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student_trap

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 14, 2005
1,879
0
'Ol Smokey, UK
Hello all,

After much consideration over the last year, I decided that buying a console to go alongside my wii would be a good idea, and set upon deciding to between the two 'serious' (as some like to call them) consoles.

After as while I came to the conclusion that the xbox 360 was the console for me: i significantly preferred the controller (even after coming from a psx and ps2!), And i thought the system just looked 'nicer', with its contoured body etc. I couldn't tell a difference between it and my friends ps3 graphics wise, and it was also fairly cheap! good news all around i thought, untill i tried to use the thing.

I set the thing up...all good, i fired up gta4, again all good (apart from the fuzzy shadows...wtf???), and then tried to turn it off, and it wouldn't.

Every time i turned it off, it came right back on, and after trying everything i could, i eventually just pulled out the power cable. So i take the console back the next day, the guys in the shop test it and recognise the fault and offer a replacement, which I accept, although i am not quite as enamored with the machine as i would have liked by this point!

So console No2 comes home, and when this one is booted up, it has a high pitched noise coming from it as if someone was whistling at you...very weird. So this time i call up the shop, and after much argument they allow me to exchange it for a ps3, which i did.

By comparison, when i got the ps3 home, there have been no problems, and whats more, it is almost silent, i can't hear it at all when playing a game!

For reference, here are the deals i got:

XBOx: 60gig xbox with extra controller, kung fu panda, lego indy, that lost game they bundle with everything, gta4 and charger pack for £195

PS3: 80gig ps3 with resistance , fallout 3, LBP and that lost game + hdmi cable for £295

Its a shame because i really like the idea of the xbox, but after going through 2 in 2 days i really couldn't stomach paying so much for something that is obviously quite inconsistent in its quality control, so paying a bit more for what seems an alround better quality machine was a breath of that proverbial fresh air:)
 
I've always been a Playstation fan, so the Playstation 3 was a no brainer for me. I've had it for 2 months now and I love it. It's so much quieter than the Xbox 360.
 
Having 2 Xboxes (hacked) 2 Wii's, 2 Xbox 360's, PS2 and PS3. They are all great platforms.
They all have their strengths and niches.
Can't say one is better than the other, they all are different in their own ways.
 
^ Yeah likewise I have all the consoles, however not everyone is in that fortunate position and they do have to choose one, not all and then it all comes down to personal preference.

They all have their strengths and there is no right or wrong answer about which is best as it's down to the individual using the machine and what 'they' get out of it.

These threads are all a little moribund really.
 
The PS3 is my first new Sony console(i had a used PS2,which i bought cuz it was cheap,kept it for a little and sold it, and I have a PSP)


PS3 is my favorite Sony system I've had by far. It might not sell as as 360 in the States(right now) but to be honest,I don't really care...I'm looking for games, and LBP is great fun!

I've only got R:FoM,Warhawk and LBG, but its a great console so far, and KZ2 is looking great!
 
I'm also a three console gamer and I do most of my gaming on the PS3 because of the reliability of the machine(plus online is free:) ) although all three of the systems offer a good gaming experience.

The PS3 is a good purchase and the exclusive that are avail now and coming out will heighten your experience...not to mention Blu-Ray and media functions.


Nice bundled game with the PS3 there! (I work for Bethesda).

If you are serious then I must salute you and the team for the recent patch for the PS3 which fixed bugs, added trophies & for some weird reason made the game look better....NOW LETS TALK ABOUT THIS DLC NOT BEING ON THE PS3!! :( ;)




Bless
 
I was going to get a PS3 at UK launch because of the b/c but was living off my student loan so thought I'd wait.

