play all your games on 1 console

magick

The PlayStation 2 has a new rival in the shape of a console that can play hundreds more games than any other on the market.



The Apex console had its debut at the Las Vegas show
The upstart is a machine designed to let people play computer games on a TV set in the living room.

The Discover PC game console is the brainchild of a California-based company called Digital Interactive Systems Corporation (Disc).

Its software allows a gamer to simply drop a disc into the machine, which then automatically recognises, installs and plays the game.

"The user has the same experience as if they are playing on a PlayStation or Xbox, where it is a very simple consumer electronics product rather than a PC," said Curtis Kaiser, a Disc spokesman.

Windows XP machine

The first console based on the technology developed by the company had its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month.

On display was the ApeXtreme by Apex Digital, which is better known for making DVD players.

The machine is effectively a PC, running a version of Microsoft's Windows XP operating system for consumer applications.


APEXTREME SPECS

1.2 GHz processor
40GB hard drive
5.1 digital audio
DVD/CD playback
$399 US retail price
When a computer game is loaded, the console automatically recognises, installs and runs the game. When you play the game again, the machine boots up and plays like a PlayStation or Xbox console.

The Apex machine comes with software to automatically recognise more than 2,000 games. Additional software to load new titles can be downloaded over the internet, as can game updates and patches.

As well as running computer games, the console also plays DVDs, MP3 music files and digital pictures.

"It is a console with a PC inside," explained Mr Kaiser. "We're running on Windows XP Embedded and we have stripped it down so that it is only gaming and media playback.

"We have stripped out the other parts of the system that people who just want to play games and run DVDs and CDs in their living room are not interested in," he told BBC News Online.

The ApeXtreme is due to go on sale in the US in mid-2004. Gamers in the UK will probably have to wait until Christmas before getting their hands on one.

Other manufacturers, such as the high-end gaming PC maker Alienware, are also lined up to produce a version of the console.

Demanding games

But playing computer games on your TV comes at a price. Apex's entry-level machine is expected to cost $399, (£231), far more than its console rivals.


Console aims to let you play PC games on a TV screen
The people behind the concept accept that their offering will put a bigger dent in the pocket of gamers, but do not see this as a major obstacle.

"We're not going to fight on price," said Mr Kaiser, "what we are going to do is point out to gamers that PC games tend to be significantly less expensive than Xbox or PlayStation games as a publisher does not have to pay royalties

"The initial outlay of cash is going to be higher but in the end it is probably going to even out for someone who buys more than a couple of games."

But gamers may be deterred from splashing out for the PC console by another factor. New hardware tends to become obsolete almost as soon as it hits the shops, while computer games are continually placing greater demands on memory and power.

A gamer can keep up to date by replacing parts of a home computer. But they will not be able to do this with the Apex machine, as it cannot up upgraded.

A company technician admitted that even some current games, such as Call of Duty, would be "a bit choppy" on the ApeXtreme.

But he tried to reassure gamers, saying even an entry-level machine like the one from Apex should last for four or five years, which is comparable to the life cycle of riva

smiaras

This post has been deleted.

magick

what i want to know is how can they get around the legal issues from exclusive titles for xbox ie halo, and play them on that machine?

amp

I'm still waiting for that Phantom console

Dont be at yourself

I hear Duke Nukem Forever is a launch title.

Also this Apex console is just a PC you plug into your TV, isn't it? It only runs PC games, and not console games, from what I can make out.

Big Chief

Originally posted by NekkidBibleMan
Also this Apex console is just a PC you plug into your TV, isn't it? It only runs PC games, and not console games, from what I can make out.

i guessed the same thing from what i could see

User45701

Im not sure if this would work probley. 40 gig?
Its not that much there would only be a certan amount of games u could install before it would have to erace old games (and the save games)
But ofcoarse the save gamers would be stored and the game itself would be deleted
Save games dont take up that much space so it wouldent be that big a problem...

I think ill just stick with a nice happy PC

rainbow kirby

For me, its not worth a thing if it cant play GC games!

Matt Simis

Originally posted by magick
what i want to know is how can they get around the legal issues from exclusive titles for xbox ie halo, and play them on that machine?

Xbox? This is a PC, running Windows XP Embedded. The PC hasnt got any such "exclusive" (in the legal sense) titles. I imagine it will work quite well, the DISC technology appears to be fairly sound, similar to what MS promised to do for PC Gaming (before XB got their attention) years ago.



Matt

BLITZ_Molloy

A guy from www.insertcredit.com talked to the guys behind this and asked them what sort of measures they would take to prevent it being hacked and people writing things to run on it.

They just smiled and said none.

This could turn out to be a nice successor to the Xbox for people who want a console for emulation. The Xbox2 is going to be too different from PC hardware to perform that role.

_CreeD_

It's a really bad idea imho. Console strength lies in a few key areas, namely

Reliability
Ease of Use
Affordability
Power through platform specific optimisation
The games are generally designed to give a more immediate experience (eg. you're rarely going to sit down to a console a learn a vast extended control system, with the PC they assume you have a Kbd). So it's much easier to just sit down with some mates and go nuts on a console for the average Joe(s)

Basically all of which PC platforms and PC games lack to at least some extent. Not to mention you can buy more powerful PC bundles in the states now for the same money (monitor included).

Retr0gamer

My god it's bigger than 2 xboxs strapped to a camel!

If I wanted to play PC games I'd get a PC.

Most PC games require a mouse and keyboard. It just wouldn't work sitting on the couch.

Praetorian

It's okay lads. Personal computers in about 3-4 years will be able to perfectly emulate the Gamecube, PS2 and Xbox...