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View Poll Results: What are you buying?
Xbox One 66 15.46%
PS4 189 44.26%
Changed from Xbox One to PS4 8 1.87%
Changed from PS4 to Xbox One 6 1.41%
Getting both (eventually) 30 7.03%
Waiting for more info 60 14.05%
Not getting either 68 15.93%
Voters: 427. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 01-29-2014, 08:32 AM   #2001
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Didn't see this posted;

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/28/bu...=business&_r=0

Moody’s said Monday that it had downgraded its credit rating on Sony to junk status, citing the deepening woes of the company’s consumer electronics business.

Sony could refocus on profitable divisions and reinvest in the playstation brand, they could sell off the playstation brand (extremely unlikely imo), or they could suck the cash out of the playstation brand to help turnaround other parts of the business.

i think that this gives sony added incentive to be successful with the ps brand; m$ should beware the wounded and angry animal!
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Old 01-29-2014, 12:52 PM   #2002
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Digital Foundry put up their concluding analysis of Tomb Raider DE today (adding to their original impressions from a few days ago). They really go in depth and is worth a full read on just a technical level.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/di...t-gen-face-off

To begin with, let's address the differences between the two versions of the Definitive Edition on offer. PlayStation 4 users get a comfortably delivered 1080p presentation backed up with a post-process FXAA solution that has minimal impact on texture quality, sporting decent coverage across the scene, bar some shimmer around more finely detailed objects. Meanwhile the situation is more interesting on the Xbox One: the anti-aliasing solution remains unchanged, but we see the inclusion of what looks like a variable resolution framebuffer in some scenes, while some cut-scenes are rendered at a locked 900p, explaining the additional blur in some of our Xbox One screenshots.

Curiously, there are also a few lower-resolution textures in places on Xbox One, but this seems to be down to a bug (perhaps on level of detail transitions) as opposed to a conscious downgrade.

The areas that appear compromised on Xbox One suggest that the transition to developing on the new console isn't going as smoothly as Microsoft would like. Overall though, the visual differences between the two next-gen platforms are fairly minimal and we should stress that the Definitive Edition of Tomb Raider is really quite stunning to behold on both consoles, with the familiar island of Yamatai - and indeed Lara Croft herself - getting a significant graphical upgrade over the 360 and PS3 versions, extending far beyond a simple increase in resolution and frame-rate. 



But despite the inconsistency in the PS4 experience, we still feel it's the preferable buy. During combat - a key element in the game - we see the Xbox One drop down to the mid 20s, with the PS4's higher frame-rate offering a clear advantage in both smoothness and response, despite the fluctuations - the bottom line is that the differences between 40-50fps on the PS4 are far less of an issue than, say, the 24-30fps drops incurred by the Xbox One.

That said, when exploring more complex locations filled with heavier effects work, the more consistent frame-rate provided by Xbox One has some advantages - motion has less judder during fast camera pans and more hectic moments, while the controls feel more stable. This is most obvious when the PS4 hovers between the 40-45fps mark, but once we reach metrics closer to 60fps, the inconsistent frame-rate is no longer a problem, and we get a smooth and fluid gameplay experience that the Xbox One simply cannot match. When PS4 operates at the full 60fps, it's a superb experience - but its performance drops are in no way as damaging to the experience as they are on the Microsoft platform.

Overall, PlayStation 4 takes the lead where the next-gen consoles are concerned, with the higher quality effects work and higher frame-rates providing a preferable experience overall, particularly during heated combat, where the drops in performance are both felt and seen more heavily on the Xbox One. That said, as we pointed out in the performance analysis earlier this week, we would have liked an optional 30fps cap in the display settings to eliminate the judder during the frame-rate fluctuations and keep absolute consistency with controller response throughout.

Of course, there is another factor to consider: price. The cost of the Definitive Edition varies considerably, but the outlay for a one-year-old title with a new lick of paint certainly isn't cheap considering that the original game can be picked up for under £10 on both current gen consoles and PC. On the one hand, if you've already played the game (on PC especially), a recommendation for the Definitive Edition is hard to make. But on the flipside, this is a beautiful game - one of the best-looking titles to appear on next-gen - and on the PlayStation 4 in particular, it's a lovely showcase for the capabilities of next-gen hardware.
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Old 01-29-2014, 03:23 PM   #2003
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I'll be sure to pick up TR: DE for PS4 when it drops in price in a few months.

