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I Played Portal on a 150-Inch Plasma HDTV and You Didn't
Posted by Adam Frucci at 6:54 AM on September 30, 2008
On Friday, Mahoney and I went to Panasonic HQ to check out one of the first prototypes of their ludicrous 150-inch plasma TV. This thing puts the 103-incher that I checked out last year to shame. It's a metric ton of overkill, and we hooked up our PS3 and suffered through playing a bunch of video games on it to report back to you. You're welcome! Today, a taste, with me sizing up a weighted companion cube in Portal, above, and, after the jump, seeing what a 42-inch steering wheel on Gran Turismo would be like in real life and learning the ropes in Call of Duty 4. Check back tomorrow for a full report.
Yes, my job is pretty awesome sometimes.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
spyker3292
Posted 7:35 AM 30/9/08
epic pics :P
spyker3292
RE-L
Posted 7:33 AM 30/9/08
@Adam Frucci: I'm sorry, I can't control my brother's ugly mouth. But I can punch it that's no problem! :)
RE-L
joandrade
Posted 7:32 AM 30/9/08
I hate you.
Seriously now, that's pretty awesome.
joandrade
Adam Frucci
Posted 7:29 AM 30/9/08
@RE-L: :(
Adam Frucci
Toshie
Posted 7:26 AM 30/9/08
Any pics of someone humping the screen in GTA IV?
Toshie
RE-L
Posted 7:21 AM 30/9/08
@Log1c: My brother (who is a gamer) went a bit further...he said "I hope he gets cancer and dies".
RE-L
Log1c
Posted 7:19 AM 30/9/08
I think I speak for everyone reading when I say:
I hate you...
Log1c
Strider-No.9
Posted 7:18 AM 30/9/08
I want to play Super Mario Galaxy on that thing. Imagine the antigravity levels.
Strider-No.9
JEmlay
Posted 7:17 AM 30/9/08
@superbryant:
Apartment? You want to be SEEN bringing that home?
You enjoy getting getting broken into....don't you?
JEmlay
CutePuppyz
Posted 7:17 AM 30/9/08
Holy mackerel! Jaggies.
CutePuppyz
gamecrazychris
Posted 7:17 AM 30/9/08
My HDTV is as big as the GT steering wheel in the pic and it hurts my eyes sometimes, I'm surprised you didn't go blind.
gamecrazychris
sirIvan3
Posted 7:15 AM 30/9/08
the steering wheel photo is hularious.
sirIvan3
xis170
Posted 7:15 AM 30/9/08
wonder how much heat that thing produces?
xis170
RE-L
Posted 7:09 AM 30/9/08
Truly insane and overkill.
RE-L
Geisrud
Posted 7:07 AM 30/9/08
@superbryant: Only because you're late with rent, and you just spent several times that on a TV
Geisrud
RE-L
Posted 7:05 AM 30/9/08
@Ron-Mexico: You are probably right lol!
RE-L
FloydMoira
Posted 7:05 AM 30/9/08
This is so awesome!! I wonder how much this tv will end up costing. Maybe MYOFFICESOURCE.COM will make another mistake and won't realize until after they ship the tvs out.
FloydMoira
ripfire
Posted 7:05 AM 30/9/08
@Ron-Mexico: Nah, that's been done with the old RCA's back in the 50s.
ripfire
dingus
Posted 7:02 AM 30/9/08
Isn't that a plain weighted storage cube atop a supercolliding superbutton?
dingus
Ornament
Posted 7:02 AM 30/9/08
all you need is "the family", and three more of those ^_^
Ornament
blindaxs
Posted 7:01 AM 30/9/08
@superbryant: He'd probably be upset with you for knocking out a wall to try and get this in your apartment....
blindaxs
Ron-Mexico
Posted 7:01 AM 30/9/08
The first TV you can get a tan from.
Ron-Mexico
Blinklink11
Posted 7:00 AM 30/9/08
Those pictures are so amazing.
