Sony takes big step into home entertainment - PSX Announced
 

What do I see from this?

-Big price tag ($499?)
-Ability to play PS2 and PSone games
-Ability to play DVDs, DVD-Rs, CDs, CD-Rs
-Ability to record anything from your TV (shows, movies, etc.) onto either DVDs or the HDD :beat:
-USB 2.0 technology opens possibilities of connectivity with things like the upcoming PSP, Digital camcorders, digital cameras, Sony's EYE TOY technology, etc.
-a late 2006 PS3 launch

And I must say...that is one sexy piece of hardware. The blue LED light looks great, and it would fit right into my home entertainment center :)

That looks cool, but I'm not messing with the hefty price tag. Hopfully Ps3 is much like this... or has a version like this from the gate at least.

Interesting, but I doubt I will be getting that.

I need a TIVO type of system. If my Ps2 ever breaks down I'll consider buying it actually.

Haha... the topic title makes me laugh. Sony has been in the Home Entertainment business for years.

That will cost a bomb. 120 GB h/d + DVD recording abilites + ability to play PS2 s/w (while also backwards compatible with PSOne games (maybe even PSP games?!)) + broadband modem (I think that's right), and who knows what else.

I don't know how much it will cost by the time it is released, but say if it were released now, it wold cost in excess of £600 methinks.

It does look quite sexy, definately as sleek looking as the Panasonic Qube. Makes you wonder how Panasonic will reply to this. There could be a possibility of them releasing an updated Qube, with similar capabilities to the PSX. (That is rather confusing, don't people call the old PSOne the PSX?).

Yeah. I thought for a moment that Stu had dug up an article from 1995 to show us how much the world has changed since then.

Also, I knew Sony was in trouble, but I didn't know things were that bad. I thought they were making a profit, but it turns out they're losing money. Then again, that's the entire corporation, not just the gaming division which is probably profitable.

Maybe I should have said that they took ANOTHER big step into home entertainment...

anyway, could this be any indication of what features PS3 may include? At some point in the future, I'd love to record television programs and movies onto DVDs and a HDD. With all of the technology involved in this ambitious system, one could only imagine what kind of features it will one day offer. Hook up your digital camera, keyboard and mouse and create your own movies. Add photoshop-like software, attach your digital camera and a photo printer and make your own photo album or pieces of art. Throw in full internet support and possibilities are literally endless.

Sony (see: not SCE) is smart by incorporating the all-powerful Playstation name with their electronics field. The PS2-playback feature could be a big selling point.

:unsure:

This sounds as bad as that thing MS wanted to do, only it's no longer just an idea :(

please explain.

I see this as the VCR of the next generation. Was the VCR a bad idea? If you wanted all of the features the PSX offers, you would need to buy a DVD player, a Playstation 2 (the new models that are coming out soon), and a TiVo with DVD recording abilities. These are all features that are part of the future of home entertainment, and Sony is offering all of them in a single piece of hardware. Where's the ":unsure: bad idea :(" part?

What gekko, that HOMESTATION thingy? lol.. i remember that

Hmmmm, those features are already available on PC's.

Some analysts were skeptical about PSX's prospects.

Jed Kolko of Forrester Research said the machine was trying to do too much. The overlap between game-players and people who want DVD recorders tends to be small, he said.

"The actual demand for the device is likely to fall short of expectations," he said.

Sony officials acknowledged the company overall is falling behind the competition. Even Sony's prized Vaio personal computers have lost their edge and domestic rival Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co. outsells Sony in DVD recorders in Japan.

Like other Japanese electronics makers, Sony has taken a beating from emerging competition in Asia, especially China, that can produce gadgets at cheaper prices. "

also, Perfect Stu, in your previous post it sounded like you were talking about a PC... another thing is that devices like Tivo are the VCR of this and the next gen, not this. I think they should have waited and made this the PS3 Deluxe or something like that, seriously, what are they gonna do, introduce this, tell everyone it's $499 and then show off PS3 at E3 and piss off the people that bought one of these? that being said, at least Sony is mixing things up a bit and trying something new and i love the ethernet hook up.. i just don't see people dropping $500 for this

You're telling me I can pick up a PC that can play DVDs on my television with DTS sound, PS2 games, has TiVo functions, can record anything from my television onto the HDD and DVDs? If so, sign me up...and give me some proof (a link?)...but when the PSX's pricing is revealed, I'll be picking the cheaper one.

*edit* nevermind, you were just referring to the digital photos and movies

Ok, lets see, from the post I quoted:

It IS possible to watch DVD's from your PC on a TV which has can act as a moniter (my 36" Toshiba can) with DTS/DD 5.1 sound.
You CAN hook up your digital camera to a PC, and use the mouse/keyboard provided to create your own moves. Photoshop software? I wont even respond to that. Full internet support? You know the answer to that.

