360 on a 13 inch, Standard TV

[Atarifever]

For anyone else like me out there (not likely a large group), I figured I'd point out that it is indeed possible to enjoy a 360 without a high definition TV setup, or internet for that matter. I have recently moved my new 360 from the larger standard definition TV in my living room, to the little 13 inch standard definition TV in the bedroom (my wife doesn't like it when I take the only TV in the house with cable during the day, and she doesn't mind me playing it in the bedroom while she sleeps, so it's my best option). Anyway, running through one of those converter boxes, and then in through simple RF, on a standard TV, with no internet hooked to it, and no Hard drive, the 360 is still incredible. I'm currently playing The Orange Box on it, and I am loving it (the Orange Box being the greatest value pack I have ever seen by the way). Sure, it doesn't look as good as it would in HD, and sure I can't really play Team Fortress, but I can play Half Life 2 just fine. I can also play PacMan CE, and Mass Effect, etc. just fine too (although apparently there are some games with text that is a problem, though I have not personally experienced this yet).

 

So, if you're a more "traditional" gamer like myself, and you're kind of iffy about this generation still, don't worry; your tiny standard definition TV, no internet, Arcade 360 with no memory cards or Harddrives is a completely viable option.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

For anyone else like me out there (not likely a large group), I figured I'd point out that it is indeed possible to enjoy a 360 without a high definition TV setup, or internet for that matter. I have recently moved my new 360 from the larger standard definition TV in my living room, to the little 13 inch standard definition TV in the bedroom (my wife doesn't like it when I take the only TV in the house with cable during the day, and she doesn't mind me playing it in the bedroom while she sleeps, so it's my best option). Anyway, running through one of those converter boxes, and then in through simple RF, on a standard TV, with no internet hooked to it, and no Hard drive, the 360 is still incredible. I'm currently playing The Orange Box on it, and I am loving it (the Orange Box being the greatest value pack I have ever seen by the way). Sure, it doesn't look as good as it would in HD, and sure I can't really play Team Fortress, but I can play Half Life 2 just fine. I can also play PacMan CE, and Mass Effect, etc. just fine too (although apparently there are some games with text that is a problem, though I have not personally experienced this yet).

 

So, if you're a more "traditional" gamer like myself, and you're kind of iffy about this generation still, don't worry; your tiny standard definition TV, no internet, Arcade 360 with no memory cards or Harddrives is a completely viable option.

 

 

Sweet, thanks for the info. The 360 is the ONLY current gen console I am considering but I have NO interest in taking a console online or multiplayer.............

 

Now if only there was a cheat device for the 360.........

[NE146]

Well..I definitely mostly play my 360's on my 13" sdtv (even though I have three 50" HDTV's around the house).

 

I just prefer a small screen.. not to mention it's in my office where my butt is planted all the time

 

[kyle]

I play online but I have my 360 hooked to an SDTV also has it's the tv in my computer/Video game room. Our only HAD is in the living room.

Edited April 13, 2009 by kyle

[MCHufnagel]

No way in hell would I play my Xbox 360 on a 13" sdtv. When I bought our Xbox 360, we didn't have a HDTV so we played it on a 27" sdtv via s-video. It was acceptable, but sometimes the text was unreadable.

 

I would suggest a pc monitor. I bought a 4:3 17" LCD monitor with built in speakers for $30 off of craigslist. A much better alternative and takes up the same amount of space. My kids sometimes use it when a friend comes over with his Xbox 360.

[Atarifever]

No way in hell would I play my Xbox 360 on a 13" sdtv. When I bought our Xbox 360, we didn't have a HDTV so we played it on a 27" sdtv via s-video. It was acceptable, but sometimes the text was unreadable.

 

I would suggest a pc monitor. I bought a 4:3 17" LCD monitor with built in speakers for $30 off of craigslist. A much better alternative and takes up the same amount of space. My kids sometimes use it when a friend comes over with his Xbox 360.

$30 is kind of cheap I guess. Know what's cheaper? The 13" TV I already have in the bedroom. Heck, the three 13" TVs I already own are cheaper. See, I already own those, so now they cost nothing.

[NE146]

I would suggest a pc monitor. I bought a 4:3 17" LCD monitor with built in speakers for $30 off of craigslist. A much better alternative and takes up the same amount of space. My kids sometimes use it when a friend comes over with his Xbox 360.

