PlayStation 4 this summer? Sony drops hint

I would love to see how this is going to play out. In theory, the new player should be a 4K player. The next step for gaming will hopefully be done on a much higher resolution. Now in less they are working on a quad layer Blu-Ray format/player, they will have to work on putting the 4K games/content on a disc in less they decide to ditch optical drives altogether and use download as a means of content delivery.

This should be interesting

Not sure about the Playstation 4 but the xBox Next/720 or Whatever-it-is-called is going to be based on off-the-shelf PC components. Only a few top video cards can play games at 4k, so the resolution for gaming will probably still be 1920 x 1080, which is what the majority of console gamers will hook it up to now and in the next three years.

I was thinking that MicroSoft would use the Intel Haswell but it looks like they are using a custom AMD Jaguar paired with an AMD HD 8000M GPU, just like Sony. If you are familiar with Intel Atom, the Haswell AND Jaguar are extensions of that low-power concept. Haswell and Jaguar are being aimed at the server market. If this rumor is true, then BOTH consoles aren't being designed for speed, but for power efficiency. The GPU will probably be on-die since that is the basic design of Jaguar and will have everything in one package. Rumors have the GPU being from 64 cores to 640 cores. A 64-core Mars isn't really that much faster than the old R500 ( x1800/x1900 ) with 48 cores @ 500 MHz in the xBox 360. The 640 core chip would be minimum 6 times faster but it is based on the current HD 7800M series, not the new HD 8000 series. Just to put things into perspective, desktop nVidia GPUs have 1536 cores and AMDs have 2048 cores. These two can push 4k video but they draw over 300 watts just by themselves.

This is how Sony plans on putting UHD content from their own studio into people's living rooms (as well as UHD games). Just like they did with Blu-ray the first time around with the PS3. They keep saying they aren't going to do a disc based UHD format and the BDA hasn't ratified a new UHD disc format either (which would need a new laser and a new codec, etc. etc.). Their own version of Vudu with only Sony content. But how will you be able to store your movies once the PS4 is full??

So... one can only surmise that it will play regular Blu-ray's only. Expect 1080p to UHD up-conversion.

However, no other studios have signed on to deliver UHD content to the PS4 or any other Sony A/V player like the one demoed at CES with their largest UHD display. They have their own plans in mind.

It's going to be an absolute format boondoggle this time around. It'll make the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD days seem quaint.

They absolutely never learn. My sense of dread is rising with every article I read.
Edited by Dan Hitchman - 1/16/13 at 3:11pm

Have you seen 1080p streaming? It's not that great and it's inconsistent from ISP to ISP and from data plan to data plan. Now they're talking UHD!

Sony was putting highly compressed UHD content on their media players (free or for a fee with certain UHD displays) using Blu-ray data discs... more capacity than a BD50. I can only imagine they were only at the 8 bit color gamut and not 10 bit 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 as the RED player to keep the file sizes smaller than normal.

You would need to go to a BDXL-ROM to comfortably place 10 bit UHD content plus a super-duper lossless audio track (Dolby Atmos? DTS/SRS??) on a disc without visible artifacts. UHD calls for larger displays than ever before and projectors to get any real benefit. The compression artifacts can't be noticeable. In fact, it'll probably have to hold up to visually lossless standards. Will consumers wait all day to download a 100 GB or more file (assuming they'll also include a spectacular lossless surround format)? They'll want it quicker than that. They're not all gamers. Hence the quality will be of a lesser quality than us geeks would wish for.

And remember DIVX and other consumer unfriendly schemes promoted by some studios in the past whenever an A/V sea change occurs? You don't think they won't try all kinds of other little tricks with internet based content?

It's going to be chaos this time around unless the BDA can keep all the manufacturers and studio players together for a new Blu-ray type format. I would think it would be easier to start pressing small batches of BDXL's (and then ramp up over time) than coming out with a disc never been tested before.

They're risking the fact that this could all blow up in their faces since there will be too many choices placed on the foundation of a fairly poor internet infrastructure.
Edited by Dan Hitchman - 1/16/13 at 3:57pm

SHHHH!!!!! Don't give them any ideas!

You guys are too funny. Quad layer Blu-Ray guys

I believe that Sony will launch PS4 (4K player included) once there are 4K games/ 4K movies.


btw Sony did not created blu-ray, Sony co-created blu-ray. Sony is getting a slice of the cake
http://www.hughsnews.ca/faqs/authoritative-blu-ray-disc-bd-faq/16-intellectual-property-and-legal-matters

And I finally got around to buying a PS3 last year, figures.

The one thing I’d really like to see in this next round of consoles is some sort of standard to allow PC games to run on them. I’m not talking about a console port of a PC title or a title that is made to run on both like Skyrim. I’d like some titles to require a mouse and keyboard (USB or wireless) to play them so the developers just make their PC game and it works the same on the console.

I’d much rather pay $600 for a PS4 or Xbox whatever and play my MMO’s than pony up $2k for a new PC every 4-5 years.