Composite Cables, The Wii killer [Mobile/Archive]

Zoglog

11-13-2006, 02:00 PM

http://blogs.ign.com/Hil-IGN/2006/11/11/36713/

Composite Cables - The Wii Killer
Friday, IGN's San Francisco office was abuzz with the arrival of the Wii. Thousands of IGN employees gathered around Craig Harris' desk for a glimpse of Nintendo's new console. When Craig finally got around to actually putting in a disc, the collected masses collectively vomited.

Legend of Zelda on an LCD with composite cables is FUGLY. Really FUGLY. So FUGLY it deserves all caps. The same can be said for Excite Truck and likely any other Wii game. If you have an HDTV, the Wii may turn your stomach. There are two solutions.

#1: Get component cables. Easier said than done, as rumors suggest you can only get these online and that quantities will be far more limited than the four million Wii’s shipping his holiday. Why Nintendo wanted their games to look like shit for millions is unknown. But if you stick with the in-the-box composite cables, you will likely be unhappy with what appears on screen.

#2: Buy a shitty TV. No, seriously. With composite cables, Wii games will look a lot better on a standard definition television. Especially one that is under 32”. I may actually spend $250 at launch to buy a lesser TV just for the Wii. It sounds crazy, but if you saw the horror on screen that IGN witnessed Friday, you wouldn’t scoff at the idea of a Wii-dedicated shit TV.

My excitement for the Wii has just dropped by about 20%. That’s still better than the PS3, which, after seeing in the office the past week, is now below “Root Canal” among things I’d like to have for Christmas. I still want a Wii, but for the first time in six months, I’d actually be okay if I missed out at launch. Also, the first two hours of Zelda = Zzzzzz...

Those damn component cables better not be hard to find. I heard somone saying December though? That's very disturbing -_-

Lan_Zer0

11-13-2006, 02:04 PM

No one expects composite to look good on LCD. S-video still is only a slight improvement. Thankfully I still use my $30 SD TV.

Reality's Fringe

11-13-2006, 02:05 PM

http://wii.ign.com/articles/744/744867p1.html

I don't see why they wouldn't be B&M.

Mr Unoriginal

11-13-2006, 02:05 PM

I would be VERY surprised if the games "looked like shit," regardless of the cables used. Sure my 360 looks better than my GCN but my Cube by no means looks bad. Methinks people are getting spoiled.

Roufuss

11-13-2006, 02:08 PM

I would be VERY surprised if the games "looked like shit," regardless of the cables used. Sure my 360 looks better than my GCN but my Cube by no means looks bad. Methinks people are getting spoiled.

No, composite on an LCD HDTV really does look like shit, regardless of the system, trust me.

I'm betting most people who are getting a Wii don't have an LCD or HDTV so it dosen't really matter for them.

Dr Mario Kart

11-13-2006, 02:10 PM

I'm not going to look, but I assume there is a similar thread about this in the PS3 subforum, since its only packaged with composite as well.

hohez

11-13-2006, 02:11 PM

Have to love a guy bitching about IGN hooking it up via composite, 2 days after IGN got some component cables for Wii.

http://blogs.ign.com/Matt-IGN/

Chris in Cali

11-13-2006, 02:14 PM

rodeojones903

11-13-2006, 02:17 PM

Is this really news to anyone? Composite looks like ass on any HDTV, I can't even play my PS2 on my 42" LCD, I play it on my old 27" CRT. The most shocking thing about that article is that Zelda sucks for the first part of the game. Also, Zoglog... what a douche.

Yeah, this really isnt news. PS2 looks like shit on my HDTV even when its doing progressive scan. That is why I have two TVs in my room. One for HD gaming and one for SD gaming.

Dr Mario Kart

11-13-2006, 02:19 PM

I dunno. I've played Disgaea on my friends huge ass HDTV through composite, and it looks fine to me. Then again, Disgaea isnt a looker to begin with.

Lan_Zer0

11-13-2006, 02:20 PM

Yea, I'm suprised it was even brought up as an issue.

Also, that Zelda comment was the first negative thing I have heard about the game aside from "I don't like the colors" and "I have to push A to read signs."

botticus

11-13-2006, 02:21 PM

Someone learn me real quick so I can bitch decide if I need to bitch: Do HDTVs always make 480i content look like ass, or do they just make it look like ass when coming through composite?

rodeojones903

11-13-2006, 02:22 PM

Someone learn me real quick so I can bitch decide if I need to bitch: Do HDTVs always make 480i content look like ass, or do they just make it look like ass when coming through composite?

480i looks like ass even through HDMI, especially if its an analog broadcast.

Also, that Zelda comment was the first negative thing I have heard about the game aside from "I don't like the colors" and "I have to push A to read signs."

