For Playstation 4 Owners, Bad News On USB, Bluetooth Headsets 292
itwbennett writes "Until now Sony has done a pretty good job of keeping future Playstation 4 owners happy. But last week they finally hit a rock when Game Informer posted an article about headset compatibility. At launch, USB headsets that work with the PS3 won't work with the PS4. Sony says that eventually there will be a system update that addresses the problem but for now, even your Sony-branded USB headset won't work. If you use a Bluetooth headset (as most PS3 owners do) the news is even worse. Bluetooth headsets will not be supported and no update is planned to address this. ITworld's Peter Smith is shedding a tear for his $250 Turtle Beach PX5 headset."
Bluetooth woes (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Bluetooth woes (Score:5, Funny)
The bluetooth blues, in fact.
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Re:Bluetooth woes (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Bluetooth woes (Score:5, Insightful)
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The third world can't pull itself up by it's own bootstraps, or won't? What made the US an immediate 'first world' nation? Was it born that way, fully industrialized and ready to go, or did it have to get going on it's own? Who helped the US to become first world, if it wasn't immediate?
The idea that somehow it takes a first world nation to give everything to a third world nation and that they can't industrialize on their own is arrogance at its finest. It isn't an easy process, sure, but it can be done if
Re:Bluetooth woes (Score:5, Informative)
What made the US an immediate 'first world' nation? Was it born that way, fully industrialized and ready to go
Yes, it was, because the term was invented in the 50's to represent wealthy capitalist democracies aligned with the US and NATO, as opposed to the Second World (Soviet Bloc countries) and the Third World (counties not aligned with either of the first two).
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Will they ship to the US?
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Their laws and mores are theirs. We shouldn't allow human sacrifice, but if it's their country and culture, the most I should do is speak out. Kind of like Russian homophobia, it isn't any of my business and the most I should do is speak out against it.
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Well, it's one for the money,
Two for the show,
Three to get ready,
Now go, cat, go.
But don't you step on my bluetooth shoes.
You can do anything but lay off of my bluetooth shoes.
Re:Bluetooth woes (Score:4, Interesting)
Maybe it would be easier for them to tell us what DOES work. Do they have some new headset with some sort of weird proprietary connector (hard as it is to picture Sony going with a proprietary device)?
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The Playstation Store works. It is what they seem to put 99% of their development effort into.
(Disclaimer: The above opinion is from an angry owner of a very nice Sony-Ericsson bt headset that the PS3 won't use.)
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Disclaimer: The above opinion is from an angry owner of a very nice Sony-Ericsson bt headset that the PS3 won't use.
"Spank me some more, Sony." Why do you keep giving those criminals your money?
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Maybe it would be easier for them to tell us what DOES work. Do they have some new headset with some sort of weird proprietary connector (hard as it is to picture Sony going with a proprietary device)?
Hell, does it have an 1/8" stereo jack (NO! [playstation.com]) or did they just throw headsets entirely under the bus? Of course, you could just use a set of headphones with your stereo attached, but that doesn't get audio in, so this is still odd for them to do given how many games use teamed audio nowadays. WTF Sony?
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The DRM and restrictive user limiting features all work perfectly!
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However, looking at the PS4 controller, there appears to be some sort of wide proprietary jack in the same spot
That isn't ideal,but it's not the worst thing either. Assuming that's the case, there would probably be some power, mic, and stereo audio. If so, and adapter plug will almost certainly come out for normal headphone/mic, and it's possible that an adapter may be able to be built that'd support bluetooth and/or usb, or an alternate controller that has built in bluetooth (that'd be kinda nice, since it'd virtually remove all signal issues since you'd be so close to it).
I don't trust Sony at all, but I don't thi
Re:Bluetooth woes (Score:4, Insightful)
Really? That's a lot of faith there in an organization that hasn't done very much to merit it.
Let's indulge a little idle speculation on my part. Nothing I say from here down in this post is supported by any objective evidence; the only thing you could say is that the things I speculate on have been done in other contexts.
