As promised, I bought the PS3 as a way of rewarding Sony for the redesigning and price drop. I bought it for 320 euros plus the console plus Fallout 3 WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 and first impressions are positive, albeit with some caveats.
Let the good. It really makes less noise and run cooler, which is appreciated in the summer. The new buttons I like. The touch was fine, but these are a success because the touch is important. Another thing I loved was the return to have a controller with vibration in my hands, and I had forgotten that feeling. The savings in electricity will also be considerable, which I love.
One of the big reasons also to update the console was on the hard drive, which now is 120 Gb Although you could easily replace the hard drive, as it uses a standard laptop, I preferred to wait and directly change the entire console. I want more space especially for television recordings. I try not to see anything that does not pass before the Play TV, to save the ads. After updating the console (not supplied with the latest firmware 3.0) and install the software on Play TV, I still had 92 GB free, which means it eats nearly 30 operating system ...
Among the bad, which is less taller and thinner, but has more depth. In any case occupies less volume. I miss connections for USB, because with the Play TV all day because you really only available to load the USB command, the pen drive and keyboard, etc.. In addition, USB is still inaccessible.
Also missing is the card reader and the ability to install Linux. If I'm honest I never used the reader and although I installed Linux, I did not do anything decent with it because it was a bit complex to install and discourage me.
They say that the PS3 is a bit slower than the old. To me it has given me that feeling, but circulating out there that compare videos and yes it seems to be a tad slower, but hey, I think they spin too fine. I have not appreciated a big difference.
In any case, I mainly want the console games. The extras are fine, but what I want is a good machine to play at an affordable price and that is finally, several years later, Sony has finished getting.
The guys at Xbox are going to have a little bad for a while, I guess that until Project Natal with a new redesign, because I believe they will not want to reach a mass audience with the current design of the console ... I for my part the I have a little pissed because I published the Xbox failed as a gun show ... Maybe the comparison was not very successful, but you can not tolerate that from 2005 until now have not had time to fix the console hardware. Some studies claim to half the consoles fail, others speak of 25%, in any case more than 10% is nonsense.
Sony has hit the table with the presentation of the PS3 Slim console running and consumes a third less than today. Fortunately Sony has made good rumors and will launch the new console to 299 euros on 1 September, which means that remaining in stock could drop to 250 euros. All good news, except that no longer can install Linux on the console, which will not be a big problem for most users.
It's not super sexy, but better than nothing
It seems that until Microsoft Project Natal is going to play a little pain. I promised to buy a new PS3 down in price and I will fulfill. I'll get a PS3 Slim. In total I've donated 500 euro sony PS3 plus the previous 300 that I spent far more than I spend on the PSP Go, which I think also I will buy even without touch screen ... The philosophy seems to me that is good.
So far I had been quite "Xboxer" but must admit that Sony is doing their homework.
In Akihabara say media related to Sony say that the rebate will be $ 100 and will occur on March 20. I, for they say that I'm anti-Sony, I buy a new PS3 (the first one cost me 500 euros) in lower, so that will contribute doubly to the cause (clarified that the policy is to give Sony games without problems, but no hardware). The "old" donate a relative's to record the tv with Play TV and see movies in HD.
Ah! And do not forget the value of a euro for Sony, Micro $ oft and Noentiendo!
Looking through the new catalog of Media Markt I see a range of PlayStation 3 80 GB with the new controller with vibration and games Little Big Planet and Fallout 3 (For me the game of the year) for 399 euros. We talk about when PS3 will drop in price, but it seems to me as a price drop fledged masked by the addition of two sets, one of the house.
One thing is clear: Sony needs to lower the price if you do not want to lose. The question is when and the answer is soon, very soon for many reasons. Following the price cut of Xbox 360 and no more room for maneuver. There are high hopes on the horizon except Killzone 2 and PlayStation Home is not the consoles sold-waiting. To compete and be no more than the global number one PlayStation 2 on the third and last in this generation can only play and with the price. It's funny that the big plus that brought the PS3, the blu-ray, the big selling point, has become his great burden. Wii is the big winner ( winners are not Xbox 360 and Wii Mr. Greenberg, is Wii solo ) and the Xbox, which had all the papers back to be again the big loser appears to be consolidated in second place thanks to Microsoft's financial muscle, its wide acceptance in North America and its ability to cut parts faster than their competitors. PS3 is stuck in no man's land, with games that have no direct gameplay and Wii outstrip anything like the Xbox 360. Is that they have no choice but to lower the price.
At Christmas there was no point decrease. Purchases are also going to produce and not forget that Sony loses money on every PS3 sold, then try to recover money with games. I bet that the drop will occur in late March, just at the end of the first quarter and the doors of its fiscal year end. More reasons to think that the fall is imminent: A) The console has been going since late 2007 at this price , it is not much time to play with this variable. B) People are waiting for further falls as rain in May and what people want is, after all, what counts. C) Sony has done a great job lowering components . Though outwardly as you see, inside the machine you buy today with mine, backwards compatible with PS3, seem very little. D) Sony will present the second worst financial results in its history . Its goal is profitability, but if its leaders are a little smart will not lead to the urgent short-term and see the need to increase sales now to avoid being last. Wii has had an excellent December, Xbox has increased its sales by 19% and PS3 has fallen around 10%. Something must be done gentlemen! E) We are in an acute economic crisis, with consequences as yet undiscovered and not let the oven to 400 euros as well. My conclusion is that it will drop at the end of March. Gamble of all I would say around 26 or 27. You see I'm not like a typical football player, who does not get wet or hot tub ¿Will Succeed?
