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After a couple of months in beta, OnLive's PlayPack plan, which offers unlimited access to a selection of titles on the service for $10 a month, has officially launched. Saying that "the meteoric growth of Netflix reflects the enormous consumer demand for flat-rate instant-play media," company CEO and founder Steve Perlman made no secret of the company's inspiration for PlayPack when commenting on its official debut.

OnLive hopes to grow the PlayPack selection with "premium, indie and classic games" on "a regular basis," with new additions being selected in part based on feedback from subscribers to the plan. The day one lineup of 38 games can be found after the break, and includes some titles that are entirely new to the service, most notably the original BioShock.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/on...ebuts-with-38/ ...

XCM Multi-Console Component Cable v2
Manufacturer: XCM
Site: Buy from Play-Asia / Buy from Divineo US / Buy from Divineo China
Price: $22.99

Overview : XCM Multi-Console Component Cable V2 (PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360). Not compatible with Xbox 1.

Features :

• Fully Compatible with Xbox 360™, Wii™, PS3™ , PS2™ and any TV system.
• Support Component Signal (Stereo Function)
• Support AV Signal (Stereo Function)
• High Quality and High Speed for Transfer Signal.
• Support Dolby Prologic.
• Support DTS 5.1 Channel System.
• Support DOLBY Digital and Surround Sound
• Support Stereo Sound
• Support Optical Signal (Xbox 360)
• Compatible with Surround Receiver or Integrated Amplifier
• Support CRT, Plasma, LCD or any HDTV System
• Support D2 (480i/480p); (720i/720p) & D4 (1080i/1080p) technology.

Quality/Usability : XCM has released their multi-console component cable that supports Xbox360, Wii, PS2 and PS3. This is pretty much an all-in-one cable for your whole entire entertainment center. Like always, XCM impresses us with their quality of products.

There are three plugs for your console: Xbox360, Wii, PS2/PS3. On the other end are the AV inputs that connect to your TV. On the "switcher" itself, you have four switches: 360HD, 360 Y/Pb/Pr, Wii and PS2/PS3. Of course, which ever system you are playing, you'll have to switch to that system. For those that dont know, 360 Y/Pb/Pr is like a standard component cable.

The visual quality of each system is pretty good. I didnt notice much of a difference between this cable or the standalone component cable that you purchase separately for each system. When switching to a difference system, there is a 2-3 second delay.

The cable itself is fairly long so you dont have to worry about having the systems close to the TV but you will have to have your systems near each other in order for the cable to reach each console.

Conclusion : Overall, the XCM PS2/PS3/Wii/Xbox360 Multi-Console Component Cable is a neat product. Those looking to cut down on cables may want to look into this. It would have been nice if XCM had added a few inches more to the console cables so that the systems dont have to be so close to each other and for those who put their systems into entertainment centers. It would have been also nice if the 360HD and 360 Y/Pb/Pr had swapped places.

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SplitFish GameWare edgeFX Mouse/Keyboard Controller (PS2)
Review by: Lastblade aka kingoffighters
Provided by: DCEmu Reviews
Manufacturer: SplitFish
Site: Buy from Play-Asia
Price: $29.99

Overview : PS2 owners who have been asking for a better controller for their beloved FPS (all 2 of you), SplitFish has answered your prayers. edgeFX is a mouse/control pad hybrid controller that attempts to give you the type of control that PC gamers have been enjoying since the dawn of humanity (or circa early 1990s).

Quality/Usability : This controller claims that it will work with any game, so I am curious to see how it works with both FPS and non-FPS. Installation is as easy as plugging in any PS2 controller. The tricky part is putting the contraption on your lap since it has the mouse pad along with the one-handed control pad (let’s call it the “nunchuck”) for your left hand. To be honest, I never could get comfortable with this setup.

First game I tried is one of my favorite FPS, Black for the PS2. It is a great game and I have hopes that this controller will improve accuracy and speed. Both my accuracy and speed has gone DOWN from using this controller. The reason is that the mouse is basically emulating the right control pad (thus, it can work with any game and does not need special programming from developers to take advantage). There is a knob on the left control nunchuck that allows you to change the sensitivity of the mouse on the fly. This is actually very helpful to find how fast your mouse moves in relation to how far you push the right analog stick on a regular pad. However, even with the highest sensitivity, you are not moving any faster than pushing the right analog stick to the maximum. Of course, this is obvious since the mouse is emulating the right analog.

