Because you aren't supposed to return products to the store under the replacement plan. You call the PRP number and they send you a shipping label. You then mail the item to them and they send you a voucher. If you return it in the store, I don't think they have to do the voucher.

This is true. For $600 Sony couldn't throw in an HDMI or component cable. The only good news I guess is that any HDMI cable will work. I am a bit frustrated with Sony, but the PS3 is a great BD player. Satisfied with it so far.

So do you need the HDMI cable to use the Blu-Ray DVD player?

No, you can use any cable to play Blu-ray Discs. Of course, you need component or HDMI to see them in HD. If your TV supports HDMI, you might as well get that, since it will be required to upscale DVDs if the PS3 gets that capability. Order from Monoprice; don't buy it in a store unless you want to pay a lot more (markups on cables are huge).

If you do decide to get component, remember that it has to be the specific PlayStation kind with the proprietary connector to the system. The PS2 component cable will work, so if you have that already you can use it.

So I can use regular component cables to see them in HD?

You have to use the special cable that PS consoles use, because the system doesn't have standard component jacks on it. It has a special connector that plugs into the system on one end, with the component video and stereo audio cables on the other end.

Are these the ones with the red, yellow and white or the ones with those and the green ones as well? I have the ones with just red, yellow and white. I want to know if I'll have to pick up the other ones.

You will need the ones with red, blue and green or an HDMi cable. If you go componant, make sure to get the Playstation branded ones.

How much do those usually cost?

You can get HDMi cables from monoprice for $12. If you go to a B&M they are >$50. The PS componant cables are about $20.

Is there a big difference between the component cables and the HDMI?

I went with HDMI because my TV (Sony SRXD) can take a 1080p signal through HDMI only (component can only accept up to 1080i on my TV). So also check to see what your TV can accept with what input. I also recommend monoprice for buying cables. I picked up a 6 ft HDMI for less than $10 shipped, compared to the 50 bucks that Walmart wanted to charge me.

Thanks everyone, I went ahead and got an HDMI for my PS3, so hopefully everything will go smoothly tomorrow when I get it.

Got our son a PS3 for x-mas, but have used more as a br player then gaming right now. Only had 2 ps3 games, but so far all of the 35 or so ps2 games he has plays fine.

No HDMI comes with the unit. Yea, they could have thrown one in, but I for one am using with a projector so a 6' cord would have done me no good anyway. And yes MONOPRICE is the way (IMHO the only way) to go.

I had some issues out of the box. The one movie I had didn't play well, took a long time to load. Switching from game to movie always caused me to lose the audio and do a soft reset. The unit overall was fairly slow, and did not save my settings. I actually considered taking back. But then a little research told me to download the current firmware. Since I had the 60gig w/built in wifi, it was easy to hook up to my network and upgrade the firmware. Since then it literally has been perfect. No audio drops, no freezing, everything perfect.

My only current complaint is no IR for remote. The unit only uses bluetooth which means I cannot use my harmony 880 remote. IMHO this is a huge oversight. I understand Sony wanted to be "cutting edge" with bluetooth, but they couldn't have added an IR sensor as well??? Using the controller for DVD take some getting use to, but is workable.

Picked up a PS3 today so now I'm on board with Blu-ray as well.

Still trying to decide on how to shuffle my equipment since the PS3 is useless as a DVD player and I doubt I will play many games on it. I have it and my A2 hooked up with HDMI. I may get a switcher for my Denon or I may get rid of it and use my A2 as my upconverting DVD player. Still trying to work all that out.

Your comment is confusing..."since the PS3 is useless as a DVD player and I doubt I will play many games on it" ??? Are you possibly referring to the PS2? If not why did you purchase a PS3?

Same reason I am going to buy one, cheapest way into a Blu Ray player.

I think he's referring to it not upscaling standard DVDs.

I haven't seen the PS3 DVD player in person, but is it really that bad? It at least sends out a progressive signal doesn't it? Sounds like they're working on a DVD upscaling update for the future too.

Standard DVDs don't look that bad to me when played on the PS3. But then again, I think my TV does a pretty good job on upconverting and I don't have an upconverting DVD player to compare anything to.

