All Consoles Feeds

Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite

tech.co.uk staff — 1204731314

The Xbox 360 holds a significant place in the hearts and minds of UK cinephiles.

Pre-dating the launch of SkyHD, it was the first mass market hi-def entertainment system to hit the streets.

Back when HD Ready TVs commanded a premium, it was an essential purchase if you wanted to get the most from your flatscreen.

Two years on, Microsoft's iconic system has had a makeover, offering a significantly bigger hard drive (120GB up from the original paltry 20GB) and an HDMI output, as opposed to component video. It's also matt black and, priced at a relatively keen £300, with an additional charge of £120 for the white HD DVD drive.

Of course, there's more than just playground bragging associated with the bigger drive. The growing success of Xbox Live immediately demands a more capacious HDD. The number of high-quality game downloads alone justifies the space, and with the European market poised to receive more HD video content, 20GB just isn't enough.

One element often seemingly forgotten is that the 360 is an excellent media extender. What's more, it doesn't need a media centre PC to do so. You can share files from any PC that's running Windows XP, however you must have sharing software installed. Typical examples include Media Player 11 and Media Connect.

Adding HDMI to the Xbox's system connectivity also brings benefits. It's much easier (and neater) for casual users to hook their console up to an HD Ready display. HDMI also brings with it 1080p clarity.

On the original 360s, the only way to squeeze out full HD was via a VGA adaptor and, for many, not a viable option. It's worth noting that HDMI is no longer exclusive to the Elite. Microsoft is now shipping HDMI-enabled Premiums as standard.

Needless to say, picture quality via HDMI is superb. Colour fidelity and pixel punch is impressive. Games such as Bioshock and Gears of War really pop. It's worth noting that the HDMI connector is v1.2, not 1.3 as on the PS3. But in the context of a games system, the difference is largely insignificant.

Using HDMI also allows the 360 to upscale standard DVDs to 1080p, which is an unsung bonus. As a DVD player, the basic 360 isn't exactly cinephile quality, and the unrelenting noise of the fan and drive make it a less than perfect choice for largescreen movie watching, but it is another box ticked in most users 'wants' lists.

Hooked up via an optical output, it does a grand job of delivering multichannel surround sound from games. As a DVD player, Dolby Digital 5.1 playback is functional. Unfortunately, as a CD player it leaves a lot to be desired - but you can rip tunes to its hard drive.

As an upgrade for existing 360 owners the Elite is seductive, but for the new buyer, however, the attractions are far more obvious.

Sony PlayStation 3

tech.co.uk staff — 1204645415

Priced at £425, the PlayStation 3 has the dubious honour of being the most expensive games machine around. However, calling this glossy black box a games console is doing it a disservice.

With the PS3, Sony has actually designed a versatile home entertainment hub, also capable of playing Blu-ray discs, outputting lossless surround sound, storing downloaded music and video, and displaying digital photos. To look at it another way, it's the cheapest Blu-ray player you can buy.

Solid ground

The PS3 is a well-designed, solidly built device that's slightly larger than an Xbox 360 but not particularly bulky or heavy. It runs very quietly, comes with a wireless controller and uses touch-sensitive controls, all of which add to the quality feel.

The main AV connection is the HDMI, which can carry 1080p video to a compatible screen or projector and lossless 7.1-channel surround sound to a receiver. Also available are an optical digital out and a multipurpose AV output that can be fitted with component video and Scart adapters.

An Ethernet port and built-in Wi-Fi make connecting to a network very easy, and there are memory card and USB ports for transferring media files onto the 60GB hard drive or connecting up mice and other peripherals.

Switching on the console brings up a crisp, clear 'crossways' menu for accessing media, games and settings. For our money, it feels slightly more natural to use that the Xbox 360's 'blades' menu. Slip in a Blu-ray disc and it appears at the top of the 'video' menu. Select that and you'll be at the movie menu in moments - there's none of the sluggish chugging we've seen on other Blu-ray machines.

Unfortunately, you don't get a proper remote control with the PS3. Controlling playback with the gamepad is relatively simple, and Sony's official remote will only set you back an extra £18 or so.

