Which console, if one at all?

D

Dev

Member
London
Mornin' all!

Before anyone says it, I did do a search and found this topic http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=33230&hilit=xbox#p449849 but rather than resurrect it I wanted to start a new thread, I hope no-one minds!

I'd always wanted to get a nice full-HD plasma screen but never really stayed in enough to make it worthwhile - finally I bought one a few months back, a 42" Panasonic - it's a low-end model but it's perfectly fine for me. However, to get the best from it I'm going to need a HD source. I'm not giving Sky my money, I can't stand them as a company. So it's Freeview and it's 4-5 HD channels for me at the moment, I've copied films to USB and also rigged up the laptop to watch films through that a couple of times but I'm thinking about getting a PS3 and a LoveFilm/Netflix subscription, I was wondering what your thoughts were? I know I can still get a subscription and use the laptop, it's just that I'd rather have something I can leave permanently connected to the screen - I can quite cheaply and easily build a media centre pc.

I've been out of the gaming scene for quite a while, the last consoles I bought were a DS Lite and before that a PS2 - but I wouldn't mind getting back into it again. Seems the world these days is split into the 2 camps - XBox or PS3 - both of which have been out a while and have their own games that are better/available on one rather than the other. Should I bite the bullet and get one now or wait till the 'next generation' consoles are released, whenever that may be? Asides from the gaming, what are the media centre capabilities of each like?
 
I've got a Samsung BD-D8500 - 3D Bluray player, Freeview HD recorder (500GB) with built-in WiFi so has Lovefilm, BBC iPlayer etc. Excellent bit of kit and with WiFi and 3D it's very future proof. :thumbsup:
 
peddy said:
Xbox. :thumbsup:

If I'm not mistaken Lovefilm doesn't stream HD.
Click to expand...

Ah, that's scuppered that idea then! That said, I guess I could still get the Blu-Ray's delivered...
 
I have a ps3... I hardly use it, but more then adequate... But for streaming hd... One word.... Netflicks!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
PS3 here... they were the pioneers of on-demand BBC / ITV / C4 Internet TV into your television. Additionally the PS3 has an upscaler so when u play your old DVDs, gives better picture & has all the connectors u need to put into a surround sound amp, plus USB ports & can upgrade to a larger HD quite easily... have mine linked over wifi to computer so can stream films & pictures, though needs a meaty network to stream HD.

Depends if it's just for games (Xbox nudges ahead here) or complete all in one entertainment with upgradable software over the net... PS3 wins hands down here...
 
PS3... But unless you are actually gonna play games there are lots of very good Blu-Ray players for less money.
I haven't used the Internet streaming services but then my broadband speed was 0.2mb/s at the last test so it would take me a week...! :?
 
0.2 Mbps!!!!! :o
Who are you with? That's shocking... I didn't even know max speeds like that still existed!
 
Yeah... With BT. Cable is not available where I live... I also don't really have neighbours so I can play what I like as loud as I like...! Some you win...
 
I have a little HD media player that has net Flix usb input remote etc and is much cheaper than an xbox/ps3. I don't really play games. Weestern digital I think about $60

For network use a power over Ethernet kit (it turns your powerpoints into Ethernet connections) net gear and dlink make them. Then you will never have to worry about the lag associated with streaming over wireless networks, and there cheaper than a decent wifi router too :thumbsup:
 
So since the initial post, I thought I'd put up a little update...

I've done a complete about-turn and decided against buying a console, purely because I decided that the money could be better spent on a few jobs on the car that I would like done sooner rather than later. Also, not having been able to allocate time for some other tasks means that I probably wouldn't be gaming for a while! So we've pretty much left the wife's laptop connected via HDMI to the screen and got a Netflix subscription.. we're still in the trial period but unsure about keeping it - while the HD streaming is great, the selection of films is terrible! In reality, we've mostly been watching Dexter seasons 1 & 2 as we missed it when it first came on TV.

I might drop some money (considerably less than a console) on a blu-ray player and have the LoveFilm discs-by-post thing, their selection is supposed to be a bit better.

Thanks again for all the feedback!
 
i anticipate the next gen consoles will be announced around the 3rd quarter of this year. i would just get a cheap blu-ray player that streams netflix if i were you
 
The only thing with streaming is you have to watch your download limit with your ISP as it's very easy to go way over. I've had to up my limit from 40Gb to 80Gb and that's just iPlayer and Catch-up TV on a couple of tablets. I think you'd be better off with the discs in the post with Love Film.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Unlimited BT Infinity broadband with PS3, Wii, net enabled blue ray player and TV and Apple TV here! Only ever rented a film on Apple TV so far! :P
 
shadowdrgn0 said:
i anticipate the next gen consoles will be announced around the 3rd quarter of this year. i would just get a cheap blu-ray player that streams netflix if i were you
Click to expand...

I'm sure I read somewhere recently that you won't see a new X-Box until 2015?
 
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