Playstation 3 for Blu-Ray

[jeffc]

I'm sure this has occurred to many, but it looks very economically feasible
to use a Playstation 3 as a main Blu-Ray source. I will play games once I
have it, but won't buy it to play games per se. Can anyone say how it
compares to a dedicated video player? This would be hooked up to something
like a pretty good 50" 1080p plasma and decent sound system that will play
DTS master audio or whatever the high def audio tracks are.

[Roy Starrin]

On Wed, 5 Mar 2008 00:20:31 -0500, "jeffc" <none@none.com> wrote:

>I'm sure this has occurred to many, but it looks very economically feasible
>to use a Playstation 3 as a main Blu-Ray source.
My son bought one exactly for this reason, and says he is entirely
satisfied. He uses a 73" DLP for viewing.

[AZ Nomad]

On Wed, 5 Mar 2008 00:20:31 -0500, jeffc <none@none.com> wrote:
>I'm sure this has occurred to many, but it looks very economically feasible
>to use a Playstation 3 as a main Blu-Ray source. I will play games once I
>have it, but won't buy it to play games per se. Can anyone say how it
>compares to a dedicated video player? This would be hooked up to something
>like a pretty good 50" 1080p plasma and decent sound system that will play
>DTS master audio or whatever the high def audio tracks are.

Keep in mind that like the playstation 2, the optical drive of the PS3 will
be the cheapest lowest quality designed for compactness and with just
enough reliability to outlive the warranty period. Make sure you have an
extended warranty if you use it to play movies.

[mykey]

On Mar 4, 9:20 pm, "jeffc" <n...@none.com> wrote:
> I'm sure this has occurred to many, but it looks very economically feasible
> to use a Playstation 3 as a main Blu-Ray source. I will play games once I
> have it, but won't buy it to play games per se. Can anyone say how it
> compares to a dedicated video player? This would be hooked up to something
> like a pretty good 50" 1080p plasma and decent sound system that will play
> DTS master audio or whatever the high def audio tracks are.

The drives come from the same source and are essentially identical.
The performance is identical.
There is no reason why you can't do this.

[John Carrier]

"jeffc" <none@none.com> wrote in message
news:47ce2d9f$0$30697$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> I'm sure this has occurred to many, but it looks very economically
> feasible to use a Playstation 3 as a main Blu-Ray source. I will play
> games once I have it, but won't buy it to play games per se. Can anyone
> say how it compares to a dedicated video player? This would be hooked up
> to something like a pretty good 50" 1080p plasma and decent sound system
> that will play DTS master audio or whatever the high def audio tracks are.

I would think the only argument against the PS3 versus a dedicated player
is that the player may allow more options in setup than the game console.
Similarly, if you have a media centric PC, installing a BR drive may be a
low cost option for HD output.

R / John

[rdclark]

On Mar 5, 12:20*am, "jeffc" <n...@none.com> wrote:
> I'm sure this has occurred to many, but it looks very economically feasible
> to use a Playstation 3 as a main Blu-Ray source. *I will play games onceI
> have it, but won't buy it to play games per se. *Can anyone say how it
> compares to a dedicated video player? *This would be hooked up to something
> like a pretty good 50" 1080p plasma and decent sound system that will play
> DTS master audio or whatever the high def audio tracks are.

The PS3 cannot currently decode DTS MA, although it's rumored for a
future firmware update. It will give you "core" DTS 5.1 on those
track. It handles the other advanced codecs fine, as long as you're
sending them out via HDMI. Only standard compressed DD and DTS is
available via optical.

I've extremely impressed with my PS3. It's more complex and has a
wider range of capabilities than any standalone player -- not just
games, but media center/server functions, internet browsing, and other
network functionality. It's a very, very good Blu-ray player, but
won't work with an IR universal remote without aftermarket add-ons.

[Lloyd Parsons]

In article
<897d233f-2480-4458-8c16-2aa55f5729f8@59g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>,
rdclark <rdclark2@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Mar 5, 12:20*am, "jeffc" <n...@none.com> wrote:
> > I'm sure this has occurred to many, but it looks very economically feasible
> > to use a Playstation 3 as a main Blu-Ray source. *I will play games once I
> > have it, but won't buy it to play games per se. *Can anyone say how it
> > compares to a dedicated video player? *This would be hooked up to something
> > like a pretty good 50" 1080p plasma and decent sound system that will play
> > DTS master audio or whatever the high def audio tracks are.
>
> The PS3 cannot currently decode DTS MA, although it's rumored for a
> future firmware update. It will give you "core" DTS 5.1 on those
> track. It handles the other advanced codecs fine, as long as you're
> sending them out via HDMI. Only standard compressed DD and DTS is
> available via optical.
>
> I've extremely impressed with my PS3. It's more complex and has a
> wider range of capabilities than any standalone player -- not just
> games, but media center/server functions, internet browsing, and other
> network functionality. It's a very, very good Blu-ray player, but
> won't work with an IR universal remote without aftermarket add-ons.

