First time PS3 buyer

[manasecret]

Ok, first, the backstory.

My birthday is on August 30. I recently bought a very nice LCD HDTV when our other tube TV died a little over a year after buying it. I am very happy with my HDTV, but I have yet to get a Blu-Ray player all the while wishing one would just arrive magically on my doorstep. So as a gift to myself on my birthday, and since Sony was so nice as to knock down the price on their new PS3 Slim, I'm splurging.

So, my question to you:

I want to buy one game and one movie to start off. While I expect to be renting Blu-Ray movies from now on, I don't expect to be purchasing or renting any games for a long time after I get the first one. I'd like both the game and the movie to be a showcase for the TV. I'd also like them to be a decent game and a decent movie!

So, for those of you with a PS3 and/or a Blu-Ray player, if you had to go back to the beginning and, knowing what you know now, start all over again -- but you could only choose one PS3 game and one Blu-Ray movie to show off your HDTV -- what would they be?

EDIT: And to keep it interesting for you 360 players out there, do you think that even though the 360 doesn't have a Blu-Ray player I should get it over the PS3? What would be the first and only 360 game you would buy?

[magus113]

Well I own both a PS3 and a 360, and I'm technically a little more biased towards 360. But I do love my PS3 as well. So I'll advise you with that since it's a big decision to make.

I would definitely get Uncharted for my first game, and for my first Blu-ray movie?

The Dark Knight. With the extra hi-res IMAX shots included it's really a visual treat that must be seen to be believed. My first Blu-ray movie purchase was Casino Royale as well so that's a good starting place.

Ratchet and Clank: Future Tools of Destruction is also good fun and with an additional runthrough for extra replay. The choice is yours!

[BreakABone]

Magus stole my answers.

Uncharted is an extremely gorgeous looking game. It is fun to play, and you have reason to go back to it time and time again. The only issue you may have is the game could be beat in about 8 hours or so.

As for movie, The Dark Knight is the way to go. It is one of the 3 blu rays that really pops due to the IMAX scenes, and just the scope of some of the scenes.

As for 360 and PS3, while I think it is wiser to buy a PS3 for the Blu ray, if you want a system for movies. I say go with the Xbox 360, with the Netflix features, you literally have hundreds of movies and TV shows at your finger tips, and even a decent selection of hi def stuff as well. The streaming is top of the line as well. And gonna be selfish and suggest The Orange Box so that you could join the rest of GT in our games.

[TheGame]

I'm curious, since you guys bring up netflix. (And I'm too lazy to look but..) How much is the subscription to Nexflix, and do you need xbox live to get it? What level of XBL do you need and how much is that subscription?

[manasecret]

I'm curious, since you guys bring up netflix. (And I'm too lazy to look but..) How much is the subscription to Nexflix, and do you need xbox live to get it? What level of XBL do you need and how much is that subscription?

Good question there, I'm curious as well. And is the HD content from Netflix 1080p or 720p?

Magus & BaB: I have seen the E3 videos for the latest Uncharted, and it did look gorgeous. Did the first one look that good?

Ooh and I forgot about the Dark Knight IMAX shots. That must look sweet.

Magus: Why do you say Ratchet and Clank, because it is fun, or because it looks good? Both? Something else?

BaB: I'm not sure what you meant -- so are you saying if you wanted movies you would go with the PS3 or the 360? Oh, and I would love to get in on the Orange Box play, but I've got it for PC and I just can't see myself getting used to playing FPSes on analog sticks again after the PC and also the Wii.

Other opinions?

[BreakABone]

Well just for my personal picks

Top 5 Blu Rays in no Order
The Dark Knight, Casino Royale, Sin City, Iron Man and Wall-E

As for the movies question, I was just saying that Xbox has more content for movies as it allows you to instantly stream if you have Netflix and I believe the movies are outputted in 720p.

And after speaking with Munk, it seems like you need XBL for Netflix which has to suck because then it goes up to like 58 bucks just to get the thing running. And 8 bucks a month (for a single DVD out at a time) for Netflix.

