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Can I connect my PS3 hard drive to my PC? Yes you can. However, the contents of the hard drive are encrypted using a code unique to your PlayStation 3. As a result, you will not be able to read any information from the hard drive. The otheros partition of the drive is not encrypted but will not be readable on a PC either. If you wish to backup your PS3 data, you must use the Backup Utility built into the PlayStation 3.
You can connect your PS3 Hard Drive to your PC using a 2.5" SATA to USB/Firewire caddy (pictured above), which cost between $8 to $20. Can I play VOB files on the PS3 without converting them? Yes you can. Simply rename the file to MP4. It might show up at unsupported data on the PS3 Video Menu, however, when trying to play the file it should work fine. This work-around works for VOB files from any region, so you can use to play NTSC DVD's on your PAL PS3, for example.Can I put wallpaper on the XMB? How? You can only put wallpaper on the XMB if you are using Firmware 1.90 or greater. You can put a photo as a wallpaper by finding the photo you want and pressing to bring up the onscreen menu. From the menu, select the "Use as Wallpaper" option. Before the photo is added as a wallpaper, you have the ability to zoom in or out of the photo.Can I use my PlayStation 2 Memory Card with the PlayStation 3? Yes you can, however, you will need to purchase a special adapter since you cannot directly connect the Memory Card to the PS3. The adapter lets you copy your PS1 and PS2 saved data to and from the PlayStation 3 system.
Can I use the PlayStation 3 with no hard drive installed? No. In order to use the PlayStation 3 console, a hard drive must be installed and formatted to the PS3 filesystem. This is the reason why all PS3 models contain hard drives. Using the system without a hard drive will cause an error on start up. Can I write to Blu-Ray discs using the PlayStation 3? No. The PS3 has a read-only Blu-Ray drive so it can only read from a disc not write. A Blu-Ray Writer drive can be purchased seperately for a PC for around the same price as a PlayStation 3.Can the PlayStation 3 play DivX/XviD files? The PlayStation 3 is able to play DivX and XviD encoded files using Firmware 2.10 or higher. The PlayStation 3 is a certified DivX product and supports the format natively, which means that developers can also included DivX encoded media into games. There are a few exceptions to note: the PS3 cannot play files that use DivX 3.11 or files that are larger than 2GB. In addition, copy-protected files cannot be played. Can the PlayStation 3 play WMV files? As of PS3 Firmware 2.10, the PlayStation 3 supports the playback of VC-1 (WMV) encoded files. In order to play VC-1 content, WMV playback must be enabled by going to Settings > [System Settings] > [Enable WMA Playback]. Videos encoded using VC-1 larger than 2GB or with copy protection cannot be played on the PlayStation 3. How can I add funds to my PlayStation Store account? Depending on what region you live in, there are several ways to add funds to your account. The easiest way to add funds is by using a credit card, however, if you do not have access to one, PlayStation Network Cards are available from certain retail stores in several different amounts. To add funds, select [Account Management] from the [Friends] menu. On the following screen, select [Transaction Management] > [Manage Wallet] > [Add Funds], and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the operation. You can also setup your account to automatically add funds to your account if the value falls below a certain value - this is useful if you have a subscription to services. How can I backup/restore data on the PS3? The PS3 had a Backup/Restore utility that allows you to backup/restore various data on the PS3. It can be found under: Settings > System Settings > Backup Utility. The backup utility does not backup user settings and copy-protected material.How can I copy files to and from the PlayStation 3? Files can be imported or exported using many digital storage formats. These include Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick Pro Duo, SD cards, Compact Flash, USB Flash Drives, and wireless connection.Simply insert the memory card/device and wait for the PlayStation 3 to detect the media. Select the item you would like to copy and press to bring up the option menu. If the item is not copy protected, you will be able to copy it to the external media.How can I group games into folders? Browse to the game you wish to put into a folder and press
Similarly, you can use the same technique to group photos, music and videos into folders. Grouping can only be done on firmware 2.00 or greater. How can I multi-task on the XMB? The PS3 XMB only supports limited multi-tasking capabilities. You can:
