Using early LCD TVs or monitors for sixth-gen retro consoles - a good alternative?

[dowie]

I own a PS2 and Dreamcast + am strongly considering buying a Wii for both GC and Wii games (I consider the Wii to be more like a sixth gen console anyway too).

It just occurred to me that I did use a component connection with the PS2 to get a good picture on an old 32 inch LCD TV and am wondering what people's thoughts are for this gen of consoles in general - is this perhaps a nice sweet spot for the consoles capable of 480p such as the Dreamcast and Wii/GameCube?

Like the current wisdom might say that (outside of a CRT monitor) the optimal image for Game Cube (and Wii) games comes from using a Wii + component connection -> expensive scaler -> modern TV right?

But is Wii + component connection -> 00s era 32 inch LCD TV going to achieve similar results by simply allowing the basic scaler in the TV to turn 480p into 1080p?

Obvs it's just straightforward scaling of the signal so you forego any extra effects settings you might have with an expensive hardware scaler, but it's a 32-inch 1080p TV scaling a 480p signal not a 50inch+ 4k TV so that might work right?

My thinking is that just basic scaling shouldn't have much lag and these TVs didn't have much impage processing stuff - but how similar are they to "game mode" on a modern TV?

Secondly maybe a 00s era monitor - that should have less lag than a TV I'd assume? Say a 22 inch 1080p flat panel that can take 480p via VGA then you just need a basic component -> VGA converter?

Like these consoles that can output 480p exceed the standard UK CRT TVs so basically need a CRT computer monitor (which I do have at parents house but don't necessarily want in my apartment) or need to be upscaled - I guess 480p plasma screens would be the niche solution here too.

 

[dowie]

After some research, the old TV idea perhaps isn't so good or at least not in terms of lag, but ignoring lag then obvs 480p via component direct to the TV isn't going to be a bad result visually and will beat the cheap wii to HDMI converters etc.

PC CRT is likely king for 480p output (save for the old TV studio monitors)

Then it's perhaps PC monitors, specifically 1440p ones, hadn't thought about that but a 1440p monitor that can take a VGA input and 480p would be ideal - tiny lag from the monitor and a little bit for scaling 480p, but it is integer scaling so avoids a lot of the issues.

Better still would be an upscaler that can output 1440p (some of them do) - avoids issues with a monitor that might not adjust for aspect ratio.

1080p on the other hand involves either stretching the image or letterboxing a 960p image on all sides but a 4k monitor or TV again allows for integer scaling albeit there's only one expensive upscaler that can output 4k. I guess if it's got good gaming mode then passing through a 480p signal to HDMI can still work well or ditto to any console playing US/JP NSTC carts and using one of the line doublers to convert 240p/480i into 480p over HDMI.