Our PS3 arrives! Did we just brick it?

by Christopher Grant on Nov 11th 2006 7:40PM

After spending much of the night with the Wii, and Twilight Princess, we woke this morning to a special treat: a retail PS3! We moved the Wii from the projector screen -- a display option that the system just doesn't agree with (at least in our configuration) -- to the far more manageable 24" Dell flat panel (as seen here). That means the PS3 could stretch its legs on the projector with 720p or 1080i over HDMI.

The system, as we all know by now, is on the large side, is very shiny, and (your opinion may vary) a very attractive piece of machinery. After being hooked up and running for some time, it remains completely cool to the touch, with a large amount of hot air being quietly evacuated out of the back of the unit. It reminds us that Sony can engineer just about anything.

The system required several quick updates when we popped in Resistance. First, a patch from 1.0 to 1.02. After a couple quick levels, we were back out in the XMB interface trying to connect to various network services (none of which will be online until the 17th). The system informed us we needed a software upgrade, this time to the more recent 1.10. After a lengthy download (our connection may have been slow), the system issued us the obligatory firmware-upgrade warning: turn it off or do anything else stupid and you'll brick your box ... in so many words. So it was with great dismay that we greeted a blank, black screen. The same black screen we stared at for the next thirty minutes.

"Is it upgrading?"

"Shouldn't there be a progress bar?"

We stared and stared. And stared. Do we dare turn it off, hoping to break whatever infinite loop the system was stuck in at the risk of bricking our very shiny, and barely broken-in, PS3? After about twenty minutes, my hand gingerly trembled its way to the soft power button and the system refused to recognize my command.

"Don't turn me off, idiot! Didn't you read the message? You'll brick me!"

"Bbbbut, you're not doing anything!"

"How do you know? Are you a Sony engineer? Look, I won't let you turn me off, therefore, I must be working."

"Fine."

We waited for another ten minutes before our duty was clear. Our PS3 needed to be put down turned off. I walked around behind the unit, pausing at the power switch. Flick. Is it dead? Did we brick our brand new PS3? We flipped the switch back on, and activated the soft power switch on the front and were greeted with ...

...

...

...

... a firmware upgrade screen! We followed the instructions (again) and a progress bar informed us of the firmware upgrade's progress.

Phew! After a few short (this time!) minutes, the box was running wonderfully at version 1.10.

The contents of the retail box: p ower cable (just like a computer's ... maybe they were right!); a USB-to-USB mini cable for connecting and charging the Sixaxis; AV multi-out (PSone/PS2 owners should be familiar with this); a rather generous Ethernet cord (we do have the wireless model after all); and, lastly, the Sixaxis.

Anything you want us to check out?

Tags: blogathon06, brick, PS3

Reader Comments (88)

Imagine if you could emulate pc games using linux on that hideous but powerful monstrosity...

Viscious black shiny grill or curvy white box with X on it? Hmmm. Join the dark side, I'll take the grill.

In the greatest battle of them all, the 360 wins by a landslide, wii second, and the 3 miles behind. Totally.

By greatest battle I mean the quality of the product packaging :P

You haterz are hilarious! How can you talk about the size of the PS3 when the Wii is about the same size as the 360 HD-DVD drive? And how can some of you guys talk about the PS3 being a grill when the 360 still cant keep cool. Even with the intercooler! The PS3 is going to be the supreme being of next gen gaming. The graphics may look identical or maybe even a little down from the 360, but remember, the 360 has a year head start. By this same time next year, we will see who has the better graphics or system. And last but not least, the only reason the Wii is getting some many fans is because of the orignality for the "wiimote". If it had the same ugly gamecube controller, you guyz would be clowing nintendo non-stop. I mean, it is still using memory cards!

It wont but if Xbox 1.5 wins, it wont be because of them having the better system, its because they keep breaking and people keep buying new systems instead of calling MS or using service plans with retail stores.

It wont but if the Wii wins, it will be mainly due to the price.

When the PS3 wins, its because of the graphics with the CELL and RSX. Its because of the 1-time price of the system you will have to pay for the next 10 years (unless you want to upgrade your HDD). And also, it will win because of Blu-Ray because of everything that technology brings to media as a whole. And it will win because it is PlayStation and no matter what, even if we dont understand what they are doing at times, they have dominated with consoles for more than a decade (thats 10 years for you idiots) and they are geniuses in entertainment.

When its all said and done, and when the smoke clears, everybody will read the PS3 will win. Even if the font is still the same title font they used in the SPIDER-MAN movies!

Meh, my PS2 is keeping me satisfied :) May not have the gfx but certainly has the gameplay :P

It's still pwnage.

BTW, how can you say the 360 has won? Won what? How can you win something when there are no opponenets to compete with? Whats this about packaging? :S A package is a package, does it really matter how it is packed?

#41 Perhaps you would like to enlighten us about your PS3 experiences. What have you played? Give us your contradictory experience rather than just saying someone is saying fanboy nonsense. If you haven't played anything on PS3 or Wii than STFU.

