Hi,

- does it play ANY disc at all (DVD, CD ...) or is the drive dead?
- does the PS3 power on and you can use the normal menu?

The first PS3 units had trouble with the Bluray drive and many people (regarding to PS3 forums on the net) had to get the unit/drive replaced.

If you don't want to get a PS3 without PS2 compatibility you should search for the internal bluray drive as a spare part.

If you don't need the PS2 functionality get it replaced with the newer and more reliable hardware. 

i'm on my 3rd ps3 , so much for it being so reliable

Hi there

is plays SD DVD and functions fine with CD;s and any downloaded trailers.

its only blurays it seems to freeze up on after a few mins and reports a invalid disk.

i am not bothered in the slightest about ps2 compatibility. so i may get a refurb one but £150 goodness me, is the problem the drive then do we think?

The PS3 is very cheap currently, and it's going to be cheaper, as the new model will be announced tomorrow :

-Compact (it's named PS3 Slim)
-Cheaper (299€)
-Compatibility with PS2 games : ???? That's the unknown fact.

Availability : september

Nothing Yet

Have you seen any announcment?

Will this device be able to be controlled by the PUC code convertor things?

Wait this afternoon for the official conference. Normally the accessories of the original PS3 will be compatible with the new one.

It's now official :

-Less noise
-34%less power consumption
-No support for PS2 games

http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/18/sony-debuts-slimmer-ps3/

And note that a video on demand service will be available "this year", with "hundreds of movies to rent or purchase, in SD or HD". Let's hop that the prices will be low...

I have the first generation PS3 with SACD capability. AFAIK this feature was disabled in the newer versions. Does anybody know if the Charcoal Black (CECH-2000A) will play SACD again ?

I did some Google searches, and while I couldn't get a definite confirmation, it seems more likely than not that SACD compatibility is gone. They're really simplifying the PS3 to the lowest common denominator to cut costs. The main advantage the new system has over current PS3's (IMO) is the quieter running - not enough to make me switch!

Wonder what the new video-on-demand service is like. Movie rental is already available through the online PlayStation 3 Store, but there's really a paucity of choices compared to Blockbuster or Netflix...

Leo