Breakpack Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 I hear there's no VHS playback too. LOL... I was really hoping for LP or 8-track playback too. Oh well... They lost my sale when it was revealed to be smaller than a laserdisk. What about cassette compatability Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic George 2K3 Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 DVD playback or no, I'm still thinking of getting one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjarabbit Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Darth Vader: NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bones Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 No DVD playback? So what? Say it all together now..."video game consoles play video games..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Tyler Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 I was a little miffed about that, but I still have my XBox360 and my PS2 (and my VCR/DVD player in the living room) for that. My biggest concern is if Nintendo's actually going to make good on their promise of Wi-Fi online games, or if Mr. Stupid, a.ka. Satoru Iwata, is going to just again say, 'people don't want online games!' If he does, though, then he's really gonna get it, since Nintendo's already got DS Wi-Fi games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 I thought SSBB was already confirmed for online play? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 I thought SSBB was already confirmed for online play? God I hope so. Honestly though, I haven't heard a peep about any Nintendo network except for one you can buy games over....I know if you cant play them over the same network, they can ferget it. Well, At least ferget it until I can pick one up off eBay for like $80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emehr Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 No Wii DVD playback. BFD. Watch movies on your DVD player. Play games on your Wii. Make toast with your toaster. This belongs in the "most overrated video game problem" thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 (edited) Big blowhard addresses some loose ends in this thread: 1. The Nintendo Wi-Fi USB adapter will probably work for the Wii, considering Nintendo's propensity for making things intercompatible. This little device is useful for people who don't have or want a wireless router -- the Nintendo solution certainly simpler and probably more secure (at the cost of not being useful for anything besides games). 2. Skipping DVD playback probably saves Nintendo a lot of money, a cost which they would have passed along to us. Any device that decodes and displays DVD video is required to pay a (smallish) royalty to the DVD forum (was the DVD Consortium), supposedly to offset the research and development cost of the media format. I've read that this can be as much as 10% of the cost of the device. This is why the flimsy XBOX remote and receiver cost $30. Maybe we'll see the Wii in a different configuration someday, like that alternate GameCube that played DVD discs. Or maybe this is a conscious effort to keep unsigned ("hacker") code off their machine. 3. Who gives a crap about DVD playback on a game device in 2006? Other gaming machines that can't play DVD movies include DS, GBA, PSP, GP2X, Motorola RAZR, Blackberry, Treo Smartphone, iPod, Tivo, and the VGpocket Caplet. But for less than $60, you can get a standalone optical player that can play DVDs, VCDs, MPEG1, AVI, DIVX, MP3, PhotoCD, and so much more (do a search for "divx" on Amazon for some hints). It's OK to have multiple machines around your TV. People expect it these days. 4. Online multiplayer play details haven't been announced in a clear way, but I predict that it will be broken in a manner similar to the DS Wifi multiplayer. It will be free, but "friend codes" will be needed to talk with anyone. It seems that Nintendo is afraid of online predators -- or of risking the perception that they're enabling pedophilic stalking. Also, Microsoft has a bunch of patents on their intuitive, easy-to-use XBOX Live system, which might be stifling some competition there. 5. Wii looks kinda/sorta neat, but for me the GameBoy Player in my GameCube is a big reason I don't want to relegate it to the closet. I'm much more disappointed that the Wii doesn't have GBA compatibility. Then again, I have a Cube and a GBA, so see #3, "who gives a crap." 6. I wonder if Nintendo will sell their own brand of SD cards? I see 512MB cards (the same amount in the system) online for under $10. Seems they could have thrown in a bit more memory, but I guess it all comes down to cost. Edited September 15, 2006 by Flojomojo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 (edited) "who gives a crap." Yep, The ability to play DVDs isn't neccesary to enjoy games, but honestly it still is a selling point no matter what you say. I was going to fork over $99 for a slim line PS2 so I could have it as a back-up and a player to take on trips, it (like the Wii) is small enough to fit inside my travel bag as opposed to having to pack a seperate box (which I do) when I go on an extended vacation and I am going to stay in a hotel. The fact that it cannot play DVD doesn't change my opinion of the system itself. I still think it's mostly a $250 Gamecube with a funky controller (which natually I'm curious about) that can play old games I already have. BUT had it been able to play DVDs with as small as it is, I would have more incentive to pick one up as opposed to a $99 PS2 just because of the additional perks. Doesn't matter though...because it can't and because unfortunately picking up a $40 DVD player wouldn't change the fact I'd still have to pack a special box for it, I have those two choices... so who gives a crap?? Not me really I guess, I aint gonna fork over $250 for the thing right now, I just ain't in a hurry to snag one... Hmmm Maybe Nintendo would give a crap about that...maybe not. Edited September 15, 2006 by moycon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 No doubt Nintendo did the cost/benefit analysis here. And now, for your entertainment, I shall read their minds! Pro: + DVD functionality talking point Con: - Pay royalties to DVD Forum - Handle customer support questions/complaints about non-Nintendo software (DVD movies), including region settings, parental controls - No media remote for Wii = simpler, game-focused retail shelf - Risk of arbitrary code execution - More wear & tear on moving parts - dilute functionality of device, risk Sony Syndrome ("PSP/PS2/PS3 is better at movies than games!") