[GUIDE] Everything you need to know about the PS3

[Sarath]

Playstation 3

Do you want to buy a playstation 3, recently bought one or just want to know what more can you do with your PS3, then read on

• This thread deals exclusively with PS3™ only. In case you are looking for a comparison of different consoles, then click on this link > http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/game...ing-guide.html

• This thread will give you a run down on all the tiny aspects of console gaming pertaining to PS3™

In short, you will find here the startup cost of the console, wiring, setting up the console, games (new & old), running costs for one year, how to protect your PS3, about PSN, about peripherals, about warranty claims etc (will add some more when I get more ideas)
[to put it simply I want to put down all that I have learnt over a year with my PS3 and the many things I was unaware of before I purchased the console, both good and bad in anticipation that it will help you.





INDEX

Basics

PART 1 - PURCHASING THE CONSOLE
PART 2 - SETTING UP THE CONSOLE
PART 3 - BUYING GAMES
PART 4 - PERIPHERALS AND ACCESSORIES

Advanced

PART 5 - VIDEO SETUP
PART 6 - AUDIO SETUP (Speakers)
PART 7 - AUDIO SETUP (Headphones)
PART 8 - ACCESSORIES -ADVANCED
PART 9 - PSN & MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS (pending onwards)
PART 10 - CWF / CUSTOM FIRMWARE
PART 11 - WARRANTY & SERVICING

PART 12 - PS3 MEDIA SERVER - How to stream videos and music to PS3 from PC?
PART 13
PART 14
PART 15
PART 16

Under work:
- Converting Videos for PS3
Swapping HDDs
PS3 streaming
*- Swapping 'HDD
Folding@Home

PART 1
PURCHASING THE CONSOLE

1. What is a PS3?
You already know that. (I hope)

2. Where to buy a PS3?
Now, since you have decided to buy a PS3 and are not reviewing your decision, you are stepping into the best bargains on the console.

1. Sony Centre -Naturally the choice of many buyers
2. Online stores like Flipkart, Letsbuy, eBay to name a few - not too different from purchasing locally and sometimes cheaper too, with goodies like interest free EMI and Cash on Delivery option

Price keeps on changing. Eg: PS3 160GB now is 17k as on 17/1/12

3. Are the contents undamaged and all accessories included?
If locally purchased then, you can open the box and get the warranty card stamped although the bill also works fine and there is no actual need to open the box.
If bought online, always check as soon as your receive them from the courier and notify the online website asap in case of any discrepancies. Here again the warranty card is not stamped but again bill is enough for claims.

4. Are there any bundled games?
If yes then then it's a good deal. Normally at least one game is bundled

Now that we have purchased the console lets move to Part 2: Setup, where we set up and run the console




If you want to make any contributions then please feel free to drop in your suggestions in my profile as "Visitor message" (PM is full) here > Digit Technology Discussion Forum

[Sarath]

PART 2
SETTING UP THE CONSOLE

You will quickly notice you need two things now, which either you already have (good) or you don't (bad). They are a HDTV and a HDMI cable.
Although a PS3 can be used on a SDTV/CRT using the AV cable, the quality of games will be drastically inferior due to poor display and poor cable. It is ironical however that the PS3 comes with a AV cable and not a HDMI cable

Next step:

~ Buy a HDTV : A full function HDTV with 720p or 1080p (recommended). My "personal" opinion would be to get a 32" or more

~ Buy a HDMI cable : A locally sourced one would do, sells for ~Rs.200. Ofcource you can buy a branded one ~500 -1500. Your choice.

Once you have everything, you will need to connect and finish the cable work. Here is a look at the back panel and a quick run down of what you can do with each (and what you HAVE to do with each)



Ethernet: (Optional) You can connect a ethernet wire (RJ45 or LAN wire) here for Internet connectivity
HDMI out: *IMP* Connect your HDMI cable to this port and the other end to your TV or Monitor
Optical out: (Optional) Audio out port. You can use a toshlink cable to connect an 5.1HT system or some of the headsets like Tritton AX Pro etc to this port. *still researching*
AV Multi out: You can use the composite cable to connect to the TV. Does not carry HD signal so the video will be 480p
AC in: Connect the cable to the power socket. Check the adapter rating. It will most likely always be 110-230v (For people getting it from US, this is a mandatory check or you risk frying your console)

So in short you will in most likely scenario have connected the HDMI cable and the powercable and are good to go.

