News & Rumours: Playstation 4/ Orbis *spin*

[temesgen]

arent they are moving away from "one sony" mantra? i think it was discussed a few pages back on this thread or on Microsoft's. Spinning off their divisions, selling it, etc while MS is more and more into "one microsoft".

here is an article on the subject:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/playstation-network-encompass-games-tv-155800955.html

In a nutshell they are trying to bring entertainment (games, TV, music and movies) under one hub and more specifically the Playstation brand. IMO to have a Playstation VITA TV device that is unable to stream your TV service but can stream a competitors service like Netflix is a failure. That isn't to say VITA should lockout netflix like Google's Nexus Player locks out Amazon Prime but it is a mistake to not have access to the service on the platform.

 

[Lucid_Dreamer]

Price is a bit off but it includes DVR functionality and multiple users. IMO the worst part of the announcement is that does not work with VITA... So Sony has a streaming TV device that doesn't work with their premier streaming service... That's just poor planning on their part.

Remember, this is only the beginning. This is, also, only launching in three cities right now. This, currently, works with PS3 and PS4. I don't think it would've been smart to let Sling TV be in the market ALONE for long. It was a good decision, by Sony, to launch now.

As far as pricing goes, my satellite service was about $110/month without the big premium movie channels and two DVRs. Most people aren't really think about their bottom line bill, when compare their service to PS Vue's pricing. If you look at my package, it will say my package cost around $80. That's not what I pay, in the end (as you can see above).

 

[bgroovy]

Yeah, I just went to the Comcast webpage to see what their current offers are. They have a 140 channel "Digital Starter" level for $39.99. That is a 12 month promo price that goes up. It is for one screen with no DVR features. To match the PS Vue's features on 3 screens with HD and DVR is an additional $30/mo minimum. Plus you're paying for install and have the hassle of waiting 4 hours for the guy to show up. That price will go up eventually and and doesn't include all the weird taxes and fees.

Honestly, I think the reason PS Vue's pricing starts at $50/mo instead of lower is because they have already built the cost of an expanded channel selection into the service. When/if they can get Turner and Disney signed up they won't have to raise everyone's rates the way they might have launching at $30-40. Just think how well people took it when Netflix bumped their price up by $2. It's definitely early days and Sony is in a great position to be the defacto over the top TV service. Just keep adding devices and keep adding channels and expand the service area and pretty soon Vue will be an incredibly compelling option.

 

[temesgen]

Remember, this is only the beginning. This is, also, only launching in three cities right now. This, currently, works with PS3 and PS4. I don't think it would've been smart to let Sling TV be in the market ALONE for long. It was a good decision, by Sony, to launch now.

As far as pricing goes, my satellite service was about $110/month without the big premium movie channels and two DVRs. Most people aren't really think about their bottom line bill, when compare their service to PS Vue's pricing. If you look at my package, it will say my package cost around $80. That's not what I pay, in the end (as you can see above).

That's why I mentioned it affords you multiple streams and DVR functionality. IMO the value is hard to quantity BC cable makes the bill hard to read... Between the bundle, the DVR lease, 2nd and 3rd set top box/DVR fees, taxes and so on its a mess.


Edit:

I still think the price is a bit off but its not bad in comparison especially when you factor in the contractual obligations of cable for example. But compared to SlingTV it could be a bit better but even there Sony's service is more robust and allows multiple streams.

 

[Prophecy2k]

I just hope it comes to the UK quickly!

Someone needs to come and break the stranglehold Sky has on the satelite/cable market here. If the price of the package is less than £50, then I will jumpship without even batting an eyelid. Sky is a blooming ripoff, and that's even without having the sports or movie channels.

Edit:

Before this launches properly Sony definitely needs to enable the use of an external HDD for the DVR functionality on PS4. Otherwise I'm probably not gonna use the DVR features at all.

 

[DrJay24]

2Mbps internet + max tv channels tear = 30 USD on my place. Vue is way too expensive. But again, im pretty sure my country wont be their target market haha.

Nice price. I think most people dismissing this service are comparing introductory prices, ignoring hidden fees and two year contracts. Basic cable from Comcast was costing me around $85/month with broadband after the first of two price hikes. No ESPN, no Disney, no DVR and all SD, of the ~35 channels most were channels no one has heard of. So say $40 of that was for TV, this $50 for unlimited DVR and I assume HD is not that bad.

Now I pay ~$120 for many more channels, but again most are not worth looking at and I still don't have a DVR and HD. This price is introductory advertised price, which will go up twice. Comcast also blatantly lied to me about the X1 box being a DVR (X1 it turns out is a family of boxes, only some are DVRs), so Sony being up front with the price and what you get isn't all that bad if you have ever had Comcast.

