Getting started with a PS3

[samifan24]

You may remember that my buddy's PS3 broke a few weeks ago and he was debating whether or not to get it fixed or just buy a new one. He bought a new one and gave the old, broken one to me. I believe the optical lens is broken as the PS3 cannot read any discs. I'm sending the PS3 back to Sony to be fixed for $149.

What do I need to pick up to get started once I've received the replacement unit? This PS3 is one of the old 40GB units; can it play PS2 games? I'm getting the power cable and audio/video cables off my friend so I'm all set there. I don't need an HDMI cable because I don't own a HDTV yet. I know a lot of the older PS3 titles have now gone to Greatest Hits. Any games or things that I should definitely check out? The last system I owned was an X-Box and I've never owned a PS so I'm out of the loop a little bit.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by samifan24

What do I need to pick up to get started once I've received the replacement unit? This PS3 is one of the old 40GB units; can it play PS2 games?

Nope. 20, 60, and the early 80 GB models only on PS2 backwards compatibility. You've got limited PS1 backwards compatibility, though.

I'm getting the power cable and audio/video cables off my friend so I'm all set there. I don't need an HDMI cable because I don't own a HDTV yet.

Then it sounds like one of the things you need to pick up to get started is an HDTV.

I know a lot of the older PS3 titles have now gone to Greatest Hits. Any games or things that I should definitely check out? The last system I owned was an X-Box and I've never owned a PS so I'm out of the loop a little bit.

Ratchet & Clank, Burnout Paradise, Resistance: Fall of Man would be a pretty good starting troika if you're looking at budget titles. $80 for the three of them. More recent games I've been digging include Red Faction: Guerilla and Ghostbusters.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Nope. 20, 60, and the early 80 GB models only on PS2 backwards compatibility. You've got limited PS1 backwards compatibility, though.

However, as noted in another thread, Sony has recently patented a firmware that will allow PS2 to be emulated on all PS3's through the Cell processor. No firm announcement yet from Sony, but it's not a well-kept secret. So if you're patient, you should have PS3 BC in the next few months.

[gstelmack]

Hey, Sony has caught back up to where Microsoft was at launch! (and got ripped for if I remember correctly...)

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Hey, Sony has caught back up to where Microsoft was at launch! (and got ripped for if I remember correctly...)

Yeah, I hated when Microsoft did that. And I bought a PS3 with the MGS bundle just so I could get PS2 backwards compatibility before they sold out. I shouldn't had to have done that; I don't think it makes any sense at all to remove it (other than cut costs I guess?).

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Hey, Sony has caught back up to where Microsoft was at launch! (and got ripped for if I remember correctly...)

33% failure rate? I don't think so.