And Ratchet and Clank is a pretty and awesome game.

But now that you mention it, both games are getting sequels this year and would make sense to wait for Uncharted 2 since it adds in an impressive online mode.

[Bond]

Just go with whichever you want. Both are great systems. The only real differentiator is that the 360 has a superior online experience.

I would also wait to buy a 360 until Microsoft undercuts or matches the PS3's new price point, which should happen soon.

[magus113]

Ratchet and Clank is an awesome to play and actually look at to be honest.

Nice smooth 60fps gameplay is hard to beat. And yes Uncharted did look THAT good, even in the first release, and the second promises much better. Also The Last Guardian looks to be a nice masterpiece as well as Heavy Rain, though it was delayed.

[Vampyr]

I would probably get Metal Gear Solid 4 if I were to get a PS3. Then my first movie would either be 300 or Watchmen. Both are visually amazing.

Yes, if you have a 360 you need a subscription to xbox live and netflix. If you get a PS3 you can buy http://www.themediamall.com/playon/plugins for $50...which ends up being cheaper in the long run.

As for streaming quality, it depends on your internet speed.

[BreakABone]

I honestly wouldn't get MGS 4 unless you really enjoy watching your games.
I got turned off because in the first two hours, maybe 30 minutes or so of it was actually controllable, but alas.

Also, I have yet to see 300 so couldn't comment nor Watchmen, but curious why. I don't remember anything in the movie standing out too much visually.

[TheGame]

Thanks for the info about netflix guys.

Anyway, to answer the original question of the post.. I'd personally go for MGS4. But since you're implying that you'd only have one game for a very long time, I'd lean towards GTA4 in that case.

[manasecret]

Vampyr & Game & BaB: The watching as opposed to playing with MGS4 does worry me. Is it as much non-playing as BaB makes it out to be? What about the visuals... are they -- excuse the term -- awesome?

Vampyr: I could see 300 being amazing. Have you actually seen it on Bluray, though? Is the video quality particularly impressive? As for Watchmen, while I think visually it may be impressive, I didn't like the movie very much. As much as I want impressive visuals, I also want a game/movie I can play/watch.

Game: For length I guess GTA4 is a very good point, and something I didn't think about when BaB mentioned Uncharted is only 8 hours. What about gameplay, though... now that it has been awhile since GTA4 came out and all the hype has died down, would you say it was really worth all the hype? Were the visuals awesome?

[BreakABone]

I haven't played much beyond that with MGS 4, but I heard from my friend that the ending clocks in at near 2 hours so take that as you will.

I didn't want to get into a pissing match about the Watchmen which is why I didn't mention my own opinion on the movie, but one of the reasons I haven't bought it on any format is I don't think I can sit through it again.

And on GTA 4, I don't think the visuals were that great when they came out and I assume a year and a half has done it no favors.

Now before answer on gameplay, if you have never played any of the GTA games beforehand, I would recommend it.

If you have though, I got bored about a quarter of the way through because no matter how awesome a sandbox game is... there are limitations to the mission structure so around my 3rd scout out an area, and protect someone making a deal mission, I just grew bored.

Now if you want a sandbox game that doesn't take itself too seriously I recommend Saints Row, the only problem is the game looks rough around the edges.

If you want a game that combines value and length I guess something like Resistance 2 would be up your alley, now I've played very little of it, but it does look nice and offer online play so make of that what you will.

I still stand by my picks of Uncharted or Ratchet though.

[magus113]

MGS4 is a game that KNOWS it looks good, and it does. Looks and sounds great too if you have the surround sound to back it up. And yeah. The ending is very long and most of it is really just answering questions from the six canon games before it. So there's a lot to take in especially if you don't have any previous knowledge of the MGS backstory, although there's a download on PSN for free that gives you the background info on all that is Metal Gear, including not spoiling whatever you haven't completed in MGS4.

