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"Revolution Vs. Xenon Vs. Playstation 3"

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Sat 02/10/04 at 14:18
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Sony have confirmed it. Blu-Ray will be a featured component in what is set to be their most lucrative bussiness move to date.

For those that don't know, DVD is already becoming outdated. Already you can get view high definition TV, that even surpasses that of DVD. In other words you can be watching Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and it'll look better than the latest Star Wars DVD's.

Does this seem right to you? No indeed it doesn't and 2 major companies also agree this. These 2 major companies have developed 2 new forms of movie media, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

Sony, along with a whole host of other top names, back the Blu-Ray medium to be the next big thing in home entertainment. It is a massive 50GB in size, looks pretty funky and with it being included in the Playstation 3 will autmatically put Blu-Ray in millions and millions of homes worldwide. Hollywood would almost have to support the Blu-Ray system simply because the popularity of the Playstation brand will mean millions will have the ability to play them already. Sony will add pressure with their Tri-star, Columbia and MGM studios... Spiderman, Terminator and Bond already on Blu-Ray. Watch the new system fly.

Unless something incredibly unlikely happens, such as the PSP flops and the PSTwo fails to start then it is likely Sony will be looking at a steam rolling win for the next generation of consoles.

There is one negative aspect of Blu-Ray. Because it doesn't use the simple red laser system for DVD's (something that is now very cheap to implement) and uses Blue laser, it'll mean the cost of the system will be jacked up. Either Sony will have to release it at a high price, wait an extra amount of time or just suffer a loss on the system. The latter isn't something Sony have ever been willing to do.

It is this PS3 decision that makes the Blu-Ray's competitor, the HD-DVD, look bad. Although the system is cheaper to implement the size of the medium is a mere 22GB, under half that of Blu-Ray.

But hope may remain. It is possible that Microsoft's next system, codenamed Xenon, will use it. Microsoft are desperate to release a cheap system out of the box and not to suffer the price point themselves like they are with the X-box. Already they are removing the Hard drive and to incorperate something like Blu-Ray will mean the Xenon will launch at a very high price. In fact Microsoft are hoping to get a years head start (late 2005) on the competiton and Blu-Ray will be even more expensive to use. If Microsoft want a competitive medium HD-DVD may be the only way.

Microsoft with the weaker system is almost a complete role reversal from the current generation.


What of Nintendo? Who honestly knows. No one. Rumours persist that Nintendo will continue to go their own way and buck the trend of the industry. It persists that Nintendo will play down third party support and stick to first party software, that Nintendo will use a totally new system and won't offer movie playback at all.

These rumours are counteracted with the DS almost entirely. Nintendo now base more emphesis on third parties especially with the latest system and the recent GBA Videos indicate Nintendo willingness to develop video viewing means.

But it is also likely that Nintendo will want to fight piracy in such a way that games will be on a totally different form of medium (A.K.A Gamecube/DS) but it is also likely Nintendo will offer a "second medium". Already confirmed is that the Revolution will be backwards compatible. Which points to the inclusion of either very cheap to implement DVD system or slightly more expensive "HD-DVD".

If both Nintendo and Microsoft use "HD-DVD" then there maybe trouble ahead for Blu-Ray after all. Sure Sony may have the sales advantage, but with Nintendo set to launch simultaneously with Sony and Microsoft a year early. It already kick starts a proper war between the two mediums.

On the other hand, with DVD gaining a firm position in society how likely is it that Blu-Ray and HD-DVD will be replacing it by 2006? Surly it'll take a good 5 years to properly take off? Is Nintendo likely to just stick with DVD movies? Especially as they lack the experience of it. But launching the system next to the Playstation 3 indicates that Nintendo are being really competitive this time, and they will want that to right down to the specifications and what the system offers.

Sony have a brilliant stratagy in place. Something Nintendo and Microsoft will have to be very clever to counteract. Recent reports indicate Nintendo are on the offensive, and it is likely we will see a far more agressive stance from the legendary developer... with the added bonus of brilliant and innovative "DS style" features. Microsoft are stripping down their system and offering in advance of the competiton. It is a surprise risk from Microsoft, hoping that releasing the system early will mean they get a stranglehold on the industry.

Didn't work for the Dreamcast did it.
Sun 03/10/04 at 17:23
"period drama"
Posts: 19,792
Yeah yeah, but it's still just bigger, better DVD.
It's like saying the step from normal to digital TV was as great as the one from black and white to colour. Not true.

And having LOADS of crap on one disc still makes it crap. It's only proper use would be for having entire series' of programmes in one place, instead of 28 different DVDs.
Sun 03/10/04 at 17:26
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Well it is being backed by the likes of Toshiba, Panasonic and Phillips.

A lot of money has gone into this.
Sun 03/10/04 at 17:29
"period drama"
Posts: 19,792
Yeah, but do you really want to re-buy all your DVDs again?
omg! blue lazerees!
Sun 03/10/04 at 17:46
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
DVD'll probably become the standard recording medium then. As the arrival of blueray will probably push the price of recordable DVD's down.
Sun 03/10/04 at 17:49
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
Bonus wrote:
>
> Nintendo will never get a foothold on the mass market ever again,

They will but I don't beleive they're trying this time around. This time I think they're re-taking their homeground and we'll see a bigger worldwide push with the next console.

Not that they're doing badly.
Sun 03/10/04 at 18:15
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Nintendo just needs to win the hearts of a new generation...

Or create a new toy.

We know Nintendo can do it. They started with a great plan for the Gamecube it just fell to pieces because of a few ill placed releases and it just went bad from there.

The DS looks like a well planed attack on the industry.
Sun 03/10/04 at 19:37
Regular
Posts: 11,875
Is it going to be possible to have devices that will play DVD and Blu-Ray?

If not there is going to be loads of very annoyed people who have to keep a seperate player for DVDs.

Me included.
Sun 03/10/04 at 23:42
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
I expect blueray will be able to play DVD's CD's etc just as DVD drives could play CD's.

Otherwise blueray may die on it's ass as a visual medium for the forseeable future.
Sun 03/10/04 at 23:49
Posts: 15,443
Whitestripes DX wrote:
> Is it going to be possible to have devices that will play DVD and
> Blu-Ray?
>
> If not there is going to be loads of very annoyed people who
> have to keep a seperate player for DVDs.
>
> Me included.

Yes, but that would involve red and blue lasers to do so, so the costs won't come down so quickly.
Mon 04/10/04 at 08:31
Regular
"8==="
Posts: 33,481
Backwards compatibilty is important.

Otherwise it'll end up like laserdisc: only bought by the real obsessives.

EDIT: About blu-ray (why is it spelt in a stupid way?)

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