This is a great package from Sony.
I bought one to replace a faulty PS2, and I was happy to see the box includes an updated version of the console.
What is really great about the new machine is its support for playback of recordable DVD. This brings the machine in line with standalone DVD players.
The second great new feature was the built in Infra-red Remote sensor. It must be located inside Controller Port 1 as my remote only works when the controller is unplugged. This makes a lot of sense, but it is annoying to have to unplug a controller. The package only includes a single controller though so you can plug that into port 2 if you like, and I tested this out on the Tekken 4 demo included on the demo disc which worked fine except the game called me Player 2…
Finally my favourite new part of the machine is how quiet it is. It's as quiet as my standalone DVD player, which does not even have a cooling fan. The fact that the PS2 does should really give you some idea as to how quiet this machine is!
The SingStar game is pretty revolutionary. I tried singing Take On Me on the hardest skill level and got told I was an amateur! 30 songs, all with music videos, and the best part is you can turn off the original vocals completely. The 2 Microphones included in the package are pretty weighty, so maybe good quality. They use standard Mic connectors and plug into a little box with a USB cable on it that goes into the PS2, but you also plug it into your PC USB port too. Cool.