New to Blu? Buy a PS3: the most featured BD hardware available... - Page 18

Jari K · 08-01-2008, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryant Trew

Those who have quiet home theaters need to be wary of endorsements of PS3 as a bluray player. I utterly regret the advice I took from HT mags and websites, because so few mentioned the fan noise, if at all. This is an utter deal-breaker if you listen in a silent environment.

There are literally zillion threads about the "fan noise" in every forum. Both "opinions" and "facts" (and loads in the middle). Perhaps you didn´t read them?

The problem is (well, *seems* to be), that there are PS3-models with "louder fan" I guess, and then models that are pretty quiet (you get *slight* fan noise with these type of equipments - you just can´t help it). E.g. I have "louder" PS3, but I have two friends (I have "heard" them myself) with "normal" PS3 (other has the first 60gb-model from the US like myself, and other has 60gb euro-model). That being said, there are as much talk about those 40gb-models as there are about those 60gb-models, so I doubt that 40gb-models run much cooler in the end... Both have some "louder" ones.

Our house is also quite "hot" (well, everyone are saying that - and it´s summer here now), so that might have an effect on the PS3 also. We don´t really have e.g. windows near the console, so not much I can do. Obviously you can´t put PS3 in the "closed cabin" or anything in the first place. And yes, you can hear the fan noise better if the PS3 is close by where you sit, etc. So there are several issues here.

I don´t have any ultimate answers on this one, but it´s a fact, that not *all* PS3-models have that much "fan noise". I have heard it myself. With "normal" PS3, "fan noise" IS NOT a problem. You just might heard it if you go closer (PS3) or something like that (or use "Folding Home" or something - that usually get the fan going in higher speed), but generally it´s not an issue. E.g. projectors and such has also some *minor* fan noise (some are probably louder than others, I´m not sure). Hell, my HD DVD-player has also some minor "fan noise".

Older there here:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...d-silence.html

PS. My PS3 might be the "louder one", but it´s nothing compared to Xbox 360. I mean, that´s super-loud.

(Don´t get me wrong, I still love "Halo3", "Gears Of War", etc. - it has some quality game for sure)

PS1. What is actually "quiet home theater"? Just curious.

Carlo Medina · 08-01-2008, 01:24 PM

Fan noise is completely dependent on your personal factors:

1. Where is the PS3 kept from your listening position?
2. How loud do you listen to movies?
3. What types of movies do you watch most (i.e. silent/quiet films = noisy PS3)
4. How sensitive are your ears to the pitch of the PS3 fan (some people hear different parts of the audible spectrum more clearly than others).

I have a 60GB PS3 fan that, for all intents and purposes, I thought was silent. I'm your typical 1960s-2000s movie fan, sit 12' from the system, and don't listen at reference volume, but do listen at moderate sound levels. I've never heard my PS3 while watching a BD or gaming.

But the other day I paused my PS3 mid-movie, and went to the HT rack to adjust something, and was like "what's that whirring noise? wow, it's the PS3!" So mine clearly isn't silent. But in normal viewing situations I never hear it.

CraigF · 08-01-2008, 05:55 PM

Well, it is a fact that the current 80GB generates a lot more heat than the 40GB model, and draws more current. Different electronics (more) and a different method of chip construction (requires more power = hotter). So that's not just an opinion.

As for the 40GB model, the fact that for the *current* version Sony moved some of the (hot) electronics to a new/better position for cooling means they acknowledged the heat/fan issue to a large extent, besides offering warranty replacement for it. So the loud fan issue in some 40GB models is a fact too, it's not just an opinion of a few fussy owners.

Also, Sony probably used different types of fans to keep the production line going, and some were not very good. I don't know what else they could do at this point to further acknowledge the problem some people have.

john a hunter · 08-01-2008, 06:19 PM

I got the U.S.60GB not only for BD but SA-CD playback and as I listen to lots of classical music on SA-CD. I was more than put off by the fan noise when I first plugged it in. However, running it vertically greatly reduced the noise level to next to nothing and I am now a very happy camper!
I would recommend(and frequently do)the PS3 as the best BD player on the market!

Jari K · 08-01-2008, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraigF

Well, it is a fact that the current 80GB generates a lot more heat than the 40GB model, and draws more current.

"Fact"? I would like to see some links etc.

