The usual question regarding streaming 4K content is usually how it would be possible to stream such content when the bandwidth requirement is so high. The processing power required to push the content out will be obviously extraordinarily high, but this is where the codec h.265 will come into play when compressing the data to a sufficient rate. If you are looking for exact details then 15.6 Mbps will be required to run 4K in all it’s form and glory. However, the ultimate question will be is how the service providers will cope with the increasing demands of speeds required by different content and what action will they take to cope for the oncoming mass following of 4K video.
Tag: Netflix
Nintendo Wii U Review
Intro
The Wii U is the next generation console that Nintendo have to offer against Microsoft and Sony, and has a bright future ahead of its console life and is expected to do quite well. There were worries about the console not having enough exclusives but games like Bayonetta and Scram Kitty are sure to keep the naysayers at bay for a while, until of course Nintendo begins to release the games that made Nintendo what it is in the first place. (The Legend of Zelda, Metroid and so on). It’s predecessor, The Wii, set up the pillars of innovation which Nintendo would continue to be known for up until today when the Wii U now takes the Wii’s place. Although Nintendo isn’t finished with the Wii yet(Wii Mini).
The Wii U is said to be more powerful than the PS3 and Xbox 360 and when it’s hardware is exploited in the correct way by developers, we can expect to see wonders performed by the Wii U, for some it may be a selling point but for most people the innovation is something that will be catching the eyes of the crowd. Nintendo offers the Wii U in the form of the Basic Edition which has 8GB of memory and comes in white and the Pro Edition which has 32GB of memory and comes in black. It wouldn’t make sense to buy the white one unless your on a budget because the storage space is so small but it has been confirmed that you can expand the memory with an SD Card or an external hard drive. The Wii U is practically almost the same size as the original Wii which as a great achievement considering the hardware inside of it. The Wii U will also play Wii games but drops support for Gamecube games seeing as the console is quite old by today’s standards, I do expect to see popular Gamecube games released in the eShop though.
Controller
What Nintendo has decided to do this time is to implement a screen into the controller for something that may make up to be unusual gameplay, something like this isn’t to be unexpected from Nintendo since it’s mandate has been to focus on fun rather than all the fancy things the computers of the time can do, and that may very well be the case with the Wii U although it will help to take a closer look at what Nintendo seems to be offering. The 6.2 inch screen is something that has been designed to work in coordination with your TV. It’s good to know that the controller is wireless and is the core of the system which makes it work(apart from the main console hardware itself). It has the buttons you would expect and two analog sticks which is commonplace in the gaming world and it even has NFC! Some may argue that it is over sized but the controller feels light and good in the hand, apart from the poor battery life which owners are all too aware of. If the controller is not for you, can always buy a Nintendo Pro controller which bears similarities to the Xbox 360 controller. An additional feature is being able to play the game on the gamepad independently from the TV although range may hinder the experience for some, people may call it common sense but I feel to suggest that this is a likable gimmick. Unfortunately the Gamepad only comes on its own with no companion controller, which means only one Gamepad may be used at a given time.
Media and OS
Nintendo has decided to include various services into the package such as Netflix and Lovefilm and we expect to see more as the months pass by, we hope to see innovative displays of Twitter and Facebook soon but that might be asking for too much. There is also Miiverse which acts as a social gathering to discuss different games, similar to what Sony and Microsoft offers. Nintendo has also set up the necessary protection in place which forbids Children to easily access the Nintendo World which is something I always like to see. The OS UI is remarkably similar to the Wii’s OS using the same scheme of using different channels to provide channels(apps) for the user to use, I expect to see more of them coming into life as time goes by. Nintendo restricts the user from playing DVD’s which is somewhat of a shock, this effectively reduces it’s standing as a media device and more of a gaming device, but to be fair you couldn’t do this on the Wii either.
If you’re lucky enough to encounter an update after booting up the Wii U you just bought, you may be in for a very long wait because this particular patch enables a lot of the Wii U’s functions and without it, it simply wouldn’t work well, the UI speed certainly needs some more tuning as it is quite sluggish for comfort. Nintendo has finally introduced a viable online system worthy of notice which competes with PSN and Xbox Live, it basically offers the same functionally that you would expect from your PS3 or Xbox 360 and does a pretty good job at it as well. The eShop is a port from the 3DS version and is stocked with all the games you can currently get on Wii U at full price(well most of them anyways) and a decent amount of Indie games for Core gamers, you may have to tame your wallet as the prices are quite high in this luxury suite. The Wii U includes a Internet browser which does a satisfactory job of browsing the web in a simple manner, everything you would expect from a desktop browser is included + the ability to view content on the Gamepad alone.
Conclusion
For those of you who believed that the Wii was the next big thing after sliced bread, then the Wii U surely won’t disappoint and will arise and meet your high expectations. Many of the Wii U’s shortcomings such as the lack of games will eventually be resolved with the frequent releases planned for the console and its potential will most likely be realised when developers take advantage of the additional game-pad and make new channels for the Wii U
Orion 