PS2 -> PS3 "It is not just a game console." Ken K.

[gongo]

I was just thinking, the move to PS3 must have been the biggest in terms of consoles features. Can i say it is almost a revolution in the way how we look at game consoles.

Let see the PS2, had movie playback that PS1 did not aaaand thats it.

PS3 features over PS2 are so plentiful, i have to list them out.

-latest HD format capable
-highest consumer resolution
-highest consumer surround audio
-upscales all your SD movies beautifully
-plays your backup media
-internet surfing
-remote connectivity
-streaming your media through DLNA
-full wireless operations
-built in storage
-upgradeable OS
-customisation OS
-supports another OS
-external storage readability
-industry standard connectivity

I don't know but people that make a fuss about next generation being only sharper graphics, aren't they missing out on the bigger picture as above? I can't imagine what other revolutionary features PS4 will bring!

 

[Johnny Awesome]

Is this really the kind of post we want here?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

It's discussing the advance of the consoles from games machines to combo-boxes. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Nesh]

I was just thinking, the move to PS3 must have been the biggest in terms of consoles features. Can i say it is almost a revolution in the way how we look at game consoles.

Let see the PS2, had movie playback that PS1 did not aaaand thats it.

PS3 features over PS2 are so plentiful, i have to list them out.

-latest HD format capable
-highest consumer resolution
-highest consumer surround audio
-upscales all your SD movies beautifully
-plays your backup media
-internet surfing
-remote connectivity
-streaming your media through DLNA
-full wireless operations
-built in storage
-upgradeable OS
-customisation OS
-supports another OS
-external storage readability
-industry standard connectivity

I don't know but people that make a fuss about next generation being only sharper graphics, aren't they missing out on the bigger picture as above? I can't imagine what other revolutionary features PS4 will bring!

Well it was one Sony's aims to integrate your whole digital living room entertainment into one quality box.

The PS3 seems like the first step towards that. Some people may complain that consoles should remain just for games, but I see no problem in a console that can do games plus much more effectively and efficiently. Everyone watches movies, listens to music, etc. It is actually thinking forward and ahead and I am glad Sony is doing that despite the media desperation to present this as a bad thing.

It is no different from those believing two decades ago that consoles were for kids and impossible to target everyone. The Playstation proved that the "unconventional" strategies are sometimes the way to go. So it expanded to all audiences and the gaming industry unlike Nintendo and Sega of the old times that still viewed their products like "toys".

Play TV is another great addition and hints to the possibility of becoming integrated in the next Playstation.

The possibilities are limitless. Next generation will reach even higher resolutions, with faster processing power, improved digital distribution technologies etc, making a console a possible candidate for a cheap but of a very great quality device managing all your digital entertainment needs.

 

[22psi]

"revolution"? lol

If anything it's an evolution.

 

[Laa-Yosh]

It's discussing the advance of the consoles from games machines to combo-boxes. There's nothing wrong with that.

Actually, the word that comes into my mind is the one that's banned here.

 

[patsu]

I was just thinking, the move to PS3 must have been the biggest in terms of consoles features. Can i say it is almost a revolution in the way how we look at game consoles.

Let see the PS2, had movie playback that PS1 did not aaaand thats it.

PS3 features over PS2 are so plentiful, i have to list them out.

-latest HD format capable
-highest consumer resolution
-highest consumer surround audio
-upscales all your SD movies beautifully
-plays your backup media
-internet surfing
-remote connectivity
-streaming your media through DLNA
-full wireless operations
-built in storage
-upgradeable OS
-customisation OS
-supports another OS
-external storage readability
-industry standard connectivity

I don't know but people that make a fuss about next generation being only sharper graphics, aren't they missing out on the bigger picture as above? I can't imagine what other revolutionary features PS4 will bring!

Revolution cannot be achieved by simply listing down these petty features. They have to work together to drive a breakthrough.

Some of the original PS3 ideas are pretty revolutionary, but they are not (fully) realized yet. May have to delay judgement by one or two more years.

 

[function]

-latest HD format capable
-highest consumer resolution
-highest consumer surround audio
-upscales all your SD movies beautifully
-plays your backup media
-internet surfing
-remote connectivity
-streaming your media through DLNA
-full wireless operations
-built in storage
-upgradeable OS
-customisation OS
-supports another OS
-external storage readability
-industry standard connectivity

Yes, the Xbox 1 was a pretty revolutionary machine alright!

 

[_phil_]

The PS3 seems like the first step towards that. Some people may complain that consoles should remain just for games, but I see no problem in a console that can do games plus much more effectively and efficiently. Everyone watches movies, listens to music, etc. It is actually thinking forward and ahead and I am glad Sony is doing that despite the media desperation to present this as a bad thing.

The trend is pretty clear and obvious.
Sony is following its customers :from kids (ps1) to full grown adults with their own home.An evolutive segment.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Actually, the word that comes into my mind is the one that's banned here.

What's to stop anyone adding in the virtues of XB360, the divergence of Wii from gaming-only totally against the grain of Nintendo's previous public philosophies, and trends for and against multi-functionality throughout the entire industry?

Seriously, some people need to chill out and not take someone's enthusiasm for a platform as a bad thing! Those who think gongo's seeing PS3 through rose-tinted specs, or is missing the gains made by other systems, should instead constructively educate in the spirit of discussion.

 

[Titanio]

OMG, he likes PS3, get him!

Region freeness and commodity storage support were two big steps IMO. The latter will prove particularly important in any move toward digital media distribution.

