Next Gen Consoles will use <insert format here> media!

[zurich]

Since the BluRay thread was getting alot of activity, I thought I'd start another asking the question, "what format will next gen consoles use?"

Reason being that the XB2/PS3/GC2/whatever will definitely be high volume systems. They will almost undoubtedly play (whatever format) DVDs as well. Hell, the PS2 did wonders for DVD penetration in Japan and NA when it launched..

That said, the nextgen consoles (as well as porn, ofcourse [scene selection!]) could be considered vital to establishing whichever format.

I haven't been reading up on all the politics, but I figure Sony would use BluRay.. no idea what MS or Nintendo (hypothetically assuming they take a non-proprietry format) will do.

Thoughts?

edit: keep in mind that durability and cost to manufacture is very important (which may rule BluRay out..).

 

[wordsmyth]

I think PS3 and XBox2 will use the same DVD format that PS2 and XBox currently use because I don't believe formats like Blu-Ray will have enough market penetration by the next console generation to warrant the need nor the additional cost of utilizing them. The present DVD format is still viable and I don't believe its going to be easily or quickly displaced.

Now, PS4 and XBox3 could be another story entirely.

 

[London Geezer]

I think PS3 and XBox2 will use the same DVD format that PS2 and XBox currently use because I don't believe formats like Blu-Ray will have enough market penetration by the next console generation to warrant the need nor the additional cost of utilizing them. The present DVD format is still viable and I don't believe its going to be easily or quickly displaced.

Now, PS4 and XBox3 could be another story entirely.

that would be the first time ever a format is carried over the next generation.... it's always been different from gen to gen...
unless they can read HD-DVD or whatever it's called, i think they will adopt blue ray or whatever is available....

 

[archie4oz]

Why does one need 'market penetration' to push a media format on a console. It's not like you see GCN discs in wide use or masked ROM carts outside of Nintendo's devices...

I'm also rather curious as to why people keep thinking that Blu-Ray is going to be so horrendously expensive in 2 years? (and if it still is high due to lack of demand, then a console might be a driving catalyst to bring the price of devices down)

 

[London Geezer]

Why does one need 'market penetration' to push a media format on a console. It's not like you see GCN discs in wide use or masked ROM carts outside of Nintendo's devices...

I'm also rather curious as to why people keep thinking that Blu-Ray is going to be so horrendously expensive in 2 years? (and if it still is high due to lack of demand, then a console might be a driving catalyst to bring the price of devices down)

my thoughts exactly

 

[Rodéric]

As long as it's quick to access, doesn't cost a lot and contain plenty of data, who cares ?

 

[zurich]

Why does one need 'market penetration' to push a media format on a console. It's not like you see GCN discs in wide use or masked ROM carts outside of Nintendo's devices...
I'm also rather curious as to why people keep thinking that Blu-Ray is going to be so horrendously expensive in 2 years? (and if it still is high due to lack of demand, then a console might be a driving catalyst to bring the price of devices down)

Cause last I heard, MS and Sony want their systems to do alot more than play games And in order to do this, it would be very 'en vogue' to adopt whatever media format is the Next Big Thing.

DVR, DV Editing, etc.

 

[London Geezer]

Why does one need 'market penetration' to push a media format on a console. It's not like you see GCN discs in wide use or masked ROM carts outside of Nintendo's devices...
I'm also rather curious as to why people keep thinking that Blu-Ray is going to be so horrendously expensive in 2 years? (and if it still is high due to lack of demand, then a console might be a driving catalyst to bring the price of devices down)

Cause last I heard, MS and Sony want their systems to do alot more than play games And in order to do this, it would be very 'en vogue' to adopt whatever media format is the Next Big Thing.

DVR, DV Editing, etc.

yeah, well, the thing is, if they want a certain format to have market penetration, what better start that PS3&Co.... look at what PS2 helped to do for DVD... the next gen console would be the... er.... PENETRATOR......

 

[wordsmyth]

You will notice that I didn't mention GC2 in my first post and that is specifically because Nintendo is notorious for using proprietary formats, so that trend makes it likely that GC2 will again use some type of proprietary format.

I'm also rather curious as to why people keep thinking that Blu-Ray is going to be so horrendously expensive in 2 years?

Who used the phrase "horrendously expensive" in this thread other than you? The simple fact is that console manufacturers (other than possibly Nintendo) take a substantial loss on consoles. When it comes crunch time Sony and MS are going to try and cut those losses to a bare minimum by eliminating extras that are unneccessary or aren't a viable selling point for the console. For example, MS reduced the size of the HD from 10Gig to 8Gig and removed the progressive scan capabilities for DVD movie playback.

One needs "market penetration" because if the majority of your market is still primarily using the present standard format rather than the "new thing", then there isn't enough reason to incur the additional cost (no matter how small) when it likely won't even be seen as a big selling point.

