Comparison of Game Consoles by Sound Capabilities
The purpose of this article is to categorize video game consoles according to their supported audio formats, and to consolidate advice on optimizing sound reproduction for each of those consoles.
DRAFT (WORK IN PROGRESS ARTICLE - PLEASE DO NOT RELY ON THE INFORMATION BELOW UNTIL MARKED AS COMPLETED) |
Explanation of Terms
If you’re getting started with optimizing a console setup for audio, there are some numbers that you’ll notice like 2.1, 5.1, 7.2.2 and so on. These numbers represent speaker channels, and they follow a specific format.
- The first number defines how many main channels there are in the setup, at ear level. Each is typically implemented with a single speaker (box), containing one or more drivers (the actual electromagnetic transducers), in which case each tends to specialize in a certain frequency range.
- The second number stands for the number of subwoofer speakers in the setup, which are dedicated to low-frequency bass sounds. The subwoofers are commonly placed at floor level. Having a single speaker for extreme bass is cost-efficient because effective reproduction of these sounds (and felt vibrations) benefits from a physically large speaker that would not be practical to duplicate for each channel; this does not significantly compromise audible fidelity because human hearing lacks directionality at low frequencies.
- In more modern home theatre setups (e.g., 7.2.2) there is a third number, which defines how many “Dolby Atmos” in-ceiling speakers there are to provide overhead sound.
Analog multichannel sound (which, contrary to literal meaning, usually refers to systems with 3 or more channels) can be implemented as:
- a discrete system, where each channel is delivered independently; (for example, a 5.1 system with 5 or 6 RCA connectors is, at least at that point in the chain, a discrete system)
- a matrixed system, where various algorithms are used to put multiple channels worth of sound into a lesser amount of physical channels (as would be required on a record, where stereo sound already uses both dimensions available for stylus movement, and desirable elsewhere for backwards compatibility and/or cost saving).
In digital audio, these terms are less commonly used, but comparable approaches are used depending on circumstances (for instance, the S/PDIF interface was designed for the bandwidth of 2-channel PCM and multichannel use requires classic matrixing, the switch to a lossy codec such as AC3 or DTS which may not be compatible with the output device, or the switch to a completely different interface).
Sound System | Year Introduced to Home Market | Explanation | Use in Retro-Gaming context |
---|---|---|---|
Mono | 1899 | Mono signals are recorded and played back using a single audio channel, while stereo sounds are recorded and played back using two audio channels. As a listener, the most noticeable difference is that stereo sounds are capable of producing the perception of width, whereas mono sounds are not. | Prior to the Turbo-Grafx16, all home video game consoles (citation) either sent a mono audio signal to the television, or (in the 1st gen) utilised beepers and built-in speakers to produce simple action sounds. In some instances, stereo mods are available. (e.g. Atari 2600) citation needed. |
Stereo | 1958 | ||
Dolby Surround | 1982 | Dolby Surround was the first multi-channel surround-sound decoding technology to be widely available for use with analogue movie formats and to a lesser extent, home video game consoles. By the early 1980s, home users were able to make use of “matrixed surround”. This means that your source could send four audio channels across the existing two stereo (red and white) RCA cables that were already in use with a lot of consumer audio equipment – although it wouldn’t be until the late 80s/early 90s until most fourth-gen gaming consoles came with these cables as standard. | To access 4.0 surround (i.e., four channels), the user would need an AV amplifier capable of decoding and separating the regular stereo outputs to produce a pseudo-surround sound effect. The Left and Right front channels behave normally, but one of them is now used to carry a rear channel on its inverted phase, and the other is used to carry a centre channel. If the user’s amplifier could send audio signals below a certain frequency to a subwoofer, the user also could access 4.1 surround. A setup like this would also be backwards-compatible with older formats – if the user had a regular 2.0 stereo setup, the Left and Right signals would play as normal, and if the console was plugged into an older CRT with a mono speaker, all the audio would be routed into that single channel. |
Dolby Pro Logic | 1987 | As above (consumer name for the same technology) | |
QSound | 1991 | Another matrix multichannel encoding. | According to Andrew Elmore (medium.com), QSound is utilised on several Playstation games and is the only 3D audio option employed on the Sega Mega CD, Saturn, and Dreamcast. No official multi-channel surround sound options available on Sega platforms, with the exception of the NHL 2K games on Dreamcast. (citation needed). |
Roland Surround Space | 1991 | A 3D "sound space" technology created by Roland Corporation, which attempts to create a "3D sound" using regular stereo speakers. It does not use speakers which "surround" the user, but attempts to direct sound around the room to give the illusion of depth. | RSS was used in some video games of the early 1990s, but failed to match the support of QSound or Dolby Surround (which in turn were only supported by a small fraction of the market). From a Sega perspective, it was mainly seen in Mega LD games. (citation needed) |
