How-Tos
How-To: Install Ubuntu and Linux Apps on Your PlayStation 3
Posted 04/01/09 at 12:00:00 PM by Chris Comiskey
Comments
Print
Email
Step 6: Install a Few Living Room-Friendly Apps
So you've got that fresh copy of Ubuntu just sitting there, begging for some action. Not sure where to start program-wise? Feeling a little lost on how to maximize your distro inside the entertainment room atmosphere? We've got you covered. Here are some great apps to help you on your way.
AmaroK
Amarok is a Linux customized and tweaked fully-featured digital music player. A great choice for turning your house into a certifiable digital music funk-factory (complete with an embedded visual album cover plugin). The perfect addition to any 7.1 surround THX system just itching to rock out. Here's how to install and use it.
First, make sure you're connected to the Internet, and open up a terminal. From here, type out the following line and press enter:
sudo apt-get install amarok
Let the process complete and then go to 'Applications' → 'Sound and Video' → 'Amarok' to start the player. The initial setup screen should launch. Go ahead and click 'Next.' Since you probably don't have any music folders allocated yet, simply select the top box to include all of the options, and click 'Next' again.
When given the option for a database setup, make sure the drop-down menu is set to 'SQ-Lite,' and then continue to 'Finish.' Amarok will now be ready.
To open up a music file, go to 'Playlist' → 'Add Media.' From here, just navigate to your music directory (or wherever your audio files are located) and press 'OK.' Your selection will now be added to the playlist. Do note that Amarok might be sluggish for the first 5 minutes when loading. After that though, it should work fine.
Binge on SNES9X Super Nintendo Emulation and Set Up Your Sixaxis/Dualshock Controller
Admit it. You used to play console games all the time. Especially the SNES. Sure, you can assert that the PS3 you're currently using was a dedicated Blu-ray player before Ubuntu, but we know better. Bottom line: there's no point in avoiding your console gaming roots (misguided as they are), so why not embrace your nostalgic heritage instead? Fire up this emulation app with a few tips on running your wireless controller in conjunction, and jump back into the classic 16 bit days of ye olde Mario Kart.
First things first: a retro emulator is of little use with a mouse and keyboard. WASD is fantastic for Quake. It sucks for side-scrollers. Let's get that PS3 controller back in action.
Download this file to the desktop. Double-click the folder when finished and select 'Extract Files.' You should now see two package icons. Double-click the icon that reads: 'bluez-sixaxis-bin_powerpc.deb' and let it install.
Once it's finished, close the dialogue screen and double-click the next icon, which should be titled: 'bluez-sixaxis_rc1.1_all.deb.' Allow this file to finish setting up as well, and then like the other, close the screen at the end. You don't need your Sixaxis or Dualshock yet, so leave them powered off for now.
Make your way to 'Applications' → 'Accessories' → 'Sixaxis-GUI.' From the small pop-up screen, select 'Setup Menu,' and then click 'Setup First Connection.' (You'll want your fully charged controller ready to be turned on at this point).
Press the PS button when prompted, and then hit 'OK.'
After this, close out of the welcome screen and go back to 'Applications' → 'Accessories' → 'Sixaxis-GUI,' and select 'Task Menu.' Click 'Enable Keyboard and Mouse,' and then click 'Fake Joystick,' and hit 'OK.'
All you have to do at this point is select 'Turn Off Sixaxis,' wait about 10 seconds until you're returned to the main menu, and then click 'Connect Sixaxis to PC.' Now your controller is ready to party like it's 1992.
Now let's snag that emulator. Open up a terminal window, being sure to press enter after entering the following text:
sudo apt-get install snes9express snes9x-x
unbutu
Submitted by lmelo on Thu, 08/20/2009 - 2:39pm
I installed unbutu , then the black screen came up and said it may be corrupted and to use rescue cd.
Submitted by gjmcfarland on Sun, 07/19/2009 - 11:05am
Ok, a few comments on your issues:
1) To the people freaking out about their password "not typing," it actually is. Security at the bootloader, shell, or terminal won't even display stars when you're typing the password. It is being entered, though, trust me.
