Room setup and calibration recommendations for gaming systems

It used to be that video games received no respect in the sound and video department, and for good reason.

HEROLD, ABOUT.COM PHOTOS: CHARLES

Times have definitely changed. Chances are that gaming consoles are among the most advanced source components in your systems, and they’re capable of delivering top-drawer sound and picture quality, as well.

If you’re not a gamer, then you may have no idea what constitutes a good gaming experience, or how to set up a room to achieve maximum gaming potential. The recommendations that follow were sourced from my technical editor, Chase Walton, who is younger and more into gaming than I am. In other words, pay close attention if you want to tap into the market potential of gaming.

LET THERE BE LIGHT
Be prepared to design a room that operates effectively with a relatively high amount of ambient light. There are things that you need to see while gaming—everything from an instruction booklet, to a guitar,

Gaming is a social activity, so there may be people in the room who want to interact with each other. Clockwise from top: Speed Racer, Iron Chef America, Big Beach

to a keyboard to access online “cheats” and walkthroughs. Plus, gaming is a social activity, so people in the room will need to move around and interact (think Wii Sports). Gaming sessions also tend to last for quite a while, screens are bright, and you must focus intently on the screen with less blinking than normal. In a completely dark room, your eyes become fatigued, and video gameinduced eye fatigue is not fun.

GET THE PICTURE?
Picture size and quality are important for gaming, but not in the same way that they are for movies and TV. For example, in a screening room, you would ideally like a screen size up to 50 degrees wide. Believe it or not, some gamers that I know prefer a 42- to 46-inch screen for a 10- to 12-foot viewing distance. That’s not big by anyone’s standards. By the same token, many games feature addictive multiplayer action that divides the screen into two or more parts when all the players are using the same system. A gigantic projection screen suddenly becomes just about right when each player only has a quarter of the total image area.

Size screen may seem like an irreconcilable difference, but I see it as an opportunity for you to exhibit your best problem-solving skills as a custom integrator. Here is a hint: Some gamers use a large projection system with friends and a smaller direct-view display for themselves.

Then you have picture quality. Keep in mind that video games are objective-based. You watch a movie to enjoy acting, directing, writing, and cinematography. You play a video game to kill things, accomplish missions, win points, score points, or perform some other act that demonstrates your superiority over man and machine. How the picture looks is important, but it’s more im...

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