DTS | 1993 | ||
Dolby Pro Logic 2 | 2000 | ||
DTS:HD | 2006 | - | |
Dolby Atmos | 2012 | - | |
Dolby TrueHD | 2012 | - | |
DTS:X | 2016 | - | - |
First generation of consoles
Console | Pictures | Year of Release | Audio Hardware | Supported Audio Formats | Supported Speaker Layouts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Magnavox Odyssey | 1972 | None | N/A | N/A | The console cannot generate audio. | |
Magnavox Odyssey 100 | 1975 | Piezzo beeper/Built-in speaker | Mono | 1.0 | The console didn't send audio to the tv, instead using an internal piezzo beeper which emitted primitive action sounds through a built-in speaker - for example, a "blip" when the tennis ball is hit by a player's paddle, or when the hockey puck hits the borders of the playing area. | |
Magnavox Odyssey 200 | 1975 | Piezzo beeper/Built-in speaker | Mono | 1.0 | The console's piezo beeper operated in the same manner as the Odyssey 100. The Odyssey 200 added an extra game called SMASH (i.e. squash); the buzzer would bleep whenever the ball hit the front "wall". | |
Magnavox Odyssey 300 | 1976 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | As before, the game audio (little more than a few bleeps and bloops) emanates from a speaker in the Odyssey itself, rendering it uncapturable via conventional means. | |
Magnavox Odyssey 400 | 1976 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Magnavox Odyssey 500 | 1976 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Magnavox Odyssey 4305 | 1976/1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | The Odyssey 4305 is a 19” television (based on the chassis of the Magnavox T991 television) but with a built-in Odyssey. As with most CRTs of this era, the sound was an analog signal produced from small speakers installed inside the chassis. It produced sound in mono and action sounds were similar to other Odyssey series consoles. | |
Magnavox Odyssey 2000 | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Magnavox Odyssey 3000 | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Magnavox Odyssey 4000 | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Philips Odyssey 200 | 1976 (released concurrently with U.S. Odyssey 200) | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Philips Odyssey 2001 | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Philips Odyssey 2100 | 1978 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
TV Tennis Electrotennis (Epoch) | 1975 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Atari Home Pong (Model C-100) | 1976 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Atari Super Pong (Model C-140) | 1976 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | The console had a speaker built into the main unit, that could output a simple "bloop" noise every time the ball was hit. | |
Coleco Telstar | 1976 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Classic | 1976 | ? | Mono. | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Deluxe (AKA World of Sports) | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Ranger | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Alpha | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Colormatic | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Regent | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Sportsman | TBC | 1978 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? |
Coleco Telstar Combat! | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Colortron | 1978 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Marksman | 1978 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Galaxy | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Gemini | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Coleco Telstar Arcade | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Nintendo Color TV - Game 6 | 1977 | ? | Mono | 1.0 | ? |
Second generation of consoles
Console | Pictures | Year of Release | Audio Hardware | Supported Audio Formats | Supported Speaker Layouts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atari 2600 | 1977 | Atari TIA |
Mono (Stock) Stereo (Modded) |
1.0 | "Stereo" mods exist which split the TIA's two audio channels into left and right audio | |
Magnavox Odyssey 2 | 1978 | Intel 8244 | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Philips Videopac G7000 (European release of Odyssey 2) | 1978 | Intel 8245 | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Mattel Intellivision | File:Intellivision-Console-Set.jpg | 1979 | General Instruments AY-3-8914 | Mono | 1.0 | ? |
Mattel Intellivision II | File:Intellivision-II-Console-Set.jpg | 1983 | General Instruments AY-3-8914 | Mono | 1.0 | ? |
Coleco ColecoVision | 1982 | Texas Instruments SN76489AN |
Mono (Stock) Stereo (Modded) |
1.0 | ? | |
Atari 5200 (Four controller port model) * | 1982 | Atari POKEY | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Atari 5200 (Two controller port model) * | 1983 | Atari POKEY | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
GCE/MB Vectrex | 1982 | General Instruments AY-3-8912 |
Mono (Stock) Stereo (Modded) |
1.0 (Stock) 2.0 (Modded) |
Vectrex uses a General Instruments AY-3-8912 sound chip to deliver surprisingly good music and sound effects, as well as limited voice synthesis, via a 3-inch built-in paper cone speaker. A mod is available to add compatibility with external stereo speakers.
