High-def video on demand coming to Japanese PS3
by Kyle Orland 
{ Nov 30th 2007 at 4:20PM }
While Microsoft has embraced downloadable video content in a big way with the Xbox 360, Sony has stuck with Blu-ray discs as the major video-delivery method of choice on the PS3. This looks like it might be set to change, though, as Variety is reporting that Sony is planning to bring high-definition video on demand content to the Japanese PlayStation 3, at least.So far, the announced offerings on the service seem a little slim -- a BBC documentary and some video about car racing to promote the Dec. 13 release of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. The Variety story does promise "pics and other video content from [Sony Pictures Entertainment] and other companies," but until we hear about what specific content is coming, or details of a stateside release, we remain underwhelmed.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Digi Smalls @ Nov 30th 2007 4:26PM
don't hold your breath for big Sony blockbusters online.
reasons should be obvious.
.
S-LAH-ziman (B-B-BRUSHED WITH FAAAAME) @ Nov 30th 2007 4:34PM
The PS3 stole the idea and has no games!
I'm above you ColossalHat!
\/\/\/
gonk @ Nov 30th 2007 5:51PM
nice one slazi
HE SHOOTS HE SCORES!
(i was gonna say the same thing)
ColossalHat @ Nov 30th 2007 4:28PM
Good for the Japanese, now do the same for everyone you asshats ;p
(Also, in before fanboys, those who will accuse the PS3 of stealing an idea, and comments of the PS3 having no games)
Fernando Rocker @ Nov 30th 2007 4:29PM
Naaa... its ok... Sony stealing ideas is like a tradition. =)
License to ill @ Nov 30th 2007 4:35PM
Kinda like you being a dick is a tradition...
Fernando Rocker @ Nov 30th 2007 4:36PM
Exactly.
Vidikron (FU) @ Nov 30th 2007 4:43PM
Haha... +'s for both License to ill and Fernando.
Kamall @ Nov 30th 2007 5:47PM
I've been liking Sony's ultraportable laptops, so I wanted to say they did pioneer LED backlighting in the TX and switchable graphics in the SZ (integrated to dedicated).
They can create too. : )
And their Playstation was based on a failed SNES addon, and look how successful its become.
Fernando, do you hate Sony in general or their Playstation division, do you hate the first two Playstations? Do you acknowledge that Nintendo made mistakes with the N64 and it (GASP!!!) lost marketshare with the N64 like with the PS3?
FordGTGuy @ Nov 30th 2007 4:36PM
Movies are not happening unless they are rent only. It would hurt their Blu-Ray market to fully support digital distribution although its only a matter of time.
ColossalHat @ Nov 30th 2007 4:42PM
Until Steam can completely eliminate the bug that tells you that you haven't bought a game you already have, a fully digital distribution market is only a dream.
Besides, if digital distribution is so imminent as some people would have you believe, why are the majority of titles only available in a physical format?
I, for one, prefer to go actually go into a store (be it Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, or whatever) and interact with people before making a purchase that may be a mistake.
Fernando Rocker @ Nov 30th 2007 4:46PM
I prefer my collection in a physical form. If I have both options, I will always choose the physical format.
Shagittarius @ Nov 30th 2007 4:48PM
Best of both worlds would be to download the movie online, then be sent a physical retail copy of the movie.
Digi Smalls @ Nov 30th 2007 4:58PM
ColossalHat,
tell me, what's 1993 like?
gonk @ Nov 30th 2007 5:54PM
well the 40gb ps3's (the almost dedicated movie players) can only store one movie at a time (if it uses all the space on the bluedisc) and that would all take a long time to download too...
FordGTGuy @ Nov 30th 2007 4:57PM
@ColossalHat
What are you an idiot?
I didn't know that Steam has to work before Digital Distribution to work. Xbox Live is the very being of digital distribution that keeps tabs on everything you buy and download. Just because Steam screws up doesn't mean other companies are.
If you say i'm wrong then how could I have downloaded and rented over 8 movies in HD so far on Xbox Live? Or downloaded tons of DLC or even themes and gamer pictures. Its all Digital Distribution and with the introduction of Home Servers will only put the fuel in the fire. I see the importance of owning something physical but there are disadvantages seeing as something physical can break and wear out while something digital is ever lasting.
