I have to give them more credit than that. The back of the PS3 has a standard HDMI port and HDMI handles the audio and video simultaneously which is what the proprietary cables on all console lately have done. Sony isn't the only one to have a single A/V port and offer various dongles to connect to the display and audio devices.

I can understand them not wanting to pack in even more "value" to the $600 unit, but HDMI is a selling point of that system.

Here's another link to buy a cable: http://store.4linkcomm.com/hdmatohdmago1.html

That would be awesome. My current screen is 122" so I wouldn't have room to do any extra, but if you have something like 42" plasmas (and money to burn), that would be sweet!

Well like I said, things can change.

Just like the back of the "demo" units had 2x HDMI outputs.

It isn't a big deal to me if you know going into it. But it sucks to buy a premium edition of something, get it home, and realize you don't have everything you need.

Especially considering Sony could have probably included them for about $3 extra.

European sales of Sony's PlayStation 3 delayed until March

TOKYO - Sony's upgrade video-game console PlayStation 3 will be delayed until March in Europe, but will go on sale in November as planned in the U.S. and Japan, the executive in charge of the project said Wednesday.

The sales delay is caused by a problem in mass producing a key component in the Blu-ray disc laser part of the machine, the next-generation successor to Sony Corp.'s hit PlayStation 2, Sony Computer Entertainment Chief Ken Kutaragi told reporters.

"We decided to focus on the Japanese and U.S. markets," he said at the gaming unit's Tokyo headquarters. "I am so sorry not to be able to answer to all the expectations."

The company is still sticking to its initial global target of shipping 6 million PlayStation 3 machines by March 2007.

But far fewer machines will be available for the launch dates in Japan and the U.S. because of the production problem, Kutaragi said.

In the U.S., about 400,000 PlayStation 3 machines will be available when they go on sale Nov. 17. About 100,000 will be available on the Nov. 11 Japan launch date.

The production problem is causing about a one-month delay that will reduce the company's supply capacity by about a million machines from the original plan, he said.

"We've been working hard to try to tackle the problem, but we see the delay is inevitable," he said.

James Hong, Head of Equity Derivatives Trading at Dresdner Kleinwort in Tokyo, said the news may put another dent in Sony's stock, which fell 50 yen, or about 1 percent, to 5,050 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The market closed before the announcement.

"This seems to be the continuation of a series of bad news. People were prepared to wait for the PS3, but delaying its European launch so they miss the Christmas season is just so not good," he said.

"This is a crucial product given its Blu-ray features, and they need to get it out fast. I doubt this is going to help their stock price," he said.

The set-back is the latest to hit Sony, which is has been overhauling its electronics operations to catch up in key electronics products such as MP3 digital music players.

Last month, its shares tumbled after Dell Inc. and Apple Computer Inc. issued huge recalls of defective laptop batteries made by one of Sony's subsidiaries, Sony Energy Devices Corp.

Kutaragi said other preparation work on the machine was going smoothly, including the "cell" next-generation computer chip. Mass production of the machine is set to start end of September, he said.

Although Sony had initially counted on shipping 4 million PlayStation 3 machines worldwide by the end of the year, that will likely fall to 2 million, he said.

The exact European sales date will be announced later, but it will likely be in the early part of March, he said.

Blu-ray disc is the next-generation video format for the latest DVD recorders and players, but also an essential part of the PlayStation 3.

[Source]

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Yikes.

Just means there will be more of a chance that the US will have the most units avail for this all important holiday season. Europe always gets screwed by every game company in the world. This isnt that big of a surprise to me.

As late as two weeks ago, they were still claiming 2 million. Sony's share in the PS2 hardware sales breaks down this way: 20% Japan, 40% US, 40% Europe. The US was supposed to get 800,000 units. Now we're getting half that. The Japanese are getting 25% of what they should've gotten. Europe is getting nothing.

This is a tough time for Sony. They will have no problem selling out stock through the end of the year (even if they make all 2 million), but now they've given the 360 a year-and-a-half start in Europe, a market arguably as important as Japan. When the PS2 launched, there was no competition. It was well known that the Dreamcast was on its way out. As late as February 2000, Microsoft did not acknowledge the existence of the Xbox. The PS2's market was there for the taking.

Right now, the PS3 launch looks like it's going to be like the Xbox 360 launch, but worse -- in terms of availability and pricing. While that's good news for eBayers everywhere, it's not good news for anyone else.