|
Third generation of consoles
Console | Pictures | Year of Release | Audio Hardware | Supported Audio Formats | Supported Speaker Layouts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nintendo Entertainment System (US) | 1985 | Ricoh 2A03 | Mono | 1.0 | "Stereo" mods exist, but these simply divide some of the 2A03's audio channels between left and right. | |
Nintendo Entertainment System (PAL) | 1986 | Ricoh 2A07 | Mono | 1.0 | "Stereo" mods exist, but these simply divide some of the 2A03's audio channels between left and right. | |
Famicom | 1983 | Ricoh 2A03 | Mono | 1.0 | "Stereo" mods exist, but these simply divide some of the 2A03's audio channels between left and right. | |
Famicom Disk System | 1986 | Ricoh 2C33 | Mono | 1.0 | The Famicom Disk System generates an extra wavetable audio channel which is mixed in with the Famicom's internal audio | |
Twin Famicom | 1986 | Ricoh 2A03 + Ricoh 2C33 | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Sega SG-1000 | 1983 | Texas Instruments SN76489AN | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Sega SG-1000 II | 1984 | Texas Instruments SN76489AN (early revision) Sega 315-5066 (later revision) |
Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Sega Mark III | 1985 | Sega 315-5124 | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Sega Master System | 1986 | Sega 315-5124 | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Atari 7800 | 1986 | Atari TIA | Mono | 1.0 | "Stereo" mods exist which split the TIA's two audio channels between left and right audio | |
Casio PV-1000 | 1983 | NEC D65010G031 | Mono | 1.0 | ? | |
Epoch Super Cassette Vision | File:Super-Cassette-Vision-Console-L.jpg | 1984 | NEC D1771C | Mono | 1.0 | ? |
Amstrad GX4000 | 1990 | Microchip Technology AY-3-8912 | Mono | 1.0 | ? |
Fourth generation of consoles
Console | Pictures | Year of Release | Audio Hardware | Supported Audio Formats | Supported Speaker Layouts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEC TurboGrafx 16 | 1989 | Hudson HuC6280 |
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|
Stereo audio is available from the expansion port but it must be amplified. Notable as the first home console to offer stereo audio. (Citation needed) | |
PC Engine | 1987 | Hudson HuC6280 |
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|
Stereo audio is available from the expansion port but it must be amplified | |
NEC PC Engine CD | 1988 | OKI M5205 (ADPCM) Red Book CD audio |
|
|
? | |
NEC TurboGrafx-CD * | 1989 | OKI M5205 (ADPCM) Red Book CD audio |
|
|
? | |
NEC SuperGrafx | 1989 | Hudson HuC6280 |
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|
? | |
NEC TurboExpress/PC Engine GT | 1990 | Hudson HuC6280 |
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The system only has a single speaker but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
NEC TurboDuo/PC Engine Duo | 1991 | Hudson HuC6280 Oki M5205 (ADPCM) Red Book CD audio |
|
|
? | |
NEC Super CD-ROM2 | 1991 | Oki M5205 (ADPCM) Red Book CD audio |
|
|
? | |
NEC PC Engine LT | 1991 | Hudson HuC6280 |
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|
The system only has a single speaker but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
NEC PC Engine Duo-R/Duo-RX | 1993 | Hudson HuC6280 Oki M5205 (ADPCM) Red Book CD audio |
|
|
? | |
Sega Genesis (model 1) | 1989 | Yamaha YM2612 (FM + PCM) Sega VDP (PSG) |
|
|
The AV connector only has mono out but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
Sega Mega Drive (model 1) | 1988 | Yamaha YM2612 (FM + PCM) Sega VDP (PSG) |
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|
The AV connector only has mono out but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
Sega Genesis (model 2) | 1994 | Yamaha YM3438 core (FM + PCM) Sega VDP (PSG) |
|
|
? | |
Sega Genesis 3 | 1998 | Yamaha YM3438 core (FM + PCM) Sega VDP (PSG) |
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Can be modified for stereo sound | |
Sega Mega Jet | 1994 | Yamaha YM3438 core (FM + PCM) Sega VDP (PSG) |
|
|
? | |
Sega Genesis Nomad | 1995 | Yamaha YM3438 core (FM + PCM) Sega VDP (PSG) |
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The system only has a single speaker but stereo out is available from the headphone jack and AV out | |
Sega 32X | 1994 | Sega 315-5818 |
|
|
? | |
Sega/Victor Wondermega RG-M1 | 1992 | ? |
|
|
? | |