Yeah. I'm just speculating. But if you draw up a list of the companies in the world that might be inclined to this approach, Sony would absolutely be in the top two.
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No it doesnt. it has a 2.5mm jack. A very uncommon jack that was only used for cellphones.
Re:Bluetooth woes (Score:4, Informative)
You mean 2.5mm. The original Xbox had one of these too, but you had to use a doodad that connected through the memory card port in the controller. Kind of like how they forced you to purchase a remote control in order to watch DVDs [gamestop.com]. Also the original headset for the 360 was designed in such a way that it utilized a connector that prevented its use with anything other than a first party (or similarly designed third party) Xbox 360 controller.
The PS3 instead supported standard USB headsets and Bluetooth headsets [playstation.com] which are just as prevalent (if not more so, combined) than 2.5mm headsets. Also, this is in stark contrast to the Xbox 360's wireless headset, which used a proprietary RF interface [wikipedia.org]. The only time, to my knowledge, that the Xbox 360 supported a USB microphone was in Rock Band and its sequels.
Then there's the storage drives. For the PS3 it was a 2.5" SATA drive hidden behind a little door, and could be easily removed and replaced [playstation.com]. The Xbox 360 utilized 2.5" SATA drives as well, but hidden inside a proprietary case with a proprietary connector [anandtech.com] that was only to be replaced with other Microsoft manufactured drives. The 360 S *also* used 2.5" SATA drives, but in a different casing that made it entirely incompatible with the original 360 drives [xbox.com] (both of which are sold at an exorbitant markup versus standard SATA drives), and to transfer data between drives you had to have a proprietary cable [xbox.com].
Then there was the proprietary Wifi adapter for the 360 [gamestop.com], and Xbox Live, which is necessary to play games online, be involved in party chats, use the web browser, and watch videos through other services you may already be paying for (including YouTube, Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Comcast's Xfinity among many others) [wikipedia.org] which went from $45 per year to $60 per year (or from $8/mo to $10/mo) [majornelson.com].
So let's not get all high and mighty about which console manufacturer is better than the other. They all do it. That's what console gaming has become. And if you don't like it, your option is to either wait for Steam Machines or build yourself a PC, because that's the alternative.
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Well, you got an XCP rootkit. I'm surprised they didn't just put Bluetooth and USB in and take it back out after you paid for it like with OtherOS.
Honestly, why are you people giving the criminal conspiracy named Sony your money? They've been fucking their customers over for a decade and you dweebs just say "spank me harder, Sony."
Presumably... (Score:5, Insightful)
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You'd want it to be a bluetooth receiver that understood bluetooth audio, interpreted it, and then in turn emulated an ordinary USB stereo headset where it connects to the PS4.
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Yeah I doubt Sony is going to support add-on BT busses via USB. Having just been looking for such an animal as you describe, I came up empty. Decided to go wired for now and wait for a better selection of Wireless USB kit to hit the market. The additional benefit of to that is that Certified Wireless USB uses different frequency ranges than BT, so it won't be clogging up that band, which is pretty messy as is. Also when I'm done with the headset use the wireless USB component will probably end up useful
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Already have those. USB sound card plugged into a Bluetooth headset adapter. All done.
No big deal for me. (Score:3, Insightful)
When the update comes out, fine.
There likely won't be much in terms of online or multiplay at launch anyhow.
And bluetooth can still suck it.
All I've ever had was problems with bluetooth, whether it was something not supporting it, or something only partially supported, bluetooth is just terrible.
Also, anyone spending that amount of money for a fucking headset should be shot, period.
I bet he can't even say why he bought it other than things that could easily be disproved through simple tests.
B-B-B-BUT MY BRANDS. Surprised it wasn't Skullcandy too. Terrible.
They better not fudge anything else up for launch.
Or remove features again. (even if it was just the terrible Other OS feature that was slow as high hell for anything useful)
Principle shminciple, it was awful. Even for those bootToBrowser installs.
