Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with ps3

How can I copy games and game demos from a PS3 to USB?

Effigy2000 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:58:07 -0800

How do you copy downloaded games and game demos from the PS3 hard drive to a USB stick? Because unless I've missed something painfully obvious, I can't see a way to do this from within the XMB.

Help me parse my Rock Band options!

yellowbinder — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:56:37 -0800

Thinking about taking the Rock Band plunge, but there's so much to think about! Help me decide what to buy and when! So after perusing the various track lists and DLC for Rock Band, it seems like it's finally time to buy, but what version to buy?

It's for Playstation 3. I've mentioned to my boyfriend that RB2 would be an excellent Xmas gift for me, but he tends to way underestimate the popularity of videogames, so if I rely on him to pick up the RB2 bundle it probably won't happen. Also might be a bit too expensive and greedy for a present.

I'd pick up the original bundle now, but I understand it has a wired guitar, which is kind of a downer. I don't care so much about wireless drums, and I've heard the RB2 drums (at least for Xbox 360) kind of suck.

So the way I see it I have a few options:

1) Buy the current bundle and deal with wired guitar
2) Buy the current game and wireless guitar now, then maybe my boy can get me the drums and RB2 disc for the holidays.
3) Wait and just buy RB2 bundle.

If I buy the parts separately, it seems I'm missing out on the microphone. Do they sell it separately, or what other mics work?

Another question (sorry, try to think of this as a massive RB infodump). - Will the original Rock Band controllers work with Guitar Hero IV when it releases, or just the RB2 ones?

I would ask if GH4 would be a better buy, but looking at the tracklists and RB's record of excellent DLC, it seems like Rock Band is the choice for me.

How long to wait after waterdamaged PS3?

DonSlice — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:32:11 -0800

How long should my friend wait before turning the PS3 on? My friend's PS3 was practically drowned this weekend. After a party on sunday, he noticed the PS3 covered in water. When he tipped it up, nearly a cup of water poured out of it.

He's got it situated between two fans to dry it off as much as possible. We know how to remove the hard drive and will take it out before turning it on (in case it fries).

The question is: How long should he wait before turning the PS3 on to ensure it's not going to fry?

Does the PS3 outperform the PS2, playing PS2 games? A lot?

grobstein — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:31:47 -0800

Does the PS3 outperform the PS2, playing PS2 games? A lot? So I fouled up and got the PS3 model that doesn't play PS2 games. This turns out to have been bad. I'd like to play PS2 games. I'm trying to decide between 1) selling my current PS3 and upgrading to the better version, or 2) buying a new PS2.

Option 2) is cheaper.

What I want to know is, does the higher-end PS3 do a better job on PS2 games than a new PS2 would?

Are there major graphical improvements?

Can the PS3 sometimes play PS2 games in HD (um on reflection this seems pretty improbable. . . )?

Where are the discounted games?

mcarthey — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:21:18 -0800

Why does a club similar to BMG or Columbia not exist for PS3 games? I realize there are online services similar to GameFly and rentals available at BlockBuster and used games at GameStop, but I'm looking for new games to purchase rather than rent. I'm interested in owning more games, but not interested in paying full price for new games.

Help me set up my new 5.1 surround sound speakers!

Effigy2000 — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 03:23:51 -0800

I just bought a 5.1 home theatre system. The speakers are Klipsch; the receiver is a Yamaha RX-V363. I'm having some (read; a lot) setup problems that I'm hoping the hive mind could help me out with. Specifically, I'm having trouble getting sound out of my PS3 and a picture and sound out of my Wii. Hope me! OK, so this is the first time I've ever tussled with a 5.1 surround system so this is a bit new for me. Normally I'm pretty good setting things up like this with a bit of trial and error but I've been at this for a few hours now and I'm at my wits end.

I'm doing some things right though. I have my iPod dock hooked up to the receiver (via the portable connection at the front of the receiver) and sound is running from my ipod through my speakers beautifully. So it's safe to assume the speakers are connected properly.

