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Why is the PS2 a rip off? Personally I don`t think it is, and I know many others agree. Here is why I believe this:
Most consoles so far have been released at high prices. I believe PSone was more expensive on release, and it still did well. Was it £400? The price is bound to be high, as it is with all new consoles. Anyway, this price will drop soon, and become available to more and more people. I know quite a few people at university who are waiting until the end of this year for a PS2, so that they can get it cheaper. However, even before the price drop, I believe the price tag can be justified.
What does the PS2 have on offer?
1) A DVD player. Underestimated by many due to problems. I myself have encountered two problems, but now both have a solution.
(i) Green Screen - With the aid of Wookiee Monster, I was able to connect my Hi-fi up to my PS2 and TV, without turning the screen green. I was attempting to use an RGB cable, which was disabled for piracy reasons. Now I`m using the right cable, the sound is good, and the picture is correct, and of a very good quality. It is often forgotten that though the cable supplied is not true RGB, is is still of better quality than the old cables sold with consoles like the PSone and Megadrive.
Before I had my PS2, I thought of DVDs as over expensive and a waste of money. I had seen them run on PCs and had been fairly unimpressed. However, the quality of DVD player the PS2 possesses was sufficient to buy me over and convert me to a DVD fan.
(ii) Lip sync problems. Though many of my newer DVDs were unaffected by this, some of my older ones did suffer from deficiencies in what is known as lip sync. This is where the sound produced by the cast slips, and arrives at a different time to when the image should produce these sounds.
To solve this, it was posted by Wookiee Monster that you should press the triangle button when at the main menu before the browser. Then go to console and press triangle again. Then turn the diagnostic mode on. This sorts out the lip sync problem fairly well.
So, as you can see, with these problems solved, my PS2 is providing me with great DVD playback, and I am as a result building up my DVD collection.
2) This is hardly anything new, but it plays music CDs, which has been done before (By PSone for example). However, it is still a nice feature. (I myself would not enjoy having to bring a seperate dedicated music system such a distance to university just for the occasional song).
3) A feature that has really helped the PS2 in my opinion is the backwards compatibility of the system. Instead of totally having to restart with an all new console, new games controllers etc... I can use my old controllers, as well as the new ones provided. I can use my old PSone games. (As a PSone owner before, I have many games that I would not want to merely slip away into the background). All I need in the way of new peripherals is a memory card (A very large one is on sale at a reasonable price). I still have a long way to go to fill my memory card. I also have a new multi tap.
I was marginally disappointed to see the PS2 arrive with only two ports, but the explanation from Sony that the console could not house it as it had already had its dimensions fixed seemed fair enough. Also, the problem is solved by either the multi tap, or the rumoured controllers that will operate through the USB ports. So it seems that is all sorted, but what about the actual PS2 stuff, the games themselves?
4) The PS2 games. With stunning titles already released in the form of SSX, TimeSplitters, ZOE and Starfighter, there is already plenty to choose from. However, this is not where it stops. There are many exciting titles on their way to PS2, including some highly anticipated sequels (Final Fantasy 10 and Metal Gear Solid 2), and also many fresh new ideas such as Onimusha, Red Faction, the Getaway and many more. To top this off, Sega having recently become a multi format 3rd party developer will also be providing Sony with some fine games for their new machine, with Crazy Taxi as an imminent release. To avoid making this topic too long, I will not go into a great deal of detail about these games, but suffice to say there are many that are going to be really worth the wait.
5) A bright future. By the end of the year, the PS2 should be equipped with internet connections, and a powerful hard drive. There will also be many USB compatible accesories such as a digital camera, printers, keyboards and more. Along with the internet connections will come many online titles such as Final Fantasy 11 and Star Wars Online.
By the time the X-box is released, the PS2 will be set up with a large number of extremely good games, internet connections, hard drives, all the accesories you could want, and finally millions of happy PS2 owners.
Now, will somebody explain to me why the PS2 is a rip off.
Most consoles so far have been released at high prices. I believe PSone was more expensive on release, and it still did well. Was it £400? The price is bound to be high, as it is with all new consoles. Anyway, this price will drop soon, and become available to more and more people. I know quite a few people at university who are waiting until the end of this year for a PS2, so that they can get it cheaper. However, even before the price drop, I believe the price tag can be justified.
What does the PS2 have on offer?
1) A DVD player. Underestimated by many due to problems. I myself have encountered two problems, but now both have a solution.