Sega CDX | 1994 | ? |
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? | |
JVC X'Eye/Victor Wondermega RG-M2 | 1993 | ? |
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? | |
Sega Game Gear * | 1990 | ? |
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The system only has a single speaker but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
Nintendo Game Boy | 1989 | Sharp LR35902 |
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The system only has a single speaker but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
Nintendo Game Boy Pocket | 1996 | CPU MGB |
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The system only has a single speaker but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
Super Nintendo (US) | 1991 | ? |
|
2.0 4.0 |
||
Super Famicom * | 1990 | ? |
|
2.0 4.0 |
? | |
Super Nintendo (PAL) * | 1992 | ? |
|
2.0 4.0 |
? | |
SNK Neo Geo AES * | 1990 | Yamaha YM2610 |
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The AV connector only has mono out but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
SNK Neo Geo CD | 1994 | Yamaha YM2610 + Red Book CD audio |
|
|
? | |
Pioneer LaserActive | 1993 | ? |
|
|
? |
Fifth generation of consoles
Console | Pictures | Year of Release | Audio Hardware | Supported Audio Formats | Supported Speaker Layouts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Commodore Amiga CD32 | 1993 | Commodore Paula Red Book CD audio |
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| |
Panasonic 3DO | 1993 | ? |
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| |
Atari Jaguar * | 1993 | Motorola SC414201FT/Atari Jerry |
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| |
Atari Jaguar CD * | 1995 | Red Book CD audio | ? | ? | ? | |
Bandai Playdia * | 1994 | Asahi Kasei AK8000 Red Book CD audio |
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The console has a standard red/white right/left audio output socket and yellow composite video output (Source: Adam Koralik - Bandai Playdia - Fifth VideoGame Generation Recap) | |
Sega Saturn | 1994 | Yamaha YMF292/Sega 315-5687 Red Book CD audio |
|
|
? | |
Sony PlayStation | 1994 | Sony SPU Red Book CD audio |
|
|
? | |
Sony PSone | 2000 | Sony SPU Red Book CD audio |
? | ? | ? | |
NEC PC-FX | 1994 | Hudson HuC6230 Red Book CD audio |
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|
16-Bit Stereo with 2 ADPCM channels and 6 sample channels at 44.1kHz. | |
Casio Loopy | 1995 | ? |
|
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The console has a standard red/white right/left audio output socket and yellow composite video output (Source: Adam Koralik - Casio Loopy - Fifth VideoGame Generation Recap) Mono accessed via Left/white output. | |
Apple Pippin | 1996 | ? |
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RCA composite left/right stereo, 16-bit 44 kHz sampled, and headphone output jack | |
Nintendo 64 | 1996 | Nintendo RCP-NUS |
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TBC - Dolby surround confirmed with Ocarina of Time and unreleased Dinosaur Planet http://archive.thegia.com/n64/dino/dino.html |
Sixth generation of consoles
Console | Pictures | Year of Release | Audio Hardware | Supported Audio Formats | Supported Speaker Layouts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Game Boy Advance | 2001 | ? |
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The system only has a mono speaker but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
Game Boy Advance SP | 2003 | ? |
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The system only has a mono speaker but stereo out is available from the headphone/charging connector | |
Game Boy Micro | 2005 | ? |
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The system only has a mono speaker but stereo out is available from the headphone jack | |
Sega Dreamcast | 1998 | ? |
|
|
? | |
Sony PlayStation 2 (original) | 2000 | ? |
|
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The PlayStation 2 was the first game console to output digital audio, in this case via an optical connector | |
Sony PlayStation 2 (slim, SCPH-7xxxx) | 2004 | ? |
|
|
? | |
Sony PlayStation 2 (slim, SCPH-9000x) | 2007 | ? |
|
|
? | |
VM Labs Nuon | 2000 | ? |
|
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32-megabyte 8-bit Fast Page DRAM at 33 MHz, 512-kilobytes sound RAM and 24-kilobytes programmable ROM | |
