Using your PS3 as a media server?

[Bodhi]

Well then check this little program out.

PS3 Media Server

Probably the simplest yet best way to stream your music and movies over the network. Doesn't need anything else installed, except Java. It detects your PS3 automatically, just point it at your media and it does the rest. It gives you a standard directory view on your PS3 so you can easily find your stuff and it seems rock solid. A real 10/10 program.

 

[Ch3tan]

Ta Bods, mediaplayer messed up for me, hope this works.

 

[nath]

What's the deal with video formats on the PS3? What does it play and do certain things need to be transcoded?

 

[Bodhi]

The serious answer

VIDEO

MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (PS,TS), H.264/MEPG-4 AVC, MPEG-4 SP

MUSIC

ATRAC (.oma .msa .aa3), AAC (.3gp .mp4), MP3 (.mp3), WAV (.wav)

IMAGES

JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIFF

all supported by PS3. The rest can be transcoded by that application above. I've ditched my living room PC and solely use my PS3 now. It's mainly used for music, and the sound quality beats even my Xi-Fi XtremeMusic.

The sarcy answer

Let me google that for you

 

[nath]

Lol that's an top site, gunna have keep that one to hand.

 

[Deebs]

Personally I use TVersity on my PC for streaming to the PS3. If it needs to be transcoded, like most x264 Matroska files, I run it through MK2VOB.

Job done.

 

[Bodhi]

This does all TVersity does without the obtuse interface. Also saves you having to set up two programs. This does it all for you.

 

[Zenith.UK]

Deebs, I've been using TVersity for almost a year and the lack of MKV playback has always been a problem.
Now I've tried this program out and TVersity has been uninstalled! This plays EVERYTHING out of the box.
Hi-rez MKVs? Done.
Alternate audio? Done.
Subtitles? Done.

I also like the ability to stream Youtube clips directly, as well as a couple of video streams. As the program matures, I can see more functionality being added such as Youtube searching and free to air video streams from UK stations.

I like this program VERY much!

 

[Deebs]

Hmm, I might give it a go then and see what happens. Cheers for the info.

 

[DaGaffer]

Option 1> spends an evening trying to get TVersity working>fails>kicks cat>tries again>fails>kicks PC>cries>asks for help online>gets help>doesn't work>throws PC out of window>cries again>buys new PC>rinse and repeat

Option 2>copies movie to SD card>puts it in PS3>watches

 

[Trem]

Option 1> spends an evening trying to get TVersity working>fails>kicks cat>tries again>fails>kicks PC>cries>asks for help online>gets help>doesn't work>throws PC out of window>cries again>buys new PC>rinse and repeat

Option 2>copies movie to SD card>puts it in PS3>watches

Tversity has its issues.

My main problem with it is you have to restart the server every bloody time even though its running. If you don't the PS3 doesn't pick it up also if you pause a film it cocks it up and the film won't play, you have to stop rather than pause then it resumes.

Going to have a mess with program Bodlar linked to, it surely has to be better.

 

[Ch3tan]

fricking quality! Just install, finds ps3 when you turn it on, point at HD or even network drive, and it just fucking works!

reps for you bods

 

[Ch3tan]

oh, make sure you have vlc, and avisnyth installed, it uses them.

 

[Bodhi]

Trem, I've had this running for a week or so and hasn't needed restarted once. I've also just tried it on a Vanilla Windows 7 install, again, worked straight out of the box.

I heart PS3 MEdia Server

 

[Moriath]

but if you get a nas box with media server software on it already you dont need to have your pc on all the time and it saves electricity

 

[Fast]

I've been using Tveristy for some time, never had any connection issues works every time like a dream. I've used to wireless and lan both fine.

What I have always had an issue with is the playback,having been used to the superior XBMC which plays everything the PS3 Tversity combo doesn't.

I'll give it a try when I get home

 

[Zenith.UK]

I have an old Xbox with XBMC for those files that the PS3 or TVersity won't play. It looks like this software might make it defunct.

 

[Jupitus]

I find I have performance issues (stutter etc) using my wireless net for HDTV... you wise folk think that is normal?

 

[Chilly]

yes. your ps3 can only handle about 30-40 mbit in ideal situations. Now imagine you have ps3+pc both on the network, both trying to send 10-15mbit streams. Sadly, due to the way radio networking works, performance is not a linear function of number of clients (especially if they are high bandwidth) so you get very poor performance. My solution to this is to wire the laptop to the network and leave the ps3 on wireless, this frees up radio bandwidth by more than a factor of two for the PS3 and all is well. What I might do is wire the ps3 permanently (requires fucking about) and upgrade router to wireless n so I have 100mbits end to end with no hassles.

 

[WPKenny]

I find I have performance issues (stutter etc) using my wireless net for HDTV... you wise folk think that is normal?

Very normal. I used to get issues streaming standard def stuff over a weak wifi link to my ps2.
I'm planning on getting a PS3 soon to stream media to my telly amongst other things so have cabled up the whole house. The difference is immense already. The PS2 loads up files in a second or two as opposed to 10 seconds or more over a wifi connection. On scenes with snow or fire now it has no issues but with the wifi it would stutter.

 

[Chilly]

I hope there will be a ps3-wifin doohickey released at some point. saves me having to use actual filthy cables - pah!

 

[nath]

Don't forget, you can always use an ethernet to wireless bridge. Of course the down side is that needs it's own power and an ethernet cable from the device to the ps3. Still, it means you're not relying on Sony or any 3rd party to bring out a compatible device.

 

[Bodhi]

but if you get a nas box with media server software on it already you dont need to have your pc on all the time and it saves electricity

But then you're generally locked to one media program, which sucks donkey balls.

 

[Yaka]

never had any issues with tversity my self. but seeing as this works on tux i shall use it on ym atom box

 

[Trem]

Excellent program.....it didn't work until I updated my PS3 to 2.60 firmware though, kept getting server protocol error.

Well done Boddington, great program.

Chilly - why don't you get those plug into your socket type network thingys? You know the ones that use your electrical circuit to carry the network rather than having to rewire.

These things

 

[WPKenny]

Excellent program.....it didn't work until I updated my PS3 to 2.60 firmware though, kept getting server protocol error.

Well done Boddington, great program.

Chilly - why don't you get those plug into your socket type network thingys? You know the ones that use your electrical circuit to carry the network rather than having to rewire.

These things

The powerline adapters can get VERY mixed results depending on the wiring between two points. I've got some and although they're meant to reach up to 85Mbps I'm lucky if they get above 11mbps. It's a bit of a toss up as to whether wireless would perform better than the powerline kit. Have a look over on the avforums as they discuss them a fair bit.

 

[Deebs]

Not convinced with this program. I like the way it remuxes on the fly but unlike TVersity I can stop and then press play and resume my playback from where I started. With this program it always starts from the beginning unless I pause.

Maybe it is a setting but that is a stumbling block as I may stop a program for minutes or hours.

 

[Bodhi]

Not convinced with this program. I like the way it remuxes on the fly but unlike TVersity I can stop and then press play and resume my playback from where I started. With this program it always starts from the beginning unless I pause.

Maybe it is a setting but that is a stumbling block as I may stop a program for minutes or hours.

Press pause then?

 

[Yaka]

works ok unless like deebs says you stop play back.

also my pany camera saves files as 720p .mov files was hoping this would transcode em fine but it makes a file that is preety much stop motion when you pkay it

 

[Deebs]

Press pause then?

Does not solve the problem, pressing pause basically stops the PS3 from being used for anything else.

Also, what happens if the pc that is serving the content either restarts or the program crashes?

It is a good program but it is left down by resume playback. Simple.