Gaming on the Playstation and Xbox Platforms
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KayJay
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Should I get an original PS3 model?

by KayJay Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:00 pm

Hey there! I've been shopping around for PS3 models to buy, and the backwards compatible PS3 model (I'll refer to them as BC PS3's from this moment) really piques my interest. anyways, here are my questions:

>Is the emulation good? I read that there were two different kinds of BC PS3's, which use hardware and software emulation. Are there any performance differences between these two?
>Is there anything worse about the original PS3 models in comparison to the later models?
>Do you recommend I get a BC model or just stick with my PS2 and get another model?

Thanks so much for the info. :D
Currently Playing: Hatsune Miku Project Diva F 2nd (PS3)
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racketboy
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Re: Should I get an original PS3 model?

by racketboy Sun Dec 30, 2018 8:51 am

I think it’s a nice idea especially the PlayStation family doesn’t has the BC legacy of the XB1.

However mine did seem to die on me. On a related set of questions l, are there good places to get them repaired?
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Ziggy587
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Re: Should I get an original PS3 model?

by Ziggy587 Sun Dec 30, 2018 9:28 am

I feel like the original fat PS3 isn't as reliable as the slim. This isn't based on any real stat, mind you. Just that I've come across the occasional YLOD story (yellow light of death) for the fat but haven't come across any death stories for the slim or super slim. According to Wikipedia (link) the PS3 had a 0.5% failure rate in 2009, which is normal low. I've also read that the thermal compound dries out in the fats. My first PS3 was a fat, and the disc drive got really noisy. And after reading about the thermal compound (true or not) I decided to trade my fat in for a slim. At this point, I've owned my slim for longer than I had my fat. I haven't had any issues with it, and the disc drive sounds the same as the day I got it.

Also keep in mind that if you get a slim or super slim, it will most likely come with a good size HDD. If you get a fat PS3, you might get a fairly small HDD. I think the models that are PS2 BC were only 60 and 80 GB HDDs (unless the previous owner already updated it). This is too small if you want to install a lot of games. This was another reason I decided to upgrade my fat to a slim, a HDD upgrade was included.

Yes, the OG PS3 had two models for BC with the PS2. One was purely hardware based, it had the Emotion Engine CPU. The other model excluded the Emotion Engine CPU, but wasn't totally software emulation. It was a hybrid hardware/software solution. All models of the PS3 have PS1 software emulation.

I'm almost certain that Sony has an official (in)compatibility list for the PS3 on their site, but I couldn't find it just now. Anyone have a link for that?

Just putting it out there as a suggestion... You could get a PS2 slim, which is backwards compatible with PS1 via hardware instead of software emulation. And, of course, it is a real PS2. Then get a PS3 slim or super slim just for PS3 games. It might even be a cheaper option than getting a "BC PS3". The trade off is needing to have two consoles hooked up instead of just one.

If you're planning on using the PS2 with an HDTV, you'll most likely want to be getting component cables for it. One thing to note about this is some HDTVs do not like 240p over component. This means you wont be able to play much PS1. The PS3 has HDMI output, and upscales PS1 games. So you wont have any issues there, aside from the PS3 emulating the PS1 via software while the PS2 has a hardware method.

One thing of note, if you get a PS2 slim, just stay away from the SCPH-75001 model. It has the longest list of incompatible PS1 games as well as a few PS2 games for some reason. Also note that one revision of the power adapter for the PS2 slim had a recall.
Last edited by Ziggy587 on Sun Dec 30, 2018 10:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Xeogred
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Re: Should I get an original PS3 model?

by Xeogred Sun Dec 30, 2018 9:40 am

Ziggy's post knocks it out of the park.

At the time of release, the original PS3 fat's definitely looked neat. But flash forward to now and I think you'd be way better off getting a slim PS2 and PS3 instead. You can find some decent HDMI adapters out there for PS2's nowadays, it is just upscaling, but I personally like it and favor it over the component cables. But it sounds like you already have a PS2!

The PS2 emulation doesn't even look that great when I looked more into it a few years ago. It's a total gamble probably game to game and depending on the two PS3 models that can do it. I think gamble is the word in general here, the fail rates sound high with these old models at this point and the prices are just not worth it at all, unless you're sitting on an excess amount of spendable income or something.

