PlayStation 3: Gaming and Much More

Navneet Prakash, Apr 25, 2009

The PS3 is a great gaming console, it already boasts of some really big gaming titles with more coming each year. There is no denying that the Xbox 360 is just as good as the PS3 in terms of exclusive gaming titles and also offers a lot of value for its price.


But to be honest, technically, the PS3 offers more out of the box than the Xbox 360; it's a gaming console that can do much more. The following feature is not an attempt to glorify the PS3, but a list of features that most users are unsure/unaware about.


1) Blu Ray: For movie buffs the Blu-ray drive is a blessing, and although blu-ray movies still cost a fortune (in India), the option of having a future-proof player is quite exciting. Locally blu-ray is an alien format and most people don't know what a blu-ray is, which isn't a surprise, as there people who are still getting used to DVDs. But with time and higher sales of HDTVs, we are sure that blu-ray will eventually gain popularity.

2) Media Streaming: The PS3 is also an excellent media device, both for PCs and Macs. Let me explain this in detail:

a) In most cases people use separate LCDs for their gaming console and PC/Mac, relying on the more traditional 17"-22" LCDs for their PC and a 26"-42" TV for their consoles. Now it is possible to stream all the media that you have stored on your PC/Mac to your PS3, and watch it directly on your TV.

b) It's a very easy set-up and requires very little effort; PC users should use Tversity, while Mac users should give Vuze a try. There are guides available for both the programs, which should take care of most FAQs. We will soon be publishing a guide on how to set-up media servers for your PS3 and Xbox 360, so keep watching this space. 

3) Custom HDD: The PS3 uses a standard 2.5" laptop HDD, which means you can replace the 40 or 80 GB HDD with a sizeable 320 GB HDD, without any issues. The extra space can be used to store data directly on to your PS3, so in case you are not a big fan of streaming your media, copy it and play it directly from your PS3. The more games you play on the PS3, the more space you will need for the obligatory install. And with some games taking as much as 2-3 GB of space, the extra 300 GB will help. Here is a guide on how to replace your PS3 HDD on the PS3 forums.


See full article here: PlayStation 3: Gaming and Much More