sony drops ps3 ability to act as a router

jaggeh

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=10033

The PlayStation 3 was originally intended to act as a home network router, according to Sony Computer Entertainment boss Ken Kutaragi, who has revealed that the functionality has been dropped because it would have been too expensive.

Speaking with Japanese publication Nikkei Electronics, Kutaragi said that the original specification for the PS3 would have allowed the system's three Gigabit Ethernet ports to be used as a home router.

However, this functionality was dropped since it would have made the console cost too much to manufacture, he admitted - and Sony now expects that users will continue to use their existing router hardware, which is becoming more commonplace in households with broadband internet connections.

The bank of network ports on the back of the box can be used as a switch or hub, however, and the company has previously hinted that it has other plans in mind for the multiple network ports.

The news that the system was intended for use as a router or hub was first revealed at E3, when Sony's Phil Harrison told GamesIndustry.biz that "it can be a hub, rather than just being a terminal at the end of a network."

"Also, we want to be able to have a Gigabit port for an IP camera," he revealed. "So one of the ports is an in, and two of them are through. It can be a server as well as a terminal."

the_syco

Makes sense. They'll be proberly cutting bits off it in the next while, as they want to ensure they can sell it for a profit, but still at a competitive price.

Rew

Doubt they will mange to sell the hardware at a profit. They are right to drop the router function though, doubt it would have been much of a selling point.

jaggeh

it was a selling point to me, i wonder if its related to the fact nintendo just let out a press release saying they will have a wi-fi router for the DS and revolution coming out.

Rew

Haveing your PS3 and your phone line in the same place would prbably be a problem for most people. Buy a cheap router they are nearly giving them away these days.

jaggeh

i was more interested in its wi-fi capability to interact with psp's and act as a router for them. however sony did say they are leaving it as a hub, but this had better drop the cost signifigantly as it is a major peice of functionality they just ripped out.

Rew

Any WiFi access point or router will work with the PSP. It will probabably still be a WiFi client and may even talk P2P with the PSP.

kaisersose77

could be the first of many things they have/will lie about, even if they have valid reasons, you wouldnt hear them saying this at e3 time

MrPinK

The router would have been pretty useless for most people anyway. For home users, the thing they need a router for is connect their LAN to the internet. You would have still needed a seperate ethernet modem for that, and practically all of those these days have a built-in router. It just would have made things more difficult to configure. Making the PS3 a gigbit hub/switch is a fantastic idea though, that's the first I've heard of it.

i was more interested in its wi-fi capability to interact with psp's and act as a router for them

You're probably confusing a router and an access-point. A router connects one network to another, a LAN to the internet in the home user case (but this still requires a modem). An access point connects wireless devices to a LAN. This is what's needed to interact with PSP's. The fact that it will no longer be a router while not effect it's wireless connectivity features.

Ciaran500

Here come the cuts

BloodNinjaCult

For me, the loss of Router func isn't a worry. It's Sonys (poor/bad/lying) track record on spec's that is.

Hopefully this will be the biggest cut because the PS3 looks likely to be an amazing machine as it stands now.