Update 2: I was just in the center and there is an offer Game PlayStation 3 plus 2 blu-ray movies for 356 euros. As you see, is another price drop, but has not been officially announced via press release. Will be true what I heard about a month ago that sales were going very badly and after Christmas would not be forced to lower prices.
Play TV is even better pileup of what I expected after a few weeks of use. The trouble, as you know and if I am here to inform you, it has not yet emerged because the SGAE in Spain, those great friends of culture, want a good piece of cake. For my part, I purchased play.com for 83 euros, free shipping and cheaper than it goes on sale in Spain, about 100 euros. The trouble with asking so it took almost 20 days to arrive and when it has had more hits over that Poli Diaz, but fortunately it works like a charm.
Play TV is an encoder of DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) passing the HD signal and using the PS3's hard drive to record programs, so you turn your console into a deTV recorder with hard drive. Play TV is a black box (see photo) that connect the antenna to the TV and leaving the TV signal to the console via USB. Before proceeding, check out the video:
Program recording
Although you can watch TV through this unit, it really interesting is its recording function (see the TV through the PS3 seems unnecessary energy expenditure). The apparatus uses the guidance of DTT so you can easily record programs. Just browse through and select the program you can burn it without problems, also leaving up to 10 minutes of recording before and after if it takes longer than expected. Record and is very simple, but of course you also have manual recording in which you yourself can define all the parameters, which also include the possibility of doing daily or weekly. The trouble with the guidance of DTT is not perfect, many channels still do not have it and the rest is not as accurate as it should and also comes with many days in advance, though, as I say, you can always go Yahoo! TV, watch and record what's on hand.
From the menu, in addition to the guidance and the ability to watch TV directly, there is also a section where you can see everything you have scheduled to record. In this section you can make changes at any time. In the library you have everything available that you've recorded. Play TV in general is so simple and visual as promised.
It also has the option to record what is being seen to pause and rewind what you're seeing it live. It also operates luxury but I fear Play TV makes too Gigas reserves for this purpose. If you're not watching a football game or similar, I recommend not activate it.
The recording also works while playing or watching movies, but you must activate it explicitly because recording can cause slowdowns and worst gaming experience.
Question of Numbers
After receiving the device, and with a 60 GB PS3, I barely had space facilities because of games and recorded games, which, to my surprise, take an egg and some of the other. After formatting I was with 47 GB Installation Play TV software just takes up 310 MB and a half hour of recording, which incidentally has an unsurpassed quality, 1.4 Gb is also true that the odd jig used for buffer recording what you are seeing live, but this option can be disabled.
Great news also can be updated as updates the console and can also bring Wifi Senar your PSP and watch your recordings on any part of your home, although I have not tried this because I sold my PSP ago a long, long time.
Unpacking and setup
The impression when unpacking Play TV is very good. Although crushed wine trip, everything inside comes to your location. The box, very attractive, also brings the device, a USB cable to connect to the PS3 and blu-ray disc with the software. The only catch is you need an antenna cable is not provided and it takes to receive the signal.
Play TV settings is, following the general trend, very simple. Just pop in the disc, specify your place of residence, time of day and little else. It is very important to start well when the console, since it is used to record, so before you install, make sure it is properly grounded.
Another new highlight of Play TV is that it needs its own power supply and is capable of running with the flow it receives from the console.
Conclusions
I have the remote control for Blu-ray, but I honestly do not recommend it. Everything is controlled very well with the command of the game, which also lets you save on batteries. I have not found great fault with Play TV. Great recording, updated, you can watch one channel and record another, let set, find programs through the guide, words ... The program also handles the console on and off as needed ... Well, that has fulfilled all my expectations.
My suggestion is that the mess now standard on PS3 redesign that surely are already preparing behind the scenes to improve the size of the console and save costs. Play TV is the last straw that makes the PS3 is the great center of entertainment in our lounge, beyond all other consoles in this regard. Now the console plays DVDs, DivX, blu-rays, records ... can not ask for more, but because of its price and that most games are better on the Xbox 360 will not be my first choice if I am not much interested in this aspect multimedia.
Among the bad, might note that the device does not have a great design, lightweight and seems little thing in hand. Is a typical device that hide behind the PS3 or TV. Also, do not bring the required antenna cable, which is a nuisance and, of course, after seeing the possibilities that open, 60 GB hard drive (which is 47 Gb actually) fall short. I paid 500 euros for my console and now for less money, others get even 160 Gb If I really need more try to put a new hard drive to console myself, because it seems it is not difficult.
* Update: I read in an article whose Spanish Edge main ideas on Play TV are:
It is more expensive than DTT encoder, but much cheaper than a tape recorder. To watch TV is not worth, their advantage is as a recorder: Absolutely.
They say the only low quality recording while playing: No I tried it, honestly.
Since you turn the console until you watch TV spend at least 30 seconds: True, you have to selccionarlo the menu and takes a few seconds more. Again, to see the tdt is worth, I just use it as an engraver. It's his big black spot.
We need another antenna connector. As only has one, forcing them to use a thief or dealer. Also, connect via USB is not very aesthetic: Right. Fully confirmed.
Play TV does not integrate well into the PS3 experience: I do not give me that feeling, although it is true that new updates may solve certain problems of accessibility in the XMB.