 

I have a 360 VGA cable I bought used off gamestop for about 6 bucks.. but it's just easier to shove it on my office tv

[MCHufnagel]

I guess we have to agree on disagreeing!

 

Like I said text was muddy for too many games on a 27", I can't imagine how it would be on a 13". That would ruin the experience for me. To me investing $30 - $50 on a $200 - $300 console is worth it.

[+remowilliams]

That would ruin the experience for me.

Same here, I wouldn't even consider it. I'll hook a $20 console to a $20 TV.

[moycon]

I'll stick to the HD TV's, even my smallest, cheapest HD TV blows a standard def TV away.

I recently sold an old 360 to a friends and went over to his house to help him set it up on his network. He had a standard def TV, not exactly sure what the size was, it was bigger than 13 inch for sure, but not a huge TV. The games looked pretty bad to me. They were certainly playable though.

One good thing about a standard TV, even with Netflix streaming at one bar (this looks terrible on my TV) it looked fine on his. So that's a plus.

[Atarifever]

I'll stick to the HD TV's, even my smallest, cheapest HD TV blows a standard def TV away.

I recently sold an old 360 to a friends and went over to his house to help him set it up on his network. He had a standard def TV, not exactly sure what the size was, it was bigger than 13 inch for sure, but not a huge TV. The games looked pretty bad to me. They were certainly playable though.

One good thing about a standard TV, even with Netflix streaming at one bar (this looks terrible on my TV) it looked fine on his. So that's a plus.

Hope you weren't very good friends. When he gets RROD in a few days it may strain the friendship.

 

Me and a friend both got our 360s on the same day. We're basically waiting to have bragging rights from being the one to RROD last. His 360 is inside an entertainment centre with a door on it that he opens when it is on. It's still closed in on three sides and partially on the top. Mine meanwhile is on a wooden chest with wide spacing between the planks, and nothing above, beside, in front of, or behind it. I'm betting mine lasts longer.

[+remowilliams]

It's still closed in on three sides and partially on the top.

He might as well just throw it across the room, if he's that intent on having it die.

[NE146]

I guess we have to agree on disagreeing!

 

Like I said text was muddy for too many games on a 27", I can't imagine how it would be on a 13". That would ruin the experience for me. To me investing $30 - $50 on a $200 - $300 console is worth it.

 

 

To be honest.. text is a non issue. Aside from the very obvious ones such as Banjo Kazooie and Dead Rising what other game has text that you cant read that's integral to the game? Fallout 3 for example I can read fine. And obviously the text in my COD4 pic looks fine as well

Edited April 13, 2009 by NE146

[Artlover]

To be honest.. text is a non issue. Aside from the very obvious ones such as Banjo Kazooie and Dead Rising what other game has text that you cant read that's integral to the game? Fallout 3 for example I can read fine. And obviously the text in my COD4 pic looks fine as well

I call BS on that.

 

Mine is connected to a 20", and I can barely read the text in Fallout 3, Fable II, Mass Effect, Destroy all Humans. - It's a game of "pick out words you can make out, then assume what the other words are based on their lenght and how the fuzzy blobs look compared to the fuzzy blobs of the words you do know".

Edited April 13, 2009 by Artlover

[MCHufnagel]

Yea, Dead Rising is pretty bad. But to me, the menus on Mass Effect were bad too. I would think text heavy RPG's wouldn't be very good.

 

I guess I'm spoiled from the sharp graphics of playing pc games and the Xbox 360 in high def.

[moycon]

Hope you weren't very good friends. When he gets RROD in a few days it may strain the friendship.

 

I took care of that. The thing is covered for anything (not just RRoD) for about a year and a half yet thanks to the extended warranty, that and the fact he got an old pro system (20 Gig HD) for $100. I'd say even if he gets the RRoD, the friendship is safe.

 

I call BS on that. Mine is connected to a 20", and I can barely read the text in Fallout 3, Fable II, Mass Effect, Destroy all Humans.

 

I think when NE146 said it was a non-issue, he ment it was a non-issue for someone who only plays Call of Duty and Robotron.

