So is it safe to say that a PS3 is the way to go for blue ray player? Or is it REALLY worth the money to go with a Denon DVD-2500.

I also heard and read that for normal DVD's I should use a upconverting DVD player as appose to a Blue ray or X box 360. Is this true? Or will the PS3 or Denon be a good player for all my media.

All of the BD players upconvert DVDs as well. But the quality does vary. I know the PS3 is rated pretty good - not as good as the BEST upconverters, but quite respectable.

I bought the PS3 for one reason.

It's upgradeable. Not many other stand alone players in the same price range have the upgrade capabilities that the PS3 has.

A big downfall is the remote issue. Looks like that is slowly being taken care of but still causes havoc for now.

I've had my 40GB PS3 over a month now and it has been great. I just kick myself for not purchasing it sooner. I was a rather "die hard" HD DVD fan, but have to say that I've smoothly made the transition to Blu and, if anything, I'm actually liking it better due to the PS3's smooth, quick, and reliable operation.

Last night I watched National Treasure: Book of Secrets and upon loading the disc, it warned it might take 2-3 minutes to load due to Java. I didn't time it, but it couldn't have been over 20 or 30 seconds. I've probably watched about 10 Blu-ray movies, including Netflix rentals and I haven't had one problem. Considering the other features of the PS3 (media server, game console, free game demo & movie trailer downloads, movie rentals, Folding at Home, etc.), this is one of the best purchases I've made in awhile. Oh yeah, I love how I'm able to resume most HD movies after stopping them (something I couldn't do with my HD DVD players).

If there is a downside, it is the lack of an IR remote, but I bought a Nyko for $10, plugged in the dongle, learned the codes into my URC remote and it has been working great. I can't turn on the PS3 with my remote, but inserting a movie turns it on anyway. And with the 2.41 upgrade I can now turn off the PS3 without getting up or using the game controller.

Awesome!

The PS3, right now, has the best value for a blu-ray. It's faster in loading time than any other one I have worked with. It now can internally decode lossless audio into PCM. Up-scaling is decent, but really not watching any DVD's anymore. And having the ethernet/wireless capability makes it constantly current. I have yet to work with a better blu-ray player overall. Can really make a home theater into home entertainment. Makes everyone happy.

Yes the only issue is the control of it. But for now, that really isn't a big deal to me. The upside out weighs the downside.

Chad, how are you turning off the ps3 via your universal remote and the nyko? Is it a multi-stepped menu sequence or a single button press that you can or have incorporated into a macro?

There is a option in the system menu now for powering down the system. It is in the user options.

Thank you, as a non-owner can you tell me how that is accomplished via the remote once the option is enabled in the menu?

I don't know of a way to incorporate it into a macro. When using the PS3, I'm usually in the Blu-ray/PS3 activity on my URC 980 anyway, so I separately shut down the PS3 via the PS3 system menu, then power down everything else in the system with a power off macro.

Not ideal, but I deal with it because of all of the other positive attributes of the PS3. The PS3 is my only piece of AV equipment that is non-discrete.

I could look into one of the BT/IR converters, but to me it just isn't worth $50 to $100.

So it sounds like it's a series of menu commands that you are sending via IR. Is this repeatable in nature from anywhere in the system. i.e. can you reliably press the same buttons to get the same result every time no matter where you are in the menu or disc playback?

Forgive me, I'm not sure if you are a consumer or installer. I'm looking at this from a custom installation point of view. Maybe I need to play around with one in more depth. Now just have to convince the wife I need YET ANOTHER TOY!

The power off macro for USB-based remotes is simple. Simply send 8 LEFT, 2 UP and 2 OK and it will turn the PS3 off from wherever on the XMB you are. It's not so simple if you're in a game or a movie.

We could automate that sequence for sure. Being mid-game/movie does pose a problem. There's no repeatable way to get to the XMB from there?

Hi tweeterguy,

I have the IR4PS3, essentially a box about the size of a pack of cigarettes that receives IR signals and applies them to BT emitting circuit board. The circuit board has been removed from a Sony BT OEM remote for the PS3. This assures that it will always work with the PS3 just as the OEM remote will always work.

It is discussed at: [Link: remotecentral.com]

I would observe that the article is slightly out of date and the packaging is nicer and easier then discussed.

Whether in a game or watching a BD or in the XMB it is a one click command to power down the PS3.

Bottom line is that every single button on the OEM remote is now controlled by my Harmony remote. I gave away my USB dongle.

Quoted from the article you linked to:


While this goes a long way towards creating reliable discrete operation under most situations, the PS3 makes it impossible to bulletproof as shutdown involves multiple steps using a menu whose options change, depending on whether a game is being played or not. If the macro is triggered from within a game, or if the console is turned off manually, it can’t work correctly.

Tweet is a CI Salti.... Although good enough for home use, an end user like you or myself, the IR4PS3 (or any other of the current work arounds) just simply isn't a bulletproof solution for CIs. It's all about the service call for these guys.

On a side note... This is honestly the first time I noticed a regular from the Harmony forum venturing outside that clique. Welcome to RC...lol. sooo kidding.

In my post I said, in part, "I would observe that the article is slightly out of date and the packaging is nicer and easier then discussed.

Whether in a game or watching a BD or in the XMB it is a one click command to power down the PS3."

I was correct in both of those statements. In fact, whether watching a movie, in the PS3 Menu, or playing a game, the PS3 turns off when I leave the Harmony Activity or when I Power all down. The article is indeed "old" and mistaken, as I said.

I apologize, but I don't know what a CI is but the IR4PS was a nice improvement over my old USB dongle and the IR4PS3 can be located anywhere in IR "sight" of the remote without regard to position re the pS3 because it makes those communications via BT.

Thanks for the welcome.