PlayStation 3 May Face Downgrades - Blu-ray Forum

thunderhawk · 06-14-2006, 07:55 AM

PlayStation 3 May Face Downgrades

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., the maker of PlayStation game consoles, may lower the performance of its PlayStation 3 compared to planned levels in order to ensure that the company can meet volume goals. The speed decreases may lower quality of games for the forthcoming game machines.

According to a source familiar with Sony PlayStation 3’s progress cited by Kotaku web-site, Sony may lower clock-speed of the Cell processor in the console to 2.80GHz (down from 3.50GHz expected initially) and may end-up using external 400W power supply, which is an indicator that there is not enough space inside the console for the pretty hot component. The processor clock-speed downgrade is conditioned by low-yields of the chips at higher clock-speeds.

“The current designs despite having vents all over the place apparently still can’t dissipate the heat to sufficient levels,” the anonymous source claimed.

The source, who was referred to as “Phantom Insider” indicated that there are no problems with Nvidia RSX graphics processor, it is finished and “has been finished for quite a few months now”.

Earlier it was reported that game developers used high-performance PCs to showcase what the PlayStation 3 game consoles would be able to deliver to gamers. The game developers who did not run their demos on the pre-release Sony PlayStation 3 hardware, used high-performance personal computers, such as those featuring high-speed Nvidia GeForce 7900 graphics cards in SLI mode or even ATI’s Radeon X1900 in CrossFire mode.

It is typical for game console developers to tailor specifications of their machines till nearly the actual release. However, game developers are still worried about the fact that they still do not know any actual specifications of the PlayStation 3.

Sony PlayStation 3 console is based on the Cell processor developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba, the RSX graphics chip by Nvidia Corp. and will be equipped with Blu-ray optical disk drive. According to Merrill Lynch research company, the most expensive component of the PlayStation 3 will be its Blu-ray disk drive, which will initially cost $350. The second most expensive part of the gaming machine will be the Cell processor which will cost Sony “at least” $230 per unit to make. Nvidia’s RSX graphics processor will cost $70, while for 256MB of XDR memory as well as 256MB of GDDR3 memory Sony will have to pay $50, believes Merrily Lynch. In total, the price may reach $900 just to manufacture one PlayStation 3 console. The PS3 game consoles will cost $499 or $599 depending on the system configuration.

Source: http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multime...612160823.html
So they're having problems with a too hot Cell processor @ 3.2 GHz... Let's hope they don't downgrade the processor...
I wouldn't care if the power supply would be external. + If a BD drive only would cost $350...

partridge · 06-14-2006, 12:27 PM

Sorry but I can't take anything like this seriously; I mean come one "the phantom insider", yeah, right!

And the images look like photoshop jobs.

More propaganda, why do so many people want the PS3 to fail or suffer in some way? No, that's not aimed at the original poster, just to clarify.

So Sony, having shipped hundreds of development kits are now, less than 6 months from launch, changing the capabilities of the console.... oh, yeah, that sounds so convincing.

Anyway, the PS3 is using an external power source isn't it? One that Sony have already claimed is as quiet as the slim PS2 one

The Don · 06-14-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by partridge

Sorry but I can't take anything like this seriously; I mean come one "the phantom insider", yeah, right!

And the images look like photoshop jobs.

More propaganda, why do so many people want the PS3 to fail or suffer in some way? No, that's not aimed at the original poster, just to clarify.

So Sony, having shipped hundreds of development kits are now, less than 6 months from launch, changing the capabilities of the console.... oh, yeah, that sounds so convincing.

Anyway, the PS3 is using an external power source isn't it? One that Sony have already claimed is as quiet as the slim PS2 one

yeah...it's not like Sony doesn't have the technology or capability to make this system work even at a smaller size than it currently is at now...

marzetta7 · 06-14-2006, 04:40 PM

Anyone else getting tired of the doom and gloom regarding anything PS3 or Blu-ray? Anyhow, looking at this, I just consider the source, as most of the Blu-ray / HD DVD articles that are from this site append this paragraph toward the end...

