PS3 media capability
Apart from a BD and DVD player , Sony have included many other useful media functions on the PS3 console, including media streaming, Photo slide shows, music players etc.
The Basics
PS3 Card Reader
All PAL PS3's at present have a built in card reader, this allows you to plug your memory card from your camera straight into the PS3 to display photos. Supported memory cards are SD/Multi Media Card, Compact Flash, and Memory Stick, the card slots are located under the flap on the top of your PS3. To insert the cards, push card in until you hear a small click noise, an orange light should then appear next to the relative slot to show the PS3 has found the card. To release the card, push the card in until you hear the click and release the card should pop out slightly allowing you to remove it, if a bit stiff to remove push card in again and try again.
USB Devices
In the front of the PS3 there are 4 USB 2.0 ports, these allow you to plug in external storage devices such as external Hard disks, MP3 players and Flash drives. If you are using an external Hard disk make sure that it is formatted to Fat32 or at least the partition you want the PS3 to use is.
Supported Formats
Sony updates support for file formats in various System Software updates, but at present the PS3 supports these formats,
Photos
* JPEG (DCF 2.0/Exif 2.21 compliant)
* TIFF
* BMP
* GIF
* PNG
Music
* Memory Stick Audio Format(ATRAC)
* MP3(MPEG-1/2 Audio Layer 3)
* MP4(MPEG-4 AAC)
* WAVE(Linear PCM)
* WMA
Video
* Memory Stick Video Format
- MPEG-4 SP (AAC LC)
- H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Main Profile (AAC LC)
* MP4 file format
- H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile (AAC LC)
* MPEG-1 (MPEG Audio Layer 2)
* MPEG-2 PS (MPEG2 Audio Layer 2, AAC LC, AC3(Dolby Digital), LPCM)
* MPEG-2 TS (MPEG2 Audio Layer 2)
* AVI (does not included DIVX codecs )
- Motion JPEG (Linear PCM)
- Motion JPEG (μ-Law)
* AVCHD (.m2ts / .mts)
File Structure
When using external devices, such as flash drives, Hard disks etc it is important ( but not essential ), to put these folder names in the root directory of the drive and add the relevant media.
Video
Music
Picture
Arranging the folders like this will allow the PS3 to pick up the media straight away. If you don't want to or cant arrange the files like this for example on a MP3 player, when you connect the device the PS3 will see the device but not be able to find any files. You have to force the PS3 to search the device, this is done by selecting the correct tab for the data ie video, music then highlight the external device and press triangle to open up a menu and choose DISPLAY ALL this will open up the full directory structure of the device for you to browse.
You can copy all your non protected media to your PS3 hard drive if you wish this is done by selecting the file or folder you want to copy then pressing the triangle button and selecting either copy or copy all.