GameCube and Wii discs don't use UDF or this "outside-in" recording method. The physical format is identical to DVD; what's changed is the logical sector format. http://debugmo.de/2008/11/anat... has an analysis of the GameCube format; Wii is similar.

The filesystem is also completely proprietary. http://hitmen.c02.at/files/yag... has a description of GameCube discs; http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Wii_Di... has Wii discs. (Wii discs are similar to GameCube, but it supports multiple partitions and offsets are multiples of 4 in order to address a full 8 GB dual-layer DVD using 32-bit values.)

The reason why most people think GameCube and Wii discs are written "backwards" is because the disc mastering tools deliberately pad the beginning of the disc with filler data in order to push the actual data towards the outer edge of the disc. This is because the CAV drives used in GameCube and Wii are able to read data faster if they're closer to the outer edge.

Clarification: The fact that PS4 only has HDMI doesn't mean it's not possible to get HD using other video interfaces on *other* devices, e.g. the PS3.

I was actually referring to component video (YPbPr) and VGA, the former of which was supported by all 7th generation consoles, and the latter supported by Xbox 360, some older consoles (Dreamcast), and pretty much all PCs manufactured since the late 1980s. Believe it or not, it *is* possible to get HD using analog video connections.

The fact that PS4 only has HDMI doesn't mean it's not possible to get HD using other video interfaces.

This is more a criticism of the terrible article, not Sony themselves. There's all sorts of other errors in the article, e.g. assertions that HDMI is required for HD (it isn't) and that Bluray holds 33 GB (dual-layer discs hold 50), plus mentioning that PS3 online play is free while conveniently leaving out the fact that PS4 online play isn't.

...and now I look at who wrote the article: Red Bull. Definitely a reliable go-to source for video game news.

The PocketStation doesn't even function as a second screen, since you can't make use of it while playing a game on the PlayStation. (In contrast, the Sega VMU is in the controller, so you can actually see it while playing.)

Added bonus from the actual article:

Yes, PS4 was the first console with touch controls on the controller. There definitely wasn't a system released a year before with a controller based around a 6" touchscreen. Definitely not.

Not only was PocketStation released after Sega's VMU, it doesn't even function as a second screen. Both devices plug into the memory card slot, but while the Dreamcast's memory card slot is in the controller (which makes the screen usable while playing games), the PlayStation's memory card slot is in the console.

Nice try attempting to rewrite history in Sony's favor.

Not saying Android and iOS stores aren't full of crapp either, but MS is the only store "owner" to actively push worthless frontends as far as I know.

Perhaps, but considering MS has resorted to just creating website frontend "apps", that point is moot. http://www.theverge.com/2013/1...

I find it rather amusing that Microsoft has to resort to implementing what's basically a reverse Wine because no one cares enough about their platform to write "native" (read: HTML5) crapps for it.

Pretty much all HDTVs support receiving over-the-air TV stations using an antenna, and considering NBC is one of the largest broadcast networks in the US, it shouldn't be that hard to get NBC if you don't have cable.

Based on the amount of input lag present in "1080p" TVs, I can only imagine how bad the input lag is on "4K" TVs. (2 seconds or higher?)

Of course, this isn't an inherent property of high-resolution panels. It's caused by idiots in management that "insist" that these TVs have worthless image filtering algorithms that distort the picture and lag the image.

HP Chromebook 11 is selling like hotcakes!

It shouldn't be a special "gaming mode" to begin with; it should be an intrinsic feature of the display.

That, and I've also tested several TVs with "gaming mode" where it doesn't help input lag at all.

It seems that at least with HDMI, most TV manufacturers have finally figured out what 1:1 mode is (though it's not enabled by default, which is still stupid). However, most HDTVs I've seen still have at least 40ms input lag, which is pathetic. (For comparison, I've used a Dell 1701FP LCD from 2001 that had virtually no input lag, on VGA.)