I think remote play also has potentially huge ramifications for the longer term future of Sony's handheld business, asides from being a pretty neat piece of functionality in the meantime.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

For remote play to be really worthwhile, it needs to extend beyond the limited reach of Wifi; it really needs Cellphone coverage. Otherwise, fine for beaming around the house, but you don't get your media experience from your PlayStation 'server' to wherever you are in the world. The idea of having media on your PS3, remote access to TV tuning and recording, and playback to a TV over PSP, is fantastic in theory. It lets you take your media on holiday with you. Only you need wifi to do it, and renting a villa in France where you might have use for remote play, it comes a cropper on this limitation.

Sony are ahead of the game in this respect, with the competition only really coming from downloads to phones (better coverage) but without TV linkup on the receiving side. The question is whether phones will add media services and TV out before Sony adds broad network coverage.

 

[Titanio]

For remote play to be really worthwhile, it needs to extend beyond the limited reach of Wifi; it really needs Cellphone coverage.

Agreed. I'd expect the next PSP..or a future one, at least, to use mobile networks for connectivity. I believe a SCE chap some time ago alluded to the possibility.

I was thinking more of the ramifications on the software side too, in the longer term future. If we get to a point where the handheld platform is really just a remote link to the same software platform you play at home. Sony may view this as they do video and music. Music for example isn't fundamentally different on a handheld as on a home player - it's the same music. Games, however, are not, there are wholly seperate handheld and home platforms. I think Sony may be looking in the longer term toward having one platform that home or handheld clients plug into.

I wouldn't shocked to see them burn things from the other end of the candle too - to put PSP games up on the PSN, downloadable and playable on PS3.

 

[gongo]

I will ignore those unkind words that seek to derail my thread.

Thanks Nesh on the Play TV, missed it.

There are two more features i love to add, remember when PS2 was chastised for being a below average DVD player and horrible audio player? Well this time round, PS3 is as good as the best stand alones AFAIK. Sony achieved this AND made it perform speedier, rock stable and very silent. Amazing engineering feat.

How can anyone not say the PS3 is a "revolutionary" departure from PS2 and every other last gen home consoles upgrades? This coming from someone who was skeptical about Ken home server hyperbole.

 

[Neb]

I would say more a evolution (in the console world) than revolution. But apart from connections and OS part, isn't the xbox360 pretty much up there to?

Still revolutionary just sounds wrong, I mean it is just getting more features that already been available, why the other consoles lack this is hardly becouse of technical limits. :smile:

 

[patsu]

I think remote play also has potentially huge ramifications for the longer term future of Sony's handheld business, asides from being a pretty neat piece of functionality in the meantime.

This is one of those cases where a PS3 idea is stunted by existing infrastructural limitations. Being able to play my music, movies, photo and even games "anywhere" and "transparently" (like Skype !) is the big idea. In fact, it's two way, one can also look through the PS Eye remotely today. What's missing is the ability to move/turn the PS Eye remotely

Seriously, what's missing are the ability to share these media, and also for other devices to use them (To be addressed partially in Home).

In fact, every PS3 is a WiFi access point (not just a WiFi adapter), and also has a gigabit port. So anything from small WiFi gadgets to high speed storage can be accessed via this "console" network.

If we discuss at this level, I think it's easier to carry this thread forward. Feature listing will likely bog down the thread.

 

[Nesh]

This is one of those cases where a PS3 idea is stunted by existing infrastructural limitations. Being able to play my music, movies, photo and even games "anywhere" and "transparently" (like Skype !) is the big idea. In fact, it's two way, one can also look through the PS Eye remotely today. What's missing is the ability to move/turn the PS Eye remotely

You can??? HOW

 

[Titanio]

Yeah, it's an idea that would be perfect with the right (currently non-existant) infrastructure. But in the mean time they'll do what's possible with it.

On a general note, some of the points will attract scorn if the term "revolutionary" is put anywhere near them. Things like resolution, audio improvements, wireless, customisable/upgradable OS are fairly 'obvious' things. But I think it's fair to note the less obvious things, things that did even generate discussion (and scepticism) prior to PS3's release. I think it's reasonable to note them again with the benefit of hindsight, their significance to date (or lack thereof), their potential significance in the future. Those things, I would say are:

Remote Play, Blu-ray, Commodity Storage support, Region-freeness, internet support (both the obvious in browsing, and less obvious in things like in PSN openess), otherOS, DRM for DLC and game-sharing..

Those are the things, some more or less interesting, that I think are actually notable to date.

 

[patsu]

You can??? HOW

Use Remote Play to start the XMB Chat. You will be able to see through the PS Eye remotely.

 

[gongo]

Yeah, it's an idea that would be perfect with the right (currently non-existant) infrastructure. But in the mean time they'll do what's possible with it.

On a general note, some of the points will attract scorn if the term "revolutionary" is put anywhere near them. Things like resolution, audio improvements, wireless, customisable/upgradable OS are fairly 'obvious' things. But I think it's fair to note the less obvious things, things that did even generate discussion (and scepticism) prior to PS3's release. I think it's reasonable to note them again with the benefit of hindsight, their significance to date (or lack thereof), their potential significance in the future. Those things, I would say are:

Remote Play, Blu-ray, Commodity Storage support, Region-freeness, internet support (both the obvious in browsing, and less obvious in things like in PSN openess), otherOS, DRM for DLC and game-sharing..

Those are the things, some more or less interesting, that I think are actually notable to date.

I expected internet access to be a given but customisable OS, as in truly customisable by users at their leisure, now that surprised me in the good way. The whole open-ness nature of PS3 is something i never expect to see from a game console.