PS3: component cables sold separately [update 1]

by Ross Miller { Oct 11th 2006 at 10:00PM }

Both models of the Japanese PlayStation 3 will be packaged with only composite (red, white, and yellow) cables, according to a report from uber-popular gaming magazine Famitsu. We've talked to death about its lack of an HDMI cable, component cable inputs are available even on standard definition screens to enhance the image, as are S-video inputs.

Those with PS2 component cables will be happy to know that they work with the PS3. A quick search on GameStop reveals a third-party PS2 component cable for only $14.99. While $15 is relatively little money to the consumer, it would likely cost Sony even less to pack in a cable of its own, or at least create a six-prong composite/component hybrid, similar to the Xbox 360.

Let's throw this one to the masses: are those who intend to buy a PlayStation 3 discouraged by this news?

[Thanks, The Dude]

[Update 1: clarified source, currently affected regions.]

Tags: component cable, ComponentCable, composite cable, CompositeCable, hdtv

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Eric Von Shpeel @ Oct 11th 2006 10:04PM

wait, so i cant hook it up to my SCART socket when i take it out of the box!?

uh_oh @ Oct 11th 2006 10:06PM

That's not 2 bad if you can use ur ps2 cables in the meantime. Im sure people will go get a hdmi cable if they plunked down 600 for a console.

draco @ Oct 11th 2006 10:09PM

I have the PS2 component cables already, but its not a real big deal, assuming they have lots of cables in store.

I plan on running HDMI anyways, so the component cables would sit idle in my house, much like my Ps1 cables.

Darren @ Oct 11th 2006 10:09PM

This is insane. A bottom-of-the-line Wal-Mart DVD player comes w/ component cables.

Wow.

Mike @ Oct 11th 2006 10:10PM

I ordered my 15' HDMI cable this morning.

$15 shipped from www.monoprice.com

glitched @ Oct 11th 2006 10:10PM

Im glad I can use my component cables from my ps2 out of hte box and will upgrade to hdmi in the future.

Pedro Van Faulk @ Oct 11th 2006 10:11PM

Just like the PSP. The initial price is just the beginning...they kill you with the incremental purchases to make it useable.

Want it in HD? 15$
Want a headset? 20$
Single use Memory card reader? 15$
Demos? 1$ Each.

rasgueado @ Oct 11th 2006 10:16PM

Whatever... I have yet to get a console that actually came *with* proper cables. Sony's not any different than anybody else.

Tyler Durden @ Oct 11th 2006 10:18PM

I couldn't care less...I would rather have rumble function. Then maybe I would buy a PS3.

ChaosMan1014 @ Oct 11th 2006 10:20PM

Doesn't really matter to me. I already have the component as well as a set of SVideo cables for my PS2

Pedro Van Faulk @ Oct 11th 2006 10:22PM

Umm Kiz? This is old news. From way before the price drop. America gets shafted as well.

Rasgueado: The 360 came with component cables. HD ready out of the box. It's pretty sad that Sony talks about true HD and 1080p all the time and won't even cough up for the basics with which to display either of them.

fony @ Oct 11th 2006 10:23PM

High Definition TV? $2000
Sony Playstation? $600
PS3 Game? $50
Blu-Ray Movie? $50

Christmas morning using everything in Standard Definition after you spent almost $3000? Priceless

CONFUSEDgam3r @ Oct 11th 2006 10:24PM

I think sony is doing this because not everyone has HDTV's and doesn't want to waste money packing them into the box.

I don't have a HDTV so composite cables are fine for me.

bubba shrimp @ Oct 11th 2006 10:25PM

IGN compiled a "Lust List" of their most popularly searched titles of the week. Not a single PS3 game on the list!

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/737/737971p1.html

Here are the top ten games across all platforms for the week of 10/1/2006 - 10/8/2006:

Halo Wars (X360)
Assassin's Creed (X360)
Gears of War (X360)
BioShock (X360)
Alan Wake (X360)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)
Mass Effect (X360)
Fable 2 (X360)
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (X360)
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

"So two new systems are launching in just over a month, but all you guys are excited about is the year old Xbox 360? It's pretty telling that not only are there no PS3 games on the list, but the 360 version of Assassin's Creed (until just recently a PS3 exclusive) is the one everybody's talking about. As for Alan Wake, we were just as surprised at the title's X06 showing as you were: that game is officially looking badass."

