"Core" PS3 to be upgradeable, except for HDMI...

It's been confirmed by http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=17035 that the HDD can be upgraded, WIfi, and memory card adapters can be installed. However, HDMI support won't be, so I guess that means the system won't have the ability to play BluRay movies? This is actually making it look like the $600 model is the better buy because I'm sure that it will cost $99 just to upgrade the HDD from 20gigs to 60gigs and probably $50-$60 to get wifi onto the $500 core PS3. But i'm sure people will develop hacks, etc. that will enable people to upgrade the HDD and possibly enable HDMI, some how.

 

Ok great, leave THE single most important upgrade out. THE upgrade you are being forced to buy a Blu Ray drive for will not be an option. Madness I tell you.


I can see it now, PS4 $899.99 vector based games that can only be played with vector monitor, that you need a $999.99 model to output the proper signal. Man I have a hankering for some waffles.

 

It wont be so bad if Blu-Ray dies in the arse like Betamax :110:

 

There's no point in buying the $500 version. (but it doesn't mean the $600 version is worth it)

Blu-ray, HD-DVD,... it doesn't really matter which one will "win" the battle. The majority of people still watch DVD movies in normal 480i TV's (not even widescreen tvs).

Plus people still dream with plasma EDTV's (480p), since full HDTVs (720p, 1080i) still cost a fortune.

It's like you buy a Xbox360 or a PS3 in 2006 / 2007 but you'll only see the real graphic quality of the games in 2010.

 

the hdd will be upgradable on both the $599 and $499 version of the PS3. it was discussed previously in this topic: http://assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9880 it looks like Sony will finally make full use of the USB ports on their PlayStation systems for Wifi and Card reader expandability. I'm a bit disappointed that the traditional memory card ports have been removed, but who knows, with the USB ports open, the possibilities are open for upgradability and could be future add-ons like memory card readers.

Sony has climbed a long ladder to where they are today. I'd like to think Blu Ray, with the support that it is currently receiving, will not end up last in this generation. we'll have to see how the market will take the addition of Blu Ray- there are lots of early adopters out there, and it seems like people have only grown more wealthier over the years. entertainment is a booming business this time around


*Concura

 

They dropped the official PS1 and PS2 memory card ports... But they'll probably release a USB Adapter so you can use your old saves. Just another way to get more money...

Just like the PS1, PSOne, PS2, PSTwo multitaps,.... Just like their lack of respect to the customers who got the PS2 waiting for the PSBBN and all HDD options for the american system...

And honestly, Blu-ray and HD-DVD are still future options. You can call me crazy but 99% of the normal people will still be using DVD's for years... You can still buy VCD's today...

 

I do believe Sony will exploit the capabilities of the USB options on their nex gen PlayStation, and future expansion with add ons like your example of PSorig/PS2 memory card slots may no doubt be among those upgradables. leaving them out in the ps3 may be a good plan to reduce the cost of the product so consumers will not have to pay extra for it. Instead, it will steer the market toward the more main-stream flash storage, including the popular Compact Flash format and Sony's proprietary Memory Stick media.

High Definition is many years ahead of my plan- I expect to be using DVD for a while too. but I think if I had to go with any format at all, Blu ray would be my choice.


*Concura

 

Reduce the cost because a PS1 / PS2 memory card port? You're joking right? They're demanding us to buy a Blu-ray player. And honestly what "cost" is to add a PS1/PS2 memory card port? Just make one to upload the saves to the HDD.

And since we all know high quality of Sony products, i'm sure they reduced the cost of everything on it, to the point of having parts breaking or dying after a couple of hours (remember the first PSTwo models?).

Honestly, i hope both new formats, HD-DVD or Blu-ray never become popular. At least not in 3 or 4 years. DVD is great as is.

 

I think Sony have said that the hard drive can be replaced with any stock hard drive. At least, that was the impression they made.

You can get pretty big ones for $100 these days.

