How good is HD?

[dwarf]

OK so a while back we got a 42" 1080p TV, it sits in the sitting room (yeh) but I really want it to be in my room! I have brought the PS3 down on a few occasions, put the surround sound on and the experience is just brilliant.

 

Resistance 2 & Wipeout HD have been mega-standouts in this new set-up, it's like I'm playing them again. I can see why they added the HD to the end of Wipeout's title, it is incredibly crisp and I don't actually think there is a better showcase of what high definition is all about.

 

So for me, HD is incredible and exceeded my expectations, what do you guys think?

[Mundi]

I like it.

It´s not essential to have but is still an improvement when playing games that utilize it well.

 

Also surround sound is not getting all the love it deserves.

When I first got my Xbox 360 I had to get my sound system fixed.

Couple of days later I got it back and the difference between regular sound and surround was orgasmic.

Especially in crackdown, the explosions got even better!

[Daft]

I really want a surround sound system but they're just too expensive for me.

 

I tend to use my amazing headphones if I'm really that bothered. I did that while playing through MGS4.

 

You kind of forget how good HD looks until you go back to looking at SD or playing the Wii. Makes anything not HD seem like badly pirated crap off the internet.

[Shino]

Its ok I guess. You get used to it and never think about it again.

[dwarf]

Its ok I guess. You get used to it and never think about it again.

 

See I can't believe how good Wipeout looks, I'm awlays in awe when I look at it and playing it is such a joy on HD. And yeah with Daft, when I go back it's a 'wtf that's awful' moment.

[Choze]

Makes it difficult to play Wii as its very poor looking.

 

See I can't believe how good Wipeout looks, I'm awlays in awe when I look at it and playing it is such a joy on HD. And yeah with Daft, when I go back it's a 'wtf that's awful' moment.

 

Try out GT5 Prologue. Its even more insane.

 

Cant wait to see the new expansion for Wipeout and release of GT5. Imagine the improvements.

[Dan_Dare]

for me, the colour blows my mind. It just makes games look INSANE.

 

resolution is nice, but the vibrancy of the image is what makes the experience for me.

[Choze]

for me, the colour blows my mind. It just makes games look INSANE.

 

resolution is nice, but the vibrancy of the image is what makes the experience for me.

 

Yeah true 1080p games have better gradation and image quality. Really helps. Funny thing is there is plenty room for improvement.

 

Lets also not forget sound quality. Simply trying out basic DTS showcases how the extra depth makes a difference compared to basic Dolby in games like Killzone 2 or Bad Company(96/24 thanks EA/DICE). This is not even taking the HD formats in consideration.

Edited June 19, 2009 by Choze

[Nolan]

I find it to be pretty overrated, but voted for decent. There are improvements, text becomes readable everything is a bit clearer and there's more detail. For some reason those few things make everyone ruin their pants. If I can I'll play in HD, but if I can't, oh well I don't care and hardly notice. I'm playing the game to play the game not gawp at the omghdgrphx.

[Aimless]

Part of the reason HD is important to me is because my 360 and PS3 are hooked up to a 1080p monitor and the family TV us a 720p LCD. Wii games can look lovely on a good ol' CRT, but on the displays I have available they always look incredibly rough.

 

That said I think that 720p is 'good enough'. There is a noticeable improvement with native 1080p games, but I'd rather developers focused on things like anti-aliasing, framerates and quality animation rather than watering things down to run at a higher resolution; I'm tired of games that look great in screenshots but run like a seahorse.

[dwarf]

I find it to be pretty overrated, but voted for decent. There are improvements, text becomes readable everything is a bit clearer and there's more detail. For some reason those few things make everyone ruin their pants. If I can I'll play in HD, but if I can't, oh well I don't care and hardly notice. I'm playing the game to play the game not gawp at the omghdgrphx.

 

See that's what I thought when I had a Wii and no HDTV. I thought everyone was just getting way too hyped. Thing is have you actually played a PS3 or Xbox on a good HDTV? There are a lot of pretty shoddy HDTVs around, but I think my dad went for our current one because it will likely last a while.

 

If only I could show you how awesome it is!

[Pantsu Man!]

For games it's been a noticable improvement. Uncharted, Gears and those games look spectacular in HD.

 

But where it shines I think is in just television.

I was strolling around one day in Currys and they were showing Blue Planet on Blu-ray hooked up to one of those new Samsung LED Tvs, something like 40".

And it was stunning, I already have it on blu-ray but I've yet to watch it all. I just stood there in awe, with my mouth gaping open. I just had a sort of 'I can reach in there and touch it, but I know I can't touch it because it's a screen'.

