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For Playstation 4 Owners, Bad News On USB, Bluetooth Headsets
itwbennett writes "Until now Sony has done a pretty good job of keeping future Playstation 4 owners happy. But last week they finally hit a rock when Game Informer posted an article about headset compatibility. At launch, USB headsets that work with the PS3 won't work with the PS4. Sony says that eventually there will be a system update that addresses the problem but for now, even your Sony-branded USB headset won't work. If you use a Bluetooth headset (as most PS3 owners do) the news is even worse. Bluetooth headsets will not be supported and no update is planned to address this. ITworld's Peter Smith is shedding a tear for his $250 Turtle Beach PX5 headset."
My bluetooth won't work. My USB won't work. That's sucks. But I got first post. So I got that going for me.
If they're fixing the USB compatibility problem, presumably someone will make a third-party accessory that's basically just a BT dongle.
consumer capitalism basically dictates incompatibility must be built into every successive iteration of a product, to ensure customers continue buying. planned obsolescence is built into everything we own, and why for example cellphone ram is no longer expandable and the USB connector for Android phones is particularly flimsy. The Turtle Beach headset is an excellent, well made product as are many other bluetooth devices for the PS3. making something thats expensive and must regularly be replaced because it becomes incompatible, broken, obsolete or socially shunned is the secret to some of the most lucrative products and wealthy corporations in the world. Apple arguably makes very little changes to each iteration of its iPhone, but people actually reserve precious time in their lives to stand in lines for the privilege of purchasing the next one.
if you dont like planned obsolescence, please step away from the hedonic treadmill and re-evaluate the product from a more fundamental level. What does it do, how well does it do it, and how does it make me feel? it may seem offtopic but its more pertanent than ever during the holidays, an old New England saw: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."
Good people go to bed earlier.
If USB doesn't work and Bluetooth doesn't work then what does?
Shit like this is becoming more and more frequent, consoles are shipped missing key features with updates promised.
If it's not right, don't ship it. If it's not ready, don't ship it.
A company I used to work for lived by these words, if only the rest of the world did. (and if only they did too, they kinda don't anymore)
What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
USB, the only rectangular connector that takes 3 attempts to connect properly.
A good pair of headphones can easily run you $500 (that's considered mid-tier).
You can easily spend that much if you don't find the less-known options while doing your research, that's very true. Stay away from the marked-up versions that are easily accessible and order yourself something for professionals instead. Especially look out for the brands like Sony, which may have innovated with their high end MDRs in the 1980s, but can't really justify the price tag today when everyone else is using the same drivers for much less money. You don't have to spend that kind of money.
I am a sound engineer, live and in the studio. I have to have accurate, reliable cans that I can use for hours every day and I can find them for far less than $500. You can get Etymotic in-ears for vocalists, drummers, etc onstage for $200-250. You can buy a nice pair of professional 250-ohm DT990 over-the-ears for $160 (new on Amazon no less) that you can wear all day. They stand up very well to a pair of $1500 electrostatic headphones and blow everything under $1500 away. Haven't heard them? Don't believe me? Try them out, A/B test with any more expensive pair through a few different audio clips, and you'll see exactly what I mean if your ears aren't shot. I acknowledge that some people have blown out their ears with concerts and construction equipment, or old age has taken its unfair toll on the ears. To them, there will be no difference and you just want comfort and construction quality at that point. But for those of us who somehow retained good hearing despite the odds... Talk to studio professionals to find out how to get a good pair of headphones, not gamers or people listening to their iPod on the bus. Good involves accurate sound, wearability all day, and replaceable parts that you can still order 10 years down the road. If you're spending that kind of money, you want it to be good.
To gamers: I guess that at the end of the day though, if you really want that unnatural jaw-vibrating bass boost for your explosions and dubstep soundtracks (and who wouldn't want that for their entertainment!!) you will probably want to start with good headphones that reach down very low and boost that bass with active electronics like an EQ or old DFX box. There's no substitute. Otherwise you'll have to buy the gimmicky crap like those battery-powered Beats / Monster headphones, but you know you're getting ripped off the whole time you do it. Get something that makes you happy but shop around for goodness' sake, you can be happy for a lot less than $500.
Helpful link to check out objective qualities of headphone sound: http://www.headphone.com/buildAGraph.php - and if you only shop by frequency response curves... you're missing the point. Look at the harmonic distortion curves as well.