"Blu-ray and HD DVD formats compete for replacing the DVD standard. HD DVD discs can store up to 15GB on a single layer and up to 30GB on two layers. Its competitor, Blu-ray, can store up to 27GB per single layer and up to 50GB on two layers, but Blu-ray discs are more expensive to produce. The HD DVD is pushed aggressively by Toshiba and NEC as well as being standardized at the DVD Forum, which represents over 230 consumer electronics, information technology, and content companies worldwide. Blu-ray is backed by Sony and Panasonic, which are among the world’s largest makers of electronics. Among Hollywood studios HD is supported by Warner Bros. Studios, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures, whereas Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox endorse Blu-ray."

If this isn't misleading, I don't know what is. I just can't help but categorize this site as part of the propaganda machine that is Microsoft & Toshiba Inc.

partridge · 06-15-2006, 08:37 AM

It really is open season on the PS3 at the moment, no idea why. Maybe the tech media have collectively decided it's time Sony were brought down a peg or two? Too long at the top, so it's time to bring them down by reporting as much anti PS3 speculation as possible and waiting for Sony to comment, and then of course assuming the speculation must be true if Sony don't bite.

PS3 has the potential to be an incredible device, doing things the 360 will never be able to match, but all this doom and gloom is so distracting, it actually does have me doubting the machine.

One thing I am waiting for though is an independent review of the PS3 movie playback, I want to know whether it upscales DVD too.

suprmallet · 06-15-2006, 09:00 AM

The 360 can upscale DVDs through VGA. PS3 has HDMI. I promise you it will upconvert DVDs.

As for why it's getting ragged on, well, Sony kind of brought it on themselves. Right now they're acting like the cock of the walk, and with a $600 video game system, a lot of people think they're too arrogant. Especially with Nintendo making such a big showing at E3 and Sony coming off as kind of weak. As a game system, I'm much more excited for the Wii. But between upconverting PS2 games and BD movies, I'm going to get plenty out of my PS3 without buying one game for it in the first month or so that it's out.

partridge · 06-15-2006, 12:23 PM

That's the appeal for me though; HD games and movies in one unit. Not the cheap and tacky add on approach that some have adopted.

Also, full connectivity with my PSP, a great collection of PS2 games - all in all there really is only one console worth investing in.

AV_Integrated · 06-15-2006, 01:03 PM

Really... PS3 has about $900 of hardware in it. Add the cost of actual product development... then pay $500 or $600.

It's a steal of a product. I don't know about the processors or how they may affect the actual system. But, I look forward to being able to pull my PS2 out and still be able to play games I already own (not many).

The add-on drive is nice for the 360, but doesn't do much to enhance game play. But, the 360 is great as a video game system by itself.

Nintendo and Wii have a lot of noise generated - which is great. But, will it actually outshine PS3 when the time comes? That's a big unknown as far as I can tell.

marzetta7 · 06-15-2006, 06:29 PM

Quote:

The add-on drive is nice for the 360, but doesn't do much to enhance game play. But, the 360 is great as a video game system by itself.

It doesn't do much to enhance HD movies either, with it only being capable of 720P and possibly costing $199. Not to mention adding to the clutter of your respective home video setup.

I totally agree that Wii has received much fan fare, but will their games ultimately be lossed on those gamers who are expecting much more hardcore games, not ones tailored to little kids. Don't get me wrong, there is defintely a market for that, but will it cause Nintendo to trump the PS3 as the market leader? I find it hard to believe.

suprmallet · 06-15-2006, 08:45 PM

Considering the Wii has easily the most 3rd party support right now, plus their 1st party games are the best known game franchises in the world (Mario, Zelda, and Metroid, respectively), and I can promise you that the Wii will be a major hit. The PS3 will not be the leader because it's $600 and not everyone wants to play HD movies right now. The Wii is cheap, it's creative, and only the most ardent Microsoft fans I've talked to are not interested in it. Just about everyone else is, because a true "hardcore" gamer is interested in good gaming regardless of whether or not it's HD or whether or not you can shoot people.

