A comparison of PS3 and 360 as media players

[patsu]

They are the same spec as whatever they are on blu-ray disc since it's the same files. I don't have any tool to check a files specs, but from what I'm reading on the web it's supposed to be "L4.1" for blu-ray.

Are you playing it over LAN, from your local HDD or from a writeable/recordable Blu-ray or DVD disc ?

EDIT: If you want native support for full-res Blu-ray playback, then you may have to wait for Managed Copy next year.

 

[joker454]

Just use your Avivo, PureVideo or some good codec software with a decent dual-core. Pair up with an X-Fi Gamer (60$) or better and you have the best audiovisual IQ, I kid you not. And play any movie you want.

I'm definitely good to go in the TV room. It's a quad core PC in the closet with Windows 7, an ATI 4850 hdmi, and I use TMT3 for playback. TMT3 uses the video card for hardware acceleration on video playback, so I get < 5% cpu use when playing back blu-rays off my raid drive. PC is hooked via hdmi to the a/v receiver, and quality is amazing. I did an a/b comparison to the PS3 and they looked both equally good do me, with the PC being far faster to start up and play a movie. TMT3 decodes dolby true hd and dts hdma as well so I'm good on the audio front. Strictly speaking, the 24bit/48khz hd audio on blu-ray movies get downsampled to 16bit/48khz before being sent over hdmi, but I did an a/b comparison on that with my PS3 and I can't hear the difference, so it's not an issue for my ears. Basically, my home theater PC works fast and flawless, I'm extremely happy with it. The c200 won't replace it, I'm looking at it for the bedroom.

Are you playing it over LAN, from your local HDD or from a writeable/recordable Blu-ray or DVD disc ?

Over wired gigabit lan. The raid unit is a 6tb gigabit unit that can serve video at around 140mb/sec, so it's more than fast enough to handle blu-rays. I had tried some of those m2ts files locally on the PS3's hdd a few month back and they exhibited similar problems, so I don't think it's a lan issue.

 

[patsu]

Over wired gigabit lan. The raid unit is a 6tb gigabit unit that can serve video at around 140mb/sec, so it's more than fast enough to handle blu-rays. I had tried some of those m2ts files locally on the PS3's hdd a few month back and they exhibited similar problems, so I don't think it's a lan issue.

Ok, PS3 (or any Blu-ray player) no longer supports recordable DVD/BD BDMV movie playback. Just in case you're trying that.

As for HDD and streaming, you can check grandmaster's thread here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1055136

He talked briefly about the XMB VC-1 and H.264 performance on PS3 (trying to hit 1080p 60fps), and their differences from the full Blu-ray stack.

It looks like if you want a full-res Blu-ray playback, you may have to evaluate Managed Copy when it comes out on PS3. The full Java + Blu-ray spec'ed decoders and DRM stack should be available there.

 

[joker454]

It looks like if you want a full-res Blu-ray playback, you may have to evaluate Managed Copy when it comes out on PS3. The full Java + Blu-ray spec'ed decoders and DRM stack should be available there.

I think managed copy only copies a version to the local machines hdd, or to a drm 'compatible' device. I suspect it won't work with my raid unit, and given that I currently have about ~1.8tb of blu-rays means it won't fit many movies in raw form on the PS3's internal hdd.

I saw a video of it and it suggested managed copy does transcoding, which makes me wonder if it's re-compressing the video. The other creepy thing about managed copy in the video I saw is that it looked like there might be a fee for doing it. The studios couldn't be that mad to charge a fee, but who knows, they have done stranger things

 

[patsu]

It's probably the Pioneer demo. I believe it's only one of the use cases. We'll have to see what the studios offered in the end.

For what Managed Copy should do:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Access_Content_System

Managed Copy

Managed Copy refers to a system by which consumers can make legal copies of films and other digital content protected by AACS. This requires the device to obtain authorization by contacting a remote server on the Internet. The copies will still be protected by DRM, so infinite copying is not possible (unless it is explicitly allowed by the content owner). It is mandatory for content providers to give the consumer this flexibility in both the HD DVD and the Blu-ray standards (commonly called Mandatory Managed Copy). The Blu-ray standards adopted Mandatory Managed Copy later than HD DVD, after HP requested it.

Possible scenarios for Managed Copy include (but are not limited to):
Create an exact duplicate onto a recordable disc for backup
Create a full-resolution copy for storage on a media server
Create a scaled-down version for watching on a portable device
This feature was not included in the interim standard, so the first devices on the market did not have this capability. It is expected to be a part of the final AACS specification.

