Fromundacheese

!!!

Rob V

Well, it offers Netflix and the Home store has movies to rent and buy. I rarely game on my PS3 but it's a fantastic BD player and it constantly updates the firmware unlike most traditional BD players that you have to track firmware updates manually. Also, it does 3D -- very well.

chess

Netflix is the big one, but you can get Hulu, rent movies from the PSN store, and there are a few other services as well.

Netflix is all you need. Great service for the money.

Some newer and higher end players have streaming capabilities, but the cost difference will be marginal. Also, many mid-tier blu-ray players don't have the capability to update their own firmware as the PS3 does.

A few things. For one, it has a hard-drive, so you can rip your CDs onto it or put your MP3s on it. Same with photos. It also has a marginal but usable web-browser, and it will take a USB keyboard. It's also one of the better DVD upscalers I've seen.

And the games shouldn't be that easily dismissed. You may not have found your type of game, but I'll bet there's something you'd enjoy.

The PS3 is the only disk player in my living room.

foxdvd

Is your Blu-Ray player a 3D player? Do you ever plan on getting a 3D tv?

TheBigDave

I was in the same boat. I prefer the 360 for gaming. So my PS3 was basically just a bluray player. But lately I've been using the PS3 as a media center and it's fantastic.

I download a bunch of HD videos from Youtube and Vimeo. Put them on a portable drive. And just plug it into my PS3. Great way to watch these videos without buffering or stuttering.

Go into the Playstation Store and download the Vudu app. They give you a $5.99 credit which means your first movie is free. You don't need a credit card. I just watched "My Soul To Take". The video quality was pretty good (the movie was not so good).

I always buy movies. But a lot of the time, I only watch them once. So I'm thinking of using the VOD services more often. With the PS3, you have many options including Vudu, the PS Video Store, Hulu Plus and Netflix.

And regarding the games, you just have to find out what kind of gamer you are. When I first got a game system, I realized that I hated most of the games I thought I'd enjoy. Go to the PS Store and download some free demos. Eventually, you'll find something good.

It also might take some time to adjust to the games. The first time I played a First Person Shooter, it gave me horrible headaches. But now it feels very natural.

darkside

My PS3 is kind of in this boat. I use my 360 most of the time though I have been on quite a Telltale games tear on my PS3. I do use my PS3 as my media hub though and rarely use the 360 for this.

I use Netflix, Hulu Plus, an occasional VUDU movie and I use Playon with it. VUDU has by far the highest quality if you have the bandwith, but is expensive. A 1080P rental is $6. Netflix has the next highest streaming quality and is the best bargain followed by Hulu+ which has slightly lower quality and less content. Playon has the lowest video quality, but is the best bargain since it taps into all the free web content like normal Hulu and is only $20 for a year or I think $40 for a lifetime version.

The other nice thing is the ease of playing VOB and Divx files on the PS3. MKV files are easily converted to VOB to play HD downloaded stuff on the PS3.

I also buy a lot of content from Rifftrax and all their MPEG video files play on the PS3.

So you have a lot of flexibility with the PS3 including renting HD movies directly from Sony and of course its a Blu-ray player.

About the only thing missing is an app for Pandora and Last FM for internet radio, but I can use the 360 for that.

al_bundy

i don't even have any games for my PS3, strictly blu ray and netflix. with the features in there why would anyone buy another blu ray player unless it was ultra cheap?

if you have an android phone you can also stream media to it

Cardiff Giant11

PS Media server is awesome for watching videos/music/photos on the TV. Also since Netflix is free (doesn't require an additional via like it does on the XBox) that gets a good amount of use for me.

LostFan

Can the PS3 stream the free version of Hulu? I have a Wii and I know it can't, I haven't even tried it on the PS3 which I just got. I didn't think it could, but hopefully I'm wrong.

Also, how often does the PS store update their free movie? It was (last time I checked, I've only had my PS3 for a week) the Davinci Code.

I love this thing, I learn something new about it everyday, and each thing is great.

Raul3

You can use something like PlayOn to watch the free Hulu in your PS3. You need a PC for that of course.

LostFan

[QUOTE=Raul3;10657883]You can use something like PlayOn to watch the free Hulu in your PS3. You need a PC for that of course.[/QUOTE[/I]

I don't know what that is or means? So I can't just go to internet browser on the PS3 and www.hulu.com? It didn't seem to work when I tried it.

mattysemo247

That's what we use as well. He haven't had cable for a couple years now and PlayOn works perfect for watching the TV shows when you want.

flagstone

No, it used to back when Hulu just started, but they started blocking the PS3 browser a while back. You'd need something like PlayOn to get to it now.

Raul3

[QUOTE=LostFan;10658162]Just go to Playon.tv and read.

But basically, you download the PlayOn program on a PC in your local network, install the program, set it up, and that's it. In the PS3, in the Video section you'll see an option for PlayOn, select that and you should be able to browse Hulu from there.

KenKeith

netflix/hulu/playon/vudu means i can watch pretty much anything except new hbo/showtime with no cable bill. playon will also let you access your amazon viewondemand. if you sign up for the 30 day playon trial, let it expire, they'll offer you some more free time and a better deal about a week after (at least they did for me).

kefrank

The other major thing missing is live sports, which is one of the primary reasons I still have to have satellite. If it weren't for that, I'd probably do what you're doing.

I use my PS3 regularly for Netflix and local streaming of my music collection. It's awesome for both. I still think it's the best set-top Netflix UI I've seen.

Draven

If you have a Mac, it's pretty easy to stream right out of the PS3 web browser. That's how I watch things. Works better than the PS3 Media Server for me (which sometimes can't find the Mac...I think it's more of a network issue somewhere in my setup).

Looks great, works great.

Liver&Onions

redbox.

FatTony

Netflix has a 1-disc plan that can be upgraded to Blu-ray for $12/month total. Typical turnaround time for me is 2-3 days for a disc and I can't imagine it'd be too different for you since you're in the same geographic location (I think the nearest shipping center is in Tacoma). That plan also comes with unlimited streaming. Getting a new release the week it comes out can be very hit-or-miss though, so if that's what you're looking for then Redbox may be the better choice for you.

Liver&Onions

Long answer. Google it.

Short Answer: $1 to $1.50/night

Liver&Onions

https://redbox.custhelp.com/

Liver&Onions

google.

Fromundacheese

Ok, I went ahead and erased every post I had in this thread since apparently I need to find my info on Google, not here at DVD Talk.

Liver&Onions

Overreaction FTW!

Your needs might have been better served in the DVD/Blu or Store section, as this is the video game section and you were asking about Redbox for movies.

foxdvd

Scott?