Top Gear Episodes Now Available For Rent In Gran Turismo 5

[FinalGear]

Within the past day or so, Top Gear episodes have started popping up in the Gran Turismo TV area of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue on the Playstation 3. I currently only see 6x01, 6x02, and 6x04, but there are reports of there being more.

The episodes are currently available for US$0.99 a piece and after you buy them, they are available to watch for a period of 2 weeks before being automatically deleted. Prices are rumored to go up after this initial promotional period. It is unknown what the new prices will be.

It is also unknown whether these episodes feature the original music and no cut content, but my guess is that they're similar to the BBC World rips and have replaced music and some cut content such as the news. Please let me know if you buy one and figure out what music and content is in the episodes and what kinda quality they are.

While this is great in that it will hopefully further the awareness of Top Gear, I personally find it a bit of a shame that they expire after two weeks. It would have been much cooler if they didn't, even if the cost was a bit more.


Posted By: Viper007Bond
Link: http://www.finalgear.com/news/2008/0...ran-turismo-5/

[McClarenDesign]

I'll save my cash for the Top Gear track, or any other future add-ons (Lotus concept, Ferrari California concept). I'll torrent the episodes, but was really hoping for exclusive/original content from Top Gear.

[The Chad]

I guess I understand the pay-per-episode thing. I'd be curious to see how the quality is of the episode. At least it's progress, though the 2-week viewing limit is a bit lame. However, it's progress.

I hope that the Top Gear Test Track is included as something you can unlock in GT5, and not something you have to buy, but again, it'd be better than nothing.

[McClarenDesign]

Originally Posted by The Chad

I hope that the Top Gear Test Track is included as something you can unlock in GT5, and not something you have to buy, but again, it'd be better than nothing.

It should be offered on the full version, when it's released late next year (although I'm still convinced that the full version won't be out till spring '10), and you'll probably have to unlock it. I'm just hoping they'll offer it as an add on to Prologue.

[der_jackal]

Not quite sure why they did it this way. No real reason to split them in two. It's not like they're split in half either.






The total episode files sizes are big enough to make me believe the quality is going to be pretty good. I'll download this episode and see though.

And yes, they even charge tax (in Wa. state) on the rental.

Btw, there are only those 3 episodes up in the U.S. for now.


UPDATES:

Music hasn't changed (Kashmir is still in there, and that's one I would have expected to change).
Quality is okay, it's better in some areas, worse in others than the 700mb. Whites are really blown and the studio segments have a lot of background artifacts, and there is a image jitter in some situations.

News segment is there and untouched in 6-2

It's a really weird dump at the end of the first part. Hamster dumps out of the coupe challenge board and then it goes to the end credit bumper screen w/ the logo and production credit. Part two jumps right back to them staring the second part of the Cheap Coupe challenge.

SIARPC is gone in this ep. (for those of you who hate it).

[Boofster]

I am sure these are just MP4 files. Is there a way to download them off the PS3 hard drive?

[Viper007Bond]

Originally Posted by Boofster

I am sure these are just MP4 files. Is there a way to download them off the PS3 hard drive?

They're probably DRM'ed or encrypted.

[Archie411]

Originally Posted by der_jackal

Not quite sure why they did it this way. No real reason to split them in two. It's not like they're split in half either.

Monrey money money

[Viper007Bond]

Originally Posted by Archie411

Monrey money money

You buy one, you get the other free.


My guess is it's a technical thing -- video length or filesize limitation.