VHS simple doesn't have the recording resolution. That's one of the big advantages of DVD.
I know VHS has a lower resolution, but what surprised me was how little it made a difference in our viewing conditions, which I hardly believe are atypical. Not everyone in the world has the space for a 40"+ plasma TV, especially as more and more people seem to be settling for less and less space in the major metropolitan cities of the U.S., Japan, and Europe (or those wanting a second TV for the bedroom, guest-room, den, kitchen, etc.).
We chose the 32" tv because the price per screen size ratio was about right, and it was the biggest that fit in our living room. As an added bonus, the 32" widescreen (16:9) displays standard-def (4:3) in about the same size as a standard-def 21" TV (what the new TV replaced), so there was no perceived loss of size for standard-def either.
If you have a tiny screen, I really can't see you percieving much benefit of HD though...
Well, in fairness, the widescreen aspect as a native ratio is very nice, and there is certainly SOME increase in picture quality, and we've actually got a progressive scan DVD player hooked up to the TV, but I was just surprised at how well VHS was holding up for 32" (16:9) screens at the minimum suggested viewing distances.
Plus, nothing looks worse on my HD than a VCR'd movie, 'cept maybe CD based movies
I thought I would agree with you, but I'm not so sure.
We (my wife and I) recently upgraded to a 720p 32" TV. We've got HD feeds via cable, and an Series 3 TiVo.
The signal looks great, and we got rid of a whole mess of VCR tapes that were just cluttering up room, but we hung on to a couple that we wanted to watch. I finally got around to hooking up the VCR via a set RCA cables and, while the picture quality certainly ain't great, it isn't as bad as I was expecting. Now part of it is probably that we are dealing with a smaller screen than most HD people seem to be getting (we just don't have the space for anything larger where we live), and part of it might be that the VCR tapes were relatively "new" (the VCR tapes were pre-recorded movies, that had probably only been seen a few times), but the end result is that the picture looked much better than I was expecting.
We're they the 60GB model, or the handicapped 20GB model?
I've noticed that the 60GB models seem to sell out faster than the 20GB models. People keep claiming "Oh, we want the option to choose." "Oh we want to buy low and add our own features on." but when push comes to shove 90% of the buyers prefer to buy a "complete packaged product" instead of paying for the extras on their own.
there's no reason for a guy like me to buy a PS3 for at least a year and a half.
At which point they should have the supply problems nixed, and there should be quite a number of games that you might be looking forward to playing on it.
Personally I figure its more a case of "a little too early".
Most people are pretty satisfied with the PS2, and don't have a need to move into the PS3 yet.
Over the next 6 months, as more "must have titles" come out, and as the current wave of HDTV adoption hits, you'll probably see an uptick in PS3 demand.
This combined with people remembering the ridiculous hype surrounding the XBox360 price... and the jumped on-line prices, have kept peoples expectations in check. I've heard lots of really good things about "Resistance the Fall of Man" for the PS3, but it doesn't have the same built in Hype that "Halo 2" had. I'm also willing to bet that lots of people bought it with no intention of using it just for the resale value (and then maybe buy it once it dropped in price). Well surprise on them, people are willing to wait, rather than overpay. I certainly don't think its just the cost since I've been following the PS3 and Wii trackers on XPbargains http://www.xpbargains.com/ps3_locator.php and the 800-1000$ bundles from the major companies (w/4-6 games and an additional controller) keep selling out as fast as they post them.
By the time you can walk into stores and buy a PS3 (or buy one on-line from a company instead of eBay, preferably not as a bundle with 6 other things you don't want), there will also be more games, accessories and demand.
The most interesting thing this season brought is probably the Wii, and I've certainly thought about buying one, but I'm probably only going to buy one system (not all three like most Slashdot posters seem to assume everyone does). Its also probably going to be a PS3 because I've enjoyed my PS2 and I've liked more of the games that have come out for the PS2 than the GameCube. I admit that doesn't mean the same thing will happen for the PS3 and Wii, which is one of the reasons I am holding off (not being able to just walk in and buy it is another reason).
The catch though is that the novelty in the Wii is not necessarily the games or the system, but rather the controllers.
Since the controllers use Bluetooth to communicate we've already seen articles recently on using one with Windows, OS X, and Linux.
