What will I get with my Playstation 3D TV ?
Sony have stated that the Playstation 3D TV screen size will be 24 inches and come as part of a bundle that will include various essential accessories such as active shutter 3D glasses, HDMI connector cables to hook up the PS3 to the TV, and a 3D game which first indications suggest will be Resistance 3. With a planned Autumn 2011 release date there is plenty of time for elements of this bundle to change, and it'll be no surprise to see either different or extra games included.
The glasses operate on a rechargeable lithium ion battery that according to Sony needs a 45 minute charge to give up to 30 hours playing time, plus just a few minutes charge is expected to provide a few full hours use. Other features delivered by the LCD panel include a 5000 to 1 contrast ratio, a headset port, two HDMI ports, one component port, and two speakers. All combined with an ultra thin display operating at a refresh rate of 240Hz, which delivers 3D images at a speed of 60 frames per second to each eye.
Early reports indicate that the picture quality delivered by the full HD 1080p TV is strong, and with a suitably wide viewing angle of of 176 degrees, players should be able to sit next to each other exactly as they do now to enjoy multiplayer games and yet still get the full 3D effect.
How does the Playstation 3D TV dual gaming feature work ?
When a PS3 is hooked up via an HDMI port it opens up the ability for players to see different 3D images while playing the same game, and of course this feature is the jewel in the crown. The technology that enables this uses what's known as quad speed frame sequential display technology, and in simple terms it works by combining the proprietary Sony glasses with the TV to send the separate 3D images to the different players. The glasses have special buttons that when pressed make both lenses of one players glasses display images for the left eye, and both lenses of the other players glasses display images for the right eye, thus giving each player the ability to see their own 60 frames per second feed of images all the time. This way they both see different images on the same display, letting them play the same game in true split screen mode side by side.
Why is the Screen so small ?
For anyone who's been following the progress of 3D TV technology over the last year or so, the 24 inch display size might be surprising. On first impressions it does seem on the small side given much of the focus on 3D TV has been on building and selling bigger screen models to increase the immersive feeling that's a major part of watching 3D images.
But Sony are aiming this innovation at gamers who are used to smaller screens, they might be playing in bedrooms and other small spaces where standard larger 3D TVs are way too big. It does remain to be seen whether the 24 inch display is effective, and if the Playstation 3D TV is successful in the early stages of sales then we can expect to see bigger screens developed in future.
What's it going to cost ?
At roughly £320 or around $500 the price might just about be set at the right level, though extra pairs of Sony glasses will cost between around $50 - $70 on top. This price compares well with most standard 3D TVs, and Sony have probably designed it to sit mid-way between the price of a Playstation gaming console and the lower priced models of those standard 3D Tvs for a reason.
What games will be available ?
It all sounds good, doesn't it? But there are some drawbacks. The major one is that the dual player mode will only work with 3D games that have been specially created to take advantage of it. Clearly that means that all existing games will be incompatible from this perspective, though of course you'll be able to play them as a single player in 3D.
Sony have initially stated that the Playstation 3D TV will ship with Resistance 3. It's a few months still until the TV does go on sale, so there seems plenty of time for further games to be built that will allow the full use of the feature. On top of that, it seems likely that some existing games could easily have software updates applied. With the current lack of 3D content affecting the mass acceptance of 3D TVs in general, we can anticipate that Sony will not allow failure due to lack of games. So it'll be no surprise to hear that Sony are already suggesting they will have around 100 fully compatible games released by the end of the year.
Will the Playstation 3D TV be successful ?
Most major manufacturers, and Sony in particular of course, believe that 3D games will drive the adoption of 3D TVs even higher, and this looks to be the first real effort from a major games manufacturer to try and prove that point. For an experienced gamer the Playstation 3D TV could become one of the all time must have gaming gadgets. And for those of us who don't class themselves as hardened gamers, then this new development might just be one that fully captures our imagination. There are already over 100 PS3 3D games in circulation and if the Playstation 3D TV is successful it will be no surprise to see that number increase substantially, either in standalone 3D format or with the enhanced dual 3D gaming capability.
At the expected price of around $500 this option may just encourage anyone who's been sitting on the fence about buying a 3D TV to jump in with both feet. And the potential for the future is outstanding. Imagine when 3D games get to be paired with motion-sensing controls or head tracking technology, we could be facing whole new ways of gaming. Players could manipulate 3D environments with a wave of their hand. Game play and even player level creation could become far more intuitive than ever before. Should the Playstation 3D TV be as successful as seems likely, it could open up the doorway to even more new and innovative gaming experiences.
So we'll need to wait and see what further developments take place. But if the idea of the Playstation 3D TV doesn't grab your imagination there's an alternative way to hook up your Playstation to a 3D TV with the recently released Sony combination 3D TV/PC. Known as the Vaio All In One, the combo comes with a 24 inch, 1080p HD LCD monitor, plus a built-in Blu-Ray player. Connectivity to a PS3 is via an HDMI port. At a price of around $1400, the All-In-One could be the right answer for anyone who wants to combine 3D gaming with their other online activities.