To multi-task simply press the PS button and preform another action. For example, listening to music while surfing the Internet can be done by first playing a song. Then, press the PS button and open the Internet Browser. This works similarly for viewing photos while listening to music. How can I remote play via the Internet using my PSP? In order to access your PlayStation 3 via the Internet, your PSP must have firmware 3.50 or higher installed and your PS3 must have firmware 1.81 or higher installed. Before you are able to connect, your PS3 must be set on Remote Play mode and your PSP must be registered with your PS3. To connect, simply go to [Remote Play] under [Network] on the PSP, select "Connect via Internet" and connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot with Internet access. You must sign into the PlayStation 3 using your PSN email address and password. If you have signed in correctly, you should see the PS3 XMB on your PSP screen. For a detailed step-by-step guide on setting up Remote Play, see the Remote Play Guide. How can I rip music from a CD using the PlayStation 3? Insert an audio CD into the PS3 and go to the [Music] icon on the XMB. The PS3 should automatically connect to the Internet to obtain track information. Under the [Music] menu, you will see a CD icon. Before ripping a CD, you can modify the quality of the music from the [Settings] menu. Press How can I turn off the Information Board? The Information Board is available on firmware 2.00 or higher. To turn it off, go to [Network] > [Information Board] and press
How can I use a PS2 DualShock controller on the PS3? If you have a DualShock2 controller lying around, you can use it with the PS3 using a PS2 to PC USB converter. Most PS3 games work fine with the DualShock although the missing "PS" button could cause a few problems.How do I access the PlayStation Store?  The PlayStation Network Store can be accessed via the bag icon. If you do not see the icon, you must first sign up to the PlayStation Network by clicking on the [Sign up for PLAYSTATION Network] icon under the [PlayStation Network] icon. Once you are registered, the PlayStation Store can be accessed under the [PlayStation Network] menu. How do I activate Remote Start to use with Remote Play? Remote Start can only be used with PS3 firmware 2.00 or higher, and PSP firmware 3.72 or higher. Remote Start will only work if the following steps have been performed:
You can activate Remote Start by going to [Settings] > [Remote Play Settings] > [Remote Start]. Remote Start will keep your network connection alive, even when the system is in standby mode. Having Remote Start activated consumes more power than normal stand-by mode. How do I backup my PlayStation 3 savedata? To backup your PS3 savedata to an external device, go to Game > [Saved Data] and press Please note that not all savedata can be backed up. Depending on the model if your PlayStation 3, you may need a USB Memory Card adapter to copy data to memory cards. How do I change my PlayStation Network Username? You cannot officially change your PSN username. You can, however, delete your User on the PS3, create a new user and register with the PlayStation Network using a different name. Any save data on the old PS3 username will be deleted when you delete the account.Go to "Users" on the far left of the XMB and select "Create New User". The new user name can be up to 16 characters. How do I edit my PlayStation Account information? To edit your personal information, select [Account Management] from the [Friends] menu on the XMB. Only a limited amount of information can be modified. You are unable to change your PlayStation Network ID. However, you are allowed to modify the following:
How do I install a new hard disk in my PlayStation 3? The PlayStation 3 has a hard disk slot on the left end of the PS3 (bottom side if you stand it up vertical). Upgrading the hard drive is simple and only takes a few minutes. Follow the instructions below to remove and install a new hard drive:
Warning: Before you attempt to change your hard drive, it is viral that you backup your current contents to a removal hard disk. Once you have installed a new drive, the data in the old drive will not be readable. Please see the Backup/Restore FAQ for more details. Once you have installed a new drive, you can simply restore the old data to the new one. How do I install another Operating System on the PS3? The PlayStation 3 is able to run another operating system in addition to the XMB. To install the bootloader for another OS, you must obtain the "otheros" installer and install it via the Settings menu: Settings > System Settings > Install OtherOS. Warning: Only attempt this if you know what you are doing. Only a limited number of operating systems will work on the PS3: Fedora Core Linux (5, 6 and 7) and Yellow Dog Linux 5 are just two examples. How do I install or delete a XMB Theme? You can only install an XMB theme if you are using firmware 2.00 or greater. The .p3t files, must be stored in the "PS3/THEME" director of a memory card or external hard drive. To install the themes, go to [Settings] > [Theme Settings] > [Themes] and click install. Select the device on which the themes are stored and select the theme you wish to install. Click on an installed theme to set the theme, delete the theme or view information about the theme. How do I know if my SIXAXIS Controller is charged? When charing a controller, the Red LED on the Controller will flash. Once charging is complete the LED will become solid.How do I remove a wallpaper from the XMB?
