So I bought a PS Vita today.

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Godmachine

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Amazon is running an amazing deal on a PS Vita Bundle ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G9AYVTG/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and I've been on the fence about the Vita for a while. Its got some good games on it but also the assload of PSN+ free games I've been given I would like to play on it plus the Playstation 4 streaming capabilities really sold me on.

I'll post my impressions of the streaming capability from the PS4 which I doubt won't be anything but stellar since I haven't heard much grumbling from those that have it.

It was between a Vita and an Nvidia Shield and both were on sale , I just can't justify a Shield yet as its functionality for PC streaming is pretty limited still.

Anyone here own a Vita and have tried it with their PS4?
 
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Yeah I have. It's one of the best features if you have others in your house that want to use the TV the PS4 is connected on. Everything is pretty seamless. I was playing Knack and AC4 and then just ran the Remote Play for PS4 on the vita, and it connected and took over without a hitch. It's a great feature IMHO. The only real issue is the mapping of the controller L2/R2 buttons and L3/R3 to the rear touch pad. They work, but I hit them accidentally a lot. In Knack it wasn't an issue since it didn't use those button presses, in AC4 it might in some situations. Also the vita is nowhere near as comfortable as a DS4. IIRC the PS4 shuts down the DS4 as soon as the Vita connects via remote play. I wouldn't mind having an option to use a DS4 and only use the vita as a screen since I am not that far away from the PS4. I didn't try to reconnect with the DS4 while in remote play though, maybe it's possible.
 
Really want to pick one up for this, is there any issues with lag on the vita?
 
Almost no lag. I have only use the remote play at home.
 
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Now is a great time to buy a Vita and I hope a lot of people jump on board at these prices. I've just been really impressed with my Vita 2000 and ended up buying a few games for it over the past couple days (Persona 4 Golden, Muramasa rebirth), so I should have no shortage of games to last me a while. Couple that with FFX/X-2 HD coming out in the spring and who knows what else.
 
Amazon has the walking dead bundle for 174 right now, probably going to hop on that deal. I'm also a PS plus member so really cant beat what i'll have available to me with my new PS4.
 
I returned the Vita bundle I bought from Best Buy on Wednesday and ordered the Amazon bundle for "free" (reward points). The problem I had with the Vita during the short time I owned it was the build quality. Do not EVER run your fingernail on the plastic that the d-pad, analog sticks, and buttons sit on, because it will create a shimmering scuff that will never come off. Also, the power button on mine was off-center, which bothered the heck out of me. Hopefully my Amazon unit will be problem-free.

I'm looking forward to playing some classic PS games on it.
 
I'm going to try to play it remotely from my hotspot via my HTC One. I've got a solid 4-5Mbps download in a choice location.

There are actually a ton of games for this now with all the freebies on Playstation Plus. It seems to make a lot more sense to buy a Vita when you are apart of the Sony ecosystem. I don't think I would have bought one without owning both a PS3 and PS4.
 
Wow, this is a really good deal, especially if you already have PS+
On the fence....
 
zaxour said:
Do it. It's the same price as the 3DS XL BF deal....
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I've spent so much money already!

Mario 3D World
Zelda LBW
A PS4
PS+ 2 year
This would bring that close to $800


............. man
OK, I'm gonna think about it for another hour.
 
Yup, I picked up the Amazon walking dead bundle today as well. That was a pretty good price even if it was just the console itself. I hadn't picked one up in the past because I was afraid the games wouldn't come. And to be fair, there isn't a huge library even today. BUT, with my PS4 in house, and a long standing issue of sharing the TV with the kids and wife - I jumped on board for the remote play option. I think Sony was smart here - as remote play seems to be invigorating the Vita as a platform - hopefully the developers follow.
 
If you like action RPGs I recommend Ys: Memories of Celceta. I'm playing it right now, and It's the funnest I've ever had with my Vita.
 
arr4ws said:
yes it is...

you need / want at least 16
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Down the line sure. The PS Vita memory card prices are fucking absurd but I understand why..

The PSP is a piracy haven and its for a lot of reasons. By controlling the memory cards and basically locking them down Sony has helped insulate against piracy to a degree. The memory card prices are terrible though hopefully this huge boost to sales will help push Sony into dropping the cost.

Anyway I primarily want the PS Vita for PS4 remote streaming and second screen streaming.

You can always redownload what you want when you need space as well. Now that PSN+ actually offers lots of free Vita game downloads its a no brainer. Plus the PS Vita catalog has grown a lot.

