PS3 - File options and storage


kizer

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I have a buddy who owns a PS3 and well honestly hes rather technology challenged. I know it sounds bad, but its really true. Hes seen my AsRock HTPC and my unRAID server setup and really wants to give it a go, however he wants to use his PS3 as his front end and I'm even more challenged when it comes to the likes of a PS3. Other than it took me 5minutes to figure out how to turn one on since other than playing with his once I've never really even bothered since I own a HTPC and a Xbox360.

 

Can they play ISO files? The reason I ask I've been ripping a lot of my DVD's to ISO's and removing everything other than the audio track of choice and main movie. Converting to Xvid or Dvix takes forever.

 

Can they work across the network via Samba or do they require a Media Server to read the files?

 

Hes running Firmware 3.5.1 which I did figure out after fumbling around with the remote for a bit. LOL

 

Pro's Con's I'm all ears. ;)

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Can they play ISO files?

NO.

Can they work across the network via Samba or do they require a Media Server to read the files?

No samba support on the PS3. It does support UPnP (DLNA) media servers. You can set up mediatomb or ps3mediaserver to share media with the ps3. Windows Vista and above support this feature as well I have heard.

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The PS3 does not support mkv files unfortunately. But ps3mediaserver can transcode them to a format that the PS3 does support but you need to have it installed on a pretty beefy computer for that to work reliably.

 

PS3 does support m4v/mp4 files which have pretty much the same features as the mkv container. PS3 also supports the avi format. Look here for further information.

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So it sounds like I/we would need to create a ps3mediaserver and rip his DVD's as MKV files.

 

Thanks for the insight. Not physically owning a device kinda makes it hard and even harder to apply what I don't know towards the project. ;)

 

re-ripping is not needed, I would think.

There seems to be some problems with mounting and playing ISOs with

(one specific build of ?) ps3mediaserver on unRAID, but normally it should work with ISOs directly.

anyway...unpacking the ISO to the DVD structure also should do the trick...ps3mdiaserver should play/stream that fine.

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I played around with PS3MS on a friend's system for a bit, and I can say that it doesn't work nearly as well as an XBMC HTPC streaming from unRAID.  If your friend is impressed with your setup, I can only say that he will most likely be disappointed with his own.  You could always start with the unRAID server, let him play with PS3MS for a while, then let him make up his own mind.

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Only suck part is I have to build it all since well he has nothing. I do have a toaster sytle nas laying around that I could loan him since it does have a media server built in, but I honestly think he will out grow it pretty quick.

 

Doesn't Twonky do the same function? I haven't looked into it as of yet, but it was something I heard thrown around a while back. I guess its just a matter of making sure it works on unRAID too.

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