So, the main reasons I haven't bought a PS3 yet are price and backwards compatibility.  I do not have four hundred bucks to blow on a PS3, especially now that I'm unemloyed, and I have several PS2 games that I am still and have yet to play, and if I'm blowing so much on a PS3, I don't want to also have to keep the PS2 hooked up to the TV to play said games.
That said, I definitely want to play God of War 3, Infamous looks awesome, and even though I've heard it overrated, I still want to play Heavenly Sword.  Home doesn't interest me much, but I'm into Achievements, so Trophys would probably also be cool to me.  And I really want a Blu-Ray Player, and I've heard the PS3 is one of the best around.  However, I don't have an HDTV yet, and I currently don't have a surround sound system, so I wouldn't get the full impact of Blu-Rays yet anyway.
My question is, do PS3s hold up well enough to recommend getting a used one, or should I stick with new?  And what's the latest official word from Sony (not rumor) on bringing backward compatibility to newer consoles, and if the word is no, how hard is it to track down an older one that is backward compatible?
I welcome all positive input and thank you for it in advance.
 

If I remember correctly there was a post a few weeks ago about Sony having some news on backwards compability. Anyway, the Playstation 3 is very durable and rarely breaks, so getting a used one would be just fine. About the difficulty of finding an older backwards-compatible PS3, I have no idea.

Getting a used unit is OK, but some of the launch units are iffy (as always). Tracking down an 80gig that came with Motorstorm or MGS4 would be a good idea since only some of my games don't work correctly (or at all) and aren't as expensive used as the older units.

For an HD set-up, a computer monitor is good, and I own some 5.1 headphones which are excellent.

As for BC, they've stayed quiet, but the patent filing should be a good indicator, even if t hey don't announce anything at Cologne or TGS, Sony announces services and add-ons year-round, sometimes even stealthily through firmware updates on the blog.

it's good to buy a used ps3. they barely break. don't worry about surround sound and all that. i don't have surround sound on my HDTV. i don't think it's really all that needed.

there is a rumor of all ps3 are going to have backward-compatibility. i know u said u didn't want rumors but that is where i have heard.

if u want a ps3 to play ps2 games then ur going to have look around on eBay, craigslist for them. i don't think any of the newer ones are compatible with ps2 games. u would have to buy it used.

Wait til you get a job and have a steady income. Im not saying don't buy a PS3, just make sure you keep priorities in order. A good all around investment for a home theater buff like me. But to truly appreciate it you need the minimum of an HDTV, 5.1 surround home theater setup, HDMI cables, etc. Just my opinion though.

As far as backward compatibility, I don't know about any news right now, but if you want one right now, your best bet is to hit up Ebay or maybe Amazon and search.  I got mine from Ebay 5 months ago and haven't had a problem yet. (Knock on wood)

Make sure to buy a headset for the PS3. or if you have a blue tooth headset then just use that, anything. 

" Wait til you get a job and have a steady income. Im not saying don't buy a PS3, just make sure you keep priorities in order. A good all around investment for a home theater buff like me. But to truly appreciate it you need the minimum of an HDTV, 5.1 surround home theater setup, HDMI cables, etc. Just my opinion though. "

" Make sure to buy a headset for the PS3. or if you have a blue tooth headset then just use that, anything.  "

Might as well wait for a price drop. There should be one this year. Just save your money and when they drop the price, spend the money you saved on another game or something.

As far as durability goes, It'll most likely last.
I think the failure rate is less than 1%.
But I could be wrong.

No matter what kind of console this generation, I would buy new, just because you have no clue of the problems if could have had before.
Your best bet is to buy it new, I have never had a problem with my PS3 yet and it is over a year old now.

I'll sell you my backwards-compatible 80gb Metal Gear Solid 4 bundle for a good price.  I also have an extra controller.  Send me a PM.

It's a pretty safe bet to buy a used one, PS3s have a laughably small failure rate, almost nothing compared to the RRoD.

The backwards compatible ones are damn near certainly:
80GB Metal Gear Solid 4 Bundle
80GB Motorstorm Bundle
the old 20gb
the old 60gb

There might be other ones, but if you're paging through Craigslist, those are the ones to look out for.

There's nothing wrong with going used. Just be sure to get something like GameStop 1 year replacement warranty so you can replace it no questions asked if something goes wrong with it. If you want the whole HD Home Theater experience thing I suggest waiting for when places like Best Buy or other electronic stores have the home theater deals. You can usually get the whole package from one of those things for a pretty descent price.

Get a ps3 and go buy infamous and killzone 2. Then your set. I love those games.

I would say you NEED a headset simply to reduce the population of people who don't have them. Since SOCOM (which came with the official Sony headset) came out, the percentage of people voice chatting has increased. On that subject, in SOCOM 90% of the players use mics, but I digress. A mic is always a good investment if you're interested in online gaming on any platform. And don't forget you can use any USB or bluetooth mic with a PS3.

Thing is, the Price drop isnt realy a given this year because

A: SONY really is stubborn about there pricing and not too bright about it. THey make dumbass quotes saying stuff like "Our software will move our 400 dollar console" and this Gem of Wisdom hasnt worked squat yet. 

B: I honestly think that they believe they can still be Competitive and do well at 400 dollars, which is just Dillusion of Grandeur.