To remove your custom wallpaper and return to the default XMB background, simply go to Settings > [Theme Settings] > [Wallpaper] and select [Original]. This option will remove your custom wallpaper. If you would like to replace your wallpaper, rather than remove, simply find a photo you want as your wallpaper and press If you like to restore your original wallpaper, you can simply select [Wallpaper] from the [Theme Settings] menu and your previously stored wallpaper will be used. There is no way to delete the wallpaper from the system, you can only replace it or choose not to use it. If there are multiple users, you can set the user you want to automatically log in as when the system is started. To set automatic login, go to [Users] and select the icon of the user you want to enable automatic login for. Press the How do I update the firmware on the PS3? You can update the firmware/system software in two main ways: using Wired/Wireless Internet or using a external storage media. If you have internet configured, the PS3 can download and install the update for you. If the PS3 is not connected to the internet, a USB device can be used to install the update. If you use a USB device, the "PS3UPDAT.PUP" file should be stored in the folder "/PS3/UPDATE", i.e. there should be a folder called "PS3" on the root of the device. Within the PS3 folder, there should be another folder called "UPDATE" which should contain the "PS3UPDAT.PUP" file. Warning: Do not switch off your PS3 or remove the external storage media during an update. Doing so may damage the system software, rendering your PS3 useless. You can activate the option to upscale DVD's from the [Settings] menu. Go to [Settings] > [BD/DVD Settings] > [DVD Upscaler]. Depending on your HDTV, you have four different upscaling options:
DVD Upscaling can only be used on firmware 1.80 or higher, and if you are using a HDMI cable to output the display to a HDTV. How do I use a Bluetooth device with the PlayStation 3? Before you can use a Bluetooth device with the PS3, you must first register the device with the system. You can do this by going to Settings > [Accessory Settings] > [Register Bluetooth Device] and select the device you want to add. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to add the device to the system. Currently, the PS3 can only handle the following Bluetooth devices:
How do I use my new controller on my PlayStation 3? When you buy a new controller, you need to associate (or "pair it") it with you PlayStation 3 before you can use it to play games. To do this, turn on your PlayStation 3 and attach the USB cable between the console and the controller. Pressing the PS button will pair the controll with the PS3. You can test the pairing by trying to navigate the XMB. If this process does not work, you can use a paper clip to press the reset button on the back of the controller (it's located near the upper-right side of the label). Also, make sure the controller has been charged. How does the XMB display content? Each option on the XMB (Photos, Music, Videos) can only display files located on a specific folder of a storage media (HDD, USB Flash Disk, Memory Card etc). If you are using a external data store, you must create the following folders on the root of the drive:
How many controllers does the PS3 support? The PS3 can support upto 7 controllers simultaneously connected to the PS3. That means up to 7 players can play on a single system. For 5 to 7 players, the controller ID can be calculated by adding the LEDs, so player 5 will be 1 + 4:
Similarly, for player 6 LEDs 2 and 4 will be switched on.