MSX2 - MG1, MG2:Solid Snake
PSX - MGS1
PS2 - MGS2, MGS3
PSP - MGS:Portable Ops

And also, people seem to forget that there is Metal Gear Online, which while it does have some of the deathmatch modes, it's got some other interesting stuff too.

I can imagine 300 looking good, but again I haven't seen it in HD so I can't vouch for anything. The Pixar films have always been great because they have a lot of attention to detail even though they are very "cartoony" in nature and art style.

I've heard Resistance 2 has a insane multiplayer mode that gets better as you get more experience, but I have yet to play it so I couldn't tell you.

[TheGame]

Vampyr & Game & BaB: The watching as opposed to playing with MGS4 does worry me. Is it as much non-playing as BaB makes it out to be? What about the visuals... are they -- excuse the term -- awesome?

Yes its a ton of cutscenes, though the gameplay is good and very well polished too. Its just that the games main focus is on the plot and cutscenes.. its like the ending to the Metal Gear 'Solid' series. If you're a big fan of MGS1, 2, or 3 you'll like it.

The reason I wouldn't reccomend it over a GTA4 is because its more like a movie then a game. (Assuming you liked the older versions) You're not going to want to stop playing it until its over (which will take a few days if you have a life). Once you complete it, it's not something that you'll want to hop right back on. I haven't messed with the online play much, so I can't speak to that.

And yes the visuals are great.

Game: For length I guess GTA4 is a very good point, and something I didn't think about when BaB mentioned Uncharted is only 8 hours. What about gameplay, though... now that it has been awhile since GTA4 came out and all the hype has died down, would you say it was really worth all the hype? Were the visuals awesome?

The gameplay is great to me, and I love the online play. And I think the game was worth all the hype.. And in my opinion the graphics were good, but its not as good as the above mentioned game (MGS4).. its just the atmosphere of the game that makes it better.

You seem to be very undecided.. if I were you I wouldn't even buy any games. Just rent when I'm ready to play haha.

[manasecret]

Well thank you for the opinions!

First off I'm surprised no one mentioned any Pixar movies. Even when playing a DVD on an HDTV, Pixar movies look spectacular. I was seriously leaning towards Ratatouille. I of course did the prerequisite Google for "best blu-ray movie", though I didn't go far down that road. But from that search it seems that the Blade Runner ultimate Blu-Ray set is quite the masterpiece. Anyone have that?

So my decision has come down to --- *drumroll* --- The Dark Knight and Uncharted.

Both my girlfriend and I saw the Dark Knight on IMAX, so I know just how amazing the IMAX shots are.

As for Uncharted, I guess I wanted more glam than length. As much as a long lasting game like GTA4 or (I think to a lesser extent) MGS4 are nice, they are actually to my gaming detriment. I just don't have the time anymore. BioShock took me forever. That said, I think GTA4 will be in my future, but I doubt MGS4 will ever be because I have only playe MGS1.

Thanks again for all the opinions and the help!

[Bube]

I have Blade Runner on bluray, although not the "ultimate set", just the final cut. Don't know if there are any differences, but I'm guessing there isn't. I think it's really good, and I'm a big fan of the movie, but The Dark Knight should be the first choice for you. And everybody else :)

I also own Wall-e, and that's brilliant as well. In truth, Wall-e may be even better looking than TDK. But it's an animation, it doesn't have the same effect as TDK.

[Typhoid]

Even though it's not a movie, the "Planet Earth" DVD/Blu-Ray series looks goddamn phenomenal.

[magus113]

Even though it's not a movie, the "Planet Earth" DVD/Blu-Ray series looks goddamn phenomenal.

It's a shame though because they had a really good deal on the Blu-ray set that was under 40 bucks or so at Best Buy around when I first got my PS3 and I didn't get it then so now it's back to 50+ :(

[manasecret]

Planet Earth does look phenomenal. I see that in my future collection.