To me, the killer combination would be a PS3+WiiMote (a PS3ii?). Use the power of the PS3 for Hi-Def, combined with the innovation of the WiiMote to provide it all in one package. The real question is if a driver for the WiiMote can be loaded by a gamedisk on the PS3, or via a Linux installation (although I bet against it). If not a "real" WiiMote, I see no reason why Sony or a third party couldn't come out with a similar controller, similar to the add-on gamepads, Air-Guitars and Microphones we've all come to know and love on our PS2s. Remember... on a PS3, they can always upgrade the OS, and if they could do something similar on the PS2, where the OS was much less flexible, then doing it on a PS3 is a no brainer.
Alternatively, I suppose Nintendo could also come out with a new system in a few years, the "Wii-HD" or something. That might segment their market, and will probably hold back new technology in favor of backward compatibility, but this "get the user on an incremental upgrade cycle" worked really well for them in the hand-held market.
How many different versions of the GameBoy, GameBoy Advanced, and DS have come out so far, and how many people kept rebuying their systems for incremental functionality that should have been in the earlier version?
Yes, but the problem is that the MP3 track itself isn't illegal in the U.S., the only thing that is questionable is the method of obtaining it.
A better example than the 'trying to bring weed in from Amsterdam' might be 'trying to bring back a [insert designer name] pocketbook from Milan'.
The pocketbook *MAY* have fallen off the back of the truck, but bringing it home for your use is not necessarily your problem (you bought it in good faith from a man selling them on a street corner), and there is nothing illegal about owning a pocketbook.
*IF* the MP3s from AllofMP3.com are in some way identifiable, and *IF* you can prove that someone got those MP3s from "that nasty Russian site which they knew was committing a crime", then you *MIGHT* be able to charge them as an accessory to the crime (from a legal perspective).
Notice there are a lot of IFs, and a MIGHT in the sentence above. It would depend.
I imagine a civil case might be more possible. Getting a court order against AllofMP3.com, and then bandying it about a bit, before suing the users is probably the tactic they will use. We've already seen that RIAA likes to go after people individually, and they can point to the court order against AllofMP3.com when they get to court to show that the person must have known they were dealing with "evil bad people". They don't need to go after AllofMP3.com, they just need to go after their user base, something RIAA have already had practice with.
Check out an MFC with ethernet. I've used two (a cheap HP MFC at work, and a more expensive Brother MFC at home).
In both cases, its real easy to scan a document over the network. I think the HP one lets you scan right from a webpage on the device. The brother may have required proprietary software, but I haven't done it enough to remember.
Either way, this tech is here now. Of course, you have to get a Multi-Function Copier to do it, but if all you care about it the scanner, then perhaps you can get a cheap ink-jet, without worrying about the consumables, since you aren't going to be replacing them.
We just bought the a model comparable to their 8460 (B&W Laser Printer/Color Scanner/Fax) for our Home/HomeOffice. (was dirt cheap at Costco)
First thing I did was go out and buy the Add-On network card. Worked like a charm and the wife loves it. It may not print in color, but the print speed is amazing (~18-20ppm versus her old HP 4L which spat out maybe 2-4 ppm), and its networked so we only need one printer for both of us. Also worked nicely for my Linux server and OS X laptop.
Haven't bothered with the software except to scan the occasional document (I love that you can scan across the network:grin:), but you're right, it did feel a bit clunky when I had to use it.
Brother certainly has made networked printers affordable and practical, and its held up fine for the past year and a half since we got it.
There are only three types of USB connectors that I know of, and you mentioned all three.
You're right that the USB A and B types were ridiculous, but they're there so deal. The 'mini' USB port makes lots more sense. Its a compact, data only (no power), connector.
FireWire has the same thing with a 'mini' connector that leaves off the power pins and just provides the data connection.
This is great for something like a camera, or other device that has its own internal power supply, and that you just need to connect to the computer momentarily (especially if you are trying to save the space the larger connector would take up).
FTFA: "Computer Gaming World was also renamed as Games For Windows to help drive Microsoft's new brand."
And co-incedentally one month after the "Games for Windows" magazine launches the same publisher closes the doors on the "Official Playstation Magazine".
Gee... yeah... I'm sure this MS deal had NOTHING to do with that.
Exactly. This is more like a successor to Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. I.e. a new ultra-dense format that is the same size as a standard CD/DVD.
It isn't a DVD unless I can put it into a DVD drive and read it.... much like some people don't think a copy protected CD is a CD, since it can't be read by computers using their CD drives, and standard CD methods.
So can anyone tell me if this actually brightens the prospects of being able to use a series 3 HD Tivo to record HD shows and then archive them offline for storage? I did RTFA but the jargon about headers and address bytes and whatnot got a little heavy for me.
