• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Thought of a use for dual HDMI support on PS3

R

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
Some of you have been trying to figure out a reason for the dual HDMI PS3 support - a use that more than a handful might actually use. I think I found it.

You know the rumors of a PSX-type PS3, one that has more features? I'm guessing that will be a reality, and that the standard PS3 will have an upgrade path to it. One of the big features of this upgrade will be a full-featured DVR (probably HD even).

Couple this with the premise that Sony wants PS3 to be the center of your home's media, the answer is obvious. Its so you can simultaneaously watch differing media in two separate rooms. I'm just wondering what sort of remote they'll use so you can control your media from the room without the PS3 actually being there. My bet, RF.
 
I dunno, the best usage for those ports would be the ability to use one console for a multiplayer game. It becomes annoying to haul XBOXen all over the place when you want to enjoy multi-screen multiplayer. The ability to attach multiple display devices to one unit and play a mutiplayer game in that fashion would rock!

sooo you're going to have a 100ft HDMI cable running from your PS3 to another room?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the idea of buying such a cable (does it even exist?) seems insane. The price of a 6ft cable was already high enough. I can't imagine buying something 100ft in length. :\ HDMI and DVI both lose quality over distance as well, so something that long would be a real issue.
 
Don't like that idea, I think they should just copy what developers are doing with the DS like the overhead maps, stats etc.
 
only use i see realistically is media rooom. one HDMI feed to front projection system and other to smaller HD monitor for daytime/casual use.

this "feature" won't make it past revision 1 of the PS3.
 
Hard to say how hard Sony is going to be pushing it really. For a PSX like PS3, there's definately more use out of it than the normal PS3. However, all split screen games better offer the option to have 2nd screen on the 2nd output...

OTOH, 32 : 9 Ape Escape Jam will be kind of cool.

If GT5 supports 32 : 9 I'll be so tempted to pick up 2 HD projectors to have full blown, borderless 32 : 9 screen... However I don't see this mode being supported in too many games because if the game is pushing hardware's limits, 32 : 9 will just eat up so much more fillrate which requires the bandwidth that PS3 doesn't really have. Nevertheless, 32 : 9 for 7 players party game isn't out of question. :D
 
dark10x said:
I dunno, the best usage for those ports would be the ability to use one console for a multiplayer game. It becomes annoying to haul XBOXen all over the place when you want to enjoy multi-screen multiplayer. The ability to attach multiple display devices to one unit and play a mutiplayer game in that fashion would rock!
Click to expand...
I wonder does the graphic card have the power to process two full screen game screens. That would take alot of pixel pushing power for a highly graphical game.
 
Vark,

For people that want media in more than one room (which is becoming more and more common), they'd need to run some sort of cable into the other room. HDMI makes it easy since its only one cable with audio and video.

Granted, the prices will need to come down ... but they should now that HDMI is pretty much the standard for digital A/V
 
Personally, I could use it for videochat simultaneously with gameplay - I have my PC monitor in a corner of the room near my big screen (aka, my wall - i've a projector), so if I put my eyetoy on there I could just glance over to it when chatting to someone, and then glance back to the game...almost as good as having someone there with you ;)
 
chinch said:
only use i see realistically is media rooom. one HDMI feed to front projection system and other to smaller HD monitor for daytime/casual use.

this "feature" won't make it past revision 1 of the PS3.
Click to expand...

So you think multiscreen gaming for multiplayer is not important? The XBOX has made that quite a popular feature, you know. XBOX lan sessions are VERY popular even with casual gamers. Being able to use ONE console to power two TVs would be an incredible feature. It would allow fewer overall systems to get big games rolling.

I wonder does the graphic card have the power to process two full screen game screens. That would take alot of pixel pushing power for a highly graphical game.
Click to expand...

Of course it would. Current systems can handle 4-player split screen. They often reduce the detail, of course, but each of those 4 windows must still draw the entire game screen. Just think of it as "splitscreen" with two screens. If the devs needed to, they could just cut down on details when using this mode or something similar. Depending on the game, that may not even be necessary.
 
dorio said:
Don't like that idea, I think they should just copy what developers are doing with the DS like the overhead maps, stats etc.
Click to expand...

