Seventh Generation Video Games – What is it?  Here's a brief history.

We are now all experiencing The Seventh Generation of video games.  You might say that we are Children of the Seventh Genration and this includes all ages. One wonders how many have even heard of it!

The Seventh Generation brought the arrival of new disc formats, albeit that only one format seems to have survived to this day: the Blue-ray disc as used by the PlayStation 3 and the HD DVD as used by the Xbox 360.  The XBox HD DVD was used through an optional accessory but this later fell by the wayside in the format war that ensued. Not Microsoft’s finest moment!

One really significant feature to arrive on the scene is the use of motion as an input medium.  This is of course used extensively by the Nintendo Wii and also by different means, the Playstation 3.  The Wii of course also utilises Infra Red tracking; perhaps the mainstay of the Wii concept.  Last but not least, all Seventh Generation systems support standard wireless controllers.

Of course, only the biggest players in manufacturing have been able to develop the Seventh Generation games systems:

XBox 360

• Microsoft are behind the XBox 360 and believe it or not, this was launched as long ago as  November 2005. Their HD DVD drive didn’t really take off and although originally available as an accessory,  the format has been dropped.
  
  
  
• The XBox Live service can be connected to the internet either through its built-in Ehternet port or its Wi-Fi accessory.  Currently available in three versions, the XBox can be bought in the entry level "Arcade" version; a Standard version using a hard drive and an "Elite" version, also using HD. The biggest difference between these versions is their storage capacity..  The Arcade edition has 256MB storage, the Standard version has a 60GB hard drive capacity, whilst the Elite comes with a 120GB drive.  They all come with wireless controllers and to make it clear if one has splashed out on the Elite, the console and controllers are in Black, so your friends will definitley know!  The other differences relate to what games are bundled, cables etc.
  
  
• The Xbox 360 is capable of outputting full 1080p through HDMI and component cables.

Sony Playstation 3

• The Sony Playstation 3 was launched in Japan and the USA in November 2006.  Europe had to wait for the PS3 until March 2007.
  
  
• All PlayStation 3s come with a hard drive and are able to play Blue-ray disc movies and games, striaght from the box. The PlayStation 3 was the first video game console to support HDMI out of the box, utilizing full 1080p. For the anoraks out there, “HDMI” stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface and the “1080” refers to the number of lines of vertical resolution and 1080 horizontal scan lines – those who remember the old CRT televisons will remember being able to see the lines as there were far less.  The bottom line with HDMI is fabulous resolution!
  
  
• It is possible to connect up to seven devices to the console through Bluetooth, including the controllers with tilt-sensing capabilities.
  
  
• There are a number of versions of Playstation 3 on the market but they appear to vary according to the region in which purchased.  No doubt there is wisdom in the regionalised marketing but to go into the various specifications extend beyond the scope of this brief article.  Anyway, in the writer’s opinion, they are all good!
  

The Nintendo Wii

• The Nintendo Wii was launched in the USA in November 2006 and in Japan, Australia and Europe in December 2006.
  
  
• At odds with the other Seventh Generation systems,  the Wii does not utilise an internal hard drive.  One can argue that the lack of moving parts for a system that is expected to take a few knocks, might be regarded as an advantage as the Wii uses 512 MB of internal Flash memory and removable SD card storage. SD stands for “Secure Digital” and you have most likely used one of these in your mobile telephone or even your camera or video recorder.
  
  
• Although a fan of the Wii, one has to admit that the maximum resolution output of only 480p is a slight disappointment, making it the only seventh generation console not outputting high-definition graphics. However, the fun to be had and lower price is generally regarded as more than adequate compensation.
  
  
• Central to the Wii experience is the Wii’s cutting edge controller, which afficionados will know as “the Wii remote” and it does indeed resemble a TV remote control unit. The players face the system sensor, which also emits infrared light.  This is captured by an infrared receiver in the Wii remote and is then translated by the brilliant software to interpret orientation relative to the source. People used to think one would need to use Virtual Reality headgear to experience this sensation.  It was the stuff you would see in Sci-Fi movies.  The Wii has brought this into the average family’s living room.
  
  
• The Wii is the first Nintendo console to be back-compatible with previous Nintendo consoles and will be seen as a bonus for owners of GameCube games; in fact the Wii will support four GameCube controllers and two memory cards.

All in all.............
It is fair to say that Seventh Generation has changed the way people see Video Games.  Previously the exclusive territory of children and adolescents, the Seventh Genration console systems are being purchased increasingly by mature adlults.


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