Playstation 3 Review: I’m Not Impressed
While shopping at my local Costco today I happened to come across a PS3 sitting in the case with the cameras, iPods and other electronic goodies. At first I was a little taken aback, but I gathered my senses enough to ask a nearby employee if that was an actual PS3 for sale?
Well, as you can guess by the title of this post, it was, and I bought it. Apparantly it had just been put out a little earlier, and when I got home and opened it I see that it seems to have been previously opened, though its in perfect condition.
Now, I honestly have no use for a game console as I just don’t play them. But I find two things attractive about the PS3. First, it’s a cheap Blue-Ray disc player. Secondly, there is supposed to be a blazingly fast Folding@Home client which you can download and run on the machine when you’re not using it for something else.
So, as I mentioned, I bought it and took it home. When I unboxed it I immediately noticed that the unit does not come with an HDMI cable, nor does it come with a digital optical audio cable. It seems silly to me not to include these you are touting a game system that can take advantage of 1080p… but no problem, I supplied my own cable.
I decided to connect the PS3 to my Sharp 42″ Aquos LCD which is a 1080p display. Connecting it was simple to say the least. I plugged in the power cable, then plugged an HDMI cable in between both devices, and that was it.
Next, I powered on the PS3 and it started right up into a very user friendly menu. After having me plug in the wireless controller via USB, the PS3 told me it detected HDMI and asked if I wanted it to auto-configure the audio and video to the optimal settings. I said yes, and then it switched into 1080p mode.
At some point after that I figured out that I could disconnect the USB cable, and I began operating the PS3 wirelessly with the controller.
Next, the system asked me to create a login name. Now this is where I had a little difficulty. I’ve never used one of these playstation controllers before, and the on screen display didn’t tell me which buttons did what, so I had to really go by trial and error (emphasis on the error) to get my simple name in there.
Finally, the system presented me with the PS3 menu which I initially found to be pretty intuitive. I navigated over to the Internet settings and configured it for my wireless network, after which it informed me that it needed to download a system update.
I gave it the go-ahead to update the system, and then proceeded to wait for what must have been half an hour. This is over a cable modem connection mind you… When it finally finished the download process, it made me hook the wireless controller back up using USB and then had me accept a user agreement for the update to install.
When it was about half way through the install process I decided to disconnect the controller again and go sit on my sofa to wait. This was a mistake, because when it finished the update it wanted me to push a button on the controller to reboot, but it wouldn’t work. Even plugging it back in had no effect. So, I power cycled the unit, and luckily it came back up… again asking me to connect the wireless controller via USB.
I’ve never seen a wireless device that had to be tethered so much in my life! :-)
After the reboot it informed me that the update had been aborted, and it needed to re-try the update. So I let it do it’s thing, this time without disconnecting any damn controllers.
Finally, about an hour after I first plugged it in, I was ready to try out the actual machine!
Although I got a game with the unit, I was most interested in testing out the BlueRay player and getting the Folding application running on the machine. So, the first thing I did was launch the Web browser! But wait… it didn’t work.
Huh?!? You’re telling me the machine was able to download an entire OS update, but now it can’t pull up a simple web page? Yes, that’s what I’m telling you. Fine… we’ll table that for now and just go and get some tasty BlueRay goodness.
So I pop in the included Talledega Nights BlueRay disc and fire up the video. Just as the movie is getting started I accidentally knock the wireless controller onto the floor and all of a sudden the movie goes nuts!
Apparantly the fast forward button must have been hit ’cause the movie is flying by! At this point I’m looking for the button to stop it, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t completely impossible to figure out which button that is!
I’m not kidding, they couldn’t have laid out the buttons for BR/DVD control any worse on this thing. In addition, there aren’t any labels for playback anywhere.
Finally, after about 5 minutes of trial and error I manage to get the movie back to the beginning and started all over. At this point I’m ready to enjoy some of that completely eye popping video that everyone’s been talking about. So I sit back, watch… and become completely underwhelmed.
Seriously, is that it?!? At best I’d say the picture is maybe 25% better than watching the exact same DVD (which I own) on my upconverting DVD player. What a letdown. Well, maybe it’s because I’m only viewing it on the 42 incher. I guess I’ll have to hook it up in the media room where I’ve got a 120 inch HD projector to see if it makes more of a difference.
…So, I go back to the task of attempting to get the Web browser to work, but nothing I can manage to do will allow it to connect via the wireless network. Luckily, I happen to have an ethernet span run to the media center from the office, and when I connect it the Web launches without a hitch.
So, the machine defaults to the Playstation 3 Portal and when I arrive it asks if I’m viewing in standard definition or high def. I choose HD of course. I’m then presented with a bunch of crappy little squiggly icons, which -when selected – present text that even on my 42″ bad ass TV is too small to read from even 10 feet away. Meanwhile, the wireless controller makes a terrible mouse.
