PS3 Blu-Ray usability?

[Arrqh]

So six months ago my parents got a nice and shiny 42" HDTV. At the time there wasn't yet a clear winner between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, so I told them not to get either of 'em. But that is no longer the case! So my question to PS3 owners and other people who have used a PS3 is this: how "easy" is it to use a PS3 to watch Blu-Ray movies? Can it, for instance, be configured to launch a title when you insert it? Or do you have to muck around inside a menu? Basically, is the PS3 a bad choice for people who are... not technically inclined? Cause my parents, see, can barely deal with the DVD players remote control.

I admit to being a bit biased here... if they had a PS3, I could play around with it when I visit home. But if it's too complicated for them to use, there's not much point! Any opinions?

 

[Garrett]

IIRC, you can just pop in a Blu-Ray disc and it'll start up. Mine no longer does upon start up, but that's because I have multiple log-ins.

The two things they might need to know how to do is how to update the firmware, and how to setup the Blu-Ray remote with their PS3. The PS3, mine at least, seems to have a habit of forgetting my remote and controllers. So you might have to occasionally go into the accessories menu to add them.

 

[firehawk12]

I think you can make it auto-start on disc insertion. Otherwise, they just have to select the disc in the Video menu.

 

[JNG]

I think the PS3 is probably at least as easy to use as any other Blu-Ray player, in that specific respect you mentioned and in others.

 

[Hermiod]

I think you can choose whether to set it to load discs (games or Blu-Rays) as soon as you insert them or wait until you select them.

If you have chosen the second option then it's just a matter of selecting the disc from the video menu in the XMB. Takes all of two seconds.

 

[aloha62]

I think you can make it auto-start on disc insertion. Otherwise, they just have to select the disc in the Video menu.

It auto runs and auto starts as default.

I love my ps3 as a player, boot up time is very very quick and it just so easy just to push the disc in and that on its own starting the machine up and getting the movie started you never even have to look at a menu until you get to the movie itself.

 

[Twilight]

The PS3 is, by far, the best Blu-Ray player on the market.

Other players have dramatically less processing power, and it can take up to a minute to load the disk.

The XMB on the PS3 interface is relatively intuitive, and the disk will indeed auto-play when you put it in.

IMO it's just silly to buy a Blu-Ray player that isn't the PS3, because for just $150 more you could get a pretty big powerhouse of a media center, not to mention a gaming console.

 

[Gaius Baltar]

Also the PS3 is blu-ray 2.0 compatible meaning it is the most future proof player due to the ability of Sony to incorporate new blu-ray revisions into the latest firmware updates. Plus the PS3 now supports .WMV and Divx video files.

 

[Twilight]

Even though I own and love my Xbox 360, think about what would've been the case had the format war been won by HDDVD:

The 360 is an absolutely terrible media center simply because the thing is as noisy as a jet engine and it has (had? we'll see ... ) serious cooling issues. Not only that, but requiring the HD DVD player as an add on was an absolutely horrible move and probably quickened the death of HDDVD.

PS3 beats 360 in terms of media center functionality, that's for sure.

 

[Arrqh]

Thanks for the replies!

As I said, I was just worried that it would be too difficult for my parents to use (even having to select the disc from the menu would be too much for them ) but it sounds like it should be okay. The extra media player features are, to them, totally useless because they wouldn't be able to use them though obviously it's a nice bonus.

 

[Mooch]

you have to buy the blu-ray remote separately. although you don't need it, it is pretty good. my PS3 has never "forgotten" it. you might want to help them with the initial set-up, because you need a regular PS3 controller for that.

 

[Arrqh]

Helping them with the setup was a given, they won't even be able to correctly hook it up to the TV without help

 

[Harvey]

The PS3 is, by far, the best Blu-Ray player on the market.

Other players have dramatically less processing power, and it can take up to a minute to load the disk.

The XMB on the PS3 interface is relatively intuitive, and the disk will indeed auto-play when you put it in.

IMO it's just silly to buy a Blu-Ray player that isn't the PS3, because for just $150 more you could get a pretty big powerhouse of a media center, not to mention a gaming console.

Although the PS3 is pretty embarassing in terms as a gaming console that I've seen thus far, you're absolutely right. Are they really making money off of "regular" Blu-Ray players that lag so far behind the PS3?

 

[BigFoot]

IMO the PS3 is the best BD player on the market at the moment. It's also VERY easy to use. I would highly recommend you get the Bluetooth remote btw.

 

[Rii]

I'm not a fan of the OSD during media playback, but in all other respects it's an excellent Blu-Ray player and media server. XMB is gorgeous.

 

[dragunzng]

There are a whole heaping ton of features and options to fiddle with, but yes, you can set the PS3 up to auto launch discs. You might want to buy a remote for your parents though (sold separately), as otherwise they'll have to use the regular game pad to control the players functions, which might be a little different than what they're used to.

 

[Sheep]

Hands down, the PS3 is a better movie player than the Toshiba HD-A3 (I own both), ignoring the obvious movie format issue for a moment.

As people have already mentioned, a big shortcoming is the need to buy a bluetooth remote, which means your regular universal remotes (like the Harmony) won't work without tracking down a not-easy-to-find-or-cheap IR adapter. You can also use the PS3 controller but that tends to confuse people not used to game controllers.

 

[aloha62]

There are a whole heaping ton of features and options to fiddle with, but yes, you can set the PS3 up to auto launch discs..

Mine auto launches from out of the box didnt need to go into any menu.

 

[BigFoot]

^ I believe all units are setup that way (I turned that feature off though).

 

[jeff lebowski]

The PS3 is, by far, the best Blu-Ray player on the market.

Other players have dramatically less processing power, and it can take up to a minute to load the disk.

The XMB on the PS3 interface is relatively intuitive, and the disk will indeed auto-play when you put it in.

IMO it's just silly to buy a Blu-Ray player that isn't the PS3, because for just $150 more you could get a pretty big powerhouse of a media center, not to mention a gaming console.

Although the PS3 is pretty embarassing in terms as a gaming console that I've seen thus far, you're absolutely right. Are they really making money off of "regular" Blu-Ray players that lag so far behind the PS3?

I don't think you can say that the PS3 is embarrassing as a gaming console anymore. Maybe the first year it came out, but not lately.