| Author |
Analysts giving PSX lukewarm reception |
gelfen
Joined: Nov 22, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Melbourne, Australia
PM |
from ZDNet Australia.
By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot US
15 December 2003
Sony's new media center hits the Japanese market, but its pared-down features have cooled many experts' enthusiasm.
On Monday, Sony will start selling the PSX, its much-ballyhooed home entertainment center in Japan. Looking like the PlayStation 2's big white brother, the PSX lets users play the Sony console's games, play CDs and DVDs, watch TV, and record video onto DVDs or its hard drive, TiVo-style. The PSX comes in two models: the 250-gigabyte, 99,800 yen DESR-7000, which can hold around 48 hours of video, and the 160-gigabyte 79,800 DESR-5000, which can only record 30 hours.
Both PSX models are scheduled for international release in time for the 2004 holidays. But many analysts are questioning whether it will even be a hit in the Japanese market. The PSX is perhaps more of a publicity stunt," Kazumasa Kubota, an analyst at Okasan Securities, told the Associated Press. "It will probably sell well for a month or two but the momentum isn't likely to hold up after that."
The main reason for analysts' lessened enthusiasm for the PSX is because the machine being released isn't the same one that was unveiled at CEATEC in October. That device promised to play MP3 files, support all three DVD formats--DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW, and have a 24x DVD recorder. But pressure to get the machine on the market by the end of the year caused Sony to eliminate those features (the current DVD recorder is only 12x). "Lowering the specifications of the PSX hurt Sony's image," said UFJ Tsubasa electronic analyst Kazuya Yamamoto. "Did it turn out to be a superior machine as a DVD recorder? I certainly don't think so."
-------------------------------
blatantly stolen from AusXbox Forums
PSX Sheds Features to Gain Speed
Sony have decided that they need to release their PSX console earlier than they first anticipated, in order to fully capitalize on the holiday season sales. The Japanese electronics giant has therefore announced that the PSX will become available in Japan on December 12, one day earlier than expected.
It appears however, that Sony's technological wonder will have to sacrifice some of the features that the company had previously announced. The rush to get it ready on time and the apparent production difficulties raised have led Sony to issue a list with the revised PSX features. The changes on that list are as follows :
HDD to DVD dubbing has downgraded from 24x to 12x speed.
- CD-R playback will not be supported.
- DVD+RW playback will not be supported.
- MP3 file format will not be supported.
- TIFF and GIF file formats will not be supported.
- Sony's Cybershot movie format will not be supported
PSX will however, feature an internal Ethernet adapter which, initially, will not be compatible with the company's Playstation BB service.
Two models of the PS2 compatible DVD-HDD recorder will be available, the high - end model will have a 250 GB Hard Drive and will cost 99,800 yen (USD 906), while the low - end model with a 160 GB Hard Drive will cost 79,800 yen (USD 725).
_________________
Gee, does that beat me? I only got two pair - two aces, and another two.
[ This Message was edited by: gelfen on 2003-12-16 02:24 ] | |
|
*Jojo*
Joined: Oct 15, 2003
Posts: > 500
PM |
Just what will Bill Gate's - 'X BOX' think of next ? Am very sure that Sony's closest rivals will have their heads turning to keep pace with that of Sony's. Nice research there @gelfen ! |
Jools
Joined: May 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
PM |
From The Register
"Even without the removed features (which include MP3 playback, display of certain image file formats and the ability to read CD-R and certain rewriteable DVD formats), Sony's PSX offering is still more feature-rich than any rival DVD recorder - and is also significantly cheaper.
To top it off, it's now emerged that many of the features which have been removed from the specification will be added to the system using software updates over the Internet in the coming months - with MP3 playback and support for all the image formats, among other things, expected to be reinstated shortly, while other features which weren't even in the original specification may appear over time."
| |
|
Access the forum with a mobile phone via esato.mobi
|
Posted: 2003-12-16 03:23
