| Full Specifications |
|---|
| Price when rated - Pricing: Very Inexpensive $600 (as of 2/20/2007) |
| Overall design - Very Good On-screen menus - Very Good Ease of Use - Very Good Responsiveness - Good Remote control - Good Other features - Superior Documentation - Very Good |
| Performance Color quality - Good: 78 Detail - Very Good: 80 Brightness and contrast - Good: 77 DVD-Video image quality - Good: 71 Overall performance - Good: 78 |
| Specifications - Very Good Maximum component-video-output resolution - 1080i 24p output support - No HDMI output - Yes HDMI version - 1.3 Maximum HDMI-output resolution - 1080p Ethernet connection (for Internet connectivity) - Yes (also has integrated wireless 802.11b/g) Ethernet connection (for streaming content across home network) - Yes DLNA compliance - No USB 2.0 ports - Yes; 4 USB port function - For reading and multimedia files Component-video Output - Yes S-Video output - Yes Composite -video output - Yes Two-channel analog audio output - No Coaxial digital output - No Optical digital output - Yes Maximum audio output over HDMI - 7.1-channel PCM Best audio output over S/PDIF - 7.1-channel PCM Bitstream output to audio/video receiver - Yes Other audio features DVD-Video upconversion - n/a Plays audio CDs - Yes Supported DVD disc formats - DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW Plays MP3 DVDs - Yes Plays MP3 CDs - Yes Support for two simultaneous video streams (for on-demand picture-in-picture) - No Supported multimedia formats - Memory Stick Audio Format (ATRAC), MP3, MP4, WAV, Memory Stick Video Format (MPEG-4 SP, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile), JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, PNG Storage - 60GB Firmware updates delivered via? - Ethernet/Web download Disc bookmarks - Yes Media slots - CompactFlash, Memory Stick, Secure Digital Other features Warranty - One year parts/one year labor Weekday support hours - 14 Saturday support hours - 14 Sunday support hours - 11.5 Toll-free support number - Yes |
2008-09-18
Pc world Test
Pc world Reviews Playstation 3
Sony PlayStation 3
Expensive for a game console, but a great bargain for a console plus a Blu-ray Disc player, the PS3 is worth the wait.
Weighing about 11 pounds and measuring 12.8 inches wide by 3.86 inches high by 10.89 inches long, the PlayStation 3 is larger than the PlayStation 2, the diminutive Nintendo Wii, or the Microsoft Xbox 360. Like those consoles, it can be oriented vertically or horizontally. Either way, the PS3's striking design looks right at home in the living room (admittedly, however, its polished top surface is prone to finger marks). The PS3 runs more quietly than the Xbox 360 but is a bit louder than the almost silent Wii. Though the unit itself doesn't get too toasty, the air around it tends to feel warm after a few hours of continuous play.
The PlayStation 3 comes in two versions. The $599 model (which I tested) has a 60GB hard disk; built-in 802.11b/g wireless networking; and MemoryStick, SD, and CompactFlash slots. The $499 unit omits Wi-Fi capability and the media card slots, and has a 20GB drive. You can replace the hard drive on either version, and the supplied manual explains how to swap in your own 2.5-inch, serial ATA drive. Our sibling publication GamePro has posted scans of these instructions.
The differences between the two PlayStation versions end there; both provide a Blu-ray slot drive, HDMI-output, gigabit networking, four USB 2.0 ports, and built-in Bluetooth 2.0 support.
At the heart of the PlayStation 3 lies a CPU that'll impress even the most hard-core PC gamer. This powerful, multicore Cell processor, jointly developed by Sony, Toshiba, and IBM, runs at 3.2 GHz. An RSX Reality Synthesizer graphics engine, based on NVidia's G70 architecture, delivers the graphics. Working alongside these chips are 256MB of high-performance XDR main memory (based on Rambus RDRAM) and 256MB of GDDR3 video memory.
Getting Started
First, make sure that you come home with all of the cables you'll need. To fully experience the console's graphics capabilities--that is, to play supported games or to watch Blu-ray movies in 1080p high-definition--you'll have to purchase your own HDMI cable (and own an HDCP-compliant 1080p television). Two extras that you might consider buying are Sony's proprietary component video output cable and the optical digital audio cable required for 7.1-channel audio. For optimum Blu-ray or DVD movie playback, you could also spring for the optional $25 remote control.
The standard package includes basic cords: a USB mini cable for the bundled Bluetooth wireless controller, an ethernet cable, a multi audio/video cable with composite connections, and an AC power cord (the PS3 uses a standard cord, unlike the external power brick used by the Wii and the Xbox 360).
