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Vita Is A “Super Oval,” Touch Panels Are Super High-Def

We know plenty about the PlayStation Vita but every once in a while, a couple new details pop up.

Speaking during a Vita-centric panel at GDC Online , SCEA Senior Staff Developer Support Engineer (that's a mouthful) Chris Norden offered a few new high-tech pieces of information for Sony's new portable.

Firstly, he described the "form factor" of the Vita as being a "super oval;" those in the know might be able to enlighten our readers who didn't major in engineering. Secondly, we learn that the Vita retail kit doesn't offer video output to TVs. Thirdly and most importantly, Norden said the front and rear touchscreen panels are actually "higher resolution than the screen itself." So basically, they're capable of sub-pixel precision…not that your fingernails would be capable of that.

It was also confirmed that the Vita 3G model will have a download cap of 20MB, as we reported before. That isn't a big surprise to those who are familiar with many other mobile devices, and we hear there is the possibility that the cap will rise over time.

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realmadpuppy
realmadpuppy
13 years ago

not having tv-out is the only thing that pisses me off, other than that I am really looking forward to grabbing my pre-ordered wireless model when it comes out.

daus26
daus26
13 years ago

I really wanted TV out too. 🙁

Hope there's a third party option for it, if the possibility is there. What are all the ports of the Vita anyway?

theReigen
theReigen
13 years ago

why should it hawe a tv-out
its a portable console
you buy it to play games or watch porn when on the road or away from the comfort of youre 3dtv, 7.1 ss and the sofa

Snaaaake
Snaaaake
13 years ago

Oh man, this is one of many reasons to be anticipating year 2012.

thj_1980
thj_1980
13 years ago

I want video out more buttons and other features I stated in my other post.

I have a problem fitting in with the edges of the front as i think they should be curved not the way it is on the vita since I think it looks weird and makes it looke like something from 2005.

Qwarktast1c
Qwarktast1c
13 years ago

it looks like a more rounded super ellipse…
for instance the "squircle"

here's a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squircle


Last edited by Qwarktast1c on 10/12/2011 11:36:46 PM

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
13 years ago

Quark,
Well since the Vita's not really a circled square shaped device, so I'm thinking it might be just better to call it's shape somewhere along the lines of a Rectangacircle, LOL

LegendaryWolfeh
LegendaryWolfeh
13 years ago

Question, what's the big deal with TV output? I mean if you wanted to play on a tv…why don't you play your ps3? If you want it for videos or pictures or something, sure I guess, but other than that…hm

Beamboom
Beamboom
13 years ago

I know! I'm thinking the same.
But then again I didn't really understand why my mobile phone came with a HDMI port either.

Cesar_ser_4
Cesar_ser_4
13 years ago

because if it did, not only could you use it as a standalone console for when you're traveling. You could also use it to watch HD Movies and TV shows without having to carry around your iPhone or iPod touch. But since the iPhone 4s is getting the new mirroring feature…

Beamboom
Beamboom
13 years ago

But would the movie output be anywhere near HD quality? I seriously doubt so, there probably is a reason why there are no TV output on the device in the first place…!

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
13 years ago

Well, I suspect that it would be useful as a mobile console/playback device using full sized screens in hotels.

I think that we will see a second hardware revision about a year after launch that shrinks some things, improves battery life and adds HDMI – much like we saw happen with the PSP.

Beamboom, the screen has resolution of 960×540, I'm sure that the native playback resolution will be that. That's not full HD obviously, but it's higher than SDTV resolution. If they were playing back to a 1080p screen, it would look less crisp (perhaps) is the playback is at that native screen resolution. On the other hand, if the file is encoded in a 1080i/1080p format and scaled for playback, whenever a Vita with HDMI arrives, playback to HDMI could be at 1080p. The video chipset in the Vita is capable of 1080p work, so, there isn't an inherent limit on possible output from the device.


Last edited by TheHighlander on 10/13/2011 10:44:29 AM

Cesar_ser_4
Cesar_ser_4
13 years ago

In comparison to the iPhone. The screen resolution of the iPhone is 960×640. But its capable of outputting 720p video over HDMI, and it runs on a single core A4 chip. Whereas the Vita has a Quad core chip which I'm sure it's more than capable of decoding a movie or tv show from the store, which are encoded at 1920×1080 @6.0 mbps.

manofchao5
manofchao5
13 years ago

it's not a main feature, but with a mini-hdmi port, you pretty much have a plug and play game system like those walmart plug in controllers only much more superior and its on the big screen, i mean before with the first psp mehhh but now its hd so why the hell not?

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
13 years ago

I wonder what the resolution of the touch panels is? It sound like the additional resolution would be useful with a stylus rather than a finger. I wonder whether the touch pads are greater than 1920×1080 resolution? If not, perhaps we will ultimately see a Vita revision with a 1080p screen? Games coded for the present 960×540 resolution would play just fine, and video could manage a higher resolution. Games capable of the higher resolution would play perfectly well scaled down to 960×540 as well. So there would be no issue with a future hardware revision supporting full 1080p on the screen or via a future HDMI inclusion.

It just sounds like there is some future proofing built into the device.

On that same topic, the CPU/GPU chipset in the Vita is probably underclocked the same way that the original PSP was. Two or three years down the line, Sony could enable the higher clock speeds ensuring that the Vita has some extra capacity in it's back pocket to maintain relevance for a longer time. It would hurt battery life on the first generation units (as it does on the PSP) but would certainly provide greater longevity for the device itself.

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
13 years ago

<<<<<Thirdly and most importantly, Norden said the front and rear touchscreen panels are actually "higher resolution than the screen itself.">>>>>

So I guess I'll have to find me a set of press-on peepers for my fingers now too.
Oh hell, this means that all eyeball repository's are going to have massive back-orders for at least a good 2-3 years too.

Anywho, I'm doing my part to grab a Vita, I'll be pre-paying my last $40 balance on it by the end of this week.

"Vita will be mine, on Day 1"

BikerSaint
BikerSaint
13 years ago

<<<<<It was also confirmed that the Vita 3G model will have a download cap of 20MB, as we reported before. That isn't a big surprise to those who are familiar with many other mobile devices, and we hear there is the possibility that the cap will rise over time.>>>>>

According to an article I just read today, that will only be for the "G3 model".
But as already stated in the article above, AT&T may allow a larger cap later.

But, AT&T has requested to Sony that "Wi-Fi" model have "NO cap" at all(I pre-ordered this one).

saintaqua
saintaqua
13 years ago

Hope we get more colors and the option for tv out.
I was pretty set on the tv out option!!!

phade2blaq
phade2blaq
12 years ago

Sony was probably working on the PS4 while working on the PS3 !