#50 Don't let the haterz bother you. The Foreman Grill crap is only to try and get people riled up. All the consoles will have their good points and bad points. We all know that. As far as your opinions about how things will turn out, well they are your opinions and what is important is that you've at least acknowledged that it's anyones game. Any console could win at this point.

nice to see the fanboys out in full force

Someone asked if an internet connection is needed?

Is it?

That's the reason that Nintendo is including a disc with the system, right? I have wireless, but I didn't before my DS. If I never got my wireless connection, does that mean that I'd be screwed with a PS3?

@mike

yeah good thinking, you idiot. Sony is awesome, and they never lie. you just keep enjoying that PS3 at 1080p on two monitors at 120fps. Ass!

I am glad I stuck with the 360. PS3 is worthless when you already have the 360.

I almost forgot, the system will totally last for 10 years. who needs better visuals. In 10 years I would like to still be playing the majority of my games at 720p with aweful textures because of the 256MB of video memory.Textures dont look bad with such low memory. But in 10 years I'm sure they'll look just as good.

If you want a truely powerful console buy a pc and get a controller. If you want a good console buy a 360. If you dont know anything about electronics, buy a PS3. Cause I'm sure they're the best right? By the way, the gfx chip in the PS3 is built of of the Nvidia 7800 gtx platform. Have you seen the benchmarks of that card. No way could that card handle a shader intensive game at 1080p. And blu-ray wont win any format war. If you like poor image quality and sloppy codecs such as m-peg 2 go with BDD. Then again I dont expect you to understand, if you're getting a PS3 you wouldn't understand anyways.

wow that was freaky,
so did you guys connect the ps3 to 220V directly or trough a stepdown convertor

50 you must remember the toy story bull, sorry they may have been king but the next 10 years will see a better balance in the console sector - sony may still will but they wont have the respect that they one owned.
Thanks to the 360 and the WII sony will have to a smaller market share. after all they deserve to be taken down a few steps, the last year has seen more bull and false promises from sony. Sony the toy story line doesnt hold up anymore your console is no better than the 360 and well see how simlimar they are in the comming years. Sony is very good at one thing these days copying everyone else services and hardware. Nice one sony you had the money and resources to bring out something really ground breaking but you didnt manange it this time around (ps3 last years tech just delayed) Lets hope we dont have to wait 10 years for the next generation its gonna be a lonnnnnnnnnnng time..

Not to diss on consoles, because I have my share, but the PC format has already surpassed consoles in every possible way.

Honestly, all I'd need to do is switch graphics cards and I'd have better than a PS3, coming from my 900 dollar computer bought 3 years ago. All I'm saying is that Sony fanboys will talk like the graphics on this thing are the best the world has seen, or will see for the next some-odd years, but face it, the tech has been out. The PS3 is a Blu-Ray drive with a tiny bit of ram, a backward graphics card, and a bit of processing power (my PC matches the PS3 in GHZ). Consoles are becoming more like PCs every generation, why don't you all just skip the 'development process' and use what you're typing on to play some friggin games? Or, go the Nintendo route.

could you show the PS3 box next to the 360 box? I saw a video on the news about the PS3 selling in Japan and the box is VERY LARGE like my....well never mind

i dont want one. im happy with my xbox 360 *sobs in corner*

anyways could u try installing linux and maybe windows and maybe mac os x on it (if you can install ubuntu u can install mac os, just search google for deadmo)

also is the lack or rumble annoyin?

also can the japanese ones play UK blu ray movies (like UMD movies wt the psp)

also is there gonna be a homebrew scene that sony keeps releasin updates and hackers keep releasin downgrades (like the psp)

soo many questions!

anyways i want one!

You can hear them all trying so hard to be as biased as possible, but coming off as just being childish. For example, the fact that Sony included an ethernet cable in the box was greeted with a "we already have enough of these", rather than thanks for adding it in LIKE MICROSOFT DID. Also, you're getting a movie and a blu ray drive in there. I'd say the console should have sold for at least $850 with all that in there, as the 360 would if you added a hd-dvd drive and a movie.

Quit being so stupid, if you don't like the system just send it to someone who does. I don't even know why you guys got one for free since you're so fucking biased towards the it.

Will it blend?

@Mike
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Imagine playing PS3 with a PS1 controller.

Now, think about playing PS1 with a SIXAXIS.

Which would be more fun? Consequently, how much does input affect play, and what kind of factor is it going to be in the near future?

dude us that the American one or the Japanese version?

sorry for the typo i meant is that the japanese version

Mike, Sony will fail because they are planning a 10 year life cycle for the PS3. They wont even be profitable till year 4 or 5 depending on what kind of price war Microsoft wants to get into.

By that year 4 or 5 that Sony will be profitable by the 360 will be 5 or 6 years old and the nex XBOX will already be on the way. Have you seen the games we were playing 5 and 6 years ago? I sure dont wait 10 years to upgrade my PC and I sure dont want to wait more than 5 years for a new console. I enjoy the experiences that new technology can bring me.

