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Author
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MSmith83
AVS Special Member
Registered: June 2005
Posts: 6170
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Review Date: Tue June 12, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $600.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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7.1 TrueHD decoding. 7.1 PCM output at up to 192 kHz. 1080p/24 output for Blu-Ray discs. Very fast and responsive. Consistent firmware updates.
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Cons:
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No built-in support for IR remotes. No DTS-HD HR/MA decoding. No multichannel analog audio output.
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The Playstation 3 makes for an incredible Blu-Ray player. Sony has been consistently improving Blu-Ray playback via firmware updates, and in its current state the PS3 offers all the features that are sure to make many home theater enthusiasts giddy. Specifically, the console can output decoded TrueHD and PCM audio in up to 7.1 channels over HDMI, as well as output a 1080p/24 signal straight from disc.
Blu-Ray movies startup very quickly, remote commands respond instantaneously, and there are no problems in using advanced features such as those seen in the recent Pirates of the Caribbean releases.
Aside from the lack of support for IR remotes and DTS-HD MA decoding, this machine is a marvelous Blu-Ray player that is sure to please many discerning consumers. The PS3 gets my highest recommendation as a more than competent Blu-Ray player.
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imuesmail
Member
Registered: November 2004
Posts: 195
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Review Date: Tue June 12, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $599.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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fantastic depot for my digital pictures, MP3 music
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Cons:
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1. Excellent Blu-ray/DVDplayer, especially with firmware 1.8. 'nuff said on this.
2. Digital pictures stored/displayed via the PS3 look fantastic. No more printing or showing pictures on a computer small screen. No need to put pictures on a JPEG disc for showing on a DVD player. The built in slide shows, picture rotation, zooming, pan and scan, etc all make it great photo displayer. I wish I could take my pictures in 16:9 aspect ratio with my camera. Still, the pictures appear in high def. My daughter has a 1.3MP Sony digicam, and even those pictures look fantastic.
3. I can hook up external USB hard drives (make sure they are FAT 32 format like the Western Digitals) with 500GB of pictures and music. I have not tried the video features yet. Also, I have used my wireless USB keyboard for surfing the web on my wireless network. It works but I will stick to my laptop for this.
4. My PS3 is my music server. Fast access and you can jump from song to song faster than on a computer media player. The video graphics to accompany your music are decent. Remember you can hook up multiple USB hard drives with your music. The 60GB built in hard drive can quicly fill up, but hard drives are getting very cheap. A WD My Book 500GB can easily be had for less than $140---no need to change the internal HD. Use FAT 32 format, not NTSC. The PS3 will communicate with your other computers and their shared folders of music, pictures, and video. It works but can be cumbersome to set up. External hard drives are the way to go---I have my wireless router far away from my PS3 so the speed is not great. (but this feature works great---I took a picture of my old father-in law, put the memory disc in my laptop, showed him the picture on the laptop, turned on the PS3 and TV, and voila--he saw his picture on the TV---he was amazed at the magic).
5. I hear the PS3 also plays video games. heh, heh. The only thing I have tried are the free downloads from the PS3 store----Grand Turismo HD is great. I actually have earned a new car because I broke the 2min lap time---whatever the heck that means. I also hear you can actually buy more games for this Blu-Ray player, but why would anybody wanna do that? My kids are forbidden to go anywhere near my video player----they get to use the XBOX, Nintendo Game Cube and old PS1.
6. I have not done this, but my friend says he can access his PS3 hard drive with his Sony PSP using a wireless internet connection----more magic. He can bring up music, pictures and video that is stored on his PS3 on his PSP at work. it works.
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at somepoint you stop the research and just buy it
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QueueCumber
Eat Yer Vegetables
Registered: September 2005
Location: Farmer McGregor's Garden
Posts: 5932
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Review Date: Wed June 13, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $750.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Game machine and Blu-Ray player (two for one). Cheaper than other Blu-Ray players at release date (even if you had to buy one on Ebay like I did). It is a Blu-Ray player (much more storage capacity compared to relative HDDVD formats).
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Cons:
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Bluetooth controller options and lack of infrared port severely limit your universal remote options to practially nothing but the PS3 controller. Not many games, and none of any significant calibre compared to Xbox360.
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Excellent as a Blu-Ray player for the price at its release date, considering it is also a next generation video game machine (among other things). I gave it a 8/10 because the games are lacking and the remote options are awful (conversely, it was as high as an 8 because of its price compared to other Blu-ray players at release time, as well as the included fact that it is a next gen gaming machine)... The controller uses Bluetooth and no infrared port. This is a problem for anyone using a universal remote. Xbox 360 uses an infrared port as well as WiFi so you can use a remote like the Logitech 890, 895 or 1000 (or other equivalent remotes), while the Bluetooth limits you to a separate PS3 controller or a proprietary solution offered to you by, of course, Sony or those who pay Sony a licensing fee.