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There is a reason to buy a set of headphones that costs $250. True 5.1 surround with 4 speakers in each cup. When you have 2 consoles sitting next to each other and are playing first person shooters together, it gets annoying trying to figure out from which TV that grenade tink just came. That and it's REALLY nice to be able to hear that guy climbing the ladder behind you so you can shoot him in the face as he begins to breach the floor. Oh yeah, another thing. Some people live in apartments and can't use a
Re:No big deal for me. (Score:4, Insightful)
too bad I only have two receptors for those 4 sounds.
Re: No big deal for me. (Score:2, Insightful)
If a car honks its horn, you can close your eyes and point in the direction it came from.
How accurately can you achieve that sensation with a single driver in each ear? A potion of your hearing is through your skull by the way.
Also, speakers can each have a different range of frequencies if you didn't know already.
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And it takes really good software to mimic directional cues for forward and behind, even though the ear is capable of detecting it. It exists - if you ever heard the A3D [wikipedia.org] demos before they were bankrupted. But it's much easier to just use 4 speakers and let your ears do it.
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too bad I only have two receptors for those 4 sounds.
LMAO...love you man. Surround sound zealots make me laugh.
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Guess you never heard of binaural recordings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA [youtube.com]
Two eardrums (Score:2)
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All I've ever had was problems with bluetooth, whether it was something not supporting it, or something only partially supported, bluetooth is just terrible.
How about some specifics? What hardware? What OS? It's worked fine for me on two Motorolas and a Kyocera moving pictures to my W7 notebook and kubuntu tower. What kinds of problems? How did that comment get modded up??
Also, anyone spending that amount of money for a fucking headset should be shot, period.
What amount of money? Some people actually use he
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Jesus dude, don't hold back.
I can't speak for that guy, but I've got some PX5's too, and here's why I like them, feel free to disprove these points through "simple tests"
- Dual bluetooth - I can switch between voice chat and a phone call without touching my phone or interrupting my game, and I'll still be able to
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
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Until consumers start saying "fuck that" and actually stop doing that.
However I fear not enough consumers will make that choice.
I've seen nothing in next-gen consoles which makes a compelling argument for upgrading, and a lot to tell me I'd just get screwed in the process for no benefit to me.
Old consoles become EOL (Score:2)
I've seen nothing in next-gen consoles which makes a compelling argument for upgrading
Other than that new games will stop coming out for the old consoles, and the console makers will pull the plug on the old consoles' online services. It happened for Xbox Live on the original Xbox, and it happened for most of the "app" channels (News, Forecast, Check Mii Out, Everybody Votes) on the Wii. At that point, if you want to continue to play online or with updated rosters and game design concepts, you'll either have to buy the new console or put a Steam Machine or other gaming HTPC in your living ro
Re:none of this works, as expected. (Score:5, Insightful)
yawn.
The obvious counter to your sentiment is that any one entity can come along with a product that lasts longer and does not have some phantom "planned future incompatibility" and will generate a ton of sales, disrupting any so-called market stranglehold. Many people buy reliable, long-lasting cars based on exactly this principle - "I want it to last, and I'm willing to pay more for that." Honda did this with their more reliable cars (and cheaper, too, which REALLY upset the market), and while it took 20-30 years for the sea change in the US (bankrupting a few domestic manufacturers in the process), ALL mainstream auto manufacturers now employ similar techniques to ensure longevity of their cars. Because that's what the market wants.
What you claim as a "must" for capitalism is simply a result of making devices cheaper and more accessible to as many people as possible. Here's a hint: companies make what people want. If people want little flimsy connectors in order to make their devices smaller and lighter, manufacturers will make them, and people will buy them. If someone invents a better quality connector that doesn't give up on size or weight, people will demand that better connector - that is, unless there is no competition... but luckily for you, our good ol' consumer capitalistic system allows for a lot of competition. The fact that you believe that cellphone RAM is not expandable is due to planned obsolescence shows you have not thought about the simple relationship between the cost of making removable/upgradable RAM versus the demand for the feature. It would cost more and would make for bigger, heavier phones to allow end users to swap out RAM on their phones, and there's so little demand for that feature, someone made a tactical business decision that it wasn't in the best interest of the company to offer such a device for the mass market. It's not a big conspiracy. Look at MicroSD cards - there is a demand for removable slow storage memory, so most phones do have removable MicroSD cards for storage - again, because the market demands it.
