PS3+PlayTV=goodbye HTPC!
I have struggled with my HTPC for a few years: Windows or Linux? Mediaportal or XBMC, or MythTV? Hauppauge DTT or analog? USB or PCI?
A special offer from a local store convinced me to buy a PS3, and I decided to took the plunge and buy the PlayTV adapter as well.
The PS3 has pretty much substituted my HTPC which I barely turn on any longer. Here are the pros and cons the switch.
What I like:
- Simplicity: the PS3 is MUCH more stable than any PC, and before you say Linux, I assure you that I tried that switch, and it didn’t take. This means that I don’t have to worry about new drivers, and why is this not working anymore, etc.
- Bluetooth remote: you can hide the PS3 in a closet if you want to, and the remote and the joypad still work! All the remotes for the PC are infrared which requires a line of sight.
What I miss:
- Program guide: now I’m stuck with the program guide that is delivered over DTT which is nowhere as complete as the one I had using XMLTV. So for Rai I have two days worth of stuff but Mediaset only show the current and the next program.
- Compatibility: there are some files which are not playable n the PS3, for codec and/or container reasons, like MKV. There are ways to convert the files, easiest is MKV2VOB, or you can just host the files on another computer and stream them (and transcode if necessary) like with PS3 Media Server.
geeky