And since PC's have DVD writers, and the function to act as a TV, I assume you can record what you watch.

Well put, Shadow. What are you trying to get at, though? None of this is completely new technology...but it is the first do take such technology and put it into one convenient, set-top box. Much more feasable than a PC with loads of software, wired connections and heap loads of $$$.

I wonder how Sony will incorporate the ethernet/USB 2.0/memory stick technology other than the obvious online PS2 play and PSP connectivity...

Check this out for a clear, organized article on the PSX.

More pics:

First off... what are we going to call the original PSX, PSone?! D'oh... I've always hated the title.

Anywho, this new Playstation looks impressive. And, honestly, I could find a use for each of its functions. If the PSX could be used as an internet surfing device, I'd almost have a reason to scrap my computer!

Hell, that gets rid of your basic gaming system, "boombox", dvd/vhs player, "TiVo" (even though I've always just recorded with VHS), and possibly even a computer? Why, that's just nutty. For $500, I'd almost call it a steal.

Hopefully it keeps the great functions. And people, the Phantom did have a few good ideas, believe it or not.

No, I'd have to buy a TiVo, which I would have if I wanted one.

If you haven't gathered over the years Stu, I don't like when companies try to create the "digital entertainment lifestyle" (cheesy marketing term Microsoft is using in a recent survey). I want a game system to play games. When the consoles are announced, I want them to talk about the games. Maybe throw in the DVD player thing at the end. But what have I been hearing lately? PS3 and Xbox 2 to use TiVo technology! Why the hell do I give a damn? If I wanted a Tivo, I would buy a Tivo. When I want a game system, I will buy a game system. I don't want to buy a game system/pc/dvd player/cd player/tivo/time machine/microwave/walkman/*

PSX is not a game system. It's not rivalling Gamecube and Xbox. PS2 support was simply a no brainer, considering the following:

I agree with you there.

You get the best quality from buying separate hardware items. The Ps2 got away with DVD coz there was a high demand which was a very logical and feasible idea at the time.

Either way I prefer JBL/Pioneer for home entertainment over Sony anytime.

Wow that sounds like a pretty sweet dilly-o... Tis a shame it will cost too much... And I already have a PS2... And no money... And I probably wouldn't use the recording stuff very often, if ever...

Well said gekko, well said. I've been preaching like that for a good while now. No extra crap that will cost more, just give me my damn games!

Question (to Stu)

Is this a games console?

:sneaky:

Looks nice though, but looks can be deceiving.

By looking at those pics for some reason, it makes me think that Sony is implying " Pretty Please put me in your Home Theatre Setup". Looks like a desperate cry to me to get more users (I thought they already had enough!)

quoted by Stu

Quote:

please explain. I see this as the VCR of the next generation. Was the VCR a bad idea? If you wanted all of the features the PSX offers, you would need to buy a DVD player, a Playstation 2 (the new models that are coming out soon), and a TiVo with DVD recording abilities. These are all features that are part of the future of home entertainment, and Sony is offering all of them in a single piece of hardware. Where's the " bad idea " part?

One single piece of hardware is more likely to fail with so many things in it(hardware fail i'm talking about). I never buy those things that are 3 or 4 in 1 (like Printer/Scanner/Photocopier). I've heard nothing but bad news about them (and I can tell you from experience).

For optimum quality, and overall piece of mind, I would NOT buy something like this coz if one thing breaks down, chances are other things may not work. It's a stupid idea. And that goes for anything else they try to cram into one box. That's MO on it.

i agree with you gecko, but then, stu said its not a game console.

i dont want it to have everything in the world. i just want my damn video games in a box thats all lol...a dvd player would be nice, nothing else really though.

On Gaming Age last night, all we got was some story called "Sony announces PSX" and turned out to be a very engrish article. We were laughing our asses off because we couldn't understand it at all. Now I see this and I think it's more of a joke. Gekko's nailed it. I think Xbox is the limit of functionality of what a game console should be. You could burn soundtracks, so they could be ingame. It had a DVD player, so you could watch DVDs like Shenmue that was packaged with Shenmue 2. It was useful in that respect. Whereas PS2 only had the DVD playback, next gen I think they're going overboard with TV functionality or whatever. Now they announce this, with the Playstation brand branded on it. What the hell is wrong with them. I think they're losing their guns.

I feel the same way about functionality about PSP. If I want to watch movies, I'll watch them on a laptop, not hunched over in fetal position for 2 hours in some subway.

