PS3 Internet Browsing Problems

About the PlayStation Web Browser

Most people would look to the PlayStation 3 for its ability to play Blu-ray movies and some of the best video games, but the home gaming console is actually a fully functional entertainment machine as well.

Like the Nintendo Wii, the PS3 comes with Wi-Fi connectivity. This means that it can connect to your home wireless network. It is also possible to set up a wired Internet connection on the PS3.

When you first boot up the system, you will be presented with the XrossMediaBar (pronounced Cross Media Bar and abbreviated as XMB for short). You can think of this graphical interface as a series of tabs, each of which has a number of functions. Navigating through this menu is similar to the configuration found on the PSP. From the XMB, you can listen to music, watch videos, and take advantage of the full web browser.

The web browser that is built into the PlayStation 3 is capable of rendering most websites, including Flash-based sites like YouTube. Some PS3 Internet browsing problems have arisen, however, over the use of Java and Javascript on websites. Different users have had differing levels of success. Even so, many people say that the web browser on the PS3 is better than the ones on the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.

Common PS3 Internet Browsing Problems

Below are some of the most common PS3 Internet browsing problems. Most are alleviated quite easily. However, if you want a complete Internet experience, it is probably better to go on a computer. If you're brave, you can also go through the process of installing Linux on the PS3.

Difficulty Typing with On-Screen Keyboard

The PlayStation 3 controller was never designed for typing long strings of text, so you are left with a less than stellar on-screen keyboard that can be quite difficult to use. The easiest solution to this is to connect a standard USB keyboard (and mouse) to the PS3. The gaming system will accept nearly any standard computer keyboard, provided that it has a USB connection. This includes wireless keyboards.

Cannot See the Details

Whether you have the PS3 connected to a big-screen TV or a smaller television, it can sometimes be difficult to read the finer details and text when surfing the net. This is a very common PS3 Internet browsing problem, because most people are accustomed to have their computer monitors much closer to their eyes than where they would place the TV in their living room.

The easiest way to overcome this is to make use of the zoom function. Activate the zoom by pressing R3 (pushing the right analog stick inwards), and then zoom in using R2. Zoom back out using L2.

Flicker Reduction

A television operates differently than a computer monitor, so you may experience some flickering with text, images or lines. This makes for quite a poor Internet browsing experience. To access the flicker reduction options, go to Internet Browser and then Tools. From there, you can find the Flicker Reduction configuration. Turn this option on if you are using the interlaced modes of 1080i or 720i. Set Flicker Reduction to off if you are using progressive mode at 1080p or 720p.

Insert Media Storage

While the PS3 Internet browser is capable of downloading certain files, it will not be able to save all files to the on-board hard drive. The only files that can be downloaded directly from the Internet onto the hard drive are files that the PlayStation 3 would be able to handle on its own. These would include JPEG image files and MP3 audio files, because there is a built-in image viewer and music player.

If you try to download a different file format from the web, the PS3 will tell you to insert media storage. This would be in the form of a USB flash drive, for example. There is apparently no way around this. If you want to download a non-PS3-ready file, you will need to use external storage.