Curmudgeon Gamer
"I'm like everybody else. I'm saying 'come on! Just build 'em, man! What's so complicated?' But think about what that blue laser diode has to do. It has to read audio CDs, standard DVDs, Blu-ray DVDs, PlayStation 1 games, PlayStation 2 games, and PlayStation 3 games. Six completely different formats that have nothing to do with each other and you're going to have one device that's going to read all those."Give me a break. It reads CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray. That's three, not six.
Yes, I know Sony pulled all kinds of tricks to make the "standard" game CDs and DVDs difficult to copy, but the essential point is that the blue laser diode can read three types of media, not six different formats. I'd also question the "have nothing to do with each other" bit -- don't the PlayStation CDs and PlayStation 2 DVDs both essentially have ISO9660 filesystems? That'd make it, again, simply a matter of reading the medium.
As always, correct me in the comments.
I think that perhaps what he means is that they need a robust disc reader, which won't fail for any of those types of discs. So he tried to dumb down what he was saying.
By 
Zachary, at
06 November, 2006 11:31
Maybe there's a big difference betwen reading the formats, and reading them efficiently, and they're trying to balance 3 [or 6] different optimisations of the hardware/software.
I have no tech knowledge in this area, so that's just a stab in the dark.
By 
Chris, at
06 November, 2006 11:57
Hmm...executive vice president of SCEA in charge of sales and channel relations in North America -- therefore he's talking out his ass. He knows less about the tech than we do.
By Alex, at
06 November, 2006 12:40
He's full of shit. The only problem with the blu-ray drive is that it's new technology. They were entirely too optimistic that they would have zero production problems for both the cell chip and the blu-ray drives.
Unfortunately, the low yields on the cell chips, and the lack blue diodes have bit them in the ass.
By raoul, at
06 November, 2006 15:18
A robust disc reader? Unlike the PS2, which often developed problems reading any CD-based games?
By , at
06 November, 2006 16:36
hey, did you check out the sony interview I did for monday? I left in the 'woah' comment just for you fellows!
http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20061106/sheffield_01.shtml
P.S. send me an email so's I have your mailing address on file - brandon@insertcredit.com.
By brandon, at
06 November, 2006 17:44
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