The minimum TV you should get to make getting XBox360/PS3 worth it

get a bed, and pick up girls.

 

looks to be a tinman thread in the making.

basically you will need a 1080i or 1080p tv. if you are getting a ps3 then you should get a 1080p to take advantage of the blu-ray. the cheapest 1080p i have seen is around 2200 for a 50inch. it is not the smallest 1080p but it is the cheapest. if you are okay with a 1080i tv then i believe the samsung slimfit crt tvs are around 800 bucks and they are 1080i. it is a crt so it will weigh more (my 30inch slimfit was 120 pounds whereas my 61 dlp is 80) but if you are gonna get a 360 i believe that will be a better buy if you want the minimum.

 

The Westinghouse 1080p LCDs are really cheap. You can find the 42 inch online for around $1700.

 

720p TVs are just as good as 1080i ones

in fact, I like 720p better for action fast-moving games

 

thats is true progessive is better for fast action but 1080i still provides higher detail.

i did not know about the westinghouse lcds. going with a 1080p is the best course of action if you can afford it since i believe/hope soon things (at least sports) will be broadcast in 1080p once they become more available. right now afaik only hd-dvd and blu-ray are 1080p

 

Just don't be a cheapskate, alright?!

 

If you're getting a PS3, you might want to consider a 1080p TV more than a 720p/1080i TV. Along with watching movies in 1080p on the PS3, it does seem as though there might be several PS3 "launch window" games that will have a native resolution of 1080p (and according to some developers, most/all 2nd and 3rd generation PS3 games will be in 1080p). I'm not sure if the difference between 1080p and 720p (or 1080i) will be worth it to you, but that would be something to consider. Maybe you can check out some 1080p games/movies in the next month or 2 at a Best Buy or a similar store.

If you're getting a 360, a 1080p TV might still be a good idea. 360 games in 1080p kind of goes against the design of the system AFAIK, but it is definitely something developers can work with if they think it is worth the effort. Of course, if you get the HD-DVD add-on, you'll be able to watch movies in 1080p too, although only through VGA IIRC.

I wouldn't necessarily say this is a minimum requirement though, especially if you don't think the jump to 1080p is worth it. It isn't like games or movies will look like crap on a 720p TV. Even if you play games that are made in 1080p but you only have a 720p TV, you'll still get the benefit of "free" AA (sharper image with less jaggies). You might not get the full next-gen experience, but it will probably be a lot better than what you have right now.

The lowering prices of 1080p TVs (like the Westinghouse TVs) kind of make 1080p more of an option now than it was a 6-12 months ago or so...and that will probably be true in another 6-12 months too.

 

office depot has the 32" 1080i LCD HDTV by Olevia on special for $699. The thing that makes it even more special is that it has a built in hd tuner.