I highly doubt devs are gonna spend extra time on a feature that .000001% of the gaming populace will actually use.

GAFers need to be hit with the reality stick sometimes... you realize most gamers wont even have an HDTV for a long fucking time? Probably well on into Xbox 3 / PS4.
 
Onix said:
Vark,

For people that want media in more than one room (which is becoming more and more common), they'd need to run some sort of cable into the other room. HDMI makes it easy since its only one cable with audio and video.

Granted, the prices will need to come down ... but they should now that HDMI is pretty much the standard for digital A/V
Click to expand...

no you don't... PS3 has bult-in wireless. They can communicate and stream data just fine using it. TiVo already does it over 11Mbps and it works fine... The PS3 will have no problems over 54Mbps, even with HD material.
 
dark10x said:
So you think multiscreen gaming for multiplayer is not important? The XBOX has made that quite a popular feature, you know. XBOX lan sessions are VERY popular even with casual gamers. Being able to use ONE console to power two TVs would be an incredible feature. It would allow fewer overall systems to get big games rolling.

Of course it would. Current systems can handle 4-player split screen. They often reduce the detail, of course, but each of those 4 windows must still draw the entire game screen. Just think of it as "splitscreen" with two screens. If the devs needed to, they could just cut down on details when using this mode or something similar. Depending on the game, that may not even be necessary.
Click to expand...
Xbox lan sessions are VERY popular, yet the box has one output.

Removing ourselves from theory, in reality developers will have their hands full with PS3/360. To think any developer/publisher would spend resources catering to a 0.5% utilitized "dual monitor" feature would be a stretch.
 
it would be cool, but the "reality stick" needs to be cracked on this topic.

online gaming handles this better, in full 720/1080 res, and can appeal to millions of people not just a few geeks with multiple "monitors" and TVs in one room.
 
chinch said:
it would be cool, but the "reality stick" needs to be cracked on this topic.

online gaming handles this better, in full 720/1080 res, and can appeal to millions of people not just a few geeks with multiple "monitors" and TVs in one room.
Click to expand...

Just a few? Do you even realize how common it is for college folk to have access to multiple display devices? Even the most casual gamers got in on XBOX lan gaming in the dorms and having multiple TVs in one room was ultra common. Online play is very different from this...
 
no you don't... PS3 has bult-in wireless. They can communicate and stream data just fine using it. TiVo already does it over 11Mbps and it works fine... The PS3 will have no problems over 54Mbps, even with HD material.
Click to expand...

Since when do most people have displays with WiFi on them? I don't understand how we're talking about the same situation.



it would be cool, but the "reality stick" needs to be cracked on this topic.

online gaming handles this better, in full 720/1080 res, and can appeal to millions of people not just a few geeks with multiple "monitors" and TVs in one room.
Click to expand...

Don't blame the topic, DS multi-screen wasn't part of my thread :D
 
dark10x said:
Just a few? Do you even realize how common it is for college folk to have access to multiple display devices? Even the most casual gamers got in on XBOX lan gaming in the dorms and having multiple TVs in one room was ultra common. Online play is very different from this...
Click to expand...

Foolish boy, weren't you paying attention to the locked thread? chinch knows EVERYTHING.
 
dark10x said:
So you think multiscreen gaming for multiplayer is not important? The XBOX has made that quite a popular feature, you know. XBOX lan sessions are VERY popular even with casual gamers. Being able to use ONE console to power two TVs would be an incredible feature. It would allow fewer overall systems to get big games rolling.



Of course it would. Current systems can handle 4-player split screen. They often reduce the detail, of course, but each of those 4 windows must still draw the entire game screen. Just think of it as "splitscreen" with two screens. If the devs needed to, they could just cut down on details when using this mode or something similar. Depending on the game, that may not even be necessary.
Click to expand...
But those systems only have to draw one quarter of the screen.
no you don't... PS3 has bult-in wireless. They can communicate and stream data just fine using it. TiVo already does it over 11Mbps and it works fine... The PS3 will have no problems over 54Mbps, even with HD material.
Click to expand...
I don't understand the need for the 2nd graphic output under that scenario.
 
dark10x said:
Just a few? Do you even realize how common it is for college folk to have access to multiple display devices? Even the most casual gamers got in on XBOX lan gaming in the dorms and having multiple TVs in one room was ultra common. Online play is very different from this...
Click to expand...
Look, useful or not reality says that >99% of the gaming buyers won't be using it.
 
dark10x said:
I dunno, the best usage for those ports would be the ability to use one console for a multiplayer game. It becomes annoying to haul XBOXen all over the place when you want to enjoy multi-screen multiplayer. The ability to attach multiple display devices to one unit and play a mutiplayer game in that fashion would rock!