Next game I tried is Killzone. This game is noticeably slower than Black so I was doing a bit better with the mouse. After tweaking the sensitivity knob, I was doing better than Black but still not turning around as fast as I want (again, this is inherent in the game itself and not a fault of the controller). The thing is that I did not want to turn faster with a regular control pad, but I do with a mouse. I suppose my own history of playing FPS with a mouse colored my expectation of how a mouse should work on a PS2 game (even though none of them are programmed with this mouse in mind).

On the nunchuck controller, there is a very nice analog stick for movement and a cross pad. One very cool button is a “focus” button that slows your controller down. You can snipe much easier with this button held down. I wish this button was incorporated in all FPS.

Finally, I tried to play a non-FPS game, I figure a setup like this would be ideal for RPGs so I tried Final Fantasy XII and it worked quite nicely. I actually enjoy using this controller for this type of games over a RPG. I would not recommend playing an action/platform game with this setup though.

Conclusion : Overall, the edgeFX controller is a decent alternative for the PS2 FPS library. It does NOT make you turn faster like a real mouse would (unless developers actually develop a game with this mouse in mind, which won’t happen with the last days of PS2), but does make it more intuitive if you are used to mouse + keyboard control.

I would also like to give a big THANKS to bandit (DCEmu Reviews) for letting me review this product. I hope everyone enjoyed my review.

Images via comments ...

Penguin United PS2/PS3/Wii/Xbox360 Multi-Console Component Cable
Manufacturer: Penguin United
Site: Buy from Penguin United
Price: $21.99

Overview : Fully Compatible with Xbox 360™, Wii™, PS3™ , PS2™ and any TV system with component input. The Final High-Definition Solution for all your Next Generation Gaming Consoles. Avoid the Hassle of switching cables behind your television or dealing with tangled cables from all your Consoles, not to mention the saving from buying 1 cable instead of 3. Support D2 (480i/480p); (720i/720p) & D4 (1080i/ 1080p) technology. Actual resolution displayed will be determined by the technology supported by the Console in use.

The three AV plugs for each console should NOT be connected to their respective consoles simultaneously. Only one console should be connected for the cable to function properly. If more than one consoles are connected, even if it is set to "off" loss of audio or video may occure, but there will not be any damages done to the console.

Cable is 8 foot long or 2.4 meter in length.

Features :

• Support Component Signal (Stereo Function)
• Support AV Signal (Stereo Function)
• High Quality and High Speed for Transfer Signal.
• Support Dolby Prologic.
• Support DTS 5.1 Channel System.
• Support DOLBY Digital and Surround Sound
• Support Stereo Sound
• Support Optical Signal (Xbox 360)
• Compatible with Surround Receiver or Integrated Amplifier
• Support CRT, Plasma, LCD or any HDTV System
• Support D2 (480i/480P); (720i/720P) & D4 (1080 i/1080 P) technology.

Quality/Usability : This is the second multi-console component cable we will be reviewing. The first review coming from XCM. We have reviewed a couple of Penguin United's Wii Component Cables already (Regular / Gold / Premium). All of them were pretty good for a new 3rd party peripheral manufacturer.

There are three plugs for your console: Xbox360, Wii, PS2/PS3. On the other end are the AV inputs that connect to your TV. Unlike the XCM multi-console component cable, there is no switch on the cable that allows you to switch to whatever system you are going to play with. You will have to plug each plug into the system if you want to play with the console.

The visual quality of each system is pretty good when connected one by one. I didnt notice much of a difference between this cable or the standalone component cable that you purchase separately for each system.

The cable itself is fairly long measuring approximately 8 feet long. The cables for each console once split from the cable itself is fairly long enough but you will still have to have your consoles near each other.

Conclusion : Overall, the Penguin United PS2/PS3/Wii/Xbox360 Multi-Console Component Cable is another alternative to those looking to eliminate cables and is looking for a all-in-one source. The quality of the product is great just like all of the other products Penguin United offers. My only complaint was having to insert the plug into the console I want to play each time. Would of been nice if there was a switch of some sort where I can easily switch back and forth without having to keep on removing the cables.

Images via comments ...

