What's new

Official Playstation 3 Blu-Ray player Thread (1 Viewer)

ToEhrIsHuman

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 15, 2002
Messages
439
Location
San Diego, CA USA
Real Name
Craig Ehr
Kenneth Lee said:
Hey Craig,
Thanks for the heads up! Did all 4 Color Buttons work for the "Bookmark" feature? Or if not, can you confirm which one was it? (I guess I can just press them all, but I just wanted to check :)).
Thanks~
You're welcome! :)
green = add bookmark
red = delete bookmark
yellow = view bookmarks
 

Bryan X

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
3,469
Real Name
Bryan
I'm surpised the PS3 controller doesn't shut itself off after a period of activity. The wireless Xbox 360 controllers do that. A nice feature that has saved me battery life on more than one occasion.

I'm really itching to get a Blu-ray player but don't want to drop the coin on a standalone that isn't 2.0. How well does the PS3 controller work as a remote control for movies? If the controller doesn't time-out after a few minutes of non-use, what kind of battery life do you get if it's just sitting there 'on' while you are watching movies for a few hours? Best just to get the PS3 remote?
 

Andy_Bu

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
Messages
928
Bryan X said:
How well does the PS3 controller work as a remote control for movies? If the controller doesn't time-out after a few minutes of non-use, what kind of battery life do you get if it's just sitting there 'on' while you are watching movies for a few hours? Best just to get the PS3 remote?
It functions as a remote control but it is hardly ideal.
The best bet I think is to simply purchase an IR to BT converter and use your universal remote to control the DVD player. You can get the converter for roughly the same price as the Bluetooth PS3 remote.
Here is the one I purchased (I am still awaiting delivery though so I can't yet say how it works)
Eclectic Gadgets and Fun Technology
 

Jari K

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 16, 2007
Messages
3,288
Bryan X said:
Best just to get the PS3 remote?
IMO, yes (I don´t use universal controllers - nor ever will be, so don´t know about those).
PS3 remote is actually one of the best remotes that I´ve seen. Very good. Pressing "display" will also quickly give you the running time (also how much is left), codec, bitrate, audio bitrate, etc info. I like it. Since it´s also Bluetooth, you can place the PS3 behind the TV (like I pretty much did) or something like that.
 

Andy_Bu

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
Messages
928
I received my bluetooth to IR converter in the mail yesterday when I got home.
I installed it in about a minute and my Harmony can now control the PS3 fully. Thank god :)
The controller now stays by the PS3 only to be used for games.
 

Aaron Silverman

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 22, 1999
Messages
11,411
Location
Florida
Real Name
Aaron Silverman
The $20 official PS3 remote is great (unless you want to use a universal remote). The only thing I don't like about it is that it's not illuminated or glowing at all, but at this point my fingers have pretty much memorized all the buttons I regularly use anyway. :)
 

Walter Kittel

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 28, 1998
Messages
9,771
The only thing I don't like about it is that it's not illuminated or glowing at all, but at this point my fingers have pretty much memorized all the buttons I regularly use anyway.
It perturbs me to no end when I accidently press the Stop button instead of the Pause button on the Sony bluetooth remote. Lighting would have been a nice feature, but it is a minor criticism of a remote that works very well.

- Walter.
 

MarkHarrison

Supporting Actor
Joined
Nov 14, 2002
Messages
597
DaViD Boulet said:
p.s. I don't think the battery charges in stand-by mode. I'm pretty sure that the PS3 litearally needs to be "on" for that (bummer).
That is correct. But I just moved the USB cable from my PS3 to the DVR sitting right next to it. That way the cable is always hot and I can turn the PS3 off when I head off to bed and leave the controller charging overnight. You can also plug the USB into your computer or any other device with a USB port. You don't need to plug it into the PS3.
 

Chris Bardon

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2000
Messages
2,059
Which bluetooth to IR converter are people using? Is there a current summary of what's out there? The last time I looked (a couple of months ago), there wasn't anything that completely solved the universal remote problem.
I'm absolutely amazed that there's not even an official Sony BT-IR converter on the market. Even just a Sony universal remote that handles the ps3 would be welcome.
 

