Jim

I'm not sure if there is any one page that has everything the PS3 can do, but by browsing various forums here's some of the things that I've learned that it can do besides the obvious gaming and Blu-ray playback:

Stream music from a PC to the PS3 (I've done this as a test and got it working, but don't use this capability)
Video conferencing - dsa_shea is the resident expert on this. He uses an Eye Toy camera to video conference with someone on another PS3.
Slide shows
Run the Linux operating system
Web browser
Folding@Home - help with medical research

I've even seen a video of someone using the Sixaxis controller to control a remote control robot or helicopter. It was pretty cool.

mugwump

I didn't mean legacy as in backwards compatibility but rather the continued need for an original Xbox with XBMC as neither the PS3 nor the 360 have all of the streaming capabilities of the older console such as ISO support.

As for XviD you can stream it using an external USB drive or burn it to a disc but in most cases you cannot stream it directly through Windows Media Player 11 like you can with some flavors of DivX. Some people have had luck with it and it works on Macs but most PCs with WMP11 can't stream most DivX files.

Living Dead

I use my OPPO for regular DVD's. It looks good enough for me. I save the PS3 striclty for BD.

Knives

Wow! What a waste, esp. when the PS3 is superior in upcoverting to puny oppo.

Ps3 can do a million things yet people blow thier money and just use it for blu-ray playback.

RockyMtnBri

GatorDeb and mike2...

About the harmony, I have the 890 and I CAN use it with my PS3. I bought the Nyko remote which has an IR USB dongle. I mapped the keys to my Harmony and presto! Only cost me $15.

mugwump

I have to agree with Knives, the PS3 blows away the Oppo in the upconverting department at least on my Panny plasma. The only reason the Oppo is still on the shelf is for region free and PAL playback.

GreenMonkey

I picked up the schmartz adapter which avoids a few of the pitfalls of the Nyko. It doesn't end up mapped as controller 1, and it blends in perfectly with the PS3, so well that my 2 yr old never even noticed it. The Nyko adapter would have been gone in no time

Still, functionality is very limited. I'm still trying to get a TOP MENU working instead of getting the PS3 video playback menu overlay, but from my reading I don't think I can get a real menu button out of the USB-IR solutions.

Ocelot

i used the PS3 as a dvd player only 3-5 times... well, i haven't watch that many dvds since collecting hd-dvds and bds.

cultshock

I don't know about WMP11 but I use Nero Media Home and have had luck with streaming most DivX and XviD files from my computer to PS3. They usually play fine. Now if the PS3 could ever support streaming and playing ISO files, that would be great (probably won't happen though).

sracer

What are ISO files in this context? I know that .iso files are usually CD images. Are you talking about the same thing?

mugwump

Instead of ripping DVDs to numerous VOBs and folders it's often more convenient to store them as single file ISOs on a media server. XBMC will play back these ISOs but none of the next gen consoles can and TVersity has yet to add support. It saves you from having to play the various VOBs in order or convert them to another format. There are work arounds but I like being able to just launch a single disc image through my media server and not have to muck around with it.

dvdsteve2000

I have a launch 60GB, and I use it for almost all DVDs. The way I see it, I don't play games on it, so for the amount of movies that I actually watch, it is still used less than my 360. It's so easy to play 3, 4, or 5 hours of games on the 360 every day (for me/& family), but the most we watch movies is MAYBE 4-5 times a week. I think the PS3 is a tank, and can definitely hold up to some serious usage.

sracer

Ah, thanks for the explanation. I can see where that would be convenient. It didn't dawn on me that the PS3 could handle .VOB files directly. I just tried it. My first attempt failed because it was a full-length movie and the .VOB exceeded the 4GB file limit of FAT32. But it had no problem with the 2GB VOB from a 1 hr TV episode. Very nice!

Looks like I'm going to need that 1TB drive sooner than I thought. LOL