We're pleased to report that the PS3's 1080p Blu-ray image is quite fantastic. It's on a par with the £1,100 Panasonic DMP-BD10 and far crisper and more detailed than the Samsung BD-P1000's disappointing offerings. There's an incredible amount of richness (and virtually no noise) on show in good quality Blu-ray discs like Kingdom of Heaven, which suggests that PS3 owners have a bright future ahead of them when it comes to watching HD movies.

Class act

There may well be some top class games in the future too, but at launch the PS3 lacks anything like an exclusive 'killer app' to sell the system to hardened gamers. Motorstorm and Resistance: Fall of Man are solid titles, but nothing new, and the rest are either standard fare or ports of existing games. But concentrating on the PS3 as purely a home cinema product, it's an unmistakeably excellent buy.

Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite

Jeremy Laird — 1204387617

After nearly two years on sale in the UK, Microsoft today launched the first major update of the Xbox 360. The Elite is slicker, it's snazzier, and it's a little more expensive at £299. But is it any better?

Of course, we could forgive Microsoft for not bothering to update the Xbox 360, full stop. After all, it still tops the high tech console table despite the arrival of Sony's troubled PlayStation 3.

On the other hand, the 360 hardly has an immaculate track record. Most obviously there's the dreaded "red ring of death" overheating problem that has caused widespread hardware failures.

The 360 also falls short when it comes to all round multimedia prowess. Any console that aspires to be a one-stop-shop for digital home entertainment in the 21st century surely needs to sport a digital video interface along with the ability to play back HD discs.

It's in that context that the Elite arrives to recharge the Xbox 360 range.

In architectural terms, the Elite is not a major departure from the existing design. But it does sport one or two upgrades that enhance the 360's digital media cred. And there are also rumours that it addresses some of those niggling hardware issues.

Physically, the Elite is a dead ringer for the standard 360. Well, barring the all-black colour scheme which extends to the matching wireless controller and headset, that is. Consequently, it's much the same Xbox 360 we know and kinda love.

Still, the new look is purposeful and certainly jives better with the hi-fi and AV kit with which Xboxes inevitably share shelf space.

HD hardware

The big news, therefore, is in the detail hardware specs. First up is the bigger 120GB hard drive. That's a serious boost over the existing 20GB drive option and betrays Microsoft's long term ambitions for the Xbox platform.

The extra storage, you see, is just another step in the Xbox's transition from traditional games console to content delivery platform. Specifically, it's preparing the ground for when the Microsoft flicks the switch on the European version of the Xbox Live MarketPlace.

When that happens, probably later this year, premium video content such as TV shows and HD movies will begin to flow. It'll be fascinating to see how successful the Live MarketPlace is in the long run.

Similarly, the increased disk space might help smooth the implementation of the IPTV services that are also pencilled in for the near future.

The other major revision is the addition of an HDMI digital video and audio port. HDMI is of course the digital interface of choice on almost every HD TV on the market.

In truth, the appearance of HDMI on the 360 is long, long overdue, and makes setting up the Elite an absolute cinch. Thanks to the pure digital signal, you get a pin-sharp, pixel perfect image every time.

1080p at last

The difference in absolute in-game image quality compared with a 360 running in HD mode courtesy of a VGA of component connection isn't huge. However, it's a different story with HD video content. Thanks to that HDMI port, the Elite is capable of pumping out a full 1080p signal, as opposed to the 1080i or 720p limitation of the analogue interfaces on the boggo Xbox 360.

That means image quality comparable to a standalone HD DVD or Blu-ray player. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Microsoft has indeed been good enough to bundle an HDMI cable, gratis.

Just remember that 1080p playback is also dependent on your TV. Only in recent months have full 1080p TV sets begun to appear at mainstream prices. Still, the improved storage, HDMI port and premium video content (not forgetting all those awesome games) is a nice combination.

You can begin to see how the Elite might make for a killer single-box digital entertainment solution for the HD age. Or at least you would if Microsoft had seen fit to give the Elite an HD DVD drive as standard.