Spartacus @ Nov 30th 2007 5:56PM
While technically the digital information does not degrade as time passes, the medium which it is stored on does. Optical discs have no moving parts and if taken care of, can last well over 15 years. Hard drives on the other hand rely on mechanical moving parts and magnetism and rarely last more than 5 years, especially if it uses a high spindle speed.
For this reason a "physical copy" is still a better security option than "digital distribution" unless the latter allows for transfer to an optical disc without the hassle and headache of current DRM's. That and you get pretty box art which adds a sense of value to the purchase.
I still prefer to buy CD's as opposed to MP3's due to DRM nightmares, lack of a cover jacket and the attrocious bit rate which most sites use. A CD sounds better and is much more flexible in function and use. I can rip it, burn it, transfer it and store it all at compression rates and sound qualities that I choose. The ONLY benefit of downloading music (other than the lazy factor) is price, but I'd gladly pony up the extra 5 bucks for all the benefits of a CD.
ColossalHat @ Nov 30th 2007 6:39PM
What I'm saying FordGTGuy, is that if someone can't get glitches out of a simple program whose only purpose is digital distribution, then we're quite simply not ready for it. It's a problem that could easily be fixed, but they don't. Now, who's to say that any service but Xbox live is going to be any different?
Also, try having a system RRoD on you, then give me the spiel on how great live is. Once the 360 your HDD is in goes down, if you get a new one, none of the crap will work that was downloaded from Live. So you see, it too has issues, though they (arguably) aren't as common as Steam's.
Finally, nearly any download you get will not work on every system (i.e. computer, PS3, 360, and Mac). Until they make a standard, somewhat like Steam is trying to establish with games, full digital distribution is a pipedream.
P.S. I like debating ;p
Digi Smalls @ Nov 30th 2007 7:21PM
ColossalHat,
your argument is based on on avenue of digital distribution, and you dismiss Xbox Live because of a hardware failure. if you like debating, you need to go to debate school.
iTunes = digital distribution
Movies on Demand = digital distribution
GameTap = digital distribution
Pay per View = digital distribution
XBL Arcade/PSN = digital distribution
XBL Movies = digital distribution
what did you get all your downloadable content on a floppy disc?
be upset at Valve all you want, but your "argument" that they are "holding up" the notion of digital distribution is beyond laughable.
.
ColossalHat @ Nov 30th 2007 8:24PM
@Digi
iTunes= you have to go through the hassle of authorizing music to play it on another computer, or to give it to another person, a physical format you can hand off to another person.
Movies/video on Demand= most of these are rentals and usually have no option for you to buy the media
Gametap= subscription-based service in which you own nothing, thus it's not being distributed to anyone anymore than public transportation is distributing buses to people
Pay per View= see movies/video on demand
XBL Arcade/PSN= for XBL see previous post (addendum to that post, you can indeed play with things you've downloaded provided you're always connected to Xbox Live on your new box) PSN I can't really make arguments about since I've barely used the service myself or seen its functionality enough to form an opinion.
XBL Movies= Again you own nothing as it's a rental service.
The bottom line is that most of your "digital distribution" services are little more than rental services, and thusly are distributing nothing more than the right to view or access intellectual property for a window of time. So, if you like renting things, it seems DD is the way to go, to get ownership at this point in time (for the most part) physical formats are here basically until terabyte hard drives are the norm among PCs and whatever else people are supposed to distribute IPs to.
Digi Smalls @ Nov 30th 2007 11:24PM
Colossal, changing subjects would fail you in any debate class. see my other post regarding buying vs. renting.
the point is digital distribution is not only already here, its already mainstream. Valve's software bug, and your RROD not withstanding.
.
ColossalHat @ Dec 1st 2007 12:07AM
I'm sorry digi, but last I checked the definition of distribution implied the exchange of money for goods, not a service. It's perfectly on topic, you just refuse to accept the argument because I gave an argument against each of them that I felt was relevant. Digital Distribution is indeed here, however, it is not mainstream as all but three of the services you mention do not transfer ownership of anything, therefore is not distribution.
