Sony Blu-ray for 399$

[GMichael]

Just curious - what is the value of the added storage on the PS3 (or 360 for that matter)?
If you can stream from computer to console, do you really need the drive space for anything?

From what I've read you can store pictures, movies, games (for faster loading, guess those 10 seconds are killer for some).
Other than that, it just seems to be a way to tell one version from the other.
60GB - full BC
80GB - semi BC
40GB - no BC

You can change drives in any of them to bigger fast drives. Or add external drives via USB ports.

[L.J.]

Just curious - what is the value of the added storage on the PS3 (or 360 for that matter)?
If you can stream from computer to console, do you really need the drive space for anything?

Although I can stream to my PS3, I still store photos & some video directly on the games HD. There's also a bunch of games, demos, videos and stuff you can download onto the HD as well. Last time I checked I only had 24g left out of 60. I bunch of it are game demos though and I leave it on there for my kid to play.

I could see where it would come in handy for someone who doesn't own an external HD and wanted to store such things on there games HD.

[kexodusc]

Although I can stream to my PS3, I still store photos & some video directly on the games HD. There's also a bunch of games, demos, videos and stuff you can download onto the HD as well. Last time I checked I only had 24g left out of 60. I bunch of it are game demos though and I leave it on there for my kid to play.

I could see where it would come in handy for someone who doesn't own an external HD and wanted to store such things on there games HD.

Next question - do external hard drives (computer type) work with either of these things? And is the ability to stream strictly one way? Or can the PS3/360 send stuff the other way too?

Think I'm gonna finally open and test out the 360 this weekend - not officially my birthday for another 6 weeks but it's killing me...not sure about he HD-DVD player though - I'm under the impression I won't be able to get any of the new audio formats out of it?

[L.J.]

Next question - do external hard drives (computer type) work with either of these things? And is the ability to stream strictly one way? Or can the PS3/360 send stuff the other way too?

Think I'm gonna finally open and test out the 360 this weekend - not officially my birthday for another 6 weeks but it's killing me...not sure about he HD-DVD player though - I'm under the impression I won't be able to get any of the new audio formats out of it?

Not sure about the 360, but with the PS3, you can quickly add storage by plugging an external HD into one of the USB ports or popping in a new internal drive (I believe this voids the warranty, so one would want to hold onto that old drive - also I think the internal drive is a smaller notebook type).

In my setup the streaming is one way, not sure if you can send stuff. You can install other OS on the PS3, so I'm not sure what functions one would gain after doing so.

Yeah, the add-on cannot decode the new audio formats and this is why I don't own a 360. HDDVD would be my main reason for getting one.

[kexodusc]

Not sure about the 360, but with the PS3, you can quickly add storage by plugging an external HD into one of the USB ports or popping in a new internal drive (I believe this voids the warranty, so one would want to hold onto that old drive - also I think the internal drive is a smaller notebook type).

In my setup the streaming is one way, not sure if you can send stuff. You can install other OS on the PS3, so I'm not sure what functions one would gain after doing so.

Yeah, the add-on cannot decode the new audio formats and this is why I don't own a 360. HDDVD would be my main reason for getting one.

Thanks, LJ.
I like more of the Xbox games than the PS games but that's just me - the price was a consideration as well, but I fully expect own both by the end of 2008. That was my big reason for the 360 - the on-line, streaming stuff etc is a distant second.
The PS3 holds a lot of intrigue for me as far as being a media server and blu-ray player - does the PS3 have limitations in audio processing as well? I'd love to not have to buy a blu-ray player...might get the PS3 sooner rather than later.

[Woochifer]

Decisions decisions!

Now that I've found some third party applications that can stream media files to a PS3 from a Mac, I'm more tempted now to go with the PS3 rather than wait for the inevitable price tumbles on standalone Blu-ray players. While the $400 PS3 is a tempting option, its lack of backwards compatibility with PS2 games is a deal killer for me (my audio rack is crowded enough, last thing I want to do is make space for two gaming consoles)

[Groundbeef]

Decisions decisions!

Now that I've found some third party applications that can stream media files to a PS3 from a Mac, I'm more tempted now to go with the PS3 rather than wait for the inevitable price tumbles on standalone Blu-ray players. While the $400 PS3 is a tempting option, its lack of backwards compatibility with PS2 games is a deal killer for me (my audio rack is crowded enough, last thing I want to do is make space for two gaming consoles)

I think that it still has some PS2 BW compat. Its just done with software instead of the hard chip. I have never owned a PS2 game but from what I have seen on the PS3 boards, its not a total lack of BW compat, just no chip.

[GMichael]

Decisions decisions!

Now that I've found some third party applications that can stream media files to a PS3 from a Mac, I'm more tempted now to go with the PS3 rather than wait for the inevitable price tumbles on standalone Blu-ray players. While the $400 PS3 is a tempting option, its lack of backwards compatibility with PS2 games is a deal killer for me (my audio rack is crowded enough, last thing I want to do is make space for two gaming consoles)

I'm pretty sure that the 40GB has 0% BC with the PS2, but will run PS1 games. The 80GB has s/w for BC that gives it about 80%. I don't know why the s/w for the 80 could not be used with the 40.

[GMichael]

http://www.ps3news.ca/10182007/13/so...0gb_gets_a_cut

Sony has gone and made it official quicker than we had expected -- there will be both a new 40GB PlayStation 3 model and the 80GB version will be getting a healthy price cut.

As we said earlier, this was one of the worst kept secrets in the history of gaming, but we welcome the news nonetheless. The 40GB PS3 will cost $399 US and will include Spider-Man 3 on Blu-ray. As previously reported, there will no PS2 backwards compat, with Sony claiming that the move is "reflecting the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles." Whatever that means. The 40GB bundle will be available starting November 2nd.

This is a move that can truly shakes things up in the next-gen race, and the company is hoping this kickstarts sales immediately. A quick check of Amazon shows that $399 makes it the cheapest Blu-ray player on the market, which ought to help seal the deal as well.

And if you're dead into backwards compatibility, there's always the 80GB which is priced at $499 effective immediately.

[GMichael]

Just spoke to the wife. Looks like the price on the 80GB bundle has already been marked down to $499 at Wal-Mart as well.