Like other 360s, the Elite is compatible with Microsoft's add-on HD DVD player. But given the Elite's range-topping status, it's something you might expect as standard. And it's just not as neat a solution as including integrated HD DVD support. The same can be said for the Elite's lack of standard wireless networking. Again, it's easily remedied with a plug-in wireless adapter. But in the year 2007, standard Wi-Fi is hardly a big ask.

The 65 nanometer question

Finally, there's the question of whether the Elite addresses the reliability problems that have plagued the 360. Earlier in the year, it was rumoured that the Elite would be the first 360 to boast the new cooler-running 65nm versions of the 360's Xenos graphics chip and Xenon CPU.

Frankly, we weren't in a position to tear down our single review sample. However, several reports from the US where the Elite has been on sale several months indicate that it is still built using 90nm hardware.

Certainly, in terms of heat and noise, the Elite is indistinguishable from existing Xboxes. Likewise, the Elite's power supply is precisely the same ludicrously large 200-odd Watt item, just like all other 360s.

Moreover, this all ties in with Microsoft's official position on the gubbins inside the Elite and the question of 65nm chips, which goes that any internal modifications and upgraded components will be rolled out across the Xbox range as a whole and will not be exclusive to the Elite.

Which just leaves the question of value and overall desirability. Clearly, the Elite is not a must-have for existing 360 owners. Of the two key new features, the 120GB drive will be available as an upgrade for all 360 owners.

It's also worth noting that reports from the US indicate that "Premium" Xbox 360s have begun to appear with HDMI ports. If that's true, the Elite obviously doesn't have all that much going for it as an upgrade option.

However, if you're just about to take the Xbox plunge for the first time the extra outlay Microsoft is asking for the Elite looks like reasonable value. The guaranteed HDMI port alone makes it very hard to resist.

Sony PlayStation 3

tech.co.uk staff — 1204366333

The PlayStation 3 has been around in the US and Japan for a few months now. But midnight heralded its long-awaited arrival on UK stores - and by all accounts you won't have any trouble finding one either .

Geared for high-definition playback of games, movies and photos, the system is better described as an entertainment hub than a mere games console. It's a system designed to sit at the heart of your digital world, with internet connectivity and Blu-ray playback making up a significant proportion of the services it offers.

Physically, the PS3 is only slightly bigger than an Xbox 360, but as the power transformer is built into the main chassis, it's smaller than Microsoft's console overall. However, at 5kg, you'll struggle to hold the PS3 in one hand, and its sleek black finish seems intentionally designed to collect fingerprints. The stark difference between the two designs stretches to the menus, with Sony opting for moody blacks instead of a brightly coloured interface.

This is the 'premium' configuration of the console, which is set to cost £425. This version includes a 60GB Serial ATA 2.5in hard drive, Wi-Fi connectivity and multiple flash memory card readers (a pared-down 20GB model will also sell). Unlike the Xbox 360's expensive and undersized 20GB hard drive, this unit is a standard notebook HDD, meaning you can easily replace it and double that storage space to 120GB for around £60.

The PlayStation 3 is packed to the brim with advanced technology. The custom-built 'Cell' processor can deliver up to 1080p resolution images, while the Blu-ray format provides ample storage space for high definition games and movies.

While the console may seem expensive when compared with its competitors, it offers much more out of the box. Judged on features alone, a premium Xbox 360 with wireless adaptor and HD-DVD drive is more expensive than a PS3, and even then Microsoft's console still lacks multimedia card support and a large hard drive.

Games and movies can be displayed at 1080p via HDMI, and over component video 1080p for games and 1080i for movies. Sony hasn't included an HDMI cable with the console in the US or Japan, so it's unlikely to do so when it arrives in the UK. These sell for £10 each from accessory companies. Currently all PlayStation 3 games and Blu-ray movies support 1080p resolution, but our US-spec test system failed to upscale standard DVD movies, opting for 480p instead.

Born to be hi-def

With all this advanced technology sitting under the hood, the PlayStation 3 is naturally best paired with a high-definition display. Happily, the PlayStation 3 makes an excellent Blu-ray movie player, and can easily stand up to current mainstream standalone players.