 

Sony has been in the forefront of innovation for years. from their vaio line to their cybershot cameras, the corporation is know for putting out products that aren't cheap, but have class. the PlayStation line is no different, it's just a little more expensive than the competition this gen. the Blu ray is no surprise; at one point, it was in talks that Xbox 360 would incorporate HD playback. Sony is just continuing its line of trend, but at a price, and this my friends is what it riling up people, despite that for most early adopters, the price is "affordable" in some terms.

while they have not been always perfect in the past, such inventions like the Memory Stick media and the Walkman have been successful innovations implemented into the market as common household names.

true. Mr. Phil Harrison, president of SCE, made it clear that the "ps3 is a computer" and the system can be upgraded with stock 2.5" Hard Drives (incorporated in many laptops today). media card slot adaptors, including Compact Flash and Memory Stick cards, and wifi adaptors may also be connected to the PS3. No mention of proprietary prerequisite was mentioned for such upgradable components.


*Concura

 

They say that shit cuz that way they get a tax cut in the EU (there a computer pays less taxes than a console).

And BTW, why the "mister" crap? man each day you sound more like a sony employee...

 

Agreed on Walkman, but Memory Stick is a lie/half-truth. When people say "memory stick" they generally mean any generic USB memory stick, not the Sony flash memory cards (which weren't the first flash memory cards released nor have they become ubiquitous household objects).

Exactly how true this is remains to be seen. After all, the PS2 was a supercomputer, and would let you jack into the matrix:

Kutaragi actually said that about the PS2 (source). Sony are full of shit, and anyone who takes anything they say right now as truth is an idiot. Not saying that PS3 won't/couldn't be a computer, just that it's best to remain sceptical until the hardware is in your room and on your TV. Same goes for the others, too, although they generally aren't as hyperbolic in their marketing.

 

How much money are your earning to write all this? Seriously, you sound like Sony PR personnel.

I still don't get the point of making a blu-ray player + game machine. The $500 version withouth HDMI is nonsense. It's like buying a DVD Player with only RF cable to connect to a TV. What kind of innovation is that?

Sony products have class? crap quality class that is.

If you want "decent" class, go buy from Nakamichi, Panasonic, Pioneer,

Sony is just marketing, nothing else.

Even IGN is aware of that: http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/ps3/ign-rips-sony-a-new-hdmi-port-175214.php

 

Why? Why choose Blu ray? HD-DVD is far the better option since you can still watch all your normal DVDs. So what if it can't hold as much data. Do you reallythink that Blu ray will make use of all it's space? I think not.

Memory stick a great invention? Give me a break. You must be blind or something. The memory stick was way too big when it first appeared plus the only reason it was made was so that you'd have to buy a Sony memory card to fit in your Sony product. Everyone else was using Smart Media or SD cards. By the way, SD cards are far the best card media storage out there plus they aren't locked to just one maker such as the memory stick. I refuse to buy a Sony product because the will always force you to buy their accessories ! Not to mention Sony build quality is piss poor on their TVs, Cameras (yeah, cyber shot is nothing new) and computers.

Yakumo

 

And let's not forget the innovation of presenting the new Vaio with blu-ray support, but using a DVD-R disc...

 

Actually it'll be great if Sony could release an HDMI DYI Kit for upgrading the PS3 kinda like solder it (or cock it up) yourself. I guess in the interest of keeping the production costs down they are not going to build 2 different models of motherboard for the PS3 at once. HDMI might be software locked on the core model but the motherboard should still have a space for soldering a plug.

I mean thanks to website like gamesx.com we've seen a lot of mod involving replacing or adding video connector to various console to get the best picture out of them, I understand HDMI is far more complicated than component for instance. But history has proved that modder always grasp and make the best use of the latest technologies... just wait and see...

But Sony is actually making the core the PS3 for the non-mega rich while at the same time they are promoting HD and more importantly Blu-Ray which is a bit useless without HDMI... Sony doesn't really get it this time... I'm sure they'll learn their lessons for PS4...

Sabre

 

In that case you can bet there's gonna be a couple of DIY kits made by other companies to add that HDMI plug, just like the IDE adapter for the PStwo.

If the PS3 fails completely then the PS4 may have the "Dreamcast syndrome"...

 

You'd be looking at reflashing/replacing at least the BIOS too probably, as well as needing to solder in some new hardware. I don't think Sony will make it easy for people to homebrew upgrade their units to HDMI.

 

Oh dont forget your gonna have to cut the case too.

 

That's why it would've to be an unauthorised/3rdpartie kit, like the HDD one.

Plus if thats offical it would eat trough the premium version sales.