The first problem is that my PS3 isn't giving me any sound. I'm running an HDMI cable from the PS3 to the HDMI port marked 'DVD' on the receiver (see this picture of the back of my receiver for a clearer picture of what I'm talking about). From there of course I run another HDMI cable from the HDMI out port on the back of the receiver to the HDMI In (1) port on the back of my TV, which is a Sony Bravia 40" LCD. I am getting a picture from the PS3 just fine. No sound though, which is a major bummer.

I have a theory about what may be needed to fix this. As you'll see from here's this diagram of the back of my TV, there are two HDMI In ports; HDMI In (2) has audio ports next to it. I'm assuming if I had an audio cable I could run a cable from my receiver to these ports on the back of my TV. I'm just a little confused as I've always managed to run sound and video through the single HDMI cable into the HDMI In (1) port on my TV. I'd test this out but it's night where I am and no shops are open (I need to buy this cable). In the meantime I just want to ask if I'm on the right track here?

As for my Wii, it usually runs through to the TV via component cables. With the arrival of the home theater system, it had been my hope to run the component cables into one of the component cable connections at the back of the receiver. No such luck. Switching to the DTV/CBL channel on my receiver (where I had plugged the Wii cables into), I got both no sound and no picture. I have no theories how to fix this at this stage.

I've also run the auto audio setup thing the receiver has, and I've fooled around with the 'scene' settings like the manual says. No luck.

And I've told the PS3 via it's menu to run sound through the HDMI port. As you can guess, still no luck.

To help you help me (and just in case you missed the earlier links), here's some pictures of the front and back of the receiver. Also here's something of a diagram of the back of my TV. With these pictures I'm hoping it makes it easier for any tech experts out there to tell me exactly what needs to be plugged where.

Please help me!!!

Convert me from xbox to PS3

jseven — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:31:48 -0800

[PS3 Filter:] Help an old school xbox guy finalize his conversion to the Play Station way of life. I recently bought a PS3 and really enjoy it. I'm hoping you can help me with a few of the finer points of the platform.

Background: I am an old school xbox guy. PS3 won me over for the integrated blu-ray disk and the console itself. I'm hoping for some answers on games, and some of the more advanced features.

Games for Dad. I really loved Halo 2 and would like to find a similar game on PS3. I don't have a lot of time to go through a long role playing game or invest a lot of time in getting in the back story etc. That's what I love about Halo 2, get in, get shot, get out. Any Halo 2 like games out there on PS3? (i'm not too into the war games like call of duty etc.)

Games for the kids... I have an 8 year old boy and it's easy enough to find him a ton of games he likes. But, I'm wondering if there is a good game out there for math, spelling etc. so he could brush up during the summer.

Media server... I see there is a media server option, but every time I "search" it comes up empty. I have the PS3 setup via wireless to my network an can connect to internet with no problem. How do I navigate to drives that contain pictures / music etc.?

Also, what are the cool and different ways you use your PS3? As you know, these things cost a lot of money and I want to use every stinking feature.

I have the 40GB "core" model so I don't have the media slots, and I only have 2 usb ports on the front. So far, this hasn't limited me.

I look forward to your ideas! Thanks!

MetaFilter Solid 4: Wisdom of the MeFites

Doctor Suarez — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:31:02 -0800

MetaFilter Solid: New Playstation owner, getting Metal Gear Solid 4, but I've never played any of the earlier games. How can I best get up to speed? I looked on Wikipedia for the story summaries, but they're incredibly short, and since the stories are notoriously confusing anyway, the passages actually made my eyes hurt.

Also, since I'm enmeshed in GTA IV right now, playing the first three MGS games doesn't seem like a good (or efficient) option.

Is there a better way for me to get acquainted with the characters and events, or are the Wikipedia blurbs the best I've got?

Also, if some or most of the previous games' content isn't going to be all that relevant, I'd love to know what I can just ignore.

So come out from under those cardboard boxes and help me out!

What are the best display settings for a PS3?

Effigy2000 — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:31:25 -0800

What are the best display settings for a Playstation 3 to ensure I get the best possible picture quality when watching Bluray discs and standard DVDs? I just bought a Playstation 3. I bought it pretty much for the sole purpose of playing Bluray discs and upscaling my existing DVD collection.; games are pretty much an added bonus here, as far as I'm concerned.

