- What versions of PS3 are there?
- Will the PS3 work even on old television sets?
- What video cable should I use?
- What audio cable should I use?
- Can I replace the hard drive?
PS3 as a Media Center
- What types of discs does the PS3 support?
- Can I stream music and video files from a PC and play them on the PS3?
- How do I control my PS3 through a remote control?
- How do I connect my PS3 to my home theater?
- How do I get surround sound audio?
- What music file formats can the PS3 play?
- What image file formats can the PS3 display?
- What video file formats can the PS3 play?
- What video file formats can the PS3 play?
- How do I play MKV files on the PS3?
- Can I play media files from a USB or external drive?
- Where can I find the PS3 manual online?
- What does XMB mean?
- How do I turn off those annoying notifications on the upper right corner of the screen?
- How do I update the PS3's firmware?
There are two versions of PS3 - PS3 Original and PS3 Slim.
PS3 Original (also known as PS3 Classic)
- Cell Processor
- Bluray drive
- 40, 80, 160GB Hard Drive
- HDMI 1.3a
- Optical audio output
- Bluetooth (up to 7 controllers)
- Gigabit LAN
- 802.11b/g Wifi
- USB 2.0 ports
- Includes one DualShock 3 controller (with force feedback)
PS3 Slim (Launched October 2009)
PS3 Slim retains the features indicated above, except for the following:
- 33% smaller (2.5 inches wide, compared to 3.86 inches for PS3 original)
- 36% lighter (7 pounds compared to 12 pounds for the original)
- consumes 34% less power (250 watt power supply, compared to 280 watt for original)
- quieter (around 10 decibels)
- comes with a 120GB / 250GB 2.5" SATA hard drive
- contains Consumer Electronics Control (CEC), allows you to control PS3 via HDMI
- cannot stand vertically on its own, you need a vertical stand
- no support for Linux
- no PS2 backward compatibility
- matte finish as opposed to glossy fingerprint magnet finish of the original
- supports lossless TrueHD and DTS-HD MA audio
Yes. The PS3 is compatible with both legacy Standard Definition Television (SDTV) and High Definition Television (HDTV) sets.
If you have a high-definition TV with an HDMI port, then get an HDMI cable.
If not, then get one of the following cables, in order of priority, depending on which inputs are available in your TV.
- Component Video cables
- S-Video cable
- If your TV does not have any available inputs for the above, then just use the composite cable that comes with the PS3.
Best Buy has a good guide to different audio/video cables.
Of course, you have to change your PS3 settings. Select Settings | Display Settings | Video Output Settings from the XrossMediaBar, and click here for further instructions.
The answer depends on whether you are using your TV or your A/V receiver for audio output.
TV
If you are using your TV for audio output, then you have two choices:
a. If your TV supports HDMI, then you should use an HDMI cable. Note that HDMI can be used to carry both audio and video signals, so you don't need a separate HDMI cable for the video.
b. If your TV does not support HDMI, then just use the AV cables that come with the PS3.
A/V Receiver
If you have a home theater A/V receiver receiver for audio output, then you have two choices:
a. If your A/V receiver supports HDMI, then you should use an HDMI cable.
b. If your A/V receiver supports digital optical input, then you should buy an optical cable, also known as Toslink cable.
Best Buy has a good guide to different audio/video cables.
Of course, you have to change your PS3 settings. Select Settings | Sound Settings | Audio Output Settings from the XrossMediaBar, and click here for further instructions.
Yes, you can replace the hard drive with any 2.5" Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive. Sony supports this and replacing the drive will not void your warranty.
Action
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Batman Arkham Asylum
Infamous
Uncharted - Drake's Fortune
Uncharted 2 - Among Thieves
First Person Shooter
Battlefield: Bad Company
Killzone 2
Racing
Gran Turismo 4
Role Playing
Grand Theft Auto 4
Platform
Little Big Planet
Fighting
Tekken 6
Soul Calibur IV
Sports
NBA 2K10
PS3 does not have region lockout. That means your PS3 can play any PS3 game regardless if it's region 1, region 2, etc. However, it's a different story for DVD playback. Your PS3 will only play DVDs of the same region as your unit.
Buy the PS3 slim. If you are going to use your PS3 as a media center, then choose one with the bigger hard drive. Or you can upgrade the hard drive yourself with a standard 2.5" SATA hard drive. This will not void the warranty.
Blu-ray Discs, DVD, CDs
Yes you can.
PS3 does not support the Matroska Video (MKV) format, which is commonly used in HD videos. If you want to stream MKV files stored in your PC, use PS3 Media Server.
You can also convert MKV files to a file format that's playable on the PS3 using mkv2vob.
First of all, you need to have an A/V receiver with an available port for digital optical input. If you don't, then you're stuck with stereo. If you do have an A/V receiver, all you need to do is to connect your PS3 to your A/V receiver using an digital optical cable, also known as also known as Toslink.
Of course, you have to change your PS3 settings. Select Settings | Sound Settings | Audio Output Settings from the XrossMediaBar, and click here for further instructions.
http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/music/filetypes.html
http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/photo/filetypes.html
http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/video/filetypes.html
The official PS3 manual is located here.
XMB stands for the XrossMediaBar, which is the menu system that appears when you turn on your PS3.
Select Settings | System Settings | Notification Settings from the XrossMediaBar.
If you want new features, yes. If you are playing online, then you will be forced to update your firmware. If you don't play online and you don't really care about new features, then you don't have to update your firmware.
If your PS3 is connected to the Internet, the easiest way is to select Settings | System Update from the XrossMediaBar.