No Stu, it's not, but PS3 is, Xbox 2 is. This is part of the campaign to rule your entertainment center, and it's that which I dislike. These are all spawning from the ideas which are also supposed to be part of their next consoles. Sony is trying to make the all-in-one entertainment center, Microsoft wants the same thing. I want both to go to hell.

This isn't PS3, this isn't Xbox 2. But it's part of the transition from games to entertainment; a transition I am against.

I can clearly see that:rolleyes: I was talking about what's gonna happen when the next consoles roll out. Not about this thing Sony is releasing.

I didn't realize that PS3 was announced and that it will have all of these features included with it :confused:

This is not a video game console. It is a home entertainment system made by Sony, not SCE, Sony the electronics company. Adding the ability to play PS2 games does not make it a "video game console with extra things in it". It's exactly the opposite. The ability to play PS2 games was added because of the Playstation name (as a selling point) and to add more variety to the PSX's multiple features.

Regardless of whether this will or will not be the main idea that PS3 and Xbox2 will incorporate, that's still no reason to call an "all-in-one home entertainment system" stupid just because it somewhat associates with video games. Save you judgments and remarks for when the features of the next gen consoles are actually announced, rather than come right out and apply that they will be crap for no apparent reason.

THANK YOU! well said.

I estimate through long observation that Sony will launch the PS3 at a $299-$349 price tag (unless the US dollar goes bananas :banana: or something). That price point has proven to be very successful, and I don't see them straying away from it. At a $299 price tag, I'm content with a great, promising next gen GAMING SYSTEM. If it has extras, then it's a bonus for all I care. I do believe that Sony will release more multi-featured hardware not unlike the PSX after the PS3 is released (that is, if the PSX proves to be successful).

PS2 plays games......Gamecube plays games
PS2 plays CDs, DVDs.......Gamecube does not

If you don't want to utilize the CD/DVD playback feature, you simply don't. I can't possibly see how that could be considered a negative unless it drives the price tag way up (which it doesn't).

GT is growing up so much... :(

Glad I don't have to post everythng to defend Ps2/Xbox anymore ;)

Keep up the good work

Yes that's right.

If it's a Sony product, let's make sure that we don't complain (even if somebody has something to say about it) otherwise we're all Nintendo fanboys.

If that post was direct at me, there's my answer.

Also if the product had been made by any other company I would have said the same thing. I really don't like these type of devices because I know too well what the potential disadvantages they have.

IF Sony product, THEN don't complain ELSE Nintendo Fanboy.

Actually bobcat, I appreciate difference in opinion. I begin to think 'fanboy' when the user has a history of bashing anything *specific company*-related when not backing up their comments with logic or reason.

that's not the point at all, not in my mind anyway. What I have seen are people claiming this is the worst idea for a video game console, when in actuality it IS NOT a video game console. Then people say PS3 and Xbox2 will suck because the PSX is an example of the type of features those consoles will have. I don't think that's fair at all.

I didnt say I liked the PSX, nor did I say that I liked it. SCE is a branch of Sony, this product is not made by SCE. It's just Sony, and it has nothing to do with video games besides the fact that it has the add-on ability to play PS2 games. Even if I was biased towards SCE (which I'm not) I sure as hell wouldnt carry that bias into Sony electronics.

And I dont recall anyone calling you a nintendo fanboy, nor did anyone even imply it. If you don't like a product, go ahead and say it. If I counter your opinion with one of my own, it doesnt mean I think less of you because you disagree.

If it has nothing to do with videogames, shouldn't it be in the General Forum?

:p

If I beat the crap out of you in a forest with no one else around, do you make a sound?

:p

And it DOES have to do with videogames. Its name is the Playstation X. It plays PS2 games.

In addition (which I had originally posted about but deleted after seeing that you had posted something extremely similar within the minute), This forum is about Playstation and Sony more so than the games. The Playstation X is indeed a part of Playstation.

This is just another way to sell the PS2. Sony is making a stupid multi-feature console to make more money. Wow... it can play PS and PS2 games. So can the Ps2. It can play Cd's and DVDs.. so can PS2. All I see it as is a mock off of TiVo with a DVD burner. I've been looking at TiVo and you have to pay a certain price a month or one set price forever to record movies and shows from satellite or cable. Is Sony going to do the same? Or is it going to be included with the PSX or are they going to charge extra for it? Now all I see is a DVD burner. If I wanted something that recorded shows from cable and satellite I'd buy a ****ing TiVO. I'm not going to trust a multi-feature piece of hardware, because those tend to create more problems. Especially since it's made from Sony, which has a history of making faulty products.

So, no chance in hell I'm buying it :)