Author Topic: Rev has no Eth Port a Mistake? (Read 8297 times)

BlackGriffen · « **on:** May 25, 2005, 07:30:16 PM »

According to IGN's tech specs, the Rev doesn't have an ethernet jack. Specifically:

Quote
No Ethernet jack; Revolution connects to the Internet using 802.11b and 802.11g Wi-Fi wireless

At first I was in disbelief when I read this. Don't get me wrong, wireless is great. Wireless only, however, is a mistake. The investment to get wireless running is US$50+, a significant investment. Cat-5 (ethernet) cable is US$20 or less (depends on length). The hardware necessary for a simple 10/100 ethernet connection is minimal and cheap, so I can't think of a reason not to include it. If Nintendo still chooses not to, though, they should at least support the use of USB ethernet adaptors.

If Nintendo refuses to do both then there is no other way to describe the decision but colossally stupid. It will hurt adoption of their online strategy, for starters.

So, in sum: Nintendo would have to be stupid to exclude a basic ethernet adaptor, and colossally stupid to disallow the use of USB ethernet adaptors as well.

BlackGriffen

Ian Sane · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2005, 07:59:24 PM »

I remember hearing about the use of USB ethernet adaptors since the Rev has USB ports. It might just be speculation though. Anyway I want an ethernet jack and I had a big discussion about this issue a while back. To sum up my feelings I don't want to buy extra sh!t. I want to take the cable I plug into my computer and plug it into the Rev. If Nintendo doesn't let me do it out of the box I'm going to be pissed off though I'll probably just buy the wireless stuff anyway. I agree that they're going to limit things by not providing the option. People can't go to hotspots with a damn console. The DS strategy won't work here.

I imagine not having a port is the usual NCL making a decision for the whole world market based on Japan. Hot spots can work okay in Japan where millions of people live in a tiny little country. It doesn't work in the US and especially Canada where the population is more spread out and people can live far away from a city.

TMW · « **Reply #2 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:00:23 PM »

Those are tech specs of a prototype that is due for major redesign.

The prototype probably isn't even online yet, if it works at all.

HereticPB · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:15:10 PM »

With a wireless router or USB! Reggie stated this in his speech at E3.

anubis6789 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:37:15 PM »

I think they should have an ethernet port even though I already have a wifi network setup in my home. It would be cool if you connected an ethernet cable to your REV and it would becaome a hotspot for DS's. If I was Nintendo that is what I would do. Granted it was a prototype so it may change.

*EDIT: added the blurb about it being a prototype.*

IceCold · « **Reply #5 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:47:21 PM »

Maybe they'll include their own router (even a cheap one) in the package, then you can just use that one if you don't have one already.

Don'tHate742 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:48:02 PM »

I don't think you see this the same way Nintendo does.

If Nintendo becomes massively popular (lilke Nintendo wants) and those who want to play online (everyone, except Paladin) switch to wireless routers (one-time fee), then those very people will have another incentive to buy the DS (and vice versa).

Think about it....all those people switching to WiFi.....it's brilliant.

REV Lauch -- Sping 06'.
REV -- Super Smash Bros. Online -- Spring 06'.
DS -- Super Smash Bros. Online -- Fall 06'.

ShyGuy · « **Reply #7 on:** May 25, 2005, 08:53:39 PM »

I think we should all chip in and buy Ian a wireless router just to take away his something to complain about.

And supporting a usb ethernet device is a little more complicated than just flipping a switch; you have to have drivers to interface with the various usb NIC's chipsets, or the Revolution won't see them.

Don'tHate742 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2005, 09:00:26 PM »

I geuss I'll be the first to defend Ian.

He doesn't complain, rather he brings up some important points regarding the negative side-effects to Nintendo's choices. I admit, he does focus on the bad alot, but he doesn't ignore the good either and it shows because he's been giving Nintendo alot slack recently.

ThePerm · « **Reply #9 on:** May 25, 2005, 09:01:28 PM »

theoretically you could connect your revolution to the computer that has an USB port..i think thats how their doing ds.

nemo_83 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2005, 09:44:07 PM »

Wait, you mean there is nothing in the back, unless they do some odd USB port thing, to hook up the internet. Wow, there are like six cables (thats money) being used in this house right now. Plus the cable modem. Buying a new wifi hub would mean more money spent and it wouldn't work with LIVE without another peripheral or any of the four PCs in this house without new cards. I'm just trying to show how this would throw a rock in the gears. They have to put a port on there because wifi is an option because everyone already owns cable. This could be the stupid decission we are talking about Nintendo making in four years. Instead of it being that there was no online software support on Cube, or that carts on N64 was moronic; it will be, "why didn't Nintendo put a cable port on the REV?" Don't they know that Xbox, PCs, PS2, PS3, and 360 all have ports? The market for online gaming has been brought as far as it has through cables.

ThePerm · « **Reply #11 on:** May 25, 2005, 10:01:47 PM »

like i said...you could theoretically have your computer hooked up to your cable modem the rtegular way..then you connect your console to the pc and maybe for once nintendo will actually have something thats not theirs(using the pc to achieve an end) to be used on to the pc that will connect you to the network through your computer....

