/--\ / /--/ / / /---- ----- /--/ ----- ----- /----/ /\ / -----/ / --/ / /--/ /----/ \---\ / /--/ / / / / / \ / ----/ / /---- / / / ----/ / / / / ----- / ---/ / \/ ----/ Sony PlayStation 3 Hardware FAQ Version 1.4.2 (1/10/2008) By Nick Zitzmann E-Mail: ten.tsacmoc@uyries (spell that backwards for an E-Mail address) For best results, please set your text editor/Web browser to use the ISO Latin 1 text encoding while reading this FAQ. * LEGAL STUFF * *************** Copyright 2007-2008 Nick Zitzmann. This is a hardware FAQ for the Sony PlayStation 3. It does not cover PS3 software. If you need help with PS3 software, then you ought to visit a site that carries software FAQs and walkthroughs, such as or . The author and contributors are solely responsible for the content of this FAQ. Sony Computer Entertainment was not involved in any way, shape, or form. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. To summarize the above paragraph, I don't particularly care if you want to re-publish this FAQ elsewhere, or create your own derivative of this FAQ (e.g. a localized version). However, I **do** care if you plagerize this FAQ, or re-publish it under a different license. Also, there are no warranties at all on the information in this FAQ. The entire license is available online at the following URL: That said, the latest version of this FAQ published by the original author will always be published first on GameFAQs: * VERSION HISTORY * ******************* Version 1.0 (9/27/2007): First release. Version 1.1 (10/6/2007): Added the 40 GB PS3 and Dual Shock 3. Corrected a few answers. Version 1.1.1 (10/10/2007): More 40 GB PS3 updates. Version 1.2 (10/19/2007): More 40 GB PS3 updates. Added new sections for the controllers and online play. Version 1.3 (11/4/2007): Added a section for backing up. Expanded the section for online play. Version 1.3.1 (12/6/2007): Some minor clarifications on various topics. Version 1.4 (12/26/2007): Changed the license to the GNU Free Documentation License. Answered a few more questions people have asked. Version 1.4.1 (1/7/2008): Made some corrections and answered even more questions. Version 1.4.2 (1/10/2008): Covered the discontinuation of some PS3 models in Japan. * TABLE OF CONTENTS * ********************* To skip ahead to a specific part of the FAQ, then use your browser/text editor's find feature, usually activated by pressing Cmd-F on Mac OS X or Ctrl-F on Windows or GNU/Linux. * 1.0 - General PS3 Info. * 1.1 - What is the PlayStation 3? * 1.2 - What are the differences between the PS3 and PS2? * 1.3 - Why should I buy a PS3 anyway? * 1.4 - What kind of PS3s have been released? * 1.5 - Does the PS3 have a regional lockout? * 1.6 - Does the PS3 have parental controls? * 1.7 - What are the hardware specs of the PS3? * 1.8 - What I/O ports come with the PS3? * 1.9 - Does the PS3 have the "jaggies" problem that plagued the PS2? * 1.10 - What PS3 model should I buy? * 2.0 - Video displays and the PS3 * 2.1 - What are all these video acronyms? * 2.2 - What video cables are supported by the PS3? * 2.3 - Can I use my PS1 or PS2 video cable(s) with my PS3? * 2.4 - Why does my TV image bounce when I connect my PS3 to it? * 2.5 - Why is my video scrambled while watching a DVD? * 2.6 - What should I look for when choosing a display for my PS3? * 3.0 - Audio speakers and the PS3 * 3.1 - What audio types are supported by the PS3? * 3.2 - What should I look for when choosing a stereo for my PS3? * 4.0 - Backward compatibility * 4.1 - Is the PS3 backward compatible with the PS1 or PS2? * 4.2 - What PS1 and PS2 games work in the PS3? * 4.3 - What PS1 and PS2 peripherals work in the PS3? * 4.4 - Why doesn't my SIXAXIS controller work in my PS1 game? * 4.5 - Does the PS3 support PS2 games that used the network adapter or HDD? * 4.6 - How can I import my PS1/PS2 saved data into my PS3? * 4.7 - How do advanced video modes work when playing PS1 or PS2 games? * 4.8 - How do advanced audio modes work when playing PS1 or PS2 games? * 4.9 - Why did my PS1 game suddenly become a lot less random? * 4.10 - Why doesn't force feedback work on my Dual Shock 3 in my PS1 game? * 5.0 - Homebrew development and GNU/Linux on the PS3 * 5.1 - Does the PS3 support homebrew game development? * 5.2 - What GNU/Linux distributions work on the PS3? * 5.3 - How do I install GNU/Linux on the PS3? * 5.4 - How do I return to the PS3 XMB once it's running GNU/Linux? * 5.5 - How do I get the GUI working in GNU/Linux? * 5.6 - Can I run Windows or Mac OS X software on my PS3 in GNU/Linux? * 6.0 - The SIXAXIS and Dual Shock 3 controllers * 6.1 - What is the SIXAXIS controller? * 6.2 - What is the Dual Shock 3 controller? * 6.3 - Can I use my SIXAXIS controller as a computer game pad? * 6.4 - Whatever happened to the banana controller? * 6.5 - Why don't the motion-sensitive controls work in my game that supports motion-sensitive controls? * 6.6 - Why do the controls randomly quit responding for several seconds? * 6.7 - Are the SIXAXIS and Dual Shock 3 compatible with the PS1 or PS2? * 7.0 - Going online with the PS3 * 7.1 - What do I need to go online with the PS3? * 7.2 - Can I go online using a dial-up connection? * 7.3 - Can I go online using a USB modem or router? * 7.4 - How do I play PS1 games online? * 7.5 - How do I play PS2 games online? * 7.6 - Do I need a headset to play online games? * 7.7 - Are online games segregated by region? * 7.8 - How much do online games cost to play online? * 7.9 - Does everyone have to own their own copy of a game to play online? * 8.0 - Backing up the PS3 * 8.1 - Why should I back up my PS3? * 8.2 - What gets backed up when I back up the PS3? * 8.3 - What do I need to have to perform a backup? * 8.4 - Why can't I make a partition larger than 32 GB? * 9.0 - Misc. questions * 9.1 - What is Folding@Home and why is it in my PS3 XMB? * 1.0 - GENERAL PS3 INFO. * *************************** * 1.1 - WHAT IS THE PLAYSTATION 3? * ************************************ The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is the third major console release in Sony's PlayStation line of game consoles. The original PlayStation (PS1, or "PSX" for a while until Sony released a different console with that abbreviation), was a state-of-the-art game console when it was released back in 1995. It featured a 32-bit MIPS CPU, a 3D-capable GPU, and a 300 kB/s (double-speed) CD-ROM drive. It was very popular with developers, and many third-parties released games exclusively for the console. The PlayStation 2 (PS2), released in 1999 in Japan, 2000 in North America, and 2001 elsewhere, was a massive improvement over the original console. With the addition of a DVD drive and a better CPU and GPU, and many blockbuster exclusive games, the PS2 is the highest selling game console ever. However, it was the most underpowered console of its generation, with the worst graphic and sound processors, and Sony was rather late with adding network capabilities. The PlayStation X (PSX) was a PS2 that also had DVR capabilities. It was only released in Japan, and sold poorly. The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is essentially a shrunk-down PS2 using UMD instead of DVD. It used a new UI called the "Cross-Media Bar", or XMB, that would later appear in the PS3 and other Sony products. * 1.2 - WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PS3 AND PS2? * *********************************************************** The first notable difference between the two is the optical drive. While the PS2 had a tray-loading CD and DVD drive, the PS3 uses a slot-loading drive that supports CD, DVD, and the new Blu-ray optical format. The PS3 has a new GPU, the nVidia RSX, that is far more powerful than the proprietary "Graphics Synthesizer" that the PS2 used. The PS3 generally has better support for high-definition video, whereas many PS2 games only supported low-definition interlaced video. The PS3 has a new SPU that supports hardware AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio compression, much like Microsoft's original Xbox. The PS2 only had hardware support for plain old PCM audio, although some PS2 games did DTS audio encoding in software, or used pre-compressed AC-3 audio in some game cutscenes. The PS3 has a new UI, which is the Cross-Media Bar (XMB) that has been showing up in a lot of Sony products lately. The PS3 can play Blu-ray movies in addition to DVD movies. The movie UI hasn't changed much since the