Newbsauce

iTrader: (2)

Aside from the altogether ghey name, I picked up a pre-ordered nintendo wii last saturday and I thought I'd share.

Pros:
The controllers are awesome. Everything you could imagine about the interactive stuff, is pretty much true. Everything from raising your hands in defense in madden, and throwing passes. Its lots of fun.

Zelda is pimp.

The pointer controller is easy to use and is great for FPS games.


Cons:
The graphics suck. Yes, so far I've bought madden, zelda, excitetruck, and red steel. None of them have impressed me even a little. Then again, maybe its just cause this is the first gen of games. Above all don't buy this system if you want some Xbox360 style HDness.

They don't include a composite video cable. So I'm stuck using this POS A/V cable cause theres no composite cable to make it run 480p. Maybe when I get one it will help the **** graphics.

Ben

iTrader: (33)

Composite is a single video signal commonly with rca style connector, typically yellow, and is good for resolutions up to 480i. This signal is a "composite" of all information in one cable.

Component is a bundle of 3 cables, typically with rca style connectors, Y Pb & Pr (though people associate green, blue, red but its NOT an RGB cable) and is good for 480i/p 720i/p & 1080i. This signal seperates the black/white element and color difference elements. It is still an analog signal. DVI and HDMI are technically superior because they are digital carriers... but it's really only pushed because hollywood can regulate the digital signals easily.

Hopefully with a component video cable, your wii wii will output 720p or 1080i. On a decent tv, most people won't see a difference between the same source switched between 480i and 480p resolutions.

bripab007

I believe Nintendo already said the Wii resolution will max out at 480p.

magnamx-5

iTrader: (7)

i didnt care for the 360 i played i kept thinking my pc or the numerous Ps2's i have played are better. the Wii looks like the most fun system out there though i want one myself

y8s

iTrader: (8)

you can use the same "rca cable" x 3 for component.... if you're cheap

Ben

iTrader: (33)

Yes, if we assume two truths:

1. The rca terminated cable is the correct type of cable for its purpose
2. Your equipment accepts rca terminated cables

I usually self terminate bulk RG-59 or 5 conductor rg-59 bundle with rca or bnc connectors as needed.

Good cables don't have to be expensive, and expensive cables aren't necessarily good.

Pitlab77

iTrader: (3)

i pretty much agree with the review. My friend picked it up at midnight on saturday and we played Wii sports and zelda. It is a very fun "friends' over system because of all the movment. I think time will tell its fate as a single player system.

Sony can (KISS MY A@@) with thier price tag

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

you should see how much good computer video cards are now-a-days.

Mach929

iTrader: (3)

exactly, my computer is old and works just fine for internet and email and crap like that but playing modern games will require a whole new machine. I've priced out all the stuff i'd want and it's well over $2,000.

With computers your gaming rig still needs to be upgraded from time to time to keep up with the newest games, where something like my xbox 360 has the games designed around the capabilities of the console so it will still be great until the next generation consoles come around which i think will be a while.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

when they came out with doom3 they made it so advanced all the hardware companies had to make their **** better to keep up. the game makers werent going to be held back for no reason.

Newbsauce

iTrader: (2)

First of all... the wii doesnt go further then 480p. There is a SIGNIFICANT difference between the output of a RCA vs Composite.. I believe its like 240 lines vs 480 constant lines. The wii will not be a high def system, but to be honest.... the games are fun and thats what matters. Realism isnt really important until you factor in physics processor units, and no system outside of PCs can support that as of yet.

Oh and on another cool note.. the Wii takes SD memory cards.. I picked up a 2gB one for 15 shipped to my door. Not too shabby.

Ben

iTrader: (33)

Right and wrong, and depends on the video processors in the source and display devices. You are getting at the difference between interlaced and progressive signals, which should be extremely tough for average consumer to distinguish. There is no difference in resolution (pixel count) between 480i composite and 480p component, just in how the signal is handled and processed. Both formats are 525 visible lines per frame. And you can good a good picture from a composite baseband signal. Don't believe everything you hear from an idiot at bestbuy or a comissioned salesman at hifi buys.

I'm happy with it if you're happy with it. Low resolution would be a deal breaker for me. SD cards is cool tho.

Arkmage

iTrader: (3)

I just built a new machine a few months back. I believe it cost me about $900 and I rarely see under 90 fps in games running 1280x1024 resolution. It's all about knowing what you need and tailoring the machine to that purpose. In my case the machine was designed to run my engineering software (2 gigs of ram, 3.06 ghz processor, 2x200gig HDD), the gaming capability was just a bonus.

On the Wii... last months playboy had some good reviews of the xb360, wii, and ps3. They seem right on the mark with what I've heard else where.

Pitlab77

iTrader: (3)

I agree with arkmage. I have an old pc i built for about 200 bucks about 3~4 years ago. Up untill about a year ago It played all of the newest games. At top resolution no but still played them at a better than average resolution.

Know how your parts worktogether (board, chip, graphics card) and look up places like www.newegg.com www.pricewatch.com www.outpost.com

druz

iTrader: (2)

Nintendo should have more component cables next week and the stores in 3 weeks. It should make a difference but no one expected much from the Wii graphics wise. The CPU isn't much different than that of the Gamecube. Still lots of fun though.

Newbsauce

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, to be honest I'm thinking about picking up a 360 just for the games/HD DVD drive.

Mach929

iTrader: (3)

i'm well aware how everything in the computer works. used to be way into computers as a kid but really don't have time or care anymore other than internet. but seriously i don't see building a $200 computer that can play any modern games, $900 is still really pushing it. All that would really only get me is a motherboard and a processor that's not even close to tog dog anymore and i'd still have tons left to get like hb, graphics board, ram, and big power supply to feed everything, and all the small crap.

medisyn

Thats strange, I CAN notice the difference between 480i and 480p on games like God of War and more than a few xbox games. Also using a pc hooked up to my tv 480i is unreadable while 480p is sharp. (well its a small rez but whatever.) I have a crt hdtv that can do 480i/p 720p (which I am sure is scaled to a 1080i image somehow. But it is pretty flicker free and works fine displaying a windows desktop, so i really dont know.) and 1080i. Sure it weighs like ten times the weight of a LCD TV it still looks better!

Jefe

iTrader: (7)

What kind of reciew is this anyway?

480i/p?
WTF is that? I had a PS1 for ever, it rocked compared to my 2600, I just bought a PS2 for $129 OMFG is that great, I bought this game for $20 Global Terror, its so real you feel like you're in the action, very intuitive controls and cool grenades...

Ben

iTrader: (33)

Most display devices have very poor video processing. You're seeing the hardware difference between the tv and xbox. Your xbox has better deinterlacing than your tv does. I've run all sorts of single blind tests with my install crews and our high end gear--you'd be suprised at what someone with a very sharp eye will (or won't) see. Yes, whatever signal comes in is scaled by your tv to its native resolution. A good CRT looks better than many of the new small footprint technologies. A great CRT looks better than almost all. I say almost because I have a soft spot for the new JVC 1080p DILA stuff.

A good video processor makes all the difference in the world. A $1500 outboard processor on a $2000 display will outperform a $4000 display. I've got two pics of what I do below, in case you think I'm blowin air.

Anyway, sorry for going sideways on this thread. I'll shut up now.