[TheGrandMom]

Big Screens: I Played Xbox 360 on a 269-Inch TV and You Didn't



"Last week, I got to play Xbox 360 on the world's largest, highest resolution screen. At 11 feet tall and 120 feet long, it was ridiculous. It made Panasonic's 150-inch plasma look like a toy.

I was lucky enough to be invited on as a guest on CollegeHumor's video game show, Bleep Bloop. Apparently, after extensive work, uh, "testing" Panasonic's 103-inch and 150-inch plasma screens, I'm somewhat of an expert on playing video games on ludicrously large monitors. Badass.

According to the folks at IAC, who house this monstrosity in their headquarters' lobby, it's the largest, highest-definition screen in the world. That is to say there are larger screens with lower resolution and smaller screens with higher resolution, but this bad boy has the highest combo of both specs. Yes, it is large.

Unfortunately, due to it being 120 feet long, it has a ridiculous aspect ratio that's not designed for regular things like TV or video games, instead acting as a strange art space most of the time. Because of this, we could only use one chunk of the screen. I was told, however, that they have the ability to hook up multiple Xboxes at once, possibly linking them together side by side for some sort of epic multiplayer showdown. I want very much to make that dream a reality, but that's for another day.

Mahoney and I got an opportunity to go behind the wall and check it out, and it's a crazy setup. It has 21 projectors aimed at 42 mirrors. The projectors are actually aimed away from the screen, bouncing down and back off of two mirrors each to combine to fill up the massive screen.

As for playing on the screen, it was pretty killer. Obviously, playing video games on large screens is really fun. But in all honesty, it gets to a point where you aren't even really paying attention to the large screen anymore. You know, it's only a novelty for so long, and then you're just focusing on not falling off the damned buildings anymore in Mirror's Edge. I guess you can get used to anything.

What huge screens like this are really great for is split-screen gaming. If we had played Call of Duty 4 on this thing, for example, all four players would have the equivalent of a 134-inch TV to stare at. But really, a screen like this isn't even an option for anyone other than Barry Diller to use on any type of real basis, but if you ever get an opportunity to spend an afternoon dicking around with one, you won't want to skip it. Trust me."

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If you can watch the video, do so. Street Fighter II on this bad boy is freakin AWESOME!!

[Feba]

yeah, he got to play on a giant screen, but he had to play Mirrors Edge.

On a serious note, I'm surprised we haven't heard much about movie theatres letting people rent time on their projectors; especially during the day when they wouldn't make much money from films anyway. We've all seen some random jerks get to play Wii Sports or Halo on a movie screen, but we really ought to be able to do it ourselves.

tl;dr: ITT we talk about what games we want to play on giant-ass screens.

Metal. Gear. Solid.

[TheGrandMom]

Did you watch the video though? They did some old school games. The Mirror's Edge thing didn't impress me, it was the old school goodness that made me drool!

[Sabaron]

Originally Posted by TheGrandMom

At 11 feet tall and 120 feet long, it was ridiculous.

*flippant jovial sarcasm*
It would indeed be quite ridiculous for a TV to be 120 feet long but only 11 feet high. That's one hell of an aspect ratio! Ultra-Mega Widescreen.

[Kitalrez]

Ok, is it me or does he look like he's peeing on that XBOX 360 in the pic? Might be just because I read GrandMom's "penis slide" thread first...

[Feba]

Originally Posted by Kitalrez

Ok, is it me or does he look like he's peeing on that XBOX 360 in the pic?

In a way, aren't we all?

[Caspian]

How far back did he have to get to play it with out giving himself a headache?

Feba, try calling a local theater. I know you can rent them out to watch movies, I don't see why you wouldnt be able to play video games as well, if the money is right.

[lionx]

If i ever start an arcade i want my SFHD Remix to be on that type of monitor o_o

[Kailea]

First I would play me so good old Mega man on that thing 0.o

oh and.... can I play FFXI on it? ;p

[TheGrandMom]

God I sit 2 1/2 feet from my 37" monitor and I get headaches and motion sickness. I even get motion sickness playing FFXI at certain times! LOL That huge monstrosity.......ya I would ABSOLUTELY need intravenous Dramimine! LOL