On the last one up show, they said the first 6 hours were pretty boring but the game opens up alot after that.

tomfoolery

11-13-2006, 02:24 PM

i remember seeing that a whole bunch of cables (s-video/hd/etc) will be released in early december at EB/GS. They were 30 bucks. Just check under the wii accessories section. I plan on getting the best cables that I still have room for...and it's obvious that the stock a/v cables suck, they are functional but old and outdated so no big surprise there.

T. Foolery

**EDIT**
ebgames, cables releasing on 12/15/06
s-vid is 29.99, component cables are 29.99, hd component are 59.99.

daroga

11-13-2006, 02:24 PM

It's all relative. If you've used higher quality video cables and go back, it's hard to adjust. But if that's all you've ever known, then probably it'll be just fine.

Composite (and Svideo) tend to look like crap on most HDTVs if the TV doesn't do a good job at upconverting. And even if it does, it's still only passable.

But, if you've spent the money on an HDTV (LCD or otherwise) and have the option, I can't imagine not getting at least component cables for every device.

botticus

11-13-2006, 02:24 PM

That's what I thought. Which is why someone needs to explain to me why TVs produced when most content is in 480i make 480i content look like ass.

A little thing called backwards compatibility would have been some good lubrication to HD market penetration.

GizmoGC

11-13-2006, 02:28 PM

Is this news? Next their gonna tell me hooking up my PS1 to a 74 inch Widescreen projector through RF is gonna look bad.

As ive said before, third party Component cables will be arriving in the next few days. BUY THEM. Who knows if Nintendo will get these out by launch, and if there will be enough to go around. Regardless of brand, I will be getting the first ones I see. I'll keep them unopened until launch....just in case.

daroga

11-13-2006, 02:29 PM

Someone learn me real quick so I can bitch decide if I need to bitch: Do HDTVs always make 480i content look like ass, or do they just make it look like ass when coming through composite?It's more the TV than the connection.

Think of it like this. If you zoom in on a photo 2x or 3x its real size on the computer, it gets all distroted and funky looking (piexelated, etc.). That's essentially what's happening to a 480 picture when going to a 720 or 1080 capable monitor. One pixel on the image may result in 4 or more being used on the TV which loses the HD's crispness and gives it a softer look, muffled look. Progressive scan helps, Component Cables help, but ultimately if you're running any signal to a monitor and its not running in that monitor's natyive resoution, it looks goofy.

If you have an LCD monitor or laptop available, go into the video settings and change the resolution from what it's set at now to like 800x600 and you'll get an idea of what the effect is on an HDTV. For me, it's not an issue at all. I play Cube games on my 32" LCD with a 3rd party Svideo cable. Does it look AMAZING. No. Can I play the games and have fun? Yes. :)

As ive said before, third party Component cables will be arriving in the next few days. BUY THEM. Who knows if Nintendo will get these out by launch, and if there will be enough to go around. Regardless of brand, I will be getting the first ones I see. I'll keep them unopened until launch....just in case.That's exactly what I'm doing. I'll likely opt for the Nintendo brand when they hit, but if they prove to be not any better, I'll stick with whatever I've got and avoid the hassle.

Apossum

11-13-2006, 02:33 PM

this gen has helped me realize that the subjectivity in screen quality impressions is prone to ridiculous variance....

this guy says the wii looks like shit over composite (funny, my cube looked perfectly fine on an plasma hdtv over composite), people say snes games on an HDTV look like shit, other people say the 360 looks exactly like the original Xbox when played with composite cables....and not once have I ever agreed with anybody about these things or noticed enough of a difference to care.

so, I have to take this with a boulder of salt.

Zing

11-13-2006, 03:42 PM

Composite image quality depends mainly on the TV's comb filter. I wouldn't be surprised if cheap LCD monitors skimp on the comb filter. Unless something is actually wrong with the Wii composite signal output, there is really no reason why it would look so horrendous.

Also, the Wii Component FUD is getting old.

People with HDTV use composite? When I bought my new TV a month ago, I was wondering why the hell these things still come with composite or even s-video! I'd rather have 6 component inputs than this useless array of dust collectors.

hhhdx4

11-13-2006, 03:55 PM

"People with HDTV use composite? When I bought my new TV a month ago, I was wondering why the hell these things still come with composite or even s-video! I'd rather have 6 component inputs than this useless array of dust collectors."

Products dont come with component cables, thus getting rid of composite inputs would be detrimental to people like us who are getting a Wii and have to wait for component cables to become available.

fldash

11-13-2006, 04:07 PM

When will these so-called 3rd party component cables be out and where can I purchase them (before Wii release)? Thanks.

pop311

11-13-2006, 04:24 PM

The nintendo Brand Component cables WILL be available for purchase on 11/19 online and at CC, BB, and EB/GS B&M.

