PS3 as a media front end

[jimborae]

200Mbs homeplugs aren't enough for 1080p mkv content but can handle 720p most of the time (Well mine could at least). My network speed over the home plugs was around 4.8MB/s, over the weekend I just hardwired the flat and now have a gigabit network and I now get around 85MB/s, streaming 1080p files to the PS3 is now no longer an issue. On the fast forward/rewind front, avi no issue, 720p is ok upto 30x speed and 1080p is poor or not do able at 10x speed & over. However you can just jump to anytime point you like using PS3 Media server and that works fine for all file types.

[vrykyl]

Well as recomended here I've had a play - downloaded the latest java runtime and beta of ps3mediaserver - I will just add that damn its easy to set up! Really smart little program.

Anyway, done a bit of testing - media server showed up straight away on the ps3 ... although it took me a while to realise that the reason I was getting 'no tracks' everytime I went into a folder was because I was on the wrong xross tab (music not movie) - [facepalm]

I can confirm that it DOES display 'album art', or rather the folder.jpg files I had in each films individual directory for my original media centre install.

Tried out my most 'demanding' film - a 14mbs (variable) bitrate 1080p m2ts of Transformers Revenge of the Fallen - played absolutely flawlessly, even at the most bitrate heavy scenes. Its dead handy being able to press 'select' to get detailed playback info.

Obviously all 720p m2ts files were 100% perfect too. I did push my luck an try a 1:1 bd25 rip, but the homeplugs were having none of it.

Did discover that dts audio doesnt work, and neither does flac, but ac3 works a treat.

I disabled all of ps3mediaservers transmuxing options, as I'd really rather it left my media alone - if it wont play natively Id rather do the conversion myself.

Tried out fastforward / rewind - really weird but iv sort of got it working:
I can fastforward / rw to 10x (done with transformers as above) to any point I like whilst still having moving video on screen...but as soon I press play it freezes and wont play. HOWEVER, if I then press 'stop' and return to the folder menu, and immediately reselect the film, it then happilly plays back from the ff / rw point.

Very weird.

Also discovered pressing triangle brings up a sort of chapter menu (though not MY chapters mind you) of roughly every 5 mins... and I CAN select any one of these and it will jump straight to that point and continue to playback after a slight pause for buffering.

Probably no new info here - but its been my first go with the ps3 as a front end

[Rob_B]

Doesn't Square bring up that menu? When watching a video (stored on my HDD) it gives you a timeline across the bottom, didn't think it was 5mins apart though?

On a related note I bought a good old 60GB PS3 today, looks like the blu-ray drive is kaput as it won't read blus/DVDs/games but I'm going to pop it in my bedroom to use to watch iplayer & games such as blue toad that I don't need a disc for, yay! God these olders ones are hotter than the slims though, I knew they used more power but jeez!

[vrykyl]

Haha yes I think it is square not triangle, get confused using the ps3 remote - i got it bundled with the ps3 and never even opened it!

[jim]

Anyway, done a bit of testing - media server showed up straight away on the ps3 ... although it took me a while to realise that the reason I was getting 'no tracks' everytime I went into a folder was because I was on the wrong xross tab (music not movie) - [facepalm]

I was still doing that after several months... double facepalm

Did discover that dts audio doesnt work, and neither does flac, but ac3 works a treat.

DTS does work, I used to pass DTS audio through to my AV receiver very happily - via Optical.

Go onto the transcoding settings page in PS3MS, and select "Keep Audio Bitrate In Stream". I think that's the main one, and obvious,y ensure that DTS/FLAC -> LPCM remux is unticked. Takes a bit of mucking around, I tried about 10 different combinations before it works, but I promise it definitely works! Obviously the PS3 needs to be set up properly (audio configuration) to output DTS over the correct connector as well.

Other settings I've got on that page - in case it helps - are as follows:

Audio channels: 5.1
AC3 Bitrate: 640
Keep DTS in stream: ticked
DTS/FLAC -> LPCM remux: unticked
Remux when audio track is AC3: ticked

It might be to do with the fact that I let it remux and you have prevented it from remuxing, but I don't think so.

Tried out fastforward / rewind - really weird but iv sort of got it working:
I can fastforward / rw to 10x (done with transformers as above) to any point I like whilst still having moving video on screen...but as soon I press play it freezes and wont play. HOWEVER, if I then press 'stop' and return to the folder menu, and immediately reselect the film, it then happilly plays back from the ff / rw point.

Yep, that's precisely what I used to find... a real pain in the neck.

[Mr Flibbles]

You can put on covers for films on PS3 media server, you may be able to do audio but I've never tried it. To do a cover for a film just do filmname.mkv.cover.jpg or filmane.avi.cover.jpg. I think you can also specify that it looks for audio covers on the internet, something like allmusic or sites similar.

You can also specify a folder that PS3 Media Server looks in for covers.

[jasjeet]

For covers i have the image with the same name as the file, i use Hidden attribute so that they are not in the way when browsing on the PC.
Is you use soft subs a full encode is required, is no subs or hard coded subs are used then its possible to transcode.