PS2. The PS3 has a new wireless controller called the "SIXAXIS"; see below for details on the changes. Early PS2 models supported FireWire (which Sony sometimes calls "i.LINK"), and early Japanese models also supported PCMCIA. The PS3, like later models of the PS2, has no support for these things. * 1.3 - WHY SHOULD I BUY A PS3 ANYWAY? * **************************************** Since the PS3 was released, the #1 complaint about the console has been its cost. But the price of the PS3 isn't really a bad deal when you realize what you're getting. The most comparable console of the PS3's generation is the "Elite" model Xbox 360 (the model with HDMI ports and a large hard disk), and it still lacks an HD-capable video player and wi-fi support (the PS3 has both in the box). Also, the PS3 has less long-term costs, since online gaming on the PS3 is free, unlike Microsoft's Xbox Live service. Here's a brief comparison of the PS3 vs. the Xbox 360: (PS3 advantages are marked with a +, and disadvantages are marked with a -) + Better value for what you get + Motion sensitive controls + No regional lockout (except for PS1/PS2 games) + Blu-ray support (for movies and games) + Online gaming is free + Standard memory card support (on most models) + No need to download "profiles" for backward compatibility + Official Linux support - More expensive up front than the cheapest X360 model - The PS3 completely lacks anything like the X360's "Achievements" system - Some X360 games are not available in PS3 versions - Unlike the X360, the PS3 does not support upscan-converting 720p to 1080i - The PS3 does not support the rival HD-DVD disc format And the PS3 vs. the Wii: + Support for DVD videos, audio CDs, Blu-ray discs + No regional lockout (except for PS1/PS2 games) + Existant online gaming network + Far superior HD video support (and HDMI, too) + Digital audio support (AC-3, DTS, TrueHD, etc.) + No need for legacy controllers to play retro games + Official Linux support + Wireless controllers have built-in rechargeable batteries - More expensive up front than the cheapest Wii model - The PS3 completely lacks anything like the Wii's "Mii" system - Both systems have motion-sensitive controllers, but the Wii's controllers have a better implementation of motion-sensitivity - Some Wii games are not available in PS3 versions (but a surprising amount are available in PS2 versions) * 1.4 - WHAT KIND OF PS3s HAVE BEEN RELEASED? * *********************************************** Previous PlayStations displayed their hardware version number on the outside of the box; it always started with the prefix "SCPH". Sony seems to have abandoned this practice with the PS3, so now PS3 models are usually associated with the size of the hard disks bundled with the consoles. Here are the PS3s that have been released as of October 2007: * 20 GB Availability: Japan (discontinued in January 2008), Hong Kong (discontinued?), Taiwan (discontinued?), Singapore (discontinued?), North America (discontinued in April 2007) Card Readers: None Wi-Fi: None USB Ports: 4 PS2 Backward Compatibility: Hardware This PS3 model was available at launch in Japan and North America. Contrary to early media reports, this model did have an HDMI port, but it did not have any card readers or Wi-Fi support. Not too surprisingly, no one bought it. * 60 GB Availability: Japan (discontinued in January 2008), Hong Kong (discontinued?), Taiwan (discontinued?), Singapore (discontinued?), North America (discontinued in July 2007) Card Readers: Compact Flash, SD, Memory Stick Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g USB Ports: 4 PS2 Backward Compatibility: Hardware This PS3 model was also available at the Japanese and North American launch; a slightly different version of this console was available at the European launch (see below). Unlike the 20 GB model, the 60 GB model had Wi-Fi and card readers for SD and Sony Memory Stick cards. A lot of hardcore PS3 fans consider this model to be the best one Sony has released to date, since it had ports for everything as well as hardware PS2 backward compatibility. It was discontinued in North America in July 2007, and existing models had their price slashed by $100. It has since been discontinued elsewhere. * 60 GB-E Availability: Europe (discontinued in October 2007), Australia (discontinued in October 2007), New Zealand (discontinued in October 2007), Middle East, India, Pakistan Card Readers: Compact Flash, SD, Memory Stick Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g USB Ports: 4 PS2 Backward Compatibility: Software This model was the only console available at the European launch. It was the same as the regular 60 GB PS3, except that Sony removed the "Emotion Engine" MIPS CPU and included a software EE emulator. Although PS1 backward compatibility was not touched by this change, the change meant that PS2 games were no longer 100% backward compatible. This model was discontinued and replaced with the 40 GB model. * 80 GB Availability: South Korea, North America Card Readers: Compact Flash, SD, Memory Stick Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g USB Ports: 4 PS2 Backward Compatibility: Software Originally released in South Korea, this is the current PS3 model in North America. Other than the larger hard drive, the only changes Sony made to the hardware is they added IPTV compatibility, and removed hardware PS2 backward compatibility from the Japanese and North American versions of the console. (The console will still run most PS2 games, but only in software emulation.) The game "MotorStorm" was bundled in with this version of the console. * 40 GB Availability: Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, North America Card Readers: None Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g USB Ports: 2 PS2 Backward Compatibility: None The 40 GB PS3, announced in October 2007, had several hardware components cut in order to reduce the cost of the model. Although this PS3 still supports more than 2 player gaming, only 2 USB ports were included. The removal of the memory card readers means that USB drives are the only means of transfering files to/from the hard disk. However, the most notable (and controversial) change was the complete removal of PS2 backward compatibility, since this PS3 model does not have the PS2's "Graphics Synthesizer" GPU on board. PS1 games will still work as expected. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: There is a rumor floating around out there that Sony will add PS2 backward compatibility to this model via a future software update. THIS RUMOR IS FALSE. Sony has stated that they have no plans to add backward compatibility to this console **ever**. The PS3 simply does not have the power to emulate both the PS2's CPU and GPU in software and give users a good game experience. The Asian version of this console is available in black and ceramic white. The North American version of this console comes with the Blu-ray movie "Spider-Man 3". * 1.5 - DOES THE PS3 HAVE A REGIONAL LOCKOUT? * *********************************************** It depends on the media. All PS1 and PS2 games have a regional lockout, and will not play on PS3 consoles released outside of their regions. This means that, for example, Japanese versions of PS2 games will not run in a North American PS3. To date, all PS3 disc-based games have no regional lockout. Every now and then, software will show up on the PlayStation Store that has a regional lockout, but it is usually there by accident (this happened to the demo version of "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune"). DVD and Blu-ray discs use a separate regional lockout and may not play in PS3s released outside of their regions. To date, very few Blu-ray discs use the regional lockout feature. DVDs are another story... * 1.6 - DOES THE PS3 HAVE PARENTAL CONTROLS? * ********************************************** The PS3 has parental controls for DVD and Blu-ray movies only. It does not have parental controls for games. * 1.7 - WHAT ARE THE HARDWARE SPECS ON THE PS3? * ************************************************* CPU: IBM PowerPC "Cell", 3.2 GHz, 64-bit, 8 cores (though one is reserved by the OS for quality control reasons) GPU: nVidia RSX "Reality Synthesizer", 550 MHz System RAM: 256 MB The hard disk, USB, etc. vary from model to model. See 1.4 above for details. * 1.8 - WHAT I/O PORTS COME WITH THE PS3? * ******************************************* On