How much data can a Blu-Ray disc hold? A single-layer Blu-Ray disc can hold upto 25GB of information while a dual-layer Blu-Ray disc can hold upto 50GB of information.How much flash memory does the PlayStation 3 have? The PlayStation 3 has two 128MB flash chips, totalling 256MB. I have a DualShock 3 controller. How do I turn on/off the vibration feature? You can only turn on/off the vibration feature if you are using a DualShock 3 controller. Not all games have DualShock 3 compatibility so and therefore turning on/off the vibration feature will have no effect. Changing the setting on one controller will affect the vibration settings for all controlls that support vibration feedback. To turn on/off the vibration feature, press the PS button and select [Controller Settings]. Then, select [Vibration Function] and select "On"/"Off" to turn on/off to change the vibration settings. Is it possible to brick the PlayStation 3? Yes. Although you cannot run unsigned code currently, the PlayStation 3 can still be bricked. The most common method of bricking a PS3 is switching off the console or removing external media containing firmware information during a firmware update. This can easily be avoided by taking care when updating the console. If unsigned code can be executed on the PS3, it could lead to viruses like the ones seen on the PSP. Is the PlayStation 3 region-free? Yes. A PS3 game from any region will work on your PlayStation 3 console. So you can but an American game while on holiday and it will work with your PAL console. PS1 and PS2 games, however, are still region-encoded. So foreign titles will not work on the PlayStation 3. Blu-Ray movies also have region-encoding, so you can only purchase movies from within your region.What are the differences between the PS3 model numbers? The tables below summarizes the differences between the different PS3 models numbers. The model numbers are divided into two seperate tables, showing the prefix and suffix of the model numner. Model Number Prefix:
The models with Software PS2 compatibility still contain the GS chip, but no EE chip - the EE is emulated through software. The models with no PS2 Compatibility have neither of the EE/GS chips. Model Number Suffix:
The two tables together make up the complete PlayStation 3 table number. For example, a UK 60GB PS3 will have the code: CECHC03. What are the main difference between the SIXAXIS and DualShock 3 controllers? The SIXAXIS and DualShock 3 are very similar, however, the DualShock 3 also features force feedback (or rumble). The DualShock 3 controller is motion sensitive just like the SIXAXIS. Both controllers look and feel exactly the same, and both are wireless. What audio files does the PS3 support? The PS3 supports the following audio files:
What Blu-Ray region is my PlayStation 3? Depending on whare you live, your PS3 Blu-Ray drive will be locked. Only movies from the same region, or those coded with no region settings will playback on the console. See the list below.
What display settings does the PS3 support? See the table below for supported display settings:
What files are shared between different users on the PS3? The PS3 keeps some of your files within your user profile and shared others. See below for a summary of what is personal and what is shared: Shared
Private
What image file can the PS3 recognise? The PS3 can recognise the following image formats:
Blu-ray Disc (BD) is a next generation optical disc format designed for high-definition content. The name Blu-ray is derived from the blue-violet laser used to read and write to the disc. Folding@home is a feature under Network on the PS3 Home Menu. It is a distributed computing project that is run by Stanford University. The goal of the project is to research protein folding mechanisms in the hope that this will lead to medical treatments for related diseases. You can help out by allowing Stanford University to use your PS3 when is it idle. The power of the PS3 means you contribute a signifcant amount of CPU time to the project. More information can be found at http://folding.stanford.edu/. What is PS3 Error 80010514 - An error occurred during the start operation? Some PlayStation 3 consoles suffer from Error code 80010514 "An error occurred during the start operation" if (a) the hard drive has corrupt sectors or (b) the firmware was incorrectly installed (which could be related to (a)). The problem is a software related fault that prevents some games, if not all, from running. DVDs and Blu-Ray discs are unaffected by this problem. There is no actual fix for this problem other than installing a newer firmware update. There are some tips to prevent the problem:
If you continue to experience this error, you should contact Sony and arrange for a replacement. Sony are usually quite fast in replacing broken or damaged consoles. What is shared on the PlayStation 3 and what is private to a user? The PlayStation 3 uses a login system to seperate the files for different users, however, not all the files are private. Some things are available to all users who log onto the PS3, see below for information on what is shared and what is private to each user: Shared Content
Private to each user
What is the Cell Broadband Engine?  The Cell Broadband Engine is the name of the CPU that powers the PlayStation 3. PS3's CPU runs at 3.2 GHz and was developed jointly by Sony, Toshiba and IBM ("STI"). It has a PowerPC-based "Power Processing Element" (PPE) and six accessible 3.2 GHz Synergistic Processing Elements (SPEs). A seventh runs in a special mode and is dedicated to aspects of the OS and security, and an eighth is disabled to improve production yields. What is the difference between the 20GB, 40GB and 60GB PS3? The 60GB PS3 is the "premium" option and includes several extras that cannot be found on the 40GB or 20GB version, these are:
With the 40GB model, there are two fewer USB ports and no PS2 backwards compatibility. The table below summarizes the main similarities and differences between the three different models.
