Right, just like everyone said it wasn't capable of doing High Definition.

Ok prove it. Name one game on PS2 that supports DD5.1 in hardware, and in game.

Nothing right now, but the future will prove your statement wrong. I mearly showed how something which everyone said couldn't be done on a PS2 has been done. We will see ingame dd5.1 soon enough.

I don't agree. I believe that a console belongs in your home theatre. If it were up to me I would make the Xbox exactly like a DVD so that it would fit better into my home theatre. I can care less about taking my Xbox to a friend’s house. Let the friends come to where the good theatre is. If a friend of mine has a better setup then I would be over at his place with his Xbox.

Ugh, yes. Mario Sunshine and Wario World both don't excite me. The Mario universe has been beaten to death with Nintendo’s ugly stick. It's time for something new.

I really hope you are wrong. I love the size of my Xbox and the hard drive it has. I can’t imagine console without hard drive again.

Yes this is the reason Xbox supports memory cards, for portability.

Ugh. I think I've had enough of this thread. Yes DD5.1 will be possible on PS2. I never said it wasn't, you missed my entire point. I said it wasn't possible in hardware. And this fact will always be true.

As it is PS2 is a less powerful system that Xbox, and that is a fact. Now imagine the performance hit that PS2 will take to have to use its main CPU for both AI, and DD5.1 sound, and all the other stuff it is already overburdened with. Any multi platform game will be an order of magnitude greater on Xbox if they use in game DD5.1.

It comes down to the games. What games do you want to play? Buy the console that plays those games.

It doesn't matter if the game has awsome graphics and DD5.1 if the gameplay blows. (unless that's what you're into)

Also, I discount the fact that the console can do other things like play DVDs or MP3s. The main function of a console is to play games and that's what counts the most.

You said it wasn't possible on the PS2... nothing about hardware there.

DD5.1 is not as important as you think. Yes, it can be done in-game (which will be shown in the future) without a hit on noticable performance. Companies have developed programs which simulate surround sound which gives you enough detail to know where the sound is coming from. DD5.1 is the industry standard for DVDs because it does make a difference when you are watching a movie. When you are playing a game, there are very few inwhich knowing where the sound is coming from makes a difference.

Very True.

I've tried, but I can't think of a feature less important than DD5.1 support. The Dolby Surround used by both Game Cube and PS2 sounds great. Sure it will be a little better in DD 5.1, but overall it will not make a game any better. Next we will be complaining because games aren't in DTS.

As far as memory card support, not all Xbox games support the memory card and that is by far my biggest complaint. I prefer memory card saving to hard drive saving anyday. If my console has problems I at least want my saved games backed up to a card. I will also take a console the size of the Game Cube over the bulky Xbox any day.

Arguing about the hardware is a terrible way to pick a console though. Look at the games and pick the console with the most titles you want.

I believe that PS2 games will incorporate DD5.1 and all the HighDef periferalls at a later time, but I think that it will be mostly for the upcoming PS3 since it will be backwards compatible.

As far as the HardDrive on the PS2 is concerned, I don't think it will be coming out at all. The PS2 is definately a tired old girl and I think that the PS3 will be one helluva system that will incorporate all that is needed in todays systems.

No matter what it costs, I'm gonna wait for the PS3 instead of getting a PS2. But I'll be buying PS2 games while I wait.

You've got a long wait ahead just for DD 5.1 sound. At least two and a half years.

You can copy the save files onto the memory card thru the dashboard as a way to back them up. Have you had problems doing this?

Why? What does size have to do with the games?

I don't agree the hardware can give a hint at what the console is capable of in future games, which are what matter most to me.

Sorry my mistake, but that is what I meant all along.


Hmm. I disagree. Why do you think it is important to movies but not to games? I think that it always matter to know where your enemy is. Give me one example where it dosen't, and plese make it something that has enemies and not a sports game.

P.S. If DD5.1 is not important then why do so many people have DD5.1 recievers?

Probably because he has never experienced DD 5.1 in-game when it was fully supported by the system. It is very effective for games like Halo and Silent Hill 2. It actually will give you an advantage since you can hear from where people are coming with more accuracy than pro-logic.

I seriously cannot believe this thread is up to 3 pages. This is only the millionth time someone has asked this question. Does no one do their own research anymore?

Look at the consoles specs. Look at the games. Buy which one you like the most.

Watching the same people give the same tired speeches on how my console can beat up your console is getting old.

I sometimes wonder if someone starts these threads just because they enjoy seeing people argue (a new thread with the same damn question pops up every other day).

I will repeat...look the all the consoles specs. Look at the choice of current & future games. Buy the one that interests you the most. Jeez...how hard is it?

Something with enemies? Do you actually think that the majority of games have enemies? What about all the Fighting, Sports, Racing, Platformers, etc which don't have enemies (well, platformers have enemies, but its not like you can't see them behind you). The majority of games out there have no need for DD5.1. You want one example. Fighting games. There are no enemies behind you, so you don't need detailed sound behind you. DD5.1 is advantageous in some games, but the majority do gain anything from it.

Ok never mind. I have been away from this board for too long. I was not aware that this is a continuous question. I apologize for trolling, since that is effectively what this thread is.