It's a shame though because they had a really good deal on the Blu-ray set that was under 40 bucks or so at Best Buy around when I first got my PS3 and I didn't get it then so now it's back to 50+ :(

Dude... http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Earth-Complete-BBC-Blu-ray/dp/B000MRAAJM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1251210065&sr=8-1 $40 + free shipping.

[TheGame]

I just brought home my Ps3 slim with Madden 2010 and GTA4. GTA4 is installing on it right now..

I wanted MGS4 instead of GTA, but MGS was sold out at the 3 main stores I go to... so I'll have to wait it out. I already played through that game anyway, so its no rush.

The Ps3 slim is smaller and noticably quieter then the old PS3, and I like the power buttons more. It actually weighs a lot still.

[Typhoid]

The Ps3 slim is smaller and noticably quieter then the old PS3...

...my PS3 never made noise.:confused:
Was it supposed to?:ohreilly:

[magus113]

Planet Earth does look phenomenal. I see that in my future collection.



Dude... http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Earth-Complete-BBC-Blu-ray/dp/B000MRAAJM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1251210065&sr=8-1 $40 + free shipping.

Dammit. Why'd you have to show me this. Now I'm gonna go spend more money mumble grumble..

[manasecret]

Nice, Game. I got all mine sent from Amazon but it won't be here 'til Thursday (some reason they're not shipping until tomorrow). I paid for overnight, but hopefully that cancels out with the money I saved on all the extras I bought as well. Perhaps I should have just gone to the ol' brick 'n mortar...

Where did you get it from?

Dammit. Why'd you have to show me this. Now I'm gonna go spend more money mumble grumble..

Dude, I know. I took a lot of willpower for me not to plunk down the cash right there.

[TheGame]

...my PS3 never made noise.:confused:
Was it supposed to?:ohreilly:

Which model do you have? The one I borrowed to play MGS4 on I could hear the fan on.. But then again maybe that's because I sat on it a good 6-8 hours at a time.

Oh, and if anyone's wondering.. Madden 2010 is cool, but I feel like they're just starting to get the gameplay quality on par with last gen. And GTA4 is GTA4.. I played it before. I mostly want to mess with the online play. I really want to get a basketball game now... Damn this expensive hobby.

[Typhoid]

Which model do you have? The one I borrowed to play MGS4 on I could hear the fan on.. But then again maybe that's because I sat on it a good 6-8 hours at a time.

I have (had) a first release (backwards compatible), and a 40 gig.

Then again I'd never really play them for more than 2 hours in one sitting, aside from the time me and Dylflon's brother beat MGS4 in one sitting.

[Angrist]

My Wii makes a lot of noise too, is that normal?

[Typhoid]

My Wii makes a lot of noise too, is that normal?

That depends how hot the girl shaking the wiimote is.

[Angrist]

Ew I'm the only one shaking it, is my Wii gay?

[BreakABone]

So impressions... thoughts... did it arrive... and sure that should have been first.

[manasecret]

It came in a day late (today), and I'm still at work. I guess they had a slight oversell of PS3s and weren't able to ship mine on Wednesday. The real kicker is that they ended up sending Uncharted, Dark Knight, and the Bluetooth Blu-Ray controller on Wednesday. SO... I had everything to enjoy the PS3... except the PS3.

But at least it shall be a nice way to finish off the week and to start my birthday weekend!

[magus113]

I would have to agree with you on that! Enjoy!

[TheGame]

I bought College Hoops 2k8 from ebgames for $9.99 and I'm enjoying it more then Madden and GTA4.. go fig! I hope the NBA licence is never taken from 2k sports like how the NCAA BAsketball and NFL ones were. That'd be a tragedy.

[manasecret]

Ok, impressions. Let's start with the Blu-Ray:

Dark Knight is awesome, and the IMAX scenes look great. But...