Right now, I'm playing FIFA14 and I absolutely love it. Probably the best sports game I've ever played - the random bounces and plays seem so realistic compared to the ps3 version. I'm very excited for NHL on PS4, especially after the year gap.
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Old 01-29-2014, 08:08 PM   #2004
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Quote:
Originally Posted by McG View Post
Didn't see this posted;

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/28/bu...=business&_r=0

Moody’s said Monday that it had downgraded its credit rating on Sony to junk status, citing the deepening woes of the company’s consumer electronics business.

Sony could refocus on profitable divisions and reinvest in the playstation brand, they could sell off the playstation brand (extremely unlikely imo), or they could suck the cash out of the playstation brand to help turnaround other parts of the business.

i think that this gives sony added incentive to be successful with the ps brand; m$ should beware the wounded and angry animal!
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Moody’s said it expected “the majority” of Sony’s consumer electronics business to “continue to face significant downward earnings pressure.”

“The primary reason is intense competition and the shrinkage in demand, the result in turn of cannibalization caused by the rapid penetration of smartphones,” the agency said.
Not sure how they will be able to climb out of their funk. I don't see them making any gains in the TV or cell phone market and if anything it appears things are going to get worse. The end is coming.
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Old 01-30-2014, 08:43 AM   #2005
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The end is coming.
I highly doubt that. Fitch downgraded them over a year ago and Moodys maintained the stable outlook for the company.
There are multiple re-org options ahead of them, including selling the PC division, selling TV division, or battling the huge pension liabilities they have. Their largest divisions are Insurance and Financial Services, and Film/Music. Further, despite the downgrade, analysts believe that Sony would not have trouble finding money with lenders due to the brand recognition and name value in Japan.
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Old 01-30-2014, 09:01 AM   #2006
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The reason Sony had become synonymous with quality was because of their TV's when they had the patent on their trinitron technology. The trinitron TV's gave the best looking picture available for a home television. They were higher priced and became known for their quality, and consumer perception became that their home audio equipment was also superior (even though it really wasn't) and they could sell it for higher prices. That run lasted for about 30 years.

Now their TV business is hurting because they no longer have the competitive advantage. Their audio business also seems to have struggled.

They're damn lucky they caught lightning in a bottle again, this time with the Playstation 1, 2, 3 and 4. Coincidentally (or not) the PS 1 came out about the time the trinitron patent was expiring.

I think their tv/home audio business will continue to drop unless they come up with something spectacular. I also think they're way behind microsoft in terms of positioning the PS4 as a media machine. They have the stronger gaming system this time around, and a better price point, but projecting to the future they depend on the PS4 to stay alive, and they need to be stronger. I think the VAIO business will die, the computers they build just aren't worth the price premium, and some VAIO's I've used have been junk.

The bold move would be to separate the tv/home audio division into a new company, or spin out the PS4 and VAIO business allowing each group to focus on what they do best. Spinning out the PS4 would give that company more cash and leverage moving forward and not hamper future development by forcing Sony to divert PS4 profits to prop up the rest of Sony's finances.
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Old 01-30-2014, 09:04 AM   #2007
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selling TV division, or battling the huge pension liabilities they have.
To me Sony means TV and if they sell their TV division, it is reasonable to expect all major Japanese manufacturers like Panasocnic and Sharp will have to sell theirs as well.

Meanwhile you have all these cheaper Chinese upstart trying to get a pie in the TV industry. There's always going to be a TV display industry. I think it's important for Sony to start finding a way to make money off of it.
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Old 01-30-2014, 09:18 AM   #2008
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BF, AC4 and KZ for PS4 on sale for $35 at Target apparently. Could price match at FS/BB too I guess.

http://flyers.target.ca/flyers/targe...r_run_id=17294
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Old 01-30-2014, 10:09 AM   #2009
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For the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, I went to Deerfoot Meadows to try and pick it up last night and it was sold out at EB and Future Shop. Went to Best Buy and they only had one copy left. But tons of XO versions. The guy at EB said they were shorted on their PS4 shipments and were only given enough for pre-sales.

So just a heads up that there may be a shortage of them on PS4.