So with that in mind, what are the optimum settings for a PS3 in the display settings section of the PS3's setup menu, especially where upscaling is concerned? I'm running it through an HDMI cable and my TV is a Sony Bravia 40" LCD TV. Assume I'm not an AV guru when telling me. I've also updated the system software, so you know.

Thanks in advance!

Does PS3+no internet=FAIL?

ShawnString — Fri, 09 May 2008 06:39:10 -0800

My brother wants to buy a PS3 (or even a Xbox 360) but he doesnt have any sort of internet access (why yes, he does live in a cave) Would that be a major hinderance/hassle or would it just be a annoyance?

40GB or 80GB. That is the question...

Effigy2000 — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:07:05 -0800

I'm looking at buying a Playstation 3 pretty much only so I can have a really good Blu-ray player. It's highly unlikely I'll ever buy any PS3 games beyond GTA4, Rockband and maybe Little Big Planet. Given this, should I just buy the 40GB model of the console or are the extra features of the 80GB model (flash card reader, SACD support etc) worth the extra cash in the long run?

My house of (network) cards has tumbled

puddpunk — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:00:34 -0800

I live in a house with 6 other internet hungry people. Help me cater for our needs! I live in a very connected household but I can't find a consumer router to cater for us. We have 4 laptops, 2 desktops, 1 NAS, 2 ps3's and 2 xbox360's in our house and I need help to find a solution that works.

Currently we have a fairly beefy ADSL connection and Belkin N1 wireless modem router sitting on the end of it to share with everyone. The game consoles are frequently used for online gaming (both PSN and Xbox Live) and there is often heavy access going on from the desktops/laptops (Web surfing, downloading, music/video streaming and some bit torrent).

When a lot of connections are created (i.e. p2p, joost) and a fair throughput is heading through the router (like to and from the NAS) it will often buckle and cause a small 5-10s outage, killing any transfers. Otherwise the Belkin N1 is almost perfect.

I have access to a WRAP board running an older version of m0n0wall which I have found to be very stable but gives me lots of problems with the game consoles because it lacks (and developers refuse to implement) UPnP.

I understand that UPnP isn't a great protocol and I always prefer to run a tight ship. BitTorrent isn't a problem because you can specify the ports to advertise on the client and match them on the router. However the game consoles lack this customisation and so far I have found NO solution to be able to use multiple console online services behind one NAT machine (bar buying more IP addresses and 1-to-1 natting them)

Does anybody have a solid solution to replace my Belkin N1 router, I would love to use the WRAP board I have and use the Belkin as an access point only.

So in short, my requirements are:
1) Can support heavy loads and many connections
2) Support UPnP (or another solution to allow Xbox/PS3 to play nice behind the router)
3) Wireless N support and decent legacy wireless support too

Scrolling lines with PS3 on old Sony Trinitron

yellowbinder — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:09:31 -0800

So I just got a new (old) tv from my parents, and it's not fully co-operating with my Playstation 3. So my parents just gave me one of their older tvs. It's a Sony Trinitron KV-27FV16. After hooking it up to my PS3 with RCA composite cables (not sure if the term is right, it's the three red white and yellow connectors), I notice I'm getting a few scrolling horizontal lines that distort the colour of the image. It's not too big a deal, but it is a bit distracting.

This happens with all the input areas on the tv and trying various cables, but does not happen with my PS2.

So it seems to be a PS3/TV compatibilty problem. How can I fix this? Would an S Video cable work better, or is it a matter of resolution? I think the PS3 is outputting a 420p signal, which the tv might not be able to handle, because it's probably about 7 years old. Although the TV I was playing on before is 20 years old and didn't have any problems like this.

Please tell me there's a fix for this, because this TV was meant to give me a better gaming experience without having to buy a new TV.

What to do with a PS3 and Ubuntu?

raygan — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:26:58 -0800

What Linux apps should I download/install on my PS3 running Ubuntu? I bought a PS3! It's showing up in the mail on Wednesday, and I'm really excited about all the new possibilities it provides (Great games, Blu-Ray, etc...)