marzetta7 · 06-15-2006, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suprmallet

Considering the Wii has easily the most 3rd party support right now, plus their 1st party games are the best known game franchises in the world (Mario, Zelda, and Metroid, respectively), and I can promise you that the Wii will be a major hit. The PS3 will not be the leader because it's $600 and not everyone wants to play HD movies right now. The Wii is cheap, it's creative, and only the most ardent Microsoft fans I've talked to are not interested in it. Just about everyone else is, because a true "hardcore" gamer is interested in good gaming regardless of whether or not it's HD or whether or not you can shoot people.

You can promise me heh? Granted, some Nintendo titles are hugely popular, I'll give you that, but these titles existed in older offerings from Nintendo, yet they still failed to garner mass marketshare. Furthermore, where are you getting the info that the Wii has the most 3rd party support?

I think the Wii will be popular, and may manage to garner a few more extra percentage points in terms of marketshare, but it will not supplant the PS3 as the market leader.

What I'd like to know is, how many units Nintendo plans on shipping, as compared to the 4 million units of the PS3 that will sell by December 31st.

suprmallet · 06-15-2006, 11:05 PM

I work in video games, it's my job to know this stuff. The Wii has the most third party support, period. Even Hideo Kojima, who is currently making Metal Gear Solid 4 for the PS3, is talking about moving away from MGS4 to do something for the Wii because he is so damn excited about it. Nintendo has a hit on their hands and most people don't even realize it.

The PS3 will not be the hit that the PS2 was at $600. It will sell out over the holidays. After that it will be tough for them to keep up the level of sales they're used to.

partridge · 06-16-2006, 08:17 AM

Time will tell. But despite your claim to "know these things" I don't see the Wii having the most 3rd party support, it's an area that Nintendo have always struggled with and I'd be surprised if that has changed overnight.

If the Wii is cheap to buy then yes, Nintendo may have a hit on their hands, but I know I'm not the only one who thinks it is primarily a gimmick console. Sony introduced this kind of "no controller" game play with Eyetoy, Buzz and Singstar, now Nintendo have made a whole console out of the concept! But gamers still want traditional games too.

I reckon it would also be possible for MS and Sony to release add ons that mimic what the Wii does too, if it did take off in big numbers.

My other problem is that it is made for standard tv sets, I have an HD tv and I know from PS2 how rough standard graphics can look on a hi def set.

Personally I'll be giving the Wii a miss.

partridge · 06-16-2006, 11:07 AM

Sony have responded to the downgrade story:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=17747

Games Radar and the inquirer websites seem to be the place for rumour mongering.

Isn't Games Radar sponsored by MSN? Shurely shome mishtake...

suprmallet · 06-16-2006, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by partridge

Time will tell. But despite your claim to "know these things" I don't see the Wii having the most 3rd party support, it's an area that Nintendo have always struggled with and I'd be surprised if that has changed overnight.

If the Wii is cheap to buy then yes, Nintendo may have a hit on their hands, but I know I'm not the only one who thinks it is primarily a gimmick console. Sony introduced this kind of "no controller" game play with Eyetoy, Buzz and Singstar, now Nintendo have made a whole console out of the concept! But gamers still want traditional games too.

I reckon it would also be possible for MS and Sony to release add ons that mimic what the Wii does too, if it did take off in big numbers.

My other problem is that it is made for standard tv sets, I have an HD tv and I know from PS2 how rough standard graphics can look on a hi def set.

Personally I'll be giving the Wii a miss.

The Wii will output in 480p and in 16:9 with double the graphics power of the Gamecube. That will look excellent on an HDTV. The Gamecube looked the best out of this current generation on my HDTV. The PS2 by far looked the worst. It's not fair to say your PS2 looks bad on HDTV, and therefore the Wii will, as well.

