

Playstation2 Review



by
Steve Mandeson
Building on the success of the worldwide best-selling PlayStation game console with hardware shipments exceeding 60 million units, PlayStation2 is designed to bring together movies, music and games to form a new world of computer entertainment.
Supporting both the audio CD and DVD-Video formats, PlayStation2 offers consumers a wide range of music and video entertainment options. The new system is backwards compatible with the original PlayStation, bridging the gap between the two systems while legitimizing consumers' investment in their existing PlayStation software libraries.
"PlayStation2 is charting a path toward the future of networked digital entertainment," said Ken Kutaragi, president and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "Just as PlayStation brought interactive gaming to an unprecedented mass market, PlayStation2's combination of breathtaking digital graphics, superb sound and DVD video will open the doors to a new computer entertainment experience in the home."
Playstation2 is delivering simplicity and style in a breakthrough compact design that frees up valuable workspace. Measuring only 12 inches wide, 7 inches high, and 3 inches deep, and
weighing 2.1 kg (4 lbs. 10 oz.).
Playstation2 comes with a 300MHz 128 Bit "Emotion Engine" CPU , 32MB Direct RDRAM, 150MHz "Graphics Synthesizer" with 4MB VRAM, a 4X/24X
DVD-ROM and the SPU2 with 2MB sound memory features 48 channels plus software.
The new console comes packed with a "Dual Shock2" analog controller, a memory card of 8mb, a demo disc, an AV multi cable and an AC power cord. Playstation2 has two controller ports, two memory card slots, two usb ports, an optical digital output, an i.link and a PCMCIA card slot type III.
More than 200 companies worldwide announce support for new computer entertainment platform. The long list of companies includes not only prominent game publishers currently supporting the PlayStation, but also famous names from a wide range of entertainment fields. This expansive support exceeds that of the launch of the original PlayStation, whose success has been due in great part to the broad variety of third party content available for the platform.