Linux on my PS3

[junior619]

I was wonering if anyone has installed Linux on thier PS3. if so for what reason? what would be the purpose just curious how people are using linux.
i'm a PS3 Noob so forgive all the questions.

[un4gvn94538]

i installed it. its kinda like windows for ps3 but with a lot less. without additional programs you cant play music or vids. thats why i installed it. its a pain if you dont know what your doing like me and in the end i gave up. now i just use tversity to stream vids and wait for sonys upgrades

[iNCREDiPiNOY]

i installed it before. play with it and remove it, cuz its useless. i had fedora and yellow dog linux on my ps3. the problem is the lack of wifi and graphic, so thats why i have to use ethernet and add program to it. after all, i just removed linux and never come back.

[junior619]

Thats what i heard i have a copy of ubuntu but dont know whats included and what's not. I just want a better web browser for times when my wife is on the laptop. But it seems i can just wait instead of the drama trying to install ubuntu. Thanx for the info

[AM-MAN]

same here . i did install ydl 5 on my ps3 .which is the offecial version for the ps3 now they have ydl 6 which is better.
the first surprise was that it didnt recognize the wi fi .

the second was how weak it was because of restraints on using the video card of the ps3 ( it actually uses a margain of it only ).

the third surprise was that u cant play anything on it unless u get pluggins. and if u dont have a home net connection ( the ps3 itself connected )that would be diffecult to COMPILE.( one of manny wierd linux land words ,the least weird one actually ).

BASICLY
* u do get a fully working os .
* u do get a huge library of applications (MOSTLY free).
* it wont be as powerfull as it could have been do to hardware restriction (BIG BIG MESTAKE on sonys part .it will not prevent hacking of the ps3 forever and will cost us what could have been a powerfull pc .including playing pc games. ).
* if u dont have enough linux experience it will be frustrating and u will end up giving up on using the ps3 as a pc .
hope that would be hilpfull

[X-Ninja]

Originally Posted by AM-MAN

same here . i did install ydl 5 on my ps3 .which is the offecial version for the ps3 now they have ydl 6 which is better.
the first surprise was that it didnt recognize the wi fi .

the second was how weak it was because of restraints on using the video card of the ps3 ( it actually uses a margain of it only ).

the third surprise was that u cant play anything on it unless u get pluggins. and if u dont have a home net connection ( the ps3 itself connected )that would be diffecult to COMPILE.( one of manny wierd linux land words ,the least weird one actually ).

BASICLY
* u do get a fully working os .
* u do get a huge library of applications (MOSTLY free).
* it wont be as powerfull as it could have been do to hardware restriction (BIG BIG MESTAKE on sonys part .it will not prevent hacking of the ps3 forever and will cost us what could have been a powerfull pc .including playing pc games. ).
* if u dont have enough linux experience it will be frustrating and u will end up giving up on using the ps3 as a pc .
hope that would be hilpfull

There is no possible way of explaining how completely wrong that was. (as in- incorrect)

"Compile" isnt really that complicated at all. It can be done in one click.
You can easily connect linux to a pc using a cross-over cable to get internet.
It is possible to use the graphics card in Ubuntu. ...i think. Dont quote me on that since i have no idea. I havent installed Ubuntu yet. - just yellowdog.
Linux works like windows or mac. No matter what, it will take some adjusting... but still, its a great Operating System. Not as good as OSX - but still a great OS.
I havent really messed with linux on the ps3, but i have it dual-booting on my pc, and use it all the time. I love the look of it. So wavey.

Anyway. Im not trying to fight, im just saying that I personally do like having linux on the ps3.

[AM-MAN]

as i said it is difficult if u don't have two things
1: home connection (u cant use the YUM method )
2: if u don't have prior experience with LINUX.

and it is true . the ps3 does not allow the Linux to use fully the graphic card thus it becomes much less effective than it could have been .and it is kind of slow .

sad but true

[terjeber]

Originally Posted by AM-MAN

the ps3 does not allow the Linux to use fully the graphic card

The PS3 places no restrictions on Linux as such, but there may be a lack of Linux drivers for the PS3 graphics card. This doesn't have anything to do with the PS3, it is a result of lack of Linux development.

Originally Posted by AM-MAN

thus it becomes much less effective than it could have been .and it is kind of slow .

Again, not quite accurate. The PS3 will never be a good general purpose Linux box simply because of it's tiny, tiny, tiny amount of memory. The PS3 has 256M of memory and that is not enough to run Linux with X properly. Since the PS3 can't be upgraded, that is forever going to make Linux too slow when using X. If you don't need a graphical user interface, the PS3 is an excellent Linux box however.

Given the nature of the work that most Linux boxes do, a graphical user interface is wholly superfluous.

[AM-MAN]

yes what u say about the memory is true .
also the fact that linux is not allowed to use fully the rsx card . again sad but true . otherwise u could play pc games on ps3 and i am talking about the really good ones including gears of war and bioshock
still maybe it can be done someway . it would be wonderful .

[androvsky]

Originally Posted by AM-MAN

yes what u say about the memory is true .
also the fact that linux is not allowed to use fully the rsx card . again sad but true . otherwise u could play pc games on ps3 and i am talking about the really good ones including gears of war and bioshock
still maybe it can be done someway . it would be wonderful .

No, you couldn't play PC games that new on the PS3's linux even if the RSX wasn't blocked. Just... trust me on this one.

And the RSX really is blocked, Sony plugged the one hole that was found in pre-2.10 firmwares. There might be a hypervisor method to access, but Sony's not telling anyone what it might be, so it might as well be blocked.

[AM-MAN]

but u can use the linux to run windows on the ps3 . maybe through that good pc games can be played .if the rsx access was allowed .

[crackinhedz]

but u can use the linux to run windows on the ps3 .

its an emulated Windows. Hence, "use Linux"

[vladittude0583]

I was just wondering, what is the advantage of installing an OS such as Windows and Linux on the PS3?

I know that the PS3 is not a real PC, therefore, I am sure that even after you install an OS, not every program will work, etc?

[androvsky]

Originally Posted by AM-MAN

but u can use the linux to run windows on the ps3 . maybe through that good pc games can be played .if the rsx access was allowed .

No, you can't. I'll do the short version. Windows only runs on Intel-compatible cpus. The PS3 has a PPC-compatible cpu (similar to older Macs). Linux has two methods of running Windows programs: Wine and emulators. Wine is the method that allows newer games to run, but it REQUIRES an Intel-compatible cpu to work. It will not work on a PS3. You'd have to use a cpu emulator, which destroys performance. So if your game only requires a 300 MHz cpu or less, then maybe it could be played on a PS3 when it gets accelerated graphics.

And there's a company working on an open-source OpenGL that uses the Cell, so we really don't need the RSX anyway.

[dereksworl]

hate to bring back an old thread, but im curious. if i installed Linux would i be able to download and use limewire?(if anyone is familiar with it). Also would i be able to download and use real player?

[gavomatic57]

I use Ubuntu on my desktop and laptop PC's, but haven't got around to installing it on my PS3. If it takes off and they put the Cell to good use with some distributed computing applications other than Folding@home, then I may give it a go. (I fold@home, but using the linux SMP client rather than the PS3)

The Medibuntu repository has PPC support, but I don't know whether it supports the Cell specifically. This repository has all of the codecs required for playing MP3's & DivX's etc.