Are you looking at exciting into the world of 3D and wondering whether a Ps3 or a dedicated player is the best move? We take a look at the Sony Ps3 against one of the manufacturers standalone 3D capable players, the Bdp-S470.
Free Ps3 3D Update
The Sony PlayStation 3 has recently received a firmware update (version 3.50) that now enables playback of 3D movies on the consoles integrated Blu-ray drive.
This improvement right away increases the user base of 3D capable players out there, after all around sixteen million units have been sold so far in just the Uk and Usa alone. Only a tiny estimate of these users need to buy a 3D Blu-ray title for a huge increase in numbers.
If you already own a Ps3 and are looking to move up to 3D, then beyond doubt the free Ps3 update will be all you need? If you are in the market for a 3D capable Blu-ray deck then are you better off with a standalone engine such as the Sony Bdp-S470? We take a look at both of these scenarios as we correlate the two machines against each other.
Ps3 3D Issues
It doesn't matter whether you have the former 'fat' Ps3, or the newer slim version, both are capable of receiving the free Ps3 3D update. The only potential question comes with the lack of a Hdmi v1.4 port on the Ps3. It only has version 1.3, and this issue afflicts all models of the PlayStation 3.
The main issue brought about by this omission is a lack of bandwidth, or the estimate of data the port (and cable) can carry. 3D pictures contain even more data than 2D Blu-ray pictures. Sony have got around this by not allowing Hd audio tracks in whether the Dolby TrueHd or Dts-Hd expert Audio (Dts-Hd Ma) formats to be passed straight through the Hdmi interface. Instead, when watching 3D content, the Ps3 will revert to standard Dolby Digital or Dts tracks in order to 'save' bandwidth for the picture.
This is obviously less than ideal, you get the full 3D photo experience, but without the sound. This may not be an issue if you don't have the sound setup to take benefit of these higher-resolution formats, but if you do it is potential a major downside of 3D on the Ps3.
Another potential issue is that Hdmi v1.4 is required to carry the operate codes that allow your 3D Tv to automatically detect the player as a source. Despite this potential problem, Sony have obviously devised a workaround in their firmware as the Ps3 and our 3D Tv recognised each other perfectly. We're not guaranteeing that this issue won't occur using other 3D Tv's. But we're sure Sony would right away supply a fix straight through revised firmware if anything did arise.
Ps3 3D With Hdmi 1.3 Receivers
Please note that if you are using the Ps3 for 3D playback straight through your Av receiver, you will need the receiver to have Hdmi 1.4 capable ports for it to handle the increased bandwidth of the picture. If you try to run it straight through 1.3 based tool you will more than likely see a blank screen.
If you already own 1.4 specification audio tool and are looking to invest in a 3D player, than the audio issue means you would be crazy to select a Ps3 over a standalone player such a the Bdp-S470 or even the Bdp-S570, Samsung Bd-C6900, Panasonic Dmp-Bdt300Eg or Lg Bx580.
Thanks for reading the first part of our Ps3 vs Bdp-S470 review. In the second and final report we take a look at the respective load times of the players, as well as correlate the all leading photo ability of the machines using both the Avatar and Cloudy with a opportunity of Meatballs 3D Blu-ray disks.
Ps3 Vs Bdp-S470 - Which Is The Best 3D Blu-Ray Player? Part 1
