Optimal Video Output for the Nintendo Gamecube and Wii

Nintendo's two disc systems to date are a departure for the company in more ways than just the game media.  In the United States, in terms of video output, Nintendo's past consoles only supported RF (NES, NES2, SNES1, others with external RF converter), Composite Video (NES Front Loader, SNES, SNES2, N64), S-Video (SNES, N64) or RGB (SNES).  The Gamecube and Wii support are the first to support Component Video. Using Component Video Cables, some Gamecube games and the Wii system support progressive scan (480p). A a number of Gamecube games (and a few games from Rare on the N64) also support widescreen.  Finally, the Wii system software also supports widescreen @ 480i/p, and many of its games support either widescreen, progressive scan, or both.

Lets start with the Gamecube.
 Since so few Gamecube titles support widescreen, we really only need a display that supports Component Video and Progressive Scan.  We should use a 4:3 display to avoid annoying pillarboxing.  As Gamecube games tended to use a 640x480 resolution, we should look for CRTs, as LCD screens that use 640x480 as their native resolution tend to be horrible to look at unless your head is on the same plane as the screen and in the direct center.  Also, CRTs are better for those games that only support interlacing.  The best option I can recommend is the Sony KD-36XS955.  This is a 36" 4:3 TV that is among the few known to support progressive scan.  If you want to sacrifice the HDMI input (but still have DVI/HDCP), KV-40XBR800 sports a 40" tube.

Now we can continue to the Wii and widescreen.  The Wii only supports 480p in widescreen, so standard HDTVs are not a good fit as almost always use 1366x768 or 1920x1080 native panels.  720x480 panels are too small, the resolution is 852x480.  Most do not upscale well.  In this case, we should stick to a widescreen CRT.  Sony has some nice models here, and their 34" sets are about as big as widescreen CRTs ever got.  The Sony KD-34XBR960 is an ideal choice for a widescreen CRT.  It has enough component video inputs and an HDMI input.  It supports 480p, 720p and 1080i and has a sharp screen.

In other uses, these TVs would be great for DVDs.  The 36"-40" full screen TV would work perfectly for all those full-screen DVDs.  Alot of old-school movie and TV show fun.  The widescreen would do justice to all the anamorphic widescreen DVDs, and may also assist the non-anamorphic stuff.  Blu-ray and upconverting DVD players may do a serviceable job on HDTVs, but these TVs can show DVDs at their natural resolution.

If this post is slightly shorter than the previous posts, please see my post regarding CRTs for more overview of why I believe CRTs are the best devices available when your device cannot output your LCD's native resolution.