PC-Engine LT: Play or display?

[romanoaj]

I finally procured a fairly nice LT with a great screen and speakers.  Already owning about 10 PC-Engines, I'm not sure how often I should play with the LT.  It's easy and convenient and I love it, but I'm not sure how pixels start burning out and the like. 

Any advice would be appreciated.

--ajr

[Black Tiger]

If you never play it, what will it matter if any of the pixels are burned out? If you really want to keep it safe and in perfect condition, it should be keep it somewhere that no light will touch it and no one will see it.

[Tatsujin]

yeah. no air, no light, no bacterians, absolut nothing.

[esteban]

I finally procured a fairly nice LT with a great screen and speakers.  Already owning about 10 PC-Engines, I'm not sure how often I should play with the LT.  It's easy and convenient and I love it, but I'm not sure how pixels start burning out and the like. 

Any advice would be appreciated.

--ajr

Well, clearly, you don't want to abuse the LT. At least, I wouldn't. So I wouldn't play the most frustrating games on it (you know, the ones where you are smashing the buttons and offering to sell your soul just to make it to the next level).

I have a bunch of systems (no LT though ) and I simply rotate them. It is fun to change things up every now and then.  I suggest you simply put the LT in rotation. If you don't play many HuCards, then make the LT your go-to console until the novelty wears off (if it does).

Otherwise, I'd use the LT in situations where it is more convenient to play than TV + console. My dining room table is one of my favorite spots in the house, so I'd use an LT there if I had one.

[Necromancer]

Good news on the pixel front: they generally don't burn out.  If your LT doesn't have 'em now, then it most likely never will; even if you enjoy it daily for hours on end.  Dead and stuck pixels are almost always manufacturing defects, though rarely the transistors controlling the sub-pixels will fail due to age and/or physical abuse.  Personally, I'd follow esteban's advice and use your LT whenever it's convenient.

[blueraven]

Play the PCE every day.

Even though that was incredibly easy for me to say, I probably wouldn't give the LT daily use. I would, however, still make daily highscore runs and If I needed to go portable I'd favor a PCEGT/Turbo-Express.

A damp environment is usually the bane of those unit's existence; just keep it dry and cool when you bust out Splatterhouse.

But beat the ever-loving heck out of your other PCE's. A CGII is a great workhorse, and you can always break out the good consoles when you have parties, meetups, etc.

I have a bunch of systems (no LT though ) and I simply rotate them. It is fun to change things up every now and then.  I suggest you simply put the LT in rotation. If you don't play many HuCards, then make the LT your go-to console until the novelty wears off (if it does).

Esteban, this strategy is great for promoting the longevity of your collection. Great advice. 

[Retrogamer]

If you feel like playing it, play it! Such a cool little device deserves to live out the purpose it was created for. Being a former game collector I can understand "collector mentality" and wanting to keep something nice. But if you can not enjoy something why have it? Congratulations on your new purchase!

[romanoaj]

Your words have heartened me Necromancer and I definitely like Esteban's idea of rotating systems like a pitching staff.   In that previous simile, the LT is definitely my ace.