PS3 and Linux

Streeteh · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:01

While the supplied OS for the PS3 seems pretty much flawless in terms of avi playback, i really want to get MKVs working.

I figured the best way to go about this was to create a dual boot with linux. However, there are a few concerns i'm having:

Firstly, i know it limits the amount of cores that can be utilized, are enough left spare for 720p or even 1080p playback?
How easy is it to set it up with the codecs required?
Will the linux install be able to read a NTFS usb external HDD?
How easy is it to boot back into the original OS?

Cheers for any advice.

Inoshishi · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:04

Streeteh said:
While the supplied OS for the PS3 seems pretty much flawless in terms of avi playback, i really want to get MKVs working.

I figured the best way to go about this was to create a dual boot with linux. However, there are a few concerns i'm having:

Firstly, i know it limits the amount of cores that can be utilized, are enough left spare for 720p or even 1080p playback?

How easy is it to set it up with the codecs required?

Will the linux install be able to read a NTFS usb external HDD?

How easy is it to boot back into the original OS?

Cheers for any advice.

Don't bother if you want to watch HD mkv's they will be in jerk-o-vision.

Streeteh · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:14

Inoshishi said:
Don't bother if you want to watch HD mkv's they will be in jerk-o-vision.

See, i've seen totally conflicting opinions on that front, have you actually tried and failed? Would be good if you have, never found someone who's actually done it, just loads of speculation.

cb_linus · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:17

Streeteh said:
Will the linux install be able to read a NTFS usb external HDD?

I've yet to try Linux on my ps3 but reading ntfs has never been a problem for any of my previous desktop Linux installs, I would imagine most major distributions support reading ntfs as standard, if not it should be easy to configure

Apopcalyptic · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:21

cb_linus said:
I've yet to try Linux on my ps3 but reading ntfs has never been a problem for any of my previous desktop Linux installs, I would imagine most major distributions support reading ntfs as standard, if not it should be easy to configure

Is writing NTFS supported (stabley!) in the kernel these days? It's been a while since I stopped using linux, and I've been thinking about giving her a go again...(stopped at about 2.4.20ish - Probably due a thread in the linux forum really

)

Inoshishi · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:39

Streeteh said:
See, i've seen totally conflicting opinions on that front, have you actually tried and failed? Would be good if you have, never found someone who's actually done it, just loads of speculation.

Yes I have, and it was fine for basic stuff, but when I tried a 720p mkv it was awful and out of sync.

Streeteh · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:41

Inoshishi said:
Yes I have, and it was fine for basic stuff, but when I tried a 720p mkv it was awful and out of sync.

Bah! Well that sucks.

Thanks for the help, nice to have someone finally just give a straight answer.

Next question, how on earth would i go about playing back MKV files on my PS3 without any quality loss. I tried Tversity, but it was a 1 in 10 chance of getting it to connect.

Inoshishi · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:45

Streeteh said:
Bah! Well that sucks.

Thanks for the help, nice to have someone finally just give a straight answer.

Next question, how on earth would i go about playing back MKV files on my PS3 without any quality loss. I tried Tversity, but it was a 1 in 10 chance of getting it to connect.

TVersity

I have used this in the past, when you say 1 in 10 chance, do you mean of getting your PS3 to see the TVersity server?

Streeteh · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:49

Inoshishi said:
TVersity

I have used this in the past, when you say 1 in 10 chance, do you mean of getting your PS3 to see the TVersity server?

Yep, that is exactly the problem. It never seems to see it, i've tried restarting the server, restarting the pc, restarting the ps3, restarting the router, restarting the ps3 pc AND the router and finally, pouring water on the router... that one didn't go too well.

Inoshishi · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:50

Do 1 thing, disable Windows Firewall just for a minute, and then try it, I know I had trouble getting it setup right in Windows Firewall.

Streeteh · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:52

Inoshishi said:
Do 1 thing, disable Windows Firewall just for a minute, and then try it, I know I had trouble getting it setup right in Windows Firewall.

Forgot to mention... i disabled my firewalls too. I really was lost for solutions

rp2000 · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:54

Streeteh said:
Bah! Well that sucks.

Thanks for the help, nice to have someone finally just give a straight answer.

Next question, how on earth would i go about playing back MKV files on my PS3 without any quality loss. I tried Tversity, but it was a 1 in 10 chance of getting it to connect.

"Hi There",

If your "mkv" file contains an "x264" video "stream" and an "AC3" audio stream then they can be "demuxed" into a VOB file that the ps3 will recognise "natively". The software to do this is called "mkv2vob".

"There" are generally "2" types of mkv out there. The "TV" shows that "naughty" people download are usually h.264 "video" and ac3 "audio" so will convert (maybe 10 mins per file depending on the "powah" of your PC)

There are "also" some ripped HD/BD movies with H.264 video and AAC audio files. These will not convert (last time I "checked") as they use a "different" audio stream, which cannot be "demuxed" into a VOB file.

"Technically" there is no loss in "quality" as there is no actual re-encoding.

Your "TVersity" uses real time transcoding (when it "finds" files the "PS3" will not play "natively") which "can" lead to a "loss" in quality.

"rp2000"

"Edit": Here is a load "more" info: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=131782

Inoshishi · 13 Mar 2008 at 21:59

Streeteh said:
Forgot to mention... i disabled my firewalls too. I really was lost for solutions

Very odd

(a bit like rp2000's text)

rp2000 · 13 Mar 2008 at 22:04

Inoshishi said:
Very odd (a bit like rp2000's text)

"

" <---"smiley" + "speech marks"

rp2000

Streeteh · 13 Mar 2008 at 22:05

CHeers rp2000, is there any decent proggy to find out what codecs my mkvs are using? Didnt manage to find one on my first search.

At least DMC4 is helping mah ps3 keep me sweet.

rp2000 · 13 Mar 2008 at 22:10

Streeteh said:
CHeers rp2000, is there any decent proggy to find out what codecs my mkvs are using? Didnt manage to find one on my first search.

At least DMC4 is helping mah ps3 keep me sweet.

"Hi There",

"GSpot" is what I "use".
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/

"You" just drag the file "into" it and it will tell you *** "audio/video" codecs used.

If it is "TV" shows you have in mkv "procured" from the web, in the last 12-18 months they will be convertible. Movies, "mixed" bag.

My "advice", just run the "mkv2vob" program, it will "tell" you if and "why" your "mkv" won't demux.

"rp2000"

Mikoyan · 15 Mar 2008 at 18:27

"hi"

guys anyone know how to change resolution from the default 576 or summin,

when I installed Ubuntu Gusty Gibbon??

I want to make it 1080p or max I can get

Halp! pllleeeeeeeshhhh!!

marv · 16 Mar 2008 at 13:11

TVersity still has the service bug. it will look like its running but your ps3 wont see it unless you restart the service.