Games consoles

Video gaming has entered the era of high definition with the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. All the action is in 3D with smooth HD motion. The images are becoming more detailed and realisitic with each new game.

But the new games consoles are not just for games. They are media centers capable of playing high definition films. The films can be played on an HD-Player such as an HD-DVD in the case of the Xbox, or Blu-Ray for the PS3. But it is also possible to connect the console to the internet and download the films online. The distinction between film and game is becoming blurred as almost every film is accompanied by a game version. In the case of Tomb Raider and Doom, the game came first and the film was just a spin-off. Production costs for a game are already similar to that of a typical blockbuster movie. More film and game convergence can be expected in the future.

The Microsoft Xbox offers its Xbox Live service which costs about ?6 per months and gives access to a wide range of film trailers and game demos for free downloading. To get it working you just have to connect with an RJ45 cable, or Wi-Fi addon to an internet router. So far the choice or media is limited, especially for the full versions which you may have to buy in the traditional way. The HD-DVD player for the Xbox is an optional extra but at around ?130 it is an excellent cheap option for entry into the HD film world. At that price there are limitations. It does not offer surround sound options and because the video connection is not HDCP compatible, the video output for copy protected films will be seemlessly downgraded to stadard definition. Another plsu for the Xbox is that once connected to your home network it also integrates to your PC. If you have wmv media files they can be played on the TV via the Xbox using Windows Media Center.

The Sony Playstation 3 comes with a Blu-ray player which is not optional so the unit price is correspondingly high. The PS3 also has similar internet download capabilities. While the Xbox integrates seemlessly with the PC running Micrsoft windows, the Playstation has similar advantages for integration with other sony devices such as the online TV services for the Bravia TVs.

The hottest topic of all is the multiplayer online games. The consoles themselves can support up to four controllers for multiplayer games, but with online activity there is no limit to the number of people you can interact with. If you have not tried the online role playing games where you can interact via your avatar with other people all over the world, then you have not yet entered the 21st century gaming excperience.

As an alternative to the HD consoles you can use a full Media PC for games. Although it sometimes requires a bit more technical knowledge this option has big advantages. PC based versions of the games are cheaper and you can download savegames or cheats from the internet when you get stuck. The PC can be more powerful if you are willing to shell out for the CPU and graphics cards you need. In fact the resolution on a PC monitor is already going beyond HD and will continue to improve while the games consoles technology could remain static for the next five years.

Today kids sit in front of large wall mounted TV screens playing games in interaction with thousands of people all round the world. Such a scene was limited to science fiction just a few years ago. Time will tell what is to come next and which of the games consoles will win the best market share, or whether PC based gaming will reach the mass market. But if you have the time and the money don't wait. The new experience is for now.