Extra point:
A UPS of 600VA rating is recommended to protect your PS3 from poweroutages

Various audio setups will be dealt with later
Various video setups and options will be dealt with later 3D etc

Next step:

1. Switch on the PS3. Select the appropriate HDMI slot on the TV screen to see PS3 output. (like the AV1,2,3 of the olden days). Also switch on the controller by pressing the centre PS button. It should be paired with your PS3 now.
~THE PS3 CAN ALSO BE TURNED ON BY PRESSING THE PS BUTTON ON THE DUALSHOCK CONTROLLER ONCE IT IS PAIRED
~IF YOU HAVE A "BRAVIA" TV, YOU CAN USE THE REMOTE TO SWITCH ON THE PS3 AND ALSO TO CONTROL THE X MEDIA BAR

2. Create an Account:
You need to create an account on your PS3 after startup. You can create multiple account, so many users can play on one console and have different PSN accounts and game saved data.

If you have connected to the internet (Setup Wi-Fi- see manual) then you can create a PSN account.
Once you have logged into PSN you will 99% of the time need to update your system firmware. (It's painful so be patient) Do not switch off your PS3 while this update is being downloaded or installed.

3. Insert a game disc (PS3 Blu-Ray disc)
Once again you might need a game update or patch to run the game which is mandatory. Occurrence 90% of the time. This happens often and sometime every week or month for the same game. If you are not connected to the internet this patch many not show up, for obvious reasons.

4. To turn off the PS3 you can do one of the two: (A) Long press the centre "PS" button of the DS controller and select "turn off console" or (B) If you are in the X-mediabar then go to the left most option on the screen and then select the first option by scrolling up which is "turn off the console" again.

5. Charge the controller: Connect the bundled USB to mini USB cable to the PS3 (front USB port) and the mini USB to the controller. The four LEDs on the controller will start flashing and will cease to do so when the charging is complete.
Charging happens only when the PS3 is turned on.
However you can play with the controller while charging.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The cable USB-mini USB is a standard universal cable. In case you need a replacement or another one then you can buy it from any local computer shop. The ones sold by sony are the same, just overpriced. I personally use the cable I got with my portable Hard disk

You have now successfully embarked on the PS wagon


More about Docks later

[Sarath]

PART 3
BUYING GAMES

The third part deals separately with games as it is the most expensive component of your gaming experience in the (not so) long run. A quick break up of the various games etc, their prices and other details.

Games are expensive, very expensive.

1. What games can I buy for PS3?

PS3 has many exclusives and here is a list of all available PS3 games > All PlayStation 3 Games - Complete List of PS3 Games at IGN and All PlayStation 3 Games, List of All PlayStation 3 Games - GameSpot.com Links to IGN and Gamestop whose rating are highly respected in the gaming community.
Personally I would recommend you start with the God of War Collection (1 & 2) and God of War 3. Many other games can be mentioned but the list would go on and on.

♦ ♦ ♦

2. How are the PS3 games priced?

Now you have come to an area that might hurt. The games don't come cheap and soon outpace the cost of your console. You will see the following trend in PS3 games: (as on 17.1.2012)
Rs.2500 to Rs.3500 - All new games / Pre-orders start at this price point. They stay that way for another 6 months or so. Eg: MW3, BF3, NFS The Run, Skyrim
Rs.1500 to Rs.2500 - Games that are a year old, show a dip in their price. Most or all of the platinum games are 1.5k with the rest scatted in between Eg: LA Noire, NFS HP
Rs.1000 to Rs.1500 - Some really old or very famous games (which have already sold a lot) are priced here; Eg: Assassins Creed 1 & 2, God of War, GT5
> Rs.1000 - Luckily some games can be bought for less than a thousand bucks but that list is small; Eg: Mirror,s edge, Bioshock 2

Games can also be bought on PSN or PS Store. You get a digital copy which is paid by Credit Card and gets downloaded to your Hard disk. The price keeps varying and is priced similar to hard copies most of the time with discounts seen intermittently. Games bought through PSN can be shared between 2 accounts or to be precise between two consoles. This number was 5 earlier but Sony revised it to just 2.
Luckily a lot of games can be bought for around 1.5k now since the PS3 has been in the market for quite some time. Also used games have a huge pool now, more of which is given below.