Miles B @ Oct 11th 2006 10:25PM

doesn't bother me, I wouldnt expect it to come with HDMI cable and I already have component on my PS2. Ill gladly buy a new HDMI no big deal

Kwyjibo @ Oct 11th 2006 10:28PM

Unfortunately I don't have a PS2 so I won't be able to reuse any cables. This nickel-and-diming is really starting to get old. However, until this is confirmed for the American market I'm not going to worry about it.

Armos @ Oct 11th 2006 10:29PM

I was gonna buy a PS3, but not after this news

shawn @ Oct 11th 2006 10:31PM

This just reminds me of how ghetto this system is.

BklynKid @ Oct 11th 2006 10:35PM

PS3 fanboys get ass raped again.

Alex @ Oct 11th 2006 10:36PM

No biggy. I'd rather get composite cables from Monster anyway. People that are saying Sony wants to "kill you with the incremental purchases to make it useable" are talking out of their ass.

"Want it in HD? 15$
Want a headset? 20$
Single use Memory card reader? 15$
Demos? 1$ Each."

Technically you only need one memory card reader for X amount of people. You just share the cost and chip in a buck each if you don't like it. At least they're not forcing us to buy memory cards for the PS3 (unlike Microsoft). It's a one time deal, and since PS2 and PS1 games are saved in virtual memory cards on the built-in hard drive, there's no need to ever buy a PS1 or PS2 memory card again.

Demos $1 each? No official information on demos, though it's obvious that Sony's not stupid enough to charge us for every single demo.

Wanna talk incremental purchases? Let's see, you need $200 to play HD movies on the 360. You need to pay $250 over a 5 year span to play your games online on the 360. The 360's 20GB 2.5" Hard Drive costs $100 when 60GB 2.5" hard drives are being sold at under $60. Sony doesn't force you to buy proprietary; you can plug in any hard drive regardless of capacity.

Oh yeah, and if you want to recharge your wireless 360 controllers you need to pay $20 for the power adaptor. Sony gives you a charging wire for free.
Sony gives free online multiplayer, free blu-ray movie playback, includes a hard drive with every system (no need for memory cards), and gives us full backwards compatibility to boot. To this day, Peter Moore claims that Microsoft under-promised and over-delivered on backwards compatibility. Does 50% compatibility look like over-delivering to you?

Microsoft needs to stop critisizing Sony and take a look at their own practices for a change. Maybe then they'll realize why they've only sold 6 million consoles in 11 months(when they promised to sell 10 million before the PS3 launched). Why the PS2 is outselling the 360 worldwide month after month. And why most people have been smart enough to wait for Sony and Nintendo's next-gen offerings.

CYRiX @ Oct 11th 2006 10:38PM

Lol this makes up for buying ps2 component cables that do nothing for ps2.

shooterfan @ Oct 11th 2006 10:39PM

Yeah. That's stupid. How do play it out of the box in HD without at least component cables? DUH!! Freaking milkers: Sony I mean.

saboola @ Oct 11th 2006 10:39PM

My X360 came with component cables, and as said before it came out almost a year ago. Come on how much could it have possibly cost Kutaragi to throw in the cable...

Optimus Prime @ Oct 11th 2006 10:39PM

i wouldnt mind if it came with no cables; i have so many useless composite, component, and s-video cables lying around .. cant wait for the 1 digital cable solution.

ben @ Oct 11th 2006 10:39PM

This is fu--ing bull----. Does Sony know that they are charging $600 for their system?! They are just making the PS3 even less of a good deal.

What's their excuse for this one? "Well, the PS3 is a item of the future.. And in the future, it is custom to not include anything with a game console. We do not creat the customs I am afraid.. Oh, BTW, the Wii is over priced!!"

Blink @ Oct 11th 2006 10:40PM

You know, it's really shocking...but it makes sense too. Think about it from, as you said Darren, a walmart perspective. Not the sales clerks, the customers. If component cables were included, they would buy a PS3 with cables that claim to tote HD graphics. They plug it in, boot up a BluRay movie, and they start getting the picture in 480p! Tech support would have some real problems, the console would get bad press, and it would be the 360 launch all over again, but worse.

Really, I don't like it that they aren't including an HDMI cable in the box when that's the format they're pushing for the most, but I think it'll be okay as long as they have HDMI cables lining the accessories shelf from day one.

