PlayStation Broadband Navigator

PlayStation Broadband Navigator (also referred to as BB Navigator and PSBBN) was a software program for the Japanese PlayStation 2 video game console and for the PSX, a digital video recorder and media center, which featured an integrated PlayStation 2 console.[1] It was distributed on CD and later DVD titled "PlayStation Broadband Navigator" for installation providing that the PlayStation 2 had a HDD Unit, memory card, and Playstation BB Network Adapter installed.[2]

History

The first version of the software was a pre-release version, 0.10 which was originally developed according to its executable date on May 21, 2001.[3] Online services pertaining to the software closed on March 31, 2016.[4]

Features

PlayStation Broadband Navigator offers many features that are not available with the default PS2 Navigator. Some Japanese releases take advantage of these features and may even require a specific version (or higher) of the software.

Game channels

The software featured access to several "channels" which had featured content from Sony's own developer SCEJ (now Japan Studio), Capcom, Koei, Namco and Bandai (now Bandai Namco Entertainment), Hudson Soft and Electronic Arts, and also featured channels from ISPs BIGLOBE and Isao.net.[5]

Through the "PlayStation Now!" channel, new and upcoming games were showcased alongside a "hot games" feature showing which were most popular, as well as showcasing available PlayStation controllers, memory cards and peripherals.[6] The other channels had varying information and features, and generally game demonstrations and downloadable images/videos.

As a summary of the features of each channel:

The SCEJ Channel featured an installment of the series Everybody's Golf called Everybody's Golf Online in 2003, which featured online gameplay and tournaments.[7] It also featured a demo of Kuma Uta called "Let's Try Kuma Uta", a game where the player composed songs in the Japanese musical genre of Enka, which were then sung by a Polar bear via speech synthesis.[8] It also included interviews with SCEJ staff, such as producer Ryoji Akagawa.[9]
The Namco Channel featured sections which include information on games, Namco characters, and upcoming releases. It also featured a "library" section which included downloadable games and demos, such as Taiko no Tatsujin, Tales of series and Xenosaga series, where the user could download to their hard drive. It also included a "Neneko Channel" which published letters sent in from fans around Japan, and the "Ikuneko Channel" featured games which were exclusive to PlayStation BB.[10]

Other features

Game Channel
Access to online sites, similar to web pages, for various ISPs and software publishers (only in version 0.20 and higher)
Downloadable game demos or full games (ex. Pop'n Taisen Puzzle-dama Online demo, Star Soldier BB full game, Milon's Secret Castle full game)
Downloadable picture and movie files
Information pages on past, current, and future releases and services
A launching point for bootable games installed to the HDD
NetFront 3.0, a Linux-based web browser
Music Channel
Provides a tool to convert an audio CD to audio files on the HDD
Provides an organization system for audio files stored on the HDD and a means to play them
Provides a means to transfer audio files between a MiniDisc player and the HDD over a USB connection (only in versions 0.20 through 0.31)
Photo Channel
Provides an organization system for picture files stored on the HDD and a means to view them

title	PlayStation BB
developer	Sony Computer Entertainment Japan
type	Dashboard (Video Games)
launched	2002
discontinued	Yes
version	0.32
platform	PlayStation 2, PSX
status	Defunct
pricing	Free (No Subscription Required)
website	https://web.archive.org/web/20060831015928/http://www.jp.playstation.com/ps2/psbb/index.html
shutdown	31 March 2016

PlayStation Broadband Navigator

History

Restrictions

Features

Game channels

Other features

Non-Japanese release

Compatible software

See also

External links

References