Blu-ray via PS3

[bravo 34]

I've been looking to add a blu-ray player to the living room, and my gf pointed our that a PS3 costs the same as a low-end blu-ray player. Considering that she's been after a PS3 for some time now I'm wondering if I might be able to kill two birds with the same $600.

Normally a stand-alone player would be a better bet, but its hard to figure our where the PS3 is lacking especially at that price point. It has on-board storage (120-250GB HDD), will read from an external (FAT32) HDD via USB to access my movie and music collection, full HD, and 7-chan Dolby and DTS out, and the bluetooth wireless controllers mean it can sit in the bedroom cupboard next to the living room where all the other hi-fi gear is going. I'm going to drill through the wall and duct all the cabling to a wall-mounted flat screen with built-in freeview. Then I'll get a cheap wireless remote-control extender to control the amp/receiver and/or sky, effectively making the living room wireless except for the speakers.

You can't buy a standalone with all of that functionality for anywhere near that price.

What compelling reason is there not to do this and go for standalone?

Advice please!

PS: Oh and apparently it plays games???

[Mark 178]

There isn't any compelling reason to buy a standalone.

I know quite a few people who've bought PS3's simply for the Blu-Ray, they've never played a game on them ever.

Just buy the optional remote with it and you're set.

[JiB 0]

I impulse bought a PS3, so far it's mostly just been used by my parents for Blu-Ray. No problems so far, highly recommend getting the Playstation Bluetooth remote (don't get a copy, you lose a lot of functionality).

Btw, PS3 is a bit funny about reading from USB - Google will tell you more.

[Forrest 35]

And to top it off, Gran Turismo 5 shouldn't be too far away (the only reason my dad brought one).

[Wom 0]

if there's a pc involved anywhere in that setup then just get a bluray drive for way less than a PS3

[bravo 34]

@Wom - only my laptop which I currently use to watch DVD's as my DVD player gave up recently. And that sux as I can only get s-video and 3.5mm stereo audio out.

Also, anyone know if the HD LCD TV's with built-in freeview accept satellite input? ie not freeviewHD? It's just that we can't get freeview HD where we are and I'm hoping that I can bin the horrible decoder we've got for a built-in one.

[JaseNZ 53]

I bought a ps3 just for the blu-ray, Was a case of hey i bought this big arse hd plasma tv now i want to watch hd movies on it. Never played a game on the ps3, i have used it via a ps3 media server to stream all my normal movies and songs , I use this >>Clicky me<< works very well.

[joshnz 2]

PS3 is pretty sweet for blu-ray and home theater stuff, I have a sh*t load of movies/music on a 600gb external, it reads/writes everything fine, divx etc, full HD and surround sound is awesome, plus the gaming aint too bad either

[fuzyfrog 0]

PS3 + PS3 Media Server + 4TB NAS Box

=

Win.

[BM WORLD 1264]

Also, anyone know if the HD LCD TV's with built-in freeview accept satellite input? ie not freeviewHD? It's just that we can't get freeview HD where we are and I'm hoping that I can bin the horrible decoder we've got for a built-in one.

yes its called "MY SKY HDI".

no lcd's or plasma's that i know of with freeview sat built in as there are to many types of sat system in the world .

but also if you have a built in decoder then you have to still have a seperate one if you want to record from it .

or maybe get one of those sat boxes with Hard drive in it or a one you can hook up a hard drive or usb stick etc

Edited February 7, 2010 by Brent HARTGE535i

[AN E30 Fan 1]

We have a PS3 250gb, the graphics on some games are soo good with an HD cable about 80 dollars though and the Blu Ray DVDs are so clear aswell.

Agreed with JIB I can't remember what you have to do but they have to be in certain format for the PS3 to realise that the USB is plugged in, confused me the first time but google is your friend.

Edited February 7, 2010 by AJ-E30

[bleetz 0]

$80 for a hdmi cable? ripped off. Its a digital signal, you can use the cheapest cable and it will work just aswell.

[bravo 34]

Agreed with JIB I can't remember what you have to do but they have to be in certain format for the PS3 to realise that the USB is plugged in, confused me the first time but google is your friend.

The drive has to be formatted as FAT32 - is this what you mean?

[Guest Simon*]

Do it MOF - so many reasons to go the PS3 route. Does KT still get a staff discount from Noel's?

[grantdavis28 8]

PS3 is the way to go... used it as my home theater for a long time. hdd in fat32 works a charm.. only just sold my ps3 as im moving to welly and dont have room/ time for it.

Edited February 7, 2010 by GRUNTS

[bravo 34]

Do it MOF - so many reasons to go the PS3 route. Does KT still get a staff discount from Noel's?

Yep - but at the mo with some of the sales, retail on special is pretty close to staff, but the extra warranties, and accessories like remote and cables are dirt cheap.

Thinking of getting AVR and speakers off trademe - Marantz receiver with HDMI and digital inputs for $600 - can't go wrong.

[grantdavis28 8]

the ps3 also does optical sound which is amazing quality its what i ran on my ps3 beacuse i had it hooked up to a computer monitor cus i got seriously into online gaming.. omg COD4.

im not sure what kind of sound you are looking at but i have found this great value for money.. this is what i have.

http://www.panasonic.co.nz/at-home/enterta...-pt470gn-k.html

Edited February 7, 2010 by GRUNTS

[antil33t 90]

$80 for a hdmi cable? ripped off. Its a digital signal, you can use the cheapest cable and it will work just aswell.

This.

You can get HDMI cables for bugger all from www.ascent.co.nz with free shipping.

I'd say get the PS3. My parents recently bought a home theater with built in blu-ray for $999.

Can't beleve I just said to get a PS3.

[bravo 34]

Haha - yeah know what you mean. I think the PS3 is a done deal now. Just trying to suss the rest.

Need to source a good AVR and speakers from somewhere - budget $1,400-1,800.

Had a look on trademe, but to be honest I don't know what I'm looking at.

[Guest Simon*]

They're usually black, with like mesh stuff in the front.

AVR's are like a Honda club - lots of knobs

[bravo 34]

Bored Simon?

[Guest Simon*]

What makes you say that?

Clean your thread up mate, it's a bloody mess!

[Guest Ari Gold]

In case you're still not sold MOF, once your PS3 in in your wireless network, it will self update its firmware at Sony develops new updates. What standalone does that?

[Wom 0]

Need to source a good AVR and speakers from somewhere - budget $1,400-1,800.

Had a look on trademe, but to be honest I don't know what I'm looking at.

take some cds into shops that sell audio gear

test them out, suss out what you want

then go buy it on trademe for heaps less

since you're going bluray, make sure the receiver has dolby truehd and dts-hd

[twisted 45]

Make sure your amp is capable of processing audio. If it's labelled as HDMI 'Passthrough', then it will strip the audio from the signal and you'll have to use an optical cable etc, losing the benefits of bluray audio over HDMI.

Very annoying.

Though you might need to up your budget a touch if you want decent speakers too.

Edit: This is possibly what Wom was saying.

Edited February 8, 2010 by -Alias-