Just because your favorite device isn't available over the counter today with all the things you want for the price you want to pay doesn't mean that capitalism requires planned obsolescence - it simply means that you're unwilling to pay what it takes to get everything you want today. Wait a little while, pay more, or go into business yourself and make it happen the way you want. With "consumer capitalism", it's your choice.
$250 for a headset? (Score:4, Interesting)
I don't want to hear anyone saying what someone else buys is unnecessary if this guy is spending that much for a headset. I don't care about the tonal values or fit or anything else. To someone looking in, that is just a waste of money to play a game.
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I think it's too much to pay, too. When I saw headsets that cost that much on the wall at Gamestop I just shook my head. But it's not that much money for someone without dependents. If it really enhances their life, I can see spending that much money. On the other hand, I can't personally see not kitbashing something myself rather than spending $250.
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That's just MSRP. If you look online you can usually get them over 50% off retail price.
I got mine because I live in an apartment, so I wanted to have good surround sound headphones to play at night and not disturb my neighbours. Cost me about $80. They will not be compatible with the PS4 except as game audio. I'd have to have a separate device just for chat, which is not an acceptable solution when you have over the ear headphones.
I may not pick up my PS4 reservation because of this and the poor launch tit
Re:$250 for a headset? (Score:5, Insightful)
I can't believe so many people agree with this post. We are talking about game systems that cost around $500 that are probably played on TVs that cost $500-$1000 with perhaps a dozens games costing $60 each. And you are saying that a $250 headset is excessive? I don't find sound quality very important either, but who am I to judge what others find important enough to spend their money on? A $250 expenditure on a hobby is still pretty tame compared to most. I spent close to that on just one of two tickets to the musical Wicked, even though a movie ticket would have been $15.
Spending $250 on a headset instead of perhaps $50-100 is really no different than buying a 55" TV instead of a 40" one.
Let's talk about headphones for a minute. (Score:5, Informative)
A good pair of headphones can easily run you $500 (that's considered mid-tier).
You can easily spend that much if you don't find the less-known options while doing your research, that's very true. Stay away from the marked-up versions that are easily accessible and order yourself something for professionals instead. Especially look out for the brands like Sony, which may have innovated with their high end MDRs in the 1980s, but can't really justify the price tag today when everyone else is using the same drivers for much less money. You don't have to spend that kind of money.
I am a sound engineer, live and in the studio. I have to have accurate, reliable cans that I can use for hours every day and I can find them for far less than $500. You can get Etymotic in-ears for vocalists, drummers, etc onstage for $200-250. You can buy a nice pair of professional 250-ohm DT990 over-the-ears for $160 (new on Amazon no less) that you can wear all day. They stand up very well to a pair of $1500 electrostatic headphones and blow everything under $1500 away. Haven't heard them? Don't believe me? Try them out, A/B test with any more expensive pair through a few different audio clips, and you'll see exactly what I mean if your ears aren't shot. I acknowledge that some people have blown out their ears with concerts and construction equipment, or old age has taken its unfair toll on the ears. To them, there will be no difference and you just want comfort and construction quality at that point. But for those of us who somehow retained good hearing despite the odds... Talk to studio professionals to find out how to get a good pair of headphones, not gamers or people listening to their iPod on the bus. Good involves accurate sound, wearability all day, and replaceable parts that you can still order 10 years down the road. If you're spending that kind of money, you want it to be good.
To gamers: I guess that at the end of the day though, if you really want that unnatural jaw-vibrating bass boost for your explosions and dubstep soundtracks (and who wouldn't want that for their entertainment!!) you will probably want to start with good headphones that reach down very low and boost that bass with active electronics like an EQ or old DFX box. There's no substitute. Otherwise you'll have to buy the gimmicky crap like those battery-powered Beats / Monster headphones, but you know you're getting ripped off the whole time you do it. Get something that makes you happy but shop around for goodness' sake, you can be happy for a lot less than $500.
