Hardware [PPOTW] Is the Vita TV a good idea?

[GameWinner]

I get this, and I know there are plenty of parents that get this shit right. But I also have seen people get the wrong video games and systems in the past for Christmas because their parents aren't the most invested to say the least. (And I've seen this a lot actually) When you couple that with the fact that both are Playstation branded and new coming out at the same time, its not hard to see that there will be some disappointed children this holiday season.

They aren't coming out at the same time. The PS Vita TV is coming to Japan this year, we still don't know a worldwide release date. (We've been told that it is planned for a 2014 worldwide release). Also, I think parents are smart enough to see a giant number 4 next to "PlayStation".

 

[calmwaters]

I hate to sound like a prick, but why can't you just buy a PS4 for you television needs and use your Vita the way it was intended: as a portable system?

Okay, I know they're the same price; people will only get one or the other. Maybe I'm just used to using my Wii/PS2 for games and my DVD player for movies.

 

[duffmmann]

They aren't coming out at the same time. The PS Vita TV is coming to Japan this year, we still don't know a worldwide release date. (We've been told that it is planned for a 2014 worldwide release). Also, I think parents are smart enough to see a giant number 4 next to "PlayStation".

Again, you are not reading what I'm saying, plenty of parents are smart on that subject for sure, but growing up, there are soooooo many times I've seen people get GBCs instead of GBAs, more recently a PSP instead of a Vita, heck even my buddy got a Dreamcast instead of PS2 back in the day. Parents will either go for what's cheaper, or honestly not give the box a thorough read through, and believe it was the box the child pointed out to them. Knowing that these kinds of parents exist and both are Playstation branded consoles and both will be new at the same time (though apparently Vita tv wont be out until after the holidays, which is actually a really really smart move, given what I'm talking about), perhaps not on Christmas then, but for birthdays and the like, I foresee some disappointed children, thats just the way it is. There will be plenty that do get it right though, don't get me wrong. But you're a fool if you think the mistake is never going to happen.

 

[Psionic Roshambo]

I get this, and I know there are plenty of parents that get this shit right. But I also have seen people get the wrong video games and systems in the past for Christmas because their parents aren't the most invested to say the least. (And I've seen this a lot actually) When you couple that with the fact that both are Playstation branded and new coming out at the same time, its not hard to see that there will be some disappointed children this holiday season.

I would like to think I have saved a few kids from getting something super crappy.

I must have a kind face because I am constantly stopped by older people and asked what I should get for the grand kids... I then am forced to ask a bunch of qualifying questions lol but I always do my best to get what I would have liked to have gotten VS getting some "ohhh this looks like fun and look there is a purple dinosaur on the cover!!"

 

[Foxi4]

I hate to sound like a prick, but why can't you just buy a PS4 for you television needs and use your Vita the way it was intended: as a portable system?

Okay, I know they're the same price; people will only get one or the other. Maybe I'm just used to using my Wii/PS2 for games and my DVD player for movies.

This device isn't meant for PSVita users, it's meant for people who don't want a portable system, can't afford a next-gen or even a current-gen system but do want to do some basic gaming and streaming capabilities, and in that regard the PSVita TV is quite a bit of bang for the buck.

 

[calmwaters]

This device isn't meant for PSVita users, it's meant for people who don't want a portable system, can't afford a next-gen or even a current-gen system but do want to do some basic gaming and streaming capabilities, and in that regard the PSVita TV is quite a bit of bang for the buck.

Wow, that does sound nice; thanks for the explanation.

 

[FireSeel]

I still want tv out on my vita.

 

[Qtis]

I answered yes mostly for the fact that this is the first HDMI supported PSP/PSVita hardware that enables the consoles to work with HDTVs. People may say this or that about the PSVita's games and hardware, but no one can deny the possibilities of having a PSX, PSP and PSVita in one small box (it really is small) and still use it with a big ass TV. Quite a few PSP games (not to mention PSX games) work fabulously with TVs, so it's a no-brainer. Especially with the price. If someone is willing to buy an AppleTV for the same price, I can't see a reason why the PSVita TV wouldn't go above that with all the gaming things added on top of the standard ATV functionality.

I don't know how many people still own an original PSX, but I for one feel that the scart connection sucks big time. I'm actually ready to pay the $99 just for the sake of not needing to buy the PSPGo cradle (costs a ton to ship to Finland) and getting the option to use HDMI for all legacy titles. While it's a pity that the original PSX games don't work (CD format), I've bought most of my PSX games from PSN for a few $ ($5 tops). There aren't that many games that I really want to play again and again (I can still hook up the original hardware if need be). My TV still has extra HDMI slots, but the 1 scart+1 component slots are already strained. Still prefer the PS2 (phatty with 500GB HDD for the games that I own) and Wii to be hooked up on a regular basis compared to the PSPGo/PSX/N64/etc.