USED GAMES:
Since new games cost a bomb and are out of reach of a lot of people it is a wise idea to buy them used and thus making considerable savings. Used games cost almost half as much as retail price under good bargaining.

♦ ♦ ♦

3. Where to buy used games?
The biggest pool of used games is on IVG forums. Apart from that can also be found on Think Digit, Techenclave, Erodov and Consoul to name a few. (no links, google it) They can be found in the market section of the respective forum where other members sell their games. You can also sell your games in the same section. This buying a game, playing it and selling it is a wise way to go about.

CAUTION: Since people selling the "used" games are normal people like you and me, there can be a lot of cheating and scams where people take your money and go dark or do not send you the game or send you damaged goods etc. So always deal with someone who has formidable reputation "only". Most of them have a feedback mechanism. Check for such sellers feedback and avoid people with bad feedbacks and sellers with no feedback at all.

Spoiler:

Current prices for used game: (examples):
GoW - 700-800
RDR - 700-800
AC2 - 600-700
UC1 - 600
UC2 - 700
GTA4 - 600-700
GT5 - 800

Newer games:
UC3 - 1500-2000
BF3 - 1800 -2200
MW3 - 1800 -2500
AC Revelations - 1500 -2000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The PS3 can be modded with custom firmware if it comes with a base firmware of 3.55. This allows it to run DRM free games which can be installed directly on to the Hard disk. You may try to convince yourself or others all you want otherwise but this is, in simple words, "piracy" of the games.

This guide will not deal with how to mod your PS3 and how to go about getting pirated games as I have no idea and have no intentions to mod my PS3 either.

If you find the games too expensive then you can always buy used games and sell them. This will reduce the costs considerably.

End of Part 3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Sarath]

PART 4
PERIPHERALS AND ACCESSORIES

1. What are the accessories I have to essentially buy after purchasing a PS3?
A: A HDMI cable is not bundled with the PS3. This is the only essential buy I can think of, but that depends on your personal description of "essential".

2. Then what other accessories can I buy to enhance my gaming experience?
A: If you do not have a Move bundled PS3 then you can try/demo it and see if you like it. You might want an extra controller to play local multiplayer games like tekkan etc. For more accessories see below and a detailed list of all accessories see post #8

♦ BASIC ♦

1. PlayStation® Move Starter Pack
2. DS3 Controller
3. HDMI cable
4. Wireless Headset
5. PlayStation®Move navigation controller
|

The list of peripherals is quite big. There are two; Sony peripherals and Official third party PlayStation peripherals. Below is a list of the basic accessories you might need or want after your PS3 purchase.

1. PlayStation® Move Starter Pack:

Spoiler:

The Move pack, contain three items;
PlayStation® Move motion controller (wireless) (pictured above)
PlayStation® Eye camera (pictured above)
PlayStation® Move game demos disc (no pic)

Move is for motion gaming. It's like a Nintendo Wii add on to your PS3. It can be bought as a bundle with the PS3 or can be bought separately in case you have an older or non-bundled PS3.

List of games that utilise Move, either exclusively or as an option:
UPDATED: PlayStation Move Surpasses 75 Supported Games, More to Come – PlayStation Blog or List of PlayStation Move games - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Price: Rs.4000
People sell of their bundle which is new, unused but not sealed for around 2000 which is a good price.

2. DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller

Spoiler:

If you want to play local multiplayer with your friend then you might need an extra controller. However many alternatives are available for this controller which are cheaper but fully functional.
Price: 3000
Used can be bought for around 2.5k and less.