Blinklink11
Lstormy10
Posted 6:59 AM 30/9/08
Anyone want to buy me one once they release it? Give me a call and some money to pay my new higher electricity bill and to reinforce my living room floor first also. Thanks!
Lstormy10
mdawg4624
Posted 6:58 AM 30/9/08
@The Terminator: hahaha Now your talking!! Who wouldn't want to see a pair of 38 Double Z's?
mdawg4624
ripfire
Posted 6:58 AM 30/9/08
@The Terminator: I don't think Adam is ready to claim disabilities for neck injuries...
... at least, not yet.
ripfire
superbryant
Posted 6:58 AM 30/9/08
wow that is amzing, my landlord would flip out if he say me bringing a 150 inch HDTV up to my apartment. man that would be awesome.....
superbryant
tek_nic
Posted 6:57 AM 30/9/08
I need to go change my pants. I just messed thim from that Gran Turismo shot.
skeet skeet skeet!
tek_nic
mdawg4624
Posted 6:57 AM 30/9/08
Must........Find..........One............
mdawg4624
kickassy
Posted 6:57 AM 30/9/08
I could grow facial hair like that if i wanted to.... who am i kidding myself...
kickassy
The Terminator
Posted 6:57 AM 30/9/08
What? No "Jenna Loves Brianna"?!?!
The Terminator
JB
Posted 6:56 AM 30/9/08
The cake is a lie!
The cake is a lie!
The cake is a lie!
The cake is a lie!11112111
JB
solodoc
Posted 6:55 AM 30/9/08
Did...you say that you suffered?
Now I'm officially jealous....
solodoc
CrashingOut
Posted 6:54 AM 30/9/08
*...sees car dashboard larger than real life dashboard...starts hooting and making a senseless cacophony* "This is the future! WOOT!". Not really, maybe projectors will get cheap.....
CrashingOut
DarthTader
Posted 6:54 AM 30/9/08
Now that's the way to get easy head shots in multi player. :)
DarthTader
ripfire
Posted 6:54 AM 30/9/08
Daaaaayyyymmmmnn!!!
ripfire
lankysob
Posted 6:53 AM 30/9/08
That soldier doesn't truly believe you'll have his back in battle until you grow a moustache at least 1/2 as awesome as his.
lankysob
Robamus
Posted 6:52 AM 30/9/08
Thats so awesome.
Robamus
leaverus
Posted 7:59 AM 30/9/08
You think Panasonic would give me one of those if i promised them my first-born?
leaverus
RE-L
Posted 7:59 AM 30/9/08
@aaj111: I don't think JC had anything to do with this.
RE-L
Nathan Drake
Posted 7:57 AM 30/9/08
@RE-L: I'm pretty sure standing that close to a screen like that will cause something bad.
Nathan Drake
junkmail
Posted 7:56 AM 30/9/08
@FloydMoira: Naw, some jackass'll call 'em and let 'em know.
junkmail
jasoncourt
Posted 7:55 AM 30/9/08
My initial reaction before looking at all the pictures was "Good for you, who cares." But after actually looking at the pictures I totally change my tune to "Wowie-wow, I so absolutely care!"
Those Panasonic dudes sure know how to make a TV.
jasoncourt
Nathan Drake
Posted 7:53 AM 30/9/08
I hate you so much right now.
Oh, what am I saying. I could never hate you ;)
Nathan Drake
Rabid Penguin
Posted 7:53 AM 30/9/08
150 inches of plasma... That's playing Portal on your very own aurora borealis.
Rabid Penguin
vinnyr
Posted 7:48 AM 30/9/08
Oh yeah, Ive play Portal on a 50 inch panasonic hdtv plasma and you (hopefully) havent!