This just keeps getting worse…
So, I mosey on over to the Folding@Home site to see how to get my PS3 client – which I read was supposed to be out sometime near last November – and lo and behold, it’s not yet released. In fact, the best case rumor is that it won’t be out for another couple of months! That’s like 6 months after they originally announced it was coming!
Crap.
So, basically everything I was looking forward to using this machine for seems to be a complete let down. The BlueRay seems only slightly better than a good upconverted DVD, the Folding client may never be released at this rate, the Web browsing function sucks, the wireless connection is impossible to figure out and the remote is difficult to use and changes for each application.
Bottom line. It’s going back to Costco.
Perhaps someone who just wants to buy the world’s most expensive video game system will find something useful here.
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Hi John,
You raise some good points… I’ve dropped the controller during a film to have it roll forward or even switch back to the main menu entirely.
In regards to the connectivity issues, I had one that was slightly worse….
I had my PS3 plugged in via HDMI and then sold the TV so has to switch to SCART. unfortunately I sold the TV without changing the HDMI configuration on the PS3.
The machine doesn’t set itself back to SCART automatically, so I had to set it back completely blind!!
Also, a word about your sister in law… Please realise I don’t want to be insulting, but I’ve found that women who hate gaming are more prone to disliking anything that diverts men’s gaze.
Gamers do what they do for the same reason as people watch films… To get a moments escape for mundane reality.
Why does she have such a negative emotional response? It shows complete insecurity on her part.
The PS3 also uses a Blu-Ray remote to watch movies. When I set mine up up didnt take me an hour and I only had to plug in my controller once. Mabye you had to keep pluggng it in because you wouldn’t let the controller charge.
This is ridiculous, get with the times man. If your having trouble buy a remote for the ps3 its the same as any dvd remote, easy to use for older folks with trouble using the controller.
After reading the video you sound like my grandfather trying to figure out a dvd player.
hehe i think you need to do some research regarding ,telling the difference between 1080p and 720p on anything below a 50 inch screen. lol is simply not true!,,,,,,,,,, ,if its lcd/Plasma(any size will give you the desired result ,and a good result at that,,,,,,, ( personally i think the MANs comment on the blue ray is a bit harsh and thinking to my self that he did,nt set it up properly ,, you do have to change setting,s on both the tv and the ps3 ,its not as simple as it sounds regarding the dificalty in reading the blurb on the screen suggests that you hadent changed it to 1080p or you had only changed the ps3 or werent using a good hdmi cable ( beleave it or not with cabals the more you pay == better signal
and saying that a Projectors are the best way to view and to get the most out of 1080p lol is a insult to technology give it a few years and thay will be obsoleat,, followed by the plazmer screens .. to the MAN intresting Blog lol il finish reading this page and book mark it i think shame you had a hard time with the ps3 ( -= Best Regards J P Series 6 samsung 46 inch Harmon kardon 7,2
Sorry your experience wasn’t that good with the PS3, but I do love mine and it does take care of most of my video and gaming entertainment needs. Currently I have the PS3 connected to and little 120 gig external hard drive where I have about 200 plus movies, TV shows, and funny videos as well as MP3’s and pictures stored. Using my PS3, my wife and I can watch just about every video I’ve saved providing it is DIVX, AVI, MP4, MPEG etc. I think it’s a pretty decent package. Sadly, I don’t own a HDTV yet, so I don’t get to truly enjoy my gaming and or video yet. As far as using the PS3 controller to navigate the videos, my wife totally agrees with you and thats why I bought a bluetooth remote that has normal controls on it. I got it on clearance at targat for $19.99 a month or 2 after I purchased the PS3 and now my wife is happy.
ADOPT ME!!!!
Dedicated media room with 120″ HD – you got the perfect setup there for sure :)
Kim:)
I am sorry you weren’t more impressed with the PS3 but I have had a much more positive experience personally.
I bought my PS3 back in July or August, after the $100 price drop. I saw that it only came with an A/V connection standard, so I bought an HDMI cable online for about $3 to connect it to my 46″ 1080p HDTV. Like you I primarily bought it as a Blu-Ray player and was pretty exicted about the 5 Free Blu Ray promotion that came with it this summer, however I was also excited to have a game console since I haven’t really played one since my Nintendo and Super Nintendo like 10 or 15 years ago. I am still waiting on the 5 free Blu Rays, but I went out and bought a couple titles to check out the Blu Ray in the meantime and I can sure tell the difference. I also have an upconverting DVD player and it looks decent, but I can still tell the difference between Blu Ray. When you can see blemishes on an actor’s face or the faces of fans in the stadium of a sports movie, it kind of makes me go “wow.”
I agree that the controller can be a bit sensitive during movie play. I have learned to leave it on my endtable so I dont bump it and it takes me a little longer than I’d like to carefully reach for it when I need to pause. I have seen some PS3 “movie remotes” advertized online which I imagine are a little easier to use, but I’m cheap so I deal with the sensitive controller.