Then there's this secret that some people still don't know about to this day, but ALL PS3 models play PSX games. All of them. For the last decade or whatever my slim PS3 has been my PSX machine as well. I even got some memory card adapters and was able to transfer all my old saves onto the PS3 HDD which is awesome, now I can create virtually infinite memory cards when I play games on it still. I prefer the PS3's smoothing option over the PS2's, in some cases when it looks good game to game. Apparently though, PS2's can run PSX games faster and cut down loading times a bit, but I don't know I ever would have noticed that personally. I just really love using my PS3 for PSX gaming. Then there's the large digital library available on the PSN.

So... my final vote is no. I think getting a slim and keeping your PS2 around would be more ideal.
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Ziggy587
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Re: Should I get an original PS3 model?

by Ziggy587 Sun Dec 30, 2018 10:14 am

Xeogred wrote:I even got some memory card adapters and was able to transfer all my old saves onto the PS3 HDD which is awesome, now I can create virtually infinite memory cards when I play games on it still.


Oh yeah, I was going to mention this but forget. This thing is essential if you use PS1 and/or PS2 hardware as well as a PS3. Sony didn't make these for very long, and they're getting kind of pricey. Better snatch one up now if you want one.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... r&_sacat=0

Xeogred wrote:Apparently though, PS2's can run PSX games faster and cut down loading times a bit, but I don't know I ever would have noticed that personally.


Versus the PS1? Sure, the PS2 loads PS1 games way faster than an actual PS1.
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racketboy
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Re: Should I get an original PS3 model?

by racketboy Sun Dec 30, 2018 10:18 am

If the PS4 played PS3 games I would highly fat PS2. But it really irritates me that if I have a PS4 and also want to play the other PlayStations I would need 3 different consoles with a slim PS3 (which I do also own)
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Ziggy587
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Re: Should I get an original PS3 model?

by Ziggy587 Sun Dec 30, 2018 10:46 am

I can understand the PS4 not being backwards compatible with the PS2 or PS3. But the fact that you can't even play PS1 games really pisses me off. The PS3 was able to play PS1 games via software emulation, so the PS4 has to be able to as well. It feels like Sony didn't include PS1 BC so you would have to purchase PS1 games off PSN.
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Xeogred
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Re: Should I get an original PS3 model?

by Xeogred Sun Dec 30, 2018 11:17 am

Zigg: I meant the PS2's play PSX games faster than the PS3 does, supposedly all speedrunners use PS2's. But yeah you're right on that note too, PS2's seem to run PSX games faster than both the actual PSX and PS3's. Maybe not a huge deal for casual gaming though, like I mentioned I never would have noticed until I saw some speedrunners and forums mention it haha.


Ziggy587 wrote:I can understand the PS4 not being backwards compatible with the PS2 or PS3. But the fact that you can't even play PS1 games really pisses me off. The PS3 was able to play PS1 games via software emulation, so the PS4 has to be able to as well. It feels like Sony didn't include PS1 BC so you would have to purchase PS1 games off PSN.

I'm not sure if this is argument is super valid... because the PSN store library is completely different across the PS3 and PS4, for whatever bizarre reason. I'm seriously not even sure if you can play PSX games at all on the PS4, even digitally. I know some games like FF7 got slightly enhanced updated digital releases with trophies and stuff, but it might just be rare cases like that. Probably just more of Sony's backend being horrendously designed and they apparently couldn't carry over all of the PS3's virtual store over, lmao. I also think the newer trophy enabled PS2 digital releases are PS4-only? It's a mess.

I really don't see a big deal in having a few consoles hooked up and have a simple HDMI switcher and a nice battery power brick for everything and then some, but yeah. I don't want to defend the PS4's total lack of backward compatibility either. The PS5 damn well better play PS4 stuff at least, maybe provide all the Pro options for those games too. The PS3 had the wacky Cell processor and complex hardware so I get that it's hard to emulate, but the PS4's innards are more universal from what I understand so I assume everything should be pretty compatible going forward. With how hard Xbox is going on BC I think Sony would be shooting themselves in the foot if PS5 doesn't do PS4.
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Ziggy587
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Re: Should I get an original PS3 model?

by Ziggy587 Sun Dec 30, 2018 11:41 am

Xeogred wrote:I meant the PS2's play PSX games faster than the PS3 does


Oh wow, I didn't even realize this.
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Re: Should I get an original PS3 model?

by casterofdreams Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:02 pm

I'll go a step further and say the preferred model is the super slim. Yes it is built a bit more cheaply than the prior two models but the top loader will, theoretically, last longer than the drives from the prior models. Less moving parts and all. It's easy to take apart for cleaning and repair.

Just my thoughts on this. If you want to play PS2 games I'd seek out a used slim model.
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