> -----Original Message----- > From: James Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 6:18 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: RE: PS3 looks really keen. > > <SNIP>And even without HDMI the lower priced model can still deliver HD > via > component. </SNIP> > > While this may be true for games, blue ray movies (and HDDVD for that > matter) will only output HD via a HDMI port, it is an integral part of the > DRM. No HDMI means 480p for your movies, i.e.: DVD quality. This means > the > cheap model IS NOT a cheap Blu-ray player at all.
Well... that's not true. What you say is only true IF the content manufacturers actually use the HDMI Image Constraint Token (ICT). So far none have decided to do this - most likely because the Television sets that supports this aren't widely available yet. (Remember: if the studio implements the flag both the player AND the TV have to support the flag. If EITHER doesn't then the content gets downgraded). IF the studios decide to implement the tag then the player (the PS3) will automatically downgrade the content over analog AND over HDMI if the display doesn't support ICT. It will still play - and it will actually play at a higher resolution than today's DVDs - but it won't be anywhere close to 1080p output. And, as you mentioned, this only stands for Blu-Ray movies, not for games which can still be played in 1080p over component or non-ICT displays. We've yet to see how many studios will actually implement the tag... but as of right now none have announced that they WILL and at least two major studios (Sony and Universal) have announced that they will NOT. This means that (at least for the foreseeable future) at least all Sony and Universal movies will play in full HD over an analog connection or any non-ICT displays. So, to sum up. The cheap(er) system may be good for people who: +) Don't have any interest in Blu-Ray movies at all and only want HD gaming. +) Don't have an HDMI/ICT-capable TV currently and don't plan on buying one anytime soon (as, we might presume, anybody's who's spent several thousand dollars on one recently). +) Are only interested in Sony and Universal movies... or are willing to bet that other studios will follow their lead. +) Are willing to bet that the studios will postpone adoption of the Image Constraint Token until both TVs and stand alone Blu-Ray (or, better yet, Blu-Ray/HD-DVD combo) players are cheaply available. Like the PS2 before it the PS3 then becomes only a temporary movie player. HDMI is a fairly high-end and (currently) option to implement. It is the only thing that supports HDMI but the primary reason for supporting HDMI is ICT and that, essentially, seems dead out of the gate. In the end I doubt the lack of a HDMI port on the cheaper model will hurt Sony at all. Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:206485 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
