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With game consoles being more “media centers” than just game consoles in 2023 I’m not sure I agree. At the same time I don’t think there’s anything preventing

With game consoles being more “media centers” than just game consoles in 2023 I’m not sure I agree. At the same time I don’t think there’s anything preventing you from ignoring 90% of a console and just launching disc-based games. You’ll need an internet connection for patches but beyond that it’s pretty easy past initial setup.

KerrAvon 4y ago
Do you actually use the media center pieces? I only use PlayStation for gaming and occasionally to play a BluRay. It’s really not a great general media box; it would need a better remote control, for starters. And yet Sony insists on wasting screen space with a a pointless media library icon that can’t be removed.
- doublepg23 4y ago
  Do you mean the media remote is poor or do you mean the controller? https://www.playstation.com/en-us/accessories/media-remote/ https://www.playstation.com/en-us/accessories/media-remote/
- amatecha 4y ago
  I use an Xbox One X solely as a "YouTube/Kodi home theatre"... (I also have a lot of game systems and computers). Indeed I have the trusty infrared remote! It's a pretty nice setup! Especially as I can play some games on it from time to time. :)
- pandaman 4y ago
  All HDMI PlayStations can read control signals from the HDMI receiver i.e. can be controlled by the TV remote, though running third party apps (such as Netflix) would be problematic with a TV remote because for some stupid reason Sony does not allow apps to exit(3) so you can start anything with a TV remote but if it's a non-builtin player you need a PS remote or a controller to bring up the system menu and kill the app.
  - Lammy 4y ago
    > All HDMI PlayStations Forgive my pedantry, but the "Fat" (CECHA~Q) PS3s do not support this, only the "Slim" and "Super-Slim" models: http://www.edepot.com/playstation3.html#PS3_Model_Differences http://www.edepot.com/playstation3.html#PS3_Model_Difference...
hot_gril 4y ago
> At the same time I don’t think there’s anything preventing you from ignoring 90% of a console and just launching disc-based games. It takes longer to run the game ever since the 360/PS3/Wii gen, and the 360 is notoriously annoying about user sign-in, and there's that center button you accidentally press mid-game to bring up the hub. Wii has probably the worst dashboard cause you need to set up the IR transmitter and Wiimote to get past it even for games that only use GC controllers. I get the media center thing as a selling point for other people. I just have never used a game console for things besides games.
- doublepg23 4y ago
  It’s certainly slower but in absolute terms it still only take tens of seconds on a cold boot. When sleeping (how most people use the console) it’s practically as fast, especially with Instant Resume on the Series X/S.

KerrAvon 4y ago

Do you actually use the media center pieces? I only use PlayStation for gaming and occasionally to play a BluRay. It’s really not a great general media box; it would need a better remote control, for starters. And yet Sony insists on wasting screen space with a a pointless media library icon that can’t be removed.

doublepg23 4y ago
Do you mean the media remote is poor or do you mean the controller? https://www.playstation.com/en-us/accessories/media-remote/ https://www.playstation.com/en-us/accessories/media-remote/
amatecha 4y ago
I use an Xbox One X solely as a "YouTube/Kodi home theatre"... (I also have a lot of game systems and computers). Indeed I have the trusty infrared remote! It's a pretty nice setup! Especially as I can play some games on it from time to time. :)
pandaman 4y ago
All HDMI PlayStations can read control signals from the HDMI receiver i.e. can be controlled by the TV remote, though running third party apps (such as Netflix) would be problematic with a TV remote because for some stupid reason Sony does not allow apps to exit(3) so you can start anything with a TV remote but if it's a non-builtin player you need a PS remote or a controller to bring up the system menu and kill the app.
- Lammy 4y ago
  > All HDMI PlayStations Forgive my pedantry, but the "Fat" (CECHA~Q) PS3s do not support this, only the "Slim" and "Super-Slim" models: http://www.edepot.com/playstation3.html#PS3_Model_Differences http://www.edepot.com/playstation3.html#PS3_Model_Difference...

hot_gril 4y ago

> At the same time I don’t think there’s anything preventing you from ignoring 90% of a console and just launching disc-based games. It takes longer to run the game ever since the 360/PS3/Wii gen, and the 360 is notoriously annoying about user sign-in, and there's that center button you accidentally press mid-game to bring up the hub. Wii has probably the worst dashboard cause you need to set up the IR transmitter and Wiimote to get past it even for games that only use GC controllers. I get the media center thing as a selling point for other people. I just have never used a game console for things besides games.

doublepg23 4y ago
It’s certainly slower but in absolute terms it still only take tens of seconds on a cold boot. When sleeping (how most people use the console) it’s practically as fast, especially with Instant Resume on the Series X/S.