These Sony NeWs workstations from the early 90's share some resemblence to the PSX dev kit prototype First off the appearance is strikingly similar to the prototype dev kits, and they both feature MIPS R3000 CPU archetecture. So I'm wondering is the dev kit in the first picture actually a NeWs workstation with adapter plugins for psx controllers or just share the same case design.
Omg thanks for the pics and information, could I ask if the last picture belongs to you? This is something new to me at least...
I have some sony alpha hardware. They tended to borrow pieces from whatever they had around. The early PSX board set was huge, and had network interface boxes. It was rack mounted, so it sort of had terminals to access it. I had the privilege of seeing one up close once. I am guessing the news shell or design may have been a base for that network box to access the large rack mount playstation hardware. More than likely the chassis provided a convenient power supply and board mount, the hole cut in the front for the controller says it all really.
I have seen the controller before. I'm not expert on this but this controller is not just a dev kit only because you can buy it in retail shop which i have seen few times in the late 90's and often on ebay. other hand this hardware kit indeed interesting but I believe they both share almost same case. This is the best news on assembler site so far These pictures does not belong to original poster. I have seen pictures before couple years ago. This kit is nothing new but still interesting though.
Sony tended to re-use existing case designs for other hardware e.g. PVM and KV series CRTs late 80s early 90s - it may just be cosmetic and part of their branding than any hint inside.
The two larger images are from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_NEWS_Workstation_(1993).jpg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sony_NeWS_NWS-3710_01.JPG
Very cool but like Assembler said, they probably just used a case and power supply they already had for the early hardware. Not uncommon to see companies do that.
Eurogamer had an interesting quote from Dominic Mallinson (lead programmer for WipEout at Psygnosis in PSX days, now VP R&D SCEA): http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2014-20-years-of-playstation-the-making-of-wipeout
