While wandering around CES 2017, I was reminded of that scene in Amadeus, in which the Emperor Joseph II decides that the new opera by Mozart had “too many notes.” (The actual quote is “monstrous many notes” and referred to Mozart’s “The Abduction from the Seraglio,” but I digress.) That’s what I felt about CES—monstrous […]
Archive | Video game systems
HEVC Products Forecast Overview
With efficiency improvements over the ubiquitous AVC/H.264 standard and higher-quality play back, HEVC/H.265 use has expanded into nearly every consumer product and video content category. Although higher-end applications, such as the viewing of UHD TV, are the most advertised uses for the HEVC standard, its use in non-UHD applications is prolific. DTC’s latest study narrates […]
Video Game Consoles: A New Horizon?
With China changing its policy and no longer restricting sales of Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PS4, the potential for explosive growth for video game consoles is real. China’s huge population would have any manufacturer giddy and rightfully so. Coupled with the technological advances that we continue to see happening in the video and gaming […]
A Quick Update on Video Streaming Products
Streaming video in the home and on the go has grown rapidly over recent years to become a staple in everyday life around the world. Consumer electronics products with video streaming capabilities have reached saturation levels in the home, while mobile devices are still seeing some growth. This device shipment trend is following the same […]
Surviving Through Exclusivity
Exclusivity is what sells hardware in the video game market. Without exclusive games and content to choose from, consumers don’t always know which hardware to purchase. Nintendo has mastered this game with a combination of exclusive franchises that can only be played on its systems. You want to play Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing or Kirby […]
Four Things Amazon Could Bring to the Media Playing Party
Amazon is reportedly preparing to launch a set-top box to support its Prime streaming media service. Details are fuzzy beyond the guess that it may launch in March, but despite the still tenuous grip on fact, such a move wouldn’t be surprising for the e-commerce giant. Amazon has had some notable success in the hardware […]
China Ban Lifted, But Will Console Sales Lift-Off?
China has lifted its ban on domestic sales of video game consoles, but how much will this move impact the console industry? With over a billion people living in China, the potential for a large impact on sales of Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft game consoles appears obvious, but some underlying factors may get in the […]
Quietly, Google Racking Up TV Wins
So now we know. Microsoft’s next Xbox will be dubbed the Xbox One and, as expected, is loaded to the gills with entertainment features—so much so, in fact, that many gamers are griping that their needs have been sidelined as Microsoft makes a larger play for the consumer living room. With Microsoft’s TV cards on […]
Gaming Everywhere, But Don’t You Want Them At Home?
It’s still a little early to know if Sony has something else up its sleeve, but after the PS4 announcement I feel like Sony isn’t meeting the competition head on. The Xbox 360 has been the PS3’s primary competitor, and the Xbox 360 has dominated the living room in terms of gaming and Internet video […]
Will Pay Providers Turn the Tables on Game Consoles?
A growing number of consumers have turned to video game consoles for more than games. Streaming video services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime form an increasingly important component of a game console’s value proposition (which is why Nintendo made a big splash for their new TVii feature on the forthcoming Wii U). Even cable […]