You don't need to buy a Blu-Ray player on top of your PS3. It is one.
I can access over 10000 of my videos and 20000+ songs with PS3 Media Server or all the major network podcasts all with my Blu-Ray remote.
I am on my 4th (should be fifth as ROM drive is missing on my current 360) XBOX.
I am on my first PS3 still. None of my friends have had to ever replace their PS3's, everyone that has a 360 is on at least their second one.
I see HUGE benefits of being able to browse all my shared media (3.5+TB) all with one remote.
The same laptop that streams with PS3 media server, can't play the same movies with software media players like VLC. I can render full HD Blu-Ray streams, with DTS or AC3 audio (even DTS-MA). My 360 can't even play most MP4's or AVI files.
Not a fan boy at all. In fact I used to fanboy war with my friends who all ran PS3's when all I had was my 360. Now I am a member of both worlds, and can say that the 360 has NOWHERE near the capabilities of the PS3....and the gaming world is only SLIGHTLY better on the 360.
Don't get me wrong. I have streamed on both. PS3 hands down. Gamed on both....360 slight edge. I can also use my setup as a HTPC setup as well, but having it all in one place is super sweet.
I like my setup.
1- 360
1- PS3 Slim 250GB
1- 19" monitor
1- 26" monitor/TV
1- 40" monitor/TV
2- computers...Acer laptop (bottom blacked out screen) and HP desktop
1- Panasonic Blu-Ray player that has NOT been fw updated, so DRM movies can still be played on it.
1- Sony DivX player
1- Marantz 5.1 amplifier with speakers/sub
2- Seagate 1TB ext. HDD's
1- Verbatim 500GB HDD
Also have Telus Satellite TV with HD-PVR just installed.
I run RSS feeds for torrents for TV shows, so between the PVR and them I NEVER miss any episode of nearly 50 different TV and cable programs that I watch regularly. I just walk in the door, turn on the gear, and all my shows are updated in their specific folder, and I also have the PVR programmed so I can catch most of the shows in HD. I often travel or spend time in the bush for work for sometimes weeks on end, so I burn to DVD-R all my TV shows so I can watch them on a DivX player.
Every wired device is linked at 1GB via Cat 5e cables.
That is just what you see in my bedroom/command center. I have some less fancy gear going in downstairs but I just moved into this house so I will probably wait till spring.
My roommate also runs a PS3 and streams to it with his laptop, and we have a wireless N bridge running his gear all at 1 GB LAN speed off a DAP-1522 Bridge/AP between all his devices (see my map) Our setups are linked with N WiFi for cross sharing folders.
My roommate knows very little about PC's or streaming, but he can't live without the setup we have now.
I'm sorry you don't see the benefit, and many don't. But OH SO many do.
If the thread was which is a better gaming console, then I would have said the 360 by a nose...but the title was "PS3 or Xbox360 Cast your Thoughts"
So I thought I should point out the capabilities of each.
PS: People should actually Google things or actually know what they are talking about. Like saying that you can't buy Blu-Ray's for less than 30$.....go to WalMart. 9$ Canadian for new Blu-Rays.
Or lame ass lines like.....if you have a PS3 you have herpes...FACT!!!! Grow up Fanboy, your cheese is starting to mold.
Saying that Blu-Ray is a waste of money......OKAY....keep watching your low resolution video....I'll watch HD content. Have fun with that....lol.
Getting knocked out of COD sessions....that is a COD server issue and it happens on both Xbox Live and PSN....NOT a PSN issue specifically. My roommate plays COD and gets booted all the time....loses hosts. Meanwhile I play Battlefield series at the same time, and my connection nearly never drops. Xbox Live can be just as stubborn.
I run NetFlix on both so 1 for 1.
P.P.S. : I can actually reboot/shutdown/sleep/hibernate any serving PC from the XMB of my PS3 by using my Sony Blu-Ray remote. Try doing that with a 360 lol.