The PlayStation 3 offers video playback that surpasses that of a first-generation player such as Samsung's BD-P1000. Compared with that player, the PS3 offers sharper and crisper picture quality from Blu-ray discs, with more depth and detail. However, there are a couple of noteworthy issues for videophiles.

Firstly, the PlayStation 3 has no dedicated Blu-ray video chipset, instead relying on the Cell processor to do the decoding legwork. Secondly, the PS3's 1080p video output is set at 60 frames per second - great for games, but less so for movies.

As movie content is shot at 24 frames per second, it has the potential to display motion artefacts in slow-panning scenes at 60fps. So while games that have been built specifically for the console, such as Resistance: Fall of Man, compete admirably with second-generation Xbox 360 titles, others don't.

Cross-platform titles such as Call of Duty 3, Tony Hawk's Project 8 and Fight Night Round 3 compare unfavourably with their Xbox 360 counterparts. Where an Xbox 360 version of a PS3 launch title was available, we found that the version for Microsoft's console had better graphics in side-by-side comparisons.

In general, the 360 has better high dynamic range lighting, not to mention better frame rates in Tony Hawk and faster load times in Fight Night. Arguably though, this is more to do with publishers not upgrading existing titles, rather than any limitations of the hardware itself. Sony's console is an undeniably powerful machine, but it will be another 12 months before we see developers taking proper advantage of its controversial new system architecture.

Away from games and movies, internet connectivity is a large part of the PlayStation 3 experience. You can use the internet using its browser, but although it supports video sites such as YouTube, pages take between 10 seconds and two minutes to load. Once you've set up an account, you can also download high-definition videos and game demos from the PlayStation Store, but download times bear little relation to the file size. You can also set up friends lists and, if you have an EyeToy camera, engage in video conferences for free.

Overall, PlayStation's third incarnation has a great deal of top-end functionality and its price is very competitive with its arch gaming hi-def rival Xbox. When the dust settles, choosing between the two is likely to be less about which is the better product and more about subjective preference and whether Blu-ray or HD DVD wins the format war.

Sony PlayStation 3

tech.co.uk staff — 1204217673

The jury may still be out on the quality of the first wave of PS3 games, but there's little doubt that Sony's super-console remains the great hope of the Blu-ray format. Its design is certainly, striking if not exactly practical. The PS3's black finish is a delight, and the unit can stand either horizontal or vertically.

The PS3 is well served by both its powerful cell processor, and its connections. Along with the front mounted card (DD/MS/CF) and USB slots, at the back you'll find both HDMI and optical audio outputs, as well as an Ethernet port.

The HDMI output is v1.3, which means you can achieve lossless PCM, DTS HD and Dolby TrueHD, sound if you happen to have an HDMI v1.3 amplifier to play them through. As yet there aren't any but we're expecting some big AV names to introduce models before the year is out. Which is just as well, as the PS3 has no analogue audio outputs.

It does, however, have a 60GB drive for you to store downloaded content, alongside game saves.

But don't think that because there's an Ethernet jack that the PS3 is compatible with the, as yet unrealised, BD Live aspect of the Blu-ray system. It's primarily here to enable online games play, and shopping at the new PlayStation store, but it does hold the tantalising promise that BD Live is only a firmware update away.

System setup is relatively straightforward. The console uses Sony's Cross Media Bar (XMB) interface. It's a tad dull to look at but supremely functional. Pop in a Blu-ray disc and the player will immediately begin playing. Significantly, the console is much more responsive than a standalone BD deck, and disc playback from a standing start is nearly as fast as a regular DVD player.

The unit is also compatible with DVD, AVCHD, CD and Super Audio CD media, but doesn't (yet) upscale DVD. A curious omission that we can only assume will be dealt with via a firmware update.

Having to drive the disc with a wired PlayStation joypad only serves to remind you that the PS3 is moonlighting as AV hardware. Sony sells a dedicated Bluetooth (rather than IR) remote zapper, but this wasn't available for review.

HD image quality is great. There's no overt compromise in terms of picture performance when viewing a Blu-ray disc on the PS3, as opposed to, say, Samsung's dedicated BD-P1000. Image clarity is certainly good enough to reveal some of the coding foibles of the first generation MPEG2 BD discs.

