PS3 to get DVR next year?
Doug Jacobs
Supposedly, there's going to be a TV tuner and software released for the
PS3 which will turn it into a DVR.
This isn't the first time Sony's talked about DVR functionality for the
Playstation - remember the DVR plans for the PS2?
There's no mention about specifics, cost, or any other details, only that
they're looking at early 2008.
Anyways, would anyone seriously consideer this?
--
It's not broken. It's...advanced.
boodybandit
"Doug Jacobs" <dja...@shell.rawbw.com> wrote in message
news:13b4p8f...@corp.supernews.com...
I will watch a DVD once in a while in my PS3 but I would never use it for
DVR
Big Daddy
I'm sure people without a DVR would. I have a tivo, so I wouldn't
personally care for that functionality.
Ross Ridge
>http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=27220
>
>Supposedly, there's going to be a TV tuner and software released for the
>PS3 which will turn it into a DVR.
Except that it's only for some weird new digital broadcast format, like
that new Japan-only PSP tuner. No one has said anything about either a
NTSC, ATSC, digital cable or satellite tuner that would work in the US.
Hmm... I wonder if there's been some confusion any what's really coming
to New Zealand next year is that PSP tuner.
>This isn't the first time Sony's talked about DVR functionality for the
>Playstation - remember the DVR plans for the PS2?
You mean the Japan-only PSX? I think it failed because it was too
expensive and didn't work very well.
>Anyways, would anyone seriously consideer this?
If were not too expensive, say under $100, and I already had a PS3, yup.
Ross Ridge
--
l/ // Ross Ridge -- The Great HTMU
[oo][oo] rri...@csclub.uwaterloo.ca
-()-/()/ http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/~rridge/
db //
Brenden D. Chase
"boodybandit" <allabo...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:CaGdnSd9V-QB9i_b...@comcast.com...
MMM...PSX goodness.. I've always wanted one of those.
Would you use it as a DVR if somehow it were a free addition. ( i know it's
not but i'm just saying)
Doug Jacobs
> MMM...PSX goodness.. I've always wanted one of those.
> Would you use it as a DVR if somehow it were a free addition. ( i know it's
> not but i'm just saying)
Even if it was free, right now, you're looking at $600 for essentially a
PS3 + 80GB DVR and that's just for the hardware. I don't know if Sony
will charge a programming fee like Tivo does.
I'd also assume the DVR would have a ATSC and QAM tuner so it could do
basic cable and unencrypted HD channels?
But the biggest problem I see with this is that HD programming requires a
set-top box, unless you're just happy with the local broadcast channels.
All set-top boxes now have a DVR option for just a few bucks more a
month. In fact, we just switched to Dish and got the DVR upgrade for
"free".
So, as much as we both love our series 1 Tivo, it's going to eventually be
retired once we finish watching all the shows on it.
Mattinglyfan
>
> Supposedly, there's going to be a TV tuner and software released for the
> PS3 which will turn it into a DVR.
>
> This isn't the first time Sony's talked about DVR functionality for the
> Playstation - remember the DVR plans for the PS2?
>
There was DVR functionality on the PS2. It was only released in Japan.
Don't you remember?
Brenden D. Chase
Yeah, i have Dish as well. I get my locals OTA. I can grab not only Boston
stations but the Providence ones as well. The main reason i havent gotten
into the DVR's is because of the price... which HAS come down, but not far
enough for me to upgrade.
Ross Ridge
>Even if it was free, right now, you're looking at $600 for essentially a
>PS3 + 80GB DVR and that's just for the hardware. I don't know if Sony
>will charge a programming fee like Tivo does.
No one is going to buy a PlayStation 3 as a DVR. Think of it as
something like the XBox 360's HD-DVD external drive or a game that
includes bundled hardware.
>I'd also assume the DVR would have a ATSC and QAM tuner so it could do
>basic cable and unencrypted HD channels?
>
>But the biggest problem I see with this is that HD programming requires a
>set-top box, unless you're just happy with the local broadcast channels.
Complexities like this are why I think you're not going to see it coming
to North America. The set-top box problem is solvable with a CableCard
slot, but that just adds to the complexity and cost of the device.