the front of the PS3, there are 2-4 USB ports depending on the PS3 model. All of these ports support USB 2.x ("high-speed USB") and are hot-pluggable. On all but the 20 GB and 40 GB version of the PS3, there are slots on the front for SD, Memory Stick, and Compact Flash cards. These are used for backing up and restoring data, as well as importing/exporting pictures, video, etc. They are hot-pluggable, but it is important to only remove them when they are not being accessed (their light is blinking). On the back of the PS3 are ports for HDMI, A/V out, Ethernet, and optical audio. The HDMI and Ethernet ports are hot-pluggable; the A/V port is not. The optical port is "hot-pluggable", but since it's fiber-optic instead of electric, it's not really hot. There's also a bay for the hard disk on the back. Unlike the PS2, the PS3 will work with any serial ATA hard disk for laptops, in addition to the one bundled with the console. According to Sony, the maximum hard drive size allowed by the PS3 is 250 GB. Obviously it isn't hot-pluggable. The PS3 also supports Bluetooth (in all models) and Wi-fi (in all models except the 20 GB model); obviously there are no ports for them. * 1.9 - DOES THE PS3 HAVE THE "JAGGIES" PROBLEM THAT PLAGUED THE PS2? * *********************************************************************** Short answer: No, and "plagued" is too strong a word to describe the problem. Long answer: NTSC, PAL, and SECAM all use "interlaced" video frames. That means that, instead of receiving single frames to send to the screen, it receives two fields that make up a single frame, and has to lace the two frames together. (See below for more details about interlaced vs. progressive scan video.) The PS2 "jaggies" problem, which was most noticeable in some very early PS2 games, was caused by the console generating a small delay when sending each field to the screen. Due to the delay, the fields were drawn out of sync, and the picture had noticeable artifacting, even on low-quality video connections. The whole thing is water under the bridge now. The problem was corrected by Sony and third parties on the PS2 side of things years ago. To date, there have been no PS3 games that have drawn images out of sync when running in interlaced video. * 1.10 - WHAT PS3 MODEL SHOULD I BUY? * *************************************** The only person who has the answer to this question is you. It all really depends on a few things: 1. Your budget (the PS3s with smaller hard drives and less features are cheaper) 2. The importance of PS2 backward compatibility to you 3. The importance of the presence of card readers to you 4. Whether or not you need Wi-fi support All PS3 models come with Bluetooth, USB, HDMI, PS1 backward compatibility, and optical audio support, so you don't need to worry about those features. If all you care about is the price, and the other features don't matter to you, then you should probably buy either the 20 GB or 40 GB model. Otherwise, you should probably buy either the 60 GB or 80 GB model. (NOTE: Some of the above models may not be available in your region, or may have been discontinued. If so, then you might only be able to find them on eBay or somewhere similar.) * 2.0 - VIDEO DISPLAYS AND THE PS3 * ************************************ * 2.1 - WHAT ARE ALL OF THESE VIDEO ACRONYMS? * *********************************************** Here's a brief explanation of all the videophile terminology that will be used in the FAQ up ahead. SDTV: SDTV stands for "Standard Definition Television" and it refers to legacy TV standards. There were three competing SDTV standards: NTSC (used in most of the Americas and in some places in Asia), SECAM (used in France, Russia, and former colonies of both), and PAL (used just about everywhere else in the world). NTSC: NTSC stands for "National Television Standard Committee" and is the original television standard. NTSC ran at a resolution of 640x480 interlaced pixels with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. Originally NTSC only supported black and white images, but color support was later retro-fitted into the standard. PAL: PAL stands for "Phase Altering Line" and was created after color support was added to the NTSC standard. PAL ran at a resolution of 640x576 interlaced pixels with a refresh rate of 50 Hz, and its main advantage over NTSC was the tint of the picture never needed to be adjusted. SECAM: SECAM stands for "SÉquentiel Couleur À Mémoire" and was a superior broadcasting format to NTSC and PAL. Since most TV sets that support SECAM also support PAL (and some also support NTSC), very few (if any) games were made for this format. HDTV: HDTV stands for "High Definition Television" and replaces the old NTSC, PAL, and SECAM standards. On broadcast HDTV signals (which have nothing to do with the PS3), the audio is compressed using AC-3 compression (more on audio later), and video is compressed using one of the MPEG codecs. The main advantages HDTV has over SDTV is it supports progressive-scan video in addition to interlaced video, and it supports much higher resolutions and different aspect ratios. Interlaced Video: In order to conserve bandwidth over a limited-bandwidth connection, an interlaced video scheme sends two images containing a single frame of video to the display, one after the other, with one image containing half of the vertical lines of video, and the second image containing the other half. The display then puts them back together before displaying the full frame. Although this reduces the bandwidth used, the picture is not as good, because sometimes the frames come out of sync, giving the picture noticeable video artifacting. (PS2 owners know the effect as "the jaggies".) The maximum frame rate of interlaced video is 60 frames/second. Progressive Scan Video: Progressive scan video schemes send a single image containing the frame to the display. It takes twice the bandwidth of interlaced video, but the image is much sharper and does not suffer from any artifacts brought about by interlacing frames. The maximum frame rate of progressive scan video is 30 frames/second. 4:3: 4:3 is the standard aspect ratio used by NTSC TV, and is also the standard aspect ratio on non-widescreen computer monitors. (An aspect ratio refers to the number of number of horizontal pixels per vertical pixel.) 16:9: 16:9 is the most common widescreen aspect ratio used in HDTV sets. (Most widescreen computer monitors are actually 16:10; see below for details.) Most of the time, when a game or DVD says it supports "widescreen", it really means 16:9 support. 16:10: 16:10 is the second most common widescreen aspect ratio. It is very rarely seen on TV sets, but is very common in widescreen computer monitors, mainly because 16:10 resolutions are more backward-compatible with 4:3 aspect content. Many 16:10 displays support letterboxing 16:9 video so it doesn't look stretched. XXXXi/p: This refers to the resolution of the picture. The XXXX refers to the number of vertical lines in the picture, while "i" stands for interlaced and "p" stands for progressive scan. Typical resolutions are 480i/p, 576i/p, 720i/p, and 1080i/p. CRT: CRT stands for "Cathode Ray Tube" and is the original TV display technology. CRT technology is time-tested and cheap, but CRT-based TV sets are big and heavy, susceptible to radio interference, and their image quality tends to degrade over time. CRTs are also susceptible to permanent burn-in, which occurs when an image is displayed on the monitor for long periods of time, causing a "ghost" of that image to be permanently burned into the screen. LCD: LCD stands for "Liquid Crystal Display" and is the original alternative to the CRT for displaying images on a screen. LCDs were once expensive, but their price has dropped dramatically, and their capabilities have increased equally dramatically, since they were introduced in the 1970s. LCDs are digital, and although they are susceptible to burn-in, the burn-in is temporary and will go away shortly after it occurs. The problem with LCDs is they cannot display the color black correctly. Plasma: Plasma TVs are similar to LCDs, except that they are far better at displaying black and other dark colors, with the main trade-off being that they are more expensive and susceptible to permanent burn-in. RPD: RPD stands for "Rear Projection Display". These displays give the best possible image size, but they're