That's good bro...but this is better http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148371R I bought an open box hard drive from them to put in my PS3, and it hasn't let me down...almost 2 years now. With the old hard drive in, you need to select backup from the XMB, and back it up to an external hard drive. If you don't have one, then just back up your Game Saves, and install the new hard drive, as you can just redownload all your games and DLC.

Low signal strength? He needs a router? What are you on about, man? Everything I said is spot on, and I have years of experience to back it up. Being wired directly to the modem is the best thing you can do to keep a connection as strong as possible. Routers do not make the "signal" stronger...

Just finished watching the premier of Haven on SyFy, and was at my wit's end trying to figure out where I heard the main character's voice before. And then it hit me, it sounds like Elena Fisher from the Uncharted series. I checked it out, and she's one in the same, Emily Rose. Just thought it was neat, is all.

I'm going to assume you meant 5.1 and not 3.1? or 7.1. Optical can carry Dolby Digital Pro Logic, 5.1 and DTS, all three of which have been used since the Playstation 2. Unless you wanted to hook your PS3 up to a 7.1 system, you should just go with the cable thats cheaper, as you won't notice a difference. And really, I can't think of a game that supports 7.1, so HDMI is only beneficial for watching a Blu-Ray with Dolby True HD.

Wow, there's a lot of hate going on around here in this corner of gamespot, so lemme just help clarify a few things.

First off, it's hard to say which next gen format is "better".  In terms of space, it's obviously blu-ray.  Dual layer Hd-dvd's only hold 30gigs, Dual layer Blu-ray discs hold 50gigs.  Now in a future release for both formats, there will be a triple, again, TRIPLE layer for the discs, in which hd-dvd will hold 45gigs...still not surpassing dual layer Blu-rays, and Blu-ray discs will hold 100gigs for triple layer capacity.  Larger storage capacity is better because we can use the extra space to store higher resolution pictures/textures, more sound effects, bigger area maps, more bonus and extra content.  We may not notice a difference right now, but Sony knows what they are doing.  Blu-Ray will be the format of choice for developers, in fact, it already is.  Microsoft really dropped the ball with the 360's standard DVD support.  It's all fine now, but in the near future, they are going to wish they hadn't rushed the release of their next gen console.

Speed of access is handed to Hd-dvd, as Blu-ray discs are significantly slower to read due to the mass storage capacity, although, this is why things like RAM and processors come in handy.  If your device has enough memory, you will hardly notice any speed variance when comparing the two formats back to back.

Another note to debate on is picture resolution.  You like High Definition?  So do I.  So let's talk Hi-Def with Hd-Dvd.  This format complies with all current NTSC screen resolutions EXCEPT the highest, which is 1080p.  It can go up to 1080i, but good luck with getting a constant picture signal, no matter how good your tv is.  Moving on to Blu-Ray, this format is capable of ALL screen resolutions, including 1080p.  Very good looking if I do say so myself.

Now for the next gen consoles, this won't be so long.  The ps3 is pricey, but still comes at a bargain if the consumer knows what's really under the hood.  Comparably, the 360's triple core processor has a higher clock speed than ps3, but it doesn't really matter, since the ps3 has SEVEN cores to boast.  The RSX graphic engine is far superior to that of the 360, we just need to give the developers more time to take full usage of this graphical horsepower, remember, ps3 is still new to the game, as the 360 has had quite a large head start.

My money is on the ps3 for the future, now don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the 360, but it's not the only console you can turn on (AND OFF) using the controller.  And on a final note, as I saw this argument earlier, Bluetooth and RF @2.4 GHz are basically the SAME DAMN THING.  Think of Bluetooth as a burst transmitter that works inside the same RF signal as your 360 controller, or your cordless phone (which uses the same frequency).  The only real upside to using a Bluetooth enabled device is a lower interferance with other devices in the same band.  This is matriculated very well on the industry front, and as with your 360 controller....better move a little closer to the console if your mom is on the phone.