Kinect Specs Reveal Only Two Active Players Supported

By Chris Davies

Specifications for Microsoft's Kinect sensor bar for the Xbox 360 have emerged, courtesy of retailer Play, and the most interesting element is just how low-end the hardware actually is.  Kinect uses a pair of VGA-resolution webcams, together with a 16-bit audio system, and is apparently only capable of tracking two "active players" at any one time.

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According to the specs, the Kinect can track six users simultaneously, but only two of them can actually be playing at the same time.  We're guessing that means the other four won't confuse the motion-capture system, even if they move around; still, it's a let-down in comparison to Sony's Move or even the Nintendo Wii, both of which allow for up to four simultaneous players.

We'll have to wait and see quite how well it all works when Kinect actually reaches the market.  According to Microsoft that will be November 4th, with various premature listings tipping a $149.99 MRSP.

Sensor

  • Colour and depth-sensing lenses
  • Voice microphone array
  • Tilt motor for sensor adjustment
  • Fully compatible with existing Xbox 360 consoles

    • Field of View

  • Horizontal field of view: 57 degrees
  • Vertical field of view: 43 degrees
  • Physical tilt range: ± 27 degrees
  • Depth sensor range: 1.2m – 3.5m

    • Data Streams

  • 320x240 16-bit depth @ 30 frames/sec
  • 640x480 32-bit colour@ 30 frames/sec
  • 16-bit audio @ 16 kHz

    • Skeletal Tracking System

  • Tracks up to 6 people, including 2 active players
  • Tracks 20 joints per active player
  • Ability to map active players to LIVE Avatars

    • Audio System

  • LIVE party chat and in-game voice chat (requires Xbox LIVE Gold Membership)
  • Echo cancellation system enhances voice input
  • Speech recognition in multiple

    • This information is based on specifications supplied by manufacturers and should be used for guidance only.

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[via Kotaku]

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