Helpful link to check out objective qualities of headphone sound: http://www.headphone.com/buildAGraph.php [headphone.com] - and if you only shop by frequency response curves... you're missing the point. Look at the harmonic distortion curves as well.
Re:Let's talk about headphones for a minute. (Score:4, Interesting)
It was terrible. The sound was so clear I could tell the musical instrument sounds were synthesized. I could hear when the sound samples looped. In some of the samples I could even hear background noise from the original recording (which becomes really annoying when looped). They completely broke suspension of disbelief and distracted from my immersion into the game. After a week of trying to like them for gaming, I sadly unplugged them and went back to the crappy desktop speakers. Yes the sound through them was muddy and muffled. But they just sounded like I had bad speakers, not like the sound was fake.
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Those are some respectable headphones. Hope you still use them for other things! I have some ~$150 Sony MDRs from 2000 as well and I just recently retired them after someone else blew them out at a gig when I wasn't at the board. Until then, they were still good enough for live mixing.
You're totally right, good reproduction shows poorly produced audio for what it is. That's why we need monitor headphones in the studio, so we can make sure we don't produce audio that sounds like garbage on good hi-fi systems
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That's like the audio version of the complaints people have with HDTV - it looks too real, i can see Brad Pitt's zits, porn looks gross, the sets look fake.
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I never pay more than $200 - or even $150 these days now that I found Grado SR-80i's for around that price. Leaky as hell, but damn do you get good sound for the price.
Of course, the cheapest I've heard were the Koss Porta-Pros - $40 for some impressive sound quality.
Spending a ton of money on headphones is ridiculous - and yes, the next step up in Grado to the SR-125's jumps from $140 to $300+.
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Please, tell us how much more special you are, AC. The majority of people like to "make pretend" every so often that they don't live in boring, overly protective/prescriptive western society.
What works? (Score:5, Insightful)
If USB doesn't work and Bluetooth doesn't work then what does?
Re:What works? (Score:5, Funny)
HDCP
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Er, analogue audio? HDMI? S/PDIF? TOSLINK? ADAT? SSB? VHF FM? DAB?
No idea if any of these are supported by PS4, just stunned that someone thinks USB and Bluetooth are the only possible options for audio IO.
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The vast majority of headsets use either Bluetooth or plug in with USB.
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Pity, it'd be nice to see DAB useful for something...
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*Console headsets*, yes.
Both are shitty solutions. When we have games that are putting out high quality 5.1 and 7.1 audio streams and sometimes even PCM, why in the fuck would they limit people to only listening to them over bluetooth or USB, which are notoriously shit for audio quality?!
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generally you might just want different audio to the headset and from headset back to the console.
now if it had a headphones and mic connector this wouldn't be a problem at all, fixed by a ten dollar dongle.
but if it has a bluetooth chip then why the fuck wouldn't they update it to support audio?
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Er, analogue audio? HDMI? S/PDIF? TOSLINK? ADAT? SSB? VHF FM? DAB?
No idea if any of these are supported by PS4, just stunned that someone thinks USB and Bluetooth are the only possible options for audio IO.
This isn't about general audio I/O. This is about supporting headsets. As far as I know there are no headsets in existence that use the interfaces you listed.
I know it's like pissing up a rope to expect someone to RTFA but can we at least read the summary before barfing something out.
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I love it when people criticize my posts without having a clue what they're talking about. I didn't feel like dishing out a pile of hate at them as I knew someone else would come along eventually and do it for me. Thanks.
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Exactly. Unless the new PS4 controllers have an audio jack just like the 360 controllers did?
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It does? Shit. I never noticed that before. ...facepalm...
