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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!
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!
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Always comes back to comparing consoles, doesn't it?
As nice as it would be to have a HEU (whether it be made by Sony, Microsoft or anyone else) I don't want to just scrap my CD & DVD Players that are top quality, and have many features that a HEU wouldn't offer - my CD Player lets me put in 5 CD's and randomise them. I like this feature.
The only reason I'd want a HEU would be so that there weren't so many damn leads out the back of my TV!
I don' t suppose we can just get back to discussing the concept of a HEU rather than turning this into another Playstation2 VS GAMECUBE thread, with those, it's the games that count!
So, how about a biuld your own HUE?
You pick the console it emulates, whether it has a VCR slot, multiple CD loading, whethers it's capable of internet access, extra TV packages.
Sound interesting?
No?
Okay then, who will win, GAMECUBE, Playstation2 or Xbox.
Argue yourselves silly.
As nice as it would be to have a HEU (whether it be made by Sony, Microsoft or anyone else) I don't want to just scrap my CD & DVD Players that are top quality, and have many features that a HEU wouldn't offer - my CD Player lets me put in 5 CD's and randomise them. I like this feature.
The only reason I'd want a HEU would be so that there weren't so many damn leads out the back of my TV!
I don' t suppose we can just get back to discussing the concept of a HEU rather than turning this into another Playstation2 VS GAMECUBE thread, with those, it's the games that count!
So, how about a biuld your own HUE?
You pick the console it emulates, whether it has a VCR slot, multiple CD loading, whethers it's capable of internet access, extra TV packages.
Sound interesting?
No?
Okay then, who will win, GAMECUBE, Playstation2 or Xbox.
Argue yourselves silly.
Bonus wrote:
> Very true, but if the PS2 fell by £100 after it's first ten months, how
> much mught it fall by in the 8 months to the Gamecube launch, I am sure the PS2
> will be the same price as the Gamecube at it's UK launch, either way, it's
> irrelevant, I've got my PS2 already.
I've got a PS2 already too, it cost me £300 and I feel it was money well spent. Though it would have been nice if it had come out at £200 or even £150 like the GC.
I was just saying thats all...
> Very true, but if the PS2 fell by £100 after it's first ten months, how
> much mught it fall by in the 8 months to the Gamecube launch, I am sure the PS2
> will be the same price as the Gamecube at it's UK launch, either way, it's
> irrelevant, I've got my PS2 already.
I've got a PS2 already too, it cost me £300 and I feel it was money well spent. Though it would have been nice if it had come out at £200 or even £150 like the GC.
I was just saying thats all...
Very true, but if the PS2 fell by £100 after it's first ten months, how much mught it fall by in the 8 months to the Gamecube launch, I am sure the PS2 will be the same price as the Gamecube at it's UK launch, either way, it's irrelevant, I've got my PS2 already.
I think Tarrant has a point here.
I m ean integration isn't necessarilly a good thing. Look at combined TV/VCRs. Utter pants. Now, having not learned a thing from this, manufacturers are doing the same thing with DVD players. tut tut.
The more things you have going in one box, the more things can go wrong.
You get yourself a combined VCR/DVD/PC/PS2/refridgerator and the thing is going to be constantly going wrong.
No. Anyone with sense will spend the extra few quid to have separate units.
-IB
I m ean integration isn't necessarilly a good thing. Look at combined TV/VCRs. Utter pants. Now, having not learned a thing from this, manufacturers are doing the same thing with DVD players. tut tut.
The more things you have going in one box, the more things can go wrong.
You get yourself a combined VCR/DVD/PC/PS2/refridgerator and the thing is going to be constantly going wrong.
No. Anyone with sense will spend the extra few quid to have separate units.
-IB
Firstly, the point about censoring movies. The PS2 has the ability to password protect the DVD player according to the age rating on the disc. Many DVD players allow this feature, I just haven't been bothered to figure out how the PS2 one works, because I don't need such a system. As for the price of seperate systems, they cost more then a PS2 on it's own would, if you were starting from scratch.