Griffin Smartshare Headphone Splitter
Manufacturer: Griffin Technology
Site: Buy from Griffin Technology
Price: $7.49-$14.99

Overview : The SmartShare is a headphone splitter with individual volume controls.

It is ideal for watching movies on a PSP or listening to your music on a iPod, as it allows you to share the experience with a friend – perfect for car trips, plane flights, and waiting rooms. Now you can share your audio, not your volume preferences.

Great design and minimal size make SmartShare a must-have addition to any accessory bag.

Quality/Usability : The SmartShare splits sound between two headphones which allows two people to listen to your PSP or iPod at the same time without having to share headphones.

This is great on those long roadtrips or flights to keep you and your friend occupied. Each splitter has its own volume control. If you're the type to blast the volume, your friend wont have to suffer as they can control their own volume to their likings.

The sound quality is pretty clear and does a great job of splitting the sound. I personally like the volume blasted while my friends prefer to have a lower volume.

Conclusion : Overall, the Griffin SmartShare is a nice product to share sounds with a friend without having to give up your headphones or one of your earbuds. The volume control on each splitter is a nice addition as each person can adjust it to their own likings. This is not only for the PSP but can also be used for iPod, MP3/CD player or any electronic device that has a headphone jack.

Image via comments ...

I'm sure most of you have noticed the downtime that was due to the sites migrating to a new server and it now has a complete new system for news and content. Our old forum software was outdated and not secure. We're now using the latest vBulletin 4 Suite which allows for content, blogs and forums.

We've moved to a new Quad-Core (4x2.8 Ghz) server with 24 GB RAM and 2x1500 GB harddrives in RAID1 which will ensure that the sites load quickly even under high traffic hours.

We hope you enjoy your stay at the new DCEmu, don't hesitate to get back to us with your feedback. ...

I'm sure most of you have noticed the downtime that was due to the sites migrating to a new server and it now has a complete new system for news and content. Our old forum software was outdated and not secure. We're now using the latest vBulletin 4 Suite which allows for content, blogs and forums.

We've moved to a new Quad-Core (4x2.8 Ghz) server with 24 GB RAM and 2x1500 GB harddrives in RAID1 which will ensure that the sites load quickly even under high traffic hours.

We hope you enjoy your stay at the new DCEmu, don't hesitate to get back to us with your feedback. ...

Gamers are reporting that Sony's recent PlayStation 3 firmware "security patch" prevents users from upgrading the console's hard disk drive.

PS3 firmware update v3.56 – released last week – was described as a "security patch" by Sony bigshot Eric Lempel.

Some speculated that it was an attempt by Sony to prevent George "Geohot" Hotz's infamous jailbreak from working.

However, reports indicated the patch itself was hacked just days after release – and now it seems it has caused problems for unsuspecting PS3 owners.

Eurogamer reader Marshall2008 took to Eurogamer's forum to spread the bad news: "At present you will get error 8002f2c5 when you change your HDD and the only way to fix it is to put the old drive back in," he wrote.

"I bought a 320GB HDD to upgrade my 120GB PS3 Slim. I stuck the drive in and got the usual message about putting in a USB drive/stick with update 3.56 or newer on. I stuck the old drive into a sata caddy formatted it and put the update on. All good so far until it gave me error 8002f225.

"Checking online it appears to be a firmware bug which screws up upgrading your HDD. Unfortunately for me I wiped the original drive so I can't just stick it back in and I will have to wait for a fix."

Eurogamer reader Joseph Bat then pointed Eurogamer towards spiralling threads on the official EU PlayStation forum.

Reports indicate the issue is restricted to the 16MB flash PlaySation 3 models – which includes the Slim. Eurogamer has contacted Sony for comment.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...s-hdd-upgrades ...

Sony looks poised to bring its PlayStation 3 motion controller Move to PC, opening up alternative uses for the device.

The synopsis for a panel at GDC next month entitled 'Update on PlayStation Move development' includes the comment "We will discuss the new Move Server project that will make it possible for academics and hobbyists to develop software using the PlayStation Move controller on their own PCs."

The talk is to be presented by John McCutchan, SCEA's lead of the Game Systems team in Developer Support.

No further information on Move Server is available at present. Rumours are also swirling that Microsoft is soon to offer official support for its Kinect motion controller on PC, following a vast a number of inventive hacks for the device.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-server-for-pc ...