 

[BoardBonobo]

Ever since upgrading to the slim and FW3.1 I've had problem with streaming from my NAS drive. I get about two minutes into any film and it jut stops playing with a couple of DNLA error messages.

The fat didn't do that. Has anybody got any clues. The router and NAS are the same setup. The NAS is a Buffalo 1Tb jobby with a built in mediaserver. Through a D-Link router.

 

[patsu]

Same recommendation: Try PS3 Media Server and check the debug.log. If it's having problem too, the extensive messages may tell you what's wrong.

I searched the net briefly and didn't find many (any) reports on specific Slim + DLNA problem.

 

[DeanA]

I searched the net briefly and didn't find many (any) reports on specific Slim + DLNA problem.

I've not had any DLNA problems since I got a new slim. Currently connecting to my desktop (Windows 7 + PS3 Media Server 1.11.356, over 802.11n), and a 1TB Buffalo Linkstation Mini (wired, through a Netgear WNR3500) without any disconnects or other oddities.

I'm pretty sure the media playing functionality (and game playing functionality, actually) has little-to-nothing in the way of special code for specific PS3 revisions, so the tendency to attribute 'weird behaviour' (stream disconnects, games crashing) to a particular model can often be a case of clutching at straws.

I love my PS3 for media playback, but (on a personal level) I wish SCE would allow for the upscaling libraries used on DVD playback (and in PlayTV) to be used on streamed video.. and maybe streamed videos at 24Hz to playback in a 24p video mode (if the video device supports it).

Dean

 

[Crono]

If someone noticed (or even if you haven't) there have been some additions in the 'Video Settings' since the new firmware 3.0 - HDD Audio Language and HDD Subtitle Language. The feature has been described like the following:

Video settings adds HDD audio language and HDD subtitle language options. Using these, you view videos using language tracks and subtitles from your hard disk. Some content does not allow for these settings to be used.

Seeing this when I did I was excited that I'd be able to use the function of soft subtitles playing off my external HDD however it's become apparent that this feature has not been supported after all. I thought that maybe it should be interpreted as saying that we can now have subtitles in files where the subtitle stream is merged in the same container as the video; but as far as I know this was already supported long before 3.0. Does anyone know what this feature is actually for?

The more important query I have - can someone please tell me if there is any method of getting subtitles to display on files played off an external HDD (or on the PS3's HDD)? Could someone also outline what options are available for subtitled viewing?

[I don't want to stream, and even when I would stream on occasion it's not yet possible to do so through TsMuxer so I'd prefer that this option be omitted.]

Thanks in advance.

 

[patsu]

I always thought the subtitle option only works for Divx files. DeanA, do you know ?

e.g., http://boardsus.playstation.com/pla...e?board.id=ps3media&message.id=123246#M123246

Try software freeware AVIAddXSub http://www.calcitapp.com/AVIAddXSubs.php
You can add up to 8 subtitles to any Divx file without re-econding the video, you just need ~2 minutes per .AVI

From PS3, choose subtitle options from the "triangle", works like DVD subtitle behavior.
Also works on regular DVD player capable to play Divx files (like Sony)
This is the best alternative I found

My main gripe is:
* Cannot mount remote file system to play media. It can be more effective than DLNA streaming because the latter is HTTP based.

DeanA, I thought HDD videos on PS3 are upscaled too, just not as great as the DVD upscaling. This is an area where a standalone playback device will have no conflict to go all the way.

 

[(((interference)))]

Question:

I have my PS3 set to output Full RGB, I have my Bravia set to Full RGB too.

And while this should be fine for games which use Full RGB, should I be changing settings on my PS3 and TV back to Limited when watching DVDs and Blurays, which aren't authored using Full RGB (which means the blacks should appear lighter if Full RGB is on)

Or does the PS3/TV recognise such inputs and toggle between Full and Limited depending on source?

 

[DeanA]

Hey patsu,

I always thought the subtitle option only works for Divx files. DeanA, do you know ?

I believe that's right. I don't have much (any) subtitled media around currently, so I'm not sure whether PS3 Media Server is able to mux in SRT contents while sending the stream to PS3, or whether it re-encodes with the SRT data 'burnt in'. When I last needed to view a DivX file with subs, I used AVIAddXSUB as in your link.

DeanA, I thought HDD videos on PS3 are upscaled too, just not as great as the DVD upscaling. This is an area where a standalone playback device will have no conflict to go all the way.

Yup.. I believe 2.4x added upscaling on videos played back from HDD - unfortunately, I don't think this includes streamed via DLNA at the present time.