Ok, have any of you seen one of the newer HDTVs with Automotion Plus? Basically all the 120Hz LCDs have it now, Samsung and Sony do it best, but I think all the rest have pretty much caught up. When I first saw it at a store, THAT was when I knew HDTV had really arrived, because that's the first time it stopped me (and my girlfriend for that matter) in our tracks. It's cliched, but it's true -- it's like looking through your front window out at the movie happening right in front of your house. It looks like reality. For those who haven't seen it, it actually kind of looks like you're watching a soap opera.

Some people don't like it (since it's not the director's original intent blah blah blah). But for me, that is what HDTV is all about.

So, back to the Blu-Ray: the Samsung HDTV I have along with the Automotion stuff already made DVDs look amazing. The Blu-Ray, while definitely noticeably better, wasn't as big a jump for me since the DVD already looked so damn good. But I'm glad I got Blu-Ray, if just for the IMAX Dark Knight scenes.

Btw, Dark Knight: even more chilling the 2nd time watching it. The themes really sink in, and they are chilling thoughts.

On to the game: Uncharted.

Now this was impressive. The only other current-gen games I've played are TF2 and Bioshock, and both only on PC. They look good, but not as good as Uncharted, and not with the punch that a 46" HDTV gives.

Fortunately the gameplay is good, too. The controls can be a little wonky, especially with the platforming, not seeing an edge that you immediately fall to your death over, and jumping from one cover position to another (or just getting out from cover so you can start punching a guy). But I enjoy the cover and fire mechanics. I do not, however, enjoy going back to analog stick aiming. Balls on my face with that shit. But I'm sure I'll get a little better at it.

Verdict: Very good choices, both of them.

Thanks again guys!

[BreakABone]

Good to see you enjoyed our picks.

And I am waiting for official confirmation, but it seems like Best Buy may have a similar sale for the PS3 next week as it had for the 360 this week, which means buy 1 get 50% off the second with potential on working w/ pre-orders.

Would use it for Uncharted 2 and Ratchet a Crack in Time.

[magus113]

That automation stuff looks like crap. When I saw it at Best Buy they were using it with the Dark Knight and I think that when things aren't moving quickly (like Batman driving in the Batmobile) it looks too fake (like when Joker was being interviewed by Batman/Commissioner Gordon).

[manasecret]

Well I can't speak for the specific TV you were watching (mine is a Samsung 120Hz), but to me it looks superb. It looks like you're standing in front of the actors watching them in person. The detail is amazing.

But you're not the only one to not like it. Also note that the Samsung and I imagine most of them have different levels from low to high (or off) so you can get some happy medium.

[Vampyr]

I saw an article once that read "HD Better than real life?"

I think I agree with that.

[Dyne]

In a sea of gimmicks, as long as you're happy with whatever you have, nobody else's opinion matters.

I'm kind of glad I got a 37" 1080p Aquos when I did, though. Personally, on every 120Hz set I've seen, everything just looks fast-forwarded. It's adding information that isn't there and it will never look right to me. 240Hz TVs are just confounding the problem, not fixing it.

The next TV I buy will be a laser or plasma TV, but that won't be for a while.

Also, I was playing the InFamous demo today and I really enjoy it.

And if you haven't been suggested Valkyria Chronicles yet, you better get it. Or else.

[Angrist]

Could anyone explain what Auto Motion Plus does? Google isn't very helpful.

[manasecret]

The explanation as I understand it:

First off, there is some confusion that 120Hz = Auto Motion Plus stuff. That is not true. The confusion arises because they both first appeared on the same TVs at the same time, and were often advertised together. They are in fact two separate things.

1. 120Hz:

First, consider that the previous standard was 60Hz for LCDs. Then consider the refresh rate of all the typical sources these days -- they boil down, at least here in North America, to either 24 frames per second, 30 fps, or 60 fps. 30 and 60 fps are as I remember typically relegated to TV sources, while 24 fps I believe is typical of DVD and Blu-Ray movies.

The problem is that 60 Hz is not equally divisible by 24 (60/24 = 2.5). And since 24 fps is the standard for the most high quality source out there -- Blu-Ray movies -- it's rather important when it comes to HDTVs.