Other controllers:
Amigo PS3 Bluetooth Controller @1.5k (wireless)
AMIGO 3 in 1 Game Pad (PS3, PS2, PC) @700 (wired)
Thrustmaster 3 in 1 Dual Trigger @1.8k

3. HDMI cable: If you haven't bought one already, as mentioned before, buy one from a local store for Rs.200-400. Do not buy the Sony one, which is the same but overpriced. No difference at all.


4. Wireless Headset: For voice chat and online games that support headset communication. Useful in online gameplay to chat with peers. It's like a phone bluetooth headset.


5. PlayStation®Move navigation controller

Spoiler:

It is useful in some games. But it functions the same as a normal DS3 controller. So buying this is not functionally essential. You can buy it for ergonomic purpose or in case you are using the PS3 sharpshooter attachment.

Price: ~1500
Difficult to find used ones due to low adaptation.

♦ ADVANCED ♦

Discussed in Post #8; scroll below

[Sarath]

PART 5
VIDEO SETUP

1. I have a CRT or normal SDTV. Will I be able to enjoy HD games?
A: No. SDTV or CRTs run at a resolution of 480p where as HD is upto 1080p. Hence it is not supported.

2. How can I enjoy HD games then. What type of screen should I buy?
A: A list is given below. You can start with the cheapest HD Monitors or buy HDTVs and go upwards. NOTE: To get HD video, you need a HDMI cable and a HDMI compatible TV/Monitor (DVI also works with a convertor). HD cannot be obtained through AV cable.

The choice of Video hardware can be:

HDTV 3D
HDTV Standard
Monitor
Sony PlayStation 3D display
HMZ-T1 Personal 3D Viewer (unreleased)
Projectors(!)

HDTV 3D and 2D(normal): This is your average TV coming in various sizes. For a fulfilling gaming experience a minimum of 32" and 1080p capable Full-HD TV is recommended. Although 24inchers can also be used for gaming. They come at different price points, ranging from 20k all the way to a lakh & more. 3D TVs are more expensive than their 2D counterparts. Connection is through a HDMI cable. Although normal Composite and AV cable can be used, it is not recommended as the quality is inferior to HDMI video.
3D TVs play games like Killzone in stereoscopic 3D. The PS3 is capable of outputting 3D video for games and movies. You will need a pair of 3D glasses for every member. 3D TVs also display 2D content.
Inputs: HDMI, AV(RCA), Component, S-Video, RF(rare)
Speaker: Available

♦ ♦ ♦

MONITOR A standard PC monitor differs from a TV in many ways. It comes in different resolutions but many now sport 1080p Full-HD, and also come in 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen). They have no speakers however. Also not all monitors have HDMI and might need a DVI to HDMI convertor to connect a PS3 to it.
Inputs: HDMI (most), DVI (most), VGA (all), S-video (rare) and other inputs are very rarely found
Speakers: Most or almost all monitors have no speakers. There are a few exceptions. Some may also have an accessory speaker attachment. How to set up audio when using a monitor is discussed below. Most monitors have no audio ports or speakers.

♦ ♦ ♦

PlayStation® 3D Display: This is a 3DTV purpose built for the PlayStation 3 by Sony. It is the only PS3 branded TV and sells as a PS3 accessory and not as a part of the Sony Bravia line. There are many reasons for it.
Specs: 24", 1080p, 3D, 240 Hz Refresh, Built-in speakers and the most notable - SimulView™ Technology
Inputs: Component , HDMI (2)
The most unique feature of this TV which is not found in other TVs is the SimulView™ Technology: delivers two individual full 2D high definition screen visuals to each player in two-player mode while wearing the PlayStation® 3D Glasses.
This means that 2 people will see a different picture on the same TV when wearing the glasses and both will also get 3D picture at the same time. So no more splitscreen or looking at each other's screen. Like in the picture below or this link which describes it better > http://us.playstation.com/ps3/access...imul-view.html
Price: $400 or INR.20000 (currently it's on sale for Rs.15000 only)

Spoiler:

