Just purchased PS3...

[Cruisin1]

I caved in yesterday and went out and bought a PS3. Pretty much the only reason I got it was to play Blu Ray movies I had no clue about the WIFI and the ability to stream other content onto it

Is there any other cool stuff about this thing I should know about and setup? Can I connect other computers in my house up to it?

 

[mugs]

It can, in theory, play video games.

 

[Schadenfroh]

You can use pretty much any standard usb PC keyboard / mouse with it. (although, I think the only games that work with them is UT3, you can still use the pc keyboard / mouse for the web browser or menu navigation).

You might also be interested in installing Yellow Dog Linux onto it (you can still boot to the stock PS3 OS in addition to Linux) to give it increased functionality.

You can download and run the Folding@Home client joining team 198 (Anandtech Distributive Computing Team).

If you want IR (to use with your Logitech remote), checkout this thread.

For media purposes, it can play divx / xvid files either online or through a USB thumbdrive, cd / dvd / blu-ray, or various types of flash cards. (for places like Stage6, you will have to use a direct link to the divx file (which is on each video's page), otherwise it will try to play in the divx web player which does not work on the PS3).

 

[Deeko]

There's also a Ubuntu Linux installer available.

 

[Glavinsolo]

I'm also in the market to buy one of these after the hd-dvd collapse.

Question: How easy is it to install a bigger drive?

Does the PS3 play divx from the UI?

Does the PS3 play Mp3s from the UI?

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
I'm also in the market to buy one of these after the hd-dvd collapse.

Question: How easy is it to install a bigger drive?

Does the PS3 play divx from the UI?

Does the PS3 play Mp3s from the UI?

easy as pie to install a bigger drive.

yes it plays divx from the game OS, was in a recent firmware update.

yes it plays mp3s.

 

[Glavinsolo]

Ok, not to thread hijack

But why install a linux distro on the ps3 besides rom emulation?

And why buy anything but the 40gb version if you can install a bigger hdd?

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
And why buy anything but the 40gb version if you can install a bigger hdd?

PS2 backwards compatibility. The 40GB does not have it while the other three versions do/did.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
Ok, not to thread hijack

But why install a linux distro on the ps3 besides rom emulation?

And why buy anything but the 40gb version if you can install a bigger hdd?

why? To make it like a computer that can do basically anything a computer does. Now granted, it won't be able to really play any games due to lack of system access to the RSX (thus emulation, except for NES/SNES and the like, may not work all that well). Also, limited memory (can only access one bank of 256mb of ram, and due to system overhead only has like 198mb of ram) can cause problems if you want to do anything memory intensive.

 

[Glavinsolo]

So, if I went and bought a 40gb ps3

went to the online store from the console's ui and downloaded a ps1 or ps2 game it wouldn't play?

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
So, if I went and bought a 40gb ps3

went to the online store from the console's ui and downloaded a ps1 or ps2 game it wouldn't play?

I know you can with PS1 games but I don't think there are any PS2 games on PSN yet, are there?

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
So, if I went and bought a 40gb ps3

went to the online store from the console's ui and downloaded a ps1 or ps2 game it wouldn't play?

I know you can with PS1 games but I don't think there are any PS2 games on PSN yet, are there?

No, there aren't any PS2 games to buy.

 

[Glavinsolo]

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
So, if I went and bought a 40gb ps3

went to the online store from the console's ui and downloaded a ps1 or ps2 game it wouldn't play?

I know you can with PS1 games but I don't think there are any PS2 games on PSN yet, are there?

No, there aren't any PS2 games to buy.

Well I guess I'll wait and see since the 60gb and 80gb have been discontinued and there should be a new high end PS3 with Dual Shock 3.

The FF VII remake should solidify my purchase as well.

 

[CPA]

Make sure to go through the audio settings and check the boxes that for 5.1 if you're hooking up through a receiver with 5.1 surround. Otherwise, it will only push through 2-speaker stereo.

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
The FF VII remake should solidify my purchase as well.