Yea :eek:
 
i like the 360 alot
*better games imo
*better game system imo
*better controller imo*

HOWEVER, ive had 6 rrod on me in the not even 3 years ive had it. Before that, my old xbox died on me after a year as well


So, I gave up and got a ps3
*uber quiet compared to the jet of the 360
*doubles up for a bluray
* games are ok just not the MS exclusives i like but cant wait for GT5
* no issues at all with this machine

so i feel your pain op lol
 
You must get Metal Gear Solid 4 (and the Metal Gear Solid essential collection if you haven't played the prequels), it was one of the reasons I got a PS3 but after completing it it's the SOLE reason the purchase was more than totally worth it!

:)
 
You must get Metal Gear Solid 4 (and the Metal Gear Solid essential collection if you haven't played the prequels), it was one of the reasons I got a PS3 but after completing it it's the SOLE reason the purchase was more than totally worth it!

:)

Thanks for the advice. I already traded in resistance 2 as i figured that ive never been much into the first one, and swapped it for mgs4 which looks absolutely amazing. I haven't played the first ones though, is that going to be a problem?

Also picked up Uncharted, but am a little concerned as there seems to be quite a lot of tearing as i play. my ps3 auto set itself to 1080p, but my tele is actually just 1440x900, so im guessing 720p upscaled? Anywho, the tearing has been worrying me as i dont remember seeing it at all when my friend played through the game on his SD TV earlier this year...anyone else have tearing issues with U:JF?

I also have GTA4 on order and picked up Assassins Creed earlier today, but are there any other 'must haves' that i should look in to?

Thanks
 
Thanks for the advice.
I also have GTA4 on order and picked up Assassins Creed earlier today, but are there any other 'must haves' that i should look in to?

Thanks

Little big planet, is the only one i reccomend since all the games i like aare war and killing games so i cant say what you like but every one LOVES little big planet
 
Thanks for the advice. I already traded in resistance 2 as i figured that ive never been much into the first one, and swapped it for mgs4 which looks absolutely amazing. I haven't played the first ones though, is that going to be a problem?

Not a problem since the game explains the story as you go but you might want to watch the Metal Gear retrospective from Gametrailers before you play it.

If you have the time though, try playing the previous games first, there are a lot of nods in MGS4 that make the game much more enjoyable, still, it's an amazing game on its own right.
 
Not a problem since the game explains the story as you go but you might want to watch the Metal Gear retrospective from Gametrailers before you play it.

If you have the time though, try playing the previous games first, there are a lot of nods in MGS4 that make the game much more enjoyable, still, it's an amazing game on its own right.

thanks for the advice, ill check that out.

Any ideas on the screen tearing though on Uncharted?
 
^I think you should check your TV settings and do make sure your PS3 is set up right. I don't have screen tearing problems with uncharted but I play it at 720p although my TV can do 1080p.

I can't believe you gave up R2...its a really good game(much better than the first IMO)

I would recommend checking out LBP, VC MGS4 and other gems from last year like Ratchet N Clank Future: ToD & Folklore

PSN: Siren Blood Curse, Pixel Junk monsters & Eden, Everyday Shooter, WipEout HD.


Bless
 
^I think you should check your TV settings and do make sure your PS3 is set up right. I don't have screen tearing problems with uncharted but I play it at 720p although my TV can do 1080p.

I can't believe you gave up R2...its a really good game(much better than the first IMO)

I would recommend checking out LBP, VC MGS4 and other gems from last year like Ratchet N Clank Future: ToD & Folklore

PSN: Siren Blood Curse, Pixel Junk monsters & Eden, Everyday Shooter, WipEout HD.


Bless

Ive been playing around with settings for a while now and i cant seem to find a solution to the tearing. the ps3 automatically tries to use 1080p, but even if i drop it down to 720p there is still lots of tearing. Could it be the hdmi cable? i know that it is a pretty cheap one.

Also fyi, the tearing is probably evident in 80% of camera moves...is this normal?
 
^ No that's not normal and must be to do with your TV, and not the PS3, Uncharted or the HDMI cable. Have you googled for issues with your TV (model number) and PS3 ?