ManW_TheUncool

His Own Fool
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Messages
11,912
Location
The BK
Real Name
ManW
Chris Bardon said:
Which bluetooth to IR converter are people using? Is there a current summary of what's out there? The last time I looked (a couple of months ago), there wasn't anything that completely solved the universal remote problem.
I'm absolutely amazed that there's not even an official Sony BT-IR converter on the market. Even just a Sony universal remote that handles the ps3 would be welcome.
Check out this recent post (in the other PS3 thread) for what looks like a good, complete solution, if a little bit pricey:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...ml#post3341435
_Man_
 

MarkHarrison

Supporting Actor
Joined
Nov 14, 2002
Messages
597
Chris Bardon said:
Which bluetooth to IR converter are people using? Is there a current summary of what's out there? The last time I looked (a couple of months ago), there wasn't anything that completely solved the universal remote problem.
I'm absolutely amazed that there's not even an official Sony BT-IR converter on the market. Even just a Sony universal remote that handles the ps3 would be welcome.
I'm using the cheap one from Nyko (about $15 on Amazon). But it's not that great and I find myself using the controller as much as my Universal remote. It's slow to respond and only allows you to program in a handful of basic functions. The rest still have to be accessed through the onscreen menu.
There's a new one on the way that sounds better than any other solution I've seen yet. It's the IR2BT and is supposed to be released at the end of the month.
 

MarkHastings

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
12,013
Hi all, I guess I need to post the obligatory "I'm new to this thread, so I didn't get to read all of the pages (I also did a search and couldn't find an answer)"... so here goes nothing:
I got the new PS3 80GB and everything is working great! I have the PS3 set up to send PCM audio to my 6.1 Receiver (which is set to auto format) and I can see it accepting the 7.1 signal (and converting the rear two surrounds into the one speaker) and the receiver also switches into 5.1 mode when I put in a DVD, so it seems like the settings are all correct.
But I'm having an issue with the demo disc that came with the PS3. When I play it, it only sends two chanels of PCM audio to the receiver. My receiver only shows L, R and the LFE. At first I figured that the disc was set up this way, and while most of the demos sound good, the Trailers don't play correctly.
The Batman trailer has no VO; the Harry Potter has narration in only the left speaker; and the Superman trailer also has no VO.
Again, when I start the PS3, the receiver goes into 7.1 mode and stays in 7.1 mode when I put in a game, but it goes into 2.0 mode when the demo disc is inserted. It defaults back to 7.1 when I eject the demo.
Does anyone else have this problem? I don't have a Blu-Ray disc to test out, so I can't tell if I'm having issues decoding the high end audio or not (if that's what's going on with the demo). I'm not sure what the demo disc uses for audio, so I can't troubleshoot too well.
I also don't know what Gran Turismo 5 uses for audio, but it sends a 7.1 PCM signal to the receiver, so I don't know why the demo disc won't.
Thoughts??
 

Zack Gibbs

Screenwriter
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Messages
1,687
Hmm, what receiver do you have mark?
It sounds like you're only hearing the left and right channels from a discrete mix. I can't think of anyway that could happen on the PS3's end.
 

MarkHastings

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
12,013
It's the SONY 810: STR-DG810 | Home Theater A/V Receiver (6.1 channel) | Sony | SonyStyle USA
It doesn't internally decode the 2 newest audio formats, which is why I'm making the PS3 send PCM over the HDMI connection.
Although now that I think about it; is the demo disc using an audio format that the PS3 can't decode? I heard that the PS3 decodes most audio formats and the 2 new formats are going to be part of an update, but has it been implemented into any of the updates yet?
Maybe that's the problem? Can anyone confirm what audio spec is on the demo disc?
 

