Sony Unveils New System: PSX

It's not PlayStation 3, it's a new home entertainment system that plays PS2 games and DVDs, records TV programs and supports MemoryStick. Details and images inside.

Earlier today, Sony revealed a new system in Tokyo, that will be launched in Japan before the end of "this fiscal year" according to Sony. The PSX is a new product that merges home electronics, and gaming technology. It is likely to be marketed to worldwide market within the following fiscal year.

As it's a consumer electronic product as opposed to just a games console, the product will be distributed and marketed by Sony's Hardware Division (who alsodistribute TVs, DVD players, etc) and not Sony Computer Entertainment.

The machine contains the standard PS2 chipset and DVD functionality like a regular PS2, with a built-in 120GB Hard Disc abd DVD recorder (supporting DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-R), as well as a TV tuner and Ethernet port - positioning the PSX as a media delivery system for all forms of electronic entertainment.

The controller ports are situated on the back of the machine, which is an interesting design feature - and the unit offers S-Video out instead of just composite - not something a regular games machine has offered 'out of the box' before. The unit is compatible with USB2.0 (for peripherals such as a mouse, or Eyetoy perhaps) and Sony's lovely MemoryStick technology - which looks to be confirmed as replacing standard Memory Cards for game saves, since there are no ports on the machine for these.

The system is likely to be expensive - we've heard unofficial figures of ¥75,000 mentioned (around $600) as the Japanese launch price for the system.

Some are reckoning PSX as a stop-gap until the PS3 arrives - but Sony is keen to position PSX as a home entertainment system in its own right, and going by these specs and a price that is comparative to similar systems in the marketplace, they'd be well justified in doing so.

As for what this means for PS3 - the answer is not a lot, and frankly gives no insight (on top of what we already know) about plans for next-gen systems.

Adam Doree
Staff Writer, Kikizo Games