PS3 "other OS" - Blu-ray Forum

ShelbyGT500 · 08-02-2008, 08:00 PM

I tried doing a search for this topic on the forum and nothing came up.

So my ?? is has anyone tried putting an "other OS" on their PS3. Also what qualifies as an "other OS". I looked up the online manual for the PS3 and it just says "other system softeware" or "third party software" no details as to what this may or may not include.

Any thoughts on what can be put onto the PS3 as an other OS. I can only guess that an "other OS" must pertain to some type of system used for music/photos/ media streaming.

xtop · 08-02-2008, 08:01 PM

i have yellowdog linux on my ps3. there's a few other linux distro's that work, but can't think of which ones off the top of my head

Aaron · 08-02-2008, 08:08 PM

Can Ubuntu run on the PS3?

xtop · 08-02-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron

Can Ubuntu run on the PS3?

i wanna say no, but its been quite a few months since i've bothered with linux on the ps3, so i dunno if somebody got it working or not. i wanna say the other big one is fedora

edit: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PlayStation_3

sure can

Aaron · 08-02-2008, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtop

i wanna say no, but its been quite a few months since i've bothered with linux on the ps3, so i dunno if somebody got it working or not. i wanna say the other big one is fedora

I just looked on Wikipedia and saw that Ubuntu 7 has been ported to work on the PS3. Friggen awesome. If only I had an external HDD to back my PS3 up...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_for_PlayStation_3

This is pretty cool too: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/po...GX16&S_CMP=EDU

xtop · 08-02-2008, 08:14 PM

don't have a flash drive? all you really need to save is the game saves, you can redownload everything else. a lot of work i suppose tho

ShelbyGT500 · 08-02-2008, 08:16 PM

Ahh OK, I didnt think about linux

. Thanks for the reply, I was just mostly curious about this feature and what it could be used for. Its funny I have had my PS3 since Dec. 06 and never looked into the setting of the other OS.

I just use it mostly for movies and a few games.

Aaron · 08-02-2008, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtop

don't have a flash drive? all you really need to save is the game saves, you can redownload everything else. a lot of work i suppose tho

I've got an 8 gig one, but I have like 20 gigs of video and 10 of music. And like 20 PSN games. It would take to long to download them all on a 2mb connection.

Drayton · 08-02-2008, 10:16 PM

I've had ubuntu (ver 7.10?) on my PS3 for several months now. Unless things have changed, it's really not that useful. I couldn't get flash installed, extensions wouldn't work with firefox, aptget stuff wouldn't work correctly, the wireless connection is a hassle IF it will work at all, etc. I've read that yellowdog is "better", but I haven't found a way to download the ISO other than the poor http connection they offer. There may be a torrent around, but I haven't looked.

ADRiiAN` · 08-02-2008, 11:43 PM

I've heard rumours of Windows XP running on PS3?

Fact or Myth?

Aaron · 08-02-2008, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADRiiAN`

I've heard rumours of Windows XP running on PS3?

Fact or Myth?

It's emulated. Not exactly running natively.

quexos · 08-02-2008, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtop

i have yellowdog linux on my ps3. there's a few other linux distro's that work, but can't think of which ones off the top of my head

And what do you do with another OS in the PS3 ? does it have some equivalent of the XMB ? can you start games or Blurays from that other OS ?

chnandler_bong · 08-03-2008, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quexos

And what do you do with another OS in the PS3 ? does it have some equivalent of the XMB ? can you start games or Blurays from that other OS ?

For me it's been a coolness factor of saying that I have Linux on my PS3, even though I haven't used it much at all. If Sony would unlock the video hardware fully and allow devs to code drivers for it, then it might be quite a bit more interesting.

Mikeblu · 08-03-2008, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron

It's emulated. Not exactly running natively.

does it limit it?

chnandler_bong · 08-03-2008, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikeblu

does it limit it?

I think there's only 512 MB of internal memory for running an OS, so I don't think that any current version of Windows would run very smoothly in an emulated or virtual environment.

androvsky · 08-03-2008, 05:35 AM

So many things to respond too...

The short answer is it turns your PS3 into a home computer that can't run Windows* (thank god).

OtherOS is a way for people to run whatever code they want on the PS3. You know how people are always clamoring for homebrew on various consoles, trying to install linux and run emulators? 99% of the time, a lot of the effort winds up enabling piracy on the system. The PS3 launched with support for all the fun homebrew stuff, while still preventing piracy.

Currently, linux is the only OS that runs on OtherOS. There's only 256 MB of memory available (the rest is video memory), and the RSX (the 3D chip) can't be used by applications. The Cell and all the spus are as open to developers in linux as on the game OS side, unfortunately, hardly any linux software uses the spus, so it runs a lot slower than it should.

Quote:

And what do you do with another OS in the PS3 ? does it have some equivalent of the XMB ? can you start games or Blurays from that other OS ?

No, you cannot start games or blu-rays from OtherOS. The game side of the PS3 is locked off from OtherOS. About the only thing OtherOS can get at is network settings (if you're lucky). You'd use it however you'd use any PC without a 3D accelerator; word processing, web surfing, 2D games, whatever.

Unfortunately, the best version of linux, Ubuntu, is not officially supported on the PS3. It runs decently, but it's buggy, and the people working on it can't spend a lot of time on it. Yellowdog linux, which is... not the best version of linux, is well-supported. For people new to linux, just use Yellowdog, the installation is very smooth. It'll run great, just expect some trouble when installing software that doesn't come with it (and Yellowdog doesn't include much at all, the online repositories are so bare compared to Ubuntu).