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The 3.5mm jack on the controller. I am the owner of the Sony Pulse Elite headset, I bought it because it is a very good device. The feature that I like the most is that you can plug it on a USB port (dumb one, only for power) and plug a standard 3.5mm jack with stereo sound and microphone connection and the USB dongle will wireless stream it. I am not buying the PS4 on the first months, but if I could, I probably use that feature until the USB audio support is added on the promised firmware update
Re:What works? (Score:4, Informative)
See this image [google.com]
Re:What works? I'll tell you... (Score:2)
Never buy consoles at launch. (Score:5, Insightful)
If it's not right, don't ship it. If it's not ready, don't ship it.
A company I used to work for lived by these words, if only the rest of the world did. (and if only they did too, they kinda don't anymore)
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They also need it on the shelves for the holidays rush.
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If it's not right, don't ship it. If it's not ready, don't ship it.
A company I used to work for lived by these words, if only the rest of the world did. (and if only they did too, they kinda don't anymore)
bankrupt, I presume?
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Unfortunately, that doesn't fly here, because they're in a race to launch against Microsoft and they already suffered a bit of defeat the last eight years, because they launched late and their competition ate their lunch. Besides, Microsoft already demonstrated that it doesn't matter. Your hardware can literally burn itself out with an eventual failure rate of 100% (100% of launch 360s were guaranteed to eventually red-ring) and people will just give you another $500 and buy another one.
Christmas doesn't move (Score:2)
Complaining about companies not managing to keep schedules is valid. But suggesting they just delay a few months and ship after Christmas is absurd. And suggesting they delay an entire year makes no sense either. A tech product which is up-to-date for a Christmas release this year is behind the curve if it is delayed a year.
Game discs with OS updates on them (Score:2)
Huh? (Score:4, Informative)
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Heck, the damn thing probably _has_ Bluetooth capabilities, they just didn't want to bother writing the software to integrate support for it in the PS4 OS..
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1) Delay the PS4 release and brush up the software, until it's "complete". But lose hype and marketshare to the WiiU and XBone (and maybe even Steam Machines if they delay too much.)
2) Release now and patch the non-essential software holes as time goes, as their hype/momentum is at maximum.
One the biggest issues with the PS3 for most part of it's life time was the fact sony
Worth Noting that a Compatible Headset (Score:5, Informative)
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The DualShock 4 does have an audio jack and the included headset works with that. I'm still surprised they've dropped Bluetooth support though.
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It's consistent with Sony's belief that they can continue to push proprietary accessories on a standards-driven market.
MiniDisc
Beta
MemoryStick
This nonUSB/nonBT headphone that plugs into the DS4 controller - is it a 3.5mm stereo plug? - will non-Sony headsets work without adapters?
Some things take off - IF they have a co-opetition partner like Philips (cassette, CD)
No necessarily a problem... (Score:2)
... as I won't going to buy a PS4 while my PS3 setup is working fine.
I can change my mind when the migration to PS4 could fit my pockets. Until there, Sony can do whatever they want that it will only affects the ones willing to buy a PS4! ;-)
Just another (Score:3)
It's a good thing... (Score:3)
...that I do my best not to talk to gamers.
USB Truth (Score:5, Funny)
USB, the only rectangular connector that takes 3 attempts to connect properly.
Except for... (Score:2)
Except for that little bit where there's zero backwards compatibility with PS3 games, beside which the lack of backwards compatibility for headsets is a pretty minor thing. It's certainly the #1 reason i'm not going to be getting a PS4 at launch. #2 of course being the wait until any initial hardware issues are resolved and #3 being that if i wait long enough there will be a price cut. I've got too many PS3 games i ne
Not everybody absolutely needs back-compat (Score:2)
Most PS3 users do not use a headset (Score:3)
If you use a Bluetooth headset (as most PS3 owners do)
Most PS3 users do not use any headset, never mind those that are Bluetooth.
I think what you meant to say was "If your PS3 headset is Bluetooth (as most are).."
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Yeah, PS3 users don't talk.
TRITTON AX PRO 5.1 (Score:2)
My TRITTON AXPRO 5.1 uses a TOSlink connector, so it will continue to work. I've thought about upgrading to a wireless Mad Catz (who bought TRITTON), but the reviews indicate that the quality dropped drastically.
