BEWARE - PS3 crippled in Euro launch

salthegal

This is an interesting thread,

does the US version play UK bought games and dvds? As Im due to go to the US soon and thought about buying one cheaper there, though someone on here said its unlikely a US version PS3 will play uk bought games and dvds?

Are they region locked, and if not. Whats the downside of buying a US PS3 for use back in the UK?

Some people say the Games are not region locked and say the DVD blue-ray is region locked? So a bit confused.

Any info and insight into this will be greatly appreciated.

Sal:)

ukdoctor

US bought PS3'S should be able to play UK games. All PS3 games are supposed to be region free.

you may run into problems with Blu ray movies though. They are region coded and you will not be able to play UK blu rays on a US machine. You have to think carefully before buying a US/jap machine. If you are the type who buys movies and collect them then it is okay .( US blu rays will turn out to be quite cheaper than UK blu rays).But if you plan to rent them from your local blockbuster you will be disappointed. Moreover they wont will compatible with UK PS2 games.

Another tip.If you are planning to buy a PS3 from abroad then try to get the jap version. The US/Hongkong ones are made in china. I have seen both types of machines and the jap one has the best build quality

salthegal

Thanks so much, we are going to new york for a few days next month and thought we could possibly save some money.

so to confirm if I buy a US PS3 I will be able to play UK bought PS3 games but not UK bought 'blue-ray' DVDs?

And there isnt a hack/way to play UK blue-ray discs on it yet? (wonder if there ever will be)

Is this correct, so the only downside of us buying a US PS3 next month is that we wont be able to play UK blue-ray discs?

Its so confusing, many thanks in advance.

Sal:)

dobazi

Be aware of the way that the ps3 is region coded.

With DVD players, the unit can read any region dvd as the player itself is basically region free.

The PS3 is region Coded and it is the games that are region free. Developers can add region coding to the games at their discression.

It has always puzzled me why they have region free games when they have been heavily against the importation of consoles.

salthegal

ah, so the game developers might release region coded games meaning i cant play uk games on a US console?

im trying to make a decision whether I should buy the console in the US or over here?

I really dont know now.:(

P1NSEEKER

I wouldnt risk it tbh.

Unless your desperate for a ps3 now.

Ive heard rumours of a price drop before the end of the year anyway :eek:

Just get an Xbox 360

ukdoctor

at the moment sony has made the PS3 region free for games but as another Op has pointed out Game developers can make it region coded in the future.
Moreover if it is a US game you have to make sure that u have NTSC compatibility on your TV.(We use the PAL system over here) Most modern TV's should be able to handle it

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/697/697656p1.html

Blue ray DVDs are region coded and it may take quite a long time to hack i think. My personal opinion is that its probably goingto be difficult to hack the PS3 blu ray for quite a long time as it is built in. (Maybe till ASDA start selling cheap chinese blu rays in 2011 )

this is my opinion

US/Jap PS3

PROS
1. Cheaper
2 May turn out to be better as the UK ones are supposed to be inferior
3. Available NOW
4 US blu ray titles are released earlier and are cheaper( provided you are buying then online of course and as long as the dollar is down!!!)

CONS
1.Will not be able to play UK blu ray movies. You will need to buy US/jap blu rays.(they will be cheaper than UK blu rays anyway but if u r thinking of renting then forget it)
2. Sony says that PS3 is region free for games. But game deveopers may try to region code games in the future
3. multiplayer online gaming. Concers about whether UK players using US/Jap consoles would be able to play with other UK players.
4 you need to check if your TV can handle the US/Jap NTSC system . we use PAL over here. most modern TV's should be OK


UK PS3

PROS

1. should be compatible with all UK games and blu rays
2.multiplayer online gaming should be fine

CONS
1. inferior
2 Rip off britain prices

Now you have to decide !!!:p

nintendosensei

Christ, it's only a bit of backwards compatibility, will be forgotten in a few months, the same way some people were disappointed at certain games not being compatible for the X360, big deal. It's not as if they cut out the blu-ray, or made a weaker console for the EU launch. To enjoy PS2 games fully you'd need rumble, something the PS3 can't give anyway, so keep your PS2 for PS2 games.

TonyTheSuperPerson

ukdoctor wrote:

this is my opinion

US/Jap PS3

PROS
1. Cheaper
2 May turn out to be better as the UK ones are supposed to be inferior
3. Available NOW
4 US blu ray titles are released earlier and are cheaper( provided you are buying then online of course and as long as the dollar is down!!!)

CONS
1.Will not be able to play UK blu ray movies. You will need to buy US/jap blu rays.(they will be cheaper than UK blu rays anyway but if u r thinking of renting then forget it)
2. Sony says that PS3 is region free for games. But game deveopers may try to region code games in the future
3. multiplayer online gaming. Concers about whether UK players using US/Jap consoles would be able to play with other UK players.
4 you need to check if your TV can handle the US/Jap NTSC system . we use PAL over here. most modern TV's should be OK

If the region layout is the same as DVD, then Japan and UK are both region 2, just the ntsc/pal thing to watch out for. Or you could, you know, buy something better for less

salthegal

ukdoctor wrote:

at the moment sony has made the PS3 region free for games but as another Op has pointed out Game developers can make it region coded in the future.
Moreover if it is a US game you have to make sure that u have NTSC compatibility on your TV.(We use the PAL system over here) Most modern TV's should be able to handle it

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/697/697656p1.html

Blue ray DVDs are region coded and it may take quite a long time to hack i think. My personal opinion is that its probably goingto be difficult to hack the PS3 blu ray for quite a long time as it is built in. (Maybe till ASDA start selling cheap chinese blu rays in 2011 )

this is my opinion

US/Jap PS3

PROS
1. Cheaper
2 May turn out to be better as the UK ones are supposed to be inferior
3. Available NOW
4 US blu ray titles are released earlier and are cheaper( provided you are buying then online of course and as long as the dollar is down!!!)

CONS
1.Will not be able to play UK blu ray movies. You will need to buy US/jap blu rays.(they will be cheaper than UK blu rays anyway but if u r thinking of renting then forget it)
2. Sony says that PS3 is region free for games. But game deveopers may try to region code games in the future
3. multiplayer online gaming. Concers about whether UK players using US/Jap consoles would be able to play with other UK players.
4 you need to check if your TV can handle the US/Jap NTSC system . we use PAL over here. most modern TV's should be OK


UK PS3

PROS

1. should be compatible with all UK games and blu rays
2.multiplayer online gaming should be fine

CONS
1. inferior
2 Rip off britain prices

Now you have to decide !!!:p

thanks that was very helpful, the tv compatibility isnt an issue for us and we do buy region 1 dvds but I think we'll wait as we will want to play online and will likely use it to watch rented dvds over here.

My hubby only really wants to get the ps3 to watch movies and play pro evolution soccer anyways (which i dont think is out on the ps3 for some time)

I cant justify the uk cost, so instead of getting one cheaper in the uk and probably running into problems, looks like we're gonna wait.

thanks again,

Sal:)