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PlayStation (Games) Media Television Entertainment Games Hardware

PSX Review At Lik-Sang 180

Posted by timothy from the eyecandy dept.
bhtooefr writes "Over at Lik-Sang, they've got a review of the new PSX, which was released in Japan on the 13th. In it, they take a look at the new design, debunk some myths (that the new controllers were incompatible, and that the ports are USB 2.0 - they're 1.1), and crack the case open. They didn't like how it's incompatible with some peripherals and the MultiTap doesn't work."
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PSX Review At Lik-Sang More

PSX Review At Lik-Sang

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  • I wish Sony didn't call it the PSX. (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Pluvius ( 734915 ) <pluvius3@gmai[ ]om ['l.c' in gap]> on Saturday December 27, 2003 @10:39PM (#7819844) Journal
    Now everyone's going to be confused and think you're referring to the PSOne when you're actually referring to this, or vice versa.

    Rob (Of course, this thing looks like it's going to tank anyway, so maybe it won't be a problem)
    • PSX is ofcourse PSten, since X is roman for 10. Or you can pronounce it "Pee sucks", but that is gross.
    • Why can't you just call it a PS1? Why is this confusing?
      • Well, everybody calls it a PSX, not a PS1. "PSX" has been the unofficial abbreviation for the original Playstation ever since it came out. It'll be very hard to change it to "PS1" or something like that now; the meme is too strong.

        Rob
      • I call it PS1 now, but you must have been awfully insightful if you were calling it that before the PS2 was even released. Lots and lots of people on the internet called it PSX, which will make any web searches for PSX return confusing results.
        • I call it PS1 now, but you must have been awfully insightful if you were calling it that before the PS2 was even released. Lots and lots of people on the internet called it PSX, which will make any web searches for PSX return confusing results.

          Man, we're really starting to run out of acronyms. PS1 and PS2 confuse me into thinking you're talking about the old IBM computers or the PS/2 style mouse/keyboards. What's next, the Microsoft XT Box? The Nintendo Intellistation with MCA bus architecture for plu

    • Re:I wish Sony didn't call it the PSX. (Score:5, Informative)

      by bhtooefr ( 649901 ) <[gro.rfeoothb] [ta] [rfeoothb]> on Saturday December 27, 2003 @10:42PM (#7819860) Homepage Journal
      I know. Here's the summary of the models:

      PlayStation (PS): Super Nintendo with a CD drive. 200 made, and no known CD games.
      PlayStation X (PSX): The PlayStation as we know it.
      PlayStation One (PSone): Original PSX, just in a smaller form factor.
      PlayStation 2 (PS2): The PS2 - how hard does it get?
      PlayStation X (PSX) (version 2): A PS2 with a built in TiVo and DVD burner. And a confusing name, to boot.
      • Don't forget IBM PS/2 released over a decade ago.

        Whenever I hear PS2, I still think about those old IBM's that used weird 72pin SIMMs that were not compatible with normal 72pin SIMMs (not even ones in other PS/2 models) as well as the MicroChannel Architecture MCA slots.

      • Re:I wish Sony didn't call it the PSX. (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Guppy06 ( 410832 ) on Sunday December 28, 2003 @12:14AM (#7820152)
        "Super Nintendo with a CD drive. 200 made,"

        Proof? I'd sooner believe a limited production run of the Sega Neptune than what you describe.

        "PlayStation X (PSX): The PlayStation as we know it."

        Calling the original PlayStation "PlayStation X" is somewhat like calling Nintendo's previous console "Ultra" or their current one "Dolphin." The "PSX" designation referred to the pre-release project that Sony worked on that eventually produced the console ("eXperimental") and it just happened to carry on in popular use after the console was released.

        "PlayStation One (PSone): Original PSX, just in a smaller form factor."

        Pay closer attention. It is referred to by Sony as either "PlayStation (PSOne)" or simply "PSOne."

        "PlayStation 2 (PS2): The PS2 - how hard does it get?"

        Yeah, everybody knows that stands for "Personal System/2!" Oh, wait...

        At any rate, Sony never actually sold the original PlayStation as "PSX." At worst they're co-opting popular slang.
        • I think PSX stayed in use since people (for whatever reason) wanted to refer to the system by an acronym and 3 letter acronyms sound a lot better to english speakers.