ShyGuy · « **Reply #12 on:** May 25, 2005, 10:06:03 PM »

Nemo, what you need is something like this http://dlink.com/products/?pid=316 It's a 4+1 router with wireless capability, certified for Wifi and Xbox live, Dlink sells it for $54US (they make models with more rj45 ports too)

I honestly expect Wifi to become ubiquitous in the next couple of years, consumer networking is trending that way.

nemo_83 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 25, 2005, 10:35:15 PM »

So I have to buy a fifty dollar, plus tax hub because Nintendo won't include a two dollar port just so they can look different.

I guess I could get a usb cord and hook it up through the pc; if it is able to do that. All we know so far is that it will hook up to pc monitors, hopefully laptops cause that is what I have. But they may be doing that via wifi too. While I'm on the subject of hooking it up to a pc; am I going to need to use up all my pc's harddrive because the REV won't have one? What are people without pcs going to do?

Nintendo is making this more complicated than simple. If you think I'm being critical wait until xbots figure out how to use this against Nintendo in arguments.

ShyGuy · « **Reply #14 on:** May 25, 2005, 10:50:43 PM »

Penny Arcade deals with a similar problem

Just kidding, yeah it would make sense for nintendo to include an ethernet port, but I'm not too worried if they don't.

If you're already managing a five node network, I don't think nintendo is going to over complicate things for you here.

And I doubt the Revolution will display on your laptop, unless it has some video capture capabilities. That's just not how it works.

MrMojoRising · « **Reply #15 on:** May 25, 2005, 10:55:32 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: anubis6789
It would be cool if you connected an ethernet cable to your REV and it would becaome a hotspot for DS's.

AND HOW!

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #16 on:** May 26, 2005, 02:04:33 AM »

Quote
The DS strategy won't work here.

I like this quote especially, since the DS strategy includes a USB conncection. If they're going to do it with a portable, they're going to do with with a home console. Perhaps you plug this wireless transmitter into your USB port and it supports both the DS and the Rev....?

jasonditz · « **Reply #17 on:** May 26, 2005, 07:25:00 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: ShyGuy
Penny Arcade deals with a similar problem

Just kidding, yeah it would make sense for nintendo to include an ethernet port, but I'm not too worried if they don't.

If you're already managing a five node network, I don't think nintendo is going to over complicate things for you here.

And I doubt the Revolution will display on your laptop, unless it has some video capture capabilities. That's just not how it works.

Yeah, most laptops don't have VGA-in, but you could just as easily get a decent HD capture card for the thing and play the games that way

jasonditz · « **Reply #18 on:** May 26, 2005, 07:28:39 AM »

Seriously though guys... how many people have broadband, have a router, and its not wireless? I know there are some, but its not that big a market. Most households with broadband have a single cable modem plugged directly into a PC. They need a router either way to use something like this... there's no real added cost to making it wireless anymore.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #19 on:** May 26, 2005, 09:10:48 AM »

"If Nintendo becomes massively popular (lilke Nintendo wants) and those who want to play online (everyone, except Paladin) switch to wireless routers (one-time fee), then those very people will have another incentive to buy the DS (and vice versa)."

That's an interesting strategy but I don't think it's worth risking the Rev's online presence to sell more DS's. And this logic is backwards much like GBA connectivity. The PORTABLE is what sells. Therefore the portable should be used to try to get people to buy the console, not the other way around. With connectivity Nintendo was rather blatantly trying to sell GBAs to Cube owners but that didn't make any sense. The GBA was selling like Beatles records in the 60s while they couldn't give away Cubes. This is the same thing. The DS is doing pretty good. The Rev is no matter what going to struggle just because of Nintendo's current standing in the console market. So using the Rev to sell DS's makes no sense. Doesn't mean that's not their strategy but it's still really dumb.

jasonditz · « **Reply #20 on:** May 26, 2005, 10:15:40 AM »

Hey, Connectivity was what made me buy my first GBA

nemo_83 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 26, 2005, 05:10:30 PM »

Ian is right. They used the Cube to sell GBAs. Hopefully they will use the third pillar to sell Revolutions rather than the other way around.

I am going to assume for right now that the final version will offer a port; but if we get to the 360's launch and Nintendo still has not shown the controller, graphics, specs, or cable port with Sony possibly launching in six months then I am going to bitch.

Bloodworth · « **Reply #22 on:** May 26, 2005, 06:57:06 PM »

I think it's more likely that people would add WiFi to their networks this year when the DS goes online, then they'd already have it when Revolution comes out. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Nintendo offers a cheap solution for people without WiFi already.

nemo_83 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 26, 2005, 07:14:05 PM »

I was thinking differently. I was thinking that what the REV offered to the DS was that it would work as a wifi hub so you wouldn't have to buy a new wifi device, other than the REV to play DS and REV games online. You could just plug your REV into the cable you already wired through the house and it could send out the signal to everything in the house. It would encourage people to buy REV.

Shecky · « **Reply #24 on:** May 26, 2005, 08:51:00 PM »

IMO, it's stupid to include both!

Most users would prefer wireless... it's difficult for a lot of people to run an ethernet cord to their TV/living area.

So assuming you want wireless....

An wireless ethernet bridge (~$50+)
Or by an access point (~$50)

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Author Topic: Rev has no Eth Port a Mistake? (Read 8297 times)