A PS2 costs a puny £199, and what do you get for your hard earned cash?? Well, firstly you get two games consoles in one. Considering throwing out your old PSOne games because you don't have a PSOne, because of a trade in or selling?? Stop right there, your PS2 will gladly play your favourite games from the last five years. Then there all the "next gen" games. You will see Solid Snake and co. return with impressive visual effects and superb gameplay also.
To go along with your impressive games console, you also like watching the latest films, and would love to watch them at the best available quality. Well, it is easily recognised that you need a DVD player, my friend. Hmm, how much does one of them cost, for a reasonable model. Well, £500, should get you a decent system, but it is region locked, and the best films are all released in region 1 format, you live in region 2. But you've got a PS2 don't you?? Well, check out ukplaystation2.com, and have a look for the DVD region X. Your PS2 is already a DVD player, and for the cost of a region 2 DVD, you can take away the PS2 region restrictions, it also gets rid of that ugly green RGB playback.
Right, so, now for a running total so far.
PS2 + DVD region X = £220
Gamecube (at expected £150) + DVD player (£200 for a reasonable average) = £350.
Now, back to the house set up.
You need a decent CD player, well, why bother?? You will have a PS2 or DVD player, what you really need is speakers. Dolby Digital is supported by both, so why not invest the amount you would have spent on a decent CD player on a Dolby Digital amp and speaker set. That doesn't give you radio, hmmm, that is a problem, if you have a DVD player, no chance, you need a stereo.
And all at once the Nintendo fas shout at the PS2 owner for forgetting the PS2 doesn't play radio either, but with a little snigger, the PS2 owner walks off, vowing to come back to it later, patience is the key.
So, a running total
£220 + Dolby Digital speakers = £420
£350 + Decent Stereo = £650
Right, for each you need a TV, so I wont include these in my totals, they just cancel each other out, and rely purely on budget restraints.
Right, I want internet. Well, you need a PC for any sort of decent connection at the moment, so you can buy one of those. If you need it for other things, it would be an advantage to check out the range available. Nope just internet. But you own a PS2. So, why bother with a PC?? Wait a while, be patient, and you have broadband internet (or analogue for the under-privaleged). On my PS2?? But surely for a proper internet experience I need a PC. No sir, with companies such as Netscape, Macromedia, Apple Quicktime and Real all providing support for the PS2, you will have a complete internet experience on the PS2. But, it deosn't have a hard drive to stream all that digital content. Oh, but it does. They will be released by Sony, and fit into the expansion bay of the PS2 (yes "INTO" Game :D), but even better news has come from Telewest. They will not make you buy a HDD, but merely rent one included in your subsciption cost of their service. Oh, yeah, I did mention that there are several thousand radio stations available on the net to play through your dobly digital set-up, didn't I??
Grand total.
PS2 + Dobly Digital Speakers + HDD (for internet) = £420
Gamecube + Stereo + DVD Player + PC = £1150
Why, I do believe we have a winner, unless you can't add properly.
A PS2 costs a puny £199, and what do you get for your hard earned cash?? Well, firstly you get two games consoles in one. Considering throwing out your old PSOne games because you don't have a PSOne, because of a trade in or selling?? Stop right there, your PS2 will gladly play your favourite games from the last five years. Then there all the "next gen" games. You will see Solid Snake and co. return with impressive visual effects and superb gameplay also.
To go along with your impressive games console, you also like watching the latest films, and would love to watch them at the best available quality. Well, it is easily recognised that you need a DVD player, my friend. Hmm, how much does one of them cost, for a reasonable model. Well, £500, should get you a decent system, but it is region locked, and the best films are all released in region 1 format, you live in region 2. But you've got a PS2 don't you?? Well, check out ukplaystation2.com, and have a look for the DVD region X. Your PS2 is already a DVD player, and for the cost of a region 2 DVD, you can take away the PS2 region restrictions, it also gets rid of that ugly green RGB playback.