          Hence the popularity of the term "Automatic Teller Machine" when either "Automatic Teller" or "Teller Machine" would be perfectly fine. Some people even go so far as to say "ATM Machine" (Similar to the much more commonly-heard "PIN Number") These people should all be gathered up and shot, but where's the Bush administration on this one? Huh?

      • Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)

        by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Sunday December 28, 2003 @12:16AM (#7820157)
        Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • A possible explanation of the confusing nomenclature: Nobody calls the PlayStation a "PSX" here in Japan. In fact, I only found out about this name from foreign websites. The PlayStation is the "PlayStation", the small playstation is the "PSOne", the PlayStation 2 is either "PS2" or "PlayStation 2", and the new thing is the "PSX". In Japan, where it's released, there is no confusion.
        • Hmm, I'd think there would be MORE confusion in Japan, as the Play Station (note the spaces - SNES + unreleased Super Disc) was only made for Japan, and only 200 were made.
          • Hmm...I don't know enough about the subject to understand what you mean, sorry. The grey box they sold in stores that many people bought to play Final Fantasy VII was/is sold in stores as "PlayStation". That's what everyone calls it. Whether or not it's correct matters little, since A) ordinary people here have never heard of "PSX" except in reference to the new unit, and B) ordinary people here have never heard of a "Play Station" that is different from a "PlayStation". Was it ever released? If so, if

    • Re:I wish Sony didn't call it the PSX. (Score:5, Insightful)

      by freeweed ( 309734 ) on Saturday December 27, 2003 @11:04PM (#7819920)
      Agreed.

      Reading the Slashdot headline I honestly thought there was ANOTHER version of the original Playstation released. The blurb talked about USB, which confused the hell out of me. Thankfully the site wasn't Slashdotted, it explains in there what a "PSX" actually is.

      I don't think Sony is in touch with video game fans; those of us who've been around enough years call the 2 Sony units the PSX and the PS2. Only recently have I even seen people use "PSOne" online. My reaction on the blurb was "SO??". Makes me wonder how bad an impact this could have on sales.

      Or, will they just rename it when they bring it to North America?

  • WEll... (Score:2, Insightful)

    by YtseMetropolis ( 666592 )
    Now, if only we can have the portable Playstation which seems to be in development forever, I'd be happy.

  • 24x dvd-r (Score:1, Redundant)

    by elohim ( 512193 )
    I read somewhere the psx was supposed to have a 24x dvd-r drive. so... is it really 24x; what's this "dubbing"? Like dubbing tapes?

    • Re:24x dvd-r (Score:2, Informative)

      by VertigoAce ( 257771 )
      From the article it looks like Sony reduced the speed to 12x (although it seemed like it was a software change rather than different hardware; ie, it could be fixed with a firmware update). I assume the dubbing means copying from one dvd to another.
    • No, it comes with 12x dubbing as the article at Lik-Sang says!

      I think it means copying recorded movies off the HDD onto CD.

  • Kick Ass! (Score:2, Informative)

    by shepd ( 155729 )
    They include a DVD burner? Ohhh, now when this baby is modded, you won't even need a computer to back up your games. And the contoller chip seems to be unchanged (from what I can see in this [lik-sang.com] photograph -- can't read the numbers on it, though.). Good news.
    • And it has a big hard drive too...and a network port...think of the possibilities... Divx/OGG from LAN...games from LAN...DVD ripping to HD....streaming video via VLC type app etc...
      • Comment removed based on user account deletion
        • Doesn't play PS2 games. and there are far more PS2 games(particularly of the import variety) to make it worth my purchase. But then again if I can afford a PSX, I can also afford an XBox, but I'd rather use the PSX for that purpose. Plus it can burn DVDs. But then again, at this point...

          But also, remember, this wasn't designed by SCEJ, this was designed by Sony's home appliance department.

  • Hmmm... (Score:2, Insightful)

    by LordK3nn3th ( 715352 )
    Also due to the orientation of the PSX controller ports, Playstation 2 Multitap units are not compatible therefore ruling out any 4-player action.

    Oh, no no no no no, I'm sure Sony will come out with a nice little overpriced device that will let this all happen.

  • Hehe (Score:1, Redundant)

    by iamdrscience ( 541136 )
    DVD burner included, eh? So now you don't even need a computer to pirate your playstation games? Seems like an odd plan, but then again I'm not the one with the degree in Strategized Marketecture, so what do I know.
    • DVD burner included, eh? So now you don't even need a computer to pirate your playstation games?