I think thanks to the PS4 the PS Vita will see a large boost in sales and maybe it'll spur some further development. I think the key is for Sony to drop the price , $175 is right in the range it should be. If Sony could drop the Vita to $150 it would fly off shelves.
 
Megalith said:
A 16GB Vita MC is $40, and a 32GB version is $75. The fuck?
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wait for a sale, I got the 32GB memory card earlier this year for $38 from best buy. I knew I would be getting a Vita eventually, though.
 
Megalith said:
A 16GB Vita MC is $40, and a 32GB version is $75. The fuck?
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Yeah it's the one thing I absolutely hate about the vita. Worst part about it is even 32GB isn't really good enough with PS+. Unfortunately, they offer no way to backup games off the device so you can install them from a local drive. IMHO that would help out a lot but it might cause them piracy issues so I can understand why they wouldn't allow it. Still they really should have 128GB cards by now for around the same prices as say SDHC cards.
 
Damn amazon and their super fast service.
I ordered this before midnight, logged in to cancel just now, and it's already shipped.
Looks like I got free 2 day air. Don't know how that happened, but it looks like I'm getting it now.
I guess I'll keep it. The memory card thing REALLY bugs me, which is why I was thinking of canceling the order.
 
Had one and returned it. I found the Vita really uncomfortable to hold and use. I am waiting on the US relase of the 2nd gen Vita (currently for sale in Japan).

Also the Vita UI is horrible.
 
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LurkerLito said:
Yeah it's the one thing I absolutely hate about the vita. Worst part about it is even 32GB isn't really good enough with PS+. Unfortunately, they offer no way to backup games off the device so you can install them from a local drive. IMHO that would help out a lot but it might cause them piracy issues so I can understand why they wouldn't allow it. Still they really should have 128GB cards by now for around the same prices as say SDHC cards.
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i believe you can back up games to PS3
that's about it
 
ocellaris said:
Had one and returned it. I found the Vita really uncomfortable to hold and use. I am waiting on the US relase of the 2nd gen Vita currently for sale in Japan.

Also the Vita UI is horrible.
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Hmm... I guess I'll decide when it gets here.
I remember not liking the sticks, last time I played with one.
Really meh, about the whole thing... Maybe I'll use it as a gift.
 
ocellaris said:
Had one and returned it. I found the Vita really uncomfortable to hold and use.
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Agreed, which is why I got one of these.

PS-Vita-Hand-Grip.jpg
 
ocellaris said:
Had one and returned it. I found the Vita really uncomfortable to hold and use. I am waiting on the US relase of the 2nd gen Vita (currently for sale in Japan).

Also the Vita UI is horrible.
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Is the UI really that bad? I remember hearing people complain about it, but in my usage it's perfectly fine.
 
zaxour said:
Is the UI really that bad? I remember hearing people complain about it, but in my usage it's perfectly fine.
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I think the icons look like something from the Dreamcast era and the multitasking is poorly thought out.
 
ocellaris said:
I think the icons look like something from the Dreamcast era and the multitasking is poorly thought out.
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The icons do resemble the old dreamcast system menu, but it doesn't bother me.

The multitasking though? I think it's fine, especially compared to the 3DS where you can only have one thing open at a time. On the Vita, while I have a game open, I can open the settings or store, or even play PS4 remote play while the game is suspended, without having to exit the game. That's convenient to me.
 
The UI is OK, but it's not great. Functional, but could use some work.

Just a warning to new users, if you plan on deleting games to keep space be absolutely sure, you have PS+ and backup game saves to the cloud. If you delete a game, your save games are deleted also.
 
WALL of text incoming : TL;DR summation? Its amazing but only if you are already apart of the Sony ecosystem with a PS4 and a PSN+ sub that's been active.

Ok so I got my Amazon order already (wow fast!) and here are my impressions thus far :

1. The screen is amazing , its extremely clear and I simply adore OLED screens. My Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has an incredible OLED screen that can reach a crazy contrast ratio (CNET rated it at 21,000:1 I believe) and seeing lots of other phones with standard IPS screens that can barely hit 800-900:1 contrast really shows the stark difference between the two technologies. I can't wait for OLED TV's and Monitors to start getting cheap. Unlike many other OLED screens It has very little blurring and the colors don't seem incredibly off or too cold or warm , pretty good for gaming.

