PS3 delayed by Blu-ray specs til Nov but Blu-ray players and movies in May?

[heliosphere]

Ars technica make a good point that it is a bit odd that Sony are claiming the PS3 delay is due to problems finalizing Blu-ray specs when the first players and movies are going to be available May 23. Even if the specs are not finalized shouldn't it be easier to provide firmware updates for a console with a strong online component than for a stand alone Blu-ray player?

Combine this with the fact that final dev kits are not expected until June / July and you have to wonder if the Blu-ray thing isn't just a convenient excuse for a delay that is really due to other problems.

 

[Npl]

They are also waiting for the a new HDMI-Revision to be finalised, which will be somewhere around June-July (*estimated*). I guess they are calculating safe, so they can stockpile enough units, instead of having to do another delay. Maybe its also a plot so we dont have money for anything else around christmas

 

[Carl B]

@Helio: Always possible, but since the only thing that the final dev kits will be adding on top of what the presently shipping ones contain is a Blu-ray drive... I mean one could easily use the dev kit situation as a support for the given line as well.

 

[kyetech]

Yes, It does stink of BS. But then, this is sony we are talking about, I know all companies do, but sony im sure are prominent BSers.

Time is going to tell, it could be that BR is delayed, they might even be holding back some truth on that, so as to not let investors down? or string it out for as long as they can to keep companies going along with BR.

who knows ?

 

[Nicked]

Sony never said they delayed it because of Blu-ray specifications.

 

[heliosphere]

@Helio: Always possible, but since the only thing that the final dev kits will be adding on top of what the presently shipping ones contain is a Blu-ray drive... I mean one could easily use the dev kit situation as a support for the given line as well.

Some of the slides from the presentation also show schedules for the SDK and the online service not being finished until June. Why would those have been delayed significantly by the lack of Blu-ray? Seems like not having final SDKs before the end of spring would have prevented a spring launch anyway. It's possible they might have been planning to launch without an online service in spring but it seems that wouldn't have been ready in time either.

 

[heliosphere]

Sony never said they delayed it because of Blu-ray specifications.

For his part, Kutaragi would say only that the delay was due to "Blu-ray spec finalization."

 

[Carl B]

Some of the slides from the presentation also show schedules for the SDK and the online service not being finished until June. Why would those have been delayed significantly by the lack of Blu-ray? Seems like not having final SDKs before the end of spring would have prevented a spring launch anyway. It's possible they might have been planning to launch without an online service in spring but it seems that wouldn't have been ready in time either.

Well, I don't think the SDKs ultimately would have stopped the train from chugging, but definitely there are a number of fronts on which - almost comically - this extra time will allow Sony to tie up some loose ends. Software support, BD specs, HDMI specs, who knows what else...

It may indeed be that they would have delayed anyway for any or all of these other reasons, even if BD was smooth sailing. But even though there may be other wrenches stuck in the machine right now, I truly do believe that BD sticks out as the most problematic one at present - the one that renders an on-schedule PS3 launch not even an option Sony can consider. The console timetable was just too aggressive to begin with I guess; it's clear Kutaragi and gang were counting on quick approvals on the standards front. Approvals that didn't come so quickly...

 

[Laa-Yosh]

As far as I know there wouldn't be a piece of software to release the console with. And I have my doubts about the hardware finished on time either - with all signs indicating that RSX has been completed sometime January - February this year, it's reasonable to assume that the hardware design couldn't be ready for mass production on time.

I think it's safe to say that PS3 has not been delayed much. It's rather that Sony wasn't able to get it ready before their original schedule.

 

[dubyateeeff]

Ars technica make a good point that it is a bit odd that Sony are claiming the PS3 delay is due to problems finalizing Blu-ray specs when the first players and movies are going to be available May 23. Even if the specs are not finalized shouldn't it be easier to provide firmware updates for a console with a strong online component than for a stand alone Blu-ray player?

Combine this with the fact that final dev kits are not expected until June / July and you have to wonder if the Blu-ray thing isn't just a convenient excuse for a delay that is really due to other problems.

Maybe because the BD drives wont ship in the same quantities (thousands vs millions) as the PS3. So between the AACS-, HDMI-, BD-specs finalizing and a reasonable launch of millions of PS3 there will need to be a few months space.