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Tyler Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 You know, after seeing today's bit of trivia on the homepage, I just realized the Wii is only $20 less than what the Atari 5200 originally retailed for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 It's more than reasonable to complain that the Wii has no DVD playback. They claimed earlier that it would, and the dongle would have made it possible without jacking up the price of the core unit. Nintendo's been telling us over and over how important non-gamers are to the industry, but they haven't been doing much to accommodate them. What's the first thing your mother's going to do when she picks up the Wii controller? She'll say, "Does this thing play movies?" Then you'll have to tell her "no," and she'll shrug her shoulders and walk into the other room to do something else. If Nintendo REALLY wants to reach out to non-gamers, they've got to build a bridge to them... and DVD and MP3 playback is the perfect way to get those potential customers interested in the Wii. Without these features as a gateway to bigger and better things, the system will be perceived as just another game player. JR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avid Fan Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 but for 250, I want DVD playback. I know DVD players are cheap, but my garage is already cluttered with Gamecube, N64, SNES, GB/C, GBA, DS stuff. Oh, well, either the X-box or PS2 I'll get will have playback for DVDs. I really want a Wii, but I cant buy any launch system no matter how cheap it is (because it will take at least a year for games to reach the 20 dollar used range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 The other thing to remember about Nintendo is their squeaky-clean image. Remember the outrage a few weeks ago about the kid who bought a PSP that had a porn clip on it? They probably want to control every aspect of media that goes into this new machine. I'll get one when it's (a) cheaper, or (b) hacked wide open like the Dreamcast or PSP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n8littlefield Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 I kind of wish they could have included DVD playback, but let's by honest, most of us here would be too paranoid about the wear and tear on the system to use it as a DVD player anyways I think the other features make up for it - the photo & video browser especially looks quite nice and would be a great selling point for a non-gamer. The web browser looks pretty nice too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sega saturn x Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 No DVD playback? So what? Say it all together now..."Nintendo is shirking on all they promised..." fixed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheese007 Posted September 15, 2006 Author Share Posted September 15, 2006 No DVD playback? So what? Say it all together now..."Nintendo is shirking on all they promised..." fixed Indeed, it's almost as if overnight they turned into SONY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic George 2K3 Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Other gaming machines that can't play DVD movies include DS, GBA, PSP, GP2X, Motorola RAZR, Blackberry, Treo Smartphone, iPod, Tivo, and the VGpocket Caplet. Only because of the simple fact that those devices aren't big enough to handle DVDs? Then again, there was a travelling game system for the car that combined a GBA with a DVD player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Video Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Isn't a 12 CM Disk actually BIGGER than a standard DVD? It's not much off the same size either way, but Cube Discs have always been precieved as half the size of a DVD. But the fact is, DVD playback is important to people. WHY do people have so many DVD players in their house? It's because most Modern GameSystems will play DVD's. I have a PS2, and an X-Box, and have my Eye on a 360, and guess what? All of them play DVD's (yes, I paid the $30 for the remote, and it's the best DVD player out there for the price) I also have two actual DVD players. One nearly $500 one I bought i the late 90's, and a $30 one I bought a few years ago. Neither are used, why have one when your console plays DVD's also. I guess it's no real big deal that the Wii doesn't play DVD's, I just won't be in as big a hurry to buy one. AFter all, wear and tear is right, while it won't affect the player in it's life time, the PS2, and X-Box, which are both at the end of theirs, may crap out, and then what? I use an old DVD player, that's mostly incompatible, a newer one, that does'nt work right, or use a new system that has one built in. BTW, the GameCube doesn't play DVD's either. In fact, they won't even fit in the console. I have the pile of Broken DVD's to prove it. As for Wii not playing GBA games....well, cause the Cube DOESN'T play DVD's, I wouldn't even use the thing at all, if it wasn't for the GameBoy Player. What of thw Wii? I hope there's something I'll enjoy on it, but without the ability to play something I enjoyed on the older system I'll probably not buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 I hear there's no VHS playback too. LOL... I was really hoping for LP or 8-track playback too. Oh well... And no mindlink either! DAMN DIRTY APES! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegamezmaster Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Instead of using a $250 console plus whatever the add on will cost, I'd just go out and buy a DVD player, they can be had for next to nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Instead of using a $250 console plus whatever the add on will cost, I'd just go out and buy a DVD player, they can be had for next to nothing. The Wii can do DVD playback just fine. All you need is a media centre program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 For those interested in what their system can officially do without exploits and unauthorized third party programs, the Wii can't play DVD's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Why would you want to use your $250 gaming system for a DVD player anyways. You can get a DVD player for like $30 and not put any wear on your console. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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