expensive, and they're the most susceptible to burn-in. * 2.2 - WHAT VIDEO CABLES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE PS3? * ***************************************************** Here they are, listed in rough order of video quality: * RFU Supported Resolutions: 480i (NTSC), 576i (PAL/SECAM) Supported Audio Types: Mono Picture Quality: Worst RFU, or coaxial video, is the one universal method of getting video into a TV set. It is also the worst, because the limited bandwidth being used to display a full picture as well as audio severely degrades the quality of both, and it is very susceptible to radio interference. Although many TVs only support RFU input, I strongly recommend against playing PS3 games on RFU-only TVs. Seriously, a lot of the video will be unrecognizable, and even if you can see things on the screen, you're missing out on a lot of the experience. If you must use an RFU adapter, do pay attention to the channel used by the adapter. Most people will want to use channel 3, but for some, channel 4 will provide a better picture. Your mileage may vary. * Composite Supported Resolutions: 480i (NTSC), 576i (PAL/SECAM) Supported Audio Types: Mono, Stereo, DPL1, DPL2 Picture Quality: Bad Composite video, also sometimes known as RCA video because RCA developed the plug type used by composite video, is a step up from RFU video. It is nearly universal in SDTV sets, although a number of low-end and cheap SDTVs don't support it. Composite video provides better quality audio and video than RFU, since it splits the audio and video into separate channels, allowing more bandwidth for video. Also, composite video is not as susceptible to interference as RFU. However, since it delivers all of the video in a single bandwidth-limited channel, the quality is not that great. The PS3 comes with a composite video cable. Still, I would not recommend this video type if you have access to a display with better input types. * S-Video Supported Resolutions: 480i (NTSC), 576i (PAL/SECAM) Supported Audio Types: Mono, Stereo, DPL1, DPL2 Picture Quality: OK S-Video is a huge step up in video quality over composite video. Like composite video, S-Video puts the video signal into a single cable, but that cable splits the chroma (color) and luma (brightness) into two separate pins, which greatly increases the picture quality due to the higher bandwidth availability. S-Video is universally supported by all PS1, PS2, and PS3 games. However, some PS1 games, particularly "Wipeout", look ugly in S-Video (or better connections) because they include video artifacts that the developers thought no one would notice, since in the early days of the PS1 almost everyone used RFU or composite video. Also, S-Video may look blocky on big screens, but that's mainly caused by having a sharp, low-resolution picture on a big screen. S-Video is the minimum recommended (by me) video cable type for playing PS2 and PS3 games. * Component (Y/Pr/Pb) Supported Resolutions: 480i/p, 576i/p, 720i/p, 1080i/p (support varies by display; not all displays support 720i/p or 1080p) Supported Audio Types: Mono, Stereo, DPL1, DPL2 Picture Quality: Great Component video is a big step up over S-Video, since it separates the chroma into two separate video color components - luma (Y), the difference between blue and luma (Pb), and the difference between red and luma (Pr) - and provides a big bandwidth boost for one of the sharpest-looking analog video types around. In addition, component video supports multiple resolutions as well as progressive scan video. Its biggest problem is it only synchronizes vertically with the display, so the horizontal aspect ratio of the picture has to be set on the display (unless you don't mind the compressed or stretched picture). Component (Y/Pb/Pr) video ports are universal on HDTV sets. Also, a handful of computer monitors have component video ports, usually in addition to VGA or DVI ports. * D-Terminal Supported Resolutions: 480i/p, 720p, 1080i/p (support varies by display) Supported Audio Types: Mono, Stereo, DPL1, DPL2 Picture Quality: Great D-Terminal is a type of video connector that is used exclusively in Japan. It carries a component video signal in a single cable, but is otherwise no different than the three cable connectors used in the rest of the world. * SCART Supported Resolutions: Varies Supported Audio Types: Mono, Stereo, DPL1, DPL2 Picture Quality: Varies SCART is a European standard for analog video that originated in France, and is rarely spotted outside Europe. A SCART connection can carry either Composite, S-Video, or Component video, so the quality really depends on what the display supports. IMPORTANT: DVD and Blu-ray playback may not be possible on SCART connections because SCART traditionally defeats the Macrovision encoding of video signals intended to defeat casual piracy. * VGA (RGBHV) Supported Resolutions: 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080p (support varies by display) Supported Audio Types: Mono, Stereo, DPL1, DPL2 Picture Quality: Excellent VGA stands for "Video Graphics Array" and is a slight step up from component video. It is very common on computer monitors, and is present on some HDTV sets as well. Like component video, VGA splits the video signal into separate components. Unlike component video, VGA uses only a single video cable, it supports both vertical and horizontal synchronization (so the user doesn't have to manually adjust the monitor's aspect ratio), and it only supports progressive scan signals. VGA ports are sometimes identified as "RGB" on some displays. VGA cables for the PS3 are quite rare. Sony once made an official VGA cable for the PS2, but it was only bundled with the Linux Kit, it only supported monitors that supported "sync on green" synchronization (the majority of which are, surprise surprise, Sony monitors), and it only really worked with Linux (it unofficially worked with other games that supported progressive scan). Most "VGA boxes" for the PlayStation consoles are nothing more than upscan converters, that take S-Video or some other video type, and convert it to VGA. Blaze Gear was the only company that made a true VGA cable for the PS2 that actually worked. I have no idea how well it works with the PS3. * DVI Supported Resolutions: 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080p (support varies by display) Supported Audio Types: None Picture Quality: Perfect DVI stands for "Digital Visual Interface" and is a common digital video standard. It is similar to HDMI, the PS3's native digital output type, except that its bandwidth is limited, and it can't carry audio at all. The PS3 can output DVI if you use a HDMI-to-DVI cable, but if you do this, you won't get any sound unless you use a separate optical audio cable. DVI can carry both digital and analog signals. Some DVI displays only accept one or the other. Since the only way to get the PS3 to use DVI is to use an HDMI-to-DVI cable, the signal will only be digital, so this will not work with older DVI monitors that only supported analog signals. IMPORTANT: The PS3 may not work with DVI monitors that do not support HDCP ("High Definition Content Protection"). No DVI monitors made prior to 2004 support HDCP. * HDMI Supported Resolutions: 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080p (support varies by display) Supported Audio Types: Mono, Stereo, DPL1, DPL2, AC-3, DTS, TrueHD Picture Quality: Perfect HDMI stands for "High Definition Multimedia Interface" and is an emerging digital video standard. HDMI's main advantages over other digital video types (D-Terminal, DVI, etc.) are that HDMI has much greater bandwidth, carries up to 7.1 channel audio, and is able to drive displays that are larger than about 30 inches. Like VGA and DVI, HDMI supports multiple resolutions, and synchronizes both horizontally and vertically. Ultimately, HDMI will replace DVI and all of the analog video types. Since HDMI is digital, its picture quality is just as good as the display. * 2.3 - CAN I USE MY PS1 OR PS2 VIDEO CABLE(S) WITH THE PS3? * ************************************************************** Yes. The PS3 uses the same video plug as the PS1 and PS2, so you can bring over your video cables from your old console if you have any. * 2.4 - WHY DOES MY TV IMAGE BOUNCE WHEN I CONNECT MY PS3 TO IT? * ****************************************************************** You must have an older Zenith