Ikohn4ever

11-13-2006, 04:25 PM

**EDIT**
ebgames, cables releasing on 12/15/06
component cables are 29.99, hd component are 59.99.

is there a difference in function between these two cables?

botticus

11-13-2006, 04:28 PM

The $60 one is the Mad Catz branded cable that's been listed since before Nintendo made pricing official on the first-party ones. I'd be shocked if that price holds up.

red flare graf

11-13-2006, 04:36 PM

It's also got alot to do with the distance you sit from your TV.. My 480i PS2 games look pretty sharp when I'm sitting about 9-10 feet away from my 46" Wega. There are definitely optimal sitting distances for the larger HDTV's.

Tybee

11-13-2006, 04:49 PM

Have to love a guy bitching about IGN hooking it up via composite, 2 days after IGN got some component cables for Wii.

http://blogs.ign.com/Matt-IGN/

Matt is in San Fran, while the blogger quoted in the OP and Craig Harris are in L.A. So it is conceivable that they did not get their component cable(s) yet.

Zoglog

11-13-2006, 04:57 PM

are any 3rd part cables going to be available at launch at least?

Tybee

11-13-2006, 05:01 PM

are any 3rd part cables going to be available at launch at least?

Well, again, Nintendo's cables will likely be available at launch. Beyond that, you'll probably have Pelican and possibly MadCatz.

11-13-2006, 05:17 PM

Well, again, Nintendo's cables will likely be available at launch. Beyond that, you'll probably have Pelican and possibly MadCatz.

This is not directed at you Tybee, but it is a bit frustrating that we are 6 days away from launch and the best we can say is "likely available". C'mon Nintendo, fucking TELL US if the component cables will be in these stores (CC, BB, EB/GS) on Sunday or not! And I want something more than Kaplan's offhand comment about it! I have my 2GB SD card - I'd really like to have the component cable ahead of time to get everything set up, but if I can buy it on Sunday when I pick up the Wii at EB (and use store credit) that will be fine. It is funny how Nintendo has lowered my standards of what is acceptable. At first I was pissed the component cables weren't included. Now I'll be happy if I can just get them on launch day!

GizmoGC

11-13-2006, 05:32 PM

This is not directed at you Tybee, but it is a bit frustrating that we are 6 days away from launch and the best we can say is "likely available". C'mon Nintendo, fucking TELL US if the component cables will be in these stores (CC, BB, EB/GS) on Sunday or not! And I want something more than Kaplan's offhand comment about it! I have my 2GB SD card - I'd really like to have the component cable ahead of time to get everything set up, but if I can buy it on Sunday when I pick up the Wii at EB (and use store credit) that will be fine. It is funny how Nintendo has lowered my standards of what is acceptable. At first I was pissed the component cables weren't included. Now I'll be happy if I can just get them on launch day!

Sony's $600 system does not even include Component cables and that seems like almost a bare minium since it does have an HDMI port as well.

I agree Nintendo should really says YES or NO if the Component cables will be available at launch...but I'm not surprised.

porieux

11-13-2006, 05:40 PM

Composite looks like ass, even on an SDTV. On an EDTV or HDTV it's not even a consideration. Anyone who thinks otherwise must have low standards IMO.

Component cables are a must for the Wii for HDTVs. Nobody is going to wait until December, they had better be available before then.

GizmoGC

11-13-2006, 05:49 PM

GizmoGC

11-13-2006, 05:56 PM

Well, there are pictures of all the Wii accessories for the Europe launch...one of them being the component cables. I do not beleive these will be available at launch. http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/5_35.jpg

red flare graf

11-13-2006, 06:12 PM

Is that the same plug as the Gamecube? Backwards compatible cables?

daroga

11-13-2006, 06:15 PM

Is that the same plug as the Gamecube? Backwards compatible cables?No.

Zoglog

11-13-2006, 06:15 PM

I'm guessing the component cables won't have an output for optical digital either =(. I'm getting conflicting reports from people. Some say they'll be available at launch, some say not till late December.

if 3rd party ones were released on launch i'll prob get those instead.

Tybee

11-13-2006, 06:26 PM

This is not directed at you Tybee, but it is a bit frustrating that we are 6 days away from launch and the best we can say is "likely available". C'mon Nintendo, fucking TELL US if the component cables will be in these stores (CC, BB, EB/GS) on Sunday or not! And I want something more than Kaplan's offhand comment about it! I have my 2GB SD card - I'd really like to have the component cable ahead of time to get everything set up, but if I can buy it on Sunday when I pick up the Wii at EB (and use store credit) that will be fine. It is funny how Nintendo has lowered my standards of what is acceptable. At first I was pissed the component cables weren't included. Now I'll be happy if I can just get them on launch day!

