Computer Vs Console Question

[diabloplayer75]

Alright, so i have been told my computer is more powerful then the current gen consoles, but what i don't understand is that the consoles can make an image way larger then my small computer monitor.

Say, the 62" plasma HDTV 1080p Vs my 19" SyncMaster 931BF from Samsung, the HDTV is way bigger, so wouldn't it be much more demanding on the system to make the image that size?

I'd like to think the graphics card in my computer (8800gt) is superior to what ever the 360 and ps3 has since it alone cost half the price of the console, but this makes me doubt myself.


Edit: i was just thinking about it, and one difference i know is that you sit up close to a computer monitor and far away from the tv, so if you sat as close to the TV it probably wouldn't look as good..
anyways, would still love any input.

[gvblake22]

You have to remember though that the resolution of a 24" computer LCD is higher than that of a 62" Plasma HDTV. a 1080P capable HDTV has a native resolution of 1920x1080, no matter what the physical size of the screen is because that is the resolution of the video being displayed. Computers on the other hand can display video at lots of different resolutions are are really only limited by how many screens you want to have. A typical 24" widescreen LCD made for computers has a native resolution of 1920x1200, which is actually larger than that of any 1080p/i HDTV.

The resolution issue is also the same reason why the distance at which you view the screen needs to be different. The HDTVs are larger because they are made to be viewed from a distance (across the room on a couch, for example) while computer monitors are made to be viewed from only a few feet away. Remember that the resolution of a 24" LCD and a 62" HDTV have similar resolutions (one just has a few more vertical lines than the other). Now imagine what needs to be done in order to fit the same number of pixels on each screen size. In order to do that, the pixels must be made larger and spread out further apart. That is why looking at a big screen HDTV close up will yield a terrible picture, because you are seeing individual pixels instead of the whole image. But if you tried to use a 24" LCD from across the room to read text it would be near impossible because the pixels are too small and close together to see from that distance.

[screwballl]

also remember this:

1080p TV shows a resolution of 1920x1080, which is just over 2 million pixels
720p shows 1280x720 is 921,000 pixels (0.9M)
A 19" 4:3 monitor at 1600x1200 has 1.9 million pixels
A computer monitor has a much tighter and potentially higher resolutions available.
A console has to be programmed for one resolution (typically 720p) and then the signal downconverted to a CRT TV or upconverted to 1080i or 1080p.

SDTV: 480i (720×480 split into two 240-line fields)
EDTV: 480p (720×480)
HDTV: 720p (1280×720)
HDTV: 1080i (1280×1080, 1440×1080, or 1920×1080 split into two 540-line fields)
HDTV: 1080p (1920*1080 progressive scan)

A console does not need as high end parts as it has a defined resolution the game is displayed at. A PC has to be programmed to work with multiple GPUs, system hardware (chipsets, etc), and potentially work up to 2560x1920 which is almost 5 million pixels.

Displaying 5 million pixels takes a lot more work and higher end hardware needed compared to 1-2 million pixels.

Resolution info:
Display resolution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[diabloplayer75]

Makes me sad that the SyncMaster only has a 1280 by 1024 resolution :( but its 19"

So, since the pixels are all so much closer and smaller on the computer monitor, does that mean the picture can look sharper and the graphics better?

Or is it just that the software is allot easier for consoles then it is for pcs, so the console can take better use of cheaper hardware?

Edit: the syncmasters selling point (reason why i was told to buy it) was that it has a 2MS response time, and 2000:1 dynamic Contrast, was i basically just bsed to by the bestbuy employee? lol, this was a little over a year ago

[screwballl]

Standard resolution for 17 and 19" is 1280x1024 or for 19" widescreen 1440x900.
Yes, since the pixels are closer together on a PC, the games look much better at native resolutions.
Play a recent game on your PC at 800x600 and you will get the idea of what a console game on anything over a 32" HDTV is played at (as a comparison). Still looks good but its not straining your system.

[Lead Head]

Some console games do natively render full 1080p, but not many. Why consoles can display games at those kind of resolutions is because developers only have one set of hardware to work with. They don't have to worry about various hardware configurations, etc...so they can optimize and tweak for one thing.

[polobunny]

Originally Posted by Lead Head

Some console games do natively render full 1080p, but not many. Why consoles can display games at those kind of resolutions is because developers only have one set of hardware to work with. They don't have to worry about various hardware configurations, etc...so they can optimize and tweak for one thing.

Seconded. Games can be optimized very easily for consoles because they will always run on the same hardware. The same thing can't be said about computer games, there's thousands of different computer configurations and obviously you want your games to work on everyone computer else it won't sell. :P
So at some point, you drop certain optimizations for compatibility fixes instead, or you simply stop optimizing once you see it's creating certain problems on certain hardware.
Not only that but while you play games on your computer, there's also a buttload of other processes running in the background, when in next gen consoles there's likely very little to no other processes running.
That said, there's not so many games running at a real 1080p/i and with sets of textures that are actually high-res textures. Often enough you'll see blocky textures on certain areas in some games, and that's to save some memory for other more important tasks.

[diabloplayer75]

i always wondered how consoles dont need to install the games they just run off the disk unlike pc.

has anyone heard anything of the next next gen consoles? I hope pc gaming still stays king by then. If they could do something about pirating.

also, i always wondered why consoles are so damn stubborn and don't just make a mouse and keyboard that is optional to buy, for things like real time strategies, mmos, and fps games

[screwballl]

Wii Keyboard for Nintendo [Wii Key]

PlayStation 3 : PS3 Keyboard

Xbox 360 QWERTY thumb keyboard is official - Engadget

[Smashing]

Consoles are ****.