When will Sony finally learn that manufacturing proprietary devices (remotes, memory sticks, etc) that limit the users ability to interoperate between other ubiquitous devices that are not made by Sony makes affluent and educated consumers angry? Is trying to force consumers to use only Sony products so beneficial that alienating a significant portion of their initial customer base doesn't hurt them?
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"It is worse still to be ignorant of your ignorance."
-- Saint Jerome (374 AD - 419 AD)
New HT Thread Section
R.I.P. My Old HT
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dpe8598
AVS Special Member
Registered: June 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1839
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Review Date: Thu June 14, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 0
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Pros:
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Great picture and sound quality. Excellent video options. Not just a bluray player.
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Cons:
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Louder than most stand alone players, but still quiet for a gaming machine. Needs IR support.
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Just thought I'd add that it is an excellent player overall. Additionally, you get gaming, video and audio streaming from PC, and web browsing.
Although it is quiet compared the the 360 as a gaming machine, as a bluray player its just a tad bit loud. Finally, its great that this machine has bluetooth, but it sux that it doesnt have IR.
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Latham99
Member
Registered: November 2006
Location: Lexington, SC
Posts: 146
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Review Date: Fri June 22, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $599.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Excellent build quality, integrated Wireless, Blu-ray.
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Cons:
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Lack of IR port.
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Excellent quality Blu-Ray player, upconverts DVD, streams multimedia, integrated everything, free online play, there's not much to dislike about the console.
The only reason it did not get a 10 was that it lacked the IR port.
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<><
PSN ID / XBL ID: Latham99
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Calamus
Advanced Member
Registered: July 2007
Posts: 972
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Review Date: Tue July 24, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $499.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Great BLU- RAY player, game machine with HD games, steaming video and audio
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Cons:
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No direct IR support, but bluetooth has better range and not as "picky", just not an AV standard yet :)
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Very hard to not give it a 10 after the recent price drop since it came with a coupon for five free movies and an additional controller. I would hope that more AV gear offers Bluetooth as an option since it works better IMO than IR But I do understand the need to have a universal remote. There is a workaround (http://www.remotecentral.com/article...ir-remote2.htm) but it’s a pity a simple IR was not included.
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I want my HDM
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msmith198025
Member of something
Registered: February 2007
Posts: 161
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Review Date: Wed August 1, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $600.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Great PQ, good price when you consider what you get
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Cons:
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control is a bit clunky, but ok
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This is an excellent Blu-ray player and soooo much more.
From a gamers perspective, of course the games are lacking NOW, give it time. All systems go through this.
For a Movie buff, i would highly recommend! WHy spend more for a stand alone when you can have the player and more!
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cabetcl
New Member
Registered: December 2004
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Sat January 5, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $499.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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best SD DVD Upscaler. Excelent Gaming system, excelent Blue Ray Player, Excelent Media Hub
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Cons:
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Lack of DTS via Media Server or harddrive Video Files.
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This is a great unit. I was planing to build a HTPC for my home theater but now with this system I don't need one. the PS3 does everthing I need.
Plays Media from my PC running Nero 8.0
The SD DVD player is also great. it upscales to 720p perfectly.
I like how the game controler controls the DVD play functions.
I'm sure Sony will add the DTS option just like they added the 5.1 on ver 2.0
I had some friends over that have the Xbox 360 and after seing my PS3 in action, they said that they are going to return the XBOX and get the PS3.
This system Rocks!!!!
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tezster
New Member
Registered: September 2007
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Tue September 2, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $400.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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good media server, blu-ray player and frequent firmware updates
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Cons:
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no built-in IR, no backwards compatibility with PS2 games
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Even if it wasn't capable of playing any games, the PS3 is well worth the money - why buy a standalone BR player when you can get the PS3, where a large portion of the cost is in essence subsidized by Sony? It's undoubtedly the most robust BR player on the market, and willl most likely stay that way due to regular firmware updates.
I bought the 80gb core unit, and set it up wirelessly as my media server, and stream all my music/photos AND videos, up to and including HD divx content. All for $400!
The only reason I didn't give a perfect 10 rating is the lack of built-in IR (important for universal remotes like the Harmony). There are 3rd party alternatives, but the lack of native support from Sony is a small blemish in an otherwise outstanding product.
The PS3 may have had its growing pains, but is now a fully mature product and at $400 for the 80gb core model, a great value for your money.
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