TV. Earlier Sony consoles would output video in a way that was incompatible with Zenith TVs, which caused the TV to freak out and start bouncing the image around the screen. Later Zenith TVs fixed the problem, and Sony would modify affected users' consoles to correct the problem. It is not clear as to whether this still occurs with the PS3, but if you see this behavior, then now you know... Anyway, contact Sony and explain the situation; your PS3 may require a slight tweak. * 2.5 - WHY IS MY VIDEO SCRAMBLED WHILE WATCHING A DVD? * ********************************************************* You've most likely stumbled upon the Macrovision encoding that is present in almost all commercial DVDs. Macrovision is designed to scramble a picture if you have a DVD player connected to a VCR. The solution is to never connect a PS3 to a VCR; always connect it either directly to a TV or to a video switch box. * 2.6 - WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A DISPLAY FOR MY PS3? * ******************************************************************** While it is possible to connect a PS3 to an SDTV set, you're missing out on half of the fun of owning a PS3 if you do that. The PS3 was built from the ground up for HDTV. Still, if you absolutely must play the PS3 on an SDTV set, then at the least, make sure it supports S-Video. PS3 games look terrible on composite and RFU displays. If you do have an HDTV set, then make sure it supports a wide variety of resolutions. Some PS3 games only support 720i/p, such as "Resistance: Fall of Man", and some older HDTV sets don't support 720i/p, meaning the game will only run at 480i/p on those sets. You most certainly can hook your PS3 up to a computer monitor if you'd like. Computer monitors tend to be smaller than many peoples' TV sets, but they have much better resolution at those smaller sizes. Usually you'd connect the PS3 to the monitor using either an HDMI->DVI or VGA cable, although some monitors also support HDMI or component video. The one caveat about using a monitor for a display is most widescreen computer monitors have a 16:10 aspect ratio, while widescreen games typically use a 16:9 ratio, so you want to make sure you set your monitor's ratio correctly or else you'll get a stretched picture. CRT, LCD, Plasma, or RPD? There is no best answer to this; it is more of a personal preference decision. But if you are going to use any display type other than LCD, then make sure you turn on the PS3's built-in screen saver. Also, if you are going to use an RPD, then I would strongly recommend avoiding playing marathon-length games that display static image(s) on the screen for hours at a time. * 3.0 - AUDIO SPEAKERS AND THE PS3 * ************************************ * 3.1 - WHAT AUDIO TYPES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE PS3? * **************************************************** * Monaural, aka Mono Supported Video Cables: All except DVI Optical Cable: Yes If you're using an RFU adapter to connect your PS3 to a TV, then this is the audio type you're getting. All audio is placed into a single audio channel. All PS1, PS2, and PS3 games support mono sound, but a lot of games deliver a much better experience with more audio channels. * Stereo Supported Video Cables: All except RFU and DVI Optical Cable: Yes Stereo sound splits the audio channels into left and right channels, for a somewhat better game experience than mono audio. Stereo sound is supported by all PS1, PS2, and PS3 games. * Dolby Surround, aka Dolby Pro Logic 1 Supported Video Cables: All except RFU and DVI Optical Cable: Yes Dolby Pro Logic 1 (DPL1) is the original analog surround sound codec. Using the same two analog audio cables used by stereo sound connections, DPL1 has four distinct channels - front left, front center, front right, and surround (rear). The main problem with DPL1 is there is a small amount of "bleeding" between two channels. However, except for audiophiles with very high quality stereo systems, most users won't notice it. Just about every PS1 game made by Electronic Arts, and some other PS1 games, support DPL1. Also, DPL2 is backward-compatible with DPL1, so if you have a surround sound stereo that only supports one or the other, then don't fret (too much). * Dolby Pro Logic 2 Supported Video Cables: All except RFU and DVI Optical Cable: Yes Dolby Pro Logic 2 (DPL2) is similar to DPL1, except that it adds a subwoofer channel and a second rear channel. Dolby Labs made this codec specifically for the PS2 generation of video game consoles, so many PS2 games that support surround sound use DPL2. * AC-3, aka Dolby Digital 5.1 Supported Video Cables: HDMI Optical Cable: Yes AC-3 is the world's most common digital audio codec. It works by compressing modulated audio blocks and sending the compressed audio over a digital link to a digital receiver, which decodes and plays the audio. AC-3 supports 5.1 channel audio - front left, front center, front right, rear left, rear right, and subwoofer. Since it is digital, there is no bleeding between speakers. Other than HDMI, AC-3 audio is generally supported over the PS3's optical audio cable. (In other words, the analog audio cables cannot carry AC-3 audio.) The PS3 uses a standard S/PDIF ("Sony/Phillips Digital InterFace") optical cable, which is the most common type of digital audio cable. No PS1 games support AC-3 audio. A small handful of PS2 games support AC-3 audio, such as "Metal Gear Solid 2" and "Xenosaga II", but most PS2 games that support AC-3 audio only play AC-3 audio clips during cutscenes, since the PS2 did not have the horsepower to do on-the-fly AC-3 compression. The PS3 has full hardware AC-3 audio compression support, so all PS3 games will use AC-3 audio at a minimum when either an HDMI or optical audio cable is plugged into the console. On the DVD and Blu-ray side of things, AC-3 support is universal in commercial videos, since it is required by the standard. AC-3 support is also universal in commercial digital stereos. * DTS Supported Video Cables: HDMI Optical Cable: Yes DTS stands for "Digital Theater System" and it is a direct competitor to AC-3. DTS uses a less aggressive compression algorithm, and some audiophiles prefer the sound of DTS audio over AC-3. No PS1 games support DTS audio. Since DTS is less CPU-intensive to compress than AC-3, a small handful of PS2 games support real-time DTS compression, such as "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" and many EA Sports titles. Also, some PS3 games, mainly (surprise) Electronic Arts games, support real-time DTS compression in addition to AC-3 compression, and will prefer DTS over AC-3 if you turned on DTS in your audio settings. On the DVD side of things, some DVD video discs support DTS, while most don't. On the Blu-ray side of things, all Blu-ray discs are required to have a DTS audio track. Support for DTS in commercial digital stereos is a bit of a toss-up. Roughly half of them out there support it, and half of them only support AC-3. DTS-only digital stereos are exceedingly rare (do they even exist?). VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT enable DTS audio in a video game unless you are 100% sure that your digital stereo supports DTS. Since many digital stereo systems do not support DTS, it is possible to damage the stereo (not to mention your ears!) if you enable DTS support in a game on a non-supporting stereo. * Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Supported Video Cables: HDMI Optical Cable: No TrueHD is the same as AC-3, except that it is lossless, and it has two more channels - left center and right center. This is the best possible audio type, but it requires an HDMI cable, since optical cables don't have the bandwidth to support TrueHD. Obviously no PS1 or PS2 games support TrueHD. DVDs also do not use TrueHD; only some Blu-ray movies use it. * 3.2 - WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A STEREO FOR MY PS3? * ******************************************************************* If you don't have a lot to spend, then at the bare minimum, any 2.1 speaker sound system ought to be enough. Many popular PS2 and PS3 games make strategic use of multi-channel sound effects, such as "Metal Gear Solid 3", so playing the game with mono sound actually puts you at a big disadvantage. If you have a little more to spend, then you ought to consider a 5.1 channel system. You'll want AC-3/Dolby Digital support