Microsoft Xbox | 2001 | ? |
|
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Digital output only officially available with certain cables | |
Nintendo GameCube | 2001 | ? |
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|
Panasonic Q version of the Gamecube may have been the first console in history to support the native use of subwoofers, mainly for DVD playback as opposed to in-game use. Digital audio available from digital output (but not officially used). |
Seventh generation of consoles
Console | Pictures | Year of Release | Audio Hardware | Supported Audio Formats | Supported Speaker Layouts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nintendo DS series incl. DSi | 2004 | ? |
|
2.0 | Most titles with sound options have said choices for simulated surround. A few others have a forced mono option instead. | |
Sony PSP (except N1000/Go) | 2004 | ? | ? | ? | Most PSP software only offers plain stereo (except for the XMB's media player, which offers EQ presets available by short pressing the "sound" key only with external phones/speakers). PSP E1000/Street has a single mono speaker. PS1 software keeps original sound capabilities. | |
Sony PSP-N1000 series (Go) | 2009 | ? | ? | ? | First console to support Bluetooth for general purpose audio output. | |
Nintendo Wii | 2006 | ? |
|
|
? | |
Microsoft Xbox 360 series | 2005 | ? |
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Fat models require a suitable video cable for optical audio, Slims (S) also have Toslink built in, while Superslims (E) don't offer it at all. | |
Microsoft Xbox 360 E | 2013 | ? |
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? | |
Sony PlayStation 3 | 2006 | ? |
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Audio output formats
A/V-Multi Analog stereo TOSLINK LPCM 2ch 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88 kHz, 176.4 kHz Dolby Digital 5.1 DTS 5.1 AAC HDMI LPCM 2ch, 5.1ch, 7.1ch 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz DTS-HD Master Audio Bitstream (slim models only)* Dolby TrueHD Bitstream (slim models only)* Dolby Digital 5.1 DTS 5.1 AAC \*All models can decode Dolby TrueHD and as of firmware 2.30 DTS-HD Master Audio, to be output as LPCM. Output of the raw undecoded stream is limited to slim models.[6] |
Eighth generation of consoles
Console | Pictures | Year of Release | Audio Hardware | Supported Audio Formats | Supported Speaker Layouts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nintendo 3DS/2DS Series incl. New | 2011 | ? |
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"Surround" is simulated 3D sound. O2DS has mono speaker. | |
Sony PS Vita | 2011 | ? |
|
? | ? | |
Sony PS Vita TV | 2013 | ? |
|
? | ? | |
Nintendo Wii U | 2012 | ? |
|
|
? | |
Sony PlayStation 4 (original) | 2013 | ? |
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|
? | |
Sony PlayStation 4 (slim) | 2016 | ? |
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The optical audio port was removed on the PS4 slim models. | |
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro | 2016 | ? |
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When setting your console up, as you’ll need to change it to set your sound from the standard PCM to bitstreaming Dolby Digital or DTS. The PS4 Pro also only supports Dolby Atmos for compatible Blu-ray movies, it does not support Atmos for games. | |
Microsoft Xbox One | 2013 | ? |
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Microsoft Xbox One S | 2016 | ? |
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Microsoft Xbox One X | 2017 | ? |
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Nintendo Switch | 2017 | ? |
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? |
Ninth generation of consoles
References
- "Quality PSU’s For Classic Consoles".
- "Triad Brand Replacement Power Supplies". Retrieved 2009-09-05.
- ↑ https://shmup.fandom.com/wiki/Tate_Mode
- ↑ https://www.doesitflip.com/
- ↑ https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=60868
- ↑ https://store.steampowered.com/curator/14416124/
- ↑ https://retronauts.com/article/946/the-comprehensive-list-of-flip-grip-friendly-vertical-games-for-switch
- ↑ http://www.gamepilgrimage.com/content/games-tate-mode-standard-definition
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/85fqso/list_of_switch_games_that_support_nonstandard/