Multimedia & gaming devices have been
around the industry since the 1990s (3DO, Pioneer LaserActive,
and Philips CD-i). They are usually high in price, and chock full
of features. In December of 2003, Sony decided to market its own
feature rich multimedia device.
The Sony PSX is a high priced
multimedia device designed to be the center of your home entertainment
experience. Interesting enough, the Sony PSX is driven by the
"heart and soul" of the Playstation 2 console. Using
nanotechnology, the two processors that power the PS2 (Graphics
Synthesizer and EmotionEngine) have been placed onto a single
chipset called 90nm EE+GS. This gives the Sony PSX all the
features found in the Playstation 2 console (Progressive Scan DVD
playback, Music CD playback, Playstation 2 and PlayStation
games).
The new chipset also allows for more added
features such as the ability to receive analog television broadcasts to
a built in TV tuner, record both DVDs and television (like TiVo),
and allow broadband connectivity. The PSX even has a Sony
memory stick slot for displaying digital photos on your TV or play back
music MP3s. The powerful user interface allows for simultaneous actions
(play a game while recording a TV show for example), and uses a firmware
update system to add even more features to the PSX.
Two versions were released on 13 December
2003 in Japan, one with 160GB hard drive (PSX DESR-5000 priced at
79,800 yen), and one with 250GB hard drive (PSX DESR-7000 priced
at 99,800 yen). An expensive, but truly interesting toy, the Sony PSX
was never sold outside of Japan.
FACT: You would think for all that
cost the PSX would come with a controller. The PSX comes
with a remote, but the game controller is going to cost you extra! Also
due to the placement of some ports, some accessories such as the PS2
multi-tap are not compatible with PSX.
Various
picture\video media for this console. Click pictures to enlarge.
Sony's Official Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SONY MARKETING (JAPAN)
ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF "PSX" DESR-5000 and DESR-7000 TOWARDS THE
END OF 2003
Tokyo, October 7, 2003 - Targeting the year-end shopping
season in Japan, Sony Marketing (Japan) Inc. will launch two
models of PSX, a new generation HDD+DVD recorder, created
through the convergence of electronics and games technologies of
the Sony Group.
Empowered by two key semiconductors ("EmotionEngine" and
"Graphics Synthesizer"), CPU and graphics rendering processor
used for PlayStation 2, PSX has realized a high-speed
high-definition GUI (Graphical User Interface), the likes of
which have never been experienced before. This first-of-a-kind
GUI enables speedy and easy access of various content to be
enjoyed on PSX, with the same level easiness as switching TV
channels with a remote control.
PSX is also equipped with
various features as a digital media player, providing storage
and playback of a variety of entertainment content such as
high-resolution, mega-pixel images from digital still cameras
and music from various package media.
Since PSX is designed to run
various features by firmware via a powerful hardware engine,
users can upgrade or add new features later by accessing the
network.*1
The two PSX models of DESR-5000
and DESR-7000 are equipped with maximum capacity HDD
respectively to accommodate various features in serving as a
digital home electronics product as well as a game device for
enjoying PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games.
Sony Marketing (Japan) aims to
accelerate the expansion of the DVD recorder market by
positioning PSX as the key to home entertainment and the core
for digital electronics products throughout the living room.
The following pictures are of the unique
DESR-5100 system - the only PSX that came in the Satin
Silver casing.
The pictures are provided courtesy of Japan-games.com
and are of the system that I bought him.
Additional
authorized releases for this console. Click pictures to enlarge.
The various models of
the PSX all look the same, except the DESR-5100 - that was the
only model that was released in a Satin Silver casing. The basic
difference between the
DESR-5000
and the DESR-7000 series is the size of the hard drive (160 GB
versus 250 GB). The models that have been released thus far:
Sony PSX DESR-5000
Sony PSX DESR-7000
Sony PSX DESR-5100
Sony PSX DESR-7100
Sony PSX DESR-5500
Sony PSX DESR-7500
Sony PSX DESR-5700
Sony PSX DESR-7700
See the official Sony
website for a few more minor differences.
DW FACTS by 
DW FACTS
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