Can anything do everything a PS3 can, except play games?

So, I have a PS3 in the living room, which has never played a single game on it. I bought it to play blu-rays\dvd's, stream Netflix, and video from my computer (mostly .mkv's and .avi's). Now, with a PS3 being a video game system, you'd think a bulk of the PS3's price is that ability to play video games, with all that other stuff being just bonuses. Is there a device, cheaper than a PS3, that can do all the stuff a PS3 can with ease, minus the video games? I know they have those Roku and GoogleTV devices that can stream Netflix, and video from my computer (not sure if they can do all the formats that PS3 Media Server can though), but they don't play Blu-Rays\DVDs. I know there are internet Blu-Ray players that can stream Netflix, but I don't think they can stream video from a PC. Are there any devices that are an all-in-one, that are cheaper than a PS3?

Whatever Bluray player I just got has Netflix, Bluray playback (duh), and LAN/WLAN network support for streaming (not sure about codecs though). Is this what you're looking for? I can go look up the model if you want, pretty sure it's a Samsung though.

For the price, you can get a media player and a separate bluray player for less than a PS3 costs... but like you I also have one for the sheer volume of its capabilities. Occasionally I'll play a game on it. It wasn't that long ago when bluray players cost more that it made sense to get a PS3, but that's slowly changing as prices on bluray players fall (and features on them improve). Media players have also gotten cheaper.

One benefit of many media players is their iso and codec support. The PS3 doesn't play iso files and its codec support is meh at best.

I've never tried to get the PS3 to play ISO's, and with PS3 Media Server, I've never run into a problem with it handling any codecs.

I've found that the "internet ready" blu-ray players will stream from a computer, and the Samsung's I've looked at will handle all the codecs I'd like, but I need to find one with a ethernet port. Trying to stream 1080p video wirelessly gets choppy, at least with the PS3.

Samsung BD-D6100C

Boxee and Roku boxes do have support for a wide variety out output formats (ASF, FLV, MKV, MOV, MP4 etc.) I believe most of the WD media servers do as well.

pwnmachine said:

Boxee and Roku boxes do have support for a wide variety out output formats (ASF, FLV, MKV, MOV, MP4 etc.) I believe most of the WD media servers do as well.

Click to expand...

Skip the Roku, get a boxee ~180 from BB (less for a "refurb") and the Vizio BD player from wally world for ~90-100 bucks.

I have a roku and it spends more time rebooting or locked up instead of working. Hockey puck sized is getting close to becoming a hockey puck in use. That and you have to fudge with it WAY more than you should to get it to play your own network streams.

The Boxee OTOH? I think it has had one lockup ever, it natively supports your network shares.

I really wanted to like the Roku, instead I just have it to remind me why I like my Boxee.

^ Good to know, I haven't had any experience with the Roku boxes I just know that they also support the formats OP needs. But Boxee is still definitely one of the best.

Thanks for the input. I think I've decided on the Samsung BD-D5500. Can be had for $100. Play's Blu-Ray's (obviously), can stream things like NetFlix, as well as has an ethernet port to stream directly from my computer, and will handle all the formats I need. I just wasn't aware when making this post that internet ready blu-ray players could stream video from a computer