That's never actually been announced as far as I know. While many would absolutely die to have a new-gen FFVII remake (me included), the only hint that it may be happening is a very odd "proof of technology" video made for Sony at E3 a couple of years ago and a few rumors floating around here and there.

 

[Kromis]

Originally posted by: mugs
It can, in theory, play video games.

I LOLed so badly after reading this!

 

[mlm]

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
The FF VII remake should solidify my purchase as well.

That's never actually been announced as far as I know. While many would absolutely die to have a new-gen FFVII remake (me included), the only hint that it may be happening is a very odd "proof of technology" video made for Sony at E3 a couple of years ago and a few rumors floating around here and there.

There are more hints than that... A page in one of the recent artbooks and a completely redone version of the opener tacked on at the end of FFVII:CC.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
I'm also in the market to buy one of these after the hd-dvd collapse.

Question: How easy is it to install a bigger drive?

Does the PS3 play divx from the UI?

Does the PS3 play Mp3s from the UI?

Incredibly easy to install a bigger drive (and you don't have to buy a proprietary drive like with the 360 - you can buy any SATA drive and pop it in there). Unfortunately, I think it has a 250GB size limit.

It plays MP3s and divx from the UI

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
And why buy anything but the 40gb version if you can install a bigger hdd?

PS2 backwards compatibility. The 40GB does not have it while the other three versions do/did.

And you get 2 extra USB slots, if that's important to you

In any case, they've canceled the 80 GB version, so all that's left is the 40GB anyway.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
The FF VII remake should solidify my purchase as well.

That's never actually been announced as far as I know. While many would absolutely die to have a new-gen FFVII remake (me included), the only hint that it may be happening is a very odd "proof of technology" video made for Sony at E3 a couple of years ago and a few rumors floating around here and there.

God, it would make so much money, too.

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: Eeezee
God, it would make so much money, too.

I still swear bodily harm* to the Squaresoft lawyers that sent the C&D to the CT:R team.

*Note: Not really... they're lawyers... I'd get sued!

 

[Glavinsolo]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: Eeezee
God, it would make so much money, too.

I still swear bodily harm* to the Squaresoft lawyers that sent the C&D to the CT:R team.

*Note: Not really... they're lawyers... I'd get sued!

yeah a chrono trigger remake would be nice as well

 

[Bacstar]

I just bought a PS3 this weekend as well, mostly to watch blu-ray movies on it

If you have a PSP, you're supposed to be able to play certain downloadable games from the PS store. I think they're actually PS1 games. There's also something about Remote Play or something like that where you can access your PS3 from anywhere over the Internet. I personally haven't tried it yet, so I can't give you any first hand experiences with either PSP feature.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
The FF VII remake should solidify my purchase as well.

That's never actually been announced as far as I know. While many would absolutely die to have a new-gen FFVII remake (me included), the only hint that it may be happening is a very odd "proof of technology" video made for Sony at E3 a couple of years ago and a few rumors floating around here and there.

God, it would make so much money, too.

The way Square Enix has been doing things lately, I'd expect to see it on the DS or PSP before you'll see it on the PS3.

 

[mlm]

Originally posted by: Bacstar
I just bought a PS3 this weekend as well, mostly to watch blu-ray movies on it

If you have a PSP, you're supposed to be able to play certain downloadable games from the PS store. I think they're actually PS1 games. There's also something about Remote Play or something like that where you can access your PS3 from anywhere over the Internet. I personally haven't tried it yet, so I can't give you any first hand experiences with either PSP feature.

Remote Play refers simply to accessing your PS3 with you PSP. Initially this just meant media + friends list + store + internet browser. But they've been adding more and more with each update

Right now there's:

- stream PS1 games (both downloads and disc-based)
- stream certain games (Mainichi Issho, Lair, PixelJunk Monsters, Bionic Commando)
- access to Folding
- Remote startup and remote shutdown

Now these things only work if you leave your PS3 in Remote Play mode. Of course if you do the startup, that automatically puts the PS3 in RP mode.