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HDTV GAMING Blog
Xbox 360 HD-DVD Update Today
Today, Xbox 360 HD–DVD player users will be prompted for an auto update.
According to Microsoft's Major Nelson, the update adds a plethora of audio options and 1080p support via the Xbox 360 Elite. Also added will be a new option for users to select from the following audio output formats via TOSLINK or HDMI: Digital Stereo (2 channel PCM), Dolby Digital 5. Read More »
XBOX HDTV GAMING
Consider the following:
- Go with LCD, DLP, or CRT HDTV technology if your Xbox 360 gaming will (or does) take place in a relatively bright room.
- Go with LCD or plasma HDTVs if you're looking to mount your new bad boy HDTV on the wall
- Go with widescreen to make the most of 16:9 format of games. The difference is noticeable.
- While shopping for a new HDTV, gamers are encouraged strongly to look for front panel inputs and component-video inputs on the TV.
- For plasmas and CRT HDTVs, consider the risk of burn-in games that have static graphics, or if you tend to leave your console and TV on for long periods without playing.
HDTV Sizing and Your Gaming Area
- 26" widescreen HDTV should have a minimum of 3 feet and a maximum of 6 feet between you and the TV.
- 42" widescreen HDTV should have a minimum of 5 feet and a maximum of 10 feet between you and the TV.
- 50" widescreen should have a min of 6 feet and a maximum of 12 feet between you and the TV.
PS3 HDTV GAMING
Sony has released the latest 1.70 firmware for PS3, laying the groundwork for playing downloadable PS1 titles on the console itself, and improving backward compatibility with PS2 peripherals.
Long announced and in development, the latest firmware update has finally promised to give players the chance to play the PlayStation Network's selection of downloadable PS1 titles on the console itself -- as opposed to just on the PSP.
At this time, however, it appears PS1 downloads will have to be enabled by Sony to work on the console itself, including re-downloading games bought earlier than this latest update, so current compatibility is limited, at best.
The firmware also adds the ability for players to transfer save data from the PSP to PS3, giving them the option to seamlessly continue games whether at home or away.
The new system firmware is available by selecting the system update on your PS3 console. Unfortunately, the North American firmware page (to my knowledge) has yet to be updated for offline updating.
Wii GAMING
IDC research analyst Billy Pidgeon has suggested that the Wii console will continue to experience supply problems until 2009, suggesting that Nintendo may see consumer interest in the console dip unless the issue is properly addressed.
“I’d like to see Wii hardware shipping in larger quantities or mass market consumers may cool on it. Having said that, I don’t believe supply will meet demand for the Wii until 2009,” he said.
Nintendo has a history of closely matching hardware availability to consumer demand, with the Nintendo DS Lite still seeing intermitten shortages in Japan, as has been the case since its launch in March 2006. There has been little sign of any improvement in the situation either, especially since availability has become more constrained in the West in recent months.
Elsewhere, and commenting on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the light of their outpacing by the Wii in the latest results, Pidgeon added that the more expensive formats “...need system-selling games ASAP. Halo 3 will help, as will Lair and Heavenly Sword, but that leaves a hole in Q2 which will be filled by Wii, DS and PSP hardware and software. We’ll also see more PC and PS2 software picking up the slack.”
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