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General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: CP5670 on October 15, 2020, 12:13:49 pm

Title: The best Freespace experience
Post by: CP5670 on October 15, 2020, 12:13:49 pm
I picked up a LG 77" CX OLED TV and have connected my desktop PC to it in a home theater-like configuration, with the input devices on a smaller table that can be used from a distance. It replaces a 55" E8 TV that I used for a few years as a regular desktop monitor. I have been playing through the main Freespace campaign with the latest MediaVPs and it's an amazing experience. The size is very immersive and the OLED contrast and black levels are ideally suited for dark games like Freespace. The 4K/120hz motion is liquid smooth and a big improvement over the E8, which was limited to 4K/60hz and had significant motion blur on things like background nebulas. Short of VR support, this is as good as Freespace gets (and most other singleplayer games too). I plan to go through a few other campaigns again like STR and BTA.

These TVs are really the best gaming monitors at this point. The OLED image quality has always been miles ahead of any LCD PC monitor, and now they also have modern motion-related features like Gsync/VRR and 120hz BFI and come in smaller sizes that are suitable for traditional desktop setups. The latest video cards support HDMI 2.1 and can use the TVs to their full potential, although I currently have to use 4K/120hz at subsampled 4:2:0 colors until I get one of those cards. I mainly use this PC for games and media and do work on a separate laptop, but the TV is suitable for occasional web browsing or content creation as well. To avoid burn-in, I keep Windows at the minimum brightness and use a black screensaver, and turn it up only in game/movies.

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Title: Re: The best Freespace experience
Post by: Iain Baker on October 15, 2020, 05:03:39 pm
Now your just making me jealous :lol:
Title: Re: The best Freespace experience
Post by: Su-tehp on October 15, 2020, 10:30:07 pm
Now your just making me jealous :lol:

+1. :nod:
Title: Re: The best Freespace experience
Post by: CP5670 on October 19, 2020, 09:22:13 am
Maybe it will inspire others to get a similar setup. :D These TVs are definitely expensive but much less so than they used to be a few years ago, especially if you wait for a deal or get a lightly used one.
Title: Re: The best Freespace experience
Post by: Admiral Nelson on October 19, 2020, 10:28:11 am
How far back do you sit from the TV?  It is a bit hard to tell from the images. I was considering the 48" version of this TV, but I wonder about such a large screen for office stuff.  Do you also use this setup for work?
Title: Re: The best Freespace experience
Post by: Grizzly on October 19, 2020, 11:22:07 am
Mabye once I stop moving once every 2 years and have an expendable income worth a damn...

I'm not jealous at all, honest.
Title: Re: The best Freespace experience
Post by: CP5670 on October 19, 2020, 02:11:10 pm
I mostly use a laptop or phone for work, but occasionally do image/video editing or software development on here. I found the 55" one comfortable from a 4' distance (the pixel size is the same as a 1080p 27" monitor), and use this 77" one from 4'-8' away depending on the game. First-person games are better close up and strategy/top-down or multiplayer games are better from a distance, so you can see the whole screen easily. A regular office desk tends to have the TV a little too high up so it's better to use a stand or wall-mount, but the 48" one would probably be fine on a desk. I have program windows open in about 1/4 of the screen and keep the TV brightness down to prevent burn-in.

I've ended up moving fairly often for work, but take all my stuff with me. I hold on to the boxes for things like this so it's easy to move.