2. It didn't take long to setup. I was gaming inside of 10 minutes. One of the most pleasant features of the Vita is a fast wifi radio. Good lord the 3DS wifi radio is one of the slowest I've ever used. Its offensively slow. But the Vita downloaded 2 full games in about 15-20 minutes and installed them. No complaints there.

3. The 4GB memory card is heavily lacking. Amazon should have bumped up the price to $200 and included a 16GB memory card. Frankly 4GB's is really only useful for game saves and apps. I've already ordered a 16GB memory card with some store credit I had from Best Buy. I'm disgusted with how expensive this "proprietary" memory requirement is. I doubt this is going to change unless the Vita sells into mainstream territory which it could since the PS4 interacts so well with it.

4. Its a bit cramped. I have big meaty man hamhocks and its a struggle to use the Vita. However , with the grip I ordered (I planned a head on this one) once it was attached its extremely comfortable to game with. I gamed for about 3 or 4 hours without any cramping. Unlike the 3DS which cramps my hands inside of 1-2 hours this was an improvement and the most important part of any gaming experience. Sony should make an official grip for the Vita frankly. Unless you have little 13 year old Japanese school girl hands you will have to buy a grip. Thankfully the grip is cheap , I got one for $15 bucks.

5. The PS4 streaming feature is near FLAWLESS. I was able to walk 30 feet away from my PS4 through a couple of walls and it kept the experience at full tilt. No codec breakup no weird errors and no input latency increases. I'm seriously impressed how well the PS Vita works with the PS4. The input latency for those concerned is very minimal and trust me I'm sensitive to it. I can recommend this HIGHLY for the PS4 streaming feature alone. I'm going to test it tomorrow with a cell connection but just with wifi its incredibly smooth. I was able to play AC : Black Flag with minimal issues. The only downside of Vita streaming is that the shoulder buttons (the DS4's shoulder buttons) are reassigned to the back touch panel. It takes some getting use to but thankfully once you have it down its not a huge deal. I wouldn't use the PS4 streaming feature for any kind of twitch gaming , its just not made for that.

And finally I could only recommend the Vita to someone with A) a PSN+ subscription B) A subscription that has been active for a while C) And a PS4. I think without those core experiences the Vita suffers on its own. But the sheer wealth of free games I've got from a year of PSN+ subscription is incredible. I have so many free games to play and good ones as well (Microsoft? You listening?). Now that I got a couple of 1 year PSN+ codes I'm set for a while and I've got a generous backlog of great Vita games to play. I also love the PS1 games as well , being able to play some of my favorite PS1 games on the go on a more comfortable gaming pad (they just suck to use on a smartphone) plus the extremely nice OLED screen makes it a pleasure. I've got hundreds of dollars worth of Vita games for free , simply begging to be played.

The Vita is not for everyone. I think however that ALL PS4 users should consider it if they like the idea of streaming and playing and especially so if they have limited access for whatever reason to their PS4 directly. Its incredibly handy. Me and my friends were truly in awe of being able to tap into my PS4 from their home and play with minimal issues. My friends both haven't seen Resogun and they were very impressed with how it played. The only downside is that 60 fps gaming doesn't translate to the Vita , its 30 fps period. But compared to what the competition offers (or what it completely doesn't) this a major bonus for PS platform users. I've used the Nvidia Shield and despite its beefy CPU+GPU setup the Vita actually performs better with less input latency , I was actually shocked at this revelation. Granted the Shield runs at a slightly higher resolution (and I do mean SLIGHTLY) I was able to see the codec on the Shield actually cause artifacts when I walked away more than 15 feet , Nvidia has some serious fine tuning to accomplish if they want it to be successful. The fact that this was an after thought from Sony makes it even more surprising. Of course this is just comparing apples to apples in a big way , but Shield being so limited in terms of the Steam support it has for retail games makes it a tough recommendation unless you plan to run emulation.

If you want a total Sony Playstation experience than the Vita will help round it out. And there is a growing number of great games appearing on the platform (Tearaway just came out and its getting rave reviews , its from the developers of Little Big Planet) so its only going to grow with the new found momentum thanks to this streaming feature. So all in all I'm pleased and I do not feel like I got ripped off. The Vita has a healthy backlog of JRPG's (yay!) so I'm excited to play them. Hope this helps make up some minds out there.
 
My mind was fucking blown when I logged into my PSN account and realized I had already owned a bunch of classic PSOne games, all of which could be played on the Vita. With games like Xenogears and Twisted Metal 2, I don't even need any actual Vita games, and the 3DS XL I just bought is going to collect dust.
 