I also have the OEM PS3 Bluetooth. I had bought it to use with the PS3 Eye for video conferencing, but VC across the internet is still hit or miss. I used it with my cell phone for a while, but the battery life sucked and there was no noise cancellation, so I ended up getting a Plantronics. Sinc
Here's an idea... (Score:2)
Sony releases PS4 (Score:2)
No Bluetooth. No USB. But more space than a Nomad. Lame.
Bluetooth is not about backwards compatibility (Score:3)
Not supporting Bluetooth headsets for chat isn't about backwards compatibility considering bluetooth is the standard for wireless headsets designed for chat. If this really is not going to be addressed then either they are being lazy and not developing a full bluetooth stack or they are attempting to force people into buying an expensive proprietary Sony chat solution. As someone that uses a pair of Motorola S10-HDs for chat this is the push I need to completely switch to Steam.
Re:Bluetooth is not about backwards compatibility (Score:4, Insightful)
They're not being lazy, they're being Sony. If you expect anything different you haven't been paying attention.
Re:Bluetooth is not about backwards compatibility (Score:4, Informative)
yeah it's not like bluetooth was invented at what is now part of sony.................. oh wait it was.
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Remember their DRM ROOTKIT for crying out loud?
Or how about the playstation that let you load Linux? (The US military built a cheap supercomputer out of hundreds of playstations).
The only reason Sony is still in the game business is because their only real competitor is Microsoft (The wii is for families, not gamers).
Sony is in business because they are like the teams in t
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bluetooth is the standards for wireless headsets
FTFY. There are multiple audio protocols in BT, e.g. mono versus A2DP and on top of A2DP a bunch of optional codecs. Also there is Certified Wireless USB, if you can find it.
Re:Bluetooth is not about backwards compatibility (Score:4, Interesting)
Actuallyt hey could be going ahead with spatial chat. which give you your buddy's voice spatially correct in your ears to where he is in the game. Something that would significantly increase immersion.
Re:Backwards compatibility is not a right (Score:5, Insightful)
"But it won't work with my ten-year-old $thing!" is the reason so many new products get bogged down before launch.
It isn't really Sony's problem to chase down every last bug with every last shit headset on the market; but implementing not-totally-fucked support for the USB Audio Device Class [usb.org] is one of those things that an OS not mired in the stone age is sort of expected to be able to handle.
Similarly, implementing support for Bluetooth 1.0/1.1 headset/handsfree profile and newer Bluetooth A2DP headsets is not exactly rocket surgery by the standards of shipping an operating system.
Again, supporting every last device means running up against some seriously fucked up firmware; but not even supporting your own-branded devices? Pure laziness.
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Again, supporting every last device means running up against some seriously fucked up firmware; but not even supporting your own-branded devices? Pure laziness.
Or a completely transparent cash grab. Consoles have always been about the peripheral upsell. Industry standards throw a huge shoe in that business model.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Their systems driver group has drivers that work with everything already. This is a corporate decision, not a technical or even support costs issue.
Re: (Score:2)
To call this backwards compatibility, there bluetooth would need to have been replaced by something else as a headset standard. It hasn't. It's the latest thing there is, and Sony does not support it.
WIRED headsets is backwards compatibility. Who even uses wired headsets in the living room!?
Re: (Score:3)
and spend hundreds of $$$ to play CoD or Battlefield or whatever
spending all the money pre-ordering a game system where you know next to nothing about a product. funny how these little details only come out so soon before it starts to ship
What's funnier is the Rev B, C, D ... hardware will cost the same or less and be readily available on a shelf when I want to go buy it in February, when I get my tax return. It's not like it's limited edition or there's something special about the first ones. The days of that kind of treat I fear have ended. All you get now is barely out of BETA hardware and software for all that waiting in the cold, overnight, in a line outside a Walmart, or Best Buy, or GameStop. No thanks. I'll get the Rev B/C/D hardware