New PS3 models ditch component, requiring HDMI for HD video

etdragon

New PS3 models ditch component, requiring HDMI for HD video.

Yesterday a memo issued to Gamestop by Sony detailing a new PS3 model that would soon replace the 160GB currently on the market. What's particularly interesting about this memo is that it implied Sony would be removing the ability to output HD content via component cables.


Read the full article here: http://www.myce.com/news/new-ps3-mod...d-video-48362/


Please note that the reactions from the complete site will be synched below.

Zod

Why are they pushing the destruction of component cables. I personally prefer hdmi, but it seems like a waste of effort. Bluray copy protection was hacked a while back. I don't think the piraters even bother with the analog hole to make copies. Seem's like remove technology probably costs alot of money, and isn't worth the effort?

damage75

When the U.S. converted to digital TV broadcasts - did those free converters happen to have an hdmi input? That would sure make this conversion easier for some people with older (ancient) TV's.

Personally, VGA is going the way of parallel. and serial, and AGP, ans PS/2, and you get the idea. I've always considered component video clumsily, but that was the best for a while, so I used it. RCA cables will eventually be extinct; because for audio we'll really use optical (or mini-rca, which is where all computers and mp3/phones are now - and headphones are going to be hard to change) or it will be wireless.

I know display-port is at least somewhat compatible with HDMI/DVI, but it seems like the adoption of that is sure coming on slowly. We need a Government Mandate! Kidding! Just kidding.

damage75

Zod - good point - DRM, Urrrg. But component video doesn't have near the quality of transmission of the fully digital variants.

They're pushing it because it's cheaper. The 6 connectors of component (3 rgb + 2 audio) is more expensive than the hdmi chip + connector. It comes down to that and the fact that the signal is already digital - so you'd not just need the bulky rca connectors - you'd need a d-to-a chip to drive it. Not to mention the space the connectors use up on the form-factor (which can be off-set by a converting dongle - again, $$).

I do feel your pain. I have some very expensive s-video cables holding up plants.

ivid

Nothing to do with cost. All about DRM and screwing the honest customers while not at all affecting the pirates they are trying to. Its absurd. All new blu ray players being released this year will only support HD over HDMI. What's even more retarded is that after 2013 there will be no analog outputs allowed even for SD.
Seems like the TV manufacturers had some influence on these rules, its an obvious push to buy a new TV. Hmmm. Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba are part of the AACS licensing consortium. Wow, what a coincidence!

Remember back in the great war of 2007 (HD-DVD vs. Blu Ray) ? They promised us we would have HD over analog for a few years and that the "Image Restraint Token" (remember that ?) would not be in effect until 2011 or so. The hardware is following suit.

Whats next, are they going to enable the "Image Restraint Token" and screw all the customers using component with existing blu-ray players too ? I wouldn't put it past the studios.

I wish some judge would rule that the AACS licensing provisions are invalid. They should not be allowed to dictate the BS that they are.

Its also a bit of a loss for cable manufacturers. Or maybe anyway. They had a bit of an argument for expensive vs. cheap cables for analog cables (specially in the days of S-video), but pretty much any cheap HDMI cable built to spec is as good as a super-expensive monster cable.

damage75

I feel your pain. I hate DRM too. But, most BR/DVD manufacturers, aside from Sony (and others), aren't involved in content production. If they could, they would sell you a box that defeats DRM entirely, but they can't legally do that. They also have to "pay" Sony for licensing every player, they wouldn't do that either if they could help it. They want to sell you hw, they aren't the ones trying to make you mad. Lite-On, Pioneer, LG - they want you to buy, they don't want to screw you over. Sony would sell you a "play once" disk if they could get away with it (and they are trying).

I'm sure you know this, so I'll just stop at that. I get worked up about DRM as well, and the pain you have to go through to make a PC compliant. Yep, the pirates can pay for the tech to defeat DRM, for them it's trivial. So the whole DRM thing is a boondoggle, but try to convince a congressman of that - impossible..

For audio/visual cables there is a place on the net that is fantastic. I bought a 10m DVI -> HDMI converting cable for something like $12 USD. When it arrived I was shocked, it was military-grade with gold-plated contacts, as thick as your finger and I've been abusing it for years. I am so sorry I can't remember the name of the place, maybe someone else can help out.

Monster Cable (and Best Buy) should be sued for false advertising. The DMCA should be redacted as unconstitutional and everyone who voted for it impeached. That's my opinion...

olddancer

Bottom line is it comes down to Real Estate and Money! Real Estate is valuable and costly. Doesn't matter if you are measuring square meters of land or square milimeters of circuit boards. HDMI takes up substantially less real estate than component.
The fact that DRM makes the Studios happy and rich and the cable manufacturers even richer also comes into play.
Truth is 99% of the general public couldn't tell the difference between a picture at 1080i on component or a 1080p picture on HDMI. Of the remaining 1%, .1% are those of us that actually sell TVs for a living and the other .9% are terminally anally retentive Technogeeks that probably still live in their Parent's basement.
One bonus to Component is that it doesn't take 2 minutes for the TV and other devices to actually decide that they can talk to each other.

debro

Monoprice.

Lol.
Interlaced (1080i) has ugly tearing, and causes premature eye-strain

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happyscrappy

It only removes HD output for AACS protected (which is all) Blu-ray discs. This is a requirement of the AACS spec, any Blu-ray player designed in 2011 or later has to do this.

Output from games is unchanged and can still be HD over component.

Agreed this doesn't help anything in terms of piracy, pirates never use the analog hole.