Megalith said:
My mind was fucking blown when I logged into my PSN account and realized I had already owned a bunch of classic PSOne games, all of which could be played on the Vita. With games like Xenogears and Twisted Metal 2, I don't even need any actual Vita games, and the 3DS XL I just bought is going to collect dust.
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Mine too. The PS Vita has the best looking display I've seen for a portable gaming console , you get RGB quality output from it which is incredible for the price. Classic games look as they did on a proper RGB display of the time.

I've already bought 3 or 4 awesome PS1 titles.
 
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Amazon is running a great sale on Playstation Vita almostalwaysoverpriced memory cards.

16GB for $19.99 : http://www.amazon.com/16GB-PlayStat...&sr=8-3&keywords=Playstation+Vita+memory+card

The 32GB was on sale but then it wasn't. But still if the memory card prices have bothered you this will probably be on the few times you'll be able to snag one so cheap. 16GB's is more than enough for a bunch of full games , apps and PS1 games. Better act fast.

Killzone Mercenary is on sale for the Vita as well for $19.99. Lots of high praise for it.
 
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Godmachine said:
Amazon is running a great sale on Playstation Vita almostalwaysoverpriced memory cards.

16GB for $19.99 : http://www.amazon.com/16GB-PlayStat...&sr=8-3&keywords=Playstation+Vita+memory+card

The 32GB was on sale but then it wasn't. But still if the memory card prices have bothered you this will probably be on the few times you'll be able to snag one so cheap. 16GB's is more than enough for a bunch of full games , apps and PS1 games. Better act fast.

Killzone Mercenary is on sale for the Vita as well for $19.99. Lots of high praise for it.
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I'm seeing the 16GB for $35 on my end. Deal over?

I love my Vita and I use it quite often. No cramping issues, but I do have average sized hands. Only thing I have on mine is a black silicone cover, and it's plenty of protection from scratches and adds some thickness. I'm a big fan of the dual sticks and I like how they feel. Granted, you can also get extenders I believe for them, but I don't need them personally.
 
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I have a whole slew of Vita gear that I bought during the awesome sales going on this past weekend. Got a Vita, 16GB card, Tearaway, Sony screen protectors and a case all for $210. Very good price considering retail price of the Zelda 3DS bundle is $220.
 
dyscreet said:
I have a whole slew of Vita gear that I bought during the awesome sales going on this past weekend. Got a Vita, 16GB card, Tearaway, Sony screen protectors and a case all for $210. Very good price considering retail price of the Zelda 3DS bundle is $220.
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Yeah, speaking of the Zelda bundle, anyone manage to find one for the $149.99 price tag that black friday deal rumors pointed to? I didn't actually look that hard to find one (changed my mind at the last minute), but I didn't seem to see any, and I bet if I found one, it would have been $210-220 like everywhere else. Curious if anyone actually got one (not on Amazon) for $149? I heard Target + Gamestop were supposed to have been selling them for that low price.
 
BiH115 said:
Yeah, speaking of the Zelda bundle, anyone manage to find one for the $149.99 price tag that black friday deal rumors pointed to? I didn't actually look that hard to find one (changed my mind at the last minute), but I didn't seem to see any, and I bet if I found one, it would have been $210-220 like everywhere else. Curious if anyone actually got one (not on Amazon) for $149? I heard Target + Gamestop were supposed to have been selling them for that low price.
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I actually got that too lol. I went to Target about an hour after they opened when their sales started and grabbed one. It was advertised in store as $220, but rang up as $150. I'm pretty damn satisfied with how it all turned out.
 
dyscreet said:
I actually got that too lol. I went to Target about an hour after they opened when their sales started and grabbed one. It was advertised in store as $220, but rang up as $150. I'm pretty damn satisfied with how it all turned out.
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Damn, should have actually gone into Target...didn't know it would ring up as $150.
 
I got my walking dead vita bundle on Sunday. 4GB card is crap, it can't even hold a couple of games. It is also kind of wierd to hold the thing - it just isn't very ergonomic at all.

Now that the negatives are out of the way - I'm really happy with this purchase. The vita is a great little piece of hardware. The PS4 integration is a must have for me since my wife and kids like to hog the main TV (and I prefer my consoles there for couch gaming). Now I get the best of both worlds, big screen gaming, yet portable if I want to take it to another room. Think I'll order a grip, and wait for a sale on those 32GB cards, and get some mobile gaming in during the holiday travels.

TLDR version: Vita is awesome - glad I picked one up.
 
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