I only have a couple PS3 games so far (Rainbow Six: Vegas and Warhawk) but I am extremely pleased with the graphics and gameplay on both of them. I am looking forward to SOCOM3 :D
Also, I stumbled across a link to download the Folding@Home Client. I downloaded it in a few minutes and ran it one night without much issue. I haven’t used it since then because I just didn’t want to leave my PS3 on and waste electricity (again, I’m cheap.) I have also been able to get online and google up a few custom background images for my PS3 without any problem. My computer isnt far away so I rarely use the browser on the PS3 for anything else, but I didn’t have any problem getting online.
The one connection problem I do have that bugs me is in trying to connect to the Media Center server on my computer to watch videos. It always seems to disconnect half way through…I am hoping Sony will resolve this issue soon, but that’s really my only complaint.
Overall I’ve been very pleased with my PS3. As far as I know, it’s still one of the cheapest Blu Ray options available and you get a high-end gaming console to go with it. The on-screen web browser and ability to access media from your computer (in theory) were both nice perks for me. Add it all up and I still think it’s a decent value.
Shannon,
Ok. I guess I’ll just get you a Gameboy and a Betamax player for Christmas this year! ;-)
John
Ricardo,
I’m sure your assessment is correct. It may indeed be a bit unfair to judge a gaming system in the same way as I would another piece of home entertainment gear. But it seems to me that Sony was really billing this thing as an all-in-one gaming and multimedia platform.
And for $800 I just plain expected more.
I recognize that might not seem fair to some people, but for this kind of price my expectation was much, much higher than just getting a video game machine. It is good to know that they put out a simpler remote. Too bad they didn’t bundle it with the machine or I might have kept it.
Of course none of this excuses the lack of necessary cables, poor “wireless” controller support during setup, poor 802.11 support, extremely long setup time or the failure during setup.
Anyway, I keep procrastinating on the purchase of a BR player because I was waiting to see if HDDVD or BR was going to win out… but I think I’ll probably end up with a BR player by Christmas. My 120″ screen is just begging for one. :-)
John
Nothing beats Tetris on the original gameboy. As for blueray dvd, all I can say is that home movie watching clearly peaked in the early 80s with the betamax tape player.
And for all of you people that do spend hours sitting in dark rooms, playing video games, and excercising nothing more than your thumbs—get a life!!!!!
For a gaming system it’s relatively intuitive. You have a point that the “controller” is not as intuitive as a dedicated remote control (but it wasn’t made to be). By the way, you can buy a dedicated remote control specifically made for the PS3 that is the equivalent of a regular remote control and just as intuitive.
You can’t make judgements on a gaming system developed primarily for gaming based on your experiences with your home entertainment system expertise. You’re comparing apples to oranges.
Most people I know who have purchased the PS3 for watching Blu-ray and for use as a media center were aware of the usability issues and that they were developed primarily for gaming. The added benefits were designed around that. These people adapted perfectly to the console knowing this before they bought it. Maybe you should have just spent more and bought a dedicated BR player and a computer for Folding@Home cycles.
Clearly you are not one of my regulars or you’d know that I spend an extraordinary amount of time with a wide range of high tech products.
By the way, why is it that people who want to take pot shots do so anonymously? I believe it’s because it’s easier to shoot off at the mouth and walk away than to think hard about what they want to say in order to avoid the embarrassment of being proven wrong publicly.
John
You know…The controls for the PS3 are pretty intuitive, so if you can’t figure them out, I don’t know what to say. Also, you’re saying the system isn’t good because it takes awhile to set it up? Exactly how lazy are you? Finally, you should know by now that you can’t tell the difference between 1080p and 720p on anything below a 50 inch screen. Buying that “1080p” 42 inch screen was a complete ripoff. Projectors are probably the best way to get the most out of your 1080p.
Interesting, because I had some difficulty with hookups too when I was trying mine out… :-(
hi. not so great now:( i bought all the necessary cables to conncet the ps3 to my projector which has dvi input (M1). i purchased a female dvi-d to male M1 cable to go into the projector,
and a male hdmi to male dvi-d cable to come out of the ps3. i plugged it in to the infocus ls110 projector and could not make the hdcp handshake even though the projector is hdcp complient. i had the video output configured to output hdmi as per the plasma but it was a no go. i have a ps3 av multi cable to component and that works on the projector but only gives me up to 720p:( the funny thing is i didn;t get the “ps3 has identified an hdmi input”message when i first plugged into the projector so i can only assume that the hdcp handshake is not being made:( try telling this to people at the sony shop. they just give you a blank look:)
Nick,
That is awesome! I’m glad you love it. It just wasn’t a good purchase for me because I’m not a gamer to start with. I really wanted it for things other than the gaming graphics so I was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. ;-)
John
quite the contrary, i was blown away by the improvement in gaming graphics. who cares about the net. this is sex on my 50″ pioneer plasma:)