CraigF · 08-01-2008, 10:10 PM

^ You can find out (or measure) the power consumption. You can measure the temp too (yes, we have done all that). Also, you can check out the chip geometry in the current 80GB model, and what that means.

I have absolutely no idea why you find this so hard to believe...nobody else seems to have an issue with it, from their experience, or what Sony themselves say...and why does it matter? The only thing I objected to was people saying "it doesn't happen" when fan noise was brought up, and since the fan running level correlates to heat...it plainly does happen, though not to me...

It won't happen (much) in the future because the currently shipping 40GB models have been "reconfigured", and the next 80GB models will just be the new 40GB models (more or less, as far as we've been told) with an 80GB drive.

All 40 GB models are not equal re the heat problem. I have an "old" one that's fine, but some apparently aren't. The new 40GB models are said to be much improved re heat (when I say "new", they've been around for ~6 months).

Jari K · 08-06-2008, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jari K

Trophies (firmware 2.41)
One site here: PS3Trophies.org

About those "trophies"...

Uncharted Trophy support introduced News - Page 1 // PS3 /// Eurogamer

-Drake's Fortune to include Trophies.
-At the moment, you can also compete for Trophies in Super Stardust HD and PixelJunk Eden.

Warhawk Trophy patch dated, detailed News - Page 1 // PS3 /// Eurogamer
-Warhawk 1.5 patch introducing Trophy support.

Carlo Medina · 08-06-2008, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraigF

Well, it is a fact that the current 80GB generates a lot more heat than the 40GB model, and draws more current. Different electronics (more) and a different method of chip construction (requires more power = hotter). So that's not just an opinion.

As for the 40GB model, the fact that for the *current* version Sony moved some of the (hot) electronics to a new/better position for cooling means they acknowledged the heat/fan issue to a large extent, besides offering warranty replacement for it. So the loud fan issue in some 40GB models is a fact too, it's not just an opinion of a few fussy owners.

Also, Sony probably used different types of fans to keep the production line going, and some were not very good. I don't know what else they could do at this point to further acknowledge the problem some people have.

With regards to drawing more current, looking at some manufacturer's specs (Seagate, Hitachi) for their 2.5" hard drives, the power draw specs are the same regardless of size of HD (from 60GB-120GB).

I was also unaware that there were significantly different electronics between the 40GB and the 80GB versions. I know the original 20GB and 60GB versions had the "Emotion Engine" which was essentially the PS2 chip so that it wouldn't need emulation to run PS2 games, but that was stripped out of the 40/80 versions. The 60GB also had media reader slots whereas the 20GB didn't.

So if you meant there are different electronics between the 20/60 (Gen1) and 40/80 (Gen2, no Emotion Engine), I'd agree. But to my knowledge, the architecture between the 40/80 should be pretty close if not identical.

And while yes I'll agree that fan quality can and does vary, so does noise tolerance. Put the exact same fan in front of ten people, you'll get some who say it's too loud, some who say it's just right for the cooling power, and some who say it's silent.

Jari K · 08-06-2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carlo Medina

And while yes I'll agree that fan quality can and does vary, so does noise tolerance. Put the exact same fan in front of ten people, you'll get some who say it's too loud, some who say it's just right for the cooling power, and some who say it's silent.

This is very true. "Loud" and "silent" mean different things to different people. And it seems, that the "fan quality" varies here (you don´t necessarily get "silent" model by buying e.g. 40gb-model). I would say, that my PS3 is one of the louder models (when the fan goes in higher speed, it doesn´t really came "back down"), but like I said, at least two of my friends have just normal, minor "fan noise" (=if you really listen, get closer to the console, etc).

My plan now is to take my PS3 to the balcony outside and just to turn it "on". If it actually behaves the same way as it does inside, it´s probably faulty..

Will_B · 08-06-2008, 01:46 PM

Placement also makes a difference; you'll want to avoid placing the PS3 straight-on infront of you / under the monitor, where the soundwaves might be directed right at your couch. Since the remote doesn't need to be in line of sight anyway (thanks to its use of bluetooth) you may as well stick the PS3 off to a far side, ideally where the wall of a cabinet will block most of the direct sound waves.

Also, I suspect that the fan comes on less if you put the PS3 in its vertical position rather than the horizontal. Just a feeling.