And name a game development company. They are developing a game for the Wii. Square Enix, Capcom, Ubisoft, Konami, etc. etc. etc. Every single game developer asked about the Wii has expressed extreme excitement about it. It DOES have the most third party support, regardless of what support the Gamecube had or what you think it has. Period.

marzetta7 · 06-16-2006, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suprmallet

The Wii will output in 480p and in 16:9 with double the graphics power of the Gamecube. That will look excellent on an HDTV. The Gamecube looked the best out of this current generation on my HDTV. The PS2 by far looked the worst. It's not fair to say your PS2 looks bad on HDTV, and therefore the Wii will, as well.

And name a game development company. They are developing a game for the Wii. Square Enix, Capcom, Ubisoft, Konami, etc. etc. etc. Every single game developer asked about the Wii has expressed extreme excitement about it. It DOES have the most third party support, regardless of what support the Gamecube had or what you think it has. Period.

What is this "Period." stuff? You sound like Rafael Palmeiro at the congressional hearings,..."I did not take sterioids...period!" Are we going to find some Vitamin B-12 in your statements or something?

Or did you get the info from Miguel Tejada, LOL.

Maybe, because I've been trying to look up the accuracy of your statement that the Wii has more third-party support, and well, from what I've found this is not the case...

Wii Support (Around 38 publishers) http://www.gamespot.com/news/6149746.html

PS3 Support (Around 71 publishers) http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/09...s_6133515.html

Granted, the info on the PS3 is a bit old, but unless a whold bunch of third-party companies jumped ship, it looks like the PS3 still has a third-party support advantage over Nintendo....Period. Just playin man. Hehehehe.

suprmallet · 06-17-2006, 06:13 AM

A good portion of Sony's 3rd party support will also have a 360 iteration, due to how expensive it is to develop games for either system. Publishers minimize their risk by putting them out on more than one system. However, due to the Wii's unique controller, it will have more exclusive games than either of the other systems.

Shoshingo · 07-13-2006, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suprmallet

A good portion of Sony's 3rd party support will also have a 360 iteration, due to how expensive it is to develop games for either system. Publishers minimize their risk by putting them out on more than one system. However, due to the Wii's unique controller, it will have more exclusive games than either of the other systems.

That`s partially true.....
Indeed, the Wii will have very unique and interesting games but you cannot expect the same feeling of playing a game on a 360 or PS3 to be equal on the Wii, This is because having a controller so unique limits the possibilities at the same time it expands them. But I dont want to turn this into a Wii controller discussion because, frankly, they`ll lead us nowhere. So I guess it`s safe to say: Time will tell........

partridge · 07-13-2006, 08:49 AM

If the Wii doesn't output HD resolution then, sorry, but its games won't look anywhere near as good as 360 or PS3 games on a hi def tv, Period (to use your venacular).

I'm sure the Wii will be great fun, but for me it is a gimmicky alternative to the standard game controller. The 360 and PS3 will share a lot of games, and that alone means developers will concentrate on those consoles as that is where the money lies. Unless the Wii takes a marching lead over the other two consoles, I can't see too many 3rd party developers creating many games for it because it just won't be financially worth it. They'll dabble, but whether they regularly release titles for it depends on how it sells.

However, so what? If you want a Wii (chortle chortle) then buy one and have fun.

Maybe I'm getting too old for this gaming lark, but I have little interest in the 360, no interest in the Wii and even the PS3 hasn't entirely convinced me yet.