Is it just me or does that shooting game look pixelated? Whats the res on that thing?
vinnyr
mobiusmuse
Posted 7:47 AM 30/9/08
The joy of seeing amazing game content by standing that near a 150" display was quickly overshadowed in Mr. Frucci's mind by the realization that standing that near a 150" display was like wearing a suit made out of cellphones and dancing naked near refurbished microwave ovens from 7-11.
mobiusmuse
mastaassmasta
Posted 7:44 AM 30/9/08
@JEmlay:
No way they can't lift it.
mastaassmasta
Ausl0
Posted 7:44 AM 30/9/08
@JEmlay:
really? How is a robber going to steal this TV? It has it's own anti-theft system. It's weight. It weighs 1700 pounds and they would have trouble getting it through the door.
Ausl0
ripfire
Posted 7:44 AM 30/9/08
@aaj111: That's what Peter said when he walked on water.
ripfire
DarkHavoc99
Posted 7:43 AM 30/9/08
I couldnt imagine the companion cube on such a large scale...
DarkHavoc99
DeusExMach
Posted 7:41 AM 30/9/08
Yeah, but can it play Crys-*THWACK!*
...ow...
DeusExMach
aaj111
Posted 7:40 AM 30/9/08
Jesus christ.... that's awesome.
aaj111
chopstickhero
Posted 7:40 AM 30/9/08
lol awesomely overkill. love the second pic.
chopstickhero
m4ximusprim3
Posted 8:15 AM 30/9/08
a) Awesome
b) It seems that they've reached the point where you need more info than 1080. I don't know the DPI on that, but it's gotta be about the same as a standard 25" 480 set.
m4ximusprim3
Evangelion
Posted 8:08 AM 30/9/08
@JB: The cake is a spy!
Evangelion
WiglyWorm
Posted 8:08 AM 30/9/08
You guys need a friggin' contest. Next time you review one of these insaine TVs, let a lucky reader come along and play the video games too. You know... so you can have "reader opinion". It will really resonate with your readers.
I of course nominate myself for coming up with the awesome idea. The second time from now, you should totally have a random drawing or an essay contest, though.
WiglyWorm
neojam
Posted 8:50 AM 30/9/08
wow thants an overkill O_o
neojam
Strife56
Posted 8:48 AM 30/9/08
I can see it now, there I am in the middle of a COD4 match online, when I head shot some guy running towards me, but the shot doesn't register and he shoots me to kingdom come.
Then in my anger, I get confused and charge blind at the 150inch screen, unable to register what's real an what's not, blinded by my rage thinking that soldier is a real person...
It would happen, you all know it.
Strife56
astrograph
Posted 8:43 AM 30/9/08
thats not too shabby
astrograph
sibbe
Posted 8:39 AM 30/9/08
holy .... awesome
sibbe
CyberG4
Posted 8:33 AM 30/9/08
I play my games on a projector with a 130" screen.
[members.shaw.ca] has photos. Sure it's nice, but I really don't care much if I play them on that or a 21" CRT monitor (as long as it's high def). Sure it is definitely nicer for multiplayer. For movies on the other hand, there is nothing like a projector on a big screen.
CyberG4
SeattleTed
Posted 9:07 AM 30/9/08
@JEmlay: Coppers in my area told my condo tv's above 40 are rarely nicked on account of their size and inability to move quickly with them. I think I just tempted fate...
SeattleTed
astrocramp
Posted 9:07 AM 30/9/08
More and Bigger = Better
astrocramp
Stang70Fastback
Posted 8:58 AM 30/9/08
So uh... does it come with it's own A/C unit to keep the room under 100 degrees? Or with it's own cantilever set to support it using all four walls and ceiling along with the floor? Jesus.
