Can You Use an Old TV with a Wii? Yes — Composite, S-Video, Component Options

Yes, if the TV has composite (yellow/red/white) or S-Video inputs. The Wii does not output HDMI.

Connection Options

Cable	Ports on TV	Quality	Included?
Wii AV Cable (Composite)	Yellow (Video) + Red/White (Audio)	480i, decent	Yes
Wii S-Video Cable	S-Video (4-pin mini-DIN) + Red/White	480i, sharper chroma	No (buy separately)
Wii Component Cable	Red/Green/Blue (Video) + Red/White (Audio)	480p, best analog	No (buy separately)

4:3 aspect ratio: Wii outputs 16:9 anamorphic. On 4:3 TV, choose "Widescreen: 16:9" in Wii settings → adds letterbox bars (correct). Or "4:3" → stretches image (wrong).
No component input: Many CRTs lack YPbPr. Composite is your only option.
Input lag: CRTs have ~0ms lag—actually better than modern TVs for Wii.
Overscan: Edges cut off. Adjust in Wii settings → Screen → "Adjust Position."

If your old TV has composite, you're good. For 480p, verify component input and enable "EDTV/HDTV: 480p" in Wii settings.

Nintendo Wii