6 Reasons You Shouldn't Use Your PS3 as a Blu-ray Player...

[miked924]

Just thought I'd post this because it's just so bad, when I saw the link on CNET I couldn't wait to see what the six reasons. Anyone who complains about the 6 listed complaints need to worry about something else I think!

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-994...?tag=cnetfd.mt

May 13 2008
Six reasons you shouldn't use the PS3 as your Blu-ray player

(Credit: CNET Networks)

OK, before the angry fanboy comments roll in, let's get this out of the way: the PlayStation 3 is the best Blu-ray player on the market right now. It sits at the top of our best Blu-ray players list, we consistently use it as the reference that we judge other Blu-ray players against, and it's the only player on the market right now that supports Blu-ray Profile 2.0 and onboard decoding for both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. And it will always be the only Blu-ray player that streams media, has a browser, and plays PS3 games. Virtually everyone looking to buy a Blu-ray player should go with the PS3 right now.

However, with that in mind, there are a few legitimate reasons why someone wouldn't want to use a PlayStation 3 as their main Blu-ray player. Let's check them out.

1. Doesn't work with universal remotes.
Sony decided not to include an IR receptor on the PlayStation 3, and home theater fans have been complaining ever since. The lack of an IR receptor means that the PlayStation 3 won't work with universal remote controls, so you'll have to use the PS3 controller or the separate PS3 BD remote to control it. It's definitely a pain for anyone who is used to activity-based macros such as "Watch TV" and "Watch Blu-ray" to control their home theater.

2. It's louder than standalones.
Although every PS3 seems to be different, the PS3 can occasionally get loud once its fans start spinning. For audiophiles, that can be a pretty big drawback, especially if you start to hear a whirr during every quiet scene in a movie. You'll have better luck keeping the PS3 quiet by keeping it in a well-ventilated area, but standalones are quieter in general and don't mind having other gear stacked on them.

3. Interface isn't as easy to use.
This isn't an issue for tech enthusiasts, but Sony's Xross Media Bar (XMB) is packed with options and can be intimidating for neophytes. Although we generally like the XMB for zipping around the PS3's functions, using a standard Blu-ray player where you just need to put in the disc and hit play is definitely a lot easier.

4. You have an older AV receiver and need multichannel analog outputs.
If you're using an older receiver and want to use its multichannel analog inputs to get high-resolution soundtracks, you can't do it with the PlayStation 3. You're better off going with a standalone Blu-ray player with onboard Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, like the upcoming Pioneer BDP-51FD and Panasonic DMP-BD50. Of course, if you're OK with standard DVD-style surround sound, you can still get that with the PS3's optical SPDIF output, which is compatible with nearly all modern receivers.

5. You want to be green.
The PS3 is great at a lot of things, but conserving power isn't one of them. If you're looking to stay green and limit your power consumption, you'll be much better off using a standalone Blu-ray player. For example, the PS3 sucks up about 170 watts while playing a Blu-ray movie, while the Samsung BD-P1400 only uses about 25 watts. That's a fairly huge difference and can easily wipe out any power savings from using other green products such as the Philips Eco TV. (Check out our guide to TV power consumption for more green tips.)

6. I need to see my receiver light up and say "Dolby TrueHD."
Even if you do have a new HDMI-capable receiver, you'll never get the Dolby TrueHD light to turn on with the PS3. That's because although the PS3 can decode both DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD, it can't send those soundtracks in bit stream format and allow the receiver to decode them. Of course, this isn't really a legitimate reason, as you're still getting the same high-resolution audio, but some people just need the comfort of seeing the Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio lights on their receiver.

[un4gvn94538]

read this before, and i think you can pick any excuse not to drive a car, flush a toilet..... bottom line, its a pointless article.

[Jesterkeeters]

What a waste of time and space...this is one of the most ridiculous things I've read in a while....