PS. Have you played Gears of War? GoW is an instant classic!

My 360 did not need a firmware on day one! That only happens WHEN YOU CONNECT IT TO THE INTERNET! Then it asks(but makes)you to do the update. I hope by the time I get a PS3 they have changed the exterior from the Cheap Shinny manufacturer style. Not that it is a reason to buy it but. Dang a $600 dollar toy should at least have a decent quality outside. I don't like the brick but it is better if I have a smooth power supply. Thats why there is a brick there. Instead of the cheap direct transformer. No risk of fire from a good so called brick! (quality bulky but quality, and safety!)

This site is retarded like all the ms fanboys.
How can you brick something when it doesnt have a brick?The whole brick word came from the brick 360 comes with retard.

PS3 starting to suck! The more of them that are sold the more that people will realize it is like the PS2 graphics compared to the xbox(1) all over again! LOL. Stupidity! How care you keep believing a liar? Stupidity thats how! Wishful thinking! Example Honey why was you tongue kissing my best friend. I was not tongue kissing her! I was gently doing Mouth to mouth while she was standing up! You should trust me this time. Just because I was lying about the last best friend doesnt mean I'm lying now! (girl friend answers) Oh OKAY! giggle giggle! Duuuuhh What a stupid fool she is!

cone: You might want to do a bit of research on the term before you call someone a retard. Or, just use some common sense. Think about it... it might come to you.

I also agree that I find it interesting that most people are so keen on playing with the media functionality of the PS3, instead of playing the launch games that are coming out. Aside from Resistance, it doesn't look like there's much excitement for the games. And even Resistance's hype is being tempered by Gears of War.

While media functionality is nice, I don't know why so many people are excited to be doing all this on a PS3. They've been doing it for years (and far better) on the PC. Because you can do it on your TV/couch setup, it's magical now? This also applies to the Wii. The photo channel and such are nice additions, but far from the focus of the console. I doubt I'll even give the non-gaming ones a passing glance. (Though, I understand that some of the Wii's channels are not targeted at me, such as news and weather, so I'll give them that one.)

When you see Wii footage, it's all about "how does Wii Sports play? Just how good is Zelda? How does Excite Truck control?". When you see PS3 footage, it's all about how long the firmware upgrade took to install, and just what formats are compatible with the movie player.

Quite telling.

*Mike: "You haterz are hilarious!"

This coming from a guy who bashes all three systems?

#65 T Bag.

Yeah I noticed the biased video as well. Im suprised that more people didnt jump on it. I wish Sony never sent them one. Every comment that came out of their mouths had some sort of anti sony sneer to it.

If youd like to see the exact opposite of the way they acted, just watch the video for the hd dvd player from MS.

Wait, you had the Wii hooked up to a projector screen and then hooked up the PS3 to a monitor? That's balanced! Why not try hooking both up to a television for these tests, since the majority of the public will be using this display device. You have heard of a television before, right?

Hmm, the PS3 and all of the components look great, but too bad I'm not interested in a single game they are putting out for it. Just another reason to wait on buying one. Too busy trying to master Gears of War!

does the ps3 upconvert ps2 games?...if so, does it look marginally better?

STOP USING NETSCAPE VIDEO. It sucks. Hard.

Use YouTube or Revver.

What did it take to get the ps3 to talk to the dell flatpanel? Mine gets along with my samsung dlp tv at 720p via hdmi just fine, but does not seem to like my 24" dell. Is there a particular cable you used? I just used the same hdmi/dvi cable I used to hook a macmini to the hdtv... I did not think it was "directional"...

Curious,

-Q

I'm sorry but why would you buy a PS3? You can go buy a $300-$400 Xbox 360 and a $250 Wii for $650. I liked the PS2 but this is the same old thing, and speaking of Nintendo, Sony copyed off them with the whole controller movement idea. They invinted it two weeks before E3 and they said "we came up with the controller senstivity first"(why would you show us two weeks before E3 then?). They also sacrafed the rumble feature, look at the controller Nintendo made it has the motion and it has rumble, not to mention the speaker on it. Personily I like Nintendo and Microsoft better.

Update for the curious:

PS3 HDMI -> Dell 2405 DVI: no display

PS3 HDMI -> Dell 2407 DVI: works great

Perhaps it's HDCP related (though I thought HDCP was only supposed to be an issue for bluray content).

-Q

I really haven't seen anyhing about or on the PS3 that is new or WOWS me...
I'll prob just settle for the Wii and wait for Kingdom Hearts 3 be close to release to get it. You can get all these features, except for bluetooth and graphics (pretty much), on the Wii anyways. It's powerful, but the selection of games suck for the launch (in my opinion) unlike the Wii. Might as well buy the launch games on the PS2. Knowing how Sony usually does things, this launch really annoys and pisses me off. I'll wait till it becomes cheaper, maybe next year if they have better games like Wii has Red Steel, Smash Bros. Brawl, and especially Zelda Twilight Princess. PS3 can wait till much later for me.

Previous 50 Comments

Our PS3 arrives! Did we just brick it?

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