What might be a cheap $50 device in New Zealand could be $200 in the US.
>All set-top boxes now have a DVR option for just a few bucks more a
>month.
Well, around here, buying a HD cable or satellite DVR costs as much
as a Playstation 3. Hmm... on the otherhand, who knows if PS3's DVR
functionality will support HD. The hard drive is a bit small for that.
Brenden D. Chase
"Ross Ridge" <rri...@caffeine.csclub.uwaterloo.ca> wrote in message
news:f924t2$3lb$1...@rumours.uwaterloo.ca...
> Doug Jacobs <dja...@shell.rawbw.com> wrote:
>>Even if it was free, right now, you're looking at $600 for essentially a
>>PS3 + 80GB DVR and that's just for the hardware. I don't know if Sony
>>will charge a programming fee like Tivo does.
>
> No one is going to buy a PlayStation 3 as a DVR. Think of it as
> something like the XBox 360's HD-DVD external drive or a game that
> includes bundled hardware.
You mean like Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero 2, and Guitar Hero 3?? Or maybe you
meant Time Crisis or it's sequels?
>
>>I'd also assume the DVR would have a ATSC and QAM tuner so it could do
>>basic cable and unencrypted HD channels?
>>
>>But the biggest problem I see with this is that HD programming requires a
>>set-top box, unless you're just happy with the local broadcast channels.
>
> Complexities like this are why I think you're not going to see it coming
> to North America. The set-top box problem is solvable with a CableCard
> slot, but that just adds to the complexity and cost of the device.
> What might be a cheap $50 device in New Zealand could be $200 in the US.
>
>>All set-top boxes now have a DVR option for just a few bucks more a
>>month.
>
> Well, around here, buying a HD cable or satellite DVR costs as much
> as a Playstation 3. Hmm... on the otherhand, who knows if PS3's DVR
> functionality will support HD. The hard drive is a bit small for that.
>
No it's not. At least not when you can easily upgrade it yourself to 200GB.
Mattinglyfan
wrote:
> Doug Jacobs <djac...@shell.rawbw.com> wrote:
>
> >Even if it was free, right now, you're looking at $600 for essentially a
> >PS3 + 80GB DVR and that's just for the hardware. I don't know if Sony
> >will charge a programming fee like Tivo does.
>
> No one is going to buy a PlayStation 3 as a DVR. Think of it as
> something like the XBox 360's HD-DVD external drive or a game that
> includes bundled hardware.
Except you won't have to pay for it.
Doug Jacobs
> No one is going to buy a PlayStation 3 as a DVR. Think of it as
> something like the XBox 360's HD-DVD external drive or a game that
> includes bundled hardware.
Fair enough, though this assumes that this PS3+DVR has enough horsepower
to allow you to use the PS3 for its other functions while its DVR whirrs
uninterrupted in the background, otherwise, you've essentially spent $600
on something that can only be a DVR or a PS3 at one time...
> >But the biggest problem I see with this is that HD programming requires a
> >set-top box, unless you're just happy with the local broadcast channels.
> Complexities like this are why I think you're not going to see it coming
> to North America. The set-top box problem is solvable with a CableCard
> slot, but that just adds to the complexity and cost of the device.
> What might be a cheap $50 device in New Zealand could be $200 in the US.
> >All set-top boxes now have a DVR option for just a few bucks more a
> >month.
> Well, around here, buying a HD cable or satellite DVR costs as much
> as a Playstation 3. Hmm... on the otherhand, who knows if PS3's DVR
> functionality will support HD. The hard drive is a bit small for that.
Buy? I don't know if I'd buy one now... The ala carte rental fee is
between $5-10/mo usually, which means by the time your costs in rental
fees crosses the amount you would have spent on just buying the unit, it's
4 or 5 years later, and probably time for an upgrade.
Doug Jacobs
> > Well, around here, buying a HD cable or satellite DVR costs as much
> > as a Playstation 3. Hmm... on the otherhand, who knows if PS3's DVR
> > functionality will support HD. The hard drive is a bit small for that.
