So, I'm putting together a home theater system, and I'm thinking about getting an XBOX 360 or a PS3. For you MS fanboys, I have a few questions: 1) Can a Harmony remote control the XBOX 360 for media playback (Netflix, recorded media, Hulu with PlayOn, etc.)? I know Logitech sells an XBOX 360 Harmony remote, but I already have a Harmony, thankyouverymuch, and I'd like to continue using it. Has anyone programmed their Harmony remote to control their XBOX, and if so, how well does it work? 2) I just bought an Apple Airport Express, and, besides streaming music to a receiver, I'd like to use it as a bridge for the XBOX's ethernet port. Does anyone foresee this as a problem? Does anyone have a similar setup? 3) Just how loud IS the fan? 4) How is the XBOX as a media streaming machine? Okay, Sony fanboys, your turn: 1) How easy is the XMB interface to use? Easy enough for my non-technologically inclined wife to follow? 2) Has anyone used PlayOn to access Netflix and Hulu? Is it easy to use? How is the quality? 3) How is the PS3 as a media streaming machine? Thanks in advance!
Home theater system.....for Bluray movies? To me the choice is pretty clear.... P.S. I don't own either so I want to know answers too
Yeah, If you plan on using Blurays, the decision is already made. The PS3 XMB is incredibly easy to use. It is a very clean layout and I have yet to see anyone have trouble navigating it. As for PS3 streaming, I couldn't be happier.
I wouldn't call myself a fanboy of either system. Personally, If I had the cash I'd happily buy both. Anyway, I can answer questions 1 and 3 for you. 1) The XMB seems ridiculously straightforward to me, but maybe it won't for your wife. You should go to one of your local stores that has a demo PS3 and browse through it yourself to see what you think. 3) I've been extremely happy with my PS3 streaming media. If you download the right program (if you want to stream from your PC over your home network), you should have no problems at all. I've been very impressed with this feature. I actually almost feel it has justified my purchase of PS3 more than playing video games would have.
I don't know if this is related to your 2nd question about the PS3, but you can access Hulu via the normal PS3 Internet browser. I can't remember if this was possible before, but I think not since that's why PlayOn was desirable (I think I do recall hearing something about a recent firmware update fixing Hulu problems). Haven't tried Netflix. Hulu seems a little slow and a bit buggy though, but that might just be me. I can comment some on the others, but I'm not really much of an expert. Others can probably give better information. edit: This was possible since October 2008 it seems...for some reason, I thought it was a more recent fix.
I own a 360 and love it but I'd definitely recommend a PS3 because of the blu-ray. I also think streaming from a computer is much easier than the Xbox one too. Having netflix my 360 it is great, but for a home theater you gotta go with the high def movies, so PS3 for you.
PS3 is the definitive home entertainment system. What no one mentions is that the PS3 outputs much higher quality sound than the 360. The 360 actually has a crappy sound output while the PS3 has a good one. For a home theater there IS no question.
PS3 may be the greater home system... but Project Natal is going to smoke away whatever crap PS3 has with that motion controller... (which is really the same as what the Wii has).
Natal will be nothing more than an interface tool it will be terrible for games. It will be like the Sixaxis only MS will make you pay for it.
Xbox 360 is best gaming system because it has more games, the PS3 is hands down the best DVD system because of Blue Ray. Whatever you do the most of, choose that one....but Blue Ray movies are amazing.... DD
I have a PS3 but I have nothing but problems when I try to stream movies wirelessly. I have a D-link DIR 625 wireless router. Movies will start playing but then stop and it says a connection error etc. but then continues to play. It's like trying to watch a movie that is buffereing non stop. I've been putting movies on my ipod since then and using usb. Sucks. Router works fine for games etc, not connection probs. But with movies it just sucks with my ps3.
I had the same problem, but I changed a router and it works perfectly now. Also try using PS3 Media Server. I always have problems with Tversity.
I'm still a little behind on some of the Natal stuff, but from the little bit I've seen, I wouldn't doubt it if Sony could more or less offer the same sort of experience. I seem to recall seeing some body tracking tech demos using the Eyetoy a while back (or maybe it was some other camera tech, can't remember). The "wand" stuff isn't really necessary with a camera, but it makes movements a lot easier to track (and thus, normally more practical). Not to say the Natal tech isn't cool though. It definitely is. I'm pretty excited that both companies are exploring some of the potential this type of technology can offer (although I'm not quite so optimistic about its applications in games).
That's true... though what I'm saying is.. the way that Microsoft presented it.. with the voice detection... the scanning technology.. all that stuff.. it's almost like a new generation of material. I just think PS3's is more of an upgraded version of Wii's but yeah it'll be interesting to see how great it really is on PS3.
To be honest, I've been thinking PS3 pretty much all the way, but XBOX has a few things going for it: 1) Netflix streaming in HD, plus the ability to add to your queue without using a computer 2) Better integration with Vista Media Center: I have a laptop in my kitchen I use to record TV shows using Vista Media Center (stupid MS-DVR format), and I'd like to be able to stream the shows to the "big" TV 3) Rumored Hulu integration 4) Better, more graphical interface than PS3? The overwhelming support for PS3 as a media machine surprises me, given the amount of XBOX 360 owners on this forum. Does the XBOX suck that much as a media machine, or is it just the whole Blu-Ray-already-in-the-PS3 thing that is swaying everyone? I'm perfectly willing to get a separate Blu-Ray player if the XBOX is a better media streaming device, y'know. MOAR PS3 questions! 1) Should the PS3's inability to send bitstream audio to a receiver bother me? 2) What's the deal with .mkv playback on the PS3? 3) Can the PS3 play my recorded TV shows in MS-DVR format (perhaps using PS3 Media Server)? 4) Speaking of PS3 Media Server, how's the interface? Easy to use? 5) Has anyone here bought the new PS3 Harmony adapter? How is it? 6) Is the PS3 loud? 7) Does it load Blu-Ray discs painfully slow?
umm.. if natal is just tracking your body movements... then how do you shoot a gun?? or do a 360 piledriver with zangief?? there is a reason why controllers are still needed...
