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**Nowhere** · 15 March 2006, 07:43

Of all the people, you forgot to mention that it will play SACDs?

PS. waiting for Gurms post about how it will not cost more than 299$ at launch...

**schmosef** · 15 March 2006, 08:06

It doesn't look like M$ has been able to capitalize on their lead too much.

They simply don't have enough killer content on the 360 yet.

Unless a lot of great games are released soon Sony will be in a position to dominate again.

btw, I think that it's very funny that Sony is blaming the lauch delay on Blu-Ray issues. I bet the Sony execs all breathed a sigh of relief when that opportunity to divert blame came up.

**Jammrock** · 15 March 2006, 09:58

Originally posted by Nowhere

Of all the people, you forgot to mention that it will play SACDs?

Because I don't remember reading that in the white paper ... time to double check ...

pulling up google search ...

well, what do you, there it is:

Disc Media
CD PlayStation CD-ROM, PlayStation 2 CD-ROM, CD-DA, CD-DA (ROM), CD-R, CD-RW, SACD, SACD Hybrid (CD layer), SACD HD, DualDisc, DualDisc (audio side), DualDisc (DVD side)
DVD: PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM, PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW
Blu-ray Disc: PlayStation 3 BD-ROM, BD-Video, BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RE

Nifty. Most of us audio types have shunned the SACD/DVD-A battle. Unless you fork out for a good universal player, which I have never seen the need for, and the content is specifically recorded and mastered for high reolution ... it honestly doesn't sound any better than a well mastered CD on a low-end audiophile CD player (a $500 job with burr-brown, or equivelant, DACs).

Jammrock

**Byock** · 15 March 2006, 13:48

If it works as a PVR, I will get one without any hesitation. 60Gb HD and Linux? That is a hackers dream come true.

I hope it is better looking than the 360. Man those are ugly.

**Wombat** · 15 March 2006, 14:08

Originally posted by Byock

If it works as a PVR, I will get one without any hesitation. 60Gb HD and Linux? That is a hackers dream come true.

We'll see. The past PS Linux kit had a hardware abstraction program that the Linux distro ran on top of. You still couldn't access the hardware in ways they didn't want you to.

**lowlifecat** · 15 March 2006, 15:17

Originally posted by Wombat

We'll see. The past PS Linux kit had a hardware abstraction program that the Linux distro ran on top of. You still couldn't access the hardware in ways they didn't want you to.

It's SONY! 'nuff said.

don't get me started on the BD, HD-DVD copyright BS that's going on. I really hope the RIAA, hollywood, whatever feel some nasty consumer backlash because of all this.

[insert story] few years ago I used to work in large(and posh) CD/DVD store located under a 4* hotel. The distributers would always chitchat with us salesfolk, a little to help judge the market and maybe little more because they just wanted to be pricks to us. The Sony distributer was generally ok apart from being an ****ole. One day he shows up bragging about Sony's new CD anti-piracy protection. there was no way these puppies would run in any PC *evil laughter*. "Great," I said "I only have a PC to play CDs. I guess i just won't buy the CD. maybe i can download it off the internet." (on a side note: the day Sony starts implanting laser beams eyes into thier employees is the day i'll stop bitching about my $100us). "You know what, you're so sure about this but you know it'll be hacked." says me. to make a long story short: Sony guy bets me $100 that's it uncrackable (with handshake and whole deal). TWO days later GUESS WHAT?! less than 24h after the release of the CDs some guy with a postit pack cracked the copy protection. mol!!!

...i never saw the sony guy again for the remainder of the months i worked there.[/insert story]

sorry for the rant, but whenever i start thinking about this whole deal, it makes me feel like i have a little storm cloud following me around. FYI haven't you ever watched cartoons? don't you know little storm clouds are bad for cats? damn tails act like frakking lightning rods.

**Mehen** · 15 March 2006, 17:02

Go Nintendo go.

**Nowhere** · 16 March 2006, 04:24

Originally posted by Jammrock

...
Nifty. Most of us audio types have shunned the SACD/DVD-A battle. Unless you fork out for a good universal player, which I have never seen the need for, and the content is specifically recorded and mastered for high reolution ... it honestly doesn't sound any better than a well mastered CD on a low-end audiophile CD player (a $500 job with burr-brown, or equivelant, DACs).
...

Yep...but the thing is (from what I know...) that while today CDs have often very bad mastering (hmm...it is often called "loudness race", I believe...), SACDs were rather absent from this desease?
Anyway, when (if...) they become popular this will change I'm afraid...

**Gurm** · 16 March 2006, 05:27

Originally posted by Nowhere

Of all the people, you forgot to mention that it will play SACDs?

PS. waiting for Gurms post about how it will not cost more than 299$ at launch...

Define "play SACD". Since no device currently on the market plays SACD's in any meaningful way that allows us humans to hear them properly...

**KvHagedorn** · 16 March 2006, 05:44

Have you heard one on this?

Actually on our setup at work, I can tell the difference easily with a Diana Krall SACD, and at home I can make out lots more detail even with an old remastered 60s classical recording.. I can also more easily tell how much more restricted the frequency response and dynamic range was with recordings then, because it sounds so good I feel like I am listening to the master tape.

What speakers are you using? I'm hearing all this detail on B&W 800 series speakers, with separate power amps, and using just a decent Yamaha disc changer. Are you sure it's the player that's deficient?

**Nowhere** · 16 March 2006, 05:49

KvH, I believe it has probably more to do with better mastering on SACD versions...

**Jammrock** · 16 March 2006, 05:51

Originally posted by Gurm

Define "play SACD". Since no device currently on the market plays SACD's in any meaningful way that allows us humans to hear them properly...

No there are, but they are all gawd aweful expensive. Most SACD "players" use a trick in the hardware to reproduce sound closer to the way PCM is done, instead of forking out for a chipset that will reproduce the sound according to the real DSD method that is supposed to make SACD so good.

So in order to truly "hear" the difference, you need a true SACD player, not a cheap work around version (which a Krell obviously is not), and a good set of amps and speakers that cover the full audible spectrum (which most don't, especially in the frequency extremes). In this case you are getting into a low-end audiophile grade system, which 98% of the population of the world feels would be a waste of money.

This is why no high-def audio standard has ever caught on, and CDs and downloads rule. Sure there are some nice high-def SACD and DVD-A recordings and remasters, but not enough to trigger the interest that SOny and the DVD consortium hoped.

**Nowhere** · 16 March 2006, 06:09

So...please tell Cell CPU with its "DSPs" has enough juice to decode SACDs properly

I only wonder if Sony will allow outputting it at proper quality through digital out (I seem to remember PS3 is supposed to have one...)

**Gurm** · 16 March 2006, 06:33

Originally posted by Nowhere

So...please tell Cell CPU with its "DSPs" has enough juice to decode SACDs properly

I only wonder if Sony will allow outputting it at proper quality through digital out (I seem to remember PS3 is supposed to have one...)

Of course PS3 will have digital out. PS2 does...

But I somehow doubt that Sony will do SACD's "the right way" on the PS3. I suspect that it will output them in such a manner as to render them exactly the same as CD's.

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