Inside X360: Jeff Henshaw Interview Part One AND TWO

[Qroach]

Why by a hub when you can buy two splitter cables for 8 bucks each (16 bucks total) probably cheaper! That is even if you have 4 wired controllers connected.

I think you're being overly argumentitive on this. Like I said before, how many usb ports do you need?

...and yes many usb hubs require an extra power source. I happen to own two. One usb 1.0 and one 2.0. They both support 6 ports, and the extra power is to ensure nothing is power hungry.

 

[mckmas8808]

In the circumstances, a multitap and a 4-way usb hub cost almost the same.

And they do about the same thing.

Like I said before, how many usb ports do you need?

How many controller ports did the Xbox, GC, N64, or Dreamcast need? Sony just upped that to 6 so what's the big deal. They upped it to six so the last two could be used for other multimedia stuff while using the other 4 for wired controllers.

 

[Tap In]

...
Sony just can't do anything right in some people's eyes ...

I just don't get some people. :? *shakes head*

sorry mckmas but that kind of feature is nice, it really is. Nobody is criticizing Sony for adding ports (well I'm not) but they are really pale features of BOTH systems when compared to the meat and potatoes of LIVE as expressed in the interview on which this Thread is based.

There are just so many ways to get excited about 1 gig Ethernet and multiple places to plug in your devices.

BluRay is great for watching HD movies, but I am not HD yet so no joy for me, the extra ports are great and I would use one to view my camera's photos directly on the TV, the Bluetooth, I don't really see a difference over MS's solution (which is designed to not interfere with other 2.4ghz devices) but hey that's just me and I usually ALWAYS play alone with one controller and often online, so I only need 2 wireless controllers at most and I'm happy.

But LIVE and the features touched on in this interview are so cool if you are into online gaming IMO as I am.

so it's not that I don't care or give credit to Sony, those are just not features that I will even use in the foreseeable future. The same goes for X360, I will rarely use the USB occasionally connecting my camera , I will rarely use more than 1 controller, I will watch DVD's on it and I will play games on LIVE, communicate with a few friends on LIVE and save stuff to the hard drive and play my music to use in game. It was cool using my own downloaded sports music to play after plays and during halftime in games like NFL2k5 or NBA 2k5. IT was a very personalized game experience.

that's pretty much it.

so I think it comes down to what's important to EACH individual.

So to ME LIVE and the HDD (for game add-ons and updates, downloaded game demos and roster updates and personal in game music) are the most important features assuming that the games will be about equal in quality so I give very little credence to the other add ons.

If Sony's system had a HDD and Live and was coming out in 4 months, I'd get that system instead.

 

[mckmas8808]

so it's not that I don't care or give credit to Sony, those are just not features that I will even use in the foreseeable future. The same goes for X360, I will rarely use the USB occasionally connecting my camera

I like honest people like you Tap. At least you can explain your point in a non-biased way. And a person like me who will only buy the PS3 can respect that. While you would rather have Live, I would rather watch Hi-Def movies on my 65" HDTV. Total respect.

 

[Tap In]

I like honest people like you Tap. At least you can explain your point in a non-biased way. And a person like me who will only buy the PS3 can respect that. While you would rather have Live, I would rather watch Hi-Def movies on my 65" HDTV. Total respect.

thanks mck, same to you

 

[Sis]

6 USB might be overkill.

Well not really. What about 4 wired controllers.
...
I just don't get some people. :? *shakes head*

So why is 6 USB ports a good number? Why not 10?

Why is two hdmi a good number? Why not 3?

Why is 3 network ports a good number? Why not 5?

Why is one flash card slot good enough? Why not two?

The point, if I made it, is that the quantity of any input is debatable and there is definitely a cost with every single one. None of them are ever free. So when people say, "That seems overkill", they are using a simplified form of "Adding that input, given the posssible usage scenarios, seems way of whack to it's actual cost/benefit."

No one has ever said, "OMG too many choices!"

Though, you know what, let me argue that point: looking at the back of that PS3, I hope I only ever have to plug things in once, because usability wise, in order to plug anything I will have to pull the whole dang thing out from the entertainment center since it's just rows and rows of similar inputs.

But I'm only half-kidding about that last part.

.Sis

 

[gurgi]

I never used any plugs on my PS2 except the video/audio outs and a controller port. I dunno what they think I want with everything else. I obviously don't care if they are there, but I wouldn't be suprised if it was an attempt at making the machine super cool for e3. Considering how many PS2s are out there, they could save a lot of money by just taking out that superfluous stuff.

 

[mckmas8808]

So why is 6 USB ports a good number? Why not 10?

