Kaffee
08-04-2004, 01:59 PM
PlayStation 3 to use Blu-Ray disc
Sony hopes the move will help jump-start the market for the new high-storage format.
TOKYO--According to Kyodo News, Sony officials announced today that they will use of Blu-Ray Disc technology in their next-generation console, most commonly referred to as the PlayStation 3. Sony revealed their decision at a press conference held by the Blu-Ray Disc Founders, an organization committed to developing and standardizing the next-generation optical disc format. The BRDF also used the occasion to announce that it will finalize the specifications for the read-only version of Blu-Ray Discs (BD-ROMs) by September 30.
Sony has been investing heavily into Blu-Ray product development and was the first company to have a disc recorder on the market. The company had previously hinted that it may use to format in the PS3. Sony's Blu-Ray Disc R&D division chief Kiyoshi Nishitani commented in an interview with Asahi PC magazine in March that the company would like to establish ground in the Blu-Day Disc market by adopting BD-ROMs for its "home video game console."
The Blu-Ray Disc Founders organization is comprised of Sony, Panasonic, and 11 other major electronic makers. Like its predecessor, the DVD, the BD-ROM will primarily be used for movies. The companies plan to start marketing Blu-Ray Disc playback machines (without recording capabilities) by the end of the fiscal year.
Sony is relying heavily on the Blu-Ray Disc format, so the use of Blu-Ray as the market standard in next-generation media is vital, especially since the company also publishes movies through its Sony Pictures subsidiary. Sony hopes adopting the Blu-Ray discs for the PS3 will help spread use of the format, similar to what the PlayStation 2 did for DVDs.
Early expansion of the Blu-Ray format would be ideal for Sony, considering it will have to compete with high definition DVDs (HD DVD) in the future. Blu-Ray discs can hold 25GB on a single layer and 50GB dual-layer discs, while HD DVD Discs--which have yet to be released--will hold only 30 GB on a dual-layered disc. However, HD DVD has the upper hand when it comes to convenience, as its players will be backwards-compatible with current DVDs. Sony did not say if the PS3 would be able to play DVDs or will be backwards-compatible with PS2 games.
Sony said it will reveal details more on the PlayStation 3 at a premiere event in Japan on March 31, 2005. The console will also be on display at next year's E3 in Los Angeles.
By Hirohiko Niizumi
Sony hopes the move will help jump-start the market for the new high-storage format.
TOKYO--According to Kyodo News, Sony officials announced today that they will use of Blu-Ray Disc technology in their next-generation console, most commonly referred to as the PlayStation 3. Sony revealed their decision at a press conference held by the Blu-Ray Disc Founders, an organization committed to developing and standardizing the next-generation optical disc format. The BRDF also used the occasion to announce that it will finalize the specifications for the read-only version of Blu-Ray Discs (BD-ROMs) by September 30.
Sony has been investing heavily into Blu-Ray product development and was the first company to have a disc recorder on the market. The company had previously hinted that it may use to format in the PS3. Sony's Blu-Ray Disc R&D division chief Kiyoshi Nishitani commented in an interview with Asahi PC magazine in March that the company would like to establish ground in the Blu-Day Disc market by adopting BD-ROMs for its "home video game console."
The Blu-Ray Disc Founders organization is comprised of Sony, Panasonic, and 11 other major electronic makers. Like its predecessor, the DVD, the BD-ROM will primarily be used for movies. The companies plan to start marketing Blu-Ray Disc playback machines (without recording capabilities) by the end of the fiscal year.
Sony is relying heavily on the Blu-Ray Disc format, so the use of Blu-Ray as the market standard in next-generation media is vital, especially since the company also publishes movies through its Sony Pictures subsidiary. Sony hopes adopting the Blu-Ray discs for the PS3 will help spread use of the format, similar to what the PlayStation 2 did for DVDs.
Early expansion of the Blu-Ray format would be ideal for Sony, considering it will have to compete with high definition DVDs (HD DVD) in the future. Blu-Ray discs can hold 25GB on a single layer and 50GB dual-layer discs, while HD DVD Discs--which have yet to be released--will hold only 30 GB on a dual-layered disc. However, HD DVD has the upper hand when it comes to convenience, as its players will be backwards-compatible with current DVDs. Sony did not say if the PS3 would be able to play DVDs or will be backwards-compatible with PS2 games.
Sony said it will reveal details more on the PlayStation 3 at a premiere event in Japan on March 31, 2005. The console will also be on display at next year's E3 in Los Angeles.
By Hirohiko Niizumi