      I never understood Sony's purpose in putting a DVD drive in their Playstation 2 or a CD-ROM drive in the PS1. Why not just use some proprietary drive like Nintendo did with the Game Cube? I imagine Game Cube piracy isn't that rampant since you probably have no way of making those mini discs. Game piracy of carts was probably non-existent. So again, why not use a proprietary game cartridge/disc?

      • Re:Hehe (Score:1, Insightful)

        by Pluvius ( 734915 )
        Because proprietary media costs a lot more, tends to hold less, and is just about as pointless. Didn't you hear about how some pirates got around Nintendo's copy protection using Phantasy Star Online and a broadband adapter?

        Rob
        • this technique isn't really something for them to worry about, since it requires a higher level of skill than simply copying the disc.

  • What's with the design? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by hendridm ( 302246 ) on Saturday December 27, 2003 @11:01PM (#7819916) Homepage
    Doesn't look like a modern device. Looks like a prototype of something. The marketing guys and gals must have been on a time-out. Not that I really care what it looks like, but it doesn't look like Sony [midcitycamera.com] to me.

    I suppose this isn't supposed to appeal to my mother looking for which console to get me for Christmas, and having no clue which one is better, basing her decision solely on appearance and a pretty box...
    • The light colouring and simple lines look nice, not an eyesore at all and makes a change to everything that has to be shiny and in your face.
    • Looks like they've stolen the design from the Amiga MCC [intrepidcomm.com]

      Another area where Amigas innovated and everyone else followed 5 years later.
    • Consumer electronics go through fashions for what is the modern color. Black and silver have come round more than once since the 70s. Wood effect has been occasionally popular. The original iMac made bright transparent colors popular for some devices. Right now, it looks like the new iMac and the iPod is making white the next trendy color.

  • Why Sony? Why! (Score:2, Interesting)

    by lamasquerade ( 172547 )
    Its missing such obvious features as component video out and mp3 playing! Although the latter is slated for a late upgrade, but even the most rudimentry DVD players have that, I can't imagine why they left it out. And why the incompatibilities with exotic controllers usable with PS2? Just who makes these sorts of decisions - it's so very frustrating. Could have been an amazing machine.
    • Component video out? Even my PS2 has that. In all honesty, I wouldn't be surprised if a modchip was quickly released that allowed the PSX to run un-sony code. The "hacker" community might just have MP3 and DVD+/-RW support before SONY.
      • It does have component video out...it uses a toshiba type connector though... see this pic http://image.lik-sang.com/content/psx-news/psx-new s7.jpg (4th port from the left counting the covered network port)
    • I'd agree they've made a really sloppy showing this round. Let's face it, it's just a dressed up PS2...they should have spared everyone and made it exactly that, a PS2 + the added features...anything less was a waste of time. Also, pulling features is a waste of time...we all know that they'll never really add everything they originally said...so move along...nothing to see here. But it could have been really, really cool.

  • I'm not a big fan of all-in-one devices... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by MadAnthony02 ( 626886 ) on Saturday December 27, 2003 @11:15PM (#7819958)

    I can see the appeal of this device in Japan, where space is at a premium. In the event that it does come to the US, I have to wonder how successful it will be - how many people want one device that does everything? Sure it's cool and convinient when it works, but do you really want to have one part break and thus lose your DVD player, your console, your PVR, and your DVD burner? Plus, I would tend to think most people geeky enough to want these already have all those devices and would be less than willing to buy them all again.

    IMHO, most all in one devices tend to be compromises - they do lots of stuff, but none of them well. After having a TV/VCR that broke on a regular basis and seeing some very difficult to configure all-in-one printer/copier/scanners, I tend to stick with standalone devices.

    • Re:I'm not a big fan of all-in-one devices... (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Babbster ( 107076 ) <aaronbabb@NoSPaM.gmail.com> on Saturday December 27, 2003 @11:43PM (#7820048) Homepage
      Not including MP3 support from the get-go is more than a compromise - it's a greedy power play for Sony's own audio format. One can get MP3 playback from the CHEAPEST DVD players, yet Sony's own high-end device lacks it. Of course, it's not that surprising considering that Sony's DVD/SACD (SACD, for those who don't know, is Sony's proprietary high-resolution audio format) players don't support DVD-Audio while other companies (including Pioneer which has a DVD/DVD-Audio/SACD player available for well under $200) release players supporting all formats.