Why is two hdmi a good number? Why not 3?

Why is 3 network ports a good number? Why not 5?

Why is one flash card slot good enough? Why not two?

Sis you got to be kidding me. Have you seen the pic of the PS3. On the front it has 4 USB ports. Let me say that again 4 USB ports. 4 why is that so bad? The GC, Xbox, Dreamcast, and N64 had 4 controller ports, so why can't the PS3 have 4 USB ports for wired controllers? The extra two on the back of the console are for stuff like cameras, printers, Eyetoy, etc.

I still don't see the problem. Just because the X360 only has 3 USB ports doesn't mean that you have to be against Sony's choice of 6.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I used PS2 USV port for EyeToy. That, IIRC, will be a use of one of those Gigabit network ports on PS3. Another is used for network. Can;t imagine what 6 USB ports are gonna be used for, EXCEPT if Sony want to drive the concept of using PS3 for computing applications. That's be USB keyboard, USB mouse, USB keydrive, USB printer, USB scanner...

In a console, unless they're thinking wired controllers, 6 ports sounds like excess. In a computer 6 I think is standard.

 

[Guden Oden]

Why by a hub when you can buy two splitter cables for 8 bucks each (16 bucks total) probably cheaper!

There's no way to split a USB connector. It's not possible to splice a second connector onto an existing one, because technically USB is not a bus at all, it's a point-to-point connection that typically works in a master/slave fashion (the reason why USB devices have a square connector and computer/hubs have rectangular ones).

What you call a splitter is nothing but a two-port buspowered hub where the hub circuitry is moulded into the cable itself. As both ports are buspowered it means high-power devices (that use all of USB's specced 500mA per port) either won't work at all, or block out the other port.

I think you're being overly argumentitive on this. Like I said before, how many usb ports do you need?

Maybe it's you who's being argumentative?

 

[Sis]

So why is 6 USB ports a good number? Why not 10?

Why is two hdmi a good number? Why not 3?

Why is 3 network ports a good number? Why not 5?

Why is one flash card slot good enough? Why not two?

Sis you got to be kidding me. Have you seen the pic of the PS3. On the front it has 4 USB ports. Let me say that again 4 USB ports. 4 why is that so bad? The GC, Xbox, Dreamcast, and N64 had 4 controller ports, so why can't the PS3 have 4 USB ports for wired controllers? The extra two on the back of the console are for stuff like cameras, printers, Eyetoy, etc.

I still don't see the problem. Just because the X360 only has 3 USB ports doesn't mean that you have to be against Sony's choice of 6.

Why did you completely avoid my question by acting incredulous? I have seen the pics of the PS3, obviously. Now, back to the question: why do you believe 6 USB ports to be the perfect number? Why not 5? Why not 10?

IMO, it is fair game to debate whether one manufacturer is wasting resources in an area that is very likely to not be utilized to its fullest.

Also, who said I was fine with the Xbox 360's 3? I'd argue that they should have had 2 more on the front and left 1 in the back. Then again, why clutter up the front with 4 ports if the majority of gamers are wireless? There's a trade-off in every decision...

All I'm asking you to do is justify your defense of Sony's decision beyond "It's cool cause I have more ports."

.Sis

 

[gurgi]

I used PS2 USV port for EyeToy. That, IIRC, will be a use of one of those Gigabit network ports on PS3. Another is used for network. Can;t imagine what 6 USB ports are gonna be used for, EXCEPT if Sony want to drive the concept of using PS3 for computing applications. That's be USB keyboard, USB mouse, USB keydrive, USB printer, USB scanner...

In a console, unless they're thinking wired controllers, 6 ports sounds like excess. In a computer 6 I think is standard.

Why not use multiple wireless nics for things like eyetoy? Yeah, it's not a gigabit, but the less wires, the better imo. Though my puppy would disagree. The usb plugs for controllers, I understand.

 

[mckmas8808]

Why did you completely avoid my question by acting incredulous? I have seen the pics of the PS3, obviously. Now, back to the question: why do you believe 6 USB ports to be the perfect number? Why not 5? Why not 10?

I never said that 6 is the magic number. I just saying there is nothing wrong with 6 thats all. 10 is obviously too many. 5 would have been cool too. I would have wanted at least 5 but no more than 7. Your right debating it is cool and up for grabs for anybody to do so I here now defending my point and Sony's choice.

That's like me saying why didn't MS allow people to play 3 days out of the week for free instead of 2. To me thats a stupid comment. To complain that 6 is a waste and not back it up is not cool.

It's obvious that the four on the front will be used for wired controllers. So your beef should be with the usb ports on the back.

