New PS3 CONFIRMED. FCC Report Leaked

[hbk409]

i think this is completely dumb why would anyone want a system that has zero backwards capability? My ps2 died and this was one of the reseasons I went with the 60 gig over the 80 it was cheaper more backwards capablitity, and I could put the hundred bucks I saved to a game of my choice and a bigger hard drive when I am ready to upgrade. I dont think the early adaptors should feel cheated by this new $399 price however because its a stripped down version. Now if it was the same 60gb that was release last nov with full bc and they didnt change any specs and dropped the price by $200 in a year then that might be a different story.

 

[Derwin0]

no backward compatibility for PS2 games

I'm going to say this was an error in the article. They probably meant to say that it won't have backward compatibility via hardware, and will be software emulation like the newer models.

Hell, since the "sources" arn't even names, this is probably nothing more than FUN. After all, going from 4 to 2 USB ports saves no money anyway.

 

[Ramy]

i think this is completely dumb why would anyone want a system that has zero backwards capability? My ps2 died and this was one of the reseasons I went with the 60 gig over the 80 it was cheaper more backwards capablitity, and I could put the hundred bucks I saved to a game of my choice and a bigger hard drive when I am ready to upgrade. I dont think the early adaptors should feel cheated by this new $399 price however because its a stripped down version. Now if it was the same 60gb that was release last nov with full bc and they didnt change any specs and dropped the price by $200 in a year then that might be a different story.

For those of us that have never had a PS at all.

 

[hbk409]

For those of us that have never had a PS at all.

but they are still releasing games on ps2 that are not available for ps3 so you would be able to play have the option to play those games, also you cut off their entire back libary.

 

[mwgiii]

I'm going to say this was an error in the article. They probably meant to say that it won't have backward compatibility via hardware, and will be software emulation like the newer models.

Nope, no error. The new 40gb model will have NO (hardware or software) backward compatibility.

Quote from Sony Europe to Kotaku:

The 40GB model, to be launched in Europe on 10th October, is a new model and is not equipped with any of the semi conductors from the PS2, and backwards compatibility would therefore have to be achieved by software
emulation alone. The sheer numbers of PS2 titles available, together with the increased complexity of using a software only solution for each and every title means that to ensure accurate software emulation for the majority would be technically challenging, time consuming and costly. As we have mentioned on several occasions, our engineering resources are now focused on developing new and innovative features and services for the PS3 and, as a result the 40GB model does not have backwards compatibility with PS2 titles.


The current PS3 system software and future updates will continue to support backwards compatibility for the current 60GB and 80GB models, and publishers can check their new PS2 titles to ensure they play on the 60GB and 80GB models.


Keen gamers, for whom backwards compatibility is important, can still purchase the existing 60GB PS3 Starter Pack which contains an extra SIXAXIS controller, two first party titles and has extensive backwards compatibility with PS2 titles.

Source: Customer Service: Sony Could Run BC On 40GB PS3s. They Just Don't Want To. - Kotaku

The European model is the same as the new 40gb US model. NO BC.

 

[Neutron]

Why not have a firmware update with the software needed to emulate the PS2 hardware vs doing it for each game?!

 

[meStevo]

Pure software emulation is not currently done in any form, so they would have to do it game by game to adapt each to the new hardware. Even in those without the EE chip, there were PS2 specific capacitors still on the motherboard dedicated to PS2 emulation. With those gone they are ditching BC entirely rather than put in the work to port over each PS2 game like MS did with the 360 (albeit a much smaller library).

Rather than do this work, they want to 'pass along the savings' and focus their efforts elsewhere.

 

[Foxbat]

...Even in those without the EE chip, there were PS2 specific capacitors still on the motherboard dedicated to PS2 emulation...

Excuse me, I'm just a EE from the 1970s, but what do capacitors have to do with PlayStation 2 emulation? From the Wikipedia:

A capacitor is an electrical/electronic device that can store energy in the electric field between a pair of conductors (called "plates"). The process of storing energy in the capacitor is known as "charging", and involves electric charges of equal magnitude, but opposite polarity, building up on each plate.

Capacitors are often used in electrical circuit and electronic circuits as energy-storage devices. They can also be used to differentiate between high-frequency and low-frequency signals. This property makes them useful in electronic filters.

Capacitors are occasionally referred to as condensers. This is considered an antiquated term in English, but most other languages use an equivalent, like the German word "Kondensator".

My question is: Will it Fold? $399 for a Folder capable of nearly 1,000 points per day beats any Intel-based platform.

 

[ONUOsFan]

but they are still releasing games on ps2 that are not available for ps3 so you would be able to play have the option to play those games, also you cut off their entire back libary.

Probably the best point I've seen on this thread... there are so many titles that are not available for PS3 and never will be, and if this is someone's first venture into the PlayStation world, they'd have no choice but to buy a PS2 and a PS3, if they want to play all of the games.

 

[meStevo]

Excuse me, I'm just a EE from the 1970s, but what do capacitors have to do with PlayStation 2 emulation? From the Wikipedia:My question is: Will it Fold? $399 for a Folder capable of nearly 1,000 points per day beats any Intel-based platform.

My bad, wrong term. Should have said semiconductors.

I read this information here:

40GB PS3 missing key components for PS2 emulation - PS3 Fanboy

SCEE's Nick Sharples sent a technical explanation as to why the new 40GB model loses support for PS2 games. "Backwards compatibility for PS2 titles is largely made possible through the use of actual semiconductors, supported by the PS3 system software. The 20GB and 60GB PS3 models launched in Japan and the USA were equipped with both the PS2 Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesiser chips and we could therefore guarantee over 90% backwards compatibility for PS2 titles.

"The 60GB model launched in Europe was a new model (shared with the 80GB model launched subsequently in USA) which contains only a modified version of the Graphics Synthesiser chip from the PS2 and not the Emotion Engine chip. The European launch model therefore used a combination of software and the modified version of the PS2 Graphics Synthesiser chip to deliver backwards compatibility for PS2 titles. As a result the percentage of backwards compatible PS2 titles was slightly reduced.

"The 40GB model, to be launched in Europe on 10th October, is a new model and is not equipped with any of the semi conductors from the PS2, and backwards compatibility would therefore have to be achieved by software emulation alone." Because each game would have to be individually emulated (much like on the Xbox 360), Sony decided that an effort like that would be much too costly, and opted to remove BC support from the 40GB system entirely. That decision has not only produced a cheaper system for Sony to manufacture, but for consumers to buy as well.