[Caris]

Yeah me and Rob seen Cars on a 1080p/24p TV in Comet once and it didn't even look real.

[Nolan]

See that's what I thought when I had a Wii and no HDTV. I thought everyone was just getting way too hyped. Thing is have you actually played a PS3 or Xbox on a good HDTV? There are a lot of pretty shoddy HDTVs around, but I think my dad went for our current one because it will likely last a while.

 

If only I could show you how awesome it is!

 

I have a pretty good 1080p monitor that I've used for Killzone 2, MGS4, Valkyria Chronicles, Uncharted Demo, Red Faction Demo, and a few others.

 

I've also played most of these on a excellent 720p Panasonic Plasma.

 

Through HDMI on both, I'm just not overly impressed in the same way as everyone else.

[Grazza]

I voted "Significant/good". It doesn't usually make me say "wow", although sometimes it does, so perhaps I should have voted that.

 

It's definitely the right direction and I'm entirely positive about it. I actually find it better for games than films, as it makes things like text and map screens as good as a computer monitor. Playing Motorstorm: Pacific Rift on my friend's 1080p TV just made me want to play the next Shadow of the Colossus or Zelda with that sort of clarity.

 

For films, I'm blown away by the colours. I love Casino Royale and Into the Blue.

[Daft]

Yeah, the colours in Casino Royale really come out. Just looks so good.

[Pit-Jr]

My vision isnt the greatest so any improvement in clarity and resolution is a godsend.

[kyletherobot]

I think its great, but like many, I only really appreciate it properly when I play or watch something inferior.

 

A couple of Blu-rays have blown my mind, the one that really springs to mind is Speed Racer, it really is an awful film but it looks absolutely amazing.

Edited June 19, 2009 by kyletherobot

[Cube]

My vision isn't the best so I don't really notice that much. Although N64 resolution to 720p (like the Banjo games) is very noticable.

[McPhee]

I voted "good" but that's just on resolution alone. If i put my new TV next to my old TV i'd say the difference is incredible. It's about more than just the resolution, the colours are especially phenominal!

 

Always found Pure is a cracking game to show off a good set on, really shows what a good set is capable of.

[Choze]

For games it's been a noticable improvement. Uncharted, Gears and those games look spectacular in HD.

 

But where it shines I think is in just television.

I was strolling around one day in Currys and they were showing Blue Planet on Blu-ray hooked up to one of those new Samsung LED Tvs, something like 40".

And it was stunning, I already have it on blu-ray but I've yet to watch it all. I just stood there in awe, with my mouth gaping open. I just had a sort of 'I can reach in there and touch it, but I know I can't touch it because it's a screen'.

 

The Samsung LED range is also piss poor. It says alot about the Tv's people use and how they are set up.

[Deathjam]

My vision isnt the greatest so any improvement in clarity and resolution is a godsend.

 

THIS! I remember trying to play burnout paradise on my old 21 inch CRT and could not see shit! Probably a combo of meant to be on HD and poo eyesight.

[Dan_Dare]

Yeah true 1080p games have better gradation and image quality. Really helps. Funny thing is there is plenty room for improvement.

 

Lets also not forget sound quality. Simply trying out basic DTS showcases how the extra depth makes a difference compared to basic Dolby in games like Killzone 2 or Bad Company(96/24 thanks EA/DICE). This is not even taking the HD formats in consideration.

 

I don't even mean true 1080p. I ran Street Fighter the other day and BAM- looked amazing.

 

Geometry wars 2- to date, I think this is one of the best looking game I've got once I HD it. The colour is so deep and saturated that it just looks fantastic.

 

Rez HD. Again, an already sexy as fuck number but the resolution and colour just makes it retina searing.

[Shino]

HD does not improve eyesight. I'm partially deaf and 7.1 surround or whatever, does not make me ear any better.

[Grazza]

My vision isnt the greatest so any improvement in clarity and resolution is a godsend.

 

I see what you're saying there. Thankfully I don't have any serious problem (I could just do with a newer pair of glasses), but I find the DS strains my eyes whereas nothing else does. Extra resolution (and better textures and polygon-pushing power) would just require the eyes to work less hard.

 

By the way, I've thought of another reason why HDTVs are good (apart from resolution and colours) - progressive scan. Generally speaking we didn't have it in Europe until HDTVs. Yes, it was on the last CRTs and pre-HD LCD sets, but generally speaking one wouldn't gain it until the HDTVs.