Sony PS3

The Sony Playstation 3 is currently one of the three competing consoles in the eigth generation and so far it is in the top of its game with new games taking full advantage of the graphics power. But as a home entertainment device, the Sony PS3 has a huge advantage compared to the rest of the consoles as it is the first console that supports the Blu-ray format. This means that that the Sony PS3 doubles as a Blu-ray player as well. The Sony PS3 as a Blu-ray player actually performs very well in terms of performance and is often used as a comparison item when reviewing other emerging Blu-ray players. It now comes in a comprehensively redesigned console – slimmer and consumes less power.

Sony PS3

Design

Since it is primarily viewed as a gaming console, the Sony PS3 as a Blu-ray player is strikingly different than all the other Blu-ray players out there. It can even be stood up or laid flat horizontally to suit whatever desired set-up. The only downside of this design is that it is not possible to rest any components on top due to its curved nature.

There are no playback buttons on the player and the only way to play a Blu-ray disc is to navigate through the interface using the PS3 controller which can take a bit of time to get used to or invest in a Bluetooth remote controller.

In this latest version Sony has completely reworked the blood and guts of the system by revising the entire component infrastructure in addition to the obvious aesthetic overhaul. The PlayStation 3 has gone through several minor connectivity changes since it was first introduced in 2006, some of which have been carried over into the new system.

Features

Setting aside the design issues, just about everything else with the Playstation 3 is good including the features supported. Thanks to regular firmware updates provided by Sony, the PS3 provides full support to Blu-ray titles both old and new including the ones that have BD-Live content. It has built-in Wi-Fi support as well so it is possible to access any of the features of BD-Live Blu-ray movies that require an Internet connection without any Ethernet cable attached although there is an Ethernet port on the back of the player for wired connectivity. The PS3 can utilize its 80 GB hard disc on the standard models to store the Internet content without the need of using up one of the 2 USB slots for putting a flash drive in.

It can also act as a digital media hub just like some of the other Sony Blu-ray players by using the wireless connectivity to stream content from any other computers or DLNA-compatible devices or hard drives with network capability. Streamable content may include all the MPEG formats and h.264 and some audio formats including MP3, ATRAC, WAV, and AAC. As well as the popular image formats of all kinds.

Unlike the previous version, the new PS3 supports Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bitstream output to your receiver. The HDMI chip on previous generations of PS3 did not support bitstream output of high def codecs like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA. As such, the PS3 had to decode it internally before sending it over to your receiver via LPCM, a process that could garble the lossless audio depending on your setup. Bitstreaming hi-def audio codecs is the preferred means of transmitting audio if you have a new generation receiver that can handle Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

The PS3 also has an edge on Internet connectivity compared to the rest of the Blu-ray players especially if a USB keyboard and mouse are plugged in. It has enough Flash support to access YouTube videos although it cannot stream from some other video sharing services, but that is fine as people can basically browse the Internet just like any computer attached to a big screen.

Actual user review:
“The PS3 has definitely proven we are in a new age of entertainment. The graphics alone on HD are worth the price. The game content and attention to detail is much improved & in my opinion better than what other consoles can offer. Some say it costs too much, but take into consideration that the PS3 is also a Blu-ray player and will upconvert standard dvd titles to 1080p. You get updates for your console via internet using a home PC w/ a disc or flash drive and may also use a Wi-Fi connection or just hook it directly to an ethernet cord. The process is very simple and FREE. I would also like to note that the PS3 Network and connection to the internet is completely free to use. Xbox charges for internet connection to they’re network. You may purchase content from the PS3 Network and they also have a vast list of free items such as backgrounds and themes. The load times in games is much faster than other consoles that will ease the minds of the impatient. You may store MP3’s, Movies, Pictures as well as some other content on the console, so as you can see this is much, much more than just a gaming console and I believe that you will be more than happy with the multiple functions it provides for the price.” – J.Bridges (USA)

Performance

The Sony PS3 takes the front seat in terms of performance and that can already be recognized by the nice interface that it has. It uses the same XrossMediaBar which is currently used in the PSP allowing easy access to the main options without sifting through many pages.

When playing Blu-ray titles, the performance outclasses all other players since it makes full use of the hardware that makes the gaming powerful. It effectively upconverts DVD titles to 1080p and the Blu-ray titles load very quickly which is why it has become a standard to compare the load times of other players with the PS3. Using the HDMI 1.3 port, Blu-ray movies look sharp and realistic. Video and audio performance is on par, if not better than most standalone blu-ray players. It plays standard CDs and DVDs, and even SACDs; something most standalone players can’t do.

Bottom Line

The sophisticated hardware in the system makes the Sony PS3 as a Blu-ray player a bit noisier compared to other players. But this along with the remote and design issues are overshadowed by the amazing performance and solid set of features that the PS3 delivers. It is even priced lesser than a lot of the high-end players yet it doubles as a seventh generation console as well. The clear message here is that current Sony PS3 owners do not need to buy a new Blu-ray player as long as the latest firmware updates are applied. In other words it is future-proof.

Average User Rating:

• “I finally got a PS3 and couldn’t be happier about it. I really wanted to get a Blu-Ray player and other players were around $100-$150 less, and so I thought that extra money would be well spent for the extra stuff that a PlayStation does. I wasn’t disappointed. Internet Browsing, The PlayStation Store (which you can buy or rent movies from), PlayStation Home turned out the be a neat little thing, and actually has some games inside. Plus loading my photos, videos and music onto the hard drive. Oh, and Blu-Ray movies are really nice. I think the sound and the video is better! I have rented a couple games for it, and they are fun as well. So to me, it is a BD player with extras, and I’m pleased with it.” – R.Thiesson (San Diego,USA)
• “If you are a movie buff, you’ll find that the Blu-ray player has been seemlessly integrated into the overall design of the PS3. I have watched several Blu-ray titles and they look absolutely jaw dropping on the HDTV with HDMI connection. I noticed a drastic improvement of standard definition movies as well, which is strange but very possible as the PS3 Blu-ray significantly out-do’s my older Sony DVD player.” – X.Werner (WA,USA)

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