I'm planing on installing Ubuntu on it from day one, primarily to be able to use it to download torrents while I'm away from home and can't leave my laptop. (Lets assume I've seen this post and I'm still convinced it's worth it.) I've never used Linux before, but I've done a good deal of research and I'm pretty confident that the basics won't be too far over my head.

What I WOULD like would be a few suggestions on what ELSE I can do with this $500 Ubuntu box that's about to be sitting under my TV. Like, for instance, what emulators will run decently on the thing? What would YOU use a Linux-running PS3 for? (As I'm a newbie, please be as specific as possible as far as application names and so on; "an NES emulator" is a great suggestion, "THIS NES emulator" is better. I don't really know how to evaluate Linux apps one against another.)

On a side note, is Ubuntu really my best option? There's also Yellow Dog, and I saw an argument for Xubuntu as well, but Ubuntu seems to be the most popular option on the PS3. Or is it?

Should I get a PS3?

santogold — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:09:58 -0800

PS3 for Blu-Ray? Should I get one now? Is something better coming? A part of me wants a cool video game system. (but not the $$$$ part)

I have an great stereo that only accepts 5.1 digitally, but 7.1 using analog. Are there any negatives with a PS3 based system for audio?

Is there any reason to not get a PS3 to play movies? Is there any reason I should wait or buy a dedicated Blu-Ray player instead?

I would rather spend extra money now and have something cool for the next year(s) than save $150, but if there are reasons a PS3 might be bad, I would rather know about them now.

Thanks in advance Hive!

Is Omega Dawn worth buying?

Grither — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:48:16 -0800

PS3GameFilter: Do enough people play online with the Omega Dawn expansion pack for Warhawk to make it worth buying? I think the new plane could add a very cool new dimension to the gameplay, but I am wary since I bought the expansion pack for Resistance: Fall of Man, and there were so few other people who had done so as well that the online multi-player was really weak. Have any of you bought the Omega Dawn expansion? Are there enough people who have it playing to make it worth my while?

Late to the PS3 game...

raygan — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:49:55 -0800

I've decided to buy a PS3, and I'm looking for one that will play my old PS2 games. Can the 60gb version with the PS2 compatibility hardware still be found anywhere, or is the 80gb version with the software emulation my best option? And where can I buy either online? I prefer new, because I want a manufacturer's warantee if possible. I don't want to pay above sticker price. Am I coming too late to the party, or is there some way I can get my hands on a 60gb PS3?
Also, in people's real experience, how much difference is there between the PS2 hardware compatibility in the older models and the software emulation in the newer (80gb) models?

Showdown: PSP vs DS lite

Grither — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:25:49 -0800

I own a PS3, and my gf has a DS lite. Should I buy a PSP or a DS lite for myself? Would it be more fun to play games against/with my girlfriend on the DS, or to be able to play PS3 games remotely on the PSP? What games are able to be played remotely on the PSP? So I have a PS3, and my girlfriend (we live together), mother, and some other friends have DS lites. I am interested in the opinions of the MeFi community on whether I should get the DS lite to be able to play with my friends, or if I should get the PSP so I have a greater variety of available games to play (since I can then borrow the DS lite from the girlfriend). Basically, does anyone use the DS with friends, and how easy is it to do, and does it greatly increase the value of the system to you? As for the PSP, does anyone use it to play PS3 games or stream stuff from the PS3, and how easy is it to do, and does it greatly increase the value of either system to you?

Received Guitar Hero III for PS3..but i need another guitar controller...

LiquidKarma — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:09:29 -0800

Received Guitar Hero III for xmas and wanted an extra controller. I've noticed they don't sell individual controllers marketed for the PS3 but there are separate guitars marketed for PS2. Has anyone tried any of these? Do they actually work for PS3? I've been reading some reviews and some people comment that when a second controller is added the buttons work but it doesn't generate sound.

Which Orange Box to Buy for a PS3/Mac User

Doctor Suarez — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 18:54:57 -0800

Which Way to Go on Valve's Orange Box: the PS3, or Apple Boot Camp. A Two-Part Question. I have both a new, powerful Mac and a PS3. I'm salivating over Valve's Orange Box (containing all Half Life 2 content, Portal, and Team Fortress 2.)

