The PS3 - The Entertainment Deal of the Century
With the format war officially over, many consumers are feeling more confident and secure about delving into blu-ray. The only issue prohibiting many people from jumping in is the cost of the players. With units costing anywhere from $500 to $2,000, it’s safe to say that until prices come down, many people just can’t afford to go blu.
However, a cost effective way to get into blu-ray is via the Playstation 3. Don’t be fooled…a PS3 is not just for gaming, it is also a great blu-ray player! Games and movies look magnificent on the 1080p display. The picture quality is superb.
A key reason why the PS3 is such a smart pick as a blu-ray player is that firmware updates to the machine are effortless, either through the Ethernet jack or via wi-fi. The most recent firmware update allows the PS3 to internally decode the high fidelity lossless audio codec, DTS-HD Master Audio. The PS3 was able to decode Dolby True HD from launch, so this update makes it a fully featured blu-ray player. A previous firmware update made the PS3 the first profile 2.0 player on the market, meaning it’s the most up-to-date player out there. Profile 2.0 is the final spec of blu-ray playback. It allows you to connect to the internet directly, play interactive games within the menu of your blu-ray disk, view director commentaries and PIP(picture in picture), and many other interactive features yet to be announced.
So given all this, it’s safe to say you’ll get the most bang for your buck with the PS3. Being able to play games, stream music, browse the internet, install linux, download movie trailers, view photos, play SACD (On the discontinued 20gb & 60gb models, as well as the current 80gb model only.), change the hard-drive on a whim with any notebook hard drive….for the price, the PS3 is a steal!
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May 21st, 2008 at 11:52 am
You really hit the nail on the head. Blu-ray has not only won the format war, but really was the superior format to begin with. With the PS3 starting at 399, there really is no reason not to take the plunge.
Many people are hesitant about getting the PS3, because they think its so expensive. But if you add up all the features and functionality you are getting, out of the box, it really is the deal of the century.
Kudos to J & R for recognizing this great piece of hardware.
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Let me get this right: A blue ray player alone = $400,00 Sinse the play station is a great game console, and also plays blue ray, why in the world would someone buy a blue ray player?
June 5th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I looking forward to getting the new 80gig Metal Gear Solid bundle. I believe this bundle is the replacement for the Motorstorm bundle they used to have for the 80gig. Will J&R be stocking those? If so will they be available on June 12?
June 5th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
BigAppleFan, we will be carrying it, but at limited quantities at launch. We will have them initially only at the B&M store.
June 9th, 2008 at 1:08 am
I’ve noticed the Playstation 60gig seems to be out of production. Would have been nice to have a playstation with backward compatibility that is not as expensive as the 80gig bundles. For sure, when I get a PS3, I will get the 80 gig just for that feature over the 40 gig one. Some of my favorite games are on the ps1 and ps2. (eg. FF classics)
June 9th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Luco, yes the 60gb, as well as the 20gb are out of production. A pity as they had the ability to play SACD tracks. Regardless, any PS3 is a great deal, including the 40gb.