[Rajbir]

Now lets get the article for the 100 reasons you should use a PS3 as a bluray player

[fatediesel]

I read this earlier today and was shocked by how dumb it is. I have a 40gb and a 60gb and I've never noticed any noise coming from it. Also, I have never had any trouble playing a movie. You put the disc in, it plays. Not too difficult. Also, I can't imagine a whole lot of people aren't going to buy it purely because their receiver doesn't light up with a logo. I've also heard that the 40gb uses less power, but I can't confirm that.

[jw]

nothing I saw here damages the unit, so useless bathroom trivia here

[btf1980]

2 and 4 makes sense. The PS3 fan does get loud sometimes, but no big deal. I've had a few standalones, and this isn't an issue.

Number 4 is a real bummer though. Imagine having a Mark Levinson or Halcro pre/pro that has no HDMI. That's gear you just don't throw away or upgrade. Then again, the typical Mark Levinson owner will probably be looking at other bluray player options. Still, it would have been nice for the PS3 to have analog outs.

[Blu n Gold]

The PS3 could have the capability to end world hunger via a firmware update, and Cnet would still say that the fan is too loud.

[David Mamet]

#7, its not wife proof.

Family photos.jpg

[miked924]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

I read this earlier today and was shocked by how dumb it is. I have a 40gb and a 60gb and I've never noticed any noise coming from it. Also, I have never had any trouble playing a movie. You put the disc in, it plays. Not too difficult. Also, I can't imagine a whole lot of people aren't going to buy it purely because their receiver doesn't light up with a logo. I've also heard that the 40gb uses less power, but I can't confirm that.

The receiver not lighting up with the logo is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard as well, I would love to laugh in the face of someone who says that about the PS3

[cdot2four]

LMAO

I bet sony will make a universal remote that can work with everything. of the 6 bullshit reasons that is the only one that someone might possible care for.

[Jesterkeeters]

Originally Posted by David Mamet

#7, its not wife proof.

Attachment 2526

Yea my g/f decided to give mine a bath when she got mad at me she filled the tub full of water and dropped it in so it's definitely not waterproof either........

[slap_yo_mama]

Originally Posted by David Mamet

#7, its not wife proof.

Attachment 2526

It may not be, but the XMB means my live-in girlfriend won't touch it. This makes it at least "Girlfriend-Proof"

[slap_yo_mama]

Originally Posted by slap_yo_mama

It may not be, but the XMB means my live-in girlfriend won't touch it. This makes it at least "Girlfriend-Proof"

Sorry... Didn't see the PS3 in the tub comment... ouch....

Is she still your girlfriend BTW?

[JJ]

I NEED TO SEE MY TRUE-HD LIGHT OR ILL GO MAD!!!

Jeez. Who wasted their time writing that?

[Jesterkeeters]

Originally Posted by slap_yo_mama

Sorry... Didn't see the PS3 in the tub comment... ouch....

Is she still your girlfriend BTW?

She replaced it that evening or she WOULD NOT be now....lol

[Blu-ray Fanatic]

First of all, nothing is perfect. The ones who posted those six reasons are the type that complain about little stuff and don't accept anything that's not perfect. I'm mainly a movie person (Use to own a PS3 until some bills came up) and I won't purchase a standalone player because of the following reasons: 1. The loading times take longer
2. Too much competition among standalones
3. Some are not future-proof
4. More disc-read errors
5. Too overpriced for a standalone
6. You can get just about everything in a PS3 for the same price.

[BluPayne4400]

Originally Posted by Jesterkeeters

Yea my g/f decided to give mine a bath when she got mad at me she filled the tub full of water and dropped it in so it's definitely not waterproof either........

[Amel]

lol

whoever wrote this needs to shoot himself

seriously

[owa]

6. I need to see my receiver light up and say "Dolby TrueHD."

I think Sony could make most of the complaints against the PS3 as a blu-ray player dispappear if they'd just add a few logos that light up when the various codecs are being used. I think they underestimated the psychological effect of that.