Stang70Fastback
Jitty
Posted 8:56 AM 30/9/08
Screw you, unless the set upscaled to 2160p or something. That set must of have been so big that standing that close made the pixels visible (even in 1080p)
Jitty
ripfire
Posted 8:54 AM 30/9/08
@inVINCEble: Have you played Portal?
ripfire
inVINCEble
Posted 8:52 AM 30/9/08
That will give "motion sickness" a whole new meaning.
inVINCEble
roflwaffles
Posted 9:39 AM 30/9/08
@Evangelion:
CAKE SAPPIN MAH SENTRY
roflwaffles
wiregr
Posted 9:35 AM 30/9/08
@dingus: Yes, yes it is. Pfft, this is obviously an example of shody journalism if they can't even tell the weighted companion cube from it's emotionally distant brethren.
wiregr
zixyon
Posted 9:32 AM 30/9/08
HALAFUCKINGLOYA!!!
zixyon
bfwings55
Posted 9:25 AM 30/9/08
That's so awesomely unnecessary. Unnecessarily awesome? It sure is something.
bfwings55
Collins1
Posted 10:02 AM 30/9/08
But will it bl...
Aww heck. We all know it won't blend...
:(
Collins1
Mqmq4190
Posted 9:52 AM 30/9/08
@xis170: It's going to blow up...OF AWESOMENESS
Mqmq4190
F3ngles
Posted 9:48 AM 30/9/08
So if you were to play LBP on this, will it then become Big Little Big Planet where the Sackboy is the same size as you? And shouldn't it then just be called Planet? Or Big Planet?
/head asplodes
F3ngles
BaronVonCrogs
Posted 10:23 AM 30/9/08
Dear.God.My.Dream
BaronVonCrogs
Kiamat
Posted 10:23 AM 30/9/08
Jaw. On. Floor.
Kiamat
smartboydan hates college
Posted 10:16 AM 30/9/08
/drool
Do want!
smartboydan hates college
Bassem B.
Posted 10:12 AM 30/9/08
Yowza! too big for me. Any screen that makes me have to move my eyes/neck in order to take in the entire picture is detrimental to the viewing experience.
That said, the photos are really fun!
Bassem B.
hammerhand
Posted 10:46 AM 30/9/08
Holy shit. 7kW. That's twice the draw of a dryer... or a little more than half than of an electric oven. Does it need to run on the 220 outlet?
hammerhand
DiGiC
Posted 10:43 AM 30/9/08
MY God thtats huge!
DiGiC
michaelleung
Posted 10:34 AM 30/9/08
I'll bet you posed for the camera when you pretended to hold the cube, and pretended to hold the steering wheel. After all, you did use a controller for CoD4.
michaelleung
Jasontrainer
Posted 11:11 AM 30/9/08
Holodeck! Holodeck!
Jasontrainer
Beta @ Random
Posted 11:42 AM 30/9/08
I know people that can buy 150 inch plasma pwnd!
Beta @ Random
kingme
Posted 11:38 AM 30/9/08
I played Call of Duty 4, Rock Band 1 and 2, Guitar Hero III, and watched the Season 5 Premiere of The Office on a Movie Theatre...in HD! So.....that beats the 150 inch plasma right?!
kingme
helldiver
Posted 11:30 AM 30/9/08
that first game looks so 1999
helldiver
Rctdaemon
Posted 11:30 AM 30/9/08
I got to play God of War, Half-Life 2, Bioshock, Doom 3, and a lot of others on a far larger screen with a sound system that is described as 'the best sound system between New York and California'. Having been a projectionist has its perks, you know...
Rctdaemon
katsujinken
Posted 11:29 AM 30/9/08
@Evangelion: The cake is a rye!
katsujinken
fuchikoma
Posted 12:06 PM 30/9/08
I only have a 32"... but it uses 150W and without air circulation, will turn this room into an oven. I usually have to crack a window if I use it for a few hours.
7kW??? I guess if I could afford that I could afford air conditioning for the room I put it in!
But still... that kicks ass!
fuchikoma
bosspants
Posted 12:31 PM 30/9/08
I envy you hard.
bosspants
mr_grimster
Posted 1:15 PM 30/9/08
MAN! i wish i could have the chance to pick up a companion cube!!!!!!
mr_grimster
Dooosh
Posted 1:05 PM 30/9/08
holy cow, porn would be awesome
Dooosh
whiteknight89
Posted 4:03 PM 30/9/08
@Ornament: Wow, Fahrenheit 451 referance... beautiful (and scary).