Most new PS3 owners will fire up the console without looking at the manual--and they probably won't run into any trouble. It's just that easy to hook up. In case you feel like doing some tech reading before you go shopping, GamePro has scanned the PS3 manual to make it available for the geeky perusal of all.
Once turned on, the PS3 will ask you to choose a language and a time zone, and set the time/date. You then create a user account, sign in, and are presented with a navigation interface that Sony calls the Xross Media Bar (XMB), which closely resembles the interface employed by Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld.
My first priority was to properly configure the high-definition output. I accomplished this by navigating to the video settings and changing the unit's output to 1080p over HDMI. The difference was as if I had switched my computer monitor from 640 by 480 (480p) to 1920 by 1080 (1080p high definition).
I produce music when I'm not working at PC World, and I couldn't wait to hear what the PlayStation 3 audio sounded like through my pair of high-quality music production monitors. I attached the audio connections on the supplied composite multi audio/video cable to my speakers, and set the PS3 to send audio over that route (while still transmitting video via HDMI). The result: Easy setup and great sound.
In the PS3's system settings, I noticed that my new unit's hard disk had 52GB of its 60GB total available, and that the operating system was version 1.00. Not for long, though. The first game I loaded--NBA 07--included the 1.02 system update and installed it before I could begin playing. Though the installation took only a few minutes, having to wait at all was still a little frustrating. The PS3 manual says that some games have their required updates built-in to help you avoid having to patch via the Internet.
Let the Games Begin
Internet connectivity and high-definition movie playback aside, consoles are all about the games. And massive exclusive franchises such as Halo (Xbox), Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation), and Zelda (Nintendo) promote gamers' allegiance to a single console. Whether a PlayStation 3 launch title such as Resistance: Fall of Man becomes such a classic remains to be seen. But the PS3 games I've played so far have been ridiculously fun.
The PlayStation 3 is backward-compatible with most PlayStation 1 and 2 games, but to hedge your bets you might want to buy the optional $15 Memory Card Adaptor, which allows you to transfer saved game information from PS1/PS2 memory cards to the PS3's hard disk. Even then, early reports indicate that various problems have plagued a bunch of games. Tekken 5, for instance, is said to lose background music on the PS3.
The PlayStation 3 Controller
The new wireless, motion-sensitive SixAxis controller lacks force feedback, but it's lighter than the PlayStation 2's controller and has larger L2 and R2 triggers. And because the PS3's controller can sense motion along six axes, you can turn and tilt in three-dimensional space to steer in driving or flying games. I've had limited opportunity to test the controller's motion aspects so far. Earlier this year, I played the upcoming game War Hawk at the E3 conference, where the PS3 was shown. But a few of the launch games, such as Ridge Racer 7, should invite extensive use of the motion-sensing capability.
The controller connects to the PlayStation 3 wirelessly via Bluetooth (within a 65-foot range) and can recharge its batteries (which Sony says will last for 30 hours) when plugged in via the supplied USB cable. To check the controller's remaining battery life, you hold the "PS" button (located between the analog sticks) for 2 seconds. You'll then see a battery meter for that controller on screen, plus an option to turn the console off. You also have to press the PS button when you turn the unit on; otherwise, annoyingly enough, the console won't recognize the controller.
A second PlayStation 3 controller costs $50, and the console supports up to seven players at a time. Each controller has four little LEDs on the top; these indicate the number that the console has assigned to that controller. For controllers 5 through 7, two LEDs light up, and you simply add those numbers together.
Xross Media Bar and Web Browsing
The Xross Media Bar interface itself is surprisingly responsive, and navigating around it feels snappier than using the Xbox 360 dashboard. Though the XMB lacks the 360's colored tabs (which serve as quick identifiers of the area of settings you're in), the PS3 interface has a better, less-cluttered layout overall. That said, the XMB also has quite a few unexplained menu options that aren't exactly intuitive. Even a rocket scientist might have trouble deciphering what Key Repeat Interval (a keyboard setting) or UPnP - Enable/Disable? (Universal Plug and Play) mean without a few moments of head scratching.
Small gripes aside, Sony has made the most important features and settings extremely easy to use. The parental controls (to block access to certain games, movies, or online store content) are clear, and configuring a network connection (wireless or wired) is a breeze.
I was pleasantly surprised that you can plug in a USB keyboard (including wireless models equipped with a USB dongle) and thereby avoid the horrid pre-emptive text-entry interface altogether. Bluetooth keyboard/mouse support is supposedly slated for a future system update. I can't overstate how much easier it is to deal with network settings or to browse the Web when you use a dedicated keyboard.