Then again, why clutter up the front with 4 ports if the majority of gamers are wireless? There's a trade-off in every decision...

When have the majority of gamers ever been wireless players. Where is that research coming from. Rest assured there will be plenty plenty people that take cheaper wired controllers to their friends houses.

 

[jvd]

I just really don't get the point of the 3 ethernet ports . The usb ports aren't bad. I don't really see using them really on either system except the one on the xbox for the wifi connector .

The sd port is fine though i don't understand sony's reasoning. They make money off each memory stick bought why not use just memory stick ? It would make them more money

Bluray i understand , they need it to become the standard as thier movie side is the other big bread winner . I just don't get the 3 ethernet ports .

 

[mckmas8808]

Bluray i understand , they need it to become the standard as thier movie side is the other big bread winner . I just don't get the 3 ethernet ports .

Hopefully they can explain that further at the TGS event.

 

[jvd]

Bluray i understand , they need it to become the standard as thier movie side is the other big bread winner . I just don't get the 3 ethernet ports .

Hopefully they can explain that further at the TGS event.

the only real thing i can think of is so you can hook up a bunch of ps3s together for like a lan play .

It wont speed up the internet so i don't see how it will make that cell storage crap any more attainable

 

[Qroach]

There's no way to split a USB connector. It's not possible to splice a second connector onto an existing one, because technically USB is not a bus at all, it's a point-to-point connection that typically works in a master/slave fashion (the reason why USB devices have a square connector and computer/hubs have rectangular ones).

What you call a splitter is nothing but a two-port buspowered hub where the hub circuitry is moulded into the cable itself. As both ports are buspowered it means high-power devices (that use all of USB's specced 500mA per port) either won't work at all, or block out the other port.

you can call it a hub if you want, I don't think its a hub if it only has two ports. Regardless, my point stands that you can get a splitter CHEAP!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...;item=6768890594&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V

Maybe it's you who's being argumentative?

nope, not me. Try again...

 

[Sis]

...That's like me saying why didn't MS allow people to play 3 days out of the week for free instead of 2. To me thats a stupid comment.

No, that's a valid criticism. So is: If they give it away for free on the weekends (which, has this been confirmed?) is that really a good move? Maybe not, since the majority of gamers would play only on the weekend and so MS loses revenue. Maybe.

To complain that 6 is a waste and not back it up is not cool.

Not back it up? It costs money to add these things. Those who say, "yeah, but it's so cheap" miss the point of the scale. A 50 cent item in the PS3 could end up costing Sony 50-70 million dollars in the end.

Anyway, I would think the reverse is true. Every single item must be justified so those who say "This is good" should justify the cost/benefit.

And you say 10 is obviously too much but don't say why. What if I want to have 7 wired controllers? Why do I only get 4 wired controllers but could play with 7 if I used wireless?

It's obvious that the four on the front will be used for wired controllers. So your beef should be with the usb ports on the back.

No, my beef is with people who can't understand why Sony would take criticism for any of their extras. There's obviously a cost to each item, none of it is free, so therefore if someone thinks that Sony is adding something superflous and wasteful, that shouldn't shock you.

When have the majority of gamers ever been wireless players. Where is that research coming from. Rest assured there will be plenty plenty people that take cheaper wired controllers to their friends houses.

I would be absolutley floored if the wired controllers came within 10% of the wireless controllers in sales.

If you build it out of the box and it just works, people will use it.

.Sis

 

[Titanio]

Bluray i understand , they need it to become the standard as thier movie side is the other big bread winner . I just don't get the 3 ethernet ports .

Hopefully they can explain that further at the TGS event.

the only real thing i can think of is so you can hook up a bunch of ps3s together for like a lan play .

It wont speed up the internet so i don't see how it will make that cell storage crap any more attainable

The reason it's gigabit is for (potential?) distributed processing with other cell devices, or PS3s, connected to it. The reason I say "potential" is because while Kutaragi claimed in one interview that this is ready to go and is possible out of the box, IIRC, I kind of find that hard to believe. But it makes sense to put it in there so that it can be done later with an OS update even if it can't be done from day one (I guess it'd be an OS issue more than anything else?).

edit - Chatani also mentioned the same thing in his interview, saying "of course" you could connect PS3's together using the gigabit switch, and then went on to (jokingly?) claim that Sony Pictures was considering building a renderfarm with networked PS3s.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I woudln't be surprised if Gigabit is the standard interface between Cell containing components. That is, Every Sony and Toshiba Cell TV will have a Gigabit connection.

For EyeToy 2 I don't know if wireless would be fast enough? Isn't it a 1 megapixel+ camera?