Game is just beautiful though. I was only planning to play it for a bit last night and once I started, I just couldn't put it down. Compared to the PS3 version it feels like the environment is alive. Shrubs and trees blowing in the breeze, light fog in the air, fires crackling and the embers raising up. It's very engaging.
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Old 01-30-2014, 10:21 AM   #2010
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Any PS4 owners drop a SSD into their console yet? Does it make as profound of a difference as dropping a SSD into a PC? I'm thinking of going this route.
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Old 01-30-2014, 10:22 AM   #2011
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Any PS4 owners drop a SSD into their console yet? Does it make as profound of a difference as dropping a SSD into a PC? I'm thinking of going this route.
http://ca.ign.com/wikis/playstation-...est_Comparison
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Old 01-30-2014, 11:53 AM   #2012
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I highly doubt that. Fitch downgraded them over a year ago and Moodys maintained the stable outlook for the company.
There are multiple re-org options ahead of them, including selling the PC division, selling TV division, or battling the huge pension liabilities they have. Their largest divisions are Insurance and Financial Services, and Film/Music. Further, despite the downgrade, analysts believe that Sony would not have trouble finding money with lenders due to the brand recognition and name value in Japan.
Not to argue any of your points, but Free Cash Flow is negative as long as Sony as an entity keeps losing money. All of the loans and carving off of divisions means nothing if they cannot generate the money needed to sustain operations, service debt, and invest in the companies underneath the corporate umbrella. increasing debt is irrelevant if it can't be serviced.

For those with an interest, the explanation is here: http://https://www.moodys.com/resear...ble--PR_291264

Is it all over for Sony and the PS brand? of course not. however the contrast between Sony and M$ is interesting. it has been suggested that M$ sell the Xbox unit because it doesn't make as much money compared to other parts of Microsoft. one company is definitely stronger financially.

we'll see what that means going forward as each platform tries to differentiate itself from the other.
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Old 01-30-2014, 12:35 PM   #2013
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Quote:
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I highly doubt that. Fitch downgraded them over a year ago and Moodys maintained the stable outlook for the company.
There are multiple re-org options ahead of them, including selling the PC division, selling TV division, or battling the huge pension liabilities they have. Their largest divisions are Insurance and Financial Services, and Film/Music. Further, despite the downgrade, analysts believe that Sony would not have trouble finding money with lenders due to the brand recognition and name value in Japan.
What's going to be left is they get out of consumer electronics like TV's and phones which are two areas they are struggling mightily with a bleak outlook on the horizon? Music/Film and PS? I don't think they have the 1st party game recognition and portable market to survive like Nintendo.
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Old 01-30-2014, 12:43 PM   #2014
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At Microsoft Stores. EDIT: NVM, I didn't realize that there were no stores in Calgary. I thought there was one for some reason.


Last edited by chemgear; 01-30-2014 at 01:04 PM.
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Old 01-30-2014, 01:12 PM   #2015
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^Damn. I could have used that. I still have my old YLOD'd fat PS3 sitting around.
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Old 01-30-2014, 01:45 PM   #2016
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What's going to be left is they get out of consumer electronics like TV's and phones which are two areas they are struggling mightily with a bleak outlook on the horizon? Music/Film and PS? I don't think they have the 1st party game recognition and portable market to survive like Nintendo.
Their TV sales accounted for 9% of 2013 revenue, phones a more significant 18%. However, on the bottom line, both of these have been losing money and likely requiring significant R&D expenses (towards a losing cause).
Financial Services accounted for 77% of Sony's 2013 operating income ($145 MM), while mobile products and home entertainment contributed a negative -$181 MM in the same year.
Aside from these, Sony is left with: imaging products (likely in decline), games, audio, semiconductors, Sony Pictures, and Sony Music.
As for servicing the debt, I would wager that without these money losing divisions, their operating cash flow would well cover the expenses for growing the business and servicing the debt.
It would be painful for a company that does not want to lose face, but there are options.

(note: I know next to nothing about consumer products businesses. Just looking at their financial statements. Sony is more than the what we the average north american person sees: Average TVs, average phones, awesome game system)
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Old 01-30-2014, 02:45 PM   #2017
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I would ditch my PS3 if the XBone could do NetFlix SuperHD.
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Old 01-31-2014, 07:16 AM   #2018
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I would ditch my PS3 if the XBone could do NetFlix SuperHD.
It can't? I haven't checked mine but my Apple TV does it so I just assume than all devices that get Netflix can.
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Old 01-31-2014, 07:54 AM   #2019
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It can't? I haven't checked mine but my Apple TV does it so I just assume than all devices that get Netflix can.
https://support.netflix.com/en/node/8731

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Apple TV with 1080p
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Roku with 1080p*
Sony PlayStation 3
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Windows 8 App
Blu-Ray Players, Smart TV's, Home Theaters, and Streaming Players with existing Netflix 1080p support*
More devices coming soon!

*Note: Although some Super HD eligible devices do not currently display the Super HD logo, we continue to provide Super HD video quality for these devices.
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Old 01-31-2014, 11:39 AM   #2020
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Not really a surprise, Xbox One can't even play most games in full HD.
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