In A/B tests its pretty mediocre. However, I meant useless to me as a DVD player since I have the Tohsiba A2 to handle that. The A2 is a very good player for upscaling.

Don't you hate how, on the PS3, it has to handshake when you switch to one of the (SD) extra features, and then again when it goes back to the menu? That's why I want upscaling. Also, my display won't automatically switch to 4:3 mode, so if the PS3 adds upscaling it could pillarbox the content and I wouldn't have to switch modes manually.

Well, I'm giving the PS3 another shot as I just got it again at Circuit City today. Many are aware of the problems I had with my first one, but I'm hoping this system has no desire to leave nasty scuff marks on my discs.

My previous PS3 unit, bought at Target, came in a box that was some very damaged corners. This unit today came in a box that is in perfect condition. I also got 6 months, same as cash, so it was a good deal all around. I had a tough time not being able to access BD's titles. I've been impressed with them when I had my Samsung 1000 last Fall.

I still think I'll be selective in what titles I do buy on either format.

Every video game console I buy seems to come in a damaged box. It's starting to get annoying.

The PS3 I just recently bought (but haven't opened yet,) came in a box with both of its bottom corners slightly dented. It doesn't look like it was dropped, but I'm still a bit worried.

I really tried to torture test my PS3 yesterday. I'm off for several days so I decided to watch a lot of movies and play games on it. I ran movies on it, played PS1 and PS2 games and downloaded a bunch of free stuff from the store. I probably had the thing on 18 hours yesterday and 2 hours today. I have put in BD movies, SACDs and games and so far have had zero scuffs. Hopefully the defect you had with your PS3 is rare. I'm using mine horizontal BTW and have it in my entertainment center. Its open and there is lots of space all around and behind the PS3. It does get warm in the space though so I may get a small fan to stick in the back to blow out the warm air.

I like a lot about the PS3. First of all, despite being plastic this thing feels solid and well constructed. It hasn't been on the market long so time will tell, but I think Sony has it right with this design. The PSP was also a solid piece of hardware and it looks like they have carried that forward with the PS3. It is much more quiet than I expected. Louder than my almost silent A2, but probably only half as noisy as an Xbox360. Where the 360 looks like a game console and to me always felt and looked cheap this thing looks like a piece of home theater hardware.

The Blu-ray playback is outstanding. I like the little Bluetooth remote (sucks you can't use a universal with no IR) and I like all the information the unit displays during playback. The PS3 seems much faster and more responsive than my A2, however, the difference is minor. It would blow away the much clunkier A1 though.

DVD playback is so so. Someone posted above the irritation with it through the HDMI port. The receiver constantly clicking as it handshakes when changing menus. It also doesn't pillarbox for you on DVDs or Playstation 1&2 games so you have to switch that with your TV. I have also had handshake errors a few times when starting games. It will switch over to the game and for some reason the audio signal won't go through. You have to exit the game and do it again. So far it has always gotten connected correctly on the second try. However, this is HDCP bullshit and probably not the fault of my receiver or the PS3.

The glitches with PS1 and PS2 games are fixed. They look great played on my HDTV. I also haven't had the Blu-ray freezing glitch many have had with the network connected. I have had my network connection get lost though when I come back from watching a movie or playing a game. Restarting the console fixes it.

SACD seem very good through HDMI. The PS3 converts it to PCM and outputs it to the receiver. Whether this solution is acceptable will probably depend on how much of an audiophile you are. I honestly thought it sounded great, but my Infinity speakers and ears are not the best out there for testing this. I didn't do an A/B with my 6 channel analog out on the Denon. I played several multichannel classical and jazz SACDs and thought they sounded great. Not very scientific I know but it saves me having the Denon hooked up in the living room.

The one little surprise so far was hooking up my ipod and SD card to play podcasts. I did this kind of just to do it, but the results were shockingly good. For one thing it actually pillarboxes this content correctly. Also it seems to upconvert because the 1UP show looked very good for something made for the ipod screen. I can definitely see myself occassionaly putting some video podcasts on an SD card to watch in the living room.

As far as the PS store I love the HD trailers, but nothing else really interested me. I don't see myself buying many games on this.

Considering that I am using pretty much the full potential of the hardware I think it was well worth the cost, still don't recommend it to people that only want it for games.