xBox 360 or PS3? [ For use as a media center]

Gaming
1

Thinking about snagging up a console from a pawnshop just to use as a media center to stream music, movies and maybe the occasional game. I do prefer my PC for games though.

I haven't owned my own console since Playstation first came out, so I am lost!

Does anyone have any input to help me decide which one to get? I am looking around for details myself but, any help here would be appreciated.

[Okay, I think I have decided on the PS3 for the simple fact I have to pay xBox $5 a month to even be able to use online services.. (from my understanding) What the fuck?

Sucks too, because I was just considering leaning on the xBox so i could play with the Kinect SDK. Oh well, Guess I will try and snag up a Kinect by itself later down the road just for that purpose.]   

Thanks for everyones input... Keep the discussion going on the pros and cons of both systems if you like, I may end up buying a xBox anyways in a few months just for shits and giggles.

 

 

 

2

Get the ps3 it has a bluray drive and does all the same video programs as the xbox does

3

What's the budget?

4

Both are kind of blah for use as a Media center, you sure you can find any used Pc parts ? itd be a lot easier to do it that way.

5

I'd say maybe $200-300, so snagging either one up from the pawnshop shouldn't be an issue.

6

I've thought about that, and yeah I've got some parts to build one all I really would have to purchase is a case and a good wi-fi card, maybe a Blue-Ray drive. I've got an old wi-fi thumb drive deal sitting here, but the speed on it sucks.

Right now I have a an old MSI-7309 with an Athlon II 5200 and 4G of RAM in the closet in my "parts" trunk and of course I've got a few old HDDs sitting around as well.

As I said, I haven't had a console since the release of the original Playstation. Kind of curious if I am missing out on anything.. I stopped at a pawnshop this morning just to see what they had that I didn't really need, I do it about twice a week. Pondered over the consoles for a bit because they didn't have any tablets for me to play with today. I'm their gadget junky that comes in to play with junk and only purchases every few months... lol

Think of this as kind of an "Impulse Buy" with some thought behind it... then again it's not really an "Impulse Buy" then, huh?

Just say, PCs didn't exist and none of us had piles of parts laying aound that people complain about all the time. Which console would you choose then?

7

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjCoeRNI5Xk

You're welcome

8

Thanks and I saw your video already by coincidence. Good video by the way.

It's not a matter not being able to build or afford  my own media center, I've been building for about 7 years now.

I can make my own milkshakes too but, I prefer swinging through Sonic most of the time. In other words I am kind of bent on buying a console for some reason.

Come to think of it, Unity3d and UDK both support consoles, it would be kind of cool for me to see some scenes I put together on a console.... Think I just made up my mind... I really do want a console now. Still don't know which one though.

9

PS3 if you're still set on that route. More PC like in organization and access to features. Better versions of things like Netflix compared to the Xbox. Xbox 360 is really only good if you want to game online using a console, everything else about it is crap.

10

What about connecting to networked storage like a NAS or other computers? (Ahha! That is what I will do with that MSI board, extra HDDs and Athlon Ive got. NAS \ File server)

Is it pretty simple, seamless in setting up and streaming from a local network? I've set up an xBox before, not a PS3 though.

11

You can use freenas. A PC has better networking capability vs consoles

12

What is it about Netflix and other services on PS3 that you say makes them better than the xBox 360?

13

PS3 or build a media center PC

someone was selling a FM1 rig on here, you could probably get it cheaper and smaller than that rig I posted

14

I know, I was referring to which console is easiest to set up on the network and streams movies and music the best from said network.

My mention of a NAS, was kind of a Eureka , a way for me to clear all my media files off of my work computer.

15

Thanks for the parts list but, I have parts and decided to build a NAS with them.

Seems as though most are leaning to the PS3 as far as consoles go... I'm still up in the air about it.

16

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/zK1S fm2 build with bluray drive and software. micro atx build @320

17

Okay, I think I have decided on the PS3 for the simple fact I have to pay xBox $5 a month to even be able to use online services.. (from my understanding) What the fuck?

Sucks too, because I was just considering leaning on the xBox so i could play with the Kinect SDK. Oh well, Guess I will try and snag up a Kinect by itself later down the road just for that purpose.

18

What software are you speaking of?

19

I own a ps3 cause i like the exclusives better (can get some halo games for pc anyway) and personally dont see the point of payingf for online, whats the point xbox's administrators couldnt stop hackers anyway 

 

 

20

the ps3 has the hdmi hook up and xbox 360 dont if you have the hdmi in use its alot better then 720p i know cause i have one and i think ps3 would be better off for what you want to use as a a media center and there is no point for paying for xbox live