Yeah, the idea of buying such a cable (does it even exist?) seems insane. The price of a 6ft cable was already high enough. I can't imagine buying something 100ft in length. :\ HDMI and DVI both lose quality over distance as well, so something that long would be a real issue.
Click to expand...

hdmi cable is pretty cheap if you know where to look, the suckers who buy them from best buy and radio shack etc, :lol
 
My thoughts on the whole PS3 port stuff.

Sony is shooting for the audio/video phile on these things and well they are doing it wrong. They want to make the PS3 the hub, when in fact the hub in the family room is the A/V reciever. Very few of these have HDMI support today and they are very expensive. My consoles will plug into the A/V reciever and not the monitors. I have a couple of devices that have HDMI outputs, dont use them. Why? Well my A/V Reciever doesnt have HDMI. My Plasma TV does, but who the blazes with a $5000 TV drives the speakers from the TV. To me HDMI directly from the PS3 to the Monitor with speakers really is a waste.

They also seem to be pushing gigabit ethernet which honestly doesnt have much near term future in the homes. The vast majority of homeowners are going the wireless route. So the gigabit ethernet in the PS3 will be a waste. If Johnny has a PS3 in the bedroom and the family has one in the family room the chance of wired connection (That works with gigabit) is very slim.
 
jedimike said:
no you don't... PS3 has bult-in wireless. They can communicate and stream data just fine using it. TiVo already does it over 11Mbps and it works fine... The PS3 will have no problems over 54Mbps, even with HD material.
Click to expand...

Riiigghhhttt..... HDMI bandwidth is ~ 5 Gbps. Granted, HDTV signals only use around half that, but that's still 2.5Gbps of uncompressed digital data you're going to magically stream over a 54Mbps wireless connection?
 
chinch said:
only use i see realistically is media rooom. one HDMI feed to front projection system and other to smaller HD monitor for daytime/casual use.

this "feature" won't make it past revision 1 of the PS3.
Click to expand...
Indeed. So few people have two TV sets so close to one another the second HDMI output is a waste of money.

Expect the second HDMI output and the second and third ethernet ports to go the way of the PlayStation's link port and PS2's FireWire port.
 
Onix said:
Since when do most people have displays with WiFi on them? I don't understand how we're talking about the same situation.
Click to expand...

Yes, I misread your first post. I thought you insinuated the need for a PSX and PS3. My scenario involves 2 PS3's. One with all of your multimedia information on it. The other PS3 would be able to receive any data from the other one wirelessly.

The only need I can think of for 2 HDMI ports is the same as dark10x's. Multiplayer gaming with 2 LCD's... most newer PC LCD's have a DVI connector... just need some converters.
 
Justifying the dual HDMI support is going to require more than just one use, its really going to be a matter of capitalizing on it for a number of uses and right now we don't know enough about the PS3 specs and OS to be sure of exactly what Sony plans out of the box, nevermind what 3rd parties might do with. A couple of recent interviews with Kutaragi and Chatani have hinted at uses based on persistent OS services for things like video/text chat, but its going to be a while yet before we get anything concrete on the subject.
 
dark10x said:
I think you're wrong.
Click to expand...
no problem... time will tell.

Vark said:
Riiigghhhttt..... HDMI bandwidth is ~ 5 Gbps. Granted, HDTV signals only use around half that, but that's still 2.5Gbps of uncompressed digital data you're going to magically stream over a 54Mbps wireless connection?
Click to expand...
:D i bet alot people believed that BS was possible though until you posted. :D

the idea of streaming HD over a 54mbps wireless (that is kicked down to half speed due to interference, etc) is laughable. :lol
 
Yes, I misread your first post. I thought you insinuated the need for a PSX and PS3. My scenario involves 2 PS3's. One with all of your multimedia information on it. The other PS3 would be able to receive any data from the other one wirelessly.
Click to expand...

no prob.