I know others have responded, but I'll throw my own $0.02 in also:)
This doesn't affect the Series 3 units, since they don't have video sharing turned on yet. What this DOES allow is the decryption of.tivo files on other platforms besides Windows (OS X and Linux for instance). If the Series 3 DOES get Tivo2Go and/or Multi-RoomViewing at some point, then this could help decrypt those video files on non-windows platforms.
All of this is assuming the format isn't hardened/changed (which it probably will be, even for Series 2 units).
On the lighter side, there are rumors that the eSata port on the Series 3's will be turned on "real soon" which would allow you to connect an external drive, and have it pair to the internal one. That could potentially expand your recording capacity quite a bit (without breaking the warranty as swapping out the internal drive would). I hear tell there are even multi-drive eSata enclosures.
That, and you show me a PS2 game that was out at launch that doesn't look just as crappy as the best PS1 games. It takes time to get coders to take advantage of new hardware properly.
And yet oddly, lots of people complained that the PS3 release titles mostly looked about the same as the XBox360 titles.
Does that mean the 360 is "last gen", that the PS3 developers got it right out of the bat, or that in a year the differences of what you can do on a PS3 might be impressive?
Finally, we're moving towards the star-trek age of technology. "Captain, the SAN is down" doesn't sound anywhere near as impressive as "Captain, the Quantum Vortex Core has crashed!"
Quantum Vortex Cores don't just "crash" dude...the least we can expect is a mildly spectacular explosion!
And they have to be "Jettison"-able.
Engineer: "Sir! The Quantum Vortex Cores are becoming unstable! Explosion is imminent!" Manager: "Quick! Jettison the core into the Marketing department!"
I expect Microsoft to be the BIG beneficiary of this, as Sony and Microsoft are much more substitutable (similar hardware, similar controllers, similar target markets), but Nintendo will find itself fighting in the normal market, not just a niche...
Maybe... but I'm much more ticked off at MS then Sony. I've held off getting an XBox360, being perfectly happy playing games on my PS2. I think I can hold off awhile to get a PS3 (until I can just walk into a store and buy one).
The only wildcard to me is the Wii. I may actually be able to get my wife to play one one of those, but even then, we'll be getting it after we get a new HD TV this holiday season, so I'm not really sure if its worth getting a Wii if it can't even do 720p.
Slashdot Mirror
Or perhaps a MacMini (not at all what I would consider "high end", but certainly a possible HTPC, especially if you love iTunes).
I know VHS has a lower resolution, but what surprised me was how little it made a difference in our viewing conditions, which I hardly believe are atypical.
Not everyone in the world has the space for a 40"+ plasma TV, especially as more and more people seem to be settling for less and less space in the major metropolitan cities of the U.S., Japan, and Europe (or those wanting a second TV for the bedroom, guest-room, den, kitchen, etc.).
We chose the 32" tv because the price per screen size ratio was about right, and it was the biggest that fit in our living room.
As an added bonus, the 32" widescreen (16:9) displays standard-def (4:3) in about the same size as a standard-def 21" TV (what the new TV replaced), so there was no perceived loss of size for standard-def either.
Well, in fairness, the widescreen aspect as a native ratio is very nice, and there is certainly SOME increase in picture quality, and we've actually got a progressive scan DVD player hooked up to the TV, but I was just surprised at how well VHS was holding up for 32" (16:9) screens at the minimum suggested viewing distances.
I thought I would agree with you, but I'm not so sure.
We (my wife and I) recently upgraded to a 720p 32" TV. We've got HD feeds via cable, and an Series 3 TiVo.
The signal looks great, and we got rid of a whole mess of VCR tapes that were just cluttering up room, but we hung on to a couple that we wanted to watch. I finally got around to hooking up the VCR via a set RCA cables and, while the picture quality certainly ain't great, it isn't as bad as I was expecting. Now part of it is probably that we are dealing with a smaller screen than most HD people seem to be getting (we just don't have the space for anything larger where we live), and part of it might be that the VCR tapes were relatively "new" (the VCR tapes were pre-recorded movies, that had probably only been seen a few times), but the end result is that the picture looked much better than I was expecting.
The start of 2007 is only about a week away, that doesn't seem very long.
If the game is scheduled for the February release cycle then its about, 60 days.
That may be, however it is only overshadowed by the release of the Wii-mote.
