RicaneliteSony's Next Generation EyeToy Revealed
Also doubles as a headset for games like Resistance.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has finally confirmed the arrival of a new EyeToy-like camera for PlayStation 3, PlayStation Eye, which features both a microphone and a camera. The inclusion of both means you can finally take proper advantage of the PlayStation 3's XMB's videochat function.
The PlayStation Eye features several technical advancements over the EyeToy. The microphone has background noise suppression so it weeds out noises such as fans, vacuums and traffic (?!) to focus on the player's speech. The press release says you don't need a headset, so you could possibly use the PlayStation Eye as your communication device in Resistance: Fall of Man, instead of a Bluetooth headset.
The PlayStation Eye also features better resolution maxing out at 640x480 at 60 frames per second. It can also run at 120 frames per second for "extreme high-speed tracking applications." The camera features a two-setting optical zoom lens.
You can grab video, audio and photos with the camera using the bundled EyeCreate software package, which includes editing software which you can use to put together your own clips and videos. You can take advantage of features like time-lapse and slow motion.
According to a QA we got from SCEE, "all video and audio files produced via PlayStation Eye are specific files created for use only on EyeCreate, the software available free with PlayStation Eye. These files cannot be used on the XMB and therefore not exported." Which doesn't mean, however, that software, such as the upcoming SingStar, cannot use the camera.
While the press release talks about a summer release for Europe, Sony couldn't confirm a more exact date. The first game we know that takes advantage of the camera is Playstation Network title Snake Run, which was also announced today, but the PlayStation Eye press release promises upcoming titles such as Eye of Judgement, Ember, Skyblue and Aqua Vit.
PlayStation Eye technical specs:
# 4 channel audio input:16 bits/channel, 48kHz, SNR 90db
# 56? to 75? Field of View zoom lens
# 2.1 F-stop, <1% distortion, fixed focus (25cm to 8 at 75? FOV)
# 640 x 480 at 60 frames/second
# 320 x 240 at 120 frames/second
# USB2 high-speed data transfer
# Uncompressed video or optional JPEG compression