Nick Martin

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Messages
2,690
MarkHastings said:
Maybe that's the problem? Can anyone confirm what audio spec is on the demo disc?
There are different audio formats on the demo disc depending on what you're watching.
Pressing the display button of course will tell you what audio format is being outputted.
The demo disc mine came with is a bit odd in that the dialogue for some of the presentations comes from the left channel, not the center.
It's also 720p, despite advertising 1080p presentations.
Sounds like your PS3 came with a different demo disc.
 

Zack Gibbs

Screenwriter
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Messages
1,687
Mark, the PS3 is capable of decoding all current audio formats, as long as it has the latest firmware installed.
You can check your version by going to Settings>System Settings>System Information. The oldest version for full audio support is 2.4 I believe.
 

MarkHastings

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
12,013
OK, my system is 2.43, so if that means that I have the ability to decode all audio formats, then there must be something else wrong.
It's funny that while Nicholas doesn't seem to have the same problem as I am, he also has dialog coming from the left.
 

MarkHastings

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
12,013
Nicholas Martin said:
There are different audio formats on the demo disc Sounds like your PS3 came with a different demo disc.
It's called "PlayStation Beyond 2".
So here's the deal - Most of the tracks show up as "Dolby Digital 2 ch" (and my receiver only plays audio from left and right speakers). I'd say 75% of them play fine, but a few are either missing dialoge or play VO on right and Music in left.
There are a few DD 5.1 tracks and they all play fine (i.e. My receiver plays full 5.1).
I'm wondering if there's something wrong with the way the disc was created. I guess I won't know if there's a problem until I get a Blu-Ray movie and test it out. But I guess if the PS3 is saying that it's outputting 2.0. then there's probably no problems with my system and might be the disc.
EDIT: now I know why I'm not getting the center to work on the 2.0 ch - that's because of the PCM output. When I use my receiver as the decoder, it will take a DD 2.0 and use the 3 speakers, but being that I'm using the PS3 to decode, the receiver (obviously) is only sending 2 channels (i.e. right and left) - That makes sense.
 

Carlo_M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 31, 1997
Messages
13,385
Question for everyone:
Anyone have HDMI dropout issues with the PS3 when decoding HBR audio and outputting via PCM?
I used to HDMI straight to my Sony KDS-60A3000, and while their would be screen flickers as a disc loaded up (especially BD-J discs), it would not be more than 2 or 3, and the signal would always recover well in advance of anything happening onscreen. My audio would be output not over HDMI, but over optical to an old receiver that was incapable of decoding the new codecs and couldn't accept more than 2.0 PCM.
Recently I bought a Pioneer VSX-03TXH and now am going HDMI to that and from there to the TV. Now I'm sending all codecs decoded internally by the PS3 and outputted via PCM (2.0 all the way up to 5.1@96khz) through the HDMI to the Pioneer. Now there are more screen flickers and occasionally the picture won't recover and I'll have to pause then play the BD in order for the picture to appear. With John Mayer's "Where the Light Is" which is output at 5.1PCM 96khz, occasionally when I chapter skip there will be a brief dropout (whereas chapter skips with all other BDs I own don't do this...but no other BD I own outputs at 5.1/96khz PCM so I'm guessing it's a bit-rate issue).
I'm using Monoprice 3992 HDMI cables which are confirmed Cat2, 340MHz cables, and I have 2 other HDMI cables from different manufacturers which are also supposed to be 1.3a and it makes no difference.
I'm at wits end here. Anyone else having issues? I'm tempted to pick up a Sony BD-350 just to see if the problem exists there too.
 

Nick Martin

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Messages
2,690
Today I picked up a new receiver and I will connect it with HDMI and output the PS3 audio as PCM.
It's an inexpensive Sony 7.1 Channel A/V Receiver (STRDG720) that I'll connect later tonight. It'll be 5.1, not 6 or 7.1 as I have no use for either of those (5.1 is just fine to me and apartment space is limited - I don't need a rear center directly behind my head or side speakers)
so I don't know if that will be a factor in the playback with regard to the issues described here.
When it's all connected, I'll report here if there are any issues as you and Mark have described.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top