      It's worth noting, too, that the PSX is a PVR device released after Sony quit producing TiVo PVRs, almost certainly because they didn't want TiVo to have their cut.

      Sony is well on their way to marginalizing themselves in the consumer electronics world with their insistence on supporting primarily, and sometimes ONLY, their own proprietary media formats. One would have thought they had learned their lesson from the VHS/Beta debacle oh so long ago.

    • Re:I'm not a big fan of all-in-one devices... (Score:1, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Geezzz, how often do you break your stuff? The trouble with modern electronics devices is that they don't break often enough - so it is very hard to convince the wife that you need a nice new shiny toy...
    • And the funny part is that all of those 'all-in-one' devices are ALSO made in Japan. Ironic.
    • how many people want one device that does everything?

      Well, the problem is that there is no standard way to interconnect these things, so all-in-one is really the only option to get everything to interact.

      How you would record a DVD at 12X (from a Tivo, or another DVD) if they weren't together? Until devices have something like firewire interconnects, standard communication protocols (and no MPAA copyright restrictions) there's just no other way to do it.

  • Where's the FireWire/1394/iLink? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Stonent1 ( 594886 ) <`ten.kralctniop.tnenots' `ta' `tnenots'> on Saturday December 27, 2003 @11:24PM (#7819994) Journal
    Regular PS2 systems have a i.link port on the front. So much for using this thing to hold your DV camera video.
  • Over in the review they said that there is a button that just freezes the game. Did they mean the start button or what? I looked at the pictures of the controllers and I didn't see anything. Can anyone clarify?
  • Literally.

    I don't know how Sony in its present day, conglomerate form can survive. Not when it has disparate business interests that do not align well. The PSX is Sony's latest shism come to life.

    Will it do well?

    Who knows.

    But I gaurantee there are a lot of people within Sony who pray for its death, notably those in consumer electronics, film and music. There are a lot of people at Matsushita who pray it succeeds.

    Sony's recent showing [forbes.com] at the Tokyo Consumer Electronics affirms Sony's current standing.

  • Just when you thought... (Score:1, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward
    ... that the XBox was as ugly as they could ever come, Sony hits the jackpot.
  • PS*
    now with the kitchen sink too!
  • Don't even think about getting one of these until they are released in your region. Things just won't work properly the way the system is made.

  • USB 2.0 (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Blue Booger ( 223698 )
    The article complains about sites that say that the PSX has USB2.0, saying that instead it is USB1.1. I thought that everything was now USB2.0 and that the difference was High-speed versus Full speed. There was an older slashdot article about it here. [slashdot.org]
    • USB 2.0 not only specifies a higher speed (for whatever the fast devices are called) but also higher power delivery for operating more complex devices and providing charging functionality to devices with sizable battery packs.
      • Here is the link [slashdot.org] to the Slashdot story that confirms this guys story.

        Basically Consumers wanted USB 2.0 devices, so the USB group in charge of naming conventions decided to drop the USB 1.1 name.

        Now there is USB 2.0 High Speed (What use to just be USB 2.0, which is up to 400 mbps), USB 2.0 Fast Speed (The port formerly known as USB 1.1 12 mbps) and USB 2.0 Regular speed (USB 1.0, which was 1 mpbs I think).

        Because USB has always maintained full forward and backward compatability, and consumer demand was f

  • No surprise. (Score:3, Informative)

    by GaimeGuy ( 679917 ) on Sunday December 28, 2003 @01:04AM (#7820315) Journal
    This is what happens when you rush a product.

  • here's the deal w/ the feature set... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ethanms ( 319039 ) on Sunday December 28, 2003 @01:41AM (#7820457)
    Basically everyone is trying to cash in on what they think will be the next big thing, the set-top home entertainment "black box". It does video games, it does DVR, it does MP3, it does WWW, it does DVD, etc... except the biggest problem is that like most multi-function devices the first few generations are going to suck.

    XBox2 is supposedly going to match many of these features...

    I think the PSX is Sony biting off way more then it can chew... being able to record DVDs and having massive HD's, etc? The hardware cost is going to be gi-normous... at least MS knew that 10GB HD's were going to be super-cheap in the 6-24 (now 6-48) month selling window... 160/250s are still damn pricey.

