"White Sparkles" video problem with PS3

ibex333

Diamond Member
Mar 26, 2005
4,094
123
106
I turned on my PS3 today and noticed this issue. In XMB and in most games, certain objects are surrounded by what looks like silverish/white dust. It is especially noticeable in XMB.

A quick google search revealed other people having this problem too but there is no clear solution. Some suggest getting a short, high quality HDMI cable, but for me nothign shorter than 6 feet will do.

I tried the PS3 on my parents TV, and there, the results are very strange. Sometimes when I turn the unit on, there are no white sparkles and I play for hours and everything is fine. But other times the problem happens again. On my TV, which is a relatively new TV, the problem happens all the time! I am using cheap HDMI cables that I got during a sale online, but these work perfectly fine for my Xbox and all my other devices.

Is my PS3 broken or should I just buy a good quality cable? If so which cable would you suggest?
 

Drako

Lifer
Jun 9, 2007
10,697
161
106
I think you answered your own question - try some different HDMI cables.

Also make sure the HDMI connector contacts are clean at your PS3 and the TV.
 

Thraxen

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
4,683
1
81
People often say that the quality of HDMI cables doesn't matter, but sometimes it does. White sparkles or macro blocking are the two sure fire signs that you're losing signal with your current cables. Six feet really isn't that long, so your current cables are either super cheap or have some kind of defect. Get new ones.
 

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
I'll get this sometimes. Usually caused by the HDMI cable coming a bit loose. Happens when I move the console while cleaning. Cables wouldn't cause a problem like this, but I'll fitting connectors would. Try wriggling it around a bit.
 

ibex333

Diamond Member
Mar 26, 2005
4,094
123
106
I found that the problem is NOT related to HDMI cables. This happens with my Xbox 360 too. I bought another cable from monoprice and still I get white sparkles with both consoles in menus and games. Probably my Akai LCD TV is a piece of shit. But really I thought these consoles were designed to work with all TVs?

My TV is not that old. bought it in Costco like 5 years ago.
 

Tristicus

Diamond Member
Feb 2, 2008
8,107
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www.wallpapereuphoria.com
I found that the problem is NOT related to HDMI cables. This happens with my Xbox 360 too. I bought another cable from monoprice and still I get white sparkles with both consoles in menus and games. Probably my Akai LCD TV is a piece of shit. But really I thought these consoles were designed to work with all TVs?

My TV is not that old. bought it in Costco like 5 years ago.

:hmm:
 

Duder1no

Senior member
Nov 1, 2010
866
1
0
let's see, problem with xbox AND ps3

not cable related

yup, your old cheap no-name tv is a prime suspect
 
Oct 20, 2005
10,978
44
91
I found that the problem is NOT related to HDMI cables. This happens with my Xbox 360 too. I bought another cable from monoprice and still I get white sparkles with both consoles in menus and games. Probably my Akai LCD TV is a piece of shit. But really I thought these consoles were designed to work with all TVs?

My TV is not that old. bought it in Costco like 5 years ago.

Didn't you say that it still happened when you used your parent's TV?
 

ibex333

Diamond Member
Mar 26, 2005
4,094
123
106
Yes, yes he did :)
I gotta correct myself on that. The problem DID happen on other TVs, but it went away after unplugging HDMI cable and plugging back in. With my Akai, the problem never goes away no matter what I do.

(Btw, Akai is NOT a no name TV. It is a Japanese built TV widely used in Europe, Japan and Russia. In US is is not so common, and apparently not high quality.)