The new “K” chassis, which Sony will begin shipping to retailers this week, will require customers to use an HDMI cable to play a game or watch a movie in high definition, according to the tipster. The component out, which on all other models supports high definition video modes, will no longer do so, according to a memo apparently sent around at GameStop today.
All future models of the PS3, the memo continues, will require an HDMI cable for high definition output. Previous models will not be updated to require HDMI for high definition viewing.
Finally, as GameStop puts it, offering the HDMI cables to customers picking up a PS3 will “also help you drive add-on sales.”
We’ve reached out to Playstation for comment on the rumour and to ask why, if it’s true, the change is being made. It sounds like it could be tied to digital rights management. Stay tuned.
Alinos
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 7:55 AMThis isn’t quietly removing a feature.
it’s completely different to the other OS thing.
this is a hardware based difference, and will only affect those buying a console from this point forward so they aren’t loosing a feature they paid for since it wont be mentioned as a feature on the box
Ben
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 12:10 PMSame situation in comparing removing other OS to removing backwards compatibility but people still used that as an argument.
axey
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 8:08 AMSounds to me like the “Analogue Sunset”.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=analogue+sunset
Soon, anything manufactured will no longer be able to output HD content via an analogue output.
Just seems like they’re making that step now instead of in a year or two – they are Sony one of the big pushers for BLuray and HDCP.
axey
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 8:28 AMErr… Analog. Oops.
Kerber
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 8:18 AMIf this is the case why not ship the PS3 with a HDMI cable?
It’s like whenever I buy a printer and it doesn’t come with the required USB cable!?
nightFlarer
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 8:51 AMI’ve always wondered why printers don’t come with a USB cable. It’s pretty annoying.
Rod
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 9:52 AMIf they’re using standard connectors, it’s because more and more people have a small colony of these cables living and breeding in their cupboards, I suspect.
If they’re non-standard, they’re just being bastards.
Ryan
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 8:59 AMBecause not everyone needs a HDMI, I bet a majority of PS3 owners are still using TVs that don’t have HDMI ports or just don’t care about HD.
Stevorooni
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 10:41 AMOr they think they have the “high def blu rays” already with the standard composite cables, ignoring the grainy pixelated picture on their flatscreen TV
Awnshegh
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 9:25 AMAgreed. I got one with my 360 Elite a few years back. And I got one with my new Slim. But why do have to deal with stupid sales people trying to tell me that a $130 1.5m HDMI cable is essential when I know the sales guy is either blatantly lying or is a moron.
andy
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 10:24 AMnever listen to the game store retailer they told me for my noobbox360 that if i didnt use there special hdmi i would be able to get sound because it didnt have sound connections. pft went a got one for like 30 at jbhifi hooked it into system bunch of customer cheating thieves
Stevorooni
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 10:46 AMThey might have meant that with the special 360 branded HDMI you get an extra adaptor that lets you use optical audio. It’s not a necessary thing unless your home theatre is a bit older and doesn’t accept HDMI
Christopher
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 8:35 AMAnyone else move their mouse thinking the one in the picture was theirs :|
Rupert
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 10:03 AM… Twice
WiseHacker
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 9:22 AMI think I know the reason for this. While it is possible to send a HD signal through both the Component Cable and HDMI, the content can only be encrypted via the HDMI cable.
My guess is they are trying to stop movies being copied by attaching the console to a video capture card or even a DVD recorder.
That aside, if they plan to do so – they really should start putting a HD cable in the box. I bough mine a few years back (when Little Big Planet can as a bundle with it) and it only had the ye ol’ SD composite cables. Is that still the case now?
B Boy Rock
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 11:45 AMI thought they already cracked hdmi encryption though? So its not gona stop hd pirating which is largely already done on pc’s anyways.
I’m gona go with believing this is just technicality/costcut on new consoles. =D
WiseHacker
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 12:29 PMWinning point – I had not thought of cost saving, :-P.
Snacuum
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 9:42 AMYes it’s more of this HDCP bullcrap, and no they won’t put cables back in the box: it’s cheaper to make the ps3 package that way and the retailers get to add on overpriced hdmi cables.
Braaains
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 9:50 AMI think pretty much everywhere that offers decent deals on PS3s (EB, JB, etc) tend to chuck in an HDMI cable anyway, don’t they? It’s really only places like KMart and the like that just sell the console without doing any kind of bundles that might leave it out.
McGarnical
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 10:59 AMSeems pretty rubbish of them to require an HDMI for high def and then not include one in the box. What do they really cost, $2? It’s a high-def console, and it’s not too much to ask that it does what it says on the box right out of the box.
dopey
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 11:55 AMOur local supermarket sells HDMI cables for $7. Whilst they’re probably made in China, they have lasted for 2 years now so don’t buy the $50 variants cause they are a rip off.
Mr Waffle
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 12:18 PMWow, what a jerk move. A lot of older HDTVs (eg my parent’s LCD) don’t have HDMI. Sony really love giving the big finger to early adaptors, don’t they? (eg not even bothering to finish the blu ray spec before pushing it onto market, screwing early adaptors over when newer features came out…)
Mornelithe
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 1:07 PMUh…what? You think Sony’s coming into your house and removing your Component Out plug-in? Really?
Take a deep breath, it’s only affecting “K” chassis PS3′s. Is…yours a K Chassis PS3? It shouldn’t be, they haven’t even hit the market yet.
Justo11
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 2:04 PMHe might not be an early adopter of playstation and as such would need to buy a whole new tv at his patents place if he wanted to game there now…
Mornelithe
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 11:32 PM…yeah, I think he’s still missing the point that the ‘K’ chassis hasn’t been released yet. He can still buy a PS3 with….precious component??
Wayno@War
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 12:56 PMWait, what?
There’s people out there who aren’t already using HDMI?
That’s a bloody outrage!!!
Mornelithe
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 11:39 PMAgreed
Reoh
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 4:57 PMSo you still have the same thing, just with a different cable. That’s not removing a feature. Really its more like they’ve just changed a peripheral requirement that people will grab the cable once (if not provided in the box anyway?) and never think about it again.
Aaron
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 5:33 PMI was one of the stupid people who took home two $150 Monster HDMI cables from Harvey Norman when I bought my first HD TV. Read about the terrible scam behind HDMI cables and went straight back to the store the next day and got my money back. Ordered two cables online, for $10 each, from an Australian manufactuer I met on Whirlpool forums (that were also a meter longer) and as near as I can tell the picture is identical for a saving of $280.
It’s incredible what they’re getting away with. I imagine EB exec’s are rubbing their hands together at the idea of pawning of some super pricey cables.
Mornelithe
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 11:40 PMI really don’t mean any offense here, but researching your expensive purchases should really be tops on your list. When was the last time you ever actually trusted a sales persons advice?
Aaron
Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 2:01 PMIt was a spur of the moment thing, I’d just dropped over 2 grand on a TV and was still buzzing from that purchase, I asked the guy for some HDMI cables and just assumed that was standard, I’d been told by someone HDMI cables could run pretty expensive.
Wasn’t until I researched the brand did I realise there was a smoke screen of scam information around HDMI cables.
monkeyd_93
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 9:41 PMits understandable to cut costs down, but the million dollar question is, is there a price cut coming along with this soon?
wowww
Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 1:57 PMGamestop doesn’t make commission off of sales anyhow, and my store will tell people to just go to amazon and pick up a cheap HDMI since they are the same anyhow.