I run Uncharted at 1080p on one PS3 and 720p on another, and neither exhibit tearing like that.


Oh and here's my choice of games you should bag. One of those hidden gems of 2008.

PURE : one of the best racers of this year, on the PS3 and in general... and it is being discounted big time here. I've seen it online for the equivalent of $20
 
^ No that's not normal and must be to do with your TV, and not the PS3, Uncharted or the HDMI cable. Have you googled for issues with your TV (model number) and PS3 ?

I run Uncharted at 1080p on one PS3 and 720p on another, and neither exhibit tearing like that.


Oh and here's my choice of games you should bag. One of those hidden gems of 2008.

PURE : one of the best racers of this year, on the PS3 and in general... and it is being discounted big time here. I've seen it online for the equivalent of $20

Thanks for the advice

hmmm, I can't find anything definitive on the web. My tv is the samsung sm932mw model if that helps at all

Is it impossible for this to be the ps3 then? I ask because after two faulty xbox's, my ocnfidence in consoles has dropped significantly.
 
Forgot your in the UK.... :D


http://www.play.com/Games/PlayStation3/4-/5215415/Pure/Product.html

pure for only £16.45


and dark sector.... its not perfect, but for £7.99 how can you go wrong ? That's cheaper than some of the PSN downloadable content....

http://www.play.com/Games/PlayStati....html?searchstring=dark+sector&searchsource=0


_____________

Definitely not sure what's going with the screen tearing. And it's only in Uncharted, and not the other games you say? It is very strange. Have you tried choosing custom resolutions and un-tick 1080p & 1080i ?
 
Thanks for the advice

hmmm, I can't find anything definitive on the web. My tv is the samsung sm932mw model if that helps at all

Is it impossible for this to be the ps3 then? I ask because after two faulty xbox's, my ocnfidence in consoles has dropped significantly.

Does it tear with other games? Check and make sure the HDMI cable is in tightly. It does sound like the TV set is to blame here....have you calibrated lately? whats the response time/Refresh rate on your TV?

I'm just trying out random stuff to remedy your problem....make sure the PS3 settings match what your TV set is capable of.


Bless
 
^ No that's not normal and must be to do with your TV, and not the PS3, Uncharted or the HDMI cable. Have you googled for issues with your TV (model number) and PS3 ?

I run Uncharted at 1080p on one PS3 and 720p on another, and neither exhibit tearing like that.


Oh and here's my choice of games you should bag. One of those hidden gems of 2008.

PURE : one of the best racers of this year, on the PS3 and in general... and it is being discounted big time here. I've seen it online for the equivalent of $20

I liked Pure very much but it doesn't have much depth, I have tons of fun with the game but I can only play for about 30 minutes before getting bored.
 
Does it tear with other games? Check and make sure the HDMI cable is in tightly. It does sound like the TV set is to blame here....have you calibrated lately? whats the response time/Refresh rate on your TV?

I'm just trying out random stuff to remedy your problem....make sure the PS3 settings match what your TV set is capable of.


Bless

It doesn't seem to tear with other games, but mgs4 seeps to drop its frame rate from time to time, which is a little bizarre. I am just about to test gtaa4 so will see how that goes after it finishes installing.

I can't find definitive info on my tv. The samsung website says it is 'HD ready', and I know it is 1440x900, so does that make it 720p then?

Finally, when there is no signal coming from the ps3, the tv has a buzzing noise coming from its speakers, could that be anything?
 
Finally, when there is no signal coming from the ps3, the tv has a buzzing noise coming from its speakers, could that be anything?

That's a HDMI thing. My Philip's Ambilight 42" occasionally does that too with the PS3 so I wouldn't worry about it.

All I can suggest is lock the PS3 at 720p by setting up HDMI via custom settings, and unticking 1080p & 1080i altogether.

This means the PS3 will be in 1 resolution only and will not be changing at any point.

If that still doesn't work. try a new hdmi cable and pray :eek:
 
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