2) For those of you using the installer from this article, the version of Ubuntu being installed is a server edition, meaning the GUI is not automatically installed. To install it (after the disk install is complete), log in with your username and password at the terminal prompt. You'll see a prompt that looks like:
username@hostname:~$ _
At this prompt, type the following:
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
Enter your password when prompted, agree to the download and install (it takes about 2 gigs of space), and let it do its thing for a few hours. When it is complete, type the following command to restart the PS3:
sudo shutdown -r 0
When the PS3 restarts, hit Enter when kboot prompts you to do so, then it should boot into the GUI on its own. If not, type the following at the prompt:
startx
3) The first thing you'll want to do when you boot into the desktop is update Ubuntu. Install all 70-some updates but DO NOT install version 9.04! It will NOT work with the PS3 and WILL ruin your installation.
4) Make sure to shut down Ubuntu properly from either the desktop or the terminal (with sudo shutdown -h 0). If not, the next time you boot you will likely get an error in kboot saying the rootfs cannot be found. If this happens, shutdown the PS3, cut power, reapply power, and start it back up and it should be ok.
Hopefully this helps some people out.
Submitted by cvetannico on Sun, 05/03/2009 - 6:27am
I have followed all the instructions but when the OS tells you to take out the cd then there is the black part from the begining and it will ask you the host ubuntu username and password and when you write the username but when it asks you the password you try to write and it dosen't write!!
PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!
THANK YOU
Submitted by josuebatista on Sat, 04/11/2009 - 2:16pm
I've followed all the instructions here and i was able to install ubuntu on my ps3.
The problem is that now i cannot go back to the ps3 menu... When i turn the ps3 on, it boots UBUNTU directly...
How can i bring my ps3 back to life???
HELP PLEASE!!!
Thanks in advance!
Submitted by Julio2Rivera on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 2:53pm
In case you missed it: to boot back into XMB, shut down the PS3 from within Ubuntu. Once the console has powered off completely, hold down the power button for about 10 seconds until you hear a second beep. Release the power button and you'll be forwarded to the PS3's primary OS.
Conversely, to load up Ubuntu, just follow the prior instructions on changing the PS3 default OS, and then hit 'Enter' after the text screen loads.
Right from the article...
Submitted by simpleton681 on Thu, 04/02/2009 - 5:51am
Touting the PS3 as a fully functional PC is a bit of a stretch. Installing Ubuntu is easy enough, but getting it to a "usable" state is difficult and may be impossible for those who don't have much Linux experience. Also, the PS3 doesn't have enough ram to support any type of functional speed compared to even an older PC you could buy online for $150-$200. If you want an Ubuntu box, skip the PS3 and buy or build yourself something cheap with at least a gig of ram. It would work much better.
Submitted by Alex Silver on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 7:52pm
Does the remote still work?
Submitted by DoubleR on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 6:21pm
HAs anyone heard of Boxee installing and working on PS3
I tries this last month and
Submitted by Pentium 0 on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 12:05pm
I tries this last month and despite hours of work, wireless refused to work whatsoever. The box was greyed out for it. I dont even have encyrption. It worked on Yellow Dog but that distro is crap. I just gave up.
Submitted by sc123 on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 9:03am
I installed Ubuntu 8.10 on my PS3 a few months back and I want everyone to know it's not worth the effort. Here's why:
-Because the PS3 requires the PPC distro of Ubuntu, many popular apps and tools aren't available - at least not in a recent version. You'll have to add sources to even find a lot of them.
-The MaxPC article doesn't bother to mention that Ubuntu on the PS3 runs like garbage. They also don't mention that you can optimize Ubuntu to some extent (i.e. stop certain services from loading), but even with these tweaks it'll still run like crap.
-Good luck getting a Flash player to work - that means no Youtube, Hulu.com, etc. It's because Adobe doesn't make a Flash player for PPC based systems and the alternatives are weak at best. After hours of toil I got one to work but it's slow and buggy.
Honstely, I was really disappointed with Ubuntu on PS3. It's so slow and limited that I can't really see the point. I think every "how to run Linux on PS3" article should have a big fat disclaimer on the top that says "Prepare to spend a day or two setting it up, and it'll still run like crap".
Submitted by stan.kjar on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 8:27am
What are the functional limitations of using Ubuntu on the PS3? I read a while ago that VLC wouldn't play high def videos on a PS3. Is that still true?