georgir · 07-13-2006, 12:19 PM

the announced prices are very weird.
a normal dvd reader costs, what, $15 in retail stores now? i guess its half that to produce.
blue laser tech might be heaps more complex and hard to find right now, but the basic materials and labour that go into production aren't much different than a normal dvd drive, for sure. even a $100 estimate seems too high for a readonly device to me, $350 is certainly too high to be real. $350 will be the price of recorder drives in a year, i think.
the price of the cell cpu itself doesn't sound right too - despite all the hype it got, it doesn't seem much faster than a decent dualcore chip from a pc today - and amd is about to drop prices of theirs to $170 at the end of the month... if the cell is indeed as expencive as this article says, i really hope it's a better performer than my pc. downclocking it to 2.2ghz wouls be a pity though, considering the hype and rumors started out at 4ghz few years ago. explaining that with heat issues is pityful - its certainly better to put a decent heatsink, heatpipes, even watercooling or whatver it takes to make the thing work as planned instead of disappointing the customers and downgrading performace.
looking at the price of the gpu, i don't know if i want to laugh or cry - that chip is better than the ones nvidia sold for $700 until recently, and it only costs 10% to make? but yeah, it sounds about right. huge markup is what this industry has been all about.

06-14-2006, 07:55 AM	#1
thunderhawk Moderator Member since:Jul 2004 Location:Belgium	PlayStation 3 May Face Downgrades PlayStation 3 May Face Downgrades Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., the maker of PlayStation game consoles, may lower the performance of its PlayStation 3 compared to planned levels in order to ensure that the company can meet volume goals. The speed decreases may lower quality of games for the forthcoming game machines. According to a source familiar with Sony PlayStation 3’s progress cited by Kotaku web-site, Sony may lower clock-speed of the Cell processor in the console to 2.80GHz (down from 3.50GHz expected initially) and may end-up using external 400W power supply, which is an indicator that there is not enough space inside the console for the pretty hot component. The processor clock-speed downgrade is conditioned by low-yields of the chips at higher clock-speeds. “The current designs despite having vents all over the place apparently still can’t dissipate the heat to sufficient levels,” the anonymous source claimed. The source, who was referred to as “Phantom Insider” indicated that there are no problems with Nvidia RSX graphics processor, it is finished and “has been finished for quite a few months now”. Earlier it was reported that game developers used high-performance PCs to showcase what the PlayStation 3 game consoles would be able to deliver to gamers. The game developers who did not run their demos on the pre-release Sony PlayStation 3 hardware, used high-performance personal computers, such as those featuring high-speed Nvidia GeForce 7900 graphics cards in SLI mode or even ATI’s Radeon X1900 in CrossFire mode. It is typical for game console developers to tailor specifications of their machines till nearly the actual release. However, game developers are still worried about the fact that they still do not know any actual specifications of the PlayStation 3. Sony PlayStation 3 console is based on the Cell processor developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba, the RSX graphics chip by Nvidia Corp. and will be equipped with Blu-ray optical disk drive. According to Merrill Lynch research company, the *most expensive component of the PlayStation 3 will be its Blu-ray disk drive, which will initially cost $350. The second most expensive part of the gaming machine will be the Cell processor which will cost Sony “at least” $230 per unit to make. Nvidia’s RSX graphics processor will cost $70, while for 256MB of XDR memory as well as 256MB of GDDR3 memory Sony will have to pay $50, believes Merrily Lynch. In total, the price may reach $900 just to manufacture one PlayStation 3 console. The PS3 game consoles will cost $499 or $599 depending on the system configuration. Source: http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multime...612160823.html So they're having problems with a too hot Cell processor @ 3.2 GHz... Let's hope they don't downgrade the processor... I wouldn't care if the power supply would be external. + If a BD drive only would cost $350... Last edited by thunderhawk; 06-14-2006 at 07:58 AM.*

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06-14-2006, 12:27 PM	#2
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	Sorry but I can't take anything like this seriously; I mean come one "the phantom insider", yeah, right! And the images look like photoshop jobs. More propaganda, why do so many people want the PS3 to fail or suffer in some way? No, that's not aimed at the original poster, just to clarify. So Sony, having shipped hundreds of development kits are now, less than 6 months from launch, changing the capabilities of the console.... oh, yeah, that sounds so convincing. Anyway, the PS3 is using an external power source isn't it? One that Sony have already claimed is as quiet as the slim PS2 one

