Blu-ray Disc (BD) is a next generation optical disc format designed for high-definition content. The name Blu-ray is derived from the blue-violet laser used to read and write to the disc.
What is Blu-ray?
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Articles posted by Niraj Shah
When was PlayStation 3 Launched?
The PlayStation 3 was launched in Japan (20GB and 60GB) on November 11th 2006, which was followed by the North American (20GB and 60GB) release on November 17th 2006. PlayStation 3 was released in Europe (60GB only) on March 23rd after a production delay.
The 80GB PlayStation 3 model was launched exclusive to North America on August 6th 2007.
The 40GB PlayStation 3 model was launched in Europe on October 10th 2007, followed by the Australian/NZ launch on October 11th 2007. The 40GB model was launched in North America on November 2nd 2007, and in Japan on November 11th 2007.
What is the difference between the 20GB, 40GB and 60GB PS3?
The 60GB PS3 is the “premium” option and includes several extras that cannot be found on the 40GB or 20GB version, these are:
- 60GB HDD instead of 20GB HDD
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- Built-in Card Reader
- Chrome trim
With the 40GB model, there are two fewer USB ports and no PS2 backwards compatibility. The table below summarizes the main similarities and differences between the three different models.
| 60GB | 40GB | 20GB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Cell Processor | ||
| GPU | Nvidia RSX | ||
| System Memory | 256MB XDR | ||
| Graphics Memory | 256MB GDDR3 | ||
| Hard Disk | 2.5″ SATA 60GB | 2.5" SATA 40GB | 2.5″ SATA 20GB |
| Optical Drive | Blu-ray | ||
| USB 2.0 | 4 ports | 2 ports | 4 ports |
| Flash Memory Slots |
Memory Stick |
None | None |
| Ethernet Port | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth 2.0 EDR | Yes | ||
| Bluetooth Controllers | Yes | ||
| Resolutions | 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p |
||
| HDMI Port | Yes | ||
| Digital Optical Out | Yes | ||
What is the Cell Broadband Engine?
The Cell Broadband Engine is the name of the CPU that powers the PlayStation 3. PS3’s CPU runs at 3.2 GHz and was developed jointly by Sony, Toshiba and IBM (“STI”). It has a PowerPC-based “Power Processing Element” (PPE) and six accessible 3.2 GHz Synergistic Processing Elements (SPEs). A seventh runs in a special mode and is dedicated to aspects of the OS and security, and an eighth is disabled to improve production yields.
How many controllers does the PS3 support?
The PS3 can support up to 7 controllers simultaneously connected to the PS3. That means up to 7 players can play on a single system. For 5 to 7 players, the controller ID can be calculated by adding the LEDs, so player 5 will be 1 + 4:
Similarly, for player 6 LEDs 2 and 4 will be switched on.
How much data can a Blu-Ray disc hold?
A single-layer Blu-Ray disc can hold up to 25GB of information while a dual-layer Blu-Ray disc can hold up to 50GB of information.
How do I update the firmware on the PS3?
You can update the firmware/system software in two main ways: using Wired/Wireless Internet or using an external storage media. If you have internet configured, the PS3 can download and install the update for you. If the PS3 is not connected to the internet, a USB device can be used to install the update.
If you use a USB device, the “PS3UPDAT.PUP” file should be stored in the folder “/PS3/UPDATE”, i.e. there should be a folder called “PS3” on the root of the device. Within the PS3 folder, there should be another folder called “UPDATE” which should contain the “PS3UPDAT.PUP” file.
Warning: Do not switch off your PS3 or remove the external storage media during an update. Doing so may damage the system software, rendering your PS3 useless. You should use the Recovery Menu if your PS3 fails to start correctly.
How do I change my PlayStation Network Username?
You cannot officially change your PSN username. You can, however, delete your User on the PS3, create a new user and register with the PlayStation Network using a different name. Any save data on the old PS3 username will be deleted when you delete the account.
What files are shared between different users on the PS3?
The PS3 keeps some of your files within your user profile and shared others. See below for a summary of what is personal and what is shared:
Shared
- PS1 and PS2 Game saves
- Videos
- Music
- Photos
Private
- PS3 Game saves
- Sent/Received messages
- Browser bookmarks
- Predictive text
How does the XMB display content?
Each option on the XMB (Photos, Music, Videos) can only display files located on a specific folder of a storage media (HDD, USB Flash Disk, Memory Card etc). If you are using a external data store, you must create the following folders on the root of the drive:
- PICTURE – for image files
- MUSIC – for audio files
- VIDEO – for video files
The format utility (found under Settings > System Settings > Format Utility) can create the necessary files on the external storage media, but will erase any existing data.