I'm personally waiting for my seashell. Come on PMP businesses!
whiteknight89
addiktion
Posted 4:25 PM 30/9/08
Lets hope they don't put the power and volume buttons on the top of the TV.
addiktion
ZillionDollarSadist
Posted 5:02 PM 30/9/08
@The Terminator: For a TV of this magnitude you can't go for anything less than Backdoor Sluts 9.
ZillionDollarSadist
Schmeg Peg
Posted 5:19 PM 30/9/08
When I had my 46" Samsung LCD, I would bring it from the living room onto my desk and play from 2 feet away at 1920x1080.. probably took up as much of my vision as the 150" would from his sitting distance. It's quite immersive! In fact, I played a good deal of my first time through Portal in 2007 that way.
Schmeg Peg
Shachihoko
Posted 6:53 PM 30/9/08
@Ausl0: haha, I agrees. Also no way it can go through a window nor the stairs.
Shachihoko
Netizen
Posted 7:04 PM 30/9/08
@xis170: Over 9000, so I hear!
Netizen
Shachihoko
Posted 6:54 PM 30/9/08
@Ron-Mexico: Not sunkiss type. Probably palekiss would be better for the skin and cancer free. =P
Shachihoko
btrotta
Posted 9:56 PM 30/9/08
But did you get to watch any porn on it? I want to see the photos of THAT!
btrotta
scarbrtj
Posted 10:42 PM 30/9/08
They can keep their Large Hadron Collider over in Europe.
We got the the Large Hardon Collider over here. Am I right, fellow penis-havers?
:boink: pardon me! :boink: heh heh, how embarassing, sorry sir. Nice tv!
scarbrtj
thegrez
Posted 8:55 PM 30/9/08
@xis170: Approximately 7kW. Maybe couple of hundred Watts worth of light could escape through a window, but other than that, all the electricity it inputs, it also output as heat or light. And light is converted to heat when walls absorb it.
(So over 20000 BTU per hour)
thegrez
Young.Shaka
Posted 5:01 PM 30/9/08
Oh my oh my ! Call of Duty 4 would be sick on that screen ! Especially the
*SPOILER*
Nuclear scene
Young.Shaka
Dr. Chim Richolds
Posted 1:47 AM 1/10/08
@katsujinken: I want some pie!
Dr. Chim Richolds
UofITom
Posted 2:14 AM 1/10/08
Actually, I did too...what now!
UofITom
LVP
Posted 2:38 AM 1/10/08
Would you get equal picture quality with a DLP projector? Huge image size without the bulk and weight of a huge unit.
LVP
EricAlder
Posted 4:43 AM 1/10/08
'What Financial Crisis' indeed!
There's a metaphore here, but I doubt anyone noticed it due to the blinding glare of that huge screen.
EricAlder
amw1972
Posted 5:09 AM 1/10/08
Crysis...Gears of War...OMFG!!!!!!!
amw1972
Eruanno
Posted 4:59 AM 1/10/08
Portal on a 150-inch... tele...vi... *massive erection*
This was a triumph...
Eruanno
codemagic
Posted 6:20 AM 1/10/08
The force IS definitely strong with this one, but..
At what point do we say the screen size thing is reaching 'jump the shark' proportions and finally switch to a more economical alternative like VR glasses for the whole family that simulates a 150 inch screen on the opposite wall?
I'd rather have the wall space for more practical things than a ginormous screen, but that's me with the smallish townhouse talking.
codemagic
SSRPaulO
Posted 9:36 AM 1/10/08
Call of Duty..... Life size.
Just Damn.
SSRPaulO
takemetoyourtoaster
Posted 11:53 AM 1/10/08
@xis170: not that much, only about the heat of one supernova
takemetoyourtoaster
m-p{3}
Posted 9:22 PM 2/10/08
Who needs a dual-monitor display after that?
m-p{3}