Sony may go with Blu-ray because of they have alot to gain by it, but I think that will depend a great deal on when they release the PS3. If they focus on PSP now and release the PS3 later, say xmas 2006 or later, then it would be more likely they would incorporate Blu-ray. As far as MS, though, there would not be any substantial benefit for them to include a new format with XBox2 if they release it in the next 2 years. So, the additional cost (no matter how small) is unnecessary.

 

[zurich]

yeah, well, the thing is, if they want a certain format to have market penetration, what better start that PS3&amp;Co.... look at what PS2 helped to do for DVD... the next gen console would be the... er.... PENETRATOR......

Yea, but somehow SCE doesn't come across as the big butchy top type

God, you and I need to stop making sexual jokes!

ANYHOW, yea, thats my whole point. The PS2 did wonders for DVD penet- er, MARKET EXPANSION, if The Sony Group (as a whole) wants to push their format, then rolling it into the PS3 would make perfect sense.

Ofcourse, then the question comes of what MS would use, what format would best suit their interests, do they choose a competing format or go for the most likely to win (which could be BluRay, which would mean sleeping with the enemy! ), etc etc.

Its all very interesting! I'm going to sleep now!

 

[London Geezer]

if it vibrates, im getting one

OK I'LL STOP RIGHT..... NOW.

 

[PiNkY]

For example, MS reduced the size of the HD from 10Gig to 8Gig and removed the progressive scan capabilities for DVD movie playback.

I fail to see why removing progressive scan support on DVDs helped MS reduce costs. The hardware should be powerful enough to handle progressive output in software, as 800 Mhz notebook have hardly a problem putting out upsampled progressive mpeg2 without e.g. idct support in gfx hw.

 

[Clashman]

I think the real question is: is anything more than DVD needed? How many games use up more than one DVD? And do they even do that because they physically need the extra one or is it more of a marketing tool. With movies, nearly all af the double disc "special editions" could easily fit onto one disc. I'm willing to bet that most games are the same. With the possible exception of HD DVD support, I see no reason why storage would really change, regardless of previous precedents or market creating potentials.

 

[MfA]

Are blue laser diodes cheap and durable yet?

 

[megadrive0088]

plain vanilla DVD-ROM will not be the media for PS3 or XB2. they will both use some type of next gen DVD, be it Blu-Ray or HD-DVD or something else.

the next Nintendo will use some propriatary format, yet should also be backwards compatable with GC as per Iwata's comments.

Its not so much the storage space anymore, its the features (rewritability)and copy protection, that next gen media offers. I hope all three console manufacturers also make protection from disc damage a priority also, but I am unsure if they will or not. See, I want Blu-Ray or any media that has a caddy or cartridge for disc PROTECTION/DURABILITY. this is a big issue for me. Panajev will agree with me on this. the pit density of even current DVD-ROM or GameCube Optical Discs is very high, making them more suseptible to scratches. assuming next gen discs have ever greater pit density, we almost GOTTA have some form of protection for them.

The third and final SNES CD-ROM addon (the 32-bit ND) was going to use caddies with the CDs. btw, the other two 16-bit SNES CD-ROM addons, the Sony Play Station and Phillips one, did not have caddies.



I like this picture

she's saying 'BluRay will be the format of the next Playstation'

 

[PC-Engine]

My little soft disc carrier can hold 50 discs without the jewel case. How many caddies can you fit into that?

 

[Paul]

I thought id hate caddies, and I do. However the ones used in Blu-ray are actually pretty good looking.. I actually wouldn't mind if PS3/xbox2 used em.

 

[Tagrineth]

My little soft disc carrier can hold 50 discs without the jewel case. How many caddies can you fit into that?

Soft disc carriers also tend to add microscratches to discs.


And the latest 3 consoles (well, except maybe Xbox) seem to have pretty good error correction in the drive... though when GameCube's fails, the system crashes ...

 

[PC-Engine]

Soft disc carriers also tend to add microscratches to discs.

Sure, but if the drives can still read them then who cares? I don't use them as vanity mirrors

 

[zurich]

For example, MS reduced the size of the HD from 10Gig to 8Gig and removed the progressive scan capabilities for DVD movie playback.

I fail to see why removing progressive scan support on DVDs helped MS reduce costs. The hardware should be powerful enough to handle progressive output in software, as 800 Mhz notebook have hardly a problem putting out upsampled progressive mpeg2 without e.g. idct support in gfx hw.

This topic came up in 'Opening the Xbox'. Its becausae, for pro-scan support, MS would have to pay a largish licensing fee to the DVD consortium. This is also why you have to buy the basic DVD playback kit, to cover the standard licensing fee.

So if MS wanted to support Pro-scan DVD, all they'd have to do is ship the remote and IR port with an update disc, and voila (as well as charge more for it to cover the fee).