*. For all practical purposes, Windows XP does NOT run on the PS3. Since the PS3 is not Intel-compatible in the slightest, an emulator must be used for Windows to run at all. This means you'll get about 10% of your CPU speed... in other words, the 3.2GHz cpu in the PS3 will act like a 320 MHz Pentium. At best. I've heard of people running Windows 98 on it, but it's not very good. For those of you that have heard of Wine, it doesn't work in this case, the CPU still must be emulated.

Aaron · 08-03-2008, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by androvsky

So many things to respond too...

*. For all practical purposes, Windows XP does NOT run on the PS3. Since the PS3 is not Intel-compatible in the slightest, an emulator must be used for Windows to run at all. This means you'll get about 10% of your CPU speed... in other words, the 3.2GHz cpu in the PS3 will act like a 320 MHz Pentium. At best. I've heard of people running Windows 98 on it, but it's not very good. For those of you that have heard of Wine, it doesn't work in this case, the CPU still must be emulated.

win2k
http://boardsus.playstation.com/play...72728#M1072728

xtop · 08-03-2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron

win2k
http://boardsus.playstation.com/play...72728#M1072728

even vista runs on it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-CrEAzpuxc

Jello · 08-03-2008, 02:13 PM

I have Yellow Dog Linux installed, and for the most part it runs okay. If you have a PC and just want to get a feel for Linux without installing it, do a Google search for Knoppix. It boots off of the disk with no installation needed on the PC.

I tried Fedora Core but could not get the OS to recognize the network card on the PS3.

ps3andlovinit · 08-03-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShelbyGT500

I tried doing a search for this topic on the forum and nothing came up.

So my ?? is has anyone tried putting an "other OS" on their PS3. Also what qualifies as an "other OS". I looked up the online manual for the PS3 and it just says "other system softeware" or "third party software" no details as to what this may or may not include.

Any thoughts on what can be put onto the PS3 as an other OS. I can only guess that an "other OS" must pertain to some type of system used for music/photos/ media streaming.

This is a 3 part article with lots of good info and resource references...

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/li...GX59&S_CMP=dGR

08-02-2008, 08:00 PM	#1
ShelbyGT500 Senior Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:Bellevue, WA Home Theater Gallery:7 Blu-ray collection:75 Blu-ray reviews:7	PS3 "other OS" I tried doing a search for this topic on the forum and nothing came up. So my ?? is has anyone tried putting an "other OS" on their PS3. Also what qualifies as an "other OS". I looked up the online manual for the PS3 and it just says "other system softeware" or "third party software" no details as to what this may or may not include. Any thoughts on what can be put onto the PS3 as an other OS. I can only guess that an "other OS" must pertain to some type of system used for music/photos/ media streaming. Last edited by ShelbyGT500; 08-02-2008 at 08:08 PM.

08-03-2008, 02:13 PM	#19
Jello Active Member Member since:Sep 2007 Location:Toronto Home Theater Gallery:10 Blu-ray collection:40	Yellow Dog I have Yellow Dog Linux installed, and for the most part it runs okay. If you have a PC and just want to get a feel for Linux without installing it, do a Google search for Knoppix. It boots off of the disk with no installation needed on the PC. I tried Fedora Core but could not get the OS to recognize the network card on the PS3.

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08-02-2008, 08:01 PM	#2
xtop Blu-ray Count Member since:Oct 2007 Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Digital collection:- Trading Score:3	i have yellowdog linux on my ps3. there's a few other linux distro's that work, but can't think of which ones off the top of my head

08-02-2008, 08:08 PM	#3
Aaron Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Feb 2007 Location:Oklahoma City Home Theater Gallery:3 Blu-ray collection:33 Blu-ray reviews: 2 Trading Score:4	Can Ubuntu run on the PS3?

08-02-2008, 08:14 PM	#6
xtop Blu-ray Count Member since:Oct 2007 Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Digital collection:- Trading Score:3	don't have a flash drive? all you really need to save is the game saves, you can redownload everything else. a lot of work i suppose tho

08-02-2008, 08:16 PM	#7
ShelbyGT500 Senior Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:Bellevue, WA Home Theater Gallery:7 Blu-ray collection:75 Blu-ray reviews:7	Ahh OK, I didnt think about linux . Thanks for the reply, I was just mostly curious about this feature and what it could be used for. Its funny I have had my PS3 since Dec. 06 and never looked into the setting of the other OS. I just use it mostly for movies and a few games.

08-02-2008, 10:16 PM	#9
Drayton Member Member since:Nov 2007 Blu-ray collection:19	I've had ubuntu (ver 7.10?) on my PS3 for several months now. Unless things have changed, it's really not that useful. I couldn't get flash installed, extensions wouldn't work with firefox, aptget stuff wouldn't work correctly, the wireless connection is a hassle IF it will work at all, etc. I've read that yellowdog is "better", but I haven't found a way to download the ISO other than the poor http connection they offer. There may be a torrent around, but I haven't looked.

08-02-2008, 11:43 PM	#10
ADRiiAN` Special Member Member since:Nov 2007 Location:Toronto Blu-ray collection:113	I've heard rumours of Windows XP running on PS3? Fact or Myth?

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