Since you can't just put up half a screen and expect people not to notice, you have to do some trickery. The math is a little hard to get my head around, but the essence of what happens is that some of the frames of the 24 get stretched out and are played longer in the 60Hz cycle than the other frames (technically the technique is called telecine). This usually goes unnoticed, but can be very obvious on long slow pans, where it looks like the camera jerks along instead of making one smooth pan.

So basically the complaint comes down to you're not getting the original source to play as it was meant to be played. The source has to be changed to make it work on 60Hz. And the change can introduce some very noticeable problems into the film.

You may already be ahead of me at this point, but now think about 120Hz. It is equally divisible by 30, 60, and 24. So every frame is simply doubled (120Hz/60Hz = 2), quadrupled (120Hz/30Hz = 4), or quintupled (120Hz/24Hz = 5). There is no changing the source to make it fit into the LCD's cycle.

So, that is all 120Hz does. It plays every 24, 30, and 60 fps source exactly as it was meant to be played.

(Note that some will say that 120 Hz is also simply better than 60 Hz because it will reduce motion blur and make watching something appear smoother, I guess the same idea with games where 60 fps is better than 30 fps. While this is true if the source material actually went up to 120 Hz, I think it's entirely bullshit when the source material can only go as high as 60 fps. Watching a 60 fps source on a 60 Hz cycle should look exactly the same as watching it on a 120 Hz cycle because the source is still only 60 fps.)

2. Auto Motion Plus (or equivalent)

My understanding of Auto Motion Plus is that it uses an algorithm to interpolate between two frames of the source material to figure out what that frame would have looked like if it had been captured in the original source, and then shows those extra frames. It's like taking a 24 fps film and using an algorithm to fill in the frames in between each of the 24 to make it a 120 fps source. (That's a rough description.)

Think about it. With a 24 fps source and a 120Hz cycle, you are now showing each frame five times in that 120Hz cycle. That's a lot of extra time in there that you can do some fancy stuff in.

The upside is that it sharpens the source and brings out the detail that you wouldn't see without it. The downside is that you're making up frames that aren't there, and as with any algorithm it can introduce very noticeable artifacts into the image. But on the good TVs the artifacts are hardly every seen.

The other downside (for some anyway) is that you're not seeing the director's original intent. The director only wanted you to see the 24 fps, not what the TV can interpolate in between. While this premise is arguable to begin with, I'm on the side that prefers to see the extra detail when, in my opinion, it looks that good.

[TheGame]

The explanation as I understand it:

First off, there is some confusion that 120Hz = Auto Motion Plus stuff. That is not true. The confusion arises because they both first appeared on the same TVs at the same time, and were often advertised together. They are in fact two separate things.

1. 120Hz:

First, consider that the previous standard was 60Hz for LCDs. Then consider the refresh rate of all the typical sources these days -- they boil down, at least here in North America, to either 24 frames per second, 30 fps, or 60 fps. 30 and 60 fps are as I remember typically relegated to TV sources, while 24 fps I believe is typical of DVD and Blu-Ray movies.

The problem is that 60 Hz is not equally divisible by 24 (60/24 = 2.5). And since 24 fps is the standard for the most high quality source out there -- Blu-Ray movies -- it's rather important when it comes to HDTVs.

Since you can't just put up half a screen and expect people not to notice, you have to do some trickery. The math is a little hard to get my head around, but the essence of what happens is that some of the frames of the 24 get stretched out and are played longer in the 60Hz cycle than the other frames (technically the technique is called telecine). This usually goes unnoticed, but can be very obvious on long slow pans, where it looks like the camera jerks along instead of making one smooth pan.

So basically the complaint comes down to you're not getting the original source to play as it was meant to be played. The source has to be changed to make it work on 60Hz. And the change can introduce some very noticeable problems into the film.

