PS3 Launch Details Announced

[BJ_M]

Sony's conference offered up reassurance that a number of their titles will be playable at this year's E3. The controller will sense movement, allowing the player to move an onscreen avatar 'naturally'. They also released the system's launch details. The North American PS3 launch will occur on Nov. 17th, 2006. The 20GB HDD version will retail for $499, and the 60GB HDD version will go for $599. They promise 4 million launch units by December 31st.

posted as video news - as this unit will be THE HD playback blu-ray device for many - for some time

[Koleman]

THe 499$ unit does not have HDMI output.

[BJ_M]

The $499 Playstation 3 is also missing WiFi and Memory card reader.

and the Xbox 360 new Hd-DVD addon is seemingly missing HDCP

[akrako1]

and the Xbox 360 new Hd-DVD addon is seemingly missing HDCP

Anybody have a cite on this? Does that mean that the X-Box 360 will put out 1080i over component?

If so, then it might have an edge over the Sony. Weird, because I'd heard that Sony was initially disabling the downsampling over component on the Blu-Ray. Now that's what I really need, a 'war' to claim the early adopters of HD tech (ie non-HDCP folks like me)

[ROF]

THe 499$ unit does not have HDMI output.

It also more than twice the price of Nintendo's product.

[Denvers Dawgs]

PS3 will launch November 17. The PS3 will reportedly come in two different configurations, the cheaper of the two with a 20 gigabyte HDD and the more expensive, a 60 gig HD. Retail pricing was stated to be $499 and $599 respectively. This includes a Blu-ray drive and integrated networking capability. By the way, Sony has promised an online back end similar to the one for Microsoft's Xbox...for free.

PS3 will come with several interoperability features, including a function that will allow the PSP to link directly into the console. The conference call also alluded to some WiFi integration, and considering the networking between the PSP and the PS3, we can only assume this means some 802.11 protocol. Bluetooth will also be standard on the PS3.

The wireless controllers will allow for seven players at a time to use the same console. The wireless controllers are a strong departure from the old "boomerang" concept design. In fact, the controller looks almost exactly like the existing PS2 controller with the addition of two trigger buttons under the L1 and R1 pads, but also features motion sensitivity. The internal motion sensitivity gives the controller "six degrees of freedom." A mini-USB interface is also featured on the front of the controller -- we suspect for recharging the batteries. Sony stresses that this is not the final design, though our representative claims there will be very few changes before launch.


Here are some Specs from E3



[Here is the console as of today



Here is the controller as of today

[lumis]

As soon as I can, I will be pre-ordering a 60GB model. In fact, I may pre-order a few (keep one for myself, resell the others and use the profit to pay for my own)

[yoda313]

I guess everyone was right about the prehype about the original 900 price tag. So they are making it in target with the 360.

I still won't buy either unless and until I buy a HDTV. I don't really play that many games anymore so what I have is enough for me.

[Denvers Dawgs]

I may just get it for the few games I will play, plus the blue ray player...

[shelbyGT]

I got the 360 now, I'll wait for the ps3 to price drop.

[lumis]

For $600, how could you say no to a Blu-ray player & Playstation 3?

[Bob W]

For $600, how could you say no to a Blu-ray player & Playstation 3?

Easy, how about a $500 xBox with HD DVD player? Could happen all MS has to do is around November drop the price of the xBox by $50 and sell the HD DVD add on for $150. Imo MS could sell a ton of them around Christmas time.

[genki500]

Bundle, bundle, bundle.
Early adaptors expect to shell out $700-$800 with a few games; next season price will fall, just wait a while...

[mattyboy]

For $600, how could you say no to a Blu-ray player & Playstation 3?

Very easy!!

This is a quote form another member, so I didnt come up with it, but its still relevant:"
"Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, the answer to a question no asked"
Who cares about that seriously? It sure wont make BIO-DOME a better movie!!

[Bob W]

For $600, how could you say no to a Blu-ray player & Playstation 3?

Very easy!!

This is a quote form another member, so I didnt come up with it, but its still relevant:"
"Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, the answer to a question no asked"
Who cares about that seriously? It sure wont make BIO-DOME a better movie!!

I have the Toshiba HD DVD player and it would make Bio-Dome a better movie to watch. I doubt it can make any movie better.

[jolo]

Are all of you ready to spend $600 for the Playstation 3?

Why?

I really want to see what Nintendo, or whatever their new name is comeso ut with. I have a feeling it will be a lot better price/performance.

What I am very leery about the the PS/3 is what Sony has been up to in the last couple of years.
They have really been the worst of the RIAA pirates. Coming up with that horrific software that loads on your PC, without any confirmation from the user and can take over your PC ? You just have to play a Sony audio or DVD and it would load.

Sony's push for control of market share and ignoring standards and basically hating any open source product.

One more thing, Sony music has been the most "evil" of all of the RIAA companies. Currently the Allman Brothers are suing Sony for ripping them off on the royalties coming from legal downloads of their music. They are trying to get all of the 2,500 artists who are similarly being ripped off by Sony to make it a class action suit.

Then their weird new formats, which are so propriatary and make things so complex. I am concerned about how difficult it will be with the PS/3.

Jon

[killerhex]

i already have money separated for the ps3

[lumis]

For $600, how could you say no to a Blu-ray player & Playstation 3?

Very easy!!

This is a quote form another member, so I didnt come up with it, but its still relevant:"
"Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, the answer to a question no asked"
Who cares about that seriously? It sure wont make BIO-DOME a better movie!!

I don't know how much I will actually use the Blu-Ray to watch Blu-Ray movies, I may purchase/rent a few titles that I really like. But having it for use with an HDTV should be pretty sweet.

I've had a PS2 & an XBOX, I found out long ago that the PS2 was a much better gaming machine than the XBOX. But the XBOX does have the charm of being an awesome & inexpensive media player (when hacked).

I will be purchasing the PS3 mainly as a gaming device, but having the Blu-Ray player is nice too. I will consider purchasing an XBOX 360 once it's hacked and a great media player is developed for it.

And what's wrong with BIO-DOME? That's a good movie!

[The Stinger]

Then their weird new formats, which are so propriatary and make things so complex. I am concerned about how difficult it will be with the PS/3.

Jon

Can you elaborate a bit more on this format? I ask cause you are aware that Blu-Ray is not a Sony only format. So what format are you speaking of that would have to do with the PS3?

[reco]

XBOX 360 HD DVD addon will have no (HDMI/HDCP) output. It will use the standard Component output of the main device.

The funny thing is the 360 runs at resolutions up to 1080i, but it plays normal DVD without upscaling.

I wonder if they will donwgrade the HD-DVD quality, what would make the whole HD-DVD addon pretty stupid, since it does not have a HDMI.

The same question applies to the PS3, if the cheper version has no HDMI output, but it also comes with a Blueray reader, how it is going to output in HD, component without HDMI? It that is also true, this whole HDCP is broken even before it began (not that I am complaining).

Here some pictures (front and back) of the HD-DVD addon for the XBOX 360:

www.xbox-scene.com

Regards

[lordsmurf]

I can easily think of 50 ways to spend $500-1000.
None of them include XBOX360 or PS3.