> >
> No it's not. At least not when you can easily upgrade it yourself to 200GB.
So, then you're looking at PS3 + DVR + new HDD for $700.
This assumes the program guide data will be free somehow.
Granted, if this is only intended for Japan, a lot of issues I mentioned
go away - such as problems with cable vs. satellit, HD, etc.
But then, I gotta wonder, if you're already techie enough to have a PS3
and still care about TV shows, surely you've had some sort of DVR solution
up and running for some time now, right?
RMZ
The PS3 is becoming more and more like the swiss-army knife of game
consoles isn't it? I don't see that as a good thing since, so far it's
failed to do the one thing it desperately needs to do well and that is
deliver a truly next-generation gaming experience above everything
else on the market.... Instead it struggles and hiccups as it tries to
match the performance of the year older XBox 360 (you've seen the side
by side screen shots, I don't need to post them again). As others have
pointed out it's exclusives aren't anything to write home about either
at this point.
Of course even if it remains a mediocre game console if Sony can add
enough value through features like Blu-Ray and DVR it could still
eventually become a success story for Sony. It's just Blu-Ray is still
stuck as an early adopters technology waiting on HD-DVD to go away,
which it doesn't look like is happening any time soon. And most people
depend on their cable or satellite providers for DVR service.
Having said that. If Sony could come up with a way that I could burn
DVR content in HD to a Blu-Ray disc and accomplish this for around the
$500 price point I would buy one for the DVR/Blu-Ray feature and look
at the game aspect as a bonus (yawn... I get to play God of War 3
whenever it comes out in 2009), the exclusives list is so small that
the XBox 360 will probably take care of all my gaming needs for many
years to come. If anyone was curious what it would take to get me
interested in PS3, there it is. That or a $349 price point on the
hardware.
GMAN
Ross Ridge
>Fair enough, though this assumes that this PS3+DVR has enough horsepower
>to allow you to use the PS3 for its other functions while its DVR whirrs
>uninterrupted in the background, otherwise, you've essentially spent $600
>on something that can only be a DVR or a PS3 at one time...
It's doable in a digital-only situation where the data is already
compressed so you just have to save it to disk.
>> Well, around here, buying a HD cable or satellite DVR costs as much
>> as a Playstation 3. Hmm... on the otherhand, who knows if PS3's DVR
>> functionality will support HD. The hard drive is a bit small for that.
>
>Buy? I don't know if I'd buy one now... The ala carte rental fee is
>between $5-10/mo usually, which means by the time your costs in rental
>fees crosses the amount you would have spent on just buying the unit, it's
>4 or 5 years later, and probably time for an upgrade.
Well, my renting a HD DVR from my cable company costs $25 a month.
The deal you're getting from your cable company may just be temporary.
Doug Jacobs
> Doug Jacobs <dja...@shell.rawbw.com> wrote:
> >Fair enough, though this assumes that this PS3+DVR has enough horsepower
> >to allow you to use the PS3 for its other functions while its DVR whirrs
> >uninterrupted in the background, otherwise, you've essentially spent $600
> >on something that can only be a DVR or a PS3 at one time...
> It's doable in a digital-only situation where the data is already
> compressed so you just have to save it to disk.
Isn't digital cable also encrypted, which is why you'll need to cablecard,
right?
> >Buy? I don't know if I'd buy one now... The ala carte rental fee is
> >between $5-10/mo usually, which means by the time your costs in rental
> >fees crosses the amount you would have spent on just buying the unit, it's
> >4 or 5 years later, and probably time for an upgrade.
> Well, my renting a HD DVR from my cable company costs $25 a month.
> The deal you're getting from your cable company may just be temporary.
Did not realize that Cable charged so much for DVR. Both Dish and DirecTV
charge $5-10/mo, depending on package and model.
Doug Jacobs
> The PS3 is becoming more and more like the swiss-army knife of game
> consoles isn't it? I don't see that as a good thing since, so far it's
> failed to do the one thing it desperately needs to do well and that is
> deliver a truly next-generation gaming experience above everything
> else on the market.... Instead it struggles and hiccups as it tries to
> match the performance of the year older XBox 360 (you've seen the side
> by side screen shots, I don't need to post them again). As others have
> pointed out it's exclusives aren't anything to write home about either
> at this point.