Submitted by btrapp on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 7:15am
Thanks for the article - I've been trying to decide if i *need* a PS3 and the fact that getting it to run Linux is so easy is helping to seal the deal.
Once small error (I think?), you said "Gnome goes for a cleaner look and a more sparse desktop approach,
catered more for the typical user. XFCE shoots more for the higher-end
minutia detail-driven crowd" but I think that's flipped.In my experience at least XFCE is the super clean, super sparse desktop and Gnome the one with more eye candy.
Thanks for the article!
Submitted by popstop785 on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 6:20am
Just to be clear, if I were to do this, I could still play the very few games I play on it just like normal?
Yes, you still play games on
Submitted by Havoc06 on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 7:02am
Yes, you can still play games on your PS3 after installing Ubuntu like normal. But remember to back up your saved games first. This process does NOT delete XMB, it simply dual-boots between the PS3's native OS and the new Ubuntu partition.
Submitted by popstop785 on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 8:42am
Gotcha! Thanks for clearing that up for me :)
Off to Newegg now to grab a larger HDD :D
RPM Speed
Submitted by Caboose on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 6:08am
Actually, a 7200rpm drive will work in the PS3. I've got a Seagate 160GB 7200RPM SATAII drive installed in my PS3 and it runs like a charm. There has been a bit of a decrease in load times, save times, access times. There is a little more warmth, but meh.
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Submitted by Julio2Rivera on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 2:59pm
Just wanted to clear up...its a 5,400 rpm drive not 5,200 as typed in the article.
Submitted by Havoc06 on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 7:07am
I've heard mixed results on using 7,200 rpm drives, so I chose to ere on the side of caution. I also used a 7,200 rpm drive with success, but I would caution people that it's a gamble...
Submitted by comptech08 on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 5:30am
this is pretty cool, makes me actually want to buy PS3. I wish i could triple boot it, Linux, windows 7, and the PS3 OS whatever its called :)
I would also like to dual boot linux on a 360. Is that possible? Well i am off to google to find out.
Windows on PS3
Submitted by Sebastianem on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 7:17am
Not to say that booting Windows 7 on a PS3 wouldn't be bad ass, 'cause it would be, unfortunately the PS3 uses a PowerPC proc and as of right now, I'm pretty sure there is not a PowerPC compiled version of Windows 7 in the wild. Yet...(Muhahahahahaha...ha...ha...h..a).
XBOX360, No idea. It must be possible. Um, yes Google? I'll be right there...
Submitted by chronium on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 6:01am
it is possible but it requires more hacking to get it done, since this was a designed feature for the PS3 its a shame though that its still only limited to 10gb I thought they would have patched it to allow more room by now
Check out appnr.com too for
Submitted by Vadi on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 5:25am
Check out appnr.com too for installing apps: http://appnr.com/
Along with getdeb.net: http://getdeb.net/
The requested URL
Submitted by dankers on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 3:51pm
The requested URL /ports/releases/8.10/release/ubuntu-8.10-alternate-powerpc+ps3.ISO was not found on this server.
Submitted by mikec on Fri, 07/03/2009 - 10:18am
ok so i just installed linux but it seems to be all comand prompt i don't even know what to type to get it to restart so i can go back to my ps3 os plz help
Must Read Articles
Feature
Review
Feature
Feature
Feature
This Month's Issue
FEATURE How to Get FREE Programs, Services, Software & MoreFEATURE Digital Photo Printer RoundupHOW TOBuild a 3D CameraFEATUREDIY Arcade PCWHITE PAPERHow TRIM Works
Technology News
Computer Cooling Fans
Computer Cases
PC Game Controllers
PC Games
Computer Hardware
Headphones
MP3 Players
Stream Video
Computer Mouse
Monitors
Motherboards
NAS Storage
Networking
Laptop Computers
DVD Burner
Digital Cameras
Portable Storage
Computer Accessories
Smartphone
Antivirus Software
Sound Cards
Speakers
Computer Systems
Thumb Drives
Video Cameras
Video Card Reviews
Water Cooling
Gadgets
- Keyboards
© 2009 Future US, Inc. All Rights Reserved.