You must be kidding. The boot time and stupid drive partitioning options makes it a really horrible option. I was hoping that this would be a good option to replace XBMC on my original Xboxes, but PS3 Linux really is a joke.
Touche ! But I wouldn't call it a joke, more like an unrealized dream
Work on Open Source media center on PS3 is slow. Dual booting process is geeky (needs typing !) although someone sexed it up a little:
http://linux.softpedia.com/get/System/Boot/Petitboot-34400.shtml
You can have your PS3 boot from a DVD to have a custom app environment (MythTV).
Both the PS3 and X360 (w/o MCE extender) are pretty lame and severely limited media center interfaces. If you include a Media center though, the X360 is far superior (but still pales in many areas next to XBMC).
Right now, from either of my HDTV's I push a button on my standard programmable remote to fire up the 360 (can't do that with a PS3).
You need IR2BT to make PS3 compatible with your IR controller. Because it uses Bluetooth instead of USB, you can turn PS3 off/on using any IR remote:
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/2...luetooth-converter-now-on-sale-ps3-owners-re/
It goes immediately into the MCE extender, where I have access to all my music (most is WMA lossless, can't play that on a PS3). I can setup HD recordings for any channel by my cable provider (Cable Card - can't do that with a PS3) on two separate tuners, and/or use two additional OTA tuners for any HD channel out of L.A.. It's got a real nice interface with good WAF, that is completely separated from the games.
For my purposes the PS3 is pretty much useless as a media center, it's a good Blu-Ray player though.
If you live in Europe and may be Korea (?), you'll have PlayTV to play with. It includes dual-tuner and a PS3 DVR software (No PC needed):
http://kotaku.com/gaming/clips/play-tv-on-ps3-explained-292541.php. If you're outside the house, I don't know if RemotePlay will work with PlayTV though. Would be way cool and very useful.
Unfortunately if you live in US, the only option is to go through DLNA
TiVo
===
My friend has a TiVo. So he set up TiVo Desktop and have it access the NAS (like ReadyNAS, TeraStation, ...) for storage. The PS3 can then read the recorded videos from the NAS box via DLNA. You'll need the following software (instead of MCE):
* TiVo Desktop (
http://www.tivo.com/buytivo/tivogear/software/index.html )
You may need to make a registry change to Windows so that TiVo can use the NAS box:
http://www.edn.com/blog/400000040/post/790012279.html
* PS3 Video 9 (
http://www.redkawa.com/videoconverters/ps3video9/ )
To convert .tivo files to PS3 readable ones.
Internet Videos and TVs
===============
Besides Youtube and DLNA links, you can also check out Videora to download recorded videos from the net. It's done by the PS3 Video 9 folks too (Supposed to include interesting UI concepts like "Season Pass" to download series of videos from the net).
If you also have a PSP, use TiVo To Go or PSP Video 9 to copy these recordings to your PSP.
Live TV
=====
Nero MediaHome, Orb and TVersity can serve Live TV stream to PS3. Here's a video demo:
http://ehomeupgrade.vodpod.com/video/793790-ps3-playing-encrypted-live-tv-via-tversity-in-xmb
I don't know how well they work, probably not very well. In my setup, I try to make the entire, basic home network independent of a PC. Then I add a PC/Mac on top to value add. This is because my PCs/Macs come and go (Laptops or assigned to other work). Wife hates to have too many boxes lying around too.
A PlayTV like solution would be best for me (but with options to subscribe to Cable or DirectTV).
Here's a hint. If you actually did try using the 360 and PS3 as a media center, you'd find the 360 for example is far far better at surfing photos than the PS3 is. It does a quick cache before you start viewing them, and as such when you browse them it responds far faster than the PS3 does. Thumbnails on 360 come up instantly, and switching photos is fast. So your blanket comment of PS3 > 360 as a media center comes off as quite comical, although it makes some sense now as it seems like you've never even used a 360 as a media center.
Is photo and slideshow slow in PS3 ? I didn't realize it at all. One of my favorite things to do on PS3 is to leave my slide show running with background music while I work.
I like "Portrait" slide show best since it will pan and zoom into faces automatically instead of boring slide-by-slide (fit-to-screen) view.
"Slide Show 2" is nice too. I can see all the thumbnails parade by and manipulate them at the same time. I only use this to check new batch of pictures.
Nonetheless, I agree that there are still much room for improvement. I'd like to have a video playlist for example. I want to cycle through all my home videos or trailers.
... and a simpler setup procedure, plus more direct user interface *grumble* *grumble* SIXAXIS *mumble* *mumble* PS Eye