Launched from the XMB, the PS3's Web browser isn't the speediest thing on the planet, but it did load pages (including Flash videos) reasonably promptly. You can set bookmarks, browse through your history, and make text bigger or smaller. I didn't like being asked whether I wanted to load a script on a Web page (seemingly) each time I visited, but I did appreciate how the PS3's controller aided my browsing experience.
For instance, you can use the D-pad to jump the cursor between page links, and one of the analog sticks functions as a mouse. You may open a maximum of six browser windows simultaneously, and the console lets you switch between them in two different ways: Pushing down on a stick enables you to preview and switch between all open windows--it's like a cross between Internet Explorer 7's Quick Tab feature and Mac OS X's Expose functionality--whereas pressing the controller's R2 and L2 buttons lets you switch between browser windows while sliding them across the screen.
The Blu-ray Experience
From the outset, Sony intended the PlayStation 3 to serve as an all-purpose entertainment console, with tendrils that extend well beyond the realm of game play. But can the PlayStation 3 hope to compete with stand-alone Blu-ray players from consumer electronics makers?
The short answer is yes. (For a more detailed analysis of the PlayStation 3 as a movie player, see "Burning Questions: PS3--The Blu-ray Movie Experience.") The PS3's movie playback experience is best if you start from scratch, inserting a disc into the front-loading slot just as you power up the unit. The unit took just 3 seconds to load the movie Underworld Evolution, followed almost immediately by the opening sounds of the PlayStation 3 start-up orchestra. The screen then blacked out and loaded the movie disc; total disc load time, from insertion of disc to start of playback, was nearly 24 seconds.
Matched side-by-side with the Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player (using its original, factory-installed firmware from when it shipped last summer), the game console delivered noticeably sharper and crisper image quality, with more depth and more detail than were visible on the Samsung.
Sony's decision to omit the remote from its package seems chintzy and inconsistent with its positioning of the premium PS3 as an all-encompassing entertainment device; it's worth noting that Microsoft includes a remote in the competing Xbox 360 box. But even if you pay for the remote to make the PS3 the entertainment-centric package it's designed to be, you'll be spending a total of just $525 or $625, depending upon which version of the player you get. That's far less than you'd pay if you bought a dedicated Blu-ray Disc player today; they range in price from $899 for the Philips BDP9000 to $1500 for the forthcoming Pioneer Elite BDP-HD1.
Multimedia File Playback
Dedicated areas in the PlayStation 3's XMB handle music, videos, and photos. Two things caught my eye: Videos played in thumbnail previews as I quickly flicked through them; and one photo-viewing mode (called Portrait Slideshow) uses real-time-generated graphics to foster the feeling that you are placing photos on a surface for friends and family to thumb through.
The PS3 supports common file formats such as AAC, JPEG, MP3, and MPEG-4 video, but I had no luck with any of the numerous WMV (Windows Media Movie) and WMA (Windows Media Audio) files I tried to play. I'm currently trying to find out from Sony whether these are supported or not. It's an important consideration if you have a massive collection of music files that you've purchased on a service that uses the WMA format.
In all probability, users will be able to play back more multimedia formats than the PS3 supports out of the box if they install Linux. Already, Linux distributor Terra Soft has announced that the PlayStation 3 supports its Yellow Dog distribution.
The PS3 can play music CDs, access song information from AMG (the All Music Guide) and copy/rip songs to its hard disk. By default, it does so in AAC format at 128 kbps, but you can create MP3 and ATRAC files if you prefer.
PlayStation Online Store and Network
Sony has said that--unlike Xbox Live--the PlayStation Network will be a free service. You'll be able to see when friends are online in order to chat with them by video, voice, or text, or to join multiplayer games. We'd like to confirm this for ourselves, but early feedback following the Japanese launch of the PlayStation 3 is that currently users can leave only text messages for other gamers. Reports further indicate that you can't read messages while in a game; you simply get a pop-up notification. Again, we'll look into this and let you know what we find out.
Regarding the PlayStation Store, Sony has stated that it intends to offer downloadable game demos and movie trailers, and to sell retro games, episodic content, and perhaps eventually even full-length movies. Methods to pay your "electronic wallet" bill will include credit card and special PlayStation cards sold in shops. Downloadable games that Sony has developed will cost less than $15 apiece at launch, and you can expect new titles from a range of developers to appear regularly.
