Playstation 3 Debuts

[Ishiyoshi]

So, it's official --> Playstation 3 debuts in Los Angeles; announced for 2006.

"PS3 truly is the system to be placed in the center of living rooms in homes around the world," Ken Kutaragi, the head of Sony's game unit, said at a press event ahead of the start of the E3 annual industry trade show.

Kutaragi, known as 'the father of the PlayStation', beamed as he stood next to a display of the curved PS3 offered in three colors -- black, silver and white -- and a boomerang-shaped game controller.

Sony said the PS3 would have twice the processing speed of the Xbox 360, the console Microsoft is expected to release in November with up to 40 software titles.

*News source: Reuters

Best of all... it comes in three colors - white, silver, and black!

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PLAYSTATION 3 SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Cell Processor PowerPC-base Core @3.2GHz

--1 VMX vector unit per core

--512KB L2 cache

--7 x SPE @3.2GHz

--7 x 128b 128 SIMD GPRs

--7 x 256KB SRAM for SPE

--*1 of 8 SPEs reserved for redundancy

--Total floating point performance: 218 gigaflops

GPU RSX @ 550MHz

--1.8 TFLOPS floating point Performance

--Full HD (up to 1080p) x 2 channels

--Multi-way programmable parallel Floating point shader pipelines

--Sound Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell-based processing)

MEMORY

256MB XDR Main RAM @3.2GHz

256MB GDDR3 VRAM @700MHz

System Bandwidth Main RAM-- 25.6GB/s

VRAM--22.4GB/s

RSX-- 20GB/s (write) + 15GB/s (read)

SB2.5GB/s (write) + 2.5GB/s (read)

SYSTEM FLOATING POINT PERFORMANCE:

2 teraflops

STORAGE

--HDD Detachable 2.5" HDD slot x 1

--I/O--USB Front x 4, Rear x 2 (USB2.0)

--Memory Stickstandard/Duo, PRO x 1

--SD standard/mini x 1

--CompactFlash(Type I, II) x 1

COMMUNICATION

--Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) x 3 (input x 1 + output x 2)

--Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g

--Bluetooth--Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)

--ControllerBluetooth (up to 7)

--USB 2.0 (wired)

--Wi-Fi (PSP)

--Network (over IP)

AV OUTPUT

Screen size 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p

HDMI out x 2

AV multi out x 1

Digital out (optical) x 1

DISC MEDIA

CD

PlayStation CD-ROM

PlayStation2 CD-ROM

CD-DA

CD-DA (ROM),

CD-R,

CD-RW

SACD Hybrid (CD layer),

SACD HD

DualDisc (audio side)

DualDisc (DVD side)

PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM

PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM

DVD-ROM

DVD-R

DVD-RW

DVD+R,

DVD+RW

Blu-ray Disc

PlayStation 3 BD-ROM

BD-ROM

BD

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Pictorial *source: AVWatch

Stock Pictures

[Christopher]

Never have I been so impressed at the debut of any technology such as this; the PS3 will dawn the new era of Sony success. Coupled with the PSP, Sony has ultimately delivered the best possible gaming experience.

I look forward to the day when I have dual plasma tv's or something of that nature with dual HDMI - what an amazing experience that will be. It's really cool how they did bluetooth for the controllers as well.

[skmetal07]

awesome!

i bet the people at Microsoft were like, "... shit"

[Christopher]

Haha for sure..and for what it's worth, thanks for putting this all together Ishii.

[Fast Eddie]

The shape of that control pad looks a bit dodgy though.

[Ishiyoshi]

Heh… I am as awestruck as you guys. I love the fact that Bluetooth is being incorporated with the PS3. This is just fabulous!

[Bananatree]

I love everything about this new machine..... except for the controller.

Unless I give it a feel and like it, I don't think I will be an early adopter. Hopefully a revision is done, or the release is less cheap looking.

I think this generation I will be going with the PS3 and the Nintendo Rev.

[D-EJ915]

If sony would come up with a decent FPS solution, or gaming device, the PS3 could be awesome, but if it's just the controller, then it won't reach its full potential.

I just saw some pics for the early prototype nintendo revolution, WHOA, the PS3 should've looked like that...BAD SONY!! sitting on a design.