The only need I can think of for 2 HDMI ports is the same as dark10x's. Multiplayer gaming with 2 LCD's... most newer PC LCD's have a DVI connector... just need some converters.
Click to expand...

Yeah, multiplayer will definitly be sweet if this works well.

I still think watching a different movie/media in separate rooms could be useful for some. Not everyone want to set up a network and have a PC in the two rooms they watch TV the most.
 
No doubt dual HDMI outputs opens up alot of possibilities but there would be geared towards the high end users. I consider myself highend, i own a HDTV, i have a home network, i have two PCs ( internet PC and a gaming rig ) 5.1 surround etc...but even i wouldn't have the resorces or uses for 99.9% of the dual HDMI output ideas.

I wouldn't get another HDTV, split screen gaming is fine with me, have been doing for ages, and split screen gaming on a 50 " is like normal gaming on a 27" basically. Stats, maps etc??? What is this a glorified vision of what the VMU and DS is? I don't know, if i was part of that market research session where gamers thought it would be a good idea, i would have shot them all..

DCX
 
I believe Sony will just kill online gaming altogether...but now you'll have the option to forgoe split screen with DUAL MONITORS!!! M$-owned.

Really, it's true. :D
 
The fact that they include it lends credence to the rumor that they decided to use the nvidia pc part late in development. They figured since its there already let's just leave it in. I'm sure some developer will find a use for it. At worst it can be used to show off things at big conferences where you have multiple hdtvs lying around.
 
The fact that they include it lends credence to the rumor that they decided to use the nvidia pc part late in development. They figured since its there already let's just leave it in. I'm sure some developer will find a use for it.
Click to expand...

I highly doubt that is true. Given Sony's PS3 multi-media aspirations, running dual monitors (regardless of the output type) only makes sense.

If it was really something that was left over due to the RSX's PC heritage, I would think Sony would have hidden the fact and not actually used the output. From what I've read regarding the RSX's coupling with CELL, I think this GPU is far more than something just chucked in last minute - and more customized than immediately obvious.
 
I wish people would stop claiming HDMI cables are super-expensive. They are at Best Buy because Best Buy are evil cocks. They are pure digital cables, so go ahead and get a cheap one. There's no difference in performance between a $14 and an $80 cable.

And they have HDMI - DVI cables too.

Cheap Cables Link
 
Stinkles said:
I wish people would stop claiming HDMI cables are super-expensive. They are at Best Buy because Best Buy are evil cocks. They are pure digital cables, so go ahead and get a cheap one. There's no difference in performance between a $14 and an $80 cable.

And they have HDMI - DVI cables too.

Cheap Cables Link
Click to expand...
they're pretty expensive if you go 30-50 feet to go across rooms as some have implied for multiroom distribution. 1 meter cables are not useful to most people nowadays.
 
1 meter cables are not useful to most people nowadays
Click to expand...

No offense, but WTF?

I agree, 100 foot cables, multi-room HDMI hubs and magentic induction for power would all be great, but what relevance does that have to plugging your console into your TV?
 
what happens if someone in your house wants to watch streamed video or video conference on TV#2, while you are playing MGS4? Just slow everything down?

Half of this stuff is only useful for asynchronous applications - two people doing two things independently. Not good if one of those things will suck up all your resources

I like the idea of being able to feed a projector and a TV, but that just needs parallel outputs of the same thing, not separate feeds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Ars Technica: Why won’t Steam Machine support HDMI 2.1? Digging in on the display standard drama.
25
478
JohnnyFootball replied
Ubisoft Admits ‘Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Use Of Dual Protagonists Was “Divisive” And “Split Our Fanbase”
News  2
72
356
Kerotan replied
WIRELESS SUPPORT for haptics on Dualsense Controllers on PC coming VERY SOON : DSX Devs
News 
27
2K
Pharaoh 117 replied
Ghost of yoti Dual katana Gameplay
2 3 4 5
231
3K
solidus12 replied
XBox Producer Suggests Recent Layoffs Use AI For Emotional Support for Losing Jobs to AI
2 3
136
2K
Landr300 replied
Top Bottom