Compared to the other previous generation controllers (or the XBox360s, it looks like it rocks).
We're they the 60GB model, or the handicapped 20GB model?
I've noticed that the 60GB models seem to sell out faster than the 20GB models. People keep claiming "Oh, we want the option to choose." "Oh we want to buy low and add our own features on." but when push comes to shove 90% of the buyers prefer to buy a "complete packaged product" instead of paying for the extras on their own.
At which point they should have the supply problems nixed, and there should be quite a number of games that you might be looking forward to playing on it.
Kinda reminds me of when the PS2 launched.
Personally I figure its more a case of "a little too early".
... and the jumped on-line prices, have kept peoples expectations in check. I've heard lots of really good things about "Resistance the Fall of Man" for the PS3, but it doesn't have the same built in Hype that "Halo 2" had. I'm also willing to bet that lots of people bought it with no intention of using it just for the resale value (and then maybe buy it once it dropped in price). Well surprise on them, people are willing to wait, rather than overpay. I certainly don't think its just the cost since I've been following the PS3 and Wii trackers on XPbargains http://www.xpbargains.com/ps3_locator.php and the 800-1000$ bundles from the major companies (w/4-6 games and an additional controller) keep selling out as fast as they post them.
... on a PS3, they can always upgrade the OS, and if they could do something similar on the PS2, where the OS was much less flexible, then doing it on a PS3 is a no brainer.
Most people are pretty satisfied with the PS2, and don't have a need to move into the PS3 yet.
Over the next 6 months, as more "must have titles" come out, and as the current wave of HDTV adoption hits, you'll probably see an uptick in PS3 demand.
This combined with people remembering the ridiculous hype surrounding the XBox360 price
By the time you can walk into stores and buy a PS3 (or buy one on-line from a company instead of eBay, preferably not as a bundle with 6 other things you don't want), there will also be more games, accessories and demand.
The most interesting thing this season brought is probably the Wii, and I've certainly thought about buying one, but I'm probably only going to buy one system (not all three like most Slashdot posters seem to assume everyone does). Its also probably going to be a PS3 because I've enjoyed my PS2 and I've liked more of the games that have come out for the PS2 than the GameCube. I admit that doesn't mean the same thing will happen for the PS3 and Wii, which is one of the reasons I am holding off (not being able to just walk in and buy it is another reason).
The catch though is that the novelty in the Wii is not necessarily the games or the system, but rather the controllers.
Since the controllers use Bluetooth to communicate we've already seen articles recently on using one with Windows, OS X, and Linux.
To me, the killer combination would be a PS3+WiiMote (a PS3ii?). Use the power of the PS3 for Hi-Def, combined with the innovation of the WiiMote to provide it all in one package. The real question is if a driver for the WiiMote can be loaded by a gamedisk on the PS3, or via a Linux installation (although I bet against it). If not a "real" WiiMote, I see no reason why Sony or a third party couldn't come out with a similar controller, similar to the add-on gamepads, Air-Guitars and Microphones we've all come to know and love on our PS2s. Remember
Alternatively, I suppose Nintendo could also come out with a new system in a few years, the "Wii-HD" or something. That might segment their market, and will probably hold back new technology in favor of backward compatibility, but this "get the user on an incremental upgrade cycle" worked really well for them in the hand-held market.
How many different versions of the GameBoy, GameBoy Advanced, and DS have come out so far, and how many people kept rebuying their systems for incremental functionality that should have been in the earlier version?
Yes, but the problem is that the MP3 track itself isn't illegal in the U.S., the only thing that is questionable is the method of obtaining it.
A better example than the 'trying to bring weed in from Amsterdam' might be 'trying to bring back a [insert designer name] pocketbook from Milan'.
The pocketbook *MAY* have fallen off the back of the truck, but bringing it home for your use is not necessarily your problem (you bought it in good faith from a man selling them on a street corner), and there is nothing illegal about owning a pocketbook.
*IF* the MP3s from AllofMP3.com are in some way identifiable, and *IF* you can prove that someone got those MP3s from "that nasty Russian site which they knew was committing a crime", then you *MIGHT* be able to charge them as an accessory to the crime (from a legal perspective).
Notice there are a lot of IFs, and a MIGHT in the sentence above. It would depend.
I imagine a civil case might be more possible. Getting a court order against AllofMP3.com, and then bandying it about a bit, before suing the users is probably the tactic they will use. We've already seen that RIAA likes to go after people individually, and they can point to the court order against AllofMP3.com when they get to court to show that the person must have known they were dealing with "evil bad people". They don't need to go after AllofMP3.com, they just need to go after their user base, something RIAA have already had practice with.