Parting Thoughts
So there you have it: the PlayStation 3 in a rather large nutshell. It truly is technologically superior to both the Xbox 360 and the Wii (which isn't really a direct competitor). But to succeed, Sony and its third-party partners must tap into their traditional strength of delivering compelling games for the console. The PS3 looks like an expensive box at first, but seems less so when you compare its cost to the cost of a stand-alone Blu-ray player, a high-end PC graphics card, the Xbox 360 with its HD-DVD add-on, or even a Media Center PCSpecifications playstation 3 (60GB)
General
- Name Sony PlayStation 3
- Type Game console
- Width 12.8 in
- Depth 10.8 in
- Height 3.9 in
- Weight 11 lbs
- Enclosure Color Black
Game Console
- Color Support Color
- Media Type BD-ROM, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM
Processor
- Type IBM Cell 3.2 GHz
- Instruction Set RISC
Memory / Storage
- RAM Installed ( Max ) 256 MB XDR DRAM - Integrated
- Storage BD-ROM
- Hard Disk Drive Yes
- HDD Capacity 60 GB
Video
- Video Output NVIDIA RSX
- Video Memory Installed ( Max ) Video adapter memory - 256 MB - GDDR3 SDRAM - Integrated
- Max Resolution (external) 1920 x 1080
Communications
- Connectivity Features IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth
Input Device
- Type Game pad - External
- Connectivity Technology Wireless
Connections
- Connector Type 6 x USB ( 4 pin USB Type A )
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) Memory Stick, CompactFlash Card, SD Memory Card
Review Playstation 3 (60GB)
The good: Swanky design with quiet operation; all games in high-definition; PSP-like user-friendly interface; plays high-def Blu-ray movies in addition to upscaling standard DVDs; built-in Wi-Fi and flash media reader; 60GB hard drive; online play is free; HDMI output with 1080p support; no external power supply; free online gaming service; plays PS2 and PS1 games; backwards compatibility is hardware based.
Detial
 | |
 | |
| Manufacturer | Sony, Foxconn and ASUSTeK for SCEI[1] |
|---|---|
| Product family | PlayStation |
| Type | Video game console |
| Generation | Seventh generation era |
| First available | November 11, 2006 (details) |
| CPU | 3.2 GHz Cell Broadband Engine with 1 PPE & 7 SPEs |
| GPU | 550 MHz NVIDIA/SCEI RSX 'Reality Synthesizer' |
| Media | Blu-ray Disc, DVD, CD (all models) Super Audio CD (20 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB models) |
| System storage | 2.5" SATA hard drive (20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, or 160 GB included) |
| Controller input | Up to 7 Sixaxis/DualShock 3 controllers |
| Connectivity | |
| Online service | PlayStation Network |
| Units sold | 14.41 million (as of June 30, 2008)[2][3] (details) |
| Best-selling game | MotorStorm, 3.31 million (as of December 30, 2007)[4] |
| Backward compatibility | PlayStation (all models) PlayStation 2 (20 GB, 60 GB and 2007 80 GB models) |
| Predecessor | PlayStation 2 |
Playstaion Games
Playstation 3 Games
I’m building this page as a catalog for all Playstation 3 Games. Soon all images will have links pointing to screenshots pages :). This is an always-up-to-date page, so visit it frequently. Playstation 3 Screenshots are copyright and courtesy of Sony Playstation, related gaming software houses and gaming networks (IGN, GameSpot, GamersHell, etc.) Please let me know if you’ve got something new :)
Playstation picture
Playstation 3 pictures
As it seems like we are all excited about Playstation 3, I decided to create a page for Sony Playstation 3 pictures, so that You folks can look at the mighty console and cry as it’s still a dream :)
Please keep in mind that all of the Playstation 3 pictures you’ll see above are unofficial a/o subject to radical changes over time.
Have you got news about new (official) Playstation 3 pictures released? Let us know immediately! Thanks and… have fun!
Ok…. someone in the world still missed this one?
Another perspective
The Playstation 3 funny banana-controller
All of those Playstation 3 pictures are copyright of their respective authors.
Soul Calibur 4
Soul Calibur 4 is the fifth game in the acclaimed fighting game series that started back on the original Playstation with Soul Blade. The series is best known for it’s weapon based combat. The series first appearance on the PS3 is a solid fighting game with plenty of features that will attract both fans of the series and new players alike.
