PS3 Plays Blu-ray

Sony PlayStation 3: Games plus Blu-ray

Though the Sony PlayStation 3 is no longer among the least expensive Blu-ray players available, it remains among the most powerful. Reviews say the PS3 delivers excellent HD image quality, speedy performance and a complete set of features. It's also a high-end gaming console. (For more information on gaming consoles, see the ConsumerSearch report on video game consoles.)

The PS3 comes in many versions, but for home theater use, the most popular includes 80 GB of built-in storage (*Est. $400). Sony offers a PS3 with 160 GB of storage (*Est. $450). While the greater storage capacity means that the PS3 can hold a larger library of downloaded materials such as games, photos, music and movies, the change has no real impact on Blu-ray Disc playback. (there are rumors on the Internet regarding the debut of a new PS3 model, the Sony PS3 Slim, along with possible price cuts for the existing hardware.)

In reviews, HD performance is hailed across the board as first-rate, though most reviews are now getting old, and all predate the release of the latest standalone Blu-ray players. Still, two things have certainly not changed: The PS3 is both feature-rich and fast. However, the competition has caught up in both regards, with some top Blu-ray players now clocking in with load speeds that meet or beat the best that the PS3 can muster, even when handling discs chock full of interactive menus and features, such as "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl." In the past, the BD-Java encoding used by those menus and features would slow the best standalone players to a crawl.

The PlayStation 3 has Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoders (the latter added in one of the many firmware updates that Sony has issued for the PS3), so you only need a home theater receiver capable of processing audio via HDMI to enjoy those HD audio formats. However, the PS3 lacks multi-channel analog audio outputs, which means it can't pass decoded HD audio to older receivers. It also can't bitstream undecoded high-resolution audio. That means you must use the player's HD audio decoders rather than ones now being incorporated in many mid-grade and better home theater receivers. Whether that's an issue is in the eye of the beholder, but most experts think it's not. CD playback is good. Though earlier versions of the PlayStation 3 could play Super Audio CDs, support for that format has been dropped in the most recent versions.

The Sony PlayStation 3 has wireless Wi-Fi networking support (as well as an Ethernet jack), so you can connect to the Internet. In addition to being useful for gaming and surfing the web using the included Flash-enabled browser, Internet connectivity makes fetching the many firmware upgrades Sony has issued for the player much easier.

The firmware upgrades have gone a long way toward addressing some of the biggest shortcomings critics found with the player when first introduced. The most significant was that the PlayStation 3 lacked the ability to upconvert standard-definition DVDs to 1080p HD (which helps DVDs look nicer). Following numerous rounds of upgrades, the PlayStation 3 can now upscale, though some other Blu-ray players are still better at it, and some are much better. Other significant improvements include the aforementioned support for DTS-HD Master Audio and the ability to output 1080p video at 24 frames per second -- an ideal frame rate for movies. Firmware upgrades also transformed the PS3 into a BD Live-compliant player.

One other issue worth noting is that the PlayStation 3 uses Bluetooth to communicate with its controllers and remotes. That means it is generally not possible to control the player with a universal infrared remote -- you'll need to use the PS3 controller or a Bluetooth standard-layout accessory remote (*Est. $20). Most critics recommend springing for the optional remote, since operating the PlayStation 3 Blu-ray functions via the game controller can be an interesting experience. "Watching a non-gamer like me attempt to navigate Sony's console with the game controller was a sight not to be missed -- picture a confused baboon fondling a Rubik's Cube," writes Al Griffin of Sound & Vision.

One work-around is to spring for a third-party remote, such as the Nyko PlayStation 3 Blu Wave Remote (*Est. $15). With that, you can then control the PS3 via the Nyko remote, or a Harmony or other programmable remote. Though it's an imperfect solution since some commands -- including eject and power -- can't be accessed via remote, most users report good results and are generally pleased. Also, Logitech has newly released the PlayStation 3 Adapter (*Est. $60) for use with that company's Harmony remote controls. According to reviews, the adapter gives Harmony owners full control over their PS3.