darkside

Depends on what your priority is. My $500 Toshiba can connect through HDMI, decode DD+ and output it over the same HDMI port or six channel analog. Something the $500 PS3 will never be able to do. Oh yeah, my Toshiba can play HD movies today. I don't have to wait till November to watch a movie.

Oliver Clothesoff

I seriously doubt the quality of PS3 BD playback is going to equal Toshiba's HD DVD player.

Coral

keep reaching

Burnt Thru

Both the Tosh and the $500 PS3 look like they'll be limited to outputting 1080i, which shouldn't matter one jot, assuming the TV it's hooked up to can properly convert from interlace to progressive. The only advantage to the A1 seems to be that it can output a form of DTS somewhat below the full res, and can output stereo high res over analogue. The PS3 apparently has some games you can play on it (Grand Theft Auto is said to be good) and seems capable of recording TV in the same way as a TIVO box.

awmurray

They did promise the studios an installed base of 10 million units by the end of 2006 and that is a big reason why they got so much studio support. However, things have changed a lot since then.

First, they slipped from Spring to November which blows the 10 million figure out of the water.

Second, they missed the first to market race by several months. Because the stand alone players won't be competitive at all with the Toshibas I consider the BR launch to be around November.

Third, the PS3 isn't the Trojan Horse they wanted it to be because of this tiered release. The full price unit isn't going to be a bargain at all compared to the HD-DVD players nor will it be a great bargain this year vs. a stand alone BR deck. The prices on these things will be $800+ this year with the Christmas season demand. Remember a Trojan Horse is a gift that you take because it's free. At $600+ it ain't no gift. You'd already have to be a BR supporter to buy this thing for movie playback.

Fourth, HD-DVD is proving itself in the marketplace. People are buying movies on HD-DVD. Players are selling better than expected.

Finally, if BR software comes out more expensive than HD-DVD software that will be #5-- we'll have to wait and see on that one.

I believe BR only studios will be going agnostic soon and releasing on both formats by the end of summer and certainly by the time the PS3 launches to take advantage of Christmas sales.

awmurray

Can you please explain this to Jimmy?

Deus

On the games front I don't think it's a problem. They've left enough time between the launch of the PS3 (if it comes out then) and the 360 launch for the 360 to have a whiff of the Dreamcast about it. There's still the backwards compatibility with PS1/2 games to get people on board and the Playstation brand alone (after the success of the PS1 and PS2) will make people go out and buy it. They've also decided to stick with the same controller which people are familiar with (I've heard lots of negative response but for many people it's still the best console controller out there). Plus, the cheaper model still comes with a hard drive so for gamers it's not useless like the cheaper version of the 360.

I'm not sure when it comes to the differences with regards to Blu-ray. The cheaper model will still output material at 1080i, which might be enough for your average consumer (I'd imagine videophiles would want a standalone player anyway and so the Blu-ray aspect of the PS3 is aimed more at your average consumer rather than at them).

Either way, I'm buying a PS3 for the games (the 60GB model comes to about £400 which is what I was expecting ).

darkside

The main issue for Blu-ray on the cheaper version is the ICT. Without an HDMI port you are at the mercy of studios.
However, for people that HDMI doesn't matter to the $500 model is not nearly the headache the Core Xbox360 is.

raven56706

the fully loaded ps3 will playback 1080p but for those tvs that have it

GIjon213

I, for one, am excited about this. I honestly thought the prices would be more. There were reports of >$800.00 not too long ago. I will be buying the $600.00 one. Now, I don't think I would be sitting outside BB or CC for 2 days like some people did for the 360, but with that price it may leave a small rift in the selling-out-in-the-first-10-minutes ordeal.

ChrisHicks

so are all the hoarders out there preordering their 2000 units for ebay right now?

I'm hoping at 600.00 a pop I'll be able to get one of these on release day because I will never pay some jackoff 2000.00 on ebay for this thing.

mbs

Agreed completely. I would not trust the studios with ICT as far as I can throw them.

I bet we see ICT titles in 2007. Then your $500 PS3 will be outputting 540p via component. Fun.

RockStrongo

Why are people comparing the 360 to the dreamcast? Really?

Thats a ridiculous comparison.

In fact, im gonna start comparing the PS3 to the dreamcast.

The 360 is picking up steam and when Halo 3 comes out, it will be even bigger. Dont think its going to die anytime soon if ever.

digitalfreaknyc

I just asked my 26yo co-worker if he's going to get a PS3 and he was like..."when's it coming out? I really wanna get one." I said November but it will be expensive. "How much?" About $500-600, depending. "woooooooooooooow. are you serious? Well, i really wanna get one. they're supposed to be great. They're supposed to have all these add-on features. Stuff like......*pregnant pause*.....blue.....blue....blue-tooth things and other stuff."
Hmmm...

tfjazz

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=11209

chemosh6969

I can guarantee you it will sell out without problem super fast and they will all show up on eBay

mzupeman2

It just seems at this point in the game that defending Sony looks more and more rediculous. Let's forget their rediculously over-priced stand-alone blu-ray players. I don't care if they're making money off of them or losing it. A grand on a media player is just insulting intelligence here.

