Sony Crows About Blu-ray, Upcoming PS3 DVR Functionality

Eurogamer/GamesIndustry.biz reports on Sony's pleased statements about the PlayStation 3. The company has made a point to note that Blu-ray was totally worth it after recent comments by some developers who had problems fitting their titles onto a DVD. The interview with the site promises 'big things' for the format in the future. The future of the PS3 itself seems to have changes coming too: a television tuner and DVR functionality looks to be in the offing for the console. Microsoft announced similar plans earlier this year, but there are no firm dates for either company's use of the console.

Questions Sony needs to answer

[_xeno_]

PS3 as a DVR, huh? Well, that raises the following questions:

• Does it support CableCard?
• If not, how does it change channels?
• Does it support HD? (I'd assume it does.)
• Is it an additional add-on? (I'd assume it is, with a remote.) If so, how much does it cost?
• How does it compare to other DVRs? Specifically, does it require a subscription? Offer TV listings? Offer suggestions?
• Can it record while a game is playing? While a movie (DVD/Blu-Ray) is playing?
• Does it use the same hard drive that games use? Will they be competing for available space?

I think that's my list of questions. I could see it working, but it'd have to be able to beat TiVo on ease of use. I'd rather have a separate DVR, but I can definitely understand that some people would want a combination console/DVD/Blu-Ray/DVR unit.

Re:PS2/Xbox 4/8 Gigs, PS3 25/50 Gigs, 360...7 Gigs

[Anonymous Coward]

No the 360 does not have a 20 gig base harddrive. Some 360s have harddrives, some don't. Every 360 game is required to run without a harddrive(except some European sports game).

That is why Rockstar has been complaining about what a nightmare being forced to support the gimped 360 is.

And regardless of the lack of a standard harddrive, nothing is ever going to change the fact that the 360 has a gig less storage compared to the PS2 and Xbox last gen.

That is so amazingly pathetic that only a company like Microsoft could ever be that dumb.

Re:You'd Be Pissed Off Too...

[NeutronCowboy]

Cute - another AC unwilling to put his name behind this. If these numbers are so accurate, then why is Halo 3 on that list - twice? Someone's really trying to do some spin himself.

Re:PS2/Xbox 4/8 Gigs, PS3 25/50 Gigs, 360...7 Gigs

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm assuming you're the same person who posted about this last time, so:

Can you PLEASE provide a link that corroborates this, that isn't a two year old Digg article and isn't the Wikipedia?

Otherwise, I think you're full of it. There's no way a DRM scheme would waste that much space. I think you're confusing "dummy files" with DRM.

Re:Questions Sony needs to answer

[LWATCDR]

"Blah blah, poor developers.

Every new platform is difficult if it's not what you've been doing. I don't feel sorry for these people; "

If a system is hard to develop for then the developers will be spending more time just making the game work instead of making the game great. Systems that are hard to develop for tend to fail. the Intel i860 cpu, the apx432, the Connection Machine...
The Itantium is a classic example of how hard to develop for has in impact on success. It floundered early one because the compilers available at launch couldn't generate good code.
"Exclusives are over-rated; that's why you see a lot less of them these days. " So then buy the cheapest system that will play them. That isn't the PS3. To pay a premium for a console there must be software that makes the premium worth while.

While I think the adding of PVR functionality to the PS3 is a good idea it does raise some issues.
1. Can you save the video on other mass storage devices? A home server? an external USB hard drive?
2. Can you use it as a DVR while your playing games? If not then you will miss a show or not get to play a game when you want to.
3. How much DRM will you have put up with? Can I take the show and put it on my PSP? Will I have the option of watching TV with my PSP? Could I forward a port on my fire wall and stream my shows to my PSP anywhere I have wifi? Can I put my shows on my video iPod without a bunch of hacks I get off the internet? Sony's track record makes me think that I will have to give my credit card number each time I watch any show or fast forward a commercial.
4. Will it be a good DVR?
Yes it is nice that a game console can do something besides play games but it needs to play games first. It has to have good games. It has to be fun. It is nice if your car has a good stereo but if it doesn't drive well it is a bad car.