♦ ♦ ♦

HMZ-T1 Personal 3D Viewer: Straight out of the future this headset is one of the most awesome pieces of gadget (not yet) available today. This is a head mounted display that can deliver 3D with a 720p resolution and simulate a 150" screen from 12 feet away. It does this with two 0.7" OLED screens. Also has built-in virtual 5.1-channel surround sound. It is not wireless though and is always tethered to the output source (HDMI) which can be your PS3, STB or any media player.
Inputs: HDMI
Price: $780 or ~Rs.40000

Spoiler:

Projectors have not been discussed and might never be, as setting up is relatively simple and similar to HDTV in connections.

[Sarath]

PART 6
AUDIO SETUP for SPEAKERS

Question & Answers: (updated regularly)

1. I want to my 2.1 computer speakers with the PS3. How?
A: You can use the TV out (3.5mm jack) from the TV set or use the AV cable convertor (more info at end of post) to connect to the speaker (if it supports RCA) Most speakers have the following connections: 3.5mm (all) > RCA (few) > Optical (fewer)

2. I want to enjoy 5.1 surround sound without having to spend a lot on expensive HT setups. How?
A: You can buy a 5.1 speaker which supports Optical Digital input and connect it to PS3 with a Toshlink cable. Surround sound is not supported by the PS3 in analog format. Hence analog 5.1 speakers won't work. However they can be used with a Optical to Analog signal convertor/Decoder but they don't come cheap. More about Optical connection below.

3. I want to enjoy Dolby TruHD, DTS-HD and 7.1 surround sound. How?
A: You will need a Home threatre setup that supports HDMI connection. They are expensive ~ >20k More about it given below in HDMI section.

4. I connected my PS3 to a monitor. How do I set up audio? (Monitor has no speakers)
A: Skip to end of this post. See below.

5. I do not want to use speakers and want personal audio source. How do I connect my headphones to the PS3 and/or what (compatible) headsets are available?
A: Discussed in next post #7


3 ways to output Audio are available- HDMI, Optical/Digital and AV out
HDMI and Optical give 5.1 surround sound
AV out gives 2.1 stereo sound

♦ HDMI ♦ [Digital]
Supports: Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio lossless formats, 8-channel 192kHz/24-bit PCM audio streams and lastly (lossy) Dolby Digital 5.1
Cable used: HDMI (!)
• Connected to HDTV: Sound is produced through the TV speakers as normal stereo 2.0 or 2.1
• Connected to a Home Theatre: Sound is produced though the HT speakers, either 2.1, 5.1 or 7.1 depending on the type of setup. Some HT let you bypass the speakers and thus the TV is allowed to produce the sound. HDMI (from PS3) connects to the Amplifier or Deck (HDMI in). The Amp is connected to the HDTV with another HDMI cable. An example of a HT setup >Courtesy: S_V Onkyo HT-S3400 Home Theater Systems Overview
Some HT setups have a feature called HDMI passthrough (active/passive). This will allow the TV speakers to function in case the HT is turned off or not in use. Google for more.

NOTE: The PS3 allows you to output audio&video from both HDMI and AV out simultaneously

♦ Optical/Digital ♦ [Digital]
Supports: Dolby Digital 5.1 (lossy) & 2-channel PCM streams
Cable used: TOSLink optical audio connector cable is required (link)
• HT setups and a few Computer speakers allow optical connection input for sound. Most new HTs have a HDMI input, so this connection is recommended for older HTs or Computer speakers that allow this input. A different type of cable is required, link given above and pics given below. Connection is from PS3 optical out to the Optical in port of the speaker/Amp, single cable is required

Spoiler:

♦ AV out ♦ [Analog]
Supports: 2.1 stereo analog
Cable used: Stereo audio cable (link)
• The PS3 does not support 5.1 through analog cable and it seems unlikely that support will be added. Hence 2.1 stereo output is produced. You can connect this to your TV (if it doesn't support HDMI) and/or Computer speakers which have RCA input (i.e R/L speaker; look red and white inputs) This is particularly useful when connecting the PS3 to a monitor.

