HDTV + PS2 + DVD + Wii

Pure Din

My old TV/DVD player died and went to heaven, and is now finally replaced with a 19" HDTV. I can only get basic cable in my apartment though, so I guess the HD part is going to be lost on me. I have a PS2, a Game Cube, and a Wii. These are my questions about setting it up:

1. I have a component cable from Game Stop that says it will work with both the Wii and PS2. But I thought those systems aren't high definition anyway, so I'm not sure why the component cable would be better than the cables I already have.

2. Is it bad to use the PS2 as the DVD player? I tried it once, and I noticed it got kind of hot. I don't want to buy a separate DVD player, but I don't want to break my PS2 either. (It is a slim PS2, if that matters.)

eternalbl

1 - because the video signal is split into 3 signals, there's less interference than using s-video or composite even though the display won't be in HD.

2) PS2 was my DVD player for a long time. I've heard horror stories about ps2s, but I put mine through hell and back. It still works, although I preemptively struck with a BC PS3.

Also, if your TV has a built in digital tuner, you might get HD channels without an HD box.

theclam

The component cable will give you better quality than composite cables, even in standard definition. The Wii does support 480p over component, which is an improvement over the 480i you'll get with composite cables. Some PS2 games support high def, some do not, but you will need component cables in order to get high def.

Using a PS2 as a DVD player once in a while is not going to cause any problems. Using it constantly isn't good for it (but using any piece of electronics constantly is going to shorten its usable life).

Captain Vash

QAM tuners will receive local hd broadcasts on channels in decimal points. ask your provider for a QAM tuner listing.

PS2 as DVD player is only going to short it's life in the respect that using a device wears it down over time and when you view a DVD you're spinning the drive and using the laser for the entire 2 hours. (compared to the occasional load time of a game.) HOWEVER this isn't the end of the world, and if you weigh the replacement cost of a ps2 these days vs the 20 or 30 for a cheap DVD player, it really shouldn't be a problem to play DVD s on your ps2.

As for the Wii it does 480p over component. which is technically ED, or Enhanced Definition picture.

Scrublet

To chime in on the PS2 line, my roommate had an older model PS2. The first indication it was going to die was when we noticed that the audio and video weren't syncing up QUITE right. If you find yourself watching movies on the PS2 and seeing something "wrong", that's probably what it is.

Mmmm... Cocks...

Yea, plenty of things are broadcast in HD.
And plenty of games for both those systems do 480p.
Relish in HDness my friend.

Couldn't the last Gran Turismo do like 1080i some how?

Pure Din

Okay, well if the PS2 thing isn't such a big deal then I think I'll go with that, if worse comes to worse one of my roommates has a PS2 that she doesn't use at all. Thanks for answering my questions, everybody.