Dean

 

[whome0]

I have my PS3 set to output Full RGB, I have my Bravia set to Full RGB too.

And while this should be fine for games which use Full RGB, should I be changing settings on my PS3 and TV back to Limited when watching DVDs and Blurays, which aren't authored using Full RGB (which means the blacks should appear lighter if Full RGB is on)

Or does the PS3/TV recognise such inputs and toggle between Full and Limited depending on source?

To my understanding it goes like this. Some of the ps3 option names are misleading.
SuperWhite
on = "studio colors", most lcds can/should use this setting.
off = cuts off btb (blackier-than-black) and wtw (whiter-than-white) colors

RGBFull/Limited
full = PC color range 0-255. This is meant to be used for PC lcd monitors. Usually should not be used for lcd tvs they are calibrated to another color range.
limited = TV color range 16-239. Usually best option for tvs and projectors. Devices are built and calibrated to use this color range.

Bluray/dvd movies are mastered to tv color range so limited option does not hide any details. You get what director's wanted you to see. Modern lcd tvs support rgbfull but its basicly PC use.

Bluray movies use YCC(ycbrc) color schema, so best to use ycc output format for movies. If you used rgb format then ps3 would need to convert ycc to rgb.

Use this Calibration DVD .iso to adjust image setings.

 

[(((interference)))]

Any audiophiles out there want to explain this to me:

I recently that my PS3's output frequency has been set to 48 kHz (under the XMB's Music Settings menu). Should I change it to 44.1/88.2/176.4 kHz option?

I play mostly mp3's stored on my hdd and CDs. I know the sampling rate of mp3s is 44.1 kHz so if it's set to output 48 kHz will there be any impact on sound quality?

I don't know what the sampling rate for CDs are, suspect their 48 kHz though, if so do I have to change settings depending on music source ?

 

[Brad Grenz]

CDs are 44.1 kHz as well. You should keep your PS3 frequency set to the highest mode your audio setup can handle.

 

[(((interference)))]

CDs are 44.1 kHz as well. You should keep your PS3 frequency set to the highest mode your audio setup can handle.

Thanks, my set can accept 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz.
Should I have it set to 48 kHz then? Despite the source audio only being 44.1 kHz?

 

[Brad Grenz]

Yeah, there's nothing to fear from a 44.1 to 48 kHz upconversion. And you'll be getting higher quality audio from blu-ray or games, etc, so you might as well get the highest fidelity there possible.

 

[Arwin]

Any audiophiles out there want to explain this to me:

I recently that my PS3's output frequency has been set to 48 kHz (under the XMB's Music Settings menu). Should I change it to 44.1/88.2/176.4 kHz option?

I play mostly mp3's stored on my hdd and CDs. I know the sampling rate of mp3s is 44.1 kHz so if it's set to output 48 kHz will there be any impact on sound quality?

I don't know what the sampling rate for CDs are, suspect their 48 kHz though, if so do I have to change settings depending on music source ?

CDs have a sampling rate of 44,1 kHz. More importantly, however the 44.1/88.2/176.4 option does some really impressive upscaling (it also upscales from 2.0 to 5.1 in the process).
On the other hand, if you want to listen to XMB music at the same time as browsing with the PS3's browser, then you need the 48kHz option, as the 44.1/88/2/176.4 upscaling mode currently does not support multitasking in the XMB.

If you use 48kHz for 44,1kHz CDs or MP3s, then some upscaling happens as well. The PS3 does it very well, but also switches between various modes automatically for games, movies and MP3s/CDs. This high-quality 44.1 mode is specifically for playback of CDs and MP3s and does not affect any other audio playback. For movies and games, the PS3 will select the best possible match from the list of supported audio settings (like 5.1 48kHz, or 7.1 172kHz, etc.), and this setting has nothing to do with that.

So best quality setting (for CDs and MP3s, not relevant to movies and games which use different settings) the 44.1 mode is best. If you want to listen to music while browsing on your PS3 however, 48kHz is currently the only option.

 

[(((interference)))]

Thanks Arwin, I've noticed that the 44.1 kHz option doesn't allow me to browse the OS. But the sound quality is noticeably better ( fuller with deeper bass) compared to the 48 kHz option.

I always thought mp3's sounded a bit dull on my set compared to headphones, but changing the setting to 44.1 kHz seems to have rectified it.

 

[AntShaw]

Can someone tell me exactly what PS3 is doing when it's audio "upscaling"? This has perplexed me since I read. All I tend to notice is a db increase.