What is the Emotion Engine and Graphic Synthesizer? The Emotion Engine (EE) is the PlayStation 2 CPU, and the Graphics Synthesizer (GS) is the PS2 graphics chip. Both were included in early PS3 models to achieve backwards compatibility. In later models (CECHC/CECHD/CECHE/CECHF), the EE chip was removed and the PS3 now uses software to achieve backwards compatibility. Naturally, the physical hardware has better backwards compatibility, however, Sony regularly updates the PS2 emulator software via firmware updates. In the current models (CECHG/CECHH), the GS chip has been removed and so there is no backwards compatibility, since the job of the GS cannot be simulated using software. Eventually, Sony may figure a way out to simulate the GS to bring PS2 compatibility to the current models. What Parent Controls can I set on the PlayStation 3? The PlayStation 3 has various Parent Control options. You can adjust parent settings for Blu-Ray Disc playback, DVD playback, games, and the [Internet Browser]. Access to these controls requires the use of a 4-digit PIN code (default is 0000). If you have forgotten your PIN, you must preform a System Restore to revert the PIN back to default settings.What PS1/PS2 games are compatible with my PlayStation 3? Depending on your PlayStation 3 model, you will either have some compatibility or no compatibility. The earlier US and Japanese PS3 models have specific hardware for backwards compatibility which is no longer present in European and earlier PS3 models. To see what compatibility you have, check the following FAQ. You can see which games are compatible with your console by checking the US Compatibility list and European compatibility list. What PS2 accessories can I use with the PS3? The PS3 supports many of the PS2 accessories. The SOCOM headset and PS2 EyeToy can be configured via the Settings > Accessory Settings menu. You can even hookup a USB/Wireless Keyboard and Mouse.What region Blu-Ray/DVD movies can my PlayStation 3 play? Depending on your PS3 model your console will be able to play Blu-Ray and DVD movies that are not locked, or those that are the same region code as your console. To see which region your PS3 corresponds to, please refer to the PS3 Model Number FAQ. What video files does the PS3 support? The PS3 can recognise the following video files:
When installing games or demos, I get Error 80029564. What does this mean? Sometimes, an Error 80029564 "An error occurred during the install operation" occurs during the installation of a game. This is because the game might not have been downloaded properly. The error is common when the PlayStation Network is experiencing a high load of traffic or if your Internet connection is poor. To solve the issue, here are a few basic tips:
Please note that it may take several download attempts to resolve the issue. If the error occurs more that once, it is advised to wait a few hours before trying again. When was PlayStation 3 Launched? The PlayStation 3 was launched in Japan (20GB and 60GB) on November 11th 2006, which was followed by the North American (20GB and 60GB) release on November 17th 2006. PlayStation 3 was released in Europe (60GB only) on March 23rd after a production delay. The 80GB PlayStation 3 model was launched exclusive to North America on August 6th 2007. The 40GB PlayStation 3 model was launched in Europe on October 10th 2007, followed by the Australian/NZ launch on October 11th 2007. The 40GB model was launched in North America on November 2nd 2007, and in Japan on November 11th 2007. Why is the controller called SIXAXIS? The PlayStation 3 controller is called the SIXAXIS because it can sense six types of movements:
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