PlayStation 2 Undergoes Major Update!

[Deepak]

PlayStation 2 Undergoes Major Update!

PlayStation 2 Undergoes Major Update
Mon Apr 14, 9:00 AM ET

Martyn Williams, IDG News Service

Sony Computer Entertainment will put an upgraded version of its PlayStation 2 (news - web sites) video game on sale in Japan in mid May, the company said Monday. The new machine will be the first major upgrade SCEI has made to its hit gaming platform since it first went on sale just over three years ago.

The SCPH-50000 doesn't add much to the gaming experience but it does improve on the unit's ability to work as a DVD player. Whereas the current machine accepts only DVD-Video discs, at least officially, the new console adds support for the DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW recordable and rewritable formats. It doesn't support DVD-RAM.

"The current player can read some of those discs but it's not stable," said Yoshiko Furusawa, a spokesperson for the Tokyo-based company. "We never officially supported them but now we do."

New and Improved

The new console can also output a progressive-scan video image, which should mean a better picture for users with a compatible television. The console is also quieter and the remote controller has been improved with the addition of a power on/off button and eject button--functions that require a trip from the couch to the console on the current model.


It's not just new features that make the SCH-50000 different from its predecessor. Sony has removed the iLink (also called IEEE1394 or Firewire) connector from the console.


"We took if off," said Furusawa. "The broadband environment has become popular and we think the capabilities that we wanted to use iLink for can be realized for users through the network."


The console will retail for around $207, which is just a little more than the current PlayStation 2 sells for in Japan at present. Furusawa said the company would announce plans for overseas sales as soon as plans had been determined.

Tough Competition

SCEI's move to add features to the PlayStation 2 comes at a time when Microsoft, one of its two major competitors, is cutting the price of its Xbox (news - web sites) console to better compete. Microsoft last week cut its European retail price for the Xbox console by 20 percent to $214.


For its part, Sony has been trying to pump hardware sales through promotions and special edition machines, such as in February this year when it put on sale five versions of the standard console with colored cases rather than a plain black case.


In January the company said production of the PlayStation 2 had hit the 50 million unit mark.

I never thought a console would undergo an update.....has their been other instances (PSX I think)??

 

[Panajev2001a]

Uhm... DVD-R if this means I can record TV shows then maybe as progressive scan DVD plaback ( PlayStation 2 can already output 480p ) is a feature I'd like ( shutting the power off without reaching the console can tempt people too )

 

[Phil]

Upon reading this, I thought it was a April's fool... why would they take out the i-link, especially considering that their own first party game, Gran Turismo 3, uses it?

I can also think of many other games which use it... why would they do such a thing? :?

 

[maskrider]

Upon reading this, I thought it was a April's fool... why would they take out the i-link, especially considering that their own first party game, Gran Turismo 3, uses it?

I can also think of many other games which use it... why would they do such a thing? :?

From what I've read, this is not the first model that they have taken the i.Link port away, the 39000 (games retail people mentioned, I haven't verified it) also does not have it.

Not many games use it, GT3 is one, Armored core 2 is one, nothing else went out of my head.

The good things are progressive DVD playback (although PS2's video playback is always not as good as most standalone players), integrated remote control and DVD+-/R/RW reading capability (I have created quite some family video discs on DVD+RW).

Quiter and lower power requirement are always welcome.

 

[V3]

I can also think of many other games which use it... why would they do such a thing?

Cut cost. PS2, is already into its tail end of its consumer market, these laggers don't really need things like i-Link.

 

[Phil]

TimeSplitters 2 is another game that makes use of i-Link. That's something that just won't go out of my head - I find that very disappointing. GT3 and TimeSplitter 2 are the most frequently played games when I go to friends place with my PS2 - I couldn't imagine playing it via splitscreen - it's so much better through i-link and two monitors/TVs.

Shame on you Sony.

 

[marconelly!]

TS2 can also be played through ethernet cable.

Cut cost. PS2, is already into its tail end of its consumer market, these laggers don't really need things like i-Link.

Yeah, but why would they think that tail end market needs to play recorded DVD movies then? It's not like that kind of people would even know what a DVD recorder is, much less have one...

 

[V3]

Yeah, but why would they think that tail end market needs to play recorded DVD movies then? It's not like that kind of people would even know what a DVD recorder is, much less have one...

Tail End most likely don't have any other DVD player around that can

Tail End also probably don't know the different between them.

 

[Nick Laslett]

I've been a big advocate of i-link. This is disappointing news.

It is an under utilised feature. The implementation of i-link in GT3 and TS2 is disappointing. You lose the computer controlled characters. So with 2 player i-link on TS2 you only have yourselfs to play against. Where as split screen you can still have 8 other computer controlled opponents. With GT3 it is just your cars, not a field of 6. In TS2 the co-op mode is not available in i-link.

I think Sony have made the right decision to drop this piece of functionality.

Some of my best games playing experiences have been i-link TS2 and GT3, but it is not something most people do.

I wonder if they will release the improved DVD drivers so that existing machines can be prog scan enabled?