Quite a reasonable argument wouldnt you say?

 

[Inane_Dork]

Maybe it has to do with getting a BR drive that spins fast enough.

 

[Nicked]

For his part, Kutaragi would say only that the delay was due to "Blu-ray spec finalization."

O rly? I thought that was the newspaper. Oh Kenny Ken.

Well, one things for sure, Spring was off the table because of HDMI anyway.

 

[Phil]

Ars technica make a good point that it is a bit odd that Sony are claiming the PS3 delay is due to problems finalizing Blu-ray specs when the first players and movies are going to be available May 23. Even if the specs are not finalized shouldn't it be easier to provide firmware updates for a console with a strong online component than for a stand alone Blu-ray player?

Combine this with the fact that final dev kits are not expected until June / July and you have to wonder if the Blu-ray thing isn't just a convenient excuse for a delay that is really due to other problems.

As others have mentioned, the PS3 won't be launching with a few thousand units but will need a couple of hundred-thousands on launch day. Assembling a quantity of PS3s of that amount takes time. Perhaps if they already have to wait til the finalization, they thought they might throw in a few upgrades as well to target their new launch date. As delays happen, so do plans as well. A delay doesn't always simply set a date back by a few weeks or months - sometimes, it makes sense to look at the new date and pack more into it to make up for the time you've lost and generate the same interest.

 

[Mythos]

Maybe because the BD drives wont ship in the same quantities (thousands vs millions) as the PS3. So between the AACS-, HDMI-, BD-specs finalizing and a reasonable launch of millions of PS3 there will need to be a few months space.

Quite a reasonable argument wouldnt you say?

Here it is....

Mar 16, 2006 - Sony Announces Pricing and Availability of Blu-ray Products

LAS VEGAS, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Electronics today debuted its
first Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) products in the U.S., along with details on
suggested pricing and availability for some of the new offerings.

These next generation devices include a home player, VAIO(R) desktop and
notebook computers, an aftermarket internal computer drive, and
recordable/rewritable media. All will offer the highest-definition experience
available from a five-inch optical disc.

The player is targeted to ship in July for about $1,000. The VAIO PC with Blu-ray Disc will be available for about $2,300. Both the VAIO RC desktop and notebook with a Blu-ray Disc drive will be available by early summer.
In April, Sony plans to begin shipping 25GB BD-R (write once) and BD-RE
(rewritable) discs for about $20 and $25 each, respectively. The 50GB BD-R
and BD-RE dual-layer discs will come in subsequent months for about $48 and
$60.

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-16-2006/0004321803&EDATE=

 

[Nesh]

Here it is....

Mar 16, 2006 - Sony Announces Pricing and Availability of Blu-ray Products

LAS VEGAS, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Electronics today debuted its
first Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) products in the U.S., along with details on
suggested pricing and availability for some of the new offerings.

These next generation devices include a home player, VAIO(R) desktop and
notebook computers, an aftermarket internal computer drive, and
recordable/rewritable media. All will offer the highest-definition experience
available from a five-inch optical disc.

The player is targeted to ship in July for about $1,000. The VAIO PC with Blu-ray Disc will be available for about $2,300. Both the VAIO RC desktop and notebook with a Blu-ray Disc drive will be available by early summer.
In April, Sony plans to begin shipping 25GB BD-R (write once) and BD-RE
(rewritable) discs for about $20 and $25 each, respectively. The 50GB BD-R
and BD-RE dual-layer discs will come in subsequent months for about $48 and
$60.

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-16-2006/0004321803&EDATE=

Man these are very expensive.I wonder if that means price increase in PS3 BR games and how this will affect game companies' revenues

 

[drpepper]

Man these are very expensive.I wonder if that means price increase in PS3 BR games and how this will affect game companies' revenues

I would imagine the price of the discs would be less for the publishers than the retail price consumers get. But I wouldn't be surprised if it would impact their bottom line. MS set the precedent though so 70$ games (CAD) might be the norm for next gen. Man, I remember back in the day I would have payed around 60-70 for a genesis game.

The players are ridiculously high though. Good thing I don't own an HDTV.