News & Rumours: Playstation 4/ Orbis *spin*

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dagamer said:
I really don't think it was back in 2006. That's why Bluray players back in 2006 were $1000+, they were basically PCs with Pentium 4s.

We're likely to see hardware H.264 and software H.265 decoding with the PS4. My question is did they ever bother including hardware H.264 decoding in any of the PS3 revisions? I would think that with all of the media content the system does now and how cheap fixed function silicon is, not sticking it in would be a real waste.
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No, they weren't. H.264 hardware decoders were not cheap in 2005/2006, but they we available, and they were used in every blu-ray and HD DVD player, even the HD A1 with it's ridiculously overpowered pentium 4. I don't think the P4 is capable of realtime software decoding of two simultaneous 1080p H.264 streams, as required by the blu-ray spec. In the A1 they did the secondary stream decode with it, but secondary streams in HD DVD were only SD.

Edit to clarify: I meant standalone player. The PS3 and 360 did software decoding, which everyone knows, but if I don't state it, someone will...
 
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dagamer said:
And perhaps I should have said fixed function hardware as opposed to decoding using general purpose CPUs, with the former being more power efficient than the latter.
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That "fixed function hardware" is not that fixed and can in most likelyhood be used to do H.265 decoding as well.
 
That's an interesting idea. I wouldn't use it, but it's interesting.

Movie theatres are already doing a similar thing. I'm always amazed (and embarrassed) that there is so much participation in these things through gadgets like cellphones and other things.
 
It may be a non-event. People hate long advertisements.

But the technical platform may be reusable in a more compelling context.
 
Oh right, the AUX. Never noticed it before, just checked the official docs.

-Super-Speed USB (USB 3.0).
-AUX.

And display AV ports

-HDMI
-Analog-AV out
-Digital Output (optical)

I hope AUX allows us to daisy chain units for 4k or extra oomph for VR headset rendering :oops:
 
Last thing I want to hear about is DVR-like functionality personally... too costly and convoluted imo, I'm just looking for content that works out of the box via internet.

Services and delivery is the way to go, just not through DVR I think. The DVR monopolies have been established already I think, I don't see the point in fighting any wars with telecom companies using a videogames console.
 
patsu said:
Probably depends on the market. e.g., in Japan, the Torne DVR seems to sell well.
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Just did a quick Google on the Torne to see any recent updates. Found the Nasne which I didn't even know existed. Appears to be a single tuner DVR/DLNA server with a 500GB internal drive (external drive expansion) that can stream to various compatible Sony devices (PS3 running the Torne 4.0 app, Vita with Torne app, Vaio TV). Functionality looks limited, and their multi-tuner solution is multiple Nasnes! Still, interesting little device.
 
Yap, Nasne is an upgrade to Torne. Supports more devices and storage.

Back in the Blu-ray launch days, I remember Japan only sold BR recorders at exorbitant price. There was no BR players. It seems that DVR is a must-have feature there.
 
DVRs are cheaper and apparently doesn't have nearly as high costs to operate.

Top of the line Tivo with 4 tuners and lifetime service is $900.

Cable companies charge $17 a month for their crappy Motorola DVRs.

Again, Americans getting ripped off.
 
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