How to setup audio when PS3 is connected to a Monitor?
• Use this guide (manual)> PS3™ | Audio Output Settings
What you need:
Hardware: Speakers that support either analog stereo audio cable or Optical input (pic below)
Cabling: Stereo audio cable or TOSLink optical cable (any one)
Software: Select appropriate setting in the PS3 Settings > Sound Settings > Audio Output Settings Select the output according to the once you have chosen

RCA or Optical
We are assuming that you have connected the PS3 to the monitor through a HDMI cable, video done. Now connect the cable (RCA or Optical) to the PS3. Connect the cable to the speaker Amp/Sub. Switch on the PS3. Go to PS3 settings panel and change to analog or optical as appropriate. It should work!

3.5mm
It is given below in the next post since the connection for desktop 2.1 speakers and normal 3.5mm headphones is similar. A Y-Splitter is required. More at the end of next post

Spoiler:

Repeated for reference

Stereo audio input:

Optical in:

Source: HDMI vs Optical vs Analog Audio: What's the Best Connection? - Tested

[Sarath]

PART 7
AUDIO SETUP - HEADPHONES

before going in further, you should be clear about what you want. Only audio or ability to chat too, wired or the convenience of wireless, stereo sound or surround sound

A headset differs from a headphone with the inclusion of a microphone for in-game chat. Hence discussion below is for such compatible headsets that can be used with the PS3. However at the end a list of stereo headsets will also be listed for those who do not need the microphone.

• How they work?
Wired: Optical: A decoder is used which connects to PS3 by a optical cable for (5.1) sound and a USB cable for chat. It is powered by outlet power. The headset is connected to this decoder. AV: RCA cable is directly connected to the headset while a USB cable is used for chat.
Wireless: A USB dongle is used in case of Sony headset. For third party headsets, a decoder is used which accepts Optical or Stereo cable connection and a USB cable for chat. It is connected to the outlet for power. A 2.4Ghz frequency radio line is used to wirelessly connect to the headset.

• Ports used: AV out (converter required), Optical out (Decoder required), USB (for chat) or in some cases TV out (3.5mm jack in certain TV sets)

• Below you will find discussion or a simple list of Headsets compatible with PS3, and in the end a description of how to you use your own headphones with the PS3, if you do not want to buy a seperate headset for the playstation. I might also include a custom way to get a more tailored sound output for the discerning of users, but that will have to wait

• • •


// SONY Wireless Stereo Headset

Price: $100 (On offer $80) ~Rs.5000 Not available in India
7.1 virtual surround sound - for games and Stereo for Blu-ray movies(on PS3) and with PC, Volume and Mic Mute controls, Retractable microphone, Wireless
Connectivity: USB Dongle


// OFFICIAL THIRD PARTY HEADPHONES (Compatible with PS3 and sometimes PC & Xbox etc)
These are headsets that are made by different manufacturers; are compatible with PS3.
They might use the Optical out or AV out or 3.5mm audio jackfor inputs
Popular Brands:

Turtle Beach (link)
Tritton (link)

Available in India:
1. 4gamers CP-PRO - Rs. 2400
2. Mad Catz Tritton AX 180 - Rs. 6000
3. Mad Catz Tritton AX PRO Dolby 5.1 - Rs. 18000

Headsets available outside India: Imports:

Spoiler:

♦ TURTLE BEACH ♦

| | Ear Force P11 $60 | | Ear Force DP11 $120 | | Ear Force PX21 $80 | | | Ear Force DPX21 $150 | | | Ear Force PX3 $150 | | | Ear Force PX5 $250

♦ TRITTON ♦

| | | | | | |AX 180 $70 | | | | | | | | | | |AX 720 $150 | | | | | | | | |AX Pro $170 | | | | |

♦ Sharkoon X-Tatic SP ♦ - Amazon.com: Sharkoon X-Tatic SP Gaming Headset: Video Games - $70

Logitech PlayStation 3 Vantage USB Headset - $60

Detailed description if any will be in another thread

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...Wk3RlEwdDhZUFE

~~~~~
PART 2
~~~~~

Using regular stereo headphones with 3.5mm audio jack with the PS3 for audio only (no mic);

• To TV 3.5mm audio out: Your (regular) headphones should have a long cable, preferably 3-5m, otherwise a 3.5mm female to make extension cable is required (which comes cheap). Now connect this 3.5mm connector to the 3.5mm jack of your TV if present. You will get stereo sound.