You may already be ahead of me at this point, but now think about 120Hz. It is equally divisible by 30, 60, and 24. So every frame is simply doubled (120Hz/60Hz = 2), quadrupled (120Hz/30Hz = 4), or quintupled (120Hz/24Hz = 5). There is no changing the source to make it fit into the LCD's cycle.

So, that is all 120Hz does. It plays every 24, 30, and 60 fps source exactly as it was meant to be played.

(Note that some will say that 120 Hz is also simply better than 60 Hz because it will reduce motion blur and make watching something appear smoother, I guess the same idea with games where 60 fps is better than 30 fps. While this is true if the source material actually went up to 120 Hz, I think it's entirely bullshit when the source material can only go as high as 60 fps. Watching a 60 fps source on a 60 Hz cycle should look exactly the same as watching it on a 120 Hz cycle because the source is still only 60 fps.)

2. Auto Motion Plus (or equivalent)

My understanding of Auto Motion Plus is that it uses an algorithm to interpolate between two frames of the source material to figure out what that frame would have looked like if it had been captured in the original source, and then shows those extra frames. It's like taking a 24 fps film and using an algorithm to fill in the frames in between each of the 24 to make it a 120 fps source. (That's a rough description.)

Think about it. With a 24 fps source and a 120Hz cycle, you are now showing each frame five times in that 120Hz cycle. That's a lot of extra time in there that you can do some fancy stuff in.

The upside is that it sharpens the source and brings out the detail that you wouldn't see without it. The downside is that you're making up frames that aren't there, and as with any algorithm it can introduce very noticeable artifacts into the image. But on the good TVs the artifacts are hardly every seen.

The other downside (for some anyway) is that you're not seeing the director's original intent. The director only wanted you to see the 24 fps, not what the TV can interpolate in between. While this premise is arguable to begin with, I'm on the side that prefers to see the extra detail when, in my opinion, it looks that good.

What?

http://x73.xanga.com/71a87640457b0243642653/z91239604.jpg

[manasecret]

Too hard to understand? Maybe I'm reading too many science books lately...

Here's I think a simpler explanation pulled from a thread at avsforum:

Anyway, the purpose of 120Hz is to get rid of 3:2 pulldown, when watching movies in 24 frames per second.

When a movie runs at 24fps, a TV running at 60Hz can't accurately display the film perfectly. This is because 60 is not divisible by 24. As a result, the TV will show one frame for three cycles, then the next frame for two cycles, and continues to alternate between 3s and 2s. The result is 24 frames per second, but every "odd" frame is displayed for 50% longer than every "even" frame. Doesn't seem like a big deal, but in fast moving sequences, you will notice a vibrating effect on the screen, otherwise known as "judder".

120Hz TV's don't suffer from this problem because 120 is divisible by 24. In other words, each frame is flashed for the exact same amount of time (five cycles). Instead of 3:2:3:2:3:2..., you get 5:5:5:5:5:5. The result is smoother, crisper motion when watching movies in 24 frames per second.

Auto Motion Plus, Motionflow, Cinemotion, whatever... is an additional technology that processes artificial frames by interpolating the images in the "before" and "after" frames, and then adding the frames in order to enhance the frames per second of the picture. The result is really smooth motion, which looks unnatural and unpleasant to some. Apparently, none of the companies can execute this perfectly, resulting in "artifacts" like the "triple ball effect" and stuttering, when the processor can't handle the processing and falls behind. If you don't like this feature, you can turn it off instead of sending your TV back to the dealer. 120Hz is still awesome.

[BreakABone]

So yeah how's the system holding up.

Haha any further in Uncharted?
Next Blu-ray?

[magus113]

I definitely think you should jump on Wall-E or Planet Earth. Spectacular.

[manasecret]

Dude, magus! I got an Amazon gift card for $35 so I was going to jump on Planet Earth, but now it's back up to $60! Balls on my face!

So, BaB, yeah Planet Earth will be my next one as soon as the price drops again. My girlfriend being so good to me over the weekend, I acquiesced when she wanted to rent Australia. So Australia was the 2nd movie I've seen on Blu-ray. The picture: still amazing; the movie: feel good and cliched but overall a decent film.

