Break out the champagne and joysticks – thanks to HD-friendly blockbusters like The Orange Box, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue and Grand Theft Auto IV, interactive entertainment is back in a major way. (Recession aside, mega-retailer GameStop’s profits grew a whopping 82% in 2007, with $17.9 billion in industry sales expected this year alone.) But as home theater enthusiasts already know, prepping your pad to make the most of these titles, and next-gen consoles like the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii, isn’t all fun and games. Here are several tips sure to help you maximize your button-mashing experience without skipping a beat.
Displays
Countless TVs and projectors from Samsung’s LN52A750R to Panasonic’s PT-AX200U promise dedicated “game modes,” which purport to reduce lag (thereby improving character/vehicle response times) and greatly improve visibility. With many simply amounting to preconfigured contrast and color levels however, don’t buy into the marketing hype and pay extra for these “exclusive” features – actual gains are incremental at best. Instead, simply find a mid- to high-end HDMI- and component video-ready 1080p unit (I recommended the Samsung PN50###0 and Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR4) with swift response times (e.g. 4-8ms, the lower the number the better); optional built-in viewing mode presets; and front-/side-panel inputs for easy setup and configuration. Though rear-projection sets offer solid performance at reasonable value, LCD or plasma models are preferred, with response times on the former and burn-in issues on the latter having largely been resolved in recent years.
Routers
Digital distribution – the ability to download new/classic titles (e.g. Ikaruga or PixelJunk Monsters) on-demand straight to console or PC – is one of 2008’s hottest trends. The same goes for online multiplayer, a must-have feature for most games today. With services like Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade, Sony’s PlayStation Network and Nintendo’s WiiWare (coming May 12) booming, and wireless connectivity built into most machines, do yourself a favor: Grab a network adapter if your system doesn’t come with one already integrated, plus a fast and reliable router. Word to the wise… Modern consoles don’t yet support the “n” standard, so stick with a good 802.11b, or preferably 802.11g, model – Linksys’ WRT54G and WRT54GS ($35.99 and up) remain stable and speedy standbys, as does D-Link’s DGL-4300 Wireless 108G Gaming Router ($139.99). Conversely, PC gamers with high-speed connections addicted to World of WarCraft or shopping on Steam can consider taking the plunge and upgrading to D-Link’s DGL-4500 Xtreme N Gaming ($219.99) router instead.
Speakers
Although the PlayStation 3 can pump out 7.1 audio, as with titles found on the Xbox 360, most games top out at Dolby Digital 5.1, and Wii offerings rely on Dolby P...
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