To be fair, they HAVE said the cables will be available "at launch" and at B&Ms, if not in the same sentence. It's our own skepticism expressed in the endless echo chamber that is The Internet that has elevated this to a dilemma on the order of selecting a Supreme Court justice. :roll:

I'm guessing the component cables won't have an output for optical digital either =(. I'm getting conflicting reports from people. Some say they'll be available at launch, some say not till late December.

Why would they have an optical audio output when the Wii does not output digital sound? Keep up.

botticus

11-13-2006, 06:29 PM

daroga

11-13-2006, 06:48 PM

Just to add fuel to the fire, Zelda + Component = Bliss

Happily, Nintendo sent us one of their rare and precious Wii component cables, which was sent home with me. Worried that Wii games are going to look like crap on HD sets? Fear not. Zelda looks amazing on my LCD set, and this is not a television that is kind to non-HD content. Even those rare creatures known as widescreen PS2 games in 480p look like garbage next to this. I'm not sure what foul magic Nintendo used to get Wii to look so good at non-HD resolutions, but I will not complain.
Guess all that squaking about signs, etc., was just kinda silly. ;) Or maybe Joystiq just doesn't have component cables like we're all fearing.

evanft

11-13-2006, 07:45 PM

Soooo....basically this thread was kinda pointless and the OP should be thrown in an oven?

Genocidal

11-13-2006, 07:54 PM

Soooo....basically this thread was kinda pointless and the OP should be thrown in an oven?You basically summed up his existence here on CAG.

11-13-2006, 08:08 PM

To be fair, they HAVE said the cables will be available "at launch" and at B&Ms, if not in the same sentence. It's our own skepticism expressed in the endless echo chamber that is The Internet that has elevated this to a dilemma on the order of selecting a Supreme Court justice. :roll:

Yeah, but to be doubly-fair, they ALSO said, originally, that they would only be available online from select retailers. They have yet to come out conclusively and say what the deal is. I don't take what Kaplan said about them as any kind of confirmation, as she is the one who "confirmed" the whole region-free thing :lol:. Oh well, it's not like there's anything we can do about it. If I have to play my widescreen 480p Zelda in SD (even though one of the main reasons for getting the Wii version is said features) then I will... I guess the only concern is do we grab the first 3rd party cables we see, or hold out hope for the Nintendo brand. I guess I'll do what gizmogc is doing and buy (but not open) the first ones I see if they aren't Nintendo's. Then if Nintendo's magically appear at EB on Sunday I'll pick those up and return the others. But, damn, they could make the whole thing easier if they'd just say what the deal is!

botticus

11-13-2006, 08:12 PM

Yeah, but to be doubly-fair, they ALSO said, originally, that they would only be available online from select retailers. They have yet to come out conclusively and say what the deal is. I don't take what Kaplan said about them as any kind of confirmation, as she is the one who "confirmed" the whole region-free thing :lol:. Oh well, it's not like there's anything we can do about it. If I have to play my widescreen 480p Zelda in SD (even though one of the main reasons for getting the Wii version is said features) then I will... I guess the only concern is do we grab the first 3rd party cables we see, or hold out hope for the Nintendo brand. I guess I'll do what gizmogc is doing and buy (but not open) the first ones I see if they aren't Nintendo's. Then if Nintendo's magically appear at EB on Sunday I'll pick those up and return the others. But, damn, they could make the whole thing easier if they'd just say what the deal is!I think the only item left for debate is if Kaplan meant specifically the first-party component cables - which is assumable, since her company has no control over third parties putting their product on shelves at any specific time. Even though she's a moron and blew the whole region-free thing, that was corrected within a day; we just tried to pretend the head of NoE was dumb instead. ;) I would expect the same would have happened in this case if she had misspoken again.

Zoglog

11-13-2006, 08:40 PM

11-13-2006, 08:55 PM

doesn't mean they couldn't have added it.

on a side note, it's amusing how the trolls seem so infatuated with me. I mean if somone really was you know say ignoring me, they'd actually ignore me rather than respond to my threads ;). But I guess that wouldn't grow thier e-penis.

I'm don't want to get into the middle of this, but I just think it is funny you are so obsessed with e-penises. I'm just sayin'...

furyk

11-13-2006, 09:05 PM

blah blah

The reason why the "trolls" are obsessed with you is that you post about thirty threads a day, most of which we already know and most of which we don't care about. Plus it doesn't help that you're a douchebag.

Zoglog

11-13-2006, 09:59 PM

I'm don't want to get into the middle of this, but I just think it is funny you are so obsessed with e-penises. I'm just sayin'...

would you prefer I substitute it with "online coolness ego factor"?

either way the reason why this is such an issue is because nobody has been certain whether or not wii component cables will be available for launch. Granted SD looks like ass on HDTVs with composite across all consoles, but at least you had the option.