PS3 with Linux as multimedia device!

[Tenacious]

I'm comtemplating an accessory to a new LCD HDTV.  I want to play DVDs, and other DL'ed video formats without restriction.

I know sosmeone with a PS3 loaded with Yellow Dog (Linux), it's impressive!  He can DL video, store it on the HD or USB thumb drive.  It comes with Blue Ray. With a wireless keyboard and mouse, Linux is cool, too. The PS3 occupies only 1 HDMI input and returns so much functionality.

The downside: it won't record disks, my kids will take it over for games (crap!).

Are there any other devices as good as a PS3 for this?

[amigadave]

Don't tell the kids you have it.  :lol:

[Tenacious]

The genie has already escaped the bottle!

[foleyjo]

Tenacious wrote:

The downside: it won't record disks, my kids will take it over for games (crap!).

Could you not add an external USB cd/dvd writer (or use a USB to IDE cable for an internal one) and get some linux cd/dvd writing software to record disks?

Stop the kids playing games by chopping off their hands

[actung_bab]

am not sure this what u meant but my psx3 l have it coonected to my router and l use software on the pc
tversity and l can play most dl avis files like tv programs music mp3s of the pc hard drive streaming them with out having to burn them madelifealot easier for me
l am runnung xp though not linux .

imagine os 4.0 on psx3 that whould be cool.
linux isint my thing to complicated . and yuk to look at.


 :-)

[LawlessPPC]

the ps3 is the best media player i have ever owned. Only downfall at the moment is it wont play MKV's but with the use of TVersity (Freeware) it will stream over the network no probs. Its the only reason i bought a PS3 i dont play games but the girlfriend does. But seriously as a media player it is hard to beat. Linux on it is ok a little slow if you ask me. but if you were gonna install that just for VLC or some other media player software dont bother just use the PS3 on the network.

L8rs
LawlessPPC

[Tenacious]

Thanks for the help.

I'm gathering that TVersity is a PS3 application or runs on a networked PC.  I don't know what MKV's are, a video format?  Am I correct in the belief that Sony is continually updating the firmware and OS?  Are they trying to broaden the use of the PS3 for multimedia to non-gamers like myself?

Even my Linux guru admits that Yellow Dog runs a bit slow on his PS3 due to memory limitations.  He thinks that Xfce might help. He brought over a thumb drive to play a show available only in Britain.  We ran it on an XP computer.  He ran ran it at his house on a big screen with the PS3, very cool.

A dedicated compact Linux box under the TV might be an option, but, it seems clumsy to boot it up just to watch a DVD.

Maybe some DVRs have extra functionality like the PS3.

[alenppc]

It now plays Divx/Xvid movies out-of-the-box so you don't even need to boot linux. Right now I am using the PS3 to play pretty much anything (divx/dvd/blu-ray) with the exception of PAL DVDs I import from the UK. Those are the only ones that don't work...

[foleyjo]

Tenacious wrote:
 He brought over a thumb drive to play a show available only in Britain.  We ran it on an XP computer.  He ran ran it at his house on a big screen with the PS3, very cool.

Im curious what was the show?

[Tenacious]

Torchwood, one of the Doctor Who spinoffs.

[Tenacious]

I got to spend some more time with a PS3 today.  I even got online with it to check this thread.  It seems full featured in it's own right, I like the menuing scheme.

It seems unique in it's abilities.  I'm tending to favor it as the best choice.

[alenppc]

Tenacious wrote:
I got to spend some more time with a PS3 today.  I even got online with it to check this thread.  It seems full featured in it's own right, I like the menuing scheme.

It seems unique in it's abilities.  I'm tending to favor it as the best choice.

Go for it, you'll love it. And don't dismiss games that easily either... Once you've downloaded Super Stardust and Lemmings, it'll feel just like being back with the Amiga. :-)

[Tenacious]

It's funny you mentioned Super Stardust.  I played the demo today, WOW!

I never played the older Amiga game Super Stardust, same concept but better?

[alexh]

An X-BOX1 (not 360) soft-mod to run XBMC + HDTV component cable.

Cost = £30

It is the cheapest, and IMHO the best HTPC you can get.

It's getting a little long in the tooth and yes in 1080i modes it's 733MHz CPU and 64Mbytes of RAM make it a little slow but in 720p it's still excellent.

XBMC is without a doubt the most polished media player available for any platform.

Plus you've got the entire back catalogue of XBOX-1 games to downlo.. erm buy...I mean buy. ;-)

And a whole host of quality Emulators including WinUAE-X

[Tenacious]

Thanks Alexh

I don't remember the XBox-1, but I'll google it and check it out.