• Directly to PS3 A/V out: If your TV does not have a 3.5mm jack then you will need to buy a (cheap) converter - RCA to 3.5mm like this >pic in spoiler tag below
Steps:

Connect AV cable that comes bundled with the PS3
Connect R / L RCA pins into the converter (pic)
Connect the 3.5mm pin of your headphone to the converter (pic)
Go to PS3 audio settings and change audio out to stereo from AV out

You should now be able to use your headphones for hearing in-game sounds

Spoiler:

~~~~~
PART 3
~~~~~

Custom setup...

to be continued...

[Sarath]

PART 8
ACCESSORIES - 2

Coming soon...

[Sarath]

PART 9
PSN & MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS

Coming soon...

[Sarath]

PART 10
CWF / CUSTOM FIRMWARE

Coming soon...

...

[Sarath]

PART 11
WARRANTY & SERVICING

Coimign soon...

[Sarath]

PART 12
SWAPPING HARD DISK DRIVE

kindly refrain from posting here. I need a few days to complete this thread

[Sarath]

Now Open!

[gameranand]

Very informative guide. Real nice work.

[Sarath]

Thanks. It's still incomplete but I can't seem to complete it at all. So opened it, half baked.

BTW any suggestions are welcome.

[CommanderShawnzer]

dude. with guides like these you'll hike from Red to Green in no time

[dan4u]

I don't know what more you can add to this awesome guide, I'll give it a go anyways. how about a game guide, I mean not just the blockbuster games like GoW, GT5, Killzone etc, but games that are fun to play but underrated. categorize games according to fps, tps, strategy, sandbox etc. also games that support 1080p and those that support only 720p.

[manojbhagat]

Great work! Enjoyed reading it

[wwwescape]

PART 3
BUYING GAMES

The third part deals separately with games as it is the most expensive component of your gaming experience in the (not so) long run. A quick break up of the various games etc, their prices and other details.

Games are expensive, very expensive.

1. What games can I buy for PS3?

PS3 has many exclusives and here is a list of all available PS3 games > All PlayStation 3 Games - Complete List of PS3 Games at IGN and All PlayStation 3 Games, List of All PlayStation 3 Games - GameSpot.com Links to IGN and Gamestop whose rating are highly respected in the gaming community.
Personally I would recommend you start with the God of War Collection (1 & 2) and God of War 3. Many other games can be mentioned but the list would go on and on.

♦ ♦ ♦

2. How are the PS3 games priced?

Now you have come to an area that might hurt. The games don't come cheap and soon outpace the cost of your console. You will see the following trend in PS3 games: (as on 17.1.2012)
Rs.2500 to Rs.3500 - All new games / Pre-orders start at this price point. They stay that way for another 6 months or so. Eg: MW3, BF3, NFS The Run, Skyrim
Rs.1500 to Rs.2500 - Games that are a year old, show a dip in their price. Most or all of the platinum games are 1.5k with the rest scatted in between Eg: LA Noire, NFS HP
Rs.1000 to Rs.1500 - Some really old or very famous games (which have already sold a lot) are priced here; Eg: Assassins Creed 1 & 2, God of War, GT5
> Rs.1000 - Luckily some games can be bought for less than a thousand bucks but that list is small; Eg: Mirror,s edge, Bioshock 2

Games can also be bought on PSN or PS Store. You get a digital copy which is paid by Credit Card and gets downloaded to your Hard disk. The price keeps varying and is priced similar to hard copies most of the time with discounts seen intermittently. Games bought through PSN can be shared between 2 accounts or to be precise between two consoles. This number was 5 earlier but Sony revised it to just 2.
Luckily a lot of games can be bought for around 1.5k now since the PS3 has been in the market for quite some time. Also used games have a huge pool now, more of which is given below.