The main issue for me for the Sony service is getting a good price for broadband without bundling and the numbers of devices it is limited to (just PS4?). My only TV in the house connected to the cable box does not have a console hooked up to it.

 

[Gradthrawn]

CNET has a decent feature comparison.

Vue website is here.

Before this launches properly Sony definitely needs to enable the use of an external HDD for the DVR functionality on PS4. Otherwise I'm probably not gonna use the DVR features at all.

To my understanding, DVR functionality for this service is entirely cloud based:

MY SHOWS
Tag your favorite shows and all upcoming airings will be automatically saved to the cloud for up to 28 days and never any conflicts.

The main issue for me for the Sony service is getting a good price for broadband without bundling and the numbers of devices it is limited to (just PS4?). My only TV in the house connected to the cable box does not have a console hooked up to it.

PS3 and PS4 at launch. The only other platform I've seen public commitment to is iOS ("soon").

EDIT

Some key points from the FAQ:

Where can I use PlayStation Vue?
Today, you can stream PlayStation Vue on a PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3. Currently, PlayStation Vue is for use solely inside your home. You will not be able to access PlayStation Vue from your console outside the home, nor use your credentials on a friend’s console. Your home location is defined by the home network you use to sign into PlayStation Vue for the first time.

How much internet bandwidth do I need?
10mbps or higher is recommended for the best experience, plus 5mbps for every additional stream.

Will sports be available?
PlayStation Vue offers many popular local and national sports channels. Users in Chicago and Philadelphia will have access to their hometown hockey, basketball and baseball teams through CSN Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Plus (Chicago) and Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and respectively, while New York users will enjoy a full slate of baseball and basketball through YES Network. PlayStation Vue also carries most professional U.S. sports playoffs, championships, and the most popular soccer leagues and championships. For more information on the channels and packages available, please visit "Plans" page.

Will you be launching additional channels?
AMC, IFC, Sundance and WE tv will be available in April. AMC will be included at that time in all existing packages at no extra cost. We will have more news to share in the future.

EDIT 2

Additional information from the support page:

What is my “home location”?
Your “home location” is the ISP address and zip code that are recorded along with your device when you first subscribe to PlayStation Vue. If you use multiple ISPs in your home, you will need to choose one to use for PlayStation Vue. PlayStation Vue will not work across multiple ISPs in the home.

Can I change my home location?
Yes, you can change your home location. The first time you attempt to use your account to access PlayStation Vue from outside the home location, you will be asked if you would like to change your home location. If you change your home location at that time, PlayStation Vue will assume you have changed your home address and you may be messaged as such. At this point, your original home location will no longer be applicable.

Sometimes TV channels have “out of home” or “TV Everywhere” apps with their programming available. Can I use these apps if I am a PlayStation Vue subscriber?
Many of our network partners have apps through which you can watch live TV and On Demand programming. You can use many of these apps outside of the home and on many devices. Using your PlayStation™Network username and password, you can download and log into these network apps. These apps are completely separate from PlayStation Vue, but can be downloaded and used at no additional cost with your PlayStation Vue subscription.

To authenticate and gain access to one of these apps, you will need a subscription to a PlayStation Vue package that includes the channel whose app you want to download.

You can access the below list of apps with your PlayStation™Network credentials. When you download each app, simply look for the PlayStation Vue logo or drop down option on the app’s log-in screen. Once at the log-in screen, type in your credentials and you’re in. Most apps can be downloaded from Google Play and the iTunes store.

• AdultSwim
• CartoonNetwork – Watch Cartoon Network
• CNN
• FOX Business
• FOX News
• NCAA March Madness Live
• TBS – WATCH TBS
• TNT – WATCH TNT
• truTV – Watch truTV
• Turner Classic Movies – WATCH TCM

 

[Deleted member 13524]

2Mbps internet + max tv channels tear = 30 USD on my place. Vue is way too expensive. But again, im pretty sure my country wont be their target market haha.

2Mbit/s as in two megabits per second?

 

[orangpelupa]

2Mbit/s as in two megabits per second?

yes. megabits. so... around 200+ KB/s. YouTube 1080p stutter like epilepsy. And nowadays the effective speed is getting worse due to raining (the CRC error goes up faster than ever).

on the other hand, watching 720p stuff still works fine. Playing online games also works fine as long as the rain did not get even heavier. Heavy rain = crazy CRC errors and low signal = crazy amount of RTO.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Dude.. that's just sad...
Are you living in the middle of Sahara or something?

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

Nice price. I think most people dismissing this service are comparing introductory prices, ignoring hidden fees and two year contracts. Basic cable from Comcast was costing me around $85/month with broadband after the first of two price hikes. No ESPN, no Disney, no DVR and all SD, of the ~35 channels most were channels no one has heard of. So say $40 of that was for TV, this $50 for unlimited DVR and I assume HD is not that bad.