with at least one S/PDIF input port. DTS support is nice but not necessary unless you're a true audiophile or you regularly play the handful of PS2/PS3 games with DTS support. And if you're a **true** audiophile, then you probably already have a 7.1 channel HDMI-equipped sound system, so why are you reading this? :) When buying a digital audio cable, you do not need to spend much money. Because the quality of the cable will have no effect on the quality of the audio, unlike the situation with analog audio cables, a $5 cable will sound just as good as a $30 cable. * 4.0 - BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY * ******************************** * 4.1 - IS THE PS3 BACKWARD COMPATIBLE WITH THE PS1 OR PS2? * ************************************************************** All PS3 models have software-based backward compatibility with the PS1. The PS3's backward compatibility with the PS2 varies a bit. Some models have full hardware backward compatibility with the PS2, some have software backward compatibility, and some don't have it at all. See 1.4 above for details on which models have it and which don't. The models that don't have PS2 backward compatibility will **not** be updated to have it at any point in the future, since the PS3 does not have the power to emulate both the PS2's CPU and GPU in software. The difference between software and hardware PS2 backward compatibility can be significant. PS3 models that feature hardware backward compatibility have full support for every PS2 game that met Sony's technical requirements for PS2 games. Software emulation PS3s are considerably less compatible with PS2 games. Additionally, many PS1 games that had backward compatibility problems on the PS2 will have backward compatibility problems on the PS3. The PS3 supports graphic smoothing in PS1 games, much like the PS2 did, but it does **not** support the faster PS1 disc loading feature that the PS2 had, since it broke compatibility with many games. * 4.2 - WHAT PS1 AND PS2 GAMES WORK IN THE PS3? * ************************************************* Almost all of them, although a few have glitches when played on a PS3. Sony has an online form where you can check for games' backward compatibility status here: North America: Europe: * 4.3 - WHAT PS1 AND PS2 PERIPHERALS WORK IN THE PS3? * ******************************************************* The PS3 is not backward compatible with PS1 peripherals at all, except for video connectors. The PS3 is only backward compatible with PS2 peripherals that used the PS2's USB connectors. All other PS2 peripherals (except, of course, for video connectors and the optical cable) will not work in the PS3. This means that non-USB peripheral-based PS2 games, such as "Guitar Hero", won't work that well on the PS3. Any standard USB "web camera", as well as Sony's PlayStation Eye, will work with PS2 EyeToy games. Also, any Bluetooth headset will work with headset-enabled PS2 games. * 4.4 - WHY DOESN'T MY SIXAXIS/DUAL SHOCK 3 CONTROLLER WORK IN MY PS1 GAME? * ***************************************************************************** Many PS1 games made prior to 1998, including such blockbusters as "Tomb Raider" and "Final Fantasy VII", did not support the analog controller, and would behave as if a controller was unplugged if an analog controller was plugged in and the joysticks were turned on. The PS1 and PS2 dealt with this situation by including an "analog" button on the controller that enabled or disabled the analog joysticks in games. The PS3 is smart enough to figure out whether a game needs analog support turned on or off per game, but every once in a while, it gets things wrong. If this happens, then you'll need to press the PS button on the controller, and manually disable (or enable) analog controls in your game. * 4.5 - DOES THE PS3 SUPPORT PS2 GAMES THAT USED THE NETWORK ADAPTER OR HDD? * ****************************************************************************** As of the latest firmware update, it supports both. Previous firmware versions didn't support PS2 games that used the hard disk. * 4.6 - HOW CAN I IMPORT MY PS1/PS2 SAVED DATA INTO MY PS3? * ************************************************************* Sony makes a USB-based memory card reader for the PS3. With it, you can either copy the memory cards onto the PS3's hard disk, or if you wish (and you've got a recent firmware version), you can have your games directly read from and write to PS1/PS2 memory cards. * 4.7 - HOW DO ADVANCED VIDEO MODES WORK WHEN PLAYING PS1 OR PS2 GAMES? * ************************************************************************* As of the latest firmware update, if you have a component, VGA, or HDMI cable plugged into your PS3, and you have turned on video modes other than 480i in the XMB video settings, then PS1 and PS2 games will be upscan-converted to the highest video mode supported by your monitor. The PS1 predates support for progressive scan and high definition video modes. However, some PS2 games support progressive scan, such as "Shadow of the Colossus" and "God of War", and a few even supported high definition video, such as "Gran Turismo 4". If progressive scan or HD support is turned on in one of these games, then that video mode will override the PS3's upscan converter. * 4.8 - HOW DO ADVANCED AUDIO MODES WORK WHEN PLAYING PS1 OR PS2 GAMES? * ************************************************************************* The PS1 predated the addition of digital audio. Despite this, all PS1 games played over a digital audio cable or HDMI will work as if they were played over analog cables. Advanced audio modes are exactly the same on the PS2 as they are on the PS3. Games that support AC-3 or DTS will work with AC-3 or DTS, etc. However, PS2 games had to be explicitly written to use the digital audio output port. With the exception of "Gradius III & IV", all shipping PS2 games support the digital audio output port. * 4.9 - WHY DID MY PS1 GAME SUDDENLY BECOME A LOT LESS RANDOM? * **************************************************************** The basic answer is because the PS1 didn't have a system clock, so it depended on other means of seeding a random number generator. In order for computer software to properly generate random numbers, the random number generator must be "seeded" with a number that will always be different each time it is seeded. Traditionally, this is done by getting the system time. But since the PS1 didn't have a system clock, and PS1 games cannot read the PS3's system clock, many PS1 games seeded the random number generator by using some other pseudo-different number, which was usually the amount of time spent playing the game. Unfortunately, a lot of PS1 games tended to top out at 99:99:99 on the clock. So if, for example, you're playing "Final Fantasy VII" and you suddenly cannot breed gold chocobos after maximizing the game clock, then now you know why... PS2 games don't have this problem, since the PS2 had a system clock. * 4.10 - WHY DOESN'T FORCE FEEDBACK WORK ON MY DUAL SHOCK 3 IN MY PS1 GAME? * ***************************************************************************** A small handful of PS1 games, such as "Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete", only enable force feedback if the controller's analog mode is turned on, even if force feedback is on in the game's preferences. Try turning on analog mode in the PS menu and see what happens. * 5.0 - HOMEBREW DEVELOPMENT AND GNU/LINUX ON THE PS3 * ******************************************************* * 5.1 - DOES THE PS3 SUPPORT HOMEBREW GAME DEVELOPMENT? * ********************************************************* Sort of. As with the PS2, the PS3 supports running the GNU/Linux operating system. Unlike the PS2, no kit is necessary to run GNU/Linux; all you need is an installer CD or DVD. The Linux kernel on the PS3 gets full access to the system's CPU and I/O ports. The only drawback is, as of the most recent firmware update, hardware OpenGL support is not supported by Linux on the PS3. Also, under Linux, one of the CPU cores is reserved by the OS, so only six of the eight CPU cores are available (the other missing core is always disabled as a quality control measure). * 5.2 - WHAT GNU/LINUX DISTRIBUTIONS WORK ON THE PS3? * ******************************************************* The only GNU/Linux distribution that intentionally targets the PS3 is Yellow Dog Linux. Some people