P.S. joshd2012 please read more carefully, I said no sports. Fighting is an exaggerated for of boxing, a sport, and wait till driving online comes. Knowing that somebody is about to pass you on the right will be great. That way you can block them.

I would rather have 5.1 than not have it. I don't care if it's necessary, I want the best possible experience.

Well, this thread has quickly turned into a troll fest. Here's what I think:

X-Box and the PS2 are both great gaming machines. Both of them have or will have a large selection of quality games. As of now, the PS2 has a bigger selection of games I am interested in (Japanese RPGs). The graphics on the X-Box, on the other hand, are gorgeous, but that's not to say the PS2 graphics are crap. As far as some of the other features, the X-Box can implement DD5.1 and HD-capable now whereas the PS2 can PERHAPS implement these features sometime down the line. Who knows?

I prefer the PS2. Having the games I like is perhaps the single most important determining factor. Size and aesthetics are also important to me. The X-Box is just an ugly console and does not go well with my existing HT setup. It's just a few sizes smaller than my receiver, which I don't like, and the green does nothing for me. Also, the front of the X-Box does not look all that great. It's too plain-looking. As for the PS2, I don't like how it looks either. The unit is too short along its width and sticks out when I put it next to the receiver, DVD, and Tivo, which are all much longer width-wise. Instead, I prefer to hook up the PS2 upstairs to a small 32'' Trinitron in the bedroom. However, I do love taking the PS2 downstairs to the HT and hooking it up to a 57'' projection. IMO, this is where the PS2 wins out. The X-Box is cumbersome to take up and down. The PS2's small size makes it convenient to move between the basement and the second floor. It just takes one trip to lug the PS2, controllers, and wires.

The DD5.1 and HD-capable is great though. I love how the X-Box (borrowed from a friend) looked on the big screen, and the sound does add a subtle improvement to the games' ambiance. However, it's just one of those bells-and-whistles features IMO than it is something that I must have. Japanese RPGs and Fighters do not need DD5.1 in order to be good. Even GT3, a game that would be great candidate for DD5.1 does not need DD5.1 to be good. It stands well enough on it's own. Games like Fatal Frame and the Resident Evil Series would also be great candidates.

All in all, choose the games and then choose the console. In terms of overall gaming experience, I think both of these consoles offer good times to be had.

The reason people ask questions like this is they are tired of reading advertisements and trying to get some "real people's" opinions...I have read the specs over and over and reviews, and even with the price drop...its still a decent amt of money...so I want to be happy with the choice i make.

You're probably the one person who thinks Street Fighter 2 or Mortal Kombat would be classified as a sports game.

This thread doesn't have to be a troll thread, as long as people take a breath before they post and just talk about consoles, instead of everyone trying to be so picky in an attempt to find the gap in someone else's "armor."

Keep it civil, please.

I'm sorry, I honestly don't think that most people have 5.1 receivers so they can play their games in DD or DTS . Judging by the fact that there are much more people out there that have DVD players than consoles that support in-game DD5.1, I would have to say that most people have a DD receiver for DVD. It's important but, when compared to the other aspects of a console, it's not as important as other factors.

Then why not do a search & look at the 2 dozen previous threads? They involve the same info & the same arguements.

And since when did anyone of this forum qualify as a "real person."

Okay...I am real. I will give my choice & why.

I did the research around December & I picked the Xbox. I liked that it was a new system that had a limited number of games. I know I am in the minority here but I do not spend hours a day playing games. I play when I get a chance & I actually liked being able to keep up with the new games as they came out. I saw what was being announced for future releases & liked what I saw even then.

I never was a big fan of the PS1 (probably b/c I was late for the party and only had it a year before the PS2 came out). Since I did not have a ton of PS1 games, backwards compatability did not matter to me (but I think it is a great thing!).

So...there I was a year and a half (something like that) after the PS2 had been out, looking for a new gaming system to pour my hard-earned cash into. I have never been a fan of Nintendo and the PS2 had been out awhile & I wanted the best system available that did not look like it would fold immediately. The obvious answer for me was the Xbox.

I prefer DD5.1 & since I am getting a Widescreen HD TV sometime in the coming year, I wanted the best system for that. The consumer base that Xbox is catering to is the older professional male which is me. I like having the hard drive & I like the look of the box. It looks great next to my DVD player, receiver, etc. It is not a toy that I can hurl across the room at a whim or when I am pissed at a game. I love the big controller. It truly feels like a gaming system for an adult. The games will come just as they did & do on other brand new systems.

I have enjoyed Halo (& Halo parties), Max Payne, Rallisport, & too many others to list. I am not a Microsoft fanboy or lover. I just wanted the best system on the market and made my decision.

How was that for a real person's testimony? My name is Brian Smith...and I am a Xbox owner...

As far as PS2 and the 5.1 Digital everyone has been blathering about, yes it is capable of 5.1 there are just not many games out currently programmed for it in this format. The only one I have played in digital is Batman:Veangance and the digital was during the cut scenes. It still sounded good though. Oh, for the record I have a PS2 and a Gamecube. Even with its tech superiority, the games for the Xbox did not appeal to me. It does utilized some fascinating hardware though.