Wii also ships with composite cables, component will be available for $25 day one in Japan, in stores this time too I think. Sounds good, but now, It'S iN dIrECt cOmPEtiTIoN wIth tHE pLaYStaTiON tHR33!!!111

DeadPlasmaCell @ Oct 11th 2006 10:46PM

Are you kidding me?? People are bitching about the lack of a $12-$15 cable in a $600 Game console?? for pete's sake, STFU about it... You're spending $600 on a PS3, spend the extra $15 and get the cables and shut up about it...

/Still not buying a PS3

nick @ Oct 11th 2006 10:47PM

thats really a dick move. Come on for 500 bucks or even 600 bucks you dont get an RGB cable. God.

rdj75 @ Oct 11th 2006 10:49PM

to #20

Now do you really believe that sony will offer a service like xboxlive at no cost at all?

Now don't get me wrong I am going to get one myself when I think its worth purchasing, but the buttom line is its $600 right off the bat versus $399. There isn't any reason as to why I should spend that kind of money other than to play bluray movies. With the xbox360 you have nextgen hd gaming right out of the box for only $399, and who knows what other surprises microsoft may have waiting. Its about choice, how many people are going to enjoy 1080p playback? Microsoft is giving some kind of option as to what the gamer would like to do, if they just want games then they get games, if they want nextgen movie playback then they get that too. Its better than forcing people to buy something that most would not get to benefit from.

Fran�ois @ Oct 11th 2006 10:52PM

People expecting any more were setting themselves up for disappointment. Composite is still the standard, the lowest common denominator; it had to be in the box, and including a plethora of cables wouldn't have been very cost-effective (plus it would have made the retail price go up). The premium package of Xbox 360 comes with an hybrid composite/component cable, the Core package comes with composite only. Plus the PS3 has an edge because it's backwards compatible with existing PlayStation brand cables. Seriously, it's no surprise at all and this "HD era" has everybody's expectations way out of whack.

Aaron @ Oct 11th 2006 10:56PM

i will probly end up with an hdmi cable eventually, but i baught some component cables for the ps2, so i could care less

kuyu @ Oct 11th 2006 10:57PM

Okay, this is getting old Sony. I want a PS3. I can afford a PS3. I have the HDTV ready to rock... But everyday I'm less and less sure that I'll get one in the next year, if ever.

First it's $600. Pricey, but doable. Then it's the mpeg-2 for some BD movies debacle. Then it's BYOHDMI. Then it's not compatible with my universal remote. Then it's "game levels are 4GB, but we'll offer demos" (that will take 4 days to download). Then it's all of my favorite Sony titles are not exclusive anymore. Then it's no rumble.... Where does it end?

I think I'll take my earmarked PS3 $1,000 and buy the HD-DVD player for 360, a Wii and some games, a ton of HD-DVD's and a 7.1 THX receiver.

As an aside, I work in supply chain operations (sourcing, manufacturing, distribution) for a Fortune 10 company. If we had a 2 million unit order due in 40 days we'd be freaking out. If Sony's not shitting in their pants, they should be.

Trowble @ Oct 11th 2006 10:59PM

So what they're really trying to say is that "Next-generation" doesn't start until they say it does... after you buy the proper cables?

dvddesign @ Oct 11th 2006 11:07PM

Alex, #20

Don't buy Monster cables, the line of crap that company spreads is a mile long and a mile wide. They're nice cables, but they're overkill for average home use. Seriously, unless you're running longer in length than the recommended distance for the signal, you're never going to notice the difference, and if you can, you're just fooling yourself for buying $40 cables. Remember, this is the same industry that convinced you that a $100 gold plated HDMI cable is better than a $15 one.

But, anyway, why is anyone upset about this? They're having to cater to lowest common denominator. Until MS packaged both sets of cables in the 360, NO ONE bundled good cables with their console. And even then, you gotta buy the premium version. So, on that, I'll fault Sony for not giving away an HDMI cable on the premium set. But we've always been nickel and dimed. Doesn't anyone remember the PS1 memory card shortages? The memory pack for the N64? Being forced to buy R.O.B. on the NES? I remember feeling dicked around when I bought my N64 that came with ONLY one controller and I had to go buy a second one. The SCANDAL! Or buying my memory pak for Turok. Bastards! I was just a poor college student back then, I didn't know any better.

You get one thing on one console, and you expect everyone to give you the world. Man... See if I ever design a console and give you a rechargeable battery or free built in wireless.

