PS3 Basic questions

[plaidhippo]

Hi all,
I posted these questions to Sony's web site and also looked for answers there, but had no success. If anyone could just answer these questions, I would be much obliged! Not trying to start a flame war, I just want to know these simple answers!

Thanks,
Ashish

1. Is there any difference between the 80gb model and 160gb model other than hard drive space?
2. Is there an actual internet browser (like Firefox or Opera) for the PS3, or can I only connect to Sony specific sites (like xbox live)?
3. Are there any models of the PS3 which are still for sale and are backwards compatible with PS2?

[dukebound85]

Hi all,
I posted these questions to Sony's web site and also looked for answers there, but had no success. If anyone could just answer these questions, I would be much obliged! Not trying to start a flame war, I just want to know these simple answers!

Thanks,
Ashish

1. Is there any difference between the 80gb model and 160gb model other than hard drive space?
2. Is there an actual internet browser (like Firefox or Opera) for the PS3, or can I only connect to Sony specific sites (like xbox live)?
3. Are there any models of the PS3 which are still for sale and are backwards compatible with PS2?

1) i believe it is just capacity but you do get a game whereas the 80 gig one you dont

2)yes there is a browser and can access the whole internet

3) all the new models are no longer backwards compaitble

[themoonisdown09]

3. Are there any models of the PS3 which are still for sale and are backwards compatible with PS2?

Here's some for sale on amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-Metal-Gear-Solid-Pack-3/dp/B0014WJ78E/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1227300570&sr=8-14). They are pretty expensive because they are not made anymore.

[JLatte]

3) all the new models are no longer backwards compaitble

Wait, so if I walk into gamestop and buy the newest PS3, I can't play a PS2 game on it? Sorry I didn't know this, I was just planning on getting one in the next few months and wanted to play some Final Fantasy games on it.

[themoonisdown09]

Wait, so if I walk into gamestop and buy the newest PS3, I can't play a PS2 game on it? Sorry I didn't know this, I was just planning on getting one in the next few months and wanted to play some Final Fantasy games on it.

Correct. You better keep your PS2... I did.

[dukebound85]

Wait, so if I walk into gamestop and buy the newest PS3, I can't play a PS2 game on it? Sorry I didn't know this, I was just planning on getting one in the next few months and wanted to play some Final Fantasy games on it.

i want to say guaranteed backwards compatibility is gone as they no longer have the physical ps2 hardware included. however, it may be the case that any ps2 compatibility is gone

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/tabulator-comparing-the-playstation-3-skus/
http://bombmatt.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/playstation-3-backwards-compatibility-demystified/

[JLatte]

Correct. You better keep your PS2... I did.

That's a bummer because I don't even have a PS2 lol. I wanted to buy a PS2 and play all the older FF games and then get a few new ones for the PS3. I guess I could just pick up a cheap used PS2 as well.

[themoonisdown09]

That's a bummer because I don't even have a PS2 lol. I wanted to buy a PS2 and play all the older FF games and then get a few new ones for the PS3. I guess I could just pick up a cheap used PS2 as well.

I think the main reason why they got rid of the backwards compatibility was because it made the PS3 more expensive, and they are still making PS2 games so they are still selling PS2s.

[plaidhippo]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses guys! :)

As for the 80gb/160gb, do owners of the console find themselves actually using the hard drive space? Or is it easy to just stream from a drive connected to my airport extreme? Can any owners justify choosing one over the other? I find my 20gb xbox hd is always full of demos, do users usually fill their 80gb?

Is the internet browser any good? Is it legible given various resolutions many web sites use? I found the Wii browser actually works really well, just curioius how good/bad this one may be. Also, is it kept up to date with plugins like flash and the like that many sites use?

I actually posted my initial questions from the start of this thread to Sony's support site and only got the backwards compatability question answered (pretty useless "support"!!), and that was after 4 days!!

Hi,

Thank you for writing us.

We apologize, SCEA does not sell the Playstation(R) computer entertainment system directly to our consumers.

We do NOT offer any trade-in policy to allow trading for any Playstation(R) products.

You could check with retailers, locally and on-line, for any stock remaining that has the backwards compatibility features.

There is not any now, nor will there ever be, any updates that will provide this feature of backwards compatibility with Playstation(R) 2 computer entertainment system games for any PS3 that does not already support backwards compatibility with PS2 format software titles.

[sikkinixx]

the web browser is okay in a pinch. I think they just updated it a bit back with a better flash player (?)

And if you just wanna play FF's, I am 99% sure that the new models can player PSone games no problem. So you couldn't play FFX/X-2/XII but you could play 1 though 9, plus FFT.

[dukebound85]

keep in mind that unlike the 360, you can upgrade your hd with any 2.5 sata drive.

[MacRumorUser]

^ True and like many I've already done that.

How much drive space do you need ? Well it depends on how many games you have. I own 25+ and the majority install stuff to the HDD. There is no chance I would have been able to get away with the poxy 40/60GB HDD's that came with my PS3's.

[2nyRiggz]

You can always delete the save data if you are not playing the game anymore so it shouldn't be a problem....but I recommend updating your HDD so you don't have to go through the hassle.



Bless

[Mr. lax]

Correct. You better keep your PS2... I did.

Wrong. The 60Gb PS3 (discontinued) had hardware support for the games. The newer PS3's have only software support, so instead of running it natively the PS3 would run the games in a software emulation. The games still work, but there may be slight (extremely slight) issues while playing.