Now the trick is, in which format would I purchase the game?

The PS3 version would cost around $60, and while I hear it's a serviceable port, it's supposedly not the best.

The PC version would be $35, but I'd have to finally get a copy of Windows that can recognize all four cores on my Mac Pro. So it'll actually be MORE expensive, but I imagine a better overall experience. Also, this would not be the only use I'll ever have for Boot Camp, just the impetus to start.

So, the main question: Which way would you recommend I go?

Follow up: If Boot Camp, what's the best OS to get for a 4-core system, assuming gaming is the only use.

XBox360 or PS3?

Koko — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:20:01 -0800

Please to give me the pros and cons for XBox360 and PS3. Now that the PS3 has been out for about a year, how does it compare to the XBox? We'll be buying a console game soon, and have narrowed it down to these two (we're not interested in the Wii). Most articles and AskMe threads I've been able to find on the subject are a year old. So, gamers, which do you prefer? Most of the better games are cross-platform by now, so that's not much of an issue, is it? Is overheating really that much of a problem with the XBox? What about other mechanical concerns? Are the graphics capabilities fairly comparable? We do not have HDTV, but we do have a 6.1 surround system that supports DTS. Our interests in games spans pretty much all genres.

Thanks!

Help me connect my ps3

names are hard — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:07:57 -0800

Will my 5 connection component video cable for Ps3 work in a 3 connection (I think composite) TV? I only have a cable meant for HD--not sure what it is called, but it has five connections (2 reds, green, blue, and white).

I came home for the holidays and we have a non-HD tv. It has the older connections that are just 3 (yellow, red, white).

Will my cable work? I tried hooking it up, but just heard sound. Is the video not compatible?

Stereotypical Girl Gamer

Laura in Canada — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 07:59:11 -0800

My apologies in advance for furthering the stereotype. I'm a girl, I like video games, but I lean towards puzzles games & sims... & my skills suck. My boyfriend is a video game collector & fairly avid player, as it is, his interest in types of games & his skill level are a fair bit different than my own. We recently got a PS3 & I'd like to expand the library by adding a few new games for myself (I'm looking for older stuff preferably: PS2 or even PS1 games). I like to play, but often have trouble finding games... so here I am turning to the MetaFilter Suggestion Engine. The problem, to me, seems to be that the catalogue of games for Playstation is enormous & much more "hardcore-gamer" oriented than the Nintendo systems. I've looked at Metacritic, but it's overwhelming & hard to pinpoint games I might like.

Games that have held my interest in the past:

Nintendo DS:

Phoenix Wright
Mario Kart
Super Princess Peach
Puzzle Quest
Mario & Luigi:Partners in Time (although got too hard in the last stages)

Gamecube/ Wii:

Pikmin 2
Elebits
Trauma Center
Lego Star Wars

I'm also a fan of The Sims (1 & 2) on the PC & enjoy Loco Roco on the PSP. Last example, we bought Kingdom Hearts (PS2) yesterday & I enjoyed that as well, it's different than other games I've played & I think it will end up being too hard for me in the long run, but I like the gameplay.

P.S. I did find other similar threads & have Katmari Damacy on my list to add to our library, I'm just hoping for more suggestions to fit my interests.

Is installing Linux on PS3 worth the hassle?

Grither — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 06:53:25 -0800

Should I install Ubuntu on my PS3? Is it worth the hassle of backing up all the files/savegames/demos on my PS3? Also, is it easy enough to learn how to use Ubuntu in general to make it worthwhile to install on the PS3, along with drivers etc for general web-surfing and file-sharing with my Windows XP machine? What is the best way to backup the files on my PS3 in order to format the hard drive for an OS install?

Will a PS3 bought in Singapore work in Brazil?

dcrocha — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 03:38:32 -0800

Will a Playstation 3 bought in Singapore work in Brazil? By "work" I mean play the games in color and not black-and-white. Devices bought in the USA work because TVs in Brazil are all PAL-M/NTSC compatible, but not sure about Singapore's color system.