Playstation 3 issues

[RonJohn]

I have an .AVI file on my PC that I would like to play on my big screen TV using my Playstation 3 as I have done with countless other files. It plays on my PC using pretty much any player I choose including WMP11. I have tried playing it using my PC as a media player, I have put the file on a thumb drive and I have burnt it to a DVD but none of these will play on the Playstation. I get a message that says the file is not a compatible file . Any ideas on how to rectify this issue?

[SuperSparks]

From what it says here, it would appear to be supported. But it also seems to be saying that some files may not play, for various reasons:

http://manuals.playstation.net/docum...filetypes.html

I suspect you have one of those that it doesn't like, and there really isn't much you can do about it with proprietary stuff like the PS3 The only thing I can suggest is that you try converting the AVI file to a different format and see if it is happier with that.

[RonJohn]

Thanks, SuperSparks. I converted the file to an mp4 format and a WMV format and it wouldn't play those either. I guess for some reason, it just doesn't like this file. That sucks as I hate to watch movies on my PC screen. Any other ideas?

[SuperSparks]

Is it possible to hook the TV up to your computer and then play the file from the PC? Especially if you have a version of Windows with Media Centre, which is brilliant for playing video on a large screen.

[RonJohn]

I have Windows Vista Home Premium which does have Windows Media Center, but I'm not sure how to connect with my Panasonic HD TV. It is too far away to connect with a cable of any sort. Can it be done via my home network? What would I need? I am having good luck just using Windows Media Player to connect over my network to my PS3 for 99% of my files.

[Train]

Just incase, this might help out with the formats.
http://manuals.playstation.net/docum...filetypes.html

[SuperSparks]

It's a shame you have the PS3 rather than an Xbox360 as the latter is simple to set up as a networked media extender. I gather that it is harder to do with a PS3, but this guy claims to have found the solution:

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/0...s3-actual.html

[RonJohn]

Thanks for the link, SuperSparks. I will take a look at it. I am pretty security conscious and, like I said, I am currently using this PC and WMP to act like a media server ONLY to my PS3. Not sure if I use this download to create a Media Center, if that would open things up on my network, which I don't want. It really is just this one file that I am having trouble with at the moment.

[RonJohn]

SuperSparks, just wanted to get back to you. Checked out that program that you mentioned and it basically worked. Unfortunately, the file I was having issues with still won't play. I get the very same message that I was getting trying to use WMP. Thanks for the suggestion, though. There just must be something about that file the PS3 doesn't like even though I can play it on my PC.

[SuperSparks]

Video files can be finicky things at times. I really don't think there's much more you can do with that one

I'm glad you got the PS3 working OK as an extender though. Hopefully that'll come in useful in the future

[RonJohn]

SuperSparks, if you would, could you explain the difference to me of setting up my PC as a "Media Center" with Vista as opposed to using WMP as a "media server?" In this case, the end results were the same but I assume they are both employing my wireless home network. Does that mean that the signal is encrypted or at least a closed system (assuming I've set up my router correctly)? One difference I noticed was that using the WMP, I was able to choose any device to include or exclude whereas using the PC as a media center, if any of the three PS3's in my house were on, the connection to them was automatic.