Well, they said the same things about the PS2. I still remember Sony's
grandiose plans to offer the HDD and network adapter together, along with
AOL, and a fully functional Netscape browser for web/email access.
Both Sony and Microsoft had made announcements about their respective
console being at the heart of your entertainment center - controlling your
games, online content, and locally stored content as well. Problem is,
this whole convergence thing has never really worked that well. Most
products try to do too many different things, but never do any one of them
well enough to justify the price. Meanwhile, smaller, cheaper, dedicated
purpose products still manage to dominate the market.
Sure, it might be nice to have one large ubiquitous and integrated system
- but we seem to be years away from any practical solution. Even then,
with the RIAA and MPAA circling like sharks, it seems that any real useful
product is going to be so hamstrung as to be nearly useless.
> Of course even if it remains a mediocre game console if Sony can add
> enough value through features like Blu-Ray and DVR it could still
> eventually become a success story for Sony. It's just Blu-Ray is still
> stuck as an early adopters technology waiting on HD-DVD to go away,
> which it doesn't look like is happening any time soon. And most people
> depend on their cable or satellite providers for DVR service.
Again, why would I want to spend $600 on a Blu-Ray player, DVR and a game
console with virtually no games (at this time)? Makes no sense to me.
Especially since most folks who want a DVR already have one (be it MythTV,
Tivo, or set-top version from their TV provider, which will most likely
have more storage space than the PS3's paltry 80GB drive. 80GB might get
you up to 80 hours via Satellite or Digital Cable, but when you start
talking HD signals, that figure drops to about 13 hours.
> Having said that. If Sony could come up with a way that I could burn
> DVR content in HD to a Blu-Ray disc and accomplish this for around the
> $500 price point I would buy one for the DVR/Blu-Ray feature and look
> at the game aspect as a bonus (yawn... I get to play God of War 3
> whenever it comes out in 2009), the exclusives list is so small that
> the XBox 360 will probably take care of all my gaming needs for many
> years to come. If anyone was curious what it would take to get me
> interested in PS3, there it is. That or a $349 price point on the
> hardware.
It's going to be years before we'll see the components for a
PS3+DVR+Blu-Ray-Burner drop down to where Sony could conceivably sell such
a thing for $500 in stores.
A $500 DVR+Blu-Ray-Burner would be a more likely combination.
Ross Ridge
> It's doable in a digital-only situation where the data is already
> compressed so you just have to save it to disk.
Doug Jacobs <dja...@shell.rawbw.com> wrote:
>Isn't digital cable also encrypted, which is why you'll need to cablecard,
>right?
It takes much less CPU time to decrypt the data than to compress it.
Not all US cable companies are encrypting their basic channels anymore,
but apparently all the free digital over-the-air channels in Japan are
encrypted to limit copying. Maybe it's something that tuner hardware
will handle.
>> Well, my renting a HD DVR from my cable company costs $25 a month.
>> The deal you're getting from your cable company may just be temporary.
>
>Did not realize that Cable charged so much for DVR. Both Dish and DirecTV
>charge $5-10/mo, depending on package and model.
Hmm... from what I can tell DirectTV charges $200 upfront for an HD DVR,
and then $16/mo for DVR and HD access fees. There also seems to a two
year programming commitment. I assume cable companies in the US are
competitive with that, but up here in Canada where I live both cable
and satellite companies charge from $500 to $600 for a HD DVR. So in
Canada at least, a PS3 as a DVR doesn't look too expensive in comparision.
GMAN
Microsoft charges for the Wireless G adapter for the 360!
Brenden D. Chase
I'm techie enough to know that i can easily watch any show i missed online
the day after. No point in throwing money at something that's not broken.
PS3's DVR functionality will really come down to price for me.
I've already got the PS3 and the HDD. And this was strictly for gaming
purposes. So if it's another $50 for DVR functionality, i'm game.