USED GAMES:
Since new games cost a bomb and are out of reach of a lot of people it is a wise idea to buy them used and thus making considerable savings. Used games cost almost half as much as retail price under good bargaining.

♦ ♦ ♦

3. Where to buy used games?
The biggest pool of used games is on IVG forums. Apart from that can also be found on Think Digit, Techenclave, Erodov and Consoul to name a few. (no links, google it) They can be found in the market section of the respective forum where other members sell their games. You can also sell your games in the same section. This buying a game, playing it and selling it is a wise way to go about.

CAUTION: Since people selling the "used" games are normal people like you and me, there can be a lot of cheating and scams where people take your money and go dark or do not send you the game or send you damaged goods etc. So always deal with someone who has formidable reputation "only". Most of them have a feedback mechanism. Check for such sellers feedback and avoid people with bad feedbacks and sellers with no feedback at all.

Spoiler:

Current prices for used game: (examples):
GoW - 700-800
RDR - 700-800
AC2 - 600-700
UC1 - 600
UC2 - 700
GTA4 - 600-700
GT5 - 800

Newer games:
UC3 - 1500-2000
BF3 - 1800 -2200
MW3 - 1800 -2500
AC Revelations - 1500 -2000

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The PS3 can be modded with custom firmware if it comes with a base firmware of 3.55. This allows it to run DRM free games which can be installed directly on to the Hard disk. You may try to convince yourself or others all you want otherwise but this is, in simple words, "piracy" of the games.

This guide will not deal with how to mod your PS3 and how to go about getting pirated games as I have no idea and have no intentions to mod my PS3 either.

If you find the games too expensive then you can always buy used games and sell them. This will reduce the costs considerably.

End of Part 3
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you also need to know about PS3 game regions... sure the PS3 is region free, and most games will play just fine on any PS3 console, but many PS3 games from other regions aren't compatible with the PlayStation Store.

A detailed post can be found here:
wwwescape's Blog: Understanding PS3 Regions

Perhaps you should add this to you post.

[Sarath]

you also need to know about PS3 game regions... sure the PS3 is region free, and most games will play just fine on any PS3 console, but many PS3 games from other regions aren't compatible with the PlayStation Store.

A detailed post can be found here:
wwwescape's Blog: Understanding PS3 Regions

Perhaps you should add this to you post.

That's a very good point. Will add it in due time.

[anirbandd]

what is the native output of the ps3 during gaming? if its 720p, how do i set it to 1080p?

[101gamzer]

Very good comprehensive guide very informative.

[CommanderShawnzer]

does PS3 have a "stretch" or "fill" feature for videos like windows media centre and xbmc?

[vicky]

Thanks , this helps a lot.

[anirbandd]

what is the native output of the ps3 during gaming? if its 720p, how do i set it to 1080p?

any answers?

[CommanderShawnzer]

^that depends on the game in question.very very few ps3 games output in FHD natively,if the game outputs in 720p and you have a 1080p TV the visuals are upscaled to 1080p
and the XMB(main menu/homescreen) of the ps3 an be set to 1080p

[anirbandd]

every game box has on the back showing that 720p is best, but 1080p is also supported.

my XMB is set to 1080p. and are you sure about the games being upscaled to 1080p??

[CommanderShawnzer]

and are you sure about the games being upscaled to 1080p

yes. only some games like tekken 5 dark Resurrection output in FHD natively

[anirbandd]

okay thanks

[happy17292]

How to connect HP W1707 monitor to PS3?

it has HDCP capability and resolution is 1440X900

i have tried connecting it to PS3 via hdmi to Dvi converter hooked with normal HDMI cable and selected display mode as HDMI in PS3 [used CRT TV to select this], after selecting HDMI as video output, CRT TV goes blank but nothing appears on LCD monitor as well [keeps showing no signal,check cable etc], same converter works fine with HDMI port of my graphics card.

i have also tried holding power button of PS3 until it makes a second beep sound to reset settings but nothing worked. any there any solution?