Huh? What do you mean "so say $40 of that was for TV..", don't you know how much of that $85 was paying for internet and how much was paying for the cable TV service?

I pay $49.99 a month for this: http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4226354259 and nothing else, no TV, no nothing. If I wanted to add their basic cable package (not including ESPN), it would cost me nothing extra except for the outlandish installation fee because of their "bundle discounts" (which makes no sense, I know), and adding the next tier to include ESPN and some other channels (not sure if AMC or A&E or what else is in there), would be an extra $5-$10 a month. And all of those prices include the rental of a DVR.

Maybe I'm just getting a much better deal on my internet service than other people are. Since 2013, we have no difference between "SD" and "HD" channels, there's no premium paid for HD content. And the DVR bit really seems like a non-issue, because most newer DVRs have multiple tuners that allow you to record pretty much as much as you want and are also expandable with external HDD capacity.

For me, I'd be paying $50 (at least) a month for something I can just get from my cable company for $10 plus crazy insane installation fee.

No, the pricing on this service is simply not close to being competitive - for my situation. Now, your mileage may vary and the cities that they are test launching this very well may have been cherry picked because they have absurd cable pricing so that this appears to be competitive.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

Dude.. that's just sad...
Are you living in the middle of Sahara or something?

Ha. I thought he posted a picture before and it looked like it was taken right off of http://englishrussia.com/ or something. So I think he lives in a former USSR territory or close to it. The Ukraine perhaps? (Not trying to offend.. I'm a stupid American, and don't know the difference between Ukraine, Crimea, Belarus, Lativa, etc... which I'm sure are all unique and wonderful places that have their own independent cultural significance.)

 

[Deleted member 13524]

IIRC, Ukraine actually has fiber up to 200Mbps, actually.

 

[DrJay24]

Huh? What do you mean "so say $40 of that was for TV..", don't you know how much of that $85 was paying for internet and how much was paying for the cable TV service?

I pay $49.99 a month for this: http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4226354259 and nothing else, no TV, no nothing. If I wanted to add their basic cable package (not including ESPN), it would cost me nothing extra except for the outlandish installation fee because of their "bundle discounts" (which makes no sense, I know), and adding the next tier to include ESPN and some other channels (not sure if AMC or A&E or what else is in there), would be an extra $5-$10 a month. And all of those prices include the rental of a DVR.

Maybe I'm just getting a much better deal on my internet service than other people are. Since 2013, we have no difference between "SD" and "HD" channels, there's no premium paid for HD content. And the DVR bit really seems like a non-issue, because most newer DVRs have multiple tuners that allow you to record pretty much as much as you want and are also expandable with external HDD capacity.

For me, I'd be paying $50 (at least) a month for something I can just get from my cable company for $10 plus crazy insane installation fee.

No, the pricing on this service is simply not close to being competitive - for my situation. Now, your mileage may vary and the cities that they are test launching this very well may have been cherry picked because they have absurd cable pricing so that this appears to be competitive.

How is the DVR not an issue, most Comcast packages don't even include DVR, mine doesn't and is going to be over $150/month after the first of two price hikes!

I do not know the break down for the broadband and TV, I doubt they break it down for a bundle, but $45/month for broadband seems reasonable, it certainly isn't $75 for BB and $10 for basic cable. You can go to Comcast's page now and see a 10 channel "limited basic" package for $20/month. If you can go from $20/month to what Sony offers for $30 more a month then you are working some magic, Comcast ties all the good stuff (DVR, HD, etc.) to really big packages and then jacks the price up twice over two years.

 

[Globalisateur]

Playstation Vue... arrogant price?

 

[DieH@rd]

God of War 3 Remastered is confirmed for PS4
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-03-20-god-of-war-3-remastered-announced-for-ps4

More details will be unveiled today.

 

[orangpelupa]

ugh... and im pretty sure the remaster will be a simple resolution upscale rather than full-blown mod like Halo.

 

[DieH@rd]

Game will come out on July 14 and will have Photo Mode.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

I can not emphasise this enough. I do not give a toss for God of War. I hope Sony Santa Monica are not a one trick pony.

 

[Globalisateur]

Well, thanks to the fine folks at SCEA (or Santa Monica Studio) we do not have to imagine anymore because God of War III Remastered is here!

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2015/03/20/god-of-war-iii-remastered-coming-to-ps4-on-july-14th/

It seems it's done in house by Sony. Maybe, it's gonna help them for the inevitable upcoming God of war (PS)4.

Spoiler

Bluepointgames really can't work on this remaster as they are hopefully working full time to finish porting Uncharted 1, 2 & 3 on PS4 before the end of year...