PLAYSTATION Eye Camera

[Shin-Ra]

PLAYSTATION Eye Camera Brings Next-Generation Communication to PS3

Scheduled for October release in Europe, the United States and Canada, PLAYSTATION Eye is an essential accessory for voice, video chat and online gaming that will enable gamers to enjoy their PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) experiences like never before.

Designed specifically for PS3 and featuring huge advances in USB camera and microphone technology, PLAYSTATION Eye is set to revolutionise the experience of online communication on the PLAYSTATION®Network. Expanding on the market-leading heritage of the EyeToy® USB Camera for PlayStation®2, the sophistication of the PLAYSTATION Eye naturally complements the advanced features and capabilities of PS3 – all in one slickly designed, unobtrusive unit.

Designed specifically to work with the next generation of social gaming titles and new services being developed for PS3, key features of the PLAYSTATION Eye include:

• A sophisticated microphone with the ability to reduce background noise and focus on the spoken word for smoother, more accurate speech recognition and transfer
• The ability to capture videos and audio clips directly to your PS3’s hard disk drive
• Engineered to perform well even in low-light conditions
• A range of different capturing modes, including slow motion and time-lapse
• Faster frame rate for improved tracking, responsiveness and smoothness
• Two position zoom lens for close-up and full body options
• A range of eye-catching visual effects to apply to photos and videos
• Bundled with EyeCreate™ editing software, which allows users to save and edit photos, video and audio clips

David Reeves, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe said, "PLAYSTATION Eye is a great example of how we have moved forward so significantly with our technology. PLAYSTATION Eye has four times the resolution, twice the framerate and double the sensitivity of its predecessor EyeToy USB Camera. With the technology that we now have at our disposal we will be able to dramatically improve the communications experience enjoyed on PS3". EyeCreate software EyeCreate editing software, bundled free with PLAYSTATION Eye allows you to save photos, video and audio clips to your PS3 hard disk drive and apply eye-catching visual effects to your images. Different capture modes like time-lapse and slow motion open up a world of possibilities to be explored further in EyeCreate’s editing suite, where you can turn your media into professional looking movies.

New Microphone Functions

An all-new four microphone array, incorporating multidirectional voice location tracking, enhanced echo cancelling and background noise suppression allows for clear audio chat in even the most noisy of environments, without the need to hold or wear a headset.

Next-Generation Camera Features

A frame rate of up to 120 frames per second allows for super-smooth video and sophisticated low-light operation means that the room doesn’t have to be brightly lit for the camera to deliver crisp, perfectly exposed video. The adjustable zoom lens features a 56º field of view to capture head and shoulders action for close-in audio-visual chat, and a 75º field of view to capture the whole body for a fully physical gaming experience.

Technical Specification

• 4 channel audio input:16 bits/channel, 48kHz, SNR 90db
• 56º to 75º Field of View zoom lens
• 2.1 F-stop, <1% distortion, fixed focus (25cm to 8 at 75º FOV)
• 640 x 480 at 60 frames/second
• 320 x 240 at 120 frames/second
• USB2 high-speed data transfer
• Uncompressed video or optional JPEG compression

[Shin-Ra]

Not exactly high-definition but in terms of the specs given, a definite improvement over the EyeToy and Vision cameras. The 360 Vision cam achieves SVGA 1280x960 for still pictures using software interpolation so it's not a true hardware spec. The PS3 could do the same easily if the results made it worthwhile.

[BLu-Balls]

120 FPS is pretty fricken sweet. That looks like a good piece of kit

[Shin-Ra]

It does look like a well-made bit of kit. Hopefully it's heavy enough that the cabling doesn't drag or tip it.

[Shin-Ra]

PLAYSTATION EYE - Q+A from ThreeSpeech.

Future software and games planned for use with the Eye will include Eye of Judgement, Ember, Skyblue and Aqua Vita, but the list will grow considerably over time.

Sony are actually supporting their camera with GAMES!

[DezNutz]

I am disappointed it does not support Blu-tooth. I mean c'mon wirless keyboard, wireless mic, and why not wireless camera?

[Shin-Ra]

Bluetooth doesn't have the bandwidth and the batteries would last for about 30 minutes.

[becomingwater]

I wonder if it will work on a PC as a web cam.

[Shin-Ra]

Here's what the Eye of Judgement setup should look like:



Can't wait to see the packaging for that!

[WriteSimply]

Hmmm. I think that's why the initial specs of the PS3 some three years ago boasted about TWO HDMI ports. Instead of both having two HDMI outputs, maybe one was a HDMI input/output port. That way HD video games can be made. Just me thinking out loud...

But I'm glad that the PS Eye camera is going to be launched. That means support and more inventive games will come. That Eye of Judgement game was demoed last year at TGS, I think.


fuad

[Shin-Ra]

The SingStar Blog updated on the 16th - info on My SingStar Online.

[Gamekid]

The eyetoy camera looks really amazing. Is it possible that the ps3 could be updated with a firmware update geared toward the camera? I wonder what the cost will be?

[jbuttler007]

It looks and sounds great. How will it fair when chatting on-line. Do we need t1 for decent picture quality?

[tnt419]

I'm guessing this video is fake because I think if it was real more people would talk about it and I'd think Sony would be eager to show this off. Does anyone see anything as cool as this demo actually becoming a reality on the eyetoy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwwbkzEACws

[Gamekid]

You know, I don't have an answer to your question, I would imagine that you can chat with this camera, although when camparing it to a webcam, it's hard to say if the webcam would be better. It's possible that sony could expand on the options with the eyetoy via firmware updates as firmware updates are now used on the psp, ps3, and blu-ray players. Sony hasn't confirmed much about the eyetoy and the screenshot below should be taken with a grain of salt because things can change. There was the issue of the camera not being bluetooth and I think that it should be although if it can't then no big deal. Another gaget to think about from the wonderful world of sony.

[WriteSimply]

I believe the two previous update already enabled webcam chat. So try it out if you need to compare your cam with the Eye.

A camera with sound using Bluetooth would use up a lot of power. Highly unlikely, unless you want to burden it with a huge battery pack.


fuad

[Shin-Ra]

The Playstation Eye is Nearly Upon Us. Dr. Richard Marks Takes Us Behind the Scenes of its Birth.

[Gamekid]

One accessory to get for the playstation 3.

[BobChillin]

I wonder if the microphone is good enough to block out the sound if the volume i high up. i hate hearing background noises on other people's mics.

[Gamekid]

I believe that the eyetoy camera is made to get rid of background noise.