[+Cafeman]

Text can be very hard to impossible to read on some games on my 360, playing on a 27" SD but newer TV, using component cables too. I notice it on Burnout Revenge the most, lots of wee little wordie things , I have to squint to see the letters. Also notice it and get annoyed by it on Street Fighter IV online battles. I can't always read the opponent's name until the match starts, where it is rendered a bit bigger. I would think it impossible to make out the text on a wee little 13" screen, although small screens give the illusion of better resolution.

 

Still, the *graphics* themselves look very awesome on this setup, its only the text where I see the problem, and we will just live with the issue until this TV bombs out and I upgrade.

[Atarifever]

Text can be very hard to impossible to read on some games on my 360, playing on a 27" SD but newer TV, using component cables too. I notice it on Burnout Revenge the most, lots of wee little wordie things , I have to squint to see the letters. Also notice it and get annoyed by it on Street Fighter IV online battles. I can't always read the opponent's name until the match starts, where it is rendered a bit bigger. I would think it impossible to make out the text on a wee little 13" screen, although small screens give the illusion of better resolution.

 

Still, the *graphics* themselves look very awesome on this setup, its only the text where I see the problem, and we will just live with the issue until this TV bombs out and I upgrade.

Text is fine in Half-Life 2 anyway. As you said, graphics are certainly good enough, and I've had no problem on that front.

[kroogur]

[

To be honest.. text is a non issue. Aside from the very obvious ones such as Banjo Kazooie and Dead Rising what other game has text that you cant read that's integral to the game? Fallout 3 for example I can read fine. And obviously the text in my COD4 pic looks fine as well

 

 

 

Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm is very text dependent and im sure there are other games that are as well. bottom line is i had a crapola standard def TV and I just waited and eventually i snagged a HDTV that was not only a closeout but a display model so it was extra cheap and it was well worth the wait.

[Video]

Untill the 360, I actually only played consoles on analog SD TV's (I actually bought the HD digital a week befor getting the 360) and I have never had a problem with it. I even played the 360 on it just to see, and unless your playing a game with assloads of text (and no speach) pretty rare this day in age, you actually don't loose much by staying SD. Yeah, even in 640x480 mode (which I leave my X-box in cause it refuses to play 3:4 aspect in any higher HD setting) I still notice the drop in quality from the LCD to the CRT, though as I said, nothing important really lost.

 

It's surprising how realistic the already pretty realistic things look when played on an SD.

 

Now you just gotta play on a 5"B/W TV (yeah, Ive done that too )

 

As for Internet, I had it up to about a year after the release of original live, didn't care for it, and now I live where I can't get broadband　(for a half way decent price) so eh...not happening.

 

Unless you download a lot of crap, or play Oblivion or Fallout, the 256 that comes with the Arcade is more memory than youll ever neeed.

[Atarifever]

Untill the 360, I actually only played consoles on analog SD TV's (I actually bought the HD digital a week befor getting the 360) and I have never had a problem with it. I even played the 360 on it just to see, and unless your playing a game with assloads of text (and no speach) pretty rare this day in age, you actually don't loose much by staying SD. Yeah, even in 640x480 mode (which I leave my X-box in cause it refuses to play 3:4 aspect in any higher HD setting) I still notice the drop in quality from the LCD to the CRT, though as I said, nothing important really lost.

 

It's surprising how realistic the already pretty realistic things look when played on an SD.

 

Now you just gotta play on a 5"B/W TV (yeah, Ive done that too )

 

As for Internet, I had it up to about a year after the release of original live, didn't care for it, and now I live where I can't get broadband　(for a half way decent price) so eh...not happening.

 

Unless you download a lot of crap, or play Oblivion or Fallout, the 256 that comes with the Arcade is more memory than youll ever neeed.

Exactly. All I'm doing is pointing out to people that, with the exception of a couple games not working, buying a $200 360 doesn't mean one has to spend an extra $1000 on HD or shell out for internet fees. The 360 is a perfectly solid offline, standard TV, no HDD having machine that any traditional gamer could be quite content with.

 

I spent two hours last night playing Portal (longest continuous game session in awhile). Not once did lack of internet, harddrive, or HDTV detract from the experience. It was still incredible.

[HammR25]

I've had the same experience with my 360 as you Atarifever. I guess I've lucked out because I don't own or care to own any of the games with text issues. I do have a couple of PS3 games that are unplayable in parts on my SDTV though. I'll get an HD tv eventually but it's not high on my priority list at the moment. There are HDTVs under $200 now.

