Comments on: Hands On Impressions: PS3 VidZone

By: Mero

Mero — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:08:57 +0000

Cool free app but sound is low quality. They should lower video quality make sound better the videos look mint. Maybe will get more options in future, it only just came out here. But looking good.

By: Fernis

Fernis — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:38:21 +0000

I have to withdraw my hasty judgement about the lack of bass in my previous comment. I apologize for having my Amplifier auto-calibrated recently due to changes in my living room, making crossover frequencies all messed up, leaving 50-140Hz virtually inaudible because of my settings.

That said, the value of VidZone rises considerably to an advanced listener, bearing in mind the sound quality is far from hi-fi. But it’s acceptable for this kind of free service.

By: Fernis

Fernis — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:10:38 +0000

I’m obviously using a different vidzone. It just launched in Finland, and I failed to grasp the idea of it. The videos are certainly not upscaled SD – rather youtube SD quality.

The real problem is, however, the audio quality. I understand that low bitrate audio is smutty and distorted – as is Vidzone. But I’ve never seen a low-pass filter like this. The audio lacks virtually all base – there’s virtually nothing below 60Hz. Everything sound really pale, and prevents me from enjoying the songs pretty much completely. The sound quality luckily beats youtube, but leaves much to desire, for even a free streaming service. I wouldn’t use it even as a party background music because of the thin bassless sound.

It’s a nice niché toy practically, having some rare videos you won’t see in television – if and when the video selection essentially grows to get me interested a bit.

(Setup: Panasonic 42″ plasma, Bowers & Wilkins CM5 series speakers, Audio Pro sub)

By: Beany

Beany — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:31:24 +0000

yeah good to see unsigned music out there doing well!

The Visitors video is really good and the song is awesome

By: svitney

svitney — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:28:19 +0000

anyone can help why this is happening my PS3 is hanging while trying to stream the video and also it is terribly pixelated on full screen or small screen, I have HD TV so I cant see why I have such poor results and my broadband is 6MB so it should handle it without fault

Thanks

By: alan lovedog

alan lovedog — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:53:27 +0000

hope an update sorts out the widescreen issue though – at present a widescreen video appears as letterboxed within a 4:3 frame – meaning acres of blackness.
dont expect them to replace all the videos with anamorphic ones but there’s no reason the software couldnt have a zoom option which would make the video fill the screen while retaining the correct aspect ratio.

By: Martin Bigg

Martin Bigg — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:57:27 +0000

Well, America have that film and TV download service exclusive to them at the moment, so perhaps VidZone is Sony’s compensation to Europe.

By: JVR

JVR — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:22:35 +0000

you forget to mention that this is not for all of Europe it is England, Germany, France and Spain. So anyone outside those countries is left with nothing even though vidzone was supposed to be european

By: Austin_SJ

Austin_SJ — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:32:18 +0000

glad europe gets it for once.

By: Martin Bigg

Martin Bigg — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:08:14 +0000

Good writeup, I think Sony are doing a commendable job with this service and I agree there is a massive potential for use at parties.