Microsoft Kinect Full Specifications & UK Pricing Detailed [MS Kinect Technical Specifications Confirm Kinect Can Only Track 2 Active Players Simultaneously]

Posted on TFTS by Andrew Tingle on Wednesday, 30. June 2010 under: Computer/Console Gaming

Following on from news that the Microsoft Kinect (formerly known as Project Natal) is set to retail for £150 in the US its now been confirmed, thanks to a listing on ShopTo that the Microsoft Kinect is set to cost UK gamers some £130 whilst, thanks to another retailer, we can at last feast our eyes on the Microsoft Kinect’s full technical specifications.

Firstly, let’s concern ourselves with the Microsoft Kinect’s UK pricing which has been obtained via ShopTo who list the Microsoft Kinect’s pricing as £129.99 but who are presently offering the Kinect as available for pre-order for £124.86 with a shipping date of 19th of November 2010.

As far at the Microsoft Kinect’s full technical specifications are concerned, these come to us via UK retailer Play.com who list the Kinect’s full technical specifications as follows.

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

320×240 16-bit depth @ 30 frames/sec
640×480 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

Interestingly, as you’ll note from the above details, whilst the Microsoft Kinect can track up to 6 people only 2 people appear to be able to be tracked as ‘active players’, meaning that if you have more than 2 people looking to get involved only 2 of those can actually be gaming at simultaneously whilst the rest are relegated to simply looking on. So, if you had visions of your whole family playing together you’ll need to manage your expectations accordingly.

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