06-14-2006, 04:40 PM	#4
marzetta7 Special Member Member since:Feb 2006	Anyone else getting tired of the doom and gloom regarding anything PS3 or Blu-ray? Anyhow, looking at this, I just consider the source, as most of the Blu-ray / HD DVD articles that are from this site append this paragraph toward the end... "Blu-ray and HD DVD formats compete for replacing the DVD standard. HD DVD discs can store up to 15GB on a single layer and up to 30GB on two layers. Its competitor, Blu-ray, can store up to 27GB per single layer and up to 50GB on two layers, but Blu-ray discs are more expensive to produce. The HD DVD is pushed aggressively by Toshiba and NEC as well as being standardized at the DVD Forum, which represents over 230 consumer electronics, information technology, and content companies worldwide. Blu-ray is backed by Sony and Panasonic, which are among the world’s largest makers of electronics. Among Hollywood studios HD is supported by Warner Bros. Studios, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures, whereas Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox endorse Blu-ray." If this isn't misleading, I don't know what is. I just can't help but categorize this site as part of the propaganda machine that is Microsoft & Toshiba Inc.

06-15-2006, 08:37 AM	#5
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	It really is open season on the PS3 at the moment, no idea why. Maybe the tech media have collectively decided it's time Sony were brought down a peg or two? Too long at the top, so it's time to bring them down by reporting as much anti PS3 speculation as possible and waiting for Sony to comment, and then of course assuming the speculation must be true if Sony don't bite. PS3 has the potential to be an incredible device, doing things the 360 will never be able to match, but all this doom and gloom is so distracting, it actually does have me doubting the machine. One thing I am waiting for though is an independent review of the PS3 movie playback, I want to know whether it upscales DVD too.

06-15-2006, 09:00 AM	#6
suprmallet Active Member Member since:Jun 2006 Blu-ray collection:264	The 360 can upscale DVDs through VGA. PS3 has HDMI. I promise you it will upconvert DVDs. As for why it's getting ragged on, well, Sony kind of brought it on themselves. Right now they're acting like the cock of the walk, and with a $600 video game system, a lot of people think they're too arrogant. Especially with Nintendo making such a big showing at E3 and Sony coming off as kind of weak. As a game system, I'm much more excited for the Wii. But between upconverting PS2 games and BD movies, I'm going to get plenty out of my PS3 without buying one game for it in the first month or so that it's out.

06-15-2006, 12:23 PM	#7
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	That's the appeal for me though; HD games and movies in one unit. Not the cheap and tacky add on approach that some have adopted. Also, full connectivity with my PSP, a great collection of PS2 games - all in all there really is only one console worth investing in.

06-15-2006, 01:03 PM	#8
AV_Integrated Senior Member Member since:Jan 2005	Really... PS3 has about $900 of hardware in it. Add the cost of actual product development... then pay $500 or $600. It's a steal of a product. I don't know about the processors or how they may affect the actual system. But, I look forward to being able to pull my PS2 out and still be able to play games I already own (not many). The add-on drive is nice for the 360, but doesn't do much to enhance game play. But, the 360 is great as a video game system by itself. Nintendo and Wii have a lot of noise generated - which is great. But, will it actually outshine PS3 when the time comes? That's a big unknown as far as I can tell.

06-15-2006, 08:45 PM	#10
suprmallet Active Member Member since:Jun 2006 Blu-ray collection:264	Considering the Wii has easily the most 3rd party support right now, plus their 1st party games are the best known game franchises in the world (Mario, Zelda, and Metroid, respectively), and I can promise you that the Wii will be a major hit. The PS3 will not be the leader because it's $600 and not everyone wants to play HD movies right now. The Wii is cheap, it's creative, and only the most ardent Microsoft fans I've talked to are not interested in it. Just about everyone else is, because a true "hardcore" gamer is interested in good gaming regardless of whether or not it's HD or whether or not you can shoot people.