Edited April 15, 2009 by HammR25

[JamesD]

I normally use my 360 on a 37" HDTV, but I've also connected it to whatever the hotel I was staying at had (27") and my brother has his hooked to a 27" TV. The quality is ok to play on the SDTVs... looks like crap if you compare side by side but that's SD vs HD for you.

The only issue I've had with gameplay was during a coop LEGO StarWars game where my brother and I got stuck because the edges of the screen kept us from moving after we got our spaceships on opposite sides of two legs of some big spherical thing we were supposed to blow up.

At least that's what I think it was... it was months ago.

 

I will say this... the quality of the SDTV definitely makes a difference with text. My brother's Panasonic is way better than the TVs in the Hotels.

[Artlover]

Unless you download a lot of crap, or play Oblivion or Fallout, the 256 that comes with the Arcade is more memory than youll ever neeed.

Barely, maybe.

 

MANY games, have large individual game saves. Larger then even Oblivion & Fallout3 put together.

• Forza is 34 megs
  
• Orange Box is 20 megs each for HL2, HL2E1, HL2E2 and Portals
  
• Viva Pinata is 12 megs
  
• Bioshock is atleast 11 megs (it's variable and grows as you play)
  
• Fallout 3 is atleast 9 megs (it's variable and grows as you play)
  
• Mirrors Edge is 9 megs
  
• Fable II is 8 megs
  
• Farcry 2 is 8 megs
  
• Dead Rising is 4 megs
  
• NHL 09 is 4 megs
  
• Onechanbara is 3 megs
  

 

Those are single saves under one profile. NOT including multipul saves, multipul profiles or DLC.

 

Now throw in that many games allow you have have multipul saves, and having multipul profiles.

 

Not to mention, some of that 256mb is used for that crappy NXE.

 

I just browsed the System/Memory/HDD/Games/ on my console. Opened up every single game and looked at how much each is using and how. I ignored DLC, I ignored XBLA, I ignored my other profiles, I ignored multipul saves (picking only the most recent one) and found I am using 211 megs across 103 games. (And if you want to include multipul saves: then my Bioshock alone is taking 201 megs, FarCry 2 is taking 362 megs and Fallout 3 is taking 2.1 gigs.)

 

All you need to do is have/play a lot of games and/or use more then one save per game, and that 256MB ain't going to be crap.

[Atarifever]

Unless you download a lot of crap, or play Oblivion or Fallout, the 256 that comes with the Arcade is more memory than youll ever neeed.

Barely, maybe.

 

MANY games, have large individual game saves. Larger then even Oblivion & Fallout3 put together.

• Forza is 34 megs
  
• Orange Box is 20 megs each for HL2, HL2E1, HL2E2 and Portals
  
• Viva Pinata is 12 megs
  
• Bioshock is atleast 11 megs (it's variable and grows as you play)
  
• Fallout 3 is atleast 9 megs (it's variable and grows as you play)
  
• Mirrors Edge is 9 megs
  
• Fable II is 8 megs
  
• Farcry 2 is 8 megs
  
• Dead Rising is 4 megs
  
• NHL 09 is 4 megs
  
• Onechanbara is 3 megs
  

 

Those are single saves under one profile. NOT including multipul saves, multipul profiles or DLC.

 

Now throw in that many games allow you have have multipul saves, and having multipul profiles.

 

Not to mention, some of that 256mb is used for that crappy NXE.

 

I just browsed the System/Memory/HDD/Games/ on my console. Opened up every single game and looked at how much each is using and how. I ignored DLC, I ignored XBLA, I ignored my other profiles, I ignored multipul saves (picking only the most recent one) and found I am using 211 megs across 103 games. (And if you want to include multipul saves: then my Bioshock alone is taking 201 megs, FarCry 2 is taking 362 megs and Fallout 3 is taking 2.1 gigs.)

 

All you need to do is have/play a lot of games and/or use more then one save per game, and that 256MB ain't going to be crap.

Okay, maybe we're just very different types of people, but how many saves do you need at one time? Have you ever thought of deleting any you aren't using? But then, I'm back to basics with the baby on the way and all, so I rent more than buy again now, so I don't really want to keep many of my saves. Still, counting download games, I only recently ran out of storage on the Wii after getting it in early 2007 and having a couple dozen games for it, and ten or twelve download games, and the internet channel.