Check out an MFC with ethernet. I've used two (a cheap HP MFC at work, and a more expensive Brother MFC at home).
In both cases, its real easy to scan a document over the network. I think the HP one lets you scan right from a webpage on the device. The brother may have required proprietary software, but I haven't done it enough to remember.
Either way, this tech is here now. Of course, you have to get a Multi-Function Copier to do it, but if all you care about it the scanner, then perhaps you can get a cheap ink-jet, without worrying about the consumables, since you aren't going to be replacing them.
We just bought the a model comparable to their 8460 (B&W Laser Printer/Color Scanner/Fax) for our Home/HomeOffice. (was dirt cheap at Costco)
:grin:), but you're right, it did feel a bit clunky when I had to use it.
First thing I did was go out and buy the Add-On network card. Worked like a charm and the wife loves it. It may not print in color, but the print speed is amazing (~18-20ppm versus her old HP 4L which spat out maybe 2-4 ppm), and its networked so we only need one printer for both of us. Also worked nicely for my Linux server and OS X laptop.
Haven't bothered with the software except to scan the occasional document (I love that you can scan across the network
Brother certainly has made networked printers affordable and practical, and its held up fine for the past year and a half since we got it.
There are only three types of USB connectors that I know of, and you mentioned all three.
You're right that the USB A and B types were ridiculous, but they're there so deal.
The 'mini' USB port makes lots more sense. Its a compact, data only (no power), connector.
FireWire has the same thing with a 'mini' connector that leaves off the power pins and just provides the data connection.
This is great for something like a camera, or other device that has its own internal power supply, and that you just need to connect to the computer momentarily (especially if you are trying to save the space the larger connector would take up).
And co-incedentally one month after the "Games for Windows" magazine launches the same publisher closes the doors on the "Official Playstation Magazine".
Gee
Exactly. This is more like a successor to Blu-Ray or HD-DVD. I.e. a new ultra-dense format that is the same size as a standard CD/DVD.
... much like some people don't think a copy protected CD is a CD, since it can't be read by computers using their CD drives, and standard CD methods.
It isn't a DVD unless I can put it into a DVD drive and read it.
I know others have responded, but I'll throw my own $0.02 in also
This doesn't affect the Series 3 units, since they don't have video sharing turned on yet.
What this DOES allow is the decryption of
If the Series 3 DOES get Tivo2Go and/or Multi-RoomViewing at some point, then this could help decrypt those video files on non-windows platforms.
All of this is assuming the format isn't hardened/changed (which it probably will be, even for Series 2 units).
On the lighter side, there are rumors that the eSata port on the Series 3's will be turned on "real soon" which would allow you to connect an external drive, and have it pair to the internal one. That could potentially expand your recording capacity quite a bit (without breaking the warranty as swapping out the internal drive would). I hear tell there are even multi-drive eSata enclosures.
I agree. I've got a desktop that works and is secure enough for my use. XP seems fine for now.
Of course, I disagree with the later half of your statement. I'm positive that the next PC I buy will not come with a free copy of Vista.
It WILL however come with a free copy of OS X.
I could see it now, "GTA:Mario World".
And yet oddly, lots of people complained that the PS3 release titles mostly looked about the same as the XBox360 titles.
Does that mean the 360 is "last gen", that the PS3 developers got it right out of the bat, or that in a year the differences of what you can do on a PS3 might be impressive?
No
"You can have my quantum based time machine when you pry it from my pet cyborg-velociraptor's cold, dead, laser talons."
Real daleks don't climb stairs, they level buildings.
of these9 6
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=5
or these
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/chowfamily/lego/
or maybe these
http://www.directron.com/contest1win.html
And they have to be "Jettison"-able.
Engineer: "Sir! The Quantum Vortex Cores are becoming unstable! Explosion is imminent!"
Manager: "Quick! Jettison the core into the Marketing department!"
Oh, thats easy.
Maybe
The only wildcard to me is the Wii. I may actually be able to get my wife to play one one of those, but even then, we'll be getting it after we get a new HD TV this holiday season, so I'm not really sure if its worth getting a Wii if it can't even do 720p.
You can pick up a used copy of Psychonauts on gamestop/ebgames website (at least thats where I got mine).
Box/Manual and all were in near mint condition. No guarantee yours will be like that, but they seem to try.