Right, so, now for a running total so far.
PS2 + DVD region X = £220
Gamecube (at expected £150) + DVD player (£200 for a reasonable average) = £350.
Now, back to the house set up.
You need a decent CD player, well, why bother?? You will have a PS2 or DVD player, what you really need is speakers. Dolby Digital is supported by both, so why not invest the amount you would have spent on a decent CD player on a Dolby Digital amp and speaker set. That doesn't give you radio, hmmm, that is a problem, if you have a DVD player, no chance, you need a stereo.
And all at once the Nintendo fas shout at the PS2 owner for forgetting the PS2 doesn't play radio either, but with a little snigger, the PS2 owner walks off, vowing to come back to it later, patience is the key.
So, a running total
£220 + Dolby Digital speakers = £420
£350 + Decent Stereo = £650
Right, for each you need a TV, so I wont include these in my totals, they just cancel each other out, and rely purely on budget restraints.
Right, I want internet. Well, you need a PC for any sort of decent connection at the moment, so you can buy one of those. If you need it for other things, it would be an advantage to check out the range available. Nope just internet. But you own a PS2. So, why bother with a PC?? Wait a while, be patient, and you have broadband internet (or analogue for the under-privaleged). On my PS2?? But surely for a proper internet experience I need a PC. No sir, with companies such as Netscape, Macromedia, Apple Quicktime and Real all providing support for the PS2, you will have a complete internet experience on the PS2. But, it deosn't have a hard drive to stream all that digital content. Oh, but it does. They will be released by Sony, and fit into the expansion bay of the PS2 (yes "INTO" Game :D), but even better news has come from Telewest. They will not make you buy a HDD, but merely rent one included in your subsciption cost of their service. Oh, yeah, I did mention that there are several thousand radio stations available on the net to play through your dobly digital set-up, didn't I??
Grand total.
PS2 + Dobly Digital Speakers + HDD (for internet) = £420
Gamecube + Stereo + DVD Player + PC = £1150
Why, I do believe we have a winner, unless you can't add properly.
I think the biggest downside of HEU is that; ok, so you're sitting around - on holiday perhaps, enjoying all the fun you're HEU can throw your way. Then BLINGABLANG BOOM!!! You're DVD player stops working!
"Cripes!" you cry "But I have Rocky 1-5 box set on order from SR! It'll arrive soon and I'll have nothing to watch ot on"
After worrying for a few seconds, the answer hits you - "I'd better get this baby down the repair shop, quicksmart"
So off you go, jump in your car or on the bus and take it in! Problem solved, Rocky night may have to delayed by a day or tw0 but certainly not cancelled!
However, you get home and suddenly the realisation hits you. You're CD player, TV, Internet connection, VCR, back massager and foot spa in one have all had to go too!
Clearly, life loses all meaning and you jump off a bridge and Rocky night? Cancelled!
"Cripes!" you cry "But I have Rocky 1-5 box set on order from SR! It'll arrive soon and I'll have nothing to watch ot on"
After worrying for a few seconds, the answer hits you - "I'd better get this baby down the repair shop, quicksmart"
So off you go, jump in your car or on the bus and take it in! Problem solved, Rocky night may have to delayed by a day or tw0 but certainly not cancelled!
However, you get home and suddenly the realisation hits you. You're CD player, TV, Internet connection, VCR, back massager and foot spa in one have all had to go too!
Clearly, life loses all meaning and you jump off a bridge and Rocky night? Cancelled!
I've heard that Sega has sold Dreamcast hardware to companies wanting to produce DVD players that played games.
Now certain brands of DVD player will play DC games.
It would be really nice if Nintendo had bought the rights as well...
DC games on the Gamecube?
It would put the PS2's back catalogue of PSOne games to shame!
Now certain brands of DVD player will play DC games.
It would be really nice if Nintendo had bought the rights as well...
DC games on the Gamecube?
It would put the PS2's back catalogue of PSOne games to shame!
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!
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!
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