Just bought something from the PSN store for the first time (my PS3 is 2 weeks old, never had any version of PS before)).

So we can cheat our billing address huh.. Never thought that before. I read somewhere they will only check the address if you spend more than US$50 in single purchase. This can also be worked around by using the topping-wallet-while-purchasing trick.

Hey Gurus,

I have done a lot of search through the internet, and learned a lot of things about PS3. But this time I have decided to ask my new friends here instead.

My PS3 is 2 weeks old, but now my HDD already filling up 50GB of the available 74GB space. So, I'm thinking of backing up now by upgrading to a bigger HDD.

Now, from my research, I am pretty much confident already to do the hardware exchange, the HDD is a normal Seagate SATA 2.5" 5400rpm.

But I have few questions to clarify before I do this.

1. I'm seeing that there are SATA-2 HDD, is there any difference, can PS3 use it? Also, can I use 7200rpm?

2. Because of the big data to backup, I need an external disk at least around 60GB in FAT file system. I know Windows can't format bigger than 32GB, but I found a software that can do it (http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=197). The question here, can PS3 detect an external USB FAT drive bigger than 32GB?

3. The backup utility will keep all your game saves, pictures, videos, songs, but not the XMB, ID settings, etc because they are stored in somekind of a BIOS like memory. Now my understanding is, it will backup the demo games too, but not the purchased ones because of copyright thing? So I need to re-download my purchased games again? And I can re-download them as many times I want through the same PS3, but on diffrent PS3, 5 times right?

4. Downloading through PS3 is quite slow compared to my PC, can I re-download my purchased games using my PC and transfer to the PS3 (using the Folding@Home proxy link replacement method)? I mean, my PS3 must have been activated when I purchased the game in the first place, is it not?

It's been 2 weeks of extensive research about PS3 for me. Found a software that can extract AVC.h264, convert the audio only, and remux to create a .MP4 files from my .MKV HD videos (even splitting the file at 4GB if it's too big, PS3 have problems for videos >4GB playback, plus FAT can only store 4GB each file). If anyone wants it, you can get it here, http://sentry23.googlepages.com/. The software is fast, about 10 minute for a 3 GB video. This because it doesn't do any converting to the video because it's already in AVC.h264 format, it only remuxes it to the .MP4 container so that PS3 recognizes it . But it mostly works with 720p videos only, even though some 1080p can be successful too.

I have also found a way to download PS3 demo games from PSN using my PC, using proxy to intercept the F@H download link. And learned a fair amount of stuffs about PS3 and purchasing games from US/JAPAN/ASIA PSNs using CC.

So, this time for these 4 questions I'm wondering that any of you seasoned PS3 owners here can help me, I'm kind of exhausted already.

Thanks!

This post has been edited by aiman04: Nov 24 2007, 11:38 PM

OK, thanks about the info on 7200rpm.

Yes, laptop HDD is 2.5". But I have seen a 2.5" HDD using SATA-2 on a Lowyat price-list, what's the difference with the normal SATA?

Thank you guys. Very good info. I'll try to put up my questions in the FAQ thread.

Good point there. I've decided for a 5400rpm. Thanks!

I'm using RGB full range. When I first use that, the black level become grayish, so you have to lower your brightness a little bit. After that, the picture become amazingly, awesomely gorgeous.

I'm using Samsung S81BX series, not full HD 1080p but capable of displaying 1080i (HD ready).

Games and blu-ray movies are just spectacularly sharp and vibrant. Can't imagine if I use a full HD TV, pengsan woo.. Too expensive ma...

This post has been edited by aiman04: Nov 28 2007, 07:10 AM

You mean themes?

If you want the official themes and wallpapers you can get it from the PSN store for free.

Or you can get it here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/72799190/ps3themes.zip

For other custom themes, here:

http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstatio...thread.id=71510

Just bought my PS3 a month ago. Each day I feel more and more that I have made the smartest purchase I have ever done.


Really is agreeing on your points 1, 2, and 3. What more I just bought an HDMI upconversion DVD HTiB 2 months ago, now I need an amp with 2 HDMI-in (both for upconverting DVD player and PS3) and 1 HDMI-out, and supports 7.1 channels. It's really not good, because I transfer the audio through HDMI to my TV, and I transfer back using analogue stereo from the TV to the HTiB. Luckily the HTiB got Dolby Pro-Logic II. I have tested the Pro-Logic with the THX optimizer, the speakers are assigned corectly, accept for the rear spekers which makes no difference between left and right. So at least I still got 4.1 now instead of 2.0. My PS3 is for region-3 DVDs only, so I still need the DVD player as it is region free (got many region-1 DVDs).

About the TV, not regreting so much, I'll wait until the full 1080p TV price to come down first. Too damn expensive. And yes, the BDs, I always get from Amazon for more better deals. You can get no more than RM100 for a BD, if no promotion, but if there's a promotion like the BOGO (buy-one-get-one), you can get as low as RM60 per BD (all standard shipping). There's one shop at Cineleisure called CWF Movie World, which I saw Sipder-Man 3 one week before US release date. The shop is listed as one of 2 BD distributor in the Sony BD banner ad, the other one being Sony Wing. Don't go to Rock Corner in OU, they are selling POTC movies at RM199. while you can get at CWF at RM150. CWF also got the most titles than any shops in KL.

This post has been edited by aiman04: Dec 4 2007, 07:20 AM

I have used my credit cards for both Asia and US PSN. Also successfully registered my billing addres for EU, but have not made any purchase yet. Will let everyone know when I do. Or has someone purchased something from EU already?

Yeah, that works.

But we got other choices. My Maybank Amex (the credit card, not the debit card) also works fine. Already got the billing in my latest statement. Tested and proven.

Just find an appropriate address for each region and put it as billing address at PSN.

We should make that a sticky, or maybe added to the FAQ forum. Actually my Maybank Amex also work for PSN Asia.

aiman tak kisah... but cannot la, just got my PS3 a month ago, someone with more experience should do it.

My experience, I put real address. Like for my UK account, I put my company's branch address in UK, a hotel address in Houston for US, and some address I found in Singapore for Asia.

Refer Muchi's post above.

Better register US PSN, got more games, violence/gores uncensored, etc. Price maybe little bit more expensive though, just little bit.

Even more demos as well.

Or better yet, push him to get you a supplementary.

Haha, must be old games. I already have 51 game demos in my PS3 (just bought it, really wanna try all the games, ). All latest one.

My Maybank Amex CC can be used for US and SG. Also successfully registered billing address for the same card for UK PSN, thought haven't made any purchase yet.

I think if you can register for the billing address, the card should work.

The ones that you guys tried, did you get the billing address successfully registered?

Muchi, my Maybank Amex also works with PSN SG.

Put the name on the card.

I can use my Maybank CC no prolem.

In billing address, make sure the postal code matches the city & state, US PSN server checks that! Other lines like street, I think should be OK.

This is from my own experience.

If you guys wants direct links to the game demos (using the F@H method), I have them.

This weeks PSN update have not been updated to this list yet.

Here you go:



Don't know what is happening to the links. Space keep apearing in between.

Remove the spaces, copy and paste the links to your download manger. Enjoy.

This post has been edited by aiman04: Dec 7 2007, 12:18 PM

Hasn't this been discussed here? I'm fairly new here, and too lazy to browse through hundreds of pages of different threads here. So I thought it must have already been discussed here.

If not, I can write some tutorials on how to download the games using your PC, and transfer them using the F@H.