PlayStation 3, To Be or Not To Be?.....That is the question!

[RFBurns]

The current problem with the PS3 is the fact that it is totaly enclosed. Meaning no ventilation to remove heat. Unfortunately I am not part of the Sony Computer Division, which designs and makes the PS3 unit, otherwise some common sense would have been incorporated and venting with fans would have been put into it from the start.

I think their idea was to prevent dust from getting into the unit. But here is the deal. Dust wont affect the unit's operation or reliability with the advent of the cleaning disc. Dust on the boards wont hurt it either. However, heat is a major destroyer of optical blocks and CPU's. If there is no way to vent out the heat, it wont matter what size of heat sink is put in there, the heat will just accumilate and begin to burn up things.

The computer division will get it right someday.

[Furiousg]

There is a ventilation system in place, but will it be sufficient?? Didn't seem to be at TGS 06. I seen multiple videos and pics of the showmen opening up the display cases and propping fans in front of the PS3.

Only time will tell though, once they are released to the mass market. I have a launch day Xbox360, which was widely known(or rumoured) to overheat and crash. I have mine resting horizontally on a shelf below my tv, with approx 1/2" of space above...according to the majority of the bad press the unit should have failed a year ago...but she's still kickin'

I'm still addicted to COD2 as well...I can't put it down.

[soup]

Well my son is bound & determined he is going to buy it when it first comes out, no matter what. (Go figure). BTW Furiousg, I think Chuck has a new TV show coming on but I don't think main networks.

[RFBurns]

There is a ventilation system in place, but will it be sufficient?? Didn't seem to be at TGS 06. I seen multiple videos and pics of the showmen opening up the display cases and propping fans in front of the PS3.

Exactly. Those prototypes were the final phase prototypes that did not have adequate venting and they needed to put outside fans to keep the units from locking up after only a few minutes of operation....take note...when those things were on display, the room they were displayed in was not at an uncomfortable temperature either!!! A nice air-conditioned area and the units still needed an outside fan!

[Shadowofthedark]

its still to freakin' expensive. 360 and wii are far better options

[Furiousg]

I really hope they clean up the case design and keep those puppies cool. I would love to see some good competition for 360.

And honestly, going from 400 to 600 isn't that big of a deal for me....especially considering that Bluray is standard.
The Wii will be in my den very shortly, but it is a totally different venue for entertainment and really shouldn't be included in the fray between Sony and MS imho. Yes it is a game machine, but they are coming from a different angle ( and a very interesting angle it is!! )

[RFBurns]

From what I have been told, the case will have a re-design which will allow better ducting for more airflow.

I look at it like this.....if an engine in a car is sputtering would solving the problem be accomplished by shoving more gas into it?

Probably not.

But "fixing" the source of the problem would, in this case of the PS-3, finding the reasons why things run so hot in them would be the first step, then applying changes to the design to lower that number. As the heat factor reduces, the less likely it will require some fancy elaborate fan system.

I dont work in the Sony Computer Division which builds the PS game consoles, but often the different departments exchange ideas and solutions to common problems such as overheating of a device. My suggestion to the design team was to reduce the current requirement from the unit's power supply and to examine the system layout again to see if a board or something can be relocated in the case. That alone might increase the heat exchange rate without the need to increase the airflow from the fans, which getting more airflow from the fan would require it to be spun faster, making more noise than anticipated.

Eventually it will turn into a "trade-off" which means the unit will have to sacrifice something to gain something else.

Thing to remember is these manufacturers like to take the cheapest route possible in building stuff, which in turn increases the profit margin.

:cheers:

[TNT]

@RF Burns,

Any credence to the rumor that the PS3 will not play a lot of PS2 titles?

[dazuk1972]

@RF Burns,

Any credence to the rumor that the PS3 will not play a lot of PS2 titles?

I've always thought the PS3 won't load any PS1 or PS2 games because of the Blue-ray laser. I wonder how it will handle DVDs. I've always had problems with wide screen DVDs in the PS2 because they play in the wrong wide screen format. When I went into the options I couldn't change the settings to play the DVDs properly because the setting I wanted was greyed out. If the PS3 can play DVDs, I also wonder if Sony have sorted that annoying problem with the playback with wide screen DVDs. DVDs in the Full Frame play OK.

Darren.

[lfcrule1972]

Sorry to dig this old thread up but just wanted to let you know that I picked up a PS3 last Saturday and it ran for 7 hours solid on a glass shelf under my LCD tv with no noticeable heat build up anywhere on the case

As for the PS2 games I believe the US versions will play them as they have a PS2 chip on board, it's a little hit and miss for us over here in England as Sony in their wisdom used "emulation" instead and at launch there are 1000 PS2 titles that will play with some more promised with fw updates.

[blutach]

Did you get a free BD movie LFC?

Regards

[lfcrule1972]

No mate I didn't, seems that Sony shortchanged us on that !

That said so far I am still enjoying it, gonna sit down tomorrow pm and check out DVD playback and look at settings and options to see what is available. Need to get it online soonish as well.