(i) Green Screen - With the aid of Wookiee Monster, I was able to connect my Hi-fi up to my PS2 and TV, without turning the screen green. I was attempting to use an RGB cable, which was disabled for piracy reasons. Now I`m using the right cable, the sound is good, and the picture is correct, and of a very good quality. It is often forgotten that though the cable supplied is not true RGB, is is still of better quality than the old cables sold with consoles like the PSone and Megadrive.
Before I had my PS2, I thought of DVDs as over expensive and a waste of money. I had seen them run on PCs and had been fairly unimpressed. However, the quality of DVD player the PS2 possesses was sufficient to buy me over and convert me to a DVD fan.
(ii) Lip sync problems. Though many of my newer DVDs were unaffected by this, some of my older ones did suffer from deficiencies in what is known as lip sync. This is where the sound produced by the cast slips, and arrives at a different time to when the image should produce these sounds.
To solve this, it was posted by Wookiee Monster that you should press the triangle button when at the main menu before the browser. Then go to console and press triangle again. Then turn the diagnostic mode on. This sorts out the lip sync problem fairly well.
So, as you can see, with these problems solved, my PS2 is providing me with great DVD playback, and I am as a result building up my DVD collection.
2) This is hardly anything new, but it plays music CDs, which has been done before (By PSone for example). However, it is still a nice feature. (I myself would not enjoy having to bring a seperate dedicated music system such a distance to university just for the occasional song).
3) A feature that has really helped the PS2 in my opinion is the backwards compatibility of the system. Instead of totally having to restart with an all new console, new games controllers etc... I can use my old controllers, as well as the new ones provided. I can use my old PSone games. (As a PSone owner before, I have many games that I would not want to merely slip away into the background). All I need in the way of new peripherals is a memory card (A very large one is on sale at a reasonable price). I still have a long way to go to fill my memory card. I also have a new multi tap.
I was marginally disappointed to see the PS2 arrive with only two ports, but the explanation from Sony that the console could not house it as it had already had its dimensions fixed seemed fair enough. Also, the problem is solved by either the multi tap, or the rumoured controllers that will operate through the USB ports. So it seems that is all sorted, but what about the actual PS2 stuff, the games themselves?
4) The PS2 games. With stunning titles already released in the form of SSX, TimeSplitters, ZOE and Starfighter, there is already plenty to choose from. However, this is not where it stops. There are many exciting titles on their way to PS2, including some highly anticipated sequels (Final Fantasy 10 and Metal Gear Solid 2), and also many fresh new ideas such as Onimusha, Red Faction, the Getaway and many more. To top this off, Sega having recently become a multi format 3rd party developer will also be providing Sony with some fine games for their new machine, with Crazy Taxi as an imminent release. To avoid making this topic too long, I will not go into a great deal of detail about these games, but suffice to say there are many that are going to be really worth the wait.
5) A bright future. By the end of the year, the PS2 should be equipped with internet connections, and a powerful hard drive. There will also be many USB compatible accesories such as a digital camera, printers, keyboards and more. Along with the internet connections will come many online titles such as Final Fantasy 11 and Star Wars Online.
By the time the X-box is released, the PS2 will be set up with a large number of extremely good games, internet connections, hard drives, all the accesories you could want, and finally millions of happy PS2 owners.
Now, will somebody explain to me why the PS2 is a rip off.
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saesee wrote:
> Oh, and don't forget:
In the not-so-distant future the PS2 will
> have a plug-in memory upgrade that will... upgrade the memory from
> the current 4MB to 16MB.
Thing is, i know PS2 owners that thought i was being ripped off when i bought an expansion pack for my N64. But now one's coming out for PS2 it all seems to be ok.
Strange eh?
> Oh, and don't forget:
In the not-so-distant future the PS2 will
> have a plug-in memory upgrade that will... upgrade the memory from
> the current 4MB to 16MB.
Thing is, i know PS2 owners that thought i was being ripped off when i bought an expansion pack for my N64. But now one's coming out for PS2 it all seems to be ok.
Strange eh?
Thats right about the USB ports. They really are going to come in handy. I hope lots of games work with a digital camera. I know somebody with one, so I could start attaching photos to game characters.
Hehe! I just realised that I could photograph anybody I don`t like and put their photos on the enemy! Oh, except there isn`t really anyone I dislike. Well, I can still put photos on the good guys.
Hehe! I just realised that I could photograph anybody I don`t like and put their photos on the enemy! Oh, except there isn`t really anyone I dislike. Well, I can still put photos on the good guys.
All of that was very true, congrats SSXpro!
Why do you need 4 controller ports? (I know TimeSplitters is good in 4 player, but with 3 other friends all with controllers, you deserve to own a multi-tap!)
My friend had a Dreamcast, and he has filled up all 4 ports. With what? 1 controller, 1 mouse, 1 keyboard and 1 lightgun.