Soul Calibur 4 brings back almost all of the playable characters from past games. The game also introduces a new character, Hilde, who wields a shortsword and a spear. In addition to the Soul Calibur series characters the game lets players play as Darth Vader (a Playstation 3 exclusvie character) and his secret apprentice from the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Finally the game features a group of bonus characters designed by Japanese anime artists. There is also an empty character slot that some (including me) will only be filled once a gamesave for Force Unleashed is present on the console. To further add to it’s impressive roster of characters Soul Calibur 4 allows the player to customize a fighters appearance and give them the fighting style of any character in the game.
The single player game in Soul Calibur 4 includes a story mode, an arcade mode, and a new mode called tower of lost souls. Arcade mode is the typical fighting game in that it involves fighting a series of opponents with each fight being best of three. Story mode has fewer battles but each battle may have multiple opponents or allow the player to have an ally character. Despite the designation as “Story” Mode the game is light on story and the story that is there is presented mostly as text. The Tower of Lost Souls mode is a series of battles that get progressively harder as the player ascends the tower. In this mode the player must fight multiple battles against multiple opponents in a row (usually 2 or 3 battles with 2 or 3 opponents each) and the player’s health carries over from one set of battles to the next. This mode allows the player to change his character (or characters since more often than not the player is given two or three characters at a time) after each section. Playing the single player game will allow the player to unlock new characters and find new costume parts for customized characters.
Unless the player is a hardcore completionist the single player experience of Soul Calibur 4 will not last long. At it’s heart Soul Calibur 4 is a multiplayer game and that is where it truly shines. Soul Calibur 4 is at it’s most fun when a group of friends get together for a multiplayer game. The versus mode is divided into a standard and a special mode. Standard mode does not allow for use of optional skills while special mode does. Optional skills are skills that the player equips to a character and they offer abilities like invisibility and protection from being knocked out of the ring. While the game only features one on one battles; each battle is usually short enough to allow new players to switch in without anyone getting too bored. In this generation where fighting game have been hard to come by Soul Calibur 4 will provide a change of pace from the shooters that have been dominating many game nights.
When it comes to the actual fighting Soul Calibur 4 does not disappoint. Each character (with the exception of the bonus anime characters) has a unique fighting style and moveset. The game makes it easy for new players to quickly learn a few moves and execute them in combat but it also has a number of moves that will take time and practice to master. The characters themselves are fairly well balanced though some tend to be “cheaper” than others. Using optional skills can unbalance the game but A new damage system has been put in place where repeated guarding will leave a character open to a “critical finisher” move that will kill them in one blow. The Star Wars characters have the ability to use unique force moves that deplete a force meter. Armor can be destroyed during the battle adding a degree of realism to the game. Ring outs are also more difficult now as many arenas only have one side that is not blocked off by a wall.
The graphics are top notch. Characters and environments are detailed to the point where it’s can be fun just watching as friends fight. The sound effects work with the game but are generally not all that noticeable. The character voices are good but, like in any fighting game, it can get annoying hearing the same one liners before and after battles. The few cutscenes that are in story mode are fully voiced but as I stated before most of the story is presented in a text only form at the beginning and end of the story mode.
In conclusion Soul Calibur 4 is the game that fighting game fans of the genre have been waiting for. It manages to blend simplicity and complexity into a game that players of all skill levels will enjoy. The game looks great and it plays just as good. While the major unlockables such as characters and arenas can be unlocked quickly there is plenty to keep the hardcore completionists playing for a long time. Even after the single player game is done the versus mode will surely be a feature at many game nights. With all of this in mind Soul Calibur 4 recieves.Update Features
Find out what features are included in PS3 system software update 2.43.
An update to the PS3 system software was released on September 17, 2008. If you update your PS3 system, the system software version will be 2.43 and the following features will be updated. In order to download PS3 system software version 2.43, you will need a minimum 135Mb of free space on either the PS3 Hard Disk Drive (System Update) or on removable storage media (PC Update).
Main features in system software update version 2.43
- This update supports the release of rental content on PLAYSTATION Store for the Japan region. Users in the SCEE region do not need to perform this update. However, if you perform the update, it will not harm your system.
Note:
- This system software update includes all features contained in previous versions.
- The new system software will preserve any settings previously made to the PLAYSTATION 3.
- Depending on the software title, you may not be able to play without first updating the PS3 system software.
- Do not perform updates using any data other than the official update data provided by Sony Computer Entertainment over a network or on disc media, and do not perform updates by methods other than those described in the product documentation or in this site. If an update is performed using data from another source, by another method, or with a PS3 system that has been altered or modified in any way, the PS3 system may not operate properly and may not be able to install the official update data. Any of these actions may void the PS3 system warranty and affect your ability to obtain warranty services and repair services from Sony Computer Entertainment.
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