Video games are booming - and they look especially stunning on modern flat-panel TVs. What's more, an increasing number of consumers are connecting their LCDs and plasmas to PCs and laptops. Find out here what to watch out for and how to tease out the best picture.

The good old CRT TV excellently conceals the weaknesses of analog connections.

Video games are more popular than ever before, and it's not just children that are tapping away - an increasing number of older users are now turning to virtual worlds for a bit of fun and a temporary escape from reality. But which console's got what? And what's the best way to connect them to the TV in order to get the optimum picture and sound quality? While we're on, we'll also take a look at how to connect a PC to the TV.

All consoles have a composite-video output. This allows the user to create an analog connection between the console and the TV using a cinch connector - the ones that come in red, yellow, and white. But we can only recommend using analog connections such as this if you're still using an old CRT TV.

If, on the other hand, you're the proud owner of a chic flat-panel, you'll get no pleasure out of analog connections - modern flat-panels reveal all of the faults in the picture that weren't visible on the old, significantly smaller CRTs.

Both the old version (left) and the new slim-line version (right) of the PlayStation 3 offer an HDMI output for top picture-quality.

Those that want to enjoy top video and sound quality in computer games will need to use HDMI, or possibly the predecessor DVI connection - only these allow ultra-crisp, HD pictures. Of the current range of consoles, only the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 have an HDMI output, using which you can connect the console to a flat-panel TV. Older models, such as the Nintendo Wii, only have analog outputs, which aren't half as much fun as their digital colleagues. The bottom line: you'll only get a genuine high-definition experience from the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360. Other types of connections - such as S-Video, YUV, Scart, or VGA - are average-quality compromises, and often require additional adapters costing between 10 and 20 pounds.

In general, HDMI and DVI outputs are the best connection types, followed by YUV, Scart, VGA, S-Video, and composite video.

Sony PlayStation 3:
HDMI and composite video (without an adapter); S-Video, YUV, and Scart are only possible with an additional adapter.

Sony PlayStation 2:
Composite video (without an adapter); S-video, YUV, and Scart are only possible with an additional adapter. No HDMI!

Nintendo Wii:
Composite video (without an adapter); S-video, YUV, and Scart are only possible with an additional adapter. No HDMI!

Microsoft Xbox:
Composite video (without an adapter); S-video, YUV, Scart, and VGA are only possible with an additional adapter. No HDMI!

Microsoft Xbox 360:
HDMI and composite video (without and adapter); S-video, YUV, Scart, and VGA are only possible with an additional adapter.

Essentially, every TV is suitable for video games - even an old CRT. But since we're looking to the present and future, and not the past, we're going to concentrate on modern, flat-panel TVs.

Passionate gamers in the market for a new TV should keep a few things in mind - regardless of whether their current console has an HDMI output or not. After all, HDMI is a connection of the future - and one day, you might also end up buying a console with an HDMI output.

Ever more TVs now offer side-mounted connections - the Sony KDL-52 V 5500 LCD TV even has two side-mounted HDMIs.

Make sure the new TV has sufficient connections for all potential devices - that is, not just for the console, but also for DVD recorders, Blu-ray players, and TV receivers. There should be at least three HDMI inputs on board, and ideally there'd be four. The positioning of the HDMI inputs should also play a role in your decision; subtly concealed HDMI inputs on the front or side of a TV are becoming increasingly widespread. These are especially practical if you only want to connect the console or computer occasionally, since they mean you won't have to scramble awkwardly behind the TV every time.

If movies and TV look attractive on a TV - that is, if the picture is sharp and motion doesn't blur - then you can safely assume that images from a console will look similarly tip-top. Pay particular attention to each TV's contrast: The higher this measures, the more color-shades are possible - and the better you'll see what's going on in dark areas of the picture.

To put that another way: if the TV cannot display deep black, and everything disappears behind a milky-gray mist instead, you'll never see some differentiations in dark areas. This is particularly important in video games that demand extremely fast reactions from the players.

Never rely on the contrast ratios quoted by the manufacturers, since these are often fudged, unrealistic values. This is why it's so important to read our extensive TV reviews, and also to examine TVs more closely yourself in the showroom.

Outstanding contrast: Pioneer's plasma milestone, the KRP-500.

There's no simple answer to this question; both types have advantages and disadvantages. As a rule, LCD TVs are brighter than plasmas and are therefore better for daytime gaming. Plasmas, on the other hand, look best in dark rooms and sometimes offer massive contrast ratios - the Pioneer plasma KRP-500 is one great example.

The answer to the question therefore depends on whether you like to play in the light or in the dark. Full HD resolution is always an advantage - not only for games, but also for optimum Blu-ray enjoyment. Find out more in our introduction to Blu-ray, Blu-ray Basics Explained.

Before we turn our attention to connecting PCs to the TV, let's have one final word on video-game audio: The built-in speakers in TVs are, in the vast majority of cases, only suitable as a last resort, since they're often thin and tinny - and surround sound is out of the question.

You'll get the best from the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 from home-theater systems or sound bars, to which you can connect the console via an optical cable, for example, to enjoy surround effects (read more advice on TV sound here. Even connecting the console to a stereo system (via a cinch socket) is at least a decent compromise, and is in any case preferable to using the TV's speakers.

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