If you count these, then in theory, the PS2 has 4 ports. You can plug a keyboard & mouse in the USB ports. (USB is actually cheaper than official products.)
Why do you need 4 controller ports? (I know TimeSplitters is good in 4 player, but with 3 other friends all with controllers, you deserve to own a multi-tap!)
My friend had a Dreamcast, and he has filled up all 4 ports. With what? 1 controller, 1 mouse, 1 keyboard and 1 lightgun.
If you count these, then in theory, the PS2 has 4 ports. You can plug a keyboard & mouse in the USB ports. (USB is actually cheaper than official products.)
Possibly that too, though many magazines I`ve read say a different story.
It was to do with the cost.
Sony believed that the cost of hardware was already great enough and so decided not to go with the four ports. Instead deciding that for the vast majority of people two was plently and if more was required then there's the multi-tap. Thus meaning more sales and profits in all areas from selling extra Peripherals.
Sony believed that the cost of hardware was already great enough and so decided not to go with the four ports. Instead deciding that for the vast majority of people two was plently and if more was required then there's the multi-tap. Thus meaning more sales and profits in all areas from selling extra Peripherals.
I read that there were originally plans for 4 ports, but that after the initial designs, it was found that something had to be added. I have completely forgotten what. It may have been something to do with either the size of the expansion ports, or perhaps the cooling fan. I can`t remember, but it was a change after the design was fixed.
ssxpro wrote:
However, when it The PS2 had its design fixed, and
> to incorporate the extra ports would haev meant increasing the size
> of the whole machine or changing the design
Surely the decision about the number of ports would have been made before the console was desgined.
Thats the whole point of having a design specification to work to. Sony say: "We want this, this and this, oh yeah 4 controller ports as well..." etc. Then the design people work out how to get it all together.
It seems to me that Sony either didnt decide early enough, or they deliberately made it so you had to buy a multitap, possbily to make up a little of the loss of the actual PS2 itself?
Don't get me wrong, I know the PS2 is a powerful machine, i know the games will come along eventually, it's just at the moment, for me, there are more cons than pro's. So i havent bought one.
However, when it The PS2 had its design fixed, and
> to incorporate the extra ports would haev meant increasing the size
> of the whole machine or changing the design
Surely the decision about the number of ports would have been made before the console was desgined.
Thats the whole point of having a design specification to work to. Sony say: "We want this, this and this, oh yeah 4 controller ports as well..." etc. Then the design people work out how to get it all together.
It seems to me that Sony either didnt decide early enough, or they deliberately made it so you had to buy a multitap, possbily to make up a little of the loss of the actual PS2 itself?
Don't get me wrong, I know the PS2 is a powerful machine, i know the games will come along eventually, it's just at the moment, for me, there are more cons than pro's. So i havent bought one.
Your Honour wrote:
> DVD player. Underestimated by many due to
> problems. I myself have
> encountered two problems, but now both
> have a solution.
Surely it's immatierial that you found
> solutions to the problems. The problems shouldn't have been there in
> the first place!
The problems were not Sony`s fault, they were my own. Sony never intended to allow RGb, so it was my mistake. As for the lip sync, Sony often mentioned the diagnostic mode for this, but I never understood how until WM told us.
Most of the PS2 owners i know go on about this. They say
> it's great that they can play all their old games I ask them if
> they've got mant new games, they say "no, but it's ok though as
> i can play all my old games". I'm left thinking "great,
> £300 to play games that you could already play, bargain. Why
> didnt you just wait until it dropped in price?"
The backwards compatibility was one of many points. I didn`t say it was the only good thing. I barely ever play PSone games, I choose the PS2 games instead. However, I am a big Final Fantast fan, so its nice to be able to play Final Fantasy 9.
They obviously didn't want 4 ports then. If they
> did then they could have changed the specifications at the design
> stage so four ports would have fit. Unless they just wanted you to
> spend even more money....
If a car has the capacity to hold 4 people, and looks really good then fine. However, when it is found that it must hold 8 people, they do not increase all the proportions to compensate. Instead, they design a new vehicle, such as a mini bus, or a large 4x4 or something. The PS2 had its design fixed, and to incorporate the extra ports would haev meant increasing the size of the whole machine or changing the design. Changing the design was probably out of the question at this time, and simply making it larger would fall the same way as the car. It just wouldn`t look right. So they gave us the multi tap, (to incorporate it anyway, would have probably only added to the cost of the machine).
Also, the problem is solved by either the multi tap, or the rumoured controllers that will operate through the USB ports
....like buying a multi tap, or more
> expensive pads with USB.