The argument made earlier that a 500 dollars PS3 = a 500 dollar Toshiba is a completely out of whack statement. No HDMI on the 500 dollar version of the PS3. You need to shell out 600 clams for that. But then it was said that a 600 dollar PS3 beats out the 700 dollar Toshiba. Huh? Why don't you compare this to its own media. The standalone blu-ray is going to cost a grand. You're going to have a watered down blu-ray player that's going to prove just as primitive as the DVD player for the PS2. Would anybody who takes home theater seriously consider using their PS2 or hell, even their original Xbox as their stand-alone player? I'd guess not.

As far as the format war goes, there's just more reasons coming along that makes Microsoft look better. Seriously. HD-DVD looks damn good and the average consumer won't care about the difference between the two formats, wont' care about 1080p (the public overall), and HD-DVD is much cheaper.

As far as the video game console war goes... there are still going to be a LOT of people who will invest in the PS3. But the premium 360 is two hundred dollars cheaper. The difference in graphics between the two have been said by developers working on games for both consoles that the differences are minimal and it will be hard to tell the two apart. The 360 is easier to make games for. And that's not including the rumoured price drop on the 360 for the holidays... the premium is being rumoured to be 100 dollars less while the core will be 80 less. Why? They're working on developing a cheaper CPU which will significantly lower the cost of the console and also resolve the heating issues the 360 has had (even though it's a problem that isn't happening as much anymore). Potentially the 360 could be as much as three hundred dollars cheaper!!!! This CPU change-over may not happen until Q1 2007 so if those who want to be patient can be... still, three hundred dollars cheaper is a lot of dough. Think of the holidays, a lot of people who are family buying these things for children or grand-children will look at the 360 and then their wallets....

BobDole42

The 1080i limitation is not the problem with the $500 version of the PS3. The problem is HDCP, which is NOT supported over analog connections. If studios start flagging blu-ray discs to plug the analog hole (and they will, it's just a matter of time), the $500 PS3 will only output 540p. Also, there will be no high-res audio from this version of the PS3.

I'm not saying the 360 HD-DVD add-on will be any better. It's unclear at this point whether or not it will have HDMI, although I certainly hope it does.

I question the wisdom of selling a disabled blu-ray player at any price point. I'm not a fanboy by any stretch of the imagination, but, to be honest, I hope that Sony's boneheaded launch decisions will hasten the end of this idiotic format war.

DthRdrX

While I see myself moving firmly into the the HD-dvd fan group the last few weeks, based on price and current availability, I think it is looking like both formats are going to stick around for one reason or another.

Sony is taking a huge risk with their core video game business to expand Blu-Ray and HDTV sales to the mass market. One company that should be very happy at this moment is Nintendo because, unlike MS and Sony, they have no stake in the HD war right now and have a chance now at finally getting back more of that console market with their lower priced "Wii".

Burnt Thru

The PS3 ($499) has a "AV Multi Out" connector on the back which certainly looks like it could be digital. Maybe this explains the original Sony promise that the PS3 would have two HDMI outlets for dual screen gaming? It also has Dolby Digital TruHD and DTS 2.0 Digital Out symbols on the side, indicating it can handle these next gen audio codecs. If the system is limited to analogue out then all that you say is very definitely true, and the console (and potentially MS's HD DVD strap on) live on the whim of the studios.

Ultra High Quality PS3 pics

RockStrongo

Not really.

My Toshiba was $440 after a 12% discount (which they almost never allow on gaming hardware) AND I was able to sell my old upscaling Oppo to my brother for $150 since it upscales so well.

So, mine cost me basically $290. I doubt the PS3 will upscale regular dvds or at least do it as well as the A1 or BD standalones.

Of course, Toshiba could also reduce the price this fall for xmas sales. I doubt the PS3 will drop in price until at the very least 2007.

digitalfreaknyc

Exactly. Same here. Mine was $389 WITH the 4 year warrantee. I will be selling my Malata and after getting the $25 rebate, mine will probably end up costing me around $100. Every time i put in a SD-DVD, I'm amazed at the PQ. This machine seriously kicks some ass.

GIjon213

probably, but I can hope, right?

RockStrongo

Yep....us ebayers loved the 360...I made about $2500 on them.

Deus

I think it’s supposed to be in response to the people who complained that they just wanted a games machine and didn’t want to have to pay more for a console that could play BD. Now that Sony have given people the option, people are complaining about that…Some people are never satisfied .

I’ll eat my hat (not that I have a hat to eat, but it’s the thought that counts ) if the 360 sells more units in the long run than the PS3. It’s just not going to happen. The PS3 has the developers on board; it far outsold the competition when it came to both the PS1 and PS2, it’s easier to develop games for than the PS2 and with games like MGS4 and FFXIII, it’s certain to shift a hefty number of units. The Gamecube was cheaper and arguably a better machine than the PS2 but it was crushed and the Dreamcast had a similar head start as the 360 and was also cheaper but, in the end, it didn’t stand a chance.

Even when we come back to what kids want (despite them not accounting for as much of the market as people in their mid-twenties): many of them don't play games consoles anymore, they play "Playstation" . You can't deny the sheer power and the market weight that that name carries, even by itself.