The player looked at its best with AVC encodes such as Open Season and Monster House. Hook the console up to a 1080p display and image quality is genuinely thrilling.

However, while games and BD software played back fine via HDMI, on our Philips display, DVDs suffered with a weird colour problem that gave bright blue skin tones. This was eventually fixed by going into the HDMI video output menu, deselecting 'Automatic' and opting for the Y PN/CB PR/CR mode.

A third option, RGB, is also supplied. A number of such problems involving different PS3 screen combinations have revealed several DMI connection anomalies. But investigating this menu should fix most HDMI hook-up hassles.

Currently, with only a few exceptions, most studios are not implementing Blu-ray region lockouts, meaning that you can play back a US BD in a UK console. However, the unit does firmly adhere to DVD region codes, so you won't be able to play any Region 1 DVDs on a UK PS3, which effectively rules the console out as a replacement standard DVD player.

The player's HD audio performance will have to remain a mystery until matching electronics appear, but the potential for the system is high. At the moment its most obvious sonic failing of the PS3 is fan noise, which is substantially higher than a dedicated player design.

When viewed as a Blu-ray player, the PS3's price tag is difficult to criticise. The era of ultra-high price dedicated Blu-ray players is (already) coming to an end. Samsung's BD-P1000 is now available for just £350 and newer machines are unlikely to cost more. Regardless of cost though, there's one simple reason for rating the console as perhaps the only BD player worth buying: upgradability.

The governing Blu-ray Disc Association has mandated that all BD players on sale after 31 October must conform to BD profile 1.1 to offer the full BD Java interactivity. Current standalone players are Profile 1. This effectively means that first generation players will be obsolete by the end of the year.

According to BD specification, players need a minimum of 256MB of persistent memory storage to run BD Java PIP, not to mention a secondary video decoder. Only the PS3 has enough onboard processing grunt to conceivably be upgraded to Profile 1.1. And for that reason alone, we would currently advocate the PS3 over a standard player.

Speedlink Competition PRO

tech.co.uk staff — 1167609600

There's nothing like a bit of retro gaming to get us dewy eyed on a Tuesday morning. When we found this USB remix of the old Competition Pro joystick from days of yore, the argument over whether the Amiga or ST version of Nitro was the best raged again with the same ferocity as in 1991.

At the very least it reminded us that there's a whole world of emulation out there and this is the perfect twig to hang it all on. It's even got that long forgotten relic of old school gaming - an autofire switch. The same sturdy click that carried us through a generation of 16-bit games is present and correct and, best of all, it's available for under £10.

Microsoft Xbox 360

tech.co.uk staff — 1136125400

One of the secret pleasures of having a decent home cinema system is running games through it. Hook up a PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube or Xbox - or in my case, all three - and you can enjoy a spectacular audiovisual experience.

Unfortunately, existing systems have never really kept pace with the home theatre revolution. Sure, it's possible to illegally-modify a UK Xbox in order to squeeze a 720p output (from a handful of games) and install a cannibalised version of Microsoft's Media Center (see HCC, Issue 109), but the solution is far from ideal.

Thankfully, the first next-gen console to hit the UK market intends to reverse the trend. Not only does the Xbox 360 output 720p and 1080i high-definition pictures straight from the box (through component, more on which later) it's also a fully-rounded piece of home entertainment kit, and the clearest example yet of Microsoft's intent to effect global home convergence via its Windows Media Center platform.

The company has managed to gazump Sony and its forthcoming PlayStation 3 by almost half-a-year. With Nintendo keeping tight-lipped over release dates for the Revolution (rumoured to be sometime in 2007), there's a great opportunity for the 360 to seriously advance Microsoft's ambitions.

Aesthetically, this machine is certainly geared more for living room use than its predecessor. Gone is the geeky, un-friendly black behemoth look of the first Xbox. Instead, this is mostly off-white, with the sides and DVD tray in glistening silver, and sleekly styled. It's much smaller too, and can be stood upright or laid horizontal.