Why will the USB controllers be so much more? I doubt they will be that much more expenive if at all. If they turn out to be overly expensive then Sony know that people will go for the multi tap instead, so they`ll haev to keep the price down.
Anything else?
> DVD player. Underestimated by many due to
> problems. I myself have
> encountered two problems, but now both
> have a solution.
Surely it's immatierial that you found
> solutions to the problems. The problems shouldn't have been there in
> the first place!
The problems were not Sony`s fault, they were my own. Sony never intended to allow RGb, so it was my mistake. As for the lip sync, Sony often mentioned the diagnostic mode for this, but I never understood how until WM told us.
Most of the PS2 owners i know go on about this. They say
> it's great that they can play all their old games I ask them if
> they've got mant new games, they say "no, but it's ok though as
> i can play all my old games". I'm left thinking "great,
> £300 to play games that you could already play, bargain. Why
> didnt you just wait until it dropped in price?"
The backwards compatibility was one of many points. I didn`t say it was the only good thing. I barely ever play PSone games, I choose the PS2 games instead. However, I am a big Final Fantast fan, so its nice to be able to play Final Fantasy 9.
They obviously didn't want 4 ports then. If they
> did then they could have changed the specifications at the design
> stage so four ports would have fit. Unless they just wanted you to
> spend even more money....
If a car has the capacity to hold 4 people, and looks really good then fine. However, when it is found that it must hold 8 people, they do not increase all the proportions to compensate. Instead, they design a new vehicle, such as a mini bus, or a large 4x4 or something. The PS2 had its design fixed, and to incorporate the extra ports would haev meant increasing the size of the whole machine or changing the design. Changing the design was probably out of the question at this time, and simply making it larger would fall the same way as the car. It just wouldn`t look right. So they gave us the multi tap, (to incorporate it anyway, would have probably only added to the cost of the machine).
Also, the problem is solved by either the multi tap, or the rumoured controllers that will operate through the USB ports
....like buying a multi tap, or more
> expensive pads with USB.
Why will the USB controllers be so much more? I doubt they will be that much more expenive if at all. If they turn out to be overly expensive then Sony know that people will go for the multi tap instead, so they`ll haev to keep the price down.
Anything else?
ssxpro wrote:
A
> DVD player. Underestimated by many due to problems. I myself have
> encountered two problems, but now both have a solution.
Surely it's immatierial that you found solutions to the problems. The problems shouldn't have been there in the first place!
3) A feature that has really helped the PS2 in
> my opinion is the backwards compatibility of the system. Instead of
> totally having to restart with an all new console, new games
> controllers etc... I can use my old controllers, as well as the new
> ones provided. I can use my old PSone games.
Most of the PS2 owners i know go on about this. They say it's great that they can play all their old games I ask them if they've got mant new games, they say "no, but it's ok though as i can play all my old games". I'm left thinking "great, £300 to play games that you could already play, bargain. Why didnt you just wait until it dropped in price?"
I was marginally disappointed to see the PS2
> arrive with only two ports, but the explanation from Sony that the
> console could not house it as it had already had its dimensions
> fixed seemed fair enough.
They obviously didn't want 4 ports then. If they did then they could have changed the specifications at the design stage so four ports would have fit. Unless they just wanted you to spend even more money....
Also, the problem is solved by either the
> multi tap, or the rumoured controllers that will operate through the
> USB ports
....like buying a multi tap, or more expensive pads with USB.
A
> DVD player. Underestimated by many due to problems. I myself have
> encountered two problems, but now both have a solution.
Surely it's immatierial that you found solutions to the problems. The problems shouldn't have been there in the first place!
3) A feature that has really helped the PS2 in
> my opinion is the backwards compatibility of the system. Instead of
> totally having to restart with an all new console, new games
> controllers etc... I can use my old controllers, as well as the new
> ones provided. I can use my old PSone games.
Most of the PS2 owners i know go on about this. They say it's great that they can play all their old games I ask them if they've got mant new games, they say "no, but it's ok though as i can play all my old games". I'm left thinking "great, £300 to play games that you could already play, bargain. Why didnt you just wait until it dropped in price?"
I was marginally disappointed to see the PS2
> arrive with only two ports, but the explanation from Sony that the
> console could not house it as it had already had its dimensions
> fixed seemed fair enough.
They obviously didn't want 4 ports then. If they did then they could have changed the specifications at the design stage so four ports would have fit. Unless they just wanted you to spend even more money....
Also, the problem is solved by either the
> multi tap, or the rumoured controllers that will operate through the
> USB ports
....like buying a multi tap, or more expensive pads with USB.
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