Since its release in late 2006, Sony's PlayStation 3 has provided relief to everyone who loves a good picture but would rather spend around 900 GBP on a family holiday than a top-end Blu-ray player. In addition to the PS3's excellent playback of Blu-ray discs and worldwide renown as a games console, its network capabilities can turn your TV into a multimedia powerhouse.

Sony's PlayStation 3: Not just an excellent Blu-ray and DVD player, the PS3 can also turn its hand to multimedia.

Why a network player

Video formats and hardware compatibility

Quick guide: operating networkd playback

In this article, we will discuss these capabilities in general, including how to set up the system, how to use it once it's working, and its compatibility with different media and devices. Those who want in-depth information on how to configure the devices will probably have more luck following the links in our "Further Information" section.

www.twonkyvision.com
A universal UPnP AV Media Server (for Windows, Mac, and Linux). This site includes an FAQ and a very useful discussion forum.

www.redkawa.com/videoconverters/
Free video converter. Convert various video formats into one that's PS3-compatible. Owners of other popular devices will also find some useful stuff here.

www.bitburners.com/articles/convert-mkv-files-for-playstation-3-using-mkv2vob/4022/
Useful guide to converting MKV files (which the PS3 cannot play) into VOB files. Also includes a link to download the software.