Wii becomes UK's fastest-selling home console ever

[Goatboy]

I just can't warrant the extra £140(ish) of a Wii over a GC just for the new concept of gaming (and also so far there is one game that I'm interested in that is exclusive to the Wii).

Which is fair enough, six months from now there will be online, more games and better deals on the console, early adopters get the worst value for money.


In the public polls I've seen people say BD/HD-DVD aren't necessary because DVD is perfectly adequate, the wii outpust the same res as DVD - the mass public really isn't that fussed over the notion that higher res makes soemthing inherently better.

 

[Mr Latte]

Speaking to a friend on LIVE last night (hes a self confessed 60Hz Nutt)
Can some of you gents confirm the following:

He told me that the PAL system is back to using borders and 50Hz in games.
(Well he actually sold his UK system and Purchased a USA one for this reason.)

Can anyone confirm this is true that "YET AGAIN" Nintendo has shafted the UK market?

My friend also pointed out one of his reasons was not just for the "wii titles" but that he had been used to 480p from his NTSC Cube
Additionally he at last got to play "Mario 64" by downloading it and for once offering great picture quality.
Well for those that didnt know aparently the N64 sucked bigtime in picture quality stakes with having no RGB support on the UK model. Now via his wii connected via component its looking a lot better.

I can deal with the system not being HD but tell me the UK model isnt held back in this way again, please....
No more 50Hz conversion and borders ARRRRRGGGGHHHH

 

[Goatboy]

The borders and PAL slowdown thing is present in some virtual console games, not wii games.

 

[dirtydog]

Are Wii games all PAL60 then?

 

[Goatboy]

There's a console setting 576i, 480i or 480p.

 

[dirtydog]

No borders then? That's one of the bad things about the PS2, most games are PAL50 with borders and the attendant lower framerate (oh god that word again) than the NTSC version. I hope that the PS3 isn't like that, for the sake of the people who buy it.

 

[Goatboy]

I've used 576i and 480i and neither had borders, for some reason 480i looked shocking on my LCD.

 

[Mr Latte]

I've used 576i and 480i and neither had borders, for some reason 480i looked shocking on my LCD.

Due to it being interlaced and such a low resolution compared to your panels native resolution (possibly at least 1024x768 or likely 1366x768)
Id expect youd find a great improvement if you ran with 480p with component connection. Reason being your Tv doesnt have to de-interlace the signal as its a single field progressive image.

Xbox/Cube improved greatly with this from my past experience.

So are the games 60Hz mmmm
Please look on the back of a box guys, usually though on Cube you got a 50Hz 60Hz option to select while the Game was loading (NTSC Games)

Edit (Virtual Console NTSC Vs UK PAL)

 

[Goatboy]

576i looked fine though, that's what was weird. It's not my console so just using the composite lead that it came with.

I remember Wii sports had 60Hz written on the box, if first part titles are using that I assume they would be. I can't see any reason for 50Hz nowadays, there's got to be so few sets around that can't handle 60Hz it wouldn't be worth the added work.

 

[Floyd]

I've used 576i and 480i and neither had borders, for some reason 480i looked shocking on my LCD.

Same, I was quite shocked at how rubbish it looked (I have a samsung 720p LCD display)

 

[Mr Latte]

Remember 576 is 20% larger verticaly than 480
The less scaling involved helps improve the image.

Component however will offer you better defination and colour with a more stable image, well worth the price of a component cable.

 

[Goatboy]

The difference wasn't just down to resolution, there were lines across the image and it was generally a blurry mess. I've plugged all sorts of stuff into my TV and haven't had a problem. On a 4:3 CRT there was no noticable difference between the two modes.

 

[Mr Latte]

If your happy with interlaced then fine but as stated you should find the component imagary even better.

What Tv are you using btw?

 

[Goatboy]

I was only borrowing the console, it belongs to my brother and is back at his place now (only has a 4:3 Samsung CRT). If it was mine I would have a component cable high on my priority list.

I was using a JVC DX7 26"

 

[Mr Latte]

Ok cheers, you actually gave it back, man thats Christmas Spiirt right there...

 

[VIRII]

yes, you can wonder. but still not seen any good arguments for as to why it shouldnt about it being able to support 720p.

if you bear in mind that the console has a typical lifespan of x number of years, even if the current target market dont have hdtv's atm, it doesnt mean that they wont do in 2 years from now.

nor does it mean that because some of the target market dont have HDTV that the rest of their customer should be effectively overlooked. Afterall - u can support all those with and without by including HD output, but you cant support the two in the same way by not including that functionality.

I've yet to see a good argument for why it *should* support 720p.

 

[Nexus]

I think Nintendo have released the Wii at the best time they can which is also why its selling so well.

I've not played a Wii yet, but if I was to get one, I feel its main strength is that you could play with family and friends over Xmas. Even my Dad mentioned it to me the other day; I guess regardless of whether you have used motion sensing technology before or not, this looks like a big innovation in the way games are played.

It's kind of similar to one Xmas where we got the PS2 eyetoy. We had everyone playing that and it was a lot of fun. After Xmas though, I don't remember it ever getting played again.

So that's the one thing holding me back on the Wii right now, is that it looks like a great multiplayer (same room) experience like past Nintendo consoles. As a single player machine (Or online multiplayer) my Xbox360 will serve me better.

 

[VIRII]

So that's the one thing holding me back on the Wii right now, is that it looks like a great multiplayer (same room) experience like past Nintendo consoles. As a single player machine (Or online multiplayer) my Xbox360 will serve me better.

Having owned both I would agree with that however I found myself playing single player bowling till gone 3am just to beat my wifes score.

I also ahve a PS2 with eyetoy and the wii and the eyetoy are not really in the same league. The eyetoy could have been great but just wasn't. The Wii sports are far better than the eyetoy games.

All in my opinion of course.

 

[FeFiDoh]

Ok ill ask again

Whats the chances ill be able to pick one up friday

 

[VIRII]

Ok ill ask again

Whats the chances ill be able to pick one up friday

About the same as you winning the lottery.