Yes, the PS3 is an amazing little box.

In addition to what you mentioned, you can also change from LPCM to
bitstream on the fly as well. Kind of handy when you want to compare
the overall audio experience between the two.

For instance, I love LPCM, but I also love 7.1 and very few discs are
encoded that way and my AVR doesn't allow layering of IIx over LPCM. So
I may want to switch to bitstream so I can have 7.1 even if the codec is
lossy over lossless LPCM.

[jeffc]

"rdclark" <rdclark2@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:897d233f-2480-4458-8c16-2aa55f5729f8@59g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>The PS3 cannot currently decode DTS MA

Can't decode, but can it output it? I have a AV receiver that can decode
it.

>although it's rumored for a future firmware update.

That's one of the things that appeals to me - the thing is upgradable to
begin with.

>It's a very, very good Blu-ray player, but
>won't work with an IR universal remote without aftermarket add-ons.

Really? That's a little surprising because I know they sell an optional
remote for it. Or is that what you meant - you have to have "add-on"
remote to program your universal?

[K. Ulicni]

On Thu, 6 Mar 2008 00:15:12 -0500, "jeffc" <none@none.com> wrote:

>Really? That's a little surprising because I know they sell an optional
>remote for it. Or is that what you meant - you have to have "add-on"
>remote to program your universal?

The PS3 remote is bluetooth like the controllers, not IR.

[rdclark]

On Mar 6, 12:15*am, "jeffc" <n...@none.com> wrote:
> "rdclark" <rdcla...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:897d233f-2480-4458-8c16-2aa55f5729f8@59g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>
> >The PS3 cannot currently decode DTS MA
>
> Can't decode, but can it output it? *I have a AV receiver that can decode
> it.

No, can't bitstream it for external decoding either. My understanding
is that this is a hardware limitation. The rumored software update
will provide internal DTS MA decoding (it already does TrueHD)
allowing PCM output via HDMI.
>
> That's one of the things that appeals to me - the thing is upgradable to
> begin with.

Yes. The only problem with it (IMO) is that it's too complicated for
the mass market and is finicky as to physical placement. Hard to
stack, and needs lots of air.
>
> >It's a very, very good Blu-ray player, but
> >won't work with an IR universal remote without aftermarket add-ons.
>
> Really? *That's a little surprising because I know they sell an optional
> remote for it. *Or is that what you *meant - you have to have "add-on"
> remote to program your universal?

PS3 remotes use Bluetooth. There is a cheap aftermarket IR remote
(from Nyko) whose commands can be programmed into a Harmony, but you
can't turn the PS3 on and off with it. But since (unlike most HD
players) you can load a disc into the PS3 immediately on power-up, I
don't find this to be much of a limitation; you have to load the disc
anyway. There's another IR remote that can apparently do power
functions as well, but it seemed too complicated and expensive to
follow up on, for me. The Nyko's codes and IR receiver work very well
for me, and cost only $15.

[jeffc]

"rdclark" <rdclark2@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7304b9a4-6326-497d-b9d2-43eeb6a4304f@n58g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
On Mar 6, 12:15 am, "jeffc" <n...@none.com> wrote:
> "rdclark" <rdcla...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:897d233f-2480-4458-8c16-2aa55f5729f8@59g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>
> >The PS3 cannot currently decode DTS MA
>
> Can't decode, but can it output it? I have a AV receiver that can decode
> it.

>No, can't bitstream it for external decoding either. My understanding
>is that this is a hardware limitation. The rumored software update
>will provide internal DTS MA decoding (it already does TrueHD)
>allowing PCM output via HDMI.

It's still not clear to me what this means. I have a new Onkyo receiver
that will decode DTS MA. Will I be able to hear it with the Playstation now
or in the future? I can't believe no one (including Sony???) knows this.
(Not getting on *your* case, just sayin'...)
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7596_102-0.html?forumID=60&threadID=272475&messageID=2633107

[rdclark]

On Mar 6, 9:24*pm, "jeffc" <n...@none.com> wrote:

> >No, can't bitstream it for external decoding either. My understanding
> >is that this is a hardware limitation. The rumored software update
> >will provide internal DTS MA decoding (it already does TrueHD)
> >allowing PCM output via HDMI.
>
> It's still not clear to me what this means. *I have a new Onkyo receiver
> that will decode DTS MA. *Will I be able to hear it with the Playstationnow
> or in the future? *I can't believe no one (including Sony???) knows this..
> (Not getting *on *your* case, just sayin'...)

If the unconfirmed update adds DTS-MA decoding to the PS3, then it
will decode it and send it via HDMI to your Onkyo as 7.1 uncompressed
LPCM, just as it does now with TrueHD. What the PS3 will *not* do is
send it as a bitstream for your Onkyo to decode.