have gotten Fedora Core, Debian, and even Ubuntu to work on the PS3, but it requires a little bit more work in order for it to work correctly. Technically, the PS3 is a PPC64-based operating system, so any distribution that is available for the PPC64 ought to work on the PS3. You can find out more information about Yellow Dog Linux here, including download links: * 5.3 - HOW DO I INSTALL GNU/LINUX ON THE PS3? * ************************************************ First of all, back up your hard disk. Installing GNU/Linux on a PS3 requires reformatting and repartitioning the hard disk, which will cause you to lose all data on the drive. Once you've done that, choose to "install another OS" in the system preferences in the PS3's XMB. You'll be given a choice on repartitioning the drive: 1. Dedicate the whole drive to the other OS 2. Dedicate 10 GB to the PS3, and the rest to the other OS 3. Dedicate 10 GB to the other OS, and the rest to the PS3 4. Dedicate the whole drive to the PS3 Choose option 4 only if you have an existing GNU/Linux distribution, you want to uninstall it, and you don't care about installing another one. Choose option 1 only if you will never use the PS3 to actually play games, since just about all PS3 games use the hard disk in some way or another. Most people will choose option 3. Whatever you choose, choose it wisely. Once the repartitioning is done, then you can put the installation DVD in the drive and begin the installation. * 5.4 - HOW DO I RETURN TO THE PS3 XMB ONCE IT'S RUNNING GNU/LINUX? * ********************************************************************* If you're using Yellow Dog Linux, then when you see the "kboot" prompt while starting up, then type "boot-game-os" and press Return to return to the XMB. If you're not using Yellow Dog Linux, then you're going to need to download a few tools from Sony, including the "boot-game-os" tool, in order to return to the XMB from GNU/Linux. Search Google for more information. * 5.5 - HOW DO I GET THE GUI WORKING IN GNU/LINUX? * **************************************************** You need to have a multi-resolution connection (e.g. component) to a monitor in order for the GUI to work in most cases. If you have one, then the GUI will automatically run in the highest supported progressive scan resolution supported by your monitor. If you're using S-Video or a worse video connection, then you may be stuck with the CLI. * 5.6 - CAN I RUN WINDOWS OR MAC OS X SOFTWARE ON MY PS3 IN GNU/LINUX? * ************************************************************************ No. Although there is a Windows compatibility environment for GNU/Linux called "WINE", it will not work on the PS3 because Windows software is built for Intel x86-based CPUs, whereas the PS3 uses a PowerPC CPU. You could always try using an emulator, such as Bochs, but it'll be really slow, and you can forget about trying to play games with it. And although most Mac OS X software does run on PowerPC CPUs, Mac OS X uses a completely different ABI than the Linux kernel, and even if it didn't, it uses a proprietary set of libraries that are not available for GNU/Linux. * 6.0 - THE SIXAXIS AND DUAL SHOCK 3 CONTROLELRS * ************************************************** * 6.1 - WHAT IS THE SIXAXIS CONTROLLER? * ***************************************** The SIXAXIS controller is the fifth major revision of the traditional PlayStation controller since the PS1 was released. It is identical to the earlier Dual Shock 2 that shipped with the PS2, with the following changes: 1. The Dual Shock 2 used the PS2's controller plug. The SIXAXIS is wireless, with a USB cable for plugging it in and charging it. 2. The Dual Shock 2 had an "analog" button that enabled and disabled the analog joysticks. The SIXAXIS removes the button and adds a PS button, which is used in-game to turn on the controller, and then bring up the system menu once the controller is turned on. 3. The SIXAXIS is motion-sensitive. Like the Wii controller, the SIXAXIS detects yaw, pitch, and roll in addition to forward/backward, left/right, and up/down. 4. The SIXAXIS has slightly redesigned L2 and R2 buttons that resemble analog triggers, similar to the Dreamcast and Xbox shoulder triggers. 5. The most controversial change to the SIXAXIS controller was the removal of force feedback motors from the Dual Shock 2. This was caused by a patent dispute that has since been resolved. The Dual Shock 3 will be available everywhere in early 2008, and it will include force feedback support. * 6.2 - WHAT IS THE DUAL SHOCK 3 CONTROLLER? * ********************************************** The Dual Shock 3 is identical to the SIXAXIS, except that it has force feedback support. The addition of the force feedback motors means the Dual Shock 3 is slightly heavier than the SIXAXIS. * 6.3 - CAN I USE MY SIXAXIS CONTROLLER AS A COMPUTER GAME PAD? * ***************************************************************** Yes, although unless you're using GNU/Linux with the latest version of Linux, you'll need to download a driver in order to get it to work. The SIXAXIS controller is actually a USB and Bluetooth HID device, but it uses HID in a weird, non-standard way that Windows and Mac OS X don't understand. Windows users can download a driver from . Mac OS X users can download a driver from . * 6.4 - WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE BANANA CONTROLLER? * ***************************************************** The "banana controller", a banana-shaped controller that was shown with early PS3 prototypes, was only a concept controller and never went into production. It wouldn't have been practical as a controller design. * 6.5 - WHY DON'T THE MOTION-SENSITIVE CONTROLS WORK IN MY GAME THAT SUPPORTS * * MOTION-SENSITIVE CONTROLS? * ******************************************************************************* If you're having this problem, then chances are you're using an older version of the PS3 firmware. There was an earlier version that had the unfortunate side effect of breaking the support for motion-sensitive controls, which made games like "Lair" unplayable. Fortunately, if this is the case, then you should only need to update your PS3's firmware to solve the issue. If that doesn't resolve the issue, then make sure that they are turned on in your game's options menu if applicable. If that still doesn't work, then maybe the game you're playing does not use motion-sensitive controls in the context that you're trying to use them. * 6.6 - WHY DO THE CONTROLS RANDOMLY QUIT RESPONDING FOR SEVERAL SECONDS? * *************************************************************************** Congratulations; you've encountered the #1 unresolved problem with the PS3. While we're waiting on Sony for a solution, the workaround is to plug the controller directly into the console using a USB cable, in which case the wireless controls will no longer be used, and the problem will no longer occur. * 6.7 - ARE THE SIXAXIS AND DUAL SHOCK 3 COMPATIBLE WITH THE PS1 OR PS2? * ************************************************************************** They are incompatible with the hardware of both consoles (but _not_ in PS1/PS2 games running on the PS3; see 4.x above). The PS1 hardware predated USB and Bluetooth, and Sony used a proprietary plug type for PS1 controllers. The PS2 had USB support, but it used the proprietary plugs from the PS1 as the main controller interface for backward compatibility reasons. PS2 games had to be specifically programmed to use USB controllers, and as a result, few games did. In any case, if you have an original Dual Shock (PS1) or Dual Shock 2 (PS2) controller, then you're not missing that much, since the motion-sensitive controls of the SIXAXIS and Dual Shock 3 won't work in PS1 or PS2 games anyway. Also, the lack of an Analog button on the Dual Shock 3 would make most PS1 games unplayable. * 7.0 - GOING ONLINE WITH THE PS3 * *********************************** * 7.1 - WHAT DO I NEED TO GO ONLINE WITH MY PS3? * ************************************************** If your PS3 is located in a place where the Internet is available over Ethernet (e.g. many university residence hall rooms), or in a place where you have access to Wi-fi (and you have a PS3 that supports Wi-fi, see 1.4 above), then you've got what you need. If you don't have Ethernet or Wi-fi available, then you need to buy access from a broadband ISP. The type doesn't matter, as