Theoretically they should work. But I've seen cheap USB hubs fry the USB port on the PCs they were attached to. Me, I wouldn't take that risk.

Sony PlayStation® 3 40GB Limited Edition Spider-man® 3 & Ratchet and Clank® Pack

After tax (6.65%) $549.24.

Came with the 40GB PS3 (including Spiderman 3 BD), an extra Sony Sixaxis controller, the Blu-Ray bluetooth remote, and Ratchet and Clank.

I added all those items to an Amazon cart and would have saved about $25 had I ordered them from there with the free shipping, but I had just bought a Sony Bravia LCD a couple days before and wanted to watch BR on it ASAP.

I'm thrilled with the purchase and I love Costco anyway, so I don't mind.

And you can always return it for a full refund at anytime(the Playstation still falls under the no time limit return policy).

Even the open game/movie?

You bet! Costco even takes back items without the box for full refunds. As long as all of the accessories are there, they will give you the refund.

Good to know. No way I'm ever returning this thing though.

Do they give you money back if the price goes down later?

The Best Buy where I currently live (Bellevue, WA) has the PS3 40Gb (with a managers discount) for $369.99. Is that a fair price? The lack of the 5 free Blu Rays (former in-store promotion) is lowering my enthusiasm.

Save your receipt and you can always return it and repurchase it if the price drops.

Also, I just purchased the 40GB and I did not realize the 80GB was backwards compatible. What is the purpose of one being backwards compatible and the other not? How retarded, if you ask me.

I have a question about the PS3 and i didnt want to start another thread.

First of all I have an older HDTV (RCA F38310) which i bought out of box w/o a manual 5 years ago and have not had any other issues with before hooking it upto the ps3.

info on my TV:
http://www.amazon.com/RCA-F38310-38-.../dp/B00005BIB8
http://www.hometheatermag.com/crtdisplays/95/
http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6905

I am going to buy a ps3 sooner than later, but my TV is older and when my friend hooks his ps3 up to my TV, we occasionally have issues. for example, my TV works fine with my HDDVD player playing at 1080i, but won't disply his ps3 at 720p (he says their is not option to display his ps3 at 1080i), so we play usually at 480p on my HDTV.

Sooner or later I plan to buy another HDTV, but until i finish my gameroom, i have nowhere to put this monster if i were to buy another, and I actually still prefer the picture on non-HD channels on my RCA over any other HDTV i've seen. Even when i eventually do buy another TV, I plan on keeping my HDDVD player that is 1080i with my RCA and using the PS3 as the blu-ray player on the RCA, while picking up a combo player that will play both formats 1080p for whatever new TV I get.

So my questions are:
When watching a BD movie on ps3, will I need to watch it on 480p as well with my RCA?
Is there really no option for 1080i with the ps3?

I have a 34 inch Sony XBR tube TV that I have my PS3 connected to via HDMI which runs at 1080i. What cable are you using with your RCA? BTW, I wanted that set back in 2001 myself!

I think you would benefit from reading the owner's manual for the PS3 at the site:

http://www.us.playstation.com/Support/PS3/Manuals

The PS3 can figure out your display and audio settings when it is initially connected to your TV.

there are no HDMI inputs on the back of the RCA, I use component cables for my hddvd payer, my hd cable-box, and the PS3 when connected, i forgot to mention that...

I also left out that the PS3 game we play (NHL) occasionally flickers along the topof the screen, and goes blank during the approach on the shootout, but only on the RCA.

No problem, I thought you had to use component. You're saying that you use your friend's PS3 - how does he have it hooked up? It does retain its settings, so if you're moving it from place to place, my suggestion would be to change the display and BD/DVD settings when hooked up to your set. When you get your own and it's new out of the box, you should go through the auto-setup. As far as I know, the Ps3 supports up to 1080i through component.

the only setting I am aware that he changes is the disply from 1080p to 480p, so there is a setting for 1080i on the ps3?
I am checking out the manual you linked, i may have more questions in a bit, TY...

Check page 7 of the Quick Start guide - it clearly shows that via component the PS3 can send a video signal all the way up to 1080p. You also need to check the BD/DVD settings as those are separate.

my wife and i had about $160 in target credit from our wedding in december, so we went and bought a 40GB PS3 today to have a blu ray player so she can watch ratatouille. she also wants to play dance dance revolution, but i am not sure if she will be able to. i hear that the 40 won't play ps2 games and that there was a lag time on games like that.

Very true, the 40GB version of the PS3 has no backwards compatibility with PS2 games. The 80GB version offers some software-based backwards compatibility, while the older 60GB and 20GB versions offer hardware based backwards compatibility.

I gave this serious thought recently when I picked up a PS3. In the end I went with the 40GB. It saved $100 and the 80GB isn't 100% compatible. For under $100 I could pick up a real PS2 that is 100% compatible. If we already had a large collection of PS2 games, that might have changed my mind. Of course we'd also probably already have a PS2 in that case.

The current slim PS2s aren't 100% compatible either. They are 98%-99% just like the 60GB model. When Sony started condensing the PS2 compatibility was lost on a small handful of PS2 titles.

That's still a whole lot better than the 80gb from what I hear. Anyway, it's another option instead of springing the additional $100 for the 80gb. It might be a good option for some and not so good for others.

Are you trying to say the slim PS2 is not 100% with PS1 games? I know that to be the truth, but I've never heard of a slim PS2 not playing all PS2 games.

I have a 80GB PS3 and I have already found what I imagine is a "not 100% compatible" type issue with PS2 games. The screen image bounces up and down when playing my PS2 version of Madden 08 . The games still plays (finished one game), but it's way too distracting. I'll be buying a new PS3 version when the price drops. Probably in March or so.

To add to this discussion, I was able to pick up a brand new 60 GB PS3 last week at a Blockbuster with a Gamerush attached for $450. This is their regular price. Not a sale. People have been reporting being able to get these all over the country. They don't have them sitting out. You have to ask them to check their computer for inventory and they're stored in the back. These are eligible for the 5 free bluray rebate (until Jan 31), they have hardware-based backwards compatibility, and they have the USB/card ports of the 80 GB for only $50 more than the 40.

Anyone know?

I would be all over this, had I not discovered that there isn't a Gamerush around here at all. I check a radius of 200 miles.

The most well known example of a PS2 game not working on the Slim is Final Fantasy XI.

Okay, allow me to hijack this thread for a moment.

Rumors are flying that the 80GB has just been discontinued. Some say it will return at a lower cost with an updated controller. Certainly, it's very hard to find in brick and mortar stores, and there's only one place locally I know I can get it.

So, should I buy it now or risk finding a used one later if it does indeed die?

Also, I would very much like PS2 backwards compatibility (and a bigger hdd, since I plan on watching a lot of video disc-less) but I have heard that the 40GB has improved upconversion of regular DVDs. Can anyone compare the models? Is the quality change noticeable?

Lastly, is there any way, or could there be any way, to use the PS3 to record TV (like a DVR) to its hard drive?