement on the sd toshiba which i've had for the last 8 years. just gotta wait for my mate to turn up now to move the thing so i can set up new one it weighs a ton given up trying on my own. cheers

 

[SPARTAN086 Mike]

I have a Samsung PS50A656 Plasma and have owned it since Oct 2008. I used a break-in dvd with it initially, but since then I have used it for about 80% 360/PS3 gaming and 20% Blu-Ray/DVD watching. Usually I'm on it on average about 3 hours a day, although long stretches of gaming are normal for me - when Halo 3 ODST came out I reckon I played it non stop for about 7/8 hours.

Now, when finishing playing any gaming session I will get some form of IR, its inevitable on pretty much any plasma and its only noticeable to me because I sit under 2m away from the set. After playing a short video however or anything with moving pixels, after about 5 mins the screen is uniform again. I also tend to run the break in dvd for around an hour or so ever month just to ensure that all the pixels get a work out at the same time at some point.

Burn in really isn't something you have to worry about with modern plasmas and I have yet to see a plasma that doesn't get some form of temporary IR.

 

[Jim Di Griz]

hello everyone. yesterday i purchased a panasonic tx-42s11b from comet will i be able to connect 360 via component cable as my xbox has no hdmi and i can't afford a new one at the moment. thanks

Yep!

Ive read somewhere that there is virtually no difference between component connection and HDMI as far as Xbox 360 games go. Having played on both types of connection (one an old 360 and the other a new Elite) recently Id have to agree - I couldnt see any difference anyway.

 

[Jim Di Griz]

thanks for the reply mate i'll be happy with that should be an improvement on the sd toshiba which i've had for the last 8 years. just gotta wait for my mate to turn up now to move the thing so i can set up new one it weighs a ton given up trying on my own. cheers

Yeah I had the same thing with a massive JVC CRT I had about 3 years ago.

Youll need your mate to help you with the new plasma too - better safe then sorry!

 

[Wad2002]

I have a 50ps3000 and when playing the 9s3 and xbox 360 (mainly fifa on ps3) it does suffer from IR. But once you move from that screen you don't notice it.

I moved from a 60hx 32 LCD HD tv to the 50" plasma...all I can say was I got a written warning from my work for calling in sick for a week

Don;t be put off mate...I love my ps3 on my plasma.

 

[Wump]

Thanks for all the great info chaps!

I wish I could go for the G10 but far too big we have small rooms here, when we move in a year or so I am going to make sure I get a house with enough rooms so I can make a decent size gaming room!

Until then can anyone reccommend A 37 or 40 inch plasma (preferably a 40) with very low input lag?

Many thanks

 

[astonbilla]

42" G10 - £780 ish

 

[audiphile76]

Thanks for all the great info chaps!

I wish I could go for the G10 but far too big we have small rooms here, when we move in a year or so I am going to make sure I get a house with enough rooms so I can make a decent size gaming room!

Until then can anyone reccommend A 37 or 40 inch plasma (preferably a 40) with very low input lag?

Many thanks

Get a Panasonic plasma 37X10. Its great for gaming.

 

[Jim Di Griz]

Thanks for all the great info chaps!

I wish I could go for the G10 but far too big we have small rooms here, when we move in a year or so I am going to make sure I get a house with enough rooms so I can make a decent size gaming room!

Until then can anyone reccommend A 37 or 40 inch plasma (preferably a 40) with very low input lag?

Many thanks

Well if its plasma its going to be 37" or 42". If money isnt a problem Id go for the 42" G10 - can be found under £800 now quite easily. If money is tight then go for a 42" X10. Definitely get a 42" over a 37" though!

 

[choddo2006]

Cool thanks chaps.

PS would anyone have any idea what kind of picture to expect if I use VGA for online gaming to get rid of input lag?

Not sure there really is any input lag on 720p signals.

 

[Wump]

Jim your viewing a 50" over 7.5 feet!??? your mad! ;-)

Not sure what you mean by 720p signals, xbox games vary and not many are made in 720 native. Most are sub 720.


Well things have changed slightly now, max budget is 700 and my wife doesnt want anything bigger than a 37, she's probably right as a 40-42" might look a bit silly in our living room!

I did look at the philips with a very thin TV frame which looks more reasonable but its a no go RE input lag.

Considering the panasonic LCD TX...something or other of SonyW4500 or whatever...

would like a sub 20ms TV really any more and its too much lag