long as the speed is 1 megabit/second or faster. Typically, most people will use cable or DSL modems. * 7.2 - CAN I GO ONLINE USING A DIAL-UP CONNECTION? * ***************************************************** Sort of. The PS3 does not have a modem, unlike the PS2 network adapter. But if you have a computer that has a spare Ethernet port, and you are using Windows 2000 or later or Mac OS X 10.2 or later, then you can enable their Internet connection sharing features to share your dial-up connection over the Ethernet port. Then you can run an Ethernet cable from your computer to your PS3, and set up your PS3 to connect over Ethernet. If you're using a relatively recent computer ("recent" being after 2003 or so), then any old Ethernet cable will do. If you're using an older computer, then you need what is called a "crossover" cable to make the connection. For some reason, the PS3 does not like Mac OS X's DHCP server. If DHCP isn't working for you, and your computer is running Mac OS X, then you need to configure your PS3 to use the IP address 192.168.2.2, subnet 255.255.255.0, and gateway 192.168.2.1. Keep in mind that this is really the last resort option to getting online. Modems just don't have the bandwidth to play PS3 games, and many PS2 games, online. You can use it to download files from the PS Store, but the downloads will take a while. The best uses for modems are downloading firmware updates, browsing the Web, and using Folding@Home. * 7.3 - CAN I GO ONLINE USING A USB MODEM OR ROUTER? * ****************************************************** Not unless the router also supports Ethernet or Wi-fi. Modems or routers that only support USB will not work with the PS3. Fortunately such beasts are quite rare. * 7.4 - HOW DO I PLAY PS1 GAMES ONLINE? * ***************************************** You can't. The PS1 predates online gaming support. The PS3 does not have PS1 online play grafted onto it XBAND-style, and knowing Sony, they probably won't add such a feature. Some PS1 games, such as "Twisted Metal 3", supported "networking" consoles together through the serial port. This is different from online play; the "networking" capabilities of the PS1 worked more like the link cable used by Nintendo's Game Boys. Sony ended up dropping the serial port from later PS1s, and this feature was phased out. Obviously it is not supported on the PS3. * 7.5 - HOW DO I PLAY PS2 GAMES ONLINE? * ***************************************** To play PS2 games online, you'll need to create a PS2 network configuration. Unfortunately this cannot be done in the PS3 XMB. The software to do this is sold separately. When Sony shipped the PS2 network adapter, they included a configuration disc with the adapter. You can either use that, or use one of the PS2 games that came with configuration software, such as "SOCOM: US Navy SEALs". In the software, just use the default broadband network configuration. If you're asked to choose an ISP, then always choose "other". Even if you're on wi-fi (the PS2 didn't support wi-fi), it'll just work and adapt to your PS3 network settings. * 7.6 - DO I NEED A HEADSET TO PLAY ONLINE GAMES? * *************************************************** Unlike the Xbox 360, you do not. However, having one is strongly recommended, because without one, you will not be able to communicate with other players. Any Bluetooth-enabled headset will do. * 7.7 - ARE ONLINE GAMES SEGREGATED BY REGION? * ************************************************ The answer varies from game to game, but generally you don't need to worry about this. **Very** few games segregate their user base by region or platform online, since history has shown that the online games that segregate their user bases, such as "Everquest", tend to flop in every segment save for the one dominant segment. (In the Everquest example, Sony Online segregated the Mac OS X, PS2, and Windows versions. The Mac and PS2 users wanted to play with Windows users, who vastly outnumbered Mac and PS2 users. But since Sony wouldn't let them, they largely abandoned the game.) In any case, this doesn't matter too much for PS3 games, since PS3 games are not region locked and work in multiple resolutions, so if there is a region-segregated game out there that you'd like to play, then you can buy an import from that region and it will just work. * 7.8 - HOW MUCH DO ONLINE GAMES COST TO PLAY ONLINE? * ******************************************************* The answer varies from game to game. Always read the fine print before buying an online game. If there is no fine print, then you can assume the game is free to play online. The PS3's "native" online games network, the PlayStation Network, is free, both to get an account and play PSN games (such as "Warhawk") online. However, third parties are allowed by Sony to run their own proprietary gaming networks. These networks may cost money to join, or require a monthly fee to retain membership. For example, Square charges a monthly fee to people who play "Final Fantasy XI" online through their PlayOnline network (which is actually the only way to play the game). * 7.9 - DOES EVERYONE HAVE TO OWN THEIR OWN COPY OF A GAME TO PLAY ONLINE? * **************************************************************************** Yes. Unlike, for example, the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, if you want to play a multiplayer game online with others, then everyone who wants to play must own a copy of the game. * 8.0 - BACKING UP THE PS3 * **************************** * 8.1 - WHY SHOULD I BACK UP MY PS3? * ************************************** Short answer: Because any destructable object that exists in only one place is dust in the wind. Long answer: Your PS3's hard disk could crash, or your PS3 could be lost or stolen, or you could make a mistake and have to restore an old saved game... In any of these cases, having a backup of your PS3 data will prove highly valuable. * 8.2 - WHAT GETS BACKED UP WHEN I BACK UP THE PS3? * ***************************************************** Here's what gets backed up, if they exist: * All installed games/patches * PS1 software memory cards * PS2 software memory cards * PS3 saved games * All media files that are **not** protected by DRM * All system settings Here's what does _not_ get backed up, if they exist: * The PS3 firmware * All media files that are protected by DRM * GNU/Linux partitions * 8.3 - WHAT DO I NEED TO HAVE TO PERFORM A BACKUP? * ***************************************************** You need a USB storage device, such as a thumb drive. Alternately, if you have a PS3 that has card readers, you may use a Compact Flash, Memory Stick, or SD card, to perform the backup. If you don't have a PS3 that has card readers, then USB card readers will also work. Whatever media type you use, the media must be formatted using the FAT32 (sometimes also called "MS-DOS") file system. The PS3 does not support the NTFS (used by Windows 2000/XP/Vista), HFS+ (used by Mac OS X), or EXT3 (used by GNU/Linux) file systems. That does not mean that you can't use your Windows USB thumb drive to back up your PS3. All it means is you can't reformat your USB thumb drive using a file system other than FAT32 and expect it to work in the PS3. Normally you don't need to worry about this, because most devices out there use FAT32 by default. One notable exception is the Apple iPod, which uses HFS+ by default if paired with a computer running Mac OS X. * 8.4 - WHY CAN'T I MAKE A PARTITION LARGER THAN 32 GB? * ********************************************************* For some reason, Windows XP and Vista only allow a maximum of 32 GB for each FAT partition. If you need anything larger than that, then you'll need to make the partition using Mac OS X or GNU/Linux, both of which do not have this limitation. * 9.0 - MISC QUESTIONS * ************************ * 9.1 - WHAT IS FOLDING@HOME AND WHY IS IT IN MY PS3 XMB? * *********************************************************** I'd explain it here, except that I think you can get much better information from the project's home page: If you get the latest PS3 firmware, then you'll find that Sony put a space for a Folding@home client in the network section. You'll need to download a 50 MB client the first time you run it, but after that, you'll only need the network to download updates and work units. * SPECIAL THANKS * ****************** Thanks to: * Zac (component video correction) Fin!