These production problems worry me. How reliable are these first units going to be?

Its far from what was desired, but i dont think anyone thought it would be 100% smooth sailing. I knew it would be released in US and japan no matter what, but europe is an afterthought even tho its such a huge market.

Also, the 360 hasnt been received very well in europe as well. Its not doing bad like it is in japan, but its not dominating europe with a storm of fury by any means. I dont know how nintendo fairs over in europe, so i wont comment on them. Honestly, this is a let down, but the xbox 360 launched in the US with 400k units. Sound familiar? And thats with much less advanced hardware (dvd vs blu-ray, ethernet vs wifi, every system has a hdd, etc etc). Obviously they should try to make more systems, but sometimes, its just out of your hands and you have to rely on other companys. So end result, not much changed for the US market. Its still going to be hard to get a system, its still going to be a ebayer's dream, and we're still having a exciting holiday season in terms of products being released by game companys and movie studios.

Roll em out!

THIS IS ABSURD! Jesus Christ, do you even listen to yourself?

400,000 > 100,000 > 0, that is true, no doubt. But it is a far cry from what was promised by Sony (again!). I wouldn't be happy about this if I had any interest in the PS3 as a Blu-Ray player like you do or for that other feature it has, what is it again?

You're talking an average of 8,000 per state. Obviously the bigger markets will get more than the smaller, but what number of these 400,000 are going to be gobbled up by people in the retail chain? The chance of you, or anyone, getting one of these for less than $1000 is now a fantasy.

I'm more curious what the impact on Japan only getting 100,000 units will be. Even a week before the US.

I think you are going overboard on the launch madness. A lot of people will need to own it DAY 1. I and a lot of others are not in this group. If i have to wait a couple of weeks for another shipment or even a month, as long as i have one before xmas, i wont be too concerned. Heck, the first time i actually saw a Xbox 360 in a store that i could actually TOUCH and buy was in 06, way past the window of opportunity. But i think we'll be seeing the ps3 become more available then the 360 was. The 360 launch was a serious disaster till the end of year, when units actually showed up. I expect weekly or bi-weekly shipments of ps3 from launch and on.

I have a lot of patience. I've waited this long for the format of film i prefer to own, another month ontop of that isnt going to make life any different.

From Gamespot: "GameStop is also currently accepting preorders for a "universal" game-console HDMI cable that will cost $99.99. [UPDATE: The GameStop HDMI cable listing has since been pulled.]"

I guess we'll just wait for the PS3's "true launch" then

More power to you. I too can wait. I can wait for a game I need to play and a entry price that doesn't teeter on insane. The only PS3 games I feel I "need" are potentially DQ9 and KH3, neither of which have been announced for any system anyway. If the Japanese don't embrace the PS3 then these titles could easily remain on the PS2 or even the Wii.

As reliable as the first run of the PS1 and PS2, of course.

What could POSSIBLY lead you to believe this launch will be any different from the Xbox 360? It looks like it's going to be exactly the same scenario.

We were going to get 800,000 units at launch. Now we're getting 400,000. We were supposed to get 1.6 million units by December 2006. Now we're getting 800,000.

800,000 consoles × $769* = $631,200,000.00

Yeah, no, that's not any money whatsoever. Not a big deal.


* Avg console price of $549 + 3 games at $60 each + 1 game / controller / cable / memory card / remote control at $50. This is roughly what the Xbox 360 attach rate was.

Don't forget that everyone who buys a PS3 is automatically going to load up BD discs.

more great news for BD discs. after you drop your $1500.00+ on your shiny new PS3 from that ebay scalper you'll definately want to run out and buy some movies at $25.00 a pop. oh wait, won't you want to get a game or 2 instead for your new $1500.00+ VIDEO GAME CONSOLE?

Oh, right. The estimates here from the BD camp are two or three per console, right? Add nother $60MM on that number.

So are any stores like EBgames/Gamestop etc. taking pre-orders yet?

I don't see how they can, considering Sony's completely unpredictable behaviour with the PS3. How can they take preorders when they have no idea how many (if any) they will actually get come the release?

Sounds all too familiar. Sony needs to admit they jumped the gun and just postpone the system for a few more months, people have been waiting this long - a little longer will piss a few fanboys off but be better for Sony's image overall. Nothing stings worse than being branded incapable.

That's what I was thinking.

You really should be an analyst with Merrill Lynch with such insightful commentary....