06-15-2006, 11:05 PM	#12
suprmallet Active Member Member since:Jun 2006 Blu-ray collection:264	I work in video games, it's my job to know this stuff. The Wii has the most third party support, period. Even Hideo Kojima, who is currently making Metal Gear Solid 4 for the PS3, is talking about moving away from MGS4 to do something for the Wii because he is so damn excited about it. Nintendo has a hit on their hands and most people don't even realize it. The PS3 will not be the hit that the PS2 was at $600. It will sell out over the holidays. After that it will be tough for them to keep up the level of sales they're used to.

06-16-2006, 08:17 AM	#13
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	Time will tell. But despite your claim to "know these things" I don't see the Wii having the most 3rd party support, it's an area that Nintendo have always struggled with and I'd be surprised if that has changed overnight. If the Wii is cheap to buy then yes, Nintendo may have a hit on their hands, but I know I'm not the only one who thinks it is primarily a gimmick console. Sony introduced this kind of "no controller" game play with Eyetoy, Buzz and Singstar, now Nintendo have made a whole console out of the concept! But gamers still want traditional games too. I reckon it would also be possible for MS and Sony to release add ons that mimic what the Wii does too, if it did take off in big numbers. My other problem is that it is made for standard tv sets, I have an HD tv and I know from PS2 how rough standard graphics can look on a hi def set. Personally I'll be giving the Wii a miss.

06-16-2006, 11:07 AM	#14
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	Sony have responded to the downgrade story: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=17747 Games Radar and the inquirer websites seem to be the place for rumour mongering. Isn't Games Radar sponsored by MSN? Shurely shome mishtake...

06-17-2006, 06:13 AM	#17
suprmallet Active Member Member since:Jun 2006 Blu-ray collection:264	A good portion of Sony's 3rd party support will also have a 360 iteration, due to how expensive it is to develop games for either system. Publishers minimize their risk by putting them out on more than one system. However, due to the Wii's unique controller, it will have more exclusive games than either of the other systems.

07-13-2006, 08:49 AM	#19
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	If the Wii doesn't output HD resolution then, sorry, but its games won't look anywhere near as good as 360 or PS3 games on a hi def tv, Period (to use your venacular). I'm sure the Wii will be great fun, but for me it is a gimmicky alternative to the standard game controller. The 360 and PS3 will share a lot of games, and that alone means developers will concentrate on those consoles as that is where the money lies. Unless the Wii takes a marching lead over the other two consoles, I can't see too many 3rd party developers creating many games for it because it just won't be financially worth it. They'll dabble, but whether they regularly release titles for it depends on how it sells. However, so what? If you want a Wii (chortle chortle) then buy one and have fun. Maybe I'm getting too old for this gaming lark, but I have little interest in the 360, no interest in the Wii and even the PS3 hasn't entirely convinced me yet.

07-13-2006, 12:19 PM	#20
georgir Active Member Member since:Mar 2005	the announced prices are very weird. a normal dvd reader costs, what, $15 in retail stores now? i guess its half that to produce. blue laser tech might be heaps more complex and hard to find right now, but the basic materials and labour that go into production aren't much different than a normal dvd drive, for sure. even a $100 estimate seems too high for a readonly device to me, $350 is certainly too high to be real. $350 will be the price of recorder drives in a year, i think. the price of the cell cpu itself doesn't sound right too - despite all the hype it got, it doesn't seem much faster than a decent dualcore chip from a pc today - and amd is about to drop prices of theirs to $170 at the end of the month... if the cell is indeed as expencive as this article says, i really hope it's a better performer than my pc. downclocking it to 2.2ghz wouls be a pity though, considering the hype and rumors started out at 4ghz few years ago. explaining that with heat issues is pityful - its certainly better to put a decent heatsink, heatpipes, even watercooling or whatver it takes to make the thing work as planned instead of disappointing the customers and downgrading performace. looking at the price of the gpu, i don't know if i want to laugh or cry - that chip is better than the ones nvidia sold for $700 until recently, and it only costs 10% to make? but yeah, it sounds about right. huge markup is what this industry has been all about.

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