Is there a way to time limit the power supply to your kids PS3?

Answer 1

Not directly from the PS3 itself.

The only way to do it by power cutoff would be to put an outlet timer on the outlet that the PS3 plugs into. However, that of course assumes that kids are stupid, and we all know they're not. It doesn't take a rocket scientist long to figure out they just need to unplug it from the timer and plug it back into the outlet, and they need to be able to be easily unplugged as a safety feature.

The biggest problem with this is that it's not advisable to cut off power to the PS3 arbitrarily (as opposed to a proper shutdown), be it on a regular basis or randomly (e.g., when the HDD light is flashing (saving content) or during a PS3 System update). Doing so increases the chances of a PS3 hardware failure over time. You could also corrupt content on your drive (e.g., purchased games, movies, etc.), or in the case of a power cutoff during a PS3 update, permanently corrupt the firmware requiring a PS3 repair.

If the issue you're trying to deal with is gaming restrictions or limiting PS3 time usage for your kids, the easiest way to deal with the problem is to use a Router's Parental Controls and Access Restriction features, which limit the PS3's internet access.

In addition to Parental Controls, a Router's Access Restrictions also allows you to restrict Internet access based on time, network device MAC Address, LAN IP address, Internet URL's, etc. A PS3's MAC address is easily obtained via a configuration check in the Network bar, or by the DHCP Client Table/MAC Address Client List on the Router. All you need to do is plug in the PS3's MAC Address, set the days/times you wish to grant access, and your kids will be hating life faster than you know it.

Professionally, I use and recommend Linksys Routers, since their Admin panels and configuration setups are pretty easy and laid out better than other brands.

It's important to note though that while using Access Restrictions will limit your kids' ability to game online (i.e., online multiplayer gaming) and their interaction with friends on their friends list, they'll still be able to play games in Single Player mode, as well as play music and BD/DVD movies/videos.