Posted on 11/26/2005 3:15:22 PM PST by 1stFreedom
I had a chance to play some Xbox 360 games today and Ifelt the same way when I first played a Sega Gensis many years ago... The colors were great and there was a definite next generation feel to the games...
But the leap in technology is not as perceptible as it was when the PS 2 was introduced..
This generation is the 720p high definition (HD) generation. Games look great, and frame rates are great, but there isn't much which is earth shattering. Don't get me wrong, HD requires quite a bit of muscle under the hood of a console..
But for those used to playing computer games at high resolution, the 720p resolution is a bit dissapointing. Granted, unless one has $3-5k burning a hole in their pocket, higher resolution 1080p televisions are out of reach.
So it isn't MicroSoft's fault that 720p is the affordable standard for the next few years. But it's easy to take for granted how powerful the 360 is...
Undoubtedly many games were rushed for the initial relase of the 360, and the next wave of games should be great.. But until the PS/3 comes out (spring of 2006 my rear, try November 2006) and 1080p sets are affordable, one shouldn't expect to have their socks knocked off.
Even the PS/3 will suffer the same problem -- 720p is 720p no matter how much muscle is under the hood. Both systems max out 720p.. Where Sony shines is at 1080p, a place where no xbox dares to go.. But by the time the PS3 and a 1080p television are actually affordable, a new generation of consoles will be launched...
My advice? Wait a year for the 360.. It should be about $250 next Christmas, and there should be quite a bit of awesome games available...
My advice...wait for the PS3.
And as a sidenote, does anyone else remember reading articles about how Iraq/Saddam Hussein was planning to buy several hundred Playstation 2s shortly after it debuted? They wanted to use the chips in them for their missile guidance systems.
The writer is a Sony shill if he cant take enough time to get his facts straight. I play Gotham at 1080 long into the night on my new X-Box, happy as a clam.
I'm bullish on the PS3 from a sheer graphics standpoint. The actual gameplay will finally look just as crisp as the fancy full motion video intros to some of those games. Sony has been working on that 'Cell' processor technology for a few years now and I expect it will yield amazing results.
Uh, no, the Xbox360 only renders at 720p. Setting your output to 1080i will only get you 1080i on the dashboard--everything else is being rendered at 720p.
NOT.
I saw one today in a store, and saw several demos played which are from the actual games. The graphics are significantly better.
I would not normally want to play Call of Duty, but the graphics were so good that I wanted to! Really amazing, fun stuff. I'd also seen the video grabs from the car racing game (I forget the name), and knew that it is likely the best showcase of the new graphic capabilities. It is amazing - it makes you feel like you are really racing through the streets.
With the backwards compatibility of the best of the old X-Box games, the significant improvement in graphics, the ability to play on 1080 HDTV, and the wireless controllers, I'm convinced.
Problem is the guy at Target said he does not even know when they will get their next shipment, and word is that most folks will now have to wait until after Christmas. That's one reason they are selling $399 units for $800+ on E-bay. Guess I'll be waiting...
I should note that we have PS2 and an X-Box now, and we'll likely end up with a PS3 as well, so I won't be making the PS3 or X-Box decision. But to say the X-Box is not significantly better is wrong.
Thanks, I did not know that. Whatever the resolution is, it looked great on the screen at the store today.
1080p televisions have barely entered the market, I think Mitsubishi is the only company that is offering this res under their new DLP lines. There is no commercial broadcast at 1080p and certainly no recorded medium offer that resolution. I think you are refering to 1080i (interlaced). 720p (progressive) and 1080i offer equivalent resolutions. DVDs are a notch below at 480p. HD TVs no longer cost $3-$5k. Very good ones ( Panasonic, 42", the most popular large screen size) can be had for well under $3k, and still dropping..Expect significant price drops next year once the new plant in South Korea goes into production.
Spot on, I have a 360 and a 1080i televsion and the 360 scales up with no issues. Jeez the guy is full of crap.
The high-definition support for Xbox 360 is dynamic, so even if a game is designed with 720p in mind, but your TV only supports 480p or 1080i, Xbox 360 runs the game in the best resolution your TV offers (up to 720p and 1080i).
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/xbox360/highdefdetails.htm
As my TV does not support 720p and is scaling up to 1080i then I'd have to say you are incorrect. PD0 looks quite nnice at 1080i BTW
>>Well, your advice sucks, because the article is a COMPLETE LIE. The X-Box plays at 1080i, and my big Sony is capable of 1080p right now.
720p is THE standard for the 360. Yes, it can play 1080i, but 1080i is not the same quality as 1080p. MS doesn't require games to be at 1080i resolution, but they do require 720p..
And the cost of 1080p televisions are still out of the hand of the average consumer. This will actually hurt the PS3, because by the time 1080p sets are under $700, something else will be out that will stomp the PS3..
Think about it, $1500 for a TV and another $500 for a console.. I don't think a whole lot of people are going to shell out this kind of money soon..
>>The writer is a Sony shill if he cant take enough time to get his facts straight. I play Gotham at 1080 long into the night on my new X-Box, happy as a clam.
LOL.. don't be a techno bigot.. I didn't say the 360 was crap.. In fact, it's a better buy but next year when it's cheaper and better games are out.
At 720p, the PS3 has no advantage -- both are overkill for this resolution, and if anything, the Sony will only feature better lighting. Other than that, there will be no difference between the two.
>>>720p is THE standard for the 360. Yes, it can play 1080i, but 1080i is not the same quality as 1080p. MS doesn't require games to be at 1080i resolution, but they do require 720p..<<<
They do not require 720p again this is a misconception. My television is not 720p compatible (picture goes wonky) but it has no issues playing @ 1080i on any game.
>>They do not require 720p again this is a misconception.
MS requires that games support, at a minimum, 720p. The system will scale down and up, but scaling is not the same as native resolution (assuming it scales and doesn't swich to 1080i native..)
Microsoft is truly the king of the 'Money Grab Upgrade'. That and their affinity for annual license fees. Soon you won't be able to play a game without internet access and a license check.
MS is only taking advantage of the rash consumerism which runs rampant during this holiday.. I refuse to say Christmas because Christmas isn't about running people over at Walmart just to buy a 360 (after waiting 12 hours..).
Folks, be patient, wait until next year and save some money. You aren't gonna die if you don't get a 360 this year...
Yes it is scaling up but this does not affect the picture in any way (that one can discern). I rely on my dear wife's judgement. She has put up with my Gamecube, PS2, Xbox, DS, GB, PSP (I'm a sad person I know) and now the 360. However I've only seen her really excited about the 360, it has to be the first time she has ever ripped the controller from my hands and told me in no uncertain terms to go away now.
>Other than that, there will be no difference between the two.
Actually there may be. The very first day the 360 came out there were sporadic reports of console crashes and game freezes..not totally unexpected.
bump
The system itself is capable of 1080i, but most games can only support 480p at max (the X-Box, not the 360).
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