Mitsuo @ Oct 11th 2006 11:12PM

Wow you people are stupid! there are a few reasons that Sony made this move. 1. to cut cost, since it's pricey enough, why add more to the price? 2. Since the PS3 is backward compatible with the component cables of the PS2 then people can just use those. 3. Not everyone has HDTVs. People like me still use the composite cables. 4. If you don't have a HDTV now and a PS2, chances are that you'll have Component cables for the PS2, thus when you get the PS3, you'll have another set of composite cables laying around useless. So it also save on wasted material and space by not including the cables. HDTV isn't as big as everyone thinks and components are still the norm of the world.

dsub @ Oct 11th 2006 11:12PM

I can't believe so many people are taking this so lightly. This is a joke. Even the premium 360 comes with a combo component HD/regular SD video cable. $600 and no HD cable whatsoever? Give me a fucking break. Of all the things that sony has done, this is the one thing that should not be overlooked. Even if I were a sony fanboy i'd be pissed. if this is true sony is literally retarded. I honestly don't see how you could not be upset about this. This is done with the sole purpose of selling cables to recoup costs. This isn't like HDMI where not that many people can use it. No component cables means this system is completely incapable of HD gaming out of the box.

You can say all day that "if someone is able to pay $600 for a PS3, a $20-30 set of cables should be no big deal" but in the end you have to draw a line somewhere. When does it stop? Seriously. This is one more thing I have to go up to EB and buy when I get a PS3. Sure, if you've already got the PS2 cables that's cool, but how many people have those?

This is taking it too far. I hope it's not true. Because if it is I am going to get my PS3 and sell it or better yet withdraw my pre-order alltogether. Ugh. the true next gen version of gaming starts when we say so. oh yea...and when you pony up the money to buy the necessary cables, because the PS3 is COMPLETELY INCAPABLE of outputting HD with the out-of-box supplied accessories. What a fucking joke.

David @ Oct 11th 2006 11:15PM

My DVD player didn't come with component cables and it's hardly a bottom of the line Wal-Mart player...

If they wanted to include a HDMI and optical audio cable I wouldn't complain but I would never expect that.

So to answer the question. No, I don't care.

penas @ Oct 11th 2006 11:16PM

wow sony fanboys are funny! they hate on nintendo/mircosoft for any lil thing but when sony fucks up massively they say, "it's not a big deal i wasnt going to use it anyways. HDMI who cares,HDMI cables? dont need them. rumble is lame, 50 gigs of actuall game, 4gigs is all i need. mirco transacton= a money saver(i dont have to buy what i dont want)!"
seriously, WTF is the point of boo-ray, 50 gigs of space on a disk, and your only using 4?!?!? just you can fuck over ppl w/ mircotransaction?!?!?

wii60, you cannot stop the revolution.

Scott E @ Oct 11th 2006 11:17PM

"I think sony is doing this because not everyone has HDTV's and doesn't want to waste money packing them into the box."

That is the best blind fanboy comment ever!
LOL they don't want to waste $3 on component cables because they know everyone doesn't have HDTV's yet they still shove Bluray down the consumer's throat and you blindly accept??? OPEN YOUR EYES.

BIKEAGE @ Oct 11th 2006 11:18PM

it doesn't actually hook up to you tv at all, duh, it beams super next gen graphics to your BRAIN

PSWii360 Fanbot @ Oct 11th 2006 11:18PM

I am rather disappointed about this. Look! We're Sony! HD 1080p all the way! Make use of it by using our composite cables! Sweet!

On another note, the Wii is shipping with composite as well. No s-video? That's bush league. Oh well, at least it's affordable.

Spuky @ Oct 11th 2006 11:20PM

the problem is not with those cables, the problem is that sony made a very big deal of the HD capacities of the ps3(like they saying that the ps3 is the only console with games running at 1080p) I mean, if you console is a Troyan Horse for your HIGH DEFINITION disc format, how can you then not throw hdmi cables???

Mike da Rookie @ Oct 11th 2006 11:23PM

I'm so happy I'm ebaying this nasty PS3 from my brand spanking new Gamestop preorder. #1 in line, baby!

My only concern now is: will there be any demand for it? LOL! I might be lucky to make back the $599 I'll shell out on Nov 17th...My hope is that the soccer moms and non-hardcore gamer buyers have no idea about any of this and will just want this Christmas' *hot item* ...

Wii60 for the win!