TL;DR: PSVita TV is a fantastic idea. If the price doesn't rise that much for the EU market (or the console stays region free), I'll be buying it. Remote PS4 is just a fantastic add-on for the already present games list.

EDIT: Psionic Roshambo: The survey is interesting, but still uses the average income as the deciding factor. Average income is useful in many ways, but it doesn't reflect the possibilities of some high end device succeeding in China. The 5% owning 23% of the wealth is already >50 million people. That is more than most of the European countries. While the average person may not have that much excess money and would prefer the cheap Android alternative with emulators, there is a huge population of people who have more than enough to buy "Western Tech" regardless of price.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

No, that's retarded. What if you already have a Vita and you just want to play it on the TV? Are you gonna buy both? I doubt it.

 

[FireEmblemGuy]

I like the idea, but the fact is that if it gains a significant slice of the Vita pie, it's just going to encourage devs to focus on traditional control schemes rather than utilizing the touchscreen and rear pads. Sure, most of the time nonstandard controls are implemented poorly, or adequately-at-best, but is it really worth stifling the few truly innovative games that might do something with them?

If they do something decent with the PS4 controller (along the lines of the touchpad being mapped roughly to the screen, and to the backpad if a shoulder button is pressed) to emulate the Vita's controls more faithfully I might change my mind, but as much as I like the idea of the Vita TV, I don't think it's a good idea.

 

[Mario92]

No, that's retarded. What if you already have a Vita and you just want to play it on the TV? Are you gonna buy both? I doubt it.

This was also my first reaction to this but when you think about it:
1. Being able to capture game footage via HDMI
2. Playing games from sofa and then continuing on go
3. Able to play few vita exclusives without buying more expensive hardware that you won't even take with you anywhere
4. PS+ subscribers can now play even more free games
5. Being streaming box if want to play games from another room

List just goes on and on and it's actually brilliand device! If you already own vita then it's not likely you'll get this but non-owners may and then userbase grows which helps current vita owners as well! If it's region free and english UI then I'm certainly going to import that beast.
It should've had UMD and Pro Duo slots for being ultimate device but I guess those are already in past.

 

[trumpet-205]

I very much like the idea, I might even sell my Vita to get Vita TV instead.

 

[Kevin242]

I would totally get one for streaming movies and playing some vita/psp games i missed... its price and size make it perfect for me...

 

[Guild McCommunist]

To anyone saying "Parents won't know the difference!" One's called the Playstation (3 or 4), the other is called a Vita TV. Names are world's apart.

It's not like the DS and the 3DS and Sony has always been good with marketing their systems as very distinct. This was never an issue with the Playstation, Playstation 2, and Playstation 3 even though those only differentiate in name by a single number.

I mean people are stupid but they're not fucking blind.

 

[RchUncleSkeleton]

If they want Vita games on a TV make a TV adapter for the Vita, not some shitty piece of garbage you can't take with you. It really amazes me how these companies can put a dumbass hair brained idea into action. Things these days are ass backwards and are so illogical it's not even funny.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

If they want Vita games on a TV make a TV adapter for the Vita, not some shitty piece of garbage you can't take with you. It really amazes me how these companies can put a dumbass hair brained idea into action. Things these days are ass backwards and are so illogical it's not even funny.

I think the point of the Vita TV flew very very far over your head.

 

[Foxi4]

I think the point of the Vita TV flew very very far over your head.

Pretty much.

A whole lot of people in this thread treat the PSVita TV as a "PSVita replacement" or a "PSVita TV adapter" when it's neither of those things. It's a low-cost microconsole, a PSVita-made-home-console. It's not appealing to most current PSVita owners because it's not supposed to, they're not the target audience.

 

[GameWinner]

Did anyone here know that the Vita TV was hinted at during the PlayStation conference back in February? I had no clue (I guess because of the PS4 announcement overshadowing it).

 

[modgeezer]

I see this as a future flop. Isn't compatible with some of the best vita exclusives. Only outputs to 720p so I wouldn't use it as a media streamer or to stream my awesome 1080p ps4 games.

 

[TheCasketMan]

Hey Sony, here are some good ideas:
For motion controlled games - the DS3 or DS4 sixaxis could be used.
For the touch screen - a mouse cursor like the one in the nvidia shield could be used by pressing some button combination to active it for touch controls.
For the rear touch pad - the DS4 trackpad could be used, and for the DS3, you could use the analog sticks while holding the R2/L2 buttons to simulate touching the rear pad. Since the Vita doesn't an R2/L2 this is possible and a good idea.
For mic - use DS4 mic, and for DS3 use a headset.
For camera - use the PS3 or PS4 Eye camera.
For OLED - increase your TV's saturation