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"Integrated Digital Home Entertainment Units"

So what do we want? Many different boxes sat by our TV's to accomplish many different tasks, such as a VCR, DVD player, web-browser, games console and cable/satellite TV box, or would we want one simple box sat there, that did all of these things for you?

With consoles from Sony and Microsoft promising to become "Home Entertainment Units" (HEU) will we be forced to buy things we don't want, just to get those we do?

I can't see anyone incorporating a VCR player into their HEU, the taped and mechanism is rather chunky, and would make the HUE's rather large, and ugly, and that would not be what the majority of people wanted, it would have to look very compact, and nice.

So what could it do? Well it would play games, movies and music, the PS2 can do that now, so what more could it include?

Why not make it web-accessible, so you can also surf the web from the comfort of your sofa.

Hang on, isn't the PS2 going to be capable of that?

So what else could a HEU include?

How about going into competition, or partnership, with the likes of Sky or ntl, and deliver a range of TV channels, pay per view movies and the like. If you've got a broadband connection to browse the web and play games with it could easily carry TV pictures.

When I see the mess in the corner of my living room, I can certainly see the advantage of a HEU. I've got my TV, and underneath it is the VCR. On the next shelf down in the N64 and DVD player. Behind the TV is a mess of wires. I've also got my CD player sat on the side nearby, and soon enough all of this stuff is to be stuffed on a corner unit of some description, in order to tie in the CD speakers with the surround sound that came with the DVD player! Honestly, the amount of power points, and cables I have running around my living room is ridiculous, especially when you consider that the PC also sits in the opposite corner of the same room.

I can certainly see the appeal of integrating the whole lot, having one machine to play games, watch movies, play music, surf the web, all hooked up to surround sound, and plugged into one socket in the wall for power, and one for the broadband connection.

But then there's the opposite arguement. What about little Timmy, little Timmy doesn't have much cash, and begrudges shelling out more cash for a machine that does many things, as he only wants to play games. Is he going to be put off getting the HEU because of all he doesn't want? Depends on the price, doesn't it?

Maybe he wouldn't be allowed a DVD player in his room, because his parents want to censor the movies he watches, but feel they can't in his room.


Maybe little Timmy really like music, and likes to be able to stick 5 CD's in his CD playerat once, an HEU wouldn't allow him to do this, so he probably wouldn't use it for music.

The arguements against the HEU are pretty weak though really. I'd love to be able to play everything on one machine, make it completely simple, but the more it does, the more there is to go wrong, and as I've now got a really nice DVD player, and CD player I don't want to make them redundant.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to get a few cable ties, put everything neatly in it's place, and hide the wires as best as possible!

Thats what you did initially, but then you did kind of work in a "Game Cube is poo" as well.

That mischievous little Bonus merely stated that the PS2 already has DVD/CD/PS2/Clock/PSone/and soon to be internet. and that this all costs less than it would buying seerate units, what other people make of that is not my fault, but sorry if discussing a point has become wrong in a discussion forum.

I am the Tarrant wrote:
> Meka,

I apologise profusely for doubting your knowledge on the mentality of
> the people on these forums.
Here I was thinking you were quick to judge the
> start of yet another console wars debate.
Yet, here I am a few hours later and
> you were entirely right. Your topic has been completely bastardised for no good
> reason.

I guess thats why you're the notable and I am not.

Again,
> apologies.


That mischevious little Bonus did a similar thing to my topic about Stereotypes (although I did fall for the bait and argue back).
Didn't stop me from winning GAD though, and this topic looks set to stand a reasonable chance.

Time_Warp wrote:
> I am the Tarrant wrote:
> Meka,

I apologise profusely for doubting your
> knowledge on the mentality

YOu forgot to mention his youthful young hippy
> looks. (:)



Its not my place to apologise for those.

I am the Tarrant wrote:
> Meka,

I apologise profusely for doubting your knowledge on the mentality

YOu forgot to mention his youthful young hippy looks. (:)

Meka,

I apologise profusely for doubting your knowledge on the mentality of the people on these forums.
Here I was thinking you were quick to judge the start of yet another console wars debate.
Yet, here I am a few hours later and you were entirely right. Your topic has been completely bastardised for no good reason.

I guess thats why you're the notable and I am not.

Again, apologies.

lovely self portrait :-)

you want a home entertainment unit?
check this mother out!

www.geocities.com/nictoons/wow

I'm grabbing one of them black gamecube's before they add all that colourfull garbage to it, if a fuuny little character does pop up with the clock then i'm praying that you can change it.

damn you capcom :-(

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.....

Whatever....

I know what I said.. and I listen to toilets....


(Oops...)