PS3 Slim vs other Blu-Ray players

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Might seem unrelated

by Jimmy Greystone Sep 4, 2009 1:51AM PDT

Might seem unrelated, but are you looking to use the PS3 exclusively as a bluray player, or do you also want to use it as a game console?

Because if you want to use it as a game console as well, regardless of how good it is or isn't compared to other players, I would advise against using it as a movie player. The drive in the PS3 is unique in that it can read PS3 game discs. Playing games and movies will slowly kill the drive's laser, and eventually it will stop working. Exactly how long this will take is anyone's guess, but the important bit is that this would NOT be covered under the PS3's limited warranty. It would be considered normal wear and tear.

If you're planning on only using it as a video player, then I think most reports say the PS3 ranks up there with the cream of the crop. But you should also look at the amount of electricity the PS3 uses compared to other players. If there's another player that's roughly equal to the PS3, maybe a little more expensive, but uses quite a bit less energy, it might well be the cheaper long term solution.

Also, the quality of sound is largely a function of the TV or receiver you have connected to the bluray player. All movie discs will still be likely to have Dolby Digital 5.1 or Dolby TrueHD audio, and unless you're using the bluray player to knock that down to stereo, it really doesn't factor into the equation on the audio front.

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Thanks!

by turbo_dean Sep 4, 2009 3:05AM PDT

Thanks Jimmy. Great info.

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We use ours as a BR player.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Sep 4, 2009 3:53AM PDT

Somewhere someone did some testing about how fast BR players boot up and how long till the video started. The PS3 came in with a second of the fastest of the pack.

I know about the flat rate 150 buck repair rate and it took 7 days for Sony to turn around my unit. But here's where I got mine. It was DEAD so I paid very little for that then I did the Sony flat rate repair.

Playback is super, DVD upconverting is great but you'll find those that will want to debate endlessly about it.

I'm going to use the machine,
Bob

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PS3 Slim Sound cut off

by nickswim Sep 15, 2009 1:56PM PDT

A few times while watching a BluRay video that I rented, the sound would cut off and you couldn't hear anything in the movie, but the video was still working fine.

Has this happened to you?
Do you know how to fix it?

We had the same problem when we purchased another Blu Ray Player that is why we bought the PS3 Slim.

Yes we are using an HDMI cable...

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Well

by Jimmy Greystone Sep 15, 2009 2:27PM PDT

Well...

A) It's kind of rude to hijack a thread like this
B) If two different devices are giving you the same problem, then the source of that problem is with whatever is common to both setups

If I had to guess, I'd say that there was a bit of audio in a movie that was beyond what your TV speakers were capable of outputting, and so you basically got no sound at all. A lot of times this is something of a fail safe to keep the speakers from being damaged.

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just

by nickswim Sep 15, 2009 2:33PM PDT

I was just informing people that I have had these 2 problems with the PS3 & the Samsung 1600BD.

As of right now it is hit or miss.

The sound just comes through the TV speakers, and the sound is fine throughout the movie, just every once in a while the sound just totally cuts off at a beginning of a scene.. so weird.

I apology if you thought it was rude.

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Then like I said

by Jimmy Greystone Sep 15, 2009 11:29PM PDT

Then like I said, if two different devices, manufactured by different companies, have the same problem... Then the source of that problem is with a common element between them. Since presumably you had this problem with different movies on different players at different times, that means it's likely a defect with your TV. Or surround receiver. Whatever component actually outputs the sound.

The odds of you getting two players from two different companies that both have the exact same defect are so infinitesimally remote, it is impossible by any practical and reasonable standard. So unless you neglected to mention this was the same movie disc or some other common element... Simple logical deduction leads us to point the finger at the audio output device -- the TV in this case, unless you left out that you have a receiver -- and NOT the Samsung or PS3 bluray players.

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Could be the AC current...

by make_or_break Sep 16, 2009 7:50PM PDT

...as well. An inconsistent, unstable feed of power to the player can cause these sorts of dropouts, though I'd normally expect the picture to be affected as well. There also could be a flaw or defect in the interconnect cable (HDMI, I presume) between the player and the television...or to the receiver, if there is one.

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Very well could be AC.

by TexasDad-55 Sep 18, 2009 5:59AM PDT

To test this out I would use a battery backup and plug everything used into it and see if it beeps any.

If you have many things plugged into the outlett then I suspect you are putting too much drain on the line.

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Try not to start a new topic in other discussions.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Sep 16, 2009 9:58PM PDT

Sorry but I've never had an issue. I'll add some items just in case it helps.

1. Latest firmware in the PS3.
2. No rentals.
3. Not many titles so if you research the title you may find others with the issue on that title. If there is going to be an Achilles heel this will be it. Just read the Samsung forum about playback issues and the (neverending?) firmware updates which are not limited to Samsung products.
4. HDMI cable? Check.
5. Nothing but PS3 and HDTV via HDMI. Check.
Bob

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Sony's Slim Blue Ray console

by AgainstGrn Sep 20, 2009 1:29PM PDT

I am told that it is the best. I was shown how the quality of picture was on the non-slim version. I bought the slim version & impressed with the quality.

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That's interesting

by Jimmy Greystone Sep 21, 2009 12:08AM PDT

That's interesting, because aside from being smaller and more power efficient, the hardware in the PS3 Slim is the same as in the original PS3. And, the bluray player in the PS3 is purely software, being part of the console's firmware.

So one would have to conclude that any differences would be down to an older console having an older firmware revision. Since you have the same key hardware in each system, and even the software is the same. Not much else can explain it.

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Thanks for this info

by rodshifter Sep 26, 2009 3:38AM PDT

Nice information, but one question in mind, the new PS3 slim BR rom, was it an upgraded version of the original PS3 or they're the same?

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Shouldn't be any different

by Jimmy Greystone Sep 26, 2009 5:26AM PDT

Shouldn't be any different at a functional level. People give too much credit to the drive, which really just reads the data and passes it along to various logic units to process. The only real important part is the diode that creates the blue laser. One bluray drive is pretty much the same as the next. It's the hardware and/or software that processes the data that makes the difference.

And especially with consoles, Sony can't afford to change the hardware spec too much, or they risk destroying the very thing that developers like so much about consoles: Consistency. They like knowing that they have a stable platform to build for for a number of years.

A slim PS3 should be no better or worse than a "fat" PS3 with the same firmware. The only real difference is their relative size and the slim PS3 uses about a third the power.

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I agree

by rodshifter Oct 4, 2009 2:11AM PDT

Yes, you're correct with that, it would be a total loss in $$ if Sony would change so much of their hardware.

PS3 is known for having BR rom since no other consoles have that. I hope their Motion controller would be great so as to increase interactivity.

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PS# Blu-Ray

by prime2134 Sep 28, 2009 3:04AM PDT

I chose the PS3 because for the same price you get a really good Blu-ray play but also a lot more options. The one thing PS3 has over the other players is its ability to be upgrade. Sony sends out updates almost monthly it seems. This is nice because they are constantly make improvements and adding new services. The only thing they don?t have is Netflix. But you can download movies or play download movies from the pc on it. In general it is more flexible with more option and a really good player. However, something to think about for the wife you will have to buy a remote, because they can?t seem to figure out using the controller.

PS3 price cut in stock at Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FRTP94?ie=UTF8&tag=21661111-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FRTP94

Here is the remote I got works great.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M17AVO?ie=UTF8&tag=21661111-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000M17AVO

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