Sony 2004 Annual Report Download - page 16

14
PSX—A world of entertainment in one box
An industry first: The convergence of games and
electronics in a single unit
Enhanced user control thanks to a GUI that is
supported by PlayStation 2 technology
PSX arose from the idea of making a consumer
AV product using state-of-the-art semiconductor
technology developed for PlayStation 2 (PS2)—
the world’s number one home gaming system,
from Sony’s game business. PSX drastically alters
the image of DVD recorders, with differences
extending far beyond its functionality and design.
The feeling of direct control that users experience
is unlike that of any conventional AV device. How
did Sony accomplish this? The answer lies in two
semiconductors at the heart of PS2: the
EmotionEngine (EE) CPU and the Graphics Syn-
thesizer (GS) image processor. In PSX, both the EE
and GS are on a single chip, a feat made possible
by Sony’s unprecedented advances in semicon-
ductor engineering and manufacturing. Further-
more, the tremendous amount of time and
energy taken by engineers to perfect the graphi-
cal user interface (GUI) is reflected in its unparal-
leled usability. Their efforts were not wasted. The
GUI is by far the most popular feature of PSX.
A world of entertainment
Enjoy television, DVDs, music, photos and games on
a single unit
Sony had a simple objective: to create a compre-
hensive entertainment device that can be enjoyed
by everyone, not just a particular user group.
Priority was thus placed on engineering a product
that maximizes usability while providing such basic
functions as an electronic program guide (EPG) for
television timer recording, a high-capacity hard
disc drive (HDD) for recording and a DVD recorder.
As a comprehensive entertainment device, the
PSX houses music, photo and game functions, in
addition to the DVD recorder. Recording music
CDs to the HDD transforms PSX into a jukebox.
Inserting a Memory Stick from a digital still
camera allows you to view photos on a large
screen television. Or you can simply enjoy a PS2
game. PSX is packed with possibilities.
The new PSX model, released in July 2004, has
up to 50 DVD menu, making it easy to choose
from your favorite titles when recording material
onto a DVD, making PSX an increasingly powerful
means of enjoying a world of entertainment
content from the comfort of your living room.
The achievement of a team of engineers who
were willing to tackle unprecedented challenges, PSX
is the first product line to result from Sony’s conver-
gence of its electronics and game technologies.
Yuichi Yazawa
Senior Manager
Section 2
Video Products Software Department
Software Technology Division
Home Electronics Development Group
Home Electronics Network Company
Kenji Matsuoka
Senior Manager
Product Planning Section 2
Product Planning Department
Video Group
Home Electronics Network Company
The remote control should be
simple and fun to use
The cross-shaped menu, with controls
aligned vertically, permits smooth and
speedy operations. Press any button
and the action on the screen will
immediately stop, as the image fades
into the background. Never before has
the operation of a remote control
been so easy.
I want a design that goes
with my living room décor
PSX has a stylish design and is only
312mm in width, permitting the unit
to be placed vertically if desired.
Translucent white was chosen so that
the unit would be a handsome
addition to any room.
I want to connect my PSX to
lots of other equipment
PSX comes with a game controller
port, a network port for online
gaming like that on PlayStation 2
(PS2), a USB socket for PS2-
compatible keyboards and
peripherals, a Memory Stick slot and
much more.
I want the freedom to be
able to play games even
while recording a television
program
PSX is compatible with both
PlayStation and PS2 software and
online games. You can even play
games while recording a television
program.
http://www.sony.net/
File 03: DVD recorder “PSX”
[DESR-7100]