Video files on the PS3 HD?

[MonkeyJuggleDX]

I tried copying an AVI file onto the HD as I really want to watch Interstella 5555 on a decent sized screen. I burned it as a data disc, but the machine says there are no titles on the disc.

How can I copy it onto the HD?

[Salsa Party Animal]

Try looking for a linux media player - not idea what as it might be what you need.

[Spark]

VLC would do the trick.

[womblingfree]

PS3 wont playback AVI's, you need to convert them into MP4's or run them over Linux with VLC or someting.

Plenty of decent conversion tools out there, iSquint for Mac or Video 9 for PC, plenty of others as well.Then your files will play just fine from the XMB.

[MonkeyJuggleDX]

VLC would do the trick.

Would that mean I have to install Linux? I don't fancy losing half my HD as I only have a 20GB system.

[Spark]

Yeah you would, it could be worth it though.

Or you could just install a new hard drive, I've seen 160GB ones for £40.

[kernow]

yer, just convert it with ps3 video9 to mp4 or sommat

[Shozuki]

I second the PS3 Video9 method - thats what i've been doing...

[sj33]

Are the .mp4's AVC encoded? Or can we just stick our files in an .mp4 container?

[Shozuki]

you can select AVC encode when encoding them

[Jashin]

What's the difference between MPEG 4 and MPEG4 AVC then? I'm not good with this stuff... Also, for PS3 Video 9 users, do you find that encoding using 2 pass and 2 pass advance worth the extra time / memory?

[sj33]

What's the difference between MPEG 4 and MPEG4 AVC then? I'm not good with this stuff... Also, for PS3 Video 9 users, do you find that encoding using 2 pass and 2 pass advance worth the extra time / memory?

In over-simplified terms, MPEG4 is a specification of different 'parts'. These parts include AAC (an audio codec), a specific implementation of menuing, chapter management, and similar.

Codecs like DivX, Xvid and the like are based on Mpeg4 ASP, a specific part of the MPEG4 spec. H.264/AVC is based on AVC (part 10 of the MPEG4 spec iirc). I honestly don't know why both are part of the specification, as my understanding of it is very simple, but AVC is regarded as the most advanced consumer video codec today, making ASP-based codecs obsolete.

[Gavin]

Can the PS3 play H.264 MKV files without dicking around with them?

[sj33]

No MKV's, though you should be able to relatively easily stick the video into a .mp4 container without reconversion, I'd imagine.

[tyler]

You mean rename it .mp4? If that's the case I might grab a few of the 1080p .mkvs that are around...