Sony " PS3 " a computer **YES**

[fuzzytomcat]

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't done it myself but what a little "Powerhouse".

Sony uses IBM's "System P" and "Cell Blade" architecture that have six processers ....... BUT........ Sony is only allowed to use five of them.

Using the "Open Source" software from "Terra Soft Solutions" called "Yellow Dog 6.0" a Linux based program you can open up the power of the Sony "PS3", a toy as a high powered computer for $399.00 Dollars US with everything you need just like a "Microsoft" or "Apple" Operating System with all the extras.

What you need -
 
1) A "HD" tv a must or the program defaults to "Text Mode" (WoW superior graphics)
2) A "USB" key board and mouse ( not a wireless until "Yellow Dog" OS install )
3) A computer to download and make a "ISO" file into a DVD disc.

Drawbacks -

1) All files are in FAT32 ?? ( oh well,  I used a old external 80GB hard drive for storage formated to FAT32 to transfer files if needed )
2) One manual key board entry to install software ( Easy Dos Type )
2) Limits on HD usage (example) 40GB hard drive - 10GB Games / 30GB OS  "or"  **30GB OS / 10 GB Games (**Best)
3) 3 hours Download time ( 3.8 GB file )
4) ??

Terra Soft Solutions -  http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/products/ydl/

Installation - http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/support/installation/ydl6.0_ps3_guide.pdf

Downloads - http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/support/downloads/        "BEST"  -   http://ydl.oregonstate.edu/

How To Convert a "ISO' file to disc -  http://www.petri.co.il/how_to_write_iso_files_to_cd.htm

"Yellow Dog" Forum  -  http://www.yellowdog-board.com/

Enjoy !!

 

[Quantum]

uhhhh ... right

So the PS3 has 8 cores, not 6, and the reason they only allow 7 cores to be used is because they had a really really bad manufacturing process when they started out so if they'd manufactured to make all 8 run they would of had to throw over 75% of their stock in the bin.

Running an OS on cell processor and calling it "powerful" is much like running an OS with a Pentium 2 clocked @ 400 MHz and 2 x Radeon HD 4870s and calling it a super computer. The problems with both of these set-ups is:

1) You will never get the theoretical maximum speed

2) There's no architecture to run single threaded or non-parallizable multi-threaded code very fast and this still makes up about 97% of the amount of processing required on a typical desktop application.

I'm not saying the PS3 doesn't have its uses as a computer, but I really think it's more suited to scientific labs having cheap access to a cell processor to get to play around with and see if it matches their sort of work.

[fuzzytomcat]

uhhhh ... right

So the PS3 has 8 cores, not 6, and the reason they only allow 7 cores to be used is because they had a really really bad manufacturing process when they started out so if they'd manufactured to make all 8 run they would of had to throw over 75% of their stock in the bin.

Running an OS on cell processor and calling it "powerful" is much like running an OS with a Pentium 2 clocked @ 400 MHz and 2 x Radeon HD 4870s and calling it a super computer. The problems with both of these set-ups is:

1) You will never get the theoretical maximum speed

2) There's no architecture to run single threaded or non-parallizable multi-threaded code very fast and this still makes up about 97% of the amount of processing required on a typical desktop application.

I'm not saying the PS3 doesn't have its uses as a computer, but I really think it's more suited to scientific labs having cheap access to a cell processor to get to play around with and see if it matches their sort of work.

Ok so I was kinda wrong but its something really diffrent than just playing games ....

 
________________________________________________________________________________________________

It's still faster than you think ..... one of my computers is a "Dell Precision 530" w/dual 1.7Gz  Zeons ......... and PS3 is allmost as fast ........ 

[Quantum]

Yeah, it's quite cool that you can run Linux on it, I do approve of that. If I had one I'd certainly give it a go  , but it in no way makes me want to buy one lol.

[fuzzytomcat]

Yeah, it's quite cool that you can run Linux on it, I do approve of that. If I had one I'd certainly give it a go  , but it in no way makes me want to buy one lol.

The only reason I tried it was because of the Linux ..... believe me ...... I would never give up my normal computers !



 

[fuzzytomcat]

The Sony PS3 with the "Yellow Dog" open source software (FREE) works great playing your music ....... why you ask ...... well most HD tv's like mine are connected to a stereo and using MP3 files on a FAT 32 exterior hard drive works just fine to play those 1000's of files.

Enjoy something NEW I am !

 

[cherrymel]

thanks!