Edit: Ooh, i lied. The last generation 80Gb was software. Not anymore

[jaw04005]

Wrong. The 60Gb PS3 (discontinued) had hardware support for the games. The newer PS3's have only software support, so instead of running it natively the PS3 would run the games in a software emulation. The games still work, but there may be slight (extremely slight) issues while playing.

Edit: Ooh, i lied. The last generation 80Gb was software. Not anymore

Yup. Sony went from offering PS3's with full backward compatibility to software only backward compatibility to no backward compatibility.

I love my 60GB PS3 (that's now at 250GB).

[MacRumorUser]

I love my 60GB PS3 (that's now at 250GB).

Show off... mines only 160 :(

[dukebound85]

also op, if you didnt know, you can turn the ps3 into a linux box and use a keyboard and mouse and pretty much have a computer if you wanted

http://us.fixstars.com/support/hardware/ for yellow dog
as a question where is the download link. couldnt seem to find it


heres ubuntu
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PlayStation_3#Download%20Distribution

for my own curiosity, what is the best distro for the ps3?

[Mr. lax]

I love my 60GB PS3 (that's now at 250GB).

Me too, minus about 190GB

[spyker3292]

I love my 80gb (still 80gb) I got last year, back when they still made backwards compatible ones :).

[MacRumorUser]

for my own curiosity, what is the best distro for the ps3?

I've used both of those and tbh they are both a bit of a fail. Seriously my intel atom based msi wind outperforms the PS3 as a computer.....

[evan g]

Man, I'm still using a 40GB.... I forgot how to make it bigger...

[Airforc]

the original ps3 1g 20gb and 1g 60 gb along with 2g 80gb play ps2 games but newer ones wont when the ps2 retires in 2010 the ps3 will become backwards compatible also rumor going around that ps3s(playstation 3 slimline) reported to come out december 08 will b backwards compatible with a 60 gb hard drive

P.S. 360 sucks
P.S.S. i am a home beta tester believe me when i say it will blow your minds please buy a ps3 they are the top game systems on the market for compatibility also ps3 will last till 2015 unlike 360

-AirforcProductions

[MacRumorUser]

when the ps2 retires in 2010 the ps3 will become backwards compatible

LOL!! Yeah right!!! Because suddenly a magic fairy waves her wand and the world is a much bigger and brighter place...

also rumor going around that ps3s(playstation 3 slimline) reported to come out december 08 will b backwards compatible with a 60 gb hard drive

HA HA HA!! Joker!!! Yeah Sony are cutting 8000 jobs world wide, putting up all their prices in January worldwide and in the interim; your expecting them to release a slim PS3 this month? HA HA HA!!!


Sony is still believed to be incurring a loss on every PlayStation 3 that it sells, and financial expert Katsuhiko Mori told BBC that although "the number sounds big, this staff reduction won't be enough. Sony doesn't have any core businesses that generate stable profits - the next thing we want to see is what is going to be the business that will drive the company."

But i'm sure your right.. Yes a Slim PS3 in time for christmas.


P.S. 360 sucks
P.S.S. i am a home beta tester believe me when i say it will blow your minds please buy a ps3 they are the top game systems on the market for compatibility also ps3 will last till 2015 unlike 360

-AirforcProductions

You just lost any credibility right there... oh wait did you have any credibility?

Your not that special... You see a lot of us here have the pleasure of playing HOME BETA and if anything ... it is that which clearly 'sucks', especially in its current form.



Let me make this clear, I love my PS3's... For yes I have two of them, which makes me clearly twice as special as you ;). However your post is nothing but pure nonsense.

[drichards]

You been hittin the sauce this morning MRU? :p

I'm still disappointed they took away PS2 compatibility, but hey, it wasn't exactly the best looking picture that stuff was outputting anyway. Glad I still have a fat PS2... and a 360... not really missin a wii tho.

[MacRumorUser]

You been hittin the sauce this morning MRU? :p

LOL :p Or maybe too much sauce from the night before ;)
My nonsense tolerance levels are on a low this morning....


not really missin a wii tho.
You should be careful about missing a wii.... one too many and your peepee might explode with all the pressure :D

[whooleytoo]

How do you know which 'generation' your PS3 is? I bought a 40GB model a few weeks ago (would have gone for larger, but it was the only one in store and I was in need of a gaming fix).

Would like to play some PS2 games, gave my old console away some time ago to get rid of clutter.

[2nyRiggz]

There should be a manufacturing date on the PS3 or in the manual. I don't think any 40Gig models are BC...sorry man you'll have to re-purchase the PS2.

If you are unsure of what I say then just stick the PS2 disc in there and see if it reads it.



Bless

[drichards]

You can get a fat PS2 for like $35, your newer 40GB model is strongly unlikely to play PS2 games. The wiki compatibility chart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3#Retail_configurations) says you're screwed on that front. Alot of PS2 games looked crappy in the PS3 though, and if you want to be killing dudes in God of War or grinding rails in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 Looks Just Like The One We Put Out Last Year, Thanks For The Money Noobs Edition, that fat PS2 is where its at. Or the skinny one, but I've never heard great things about that one...

[whooleytoo]

Aw, pity. Thanks for the info guys!

I think I'll give the PS2 games a miss so - I've already had to remove the Wii as I'm running out of space (and patience) behind/under my TV, so I don't think sticking another box in there is worth it.

[drichards]

Aw, pity. Thanks for the info guys!

I think I'll give the PS2 games a miss so - I've already had to remove the Wii as I'm running out of space (and patience) behind/under my TV, so I don't think sticking another box in there is worth it.

There's spider cables that let you hook wii, 360, and ps2/ps3 all up to one component input, and they don't suck anymore. They're about $14 at gamertown.