[skmetal07]

i wonder why this thing only supports 7 controllers? seems like kind of an odd number to me.

and anyone else notice that there is no umd drive? not too important, but it would be nice to have.

[Kaotic]

i wonder why this thing only supports 7 controllers? seems like kind of an odd number to me.

and anyone else notice that there is no umd drive?  not too important, but it would be nice to have.

COMMUNICATION

--Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) x 3 (input x 1 + output x 2)

--Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g

--Bluetooth--Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)

--ControllerBluetooth (up to 7)

--USB 2.0 (wired)

--Wi-Fi (PSP)

--Network (over IP)

due to bluetooth technology, it only supports upto 7 users currently. so you and your 6 other friends can play simultaneously. Time to save the funds for hi-res HD rear projector and 170" x 90" screen, right skmetal07?

@G4techtv that I saw. the clips of next Gran Tourismo on PS3 was so real. I think the title was 'vision gran tourismo' or something like that. the other clip that catches my eye was some kind of outdoor dirt track racing. the dirt flew off the tires from the vehicle ahead of you, and sticks onto your windshield. damn, the objects in those clips were so real. you guys had to see the clips to know what I am talking about.

btw, G4techtv is doing live reports on E3 05' all this week, be sure to tune in guys!

Edited May 18, 2005 by Kaotic

[skmetal07]

i wonder how the slot loading drive is going to work with blu-ray. is there a separate drive for that or is blu-ray not going to be sealed in a special case?

but yeah, mmmmmmmm HDDDDDDDDD.....

[D-EJ915]

Good point, maybe the slot's just big enough to fit the case in there (like a really thin case)...but maybe not Maybe that's just for recordable blu-ray and not stamped.

[skmetal07]

yeah cuz a blu-ray disc's recording layer is very close to the surface and one small scratch, or maybe even a scuff will ruin it. i would be very worried about that with this type of drive.

i don't know about anyone else, but i think this design is starting to grow on me

[Breepee2]

Looks nice, but I hope I can hook my HDD full of music up on it and play it back nicely.

[betamaxDATminidisc]

DISC MEDIA

CD

PlayStation CD-ROM

PlayStation2 CD-ROM

CD-DA

CD-DA (ROM),

CD-R,

CD-RW

SACD Hybrid (CD layer),

SACD HD

DualDisc (audio side)

DualDisc (DVD side)

PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM

PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM

DVD-ROM

DVD-R

DVD-RW

DVD+R,

DVD+RW

Blu-ray Disc

PlayStation 3 BD-ROM

BD-ROM

BD

But discs DVD-RAM Type IV cartridge (cartridge can be removed) and DVD-RAM Type II without cartridge recorded can use this PlayStation 3 for playback only?

[Guest NRen2k5]

Wow.

Buy the Nintendo Revolution, get 200 free games, from NES up to N64.

[Breepee2]

Yea, 100 mario games, 50 mario kart, and 45 yoshi games and 5 other stupid games. Thanks but no thanks.

PS3 of Xbox360 for me (hack it and add a nice HDD and I'll have a nice home theater system).

[Guest NRen2k5]

No, think classics. Think Final Fantasy, Contra, Double Dragon. Now fast-forward a bit. Illusion Of Gaia, Final Fantasy 6, Super Mario RPG, Star Fox, Killer Instict... Goldeneye, Conker's Bad Fur Day.

All in one box.

At least that's what I'm hoping for.

[Edit]PS3 is fluffware. If you think you're going to be getting something ten times as powerful as a PC for half the price, then I have a nice bridge you may be interested in buying.

Sony is blatantly exaggerating the capabilities of their console.[/Edit]

Edited June 10, 2005 by NRen2k5

[Ishiyoshi]

Heh... those are great titles indeed. I am definitely getting both machines.

[Bananatree]

While the playstation has always been razzle dazzled by the media and "less than informed" consumers (I.e "PS2 is the r0x0rz and you are so ghey for liking the Gamecube") the console has always been relatively good, and I missed out on some pretty decent games for not buying in to it.

Not that I terribly regret not getting a PS2, but it would have been nice to have all 3. Regardless if it has 0.3% less gigaflops than whatever else we are comparing it to, I think I am going to enjoy the gaming experience that arises.

[sushi]

Can it play mp3's??