No further on Uncharted, though I'm itching to get back to it. My days are pretty much always full from morning to night.

So, BaB, I'm curious... how many consoles do you have, and how many/which games do you have for each? How do you afford all that and still live in NYC??

And, Magus, how many Blu-Ray movies you got? Have you seen all of Planet Earth yet?

Oh, and one more thing -- I saw the old fattie PS3 at Blockbuster, and since I now have the new one, I really looked at it. Aesthetically IMHO -- the slim makes the fattie look like a kid's toy.

[BreakABone]

So, BaB, I'm curious... how many consoles do you have, and how many/which games do you have for each? How do you afford all that and still live in NYC??

And, Magus, how many Blu-Ray movies you got? Have you seen all of Planet Earth yet?


Well I own all 3 current gen consoles as well as a DS.
It is the first and only time I think I will ever try that.
To me the biggest waste has the Ps3, which is more or less a glorified movie player at this point (it upconverts DVDs nicely as well as a Bluray player). I loved Uncharted, enjoyed Ratchet and Clank and beat Batman on it, but that's been the extent of it. I own a few more games, but either didn't get into them or just never touched them.
The 360 is the console with the most use because of ease of use for the online, and really its been a while since I've played the console solo.
As far as gaming taste goes, the Wii is the system that oddly enough I have completed more single player games on (couldl be because their online is such a pain in the neck)
I own about 7 PS3 games, and about 30 games for each the Wii and the 360.
I really can't afford them, I just shop around too much. I tend to hop on deals whenever Gamestop has a buy 2 get 1 free sale on used games, whenever there is like a single day sale on Amazon or something (I got Hot Shots Golf for Ps3 for like 10 bucks a year ago) or other deals like TRU buy 1 get 50% off on Wii games last week. Every little bit counts, and if you can still get the games you want.
I've also eased up on buying movies and stuff since I rarely get to watch them, I probably have a larger pile of purchased but never watched movies than people have movies.

And while you didn't ask me, I will answer as well and say I own about 20 blu ray movies. While I've had a PS3 for a year or so, I do not buy every movie on blu ray as I feel they need to be worthy.

Like while I loved the Hangover, I never see the need to get a comedy in hi-def, on the other hand Star Trek and Up will def be bought on blu this year, and already shopping around for deals.

~Edit~
Case and point, MGS 4 for 20 bucks is a damn fine deal.
http://www.gohastings.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=4412564&sku=272345633&departmentName=GAME&productVariantId=5465370&quantity=1&itemGUID=7954f1f5ac10003300cc7439ea28e16e
Use the promo code 321321 to save a little more as well.

[TheGame]

Damn you have a lot of games. I doubt I'll even buy 30 games this generation overall.

[magus113]

Magus, how many Blu-Ray movies you got? Have you seen all of Planet Earth yet?

Keep in mind I got 5 of these for free with an old deal that was around when I got my PS3. My Blu-ray library is...

American Psycho*
Pirates of the Caribbean 1-3**
Flight of the Phoenix*
Full Metal Jacket*
The Patriot*
Blade Runner (5 disc edition)
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight
Casino Royale
Supertroopers
Ghostbusters
Ratatouille
Wall-E
Pixar Short Films Collection Volume 1
Gone in 60 Seconds
Die Hard Collection
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
The Simpsons Movie

* From 5 free deal
** Second film from 5 free deal

If there are more I can't remember now and I'm not at home.

[Angrist]

I understood it the first time I read it. Thanks Manasecret!

[Angrist]

First time PS3 player:

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Graphics looked nice (but it's the same game we played 10 years ago, but now with prettier graphics).
I started off with a cool slide through a corner, all the guys were amazed. My luck didn't last long, the rest of the round was aweful. :D It was like the stupid car wouldn't steer as sharp as I wanted it to.

That's all.