Issues with Playstation 3 Bluray capabilities

[aks]

I have a 80 gb PS3 which i intend to use as a bluray player after reading all the glowing reports and reviews.

The following are some of the issues I have come across which I think everybody who is considering to buy a PS3 for use as a blu ray player should know and consider as these may be a deal breaker for some.

1) You can only have one audio output at a time either through TV or through your home theater system and not both. If you want to sometime have sound come through tv (playing games) and sometime through home audio system (watching Movie) there is a complicated 7 step process to change the audio out, which is to be done everytime you change audio output. With all other blu ray players, even cheap ones you can have simultaneous audio out from TV and speakers. This is soo bad.

2) No universal remote control will control PS3 unless you buy and attach a separate IR dongle, as PS3 does not have a infrared sensor. that means an additional remote to worry about.

3) no netflix, itunes or pandora support, which some of the other BD playes have.

4) No power off button on the remote, you have to physically go to the PS3 to switch it off.

So bottom line if you are going to play games and watch bluray PS3 is very good, but if you are solely interested in using PS3 as a bluray player, there are much better choices and cheaper.

[Tempest]

Originally Posted by aks

I have a 80 gb PS3 which i intend to use as a bluray player after reading all the glowing reports and reviews.

1) You can only have one audio output at a time either through TV or through your home theater system and not both. If you want to sometime have sound come through tv (playing games) and sometime through home audio system (watching Movie) there is a complicated 7 step process to change the audio out, which is to be done everytime you change audio output. With all other blu ray players, even cheap ones you can have simultaneous audio out from TV and speakers. This is soo bad.

2) No universal remote control will control PS3 unless you buy and attach a separate IR dongle, as PS3 does not have a infrared sensor. that means an additional remote to worry about.

3) no netflix, itunes or pandora support, which some of the other BD playes have.

4) No power off button on the remote, you have to physically go to the PS3 to switch it off.

So bottom line if you are going to play games and watch bluray PS3 is very good, but if you are solely interested in using PS3 as a bluray player, there are much better choices and cheaper.

1) If you have the right receiver and things hooked up right you can have audio through TV OR Speakers with just the push of a single button.

2) Yes you must get a dongle but you can still use a universal remote

3) Yes you CAN have Netflix, Itunes, Pandora through your PS3 with use of your computer streaming to the PS3.

4) Yes you can power off your PS3 with a remote.

[aks]

Can you also elaborate on how to do it, as I have been researching these issues for a month and have not yet found how to do a audio output both through TV and speakers.
And I can assure you there is no power off or on switch on the sony PS3 remote.

[matt2009]

hold the ps button down for about 5seconds then it brings up a list of options including turning console off

[Hedchekr]

Originally Posted by aks

I have a 80 gb PS3 which i intend to use as a bluray player after reading all the glowing reports and reviews.

The following are some of the issues I have come across which I think everybody who is considering to buy a PS3 for use as a blu ray player should know and consider as these may be a deal breaker for some.

1) You can only have one audio output at a time either through TV or through your home theater system and not both. If you want to sometime have sound come through tv (playing games) and sometime through home audio system (watching Movie) there is a complicated 7 step process to change the audio out, which is to be done everytime you change audio output. With all other blu ray players, even cheap ones you can have simultaneous audio out from TV and speakers. This is soo bad.

2) No universal remote control will control PS3 unless you buy and attach a separate IR dongle, as PS3 does not have a infrared sensor. that means an additional remote to worry about.

3) no netflix, itunes or pandora support, which some of the other BD playes have.

4) No power off button on the remote, you have to physically go to the PS3 to switch it off.

So bottom line if you are going to play games and watch bluray PS3 is very good, but if you are solely interested in using PS3 as a bluray player, there are much better choices and cheaper.

Wow, really only one valid point out of four. And its not even that big of a deal.

[Tempest]

Originally Posted by aks

Can you also elaborate on how to do it, as I have been researching these issues for a month and have not yet found how to do a audio output both through TV and speakers.
And I can assure you there is no power off or on switch on the sony PS3 remote.

I didn't say you could output both.. I said either or.. I was disappointed in that at first as well but seeing how I could do either or with a push of a button with my receiver.. I didn't really care about the TV speakers not being on with the surround sound speakers.. My surround speakers are more than enough by themselves without the TV speakers. If at night I just want TV speakers instead I turn just hit the power button on my receiver and it passes the HDMI through the receiver and directly to the TV so TV has sound. Like I said you have to have a receiver that can do that.

Turning off the PS3 with the remote is easy.. there is on screen option to shut it off.. I think there is a way with a single button too but not sure.. but just selecting the Turn Off option on screen is very easy.

[aks]

I have TV connected to PS3 by HDMI cable and optical cable to the receiver for audio (I do have one of those also). If optical audio output is selected on the PS3 the sound goes to the speakers via the recievers. If I turn the reciever off as you suggested, then there is no sound unless I go into the PS3 menu and also change the audio output setting to select HDMI output.
PS3 does not automatically switch audio to TV if your reciever is off.

[Tempest]

Originally Posted by aks

I have TV connected to PS3 by HDMI cable and optical cable to the receiver for audio (I do have one of those also). If optical audio output is selected on the PS3 the sound goes to the speakers via the recievers. If I turn the reciever off as you suggested, then there is no sound unless I go into the PS3 menu and also change the audio output setting to select HDMI output.
PS3 does not automatically switch audio to TV if your reciever is off.

You do understand that you can't get lossless audio through an optical cable right? You should be hooking your HDMI from the PS3 to your Receiver then from the Receiver HDMI Out to your TV. If you have a receiver with HDMI pass through option when you turn the receiver off, you will get video/audio to your TV without your receiver speakers (like I do). But yeah you have yours hooked up all wrong..

It is the Receiver's job to pass the HDMI through to your TV when it is off.. nothing to do with the PS3 or settings..

PS3 ----> Receiver ----> TV

[DavidAg02]

Originally Posted by aks

2) No universal remote control will control PS3 unless you buy and attach a separate IR dongle, as PS3 does not have a infrared sensor. that means an additional remote to worry about.

4) No power off button on the remote, you have to physically go to the PS3 to switch it off.

Both of these issues are easily solved by adding one simple device.
www.ps3toothfairy.com

Adding one of these gives you full remote control functionality with the use of a universal IR remote. It will even let you turn the PS3 on/off, and works flawlessly with "Activities."