The 360 is available in two versions: the basic Core package priced at £210, and shipped without a hard drive, and the Deluxe edition, at £280. With the latter, there's no prospect of ugly wire trails from the front, as the controller (only one is supplied in the box) is wireless. Opt for the cheaper package and your controller is tethered.

The model offers limited customisation. The faceplate can be changed using optional, additional designs (£14.99 each), including my favourite, teak panelling.

Connections

Around the back of the machine is a proprietary AV slot to plug in whatever connectivity is suitable for your display. Currently, there are no plans to allow for digital video connections (DVI or HDMI), which means the machines rely on analogue cables to deliver HD pictures.

Supplied with the Deluxe HD version of the machine is an interconnector with component and composite video outputs and analogue stereo jacks, although a VGA lead and RGB Scart are available separately. As with the original Xbox, digital audio support is provided, and the 360 will be able encode 5.1 digital surround on the fly.

Incidentally, the Dolby Digital experience from Xbox games should prove superior to the 5.1 heard on commercial DVDs. Most discs have a ceiling of 448kbps. Xbox games can utilise extra space in the codec (fully compatible with existing Dolby Digital hardware) up to 640kbps. Nice.

The only other connectivity (apart from the proprietary memory unit slots on the front, which will remain largely unused with a hard drive installed) is an Ethernet port for connection to either a PC or broadband router and a USB 2.0 input for media archiving purposes.

It is these latter sockets which, alongside the in-built Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g), are of the most interest to home entertainment buffs. While there are future plans to introduce 720p and 1080i upscaling for conventional DVDs to the 360, it's currently only progressive scan-enabled for movie watching; not likely to replace any conventional kit then. But the fact that this console doubles as a Media Center Extender is very exciting indeed, especially as no Microsoft extenders have been available in the UK before.

When connected via Ethernet or Wi-Fi to a PC running Windows XP or MCE 2005, the Xbox 360 allows you to stream video, TV, music and on-demand movies stored on your PC's hard drive. It can even stream high-definition content, although only via Ethernet due to the bandwidth required.

Under the bonnet

Beneath the hood is a custom-made IBM PowerPC-based CPU, with three cores running at 3.2 GHz apiece. Its 500MHz ATI Graphics Processor can blast out polygons at a blistering 500 million triangles per second.

The GUI on the console, in Extender mode, is not too far removed from MCE 2005, and allows access to almost all the same functions. I would advise everyone to invest an extra £20 in the branded universal remote, instead of having to use the supplied joypad, but at least it can control your TV too and is actually nicer in operation than the pointer supplied with most media PCs.

And as exciting as this streaming function sounds, it's even better in practice. I've long been a great fan of MCE 2005 and even more so since it included DVB radio support with the latest patch, Rollup 2. As a PVR it's outstanding, and the fact that this shiny new console can display all your recorded content from the living room without having to stick an ugly PC in your rack is a bonus that shouldn't be underestimated.

Through a wireless connection, standard-definition pictures remain stable and true, and it nullifies the need to store video on the Xbox 360's detachable 20GB hard drive (larger versions are expected at a later date). And of course, there are the games. Thanks to its increased graphical horsepower, and HD quality output, playware on the 360 looks so much better than all its rivals.

The graphics, through 720p and 1080i, can seem staggeringly beautiful. The cars in Project Gotham 3, for example, are photo realistic. If you thought that the previous edition for the regular Xbox looked good, you'll be shocked to find this is in a different league.

Of course, those with high-end PCs will shrug their shoulders and say, 'So what', but this unit sells for a mere £280 and has none of the crashing and virus problems the average PC is blighted by.

It's a shame that disc playback from the 12x DVD ROM drive is only through prog scan, but with Microsoft promising upgrades, updates and, rumoured, an HD DVD edition someway down the line, this could very well be the most significant piece of home entertainment kit we've seen this year.

Those readers who have been sitting around counting the days before the shutters go up on our high-definition TV future can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The Xbox 360 represents the first part of a radical shift from standard to highdefinition home entertainment. Offering far more than just gameplay, the 360 heralds a shift to next gen home cinema. Highly recommended.