In fact, here's a link to the definition of the word http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/distribute so the next time you list such a thing as video on demand as a form of digital distribution you'll think again. If such things as that were indeed digital distribution, then satellite TV in general would be digital distribution as you are paying for the ability to watch television shows.
FYI, the information on the RRoD I have presented was on my brother's console. The steam issues do nothing more than reuire me to restart my computer, and seeing as how I don't have a computer capable of playing most games newer than Pirates, I've got no problem with Valve other than Gabe Newell's mudslinging against all new technology since I've not played a game on my computer for about a month.
So rather than assuming I have a Fernando-esque hatred of anything, you could make a counterpoint on the damn topic at hand rather than making snide mudslinging comments like "Where'd you get your DLC a floppy disk?" or "You need to go to debate school".
Digi Smalls @ Dec 1st 2007 2:00AM
fine colossal, next you are going to define a 'good' as something physical, correct?
i'm not renting WarHawk. and i won't be renting an Xbox Original or a Wii Virtual Console game. yes, my hard drive/memory card could go bad, but so could your disc.
i'm sorry but you made an absolutely absurd comment, stating Valve's buggy software and your brother RROD experience as proof that a digital distribution market is only a "dream".
it's not imminent, its here.
.
AirIntake @ Dec 1st 2007 10:52AM
Yes Digi, DD is here, and you know what? It's bad. And it's all because of DRM. You never actually own anything with DD. You simply own the rights to use it as the studio sees fit. When I own a CD, I own the CD. I can play it on my PC, I can play it in my car, I can record it to a cassette, I can rip it to mp3s, I can convert it, I can lend it to a friend, I can sell it. When it is easy to do all these things on Xbox Live or Steam, then DD has a chance at taking over from physical media.
LilCo187 @ Nov 30th 2007 4:58PM
Man whats up with Sony and Nintendo and all this "such and such feature coming soon to NOT AMERICA"?
FordGTGuy @ Nov 30th 2007 4:59PM
Different countries, different policies, different contracts and different companies. When you start releasing content in more then one country it becomes very complicated.
Digi Smalls @ Nov 30th 2007 5:14PM
well. partly international licensing, but mostly the fact that the Blu-Ray format is aimed heavily at the US market.
Digi Smalls @ Nov 30th 2007 5:11PM
i'd say the model is pretty much like this:
you BUY movies you LOVE. you RENT movies you LIKE.
usually there's a tons more of the latter than the former. as there a millions of movies you only need to see once.
but physically getting your ass to a store to RENT a movie is about as archaic as it gets. Netflix was a big part of changing that, and even they are already starting to move on.
.
Noshino @ Nov 30th 2007 6:30PM
hence why so many people are getting fatter nowadays?
getting your ass off the couch is not archaic, its just not being lazy...
Probably going out to eat is also archaic to you, so just ask to have it deliver to your door....
Digi Smalls @ Nov 30th 2007 7:06PM
but its definitely not OK to get up and change discs right Noshino?
.
ThornedVenom @ Nov 30th 2007 5:43PM
My... god. Sony is racking up smart moves with the PS3.
It's as if one beautiful day, they let go of that B button in Pokemon when PS3-chu reached a new evolutionary stage.
Digi Smalls @ Nov 30th 2007 5:53PM
by opening their eyes to what their competition is already doing?
gonk @ Nov 30th 2007 5:55PM
exactly
Noshino @ Nov 30th 2007 6:32PM
Digi Smalls,
Have you ever thought that Sony MIGHT have been thinking/working on it for a while already? take in mind that they have quite a movie library... dont you think?
gonk @ Nov 30th 2007 6:45PM
which means the competition started working on it even earlier...
Digi Smalls @ Nov 30th 2007 7:12PM
of course they *thought* about it Noshino, but they didn't implement it before a company that has NO movies did.
if Sony were really interested in digital distribution they would have been in an excellent position to (especially with user installable HDDs), but there are obvious conflicting interests with the physical format they are introducing.
.
h0mi @ Nov 30th 2007 5:46PM
Oh no, its proof that it's Sony, not (just) MS who wants to prolong a High Def Media format war to prevent either format from getting traction so that DRM'ed HD downloads will take over.
/sarcasm