    I don't see many parents willing to buy their kids an $800 video game...

    The other side of this (not to start a flame war) is that many of the games on the PS2 simply do not look as good as those on an Xbox. Sony needs to seriously bump their graphics! If this ends up being a "PS2 + DVD Burner" like someone else said it will suck. I know they plan to bump the power, etc, that's a given, but hopefully they will push past Xbox/Xbox2

    Also, WTF is up with no 1394 port? It's a DVD recorder that doesn't interface w/ DV camera's to burn movies? Sony even has their "iLink" version of 1394!

    and another thing... I didn't see any options for DVI, or component output... unless that D Line Out thing was it...

    hopefully they're also planning to offer AC3/DTS via that optical out for most games, because that + HDTV output also put the current gen xbox way ahead of PS2.

    There is also something to be said about reasonably pricing these things... even $200 is a bit much for the average parent/kid, top that off w/ games that are $50+/ea and you'll wind up with a much more limited market.

    Gameboy Advance is great, TONS of games, most are sub-$40, plays all the old Gameboy & Gameboy Color games, the unit price is an easy to swallow $99... Game Cube is now following suit... I think Nintendo is poised to regain video game domination... After 30 minutes of carnage in GTA:3 on Xbox i want to turn it off, but I'll play Advanced Wars 2 on GBA:SP for hours... and the GC/GBA aisle is the first I hit at best buy...
    • Just a couple of notes there:

      The current PS2 does support component output, albeit interlaced (a couple of games, such as Tekken 4, support a 480p mode by doing so in software). You must purchase the component output cable, which runs about $30. No biggie. Incidentally, this is a very similar arrangement to the XBox, where you need the HD pack to get component, and games still have to support the 480p mode to use it (although a much, much larger range of games support it).

      The optical output is in place
    • "many of the games on PS2 simply do not look as good as those on an Xbox"

      You're wrong. Have you seen:
      Gran Turismo 3? Early game with very realistic(almost photo-realistic) graphics

      WWE: Smackdown Hear Comes The Pain? The successor has AA and good texture/effects(the prior game was really sucky in terms of graphics though)

      Grand Theft Auto 3 & Vice City? Grab a helicoptor then fly around -- amazing graphics and how they can draw huge landscapes.

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by account_deleted ( 4530225 )
        Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • You're wrong. Have you seen: Grand Theft Auto 3 & Vice City? Grab a helicoptor then fly around -- amazing graphics and how they can draw huge landscapes.

        Sorry dude, I love my PS2, but almost any multiplatform game out there will look better on the XBOX. It's simply a more powerful system.

        Grand theft auto is a great example of this. From the Gamespot review [gamespot.com] of the XBOX version:
        "The PlayStation 2 versions looked fantastic, given the relatively underpowered PS2 hardware, and the ports that appea
    • The other side of this (not to start a flame war) is that many of the games on the PS2 simply do not look as good as those on an Xbox. Sony needs to seriously bump their graphics! If this ends up being a "PS2 + DVD Burner" like someone else said it will suck. I know they plan to bump the power, etc, that's a given, but hopefully they will push past Xbox/Xbox2

      It is just a PS2 + DVD Burner. It is not the successor of the PS2, just another version.

      I'm sure that the Xboxes graphics are better than the PS2s b
  • In japan, every major console released has a line waiting for preorder and a ton of folks waiting to buy the system.

    PSX was the only sony console that required no line at all. Virtually any joe schmole could have bought the system on opening day without any wait time. This tells you the PSX is just one unecessary addition.
  • said that SOny's intent wasn't to atract kids or milk out more ps2 sales before ps3 drops, it was to atract high-end consumers who wanted a sleek DVR/DVD player that just happens to play games. The tone of the article [cnn.com]made it clear that this ins't for gamers, but movie-philes who would occassionally play games - hence no 4player support at launch and shitty 3rd party controller compatability. It'll sell, modestly, like the P.O.S. nGage.

  • White? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by borg1238 ( 692335 )
    I know this is a minor point, but the color will make it stand out like a sore thumb on most people's shelves. Why not make it black or gray? It would at least match Sony's own line of Wega TV's [sonystyle.com].

    Maybe it their subtle way of getting it noticed:
    "What's that big white box on your shelf"
    "Oh that's the PSX!"

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