Hey everyone, you told us you wanted to hear about updates a few days in advance, so here’s a quick heads up that we have a PS3 firmware update in the works. [UPDATE: it’s available today]
Firmware 1.82 is an update that enables the playback of AVC High Profile (H.264/MPEG-4) files. As most of you know, these are high quality files that you’ll now be able to play on your PS3. Hopefully this update is moving us closer to the audio playback features many of you commented about in my post the other week. We’re continuing to evaluate and improve things across the board, including PS2 software compatibility. Thanks for all of your support and feedback, keep it coming!
“The HD era doesn’t start till we’re on the market.” – Phil Harrison. Now that it’s out, how do you justify that quote when the PS3 can’t play games at 1080i?
VERY VERY ASHAMED!!!!!!!!!!!
oh for crying out loud!! the ps3 is a hell of a machine!! the system hasnt been out too long. bigger and better things will come. yeah i wish there were more features, games, etc, but things take time. they could have delayed the release even longer to put all that stuff in..but then people would have complained about that. patience people!
That is funny, I played marvel ultimate alliance and my Sony XBR1 60in projection was playing at 1080i that that was 6 months ago.
@Eric Lempel
Where’s that top 10 list of most-requested features that was supposed to be posted over a week ago? Was that idea dropped because the 1080i upscaling issue placed too high and Sony has no solution in the works for it…?
Wow, can’t believe a- the technical knowledge shown by many posters, and b- the griping about this that and everything else. Although I guess that’s what this blog is at least partly for…
I for one am very happy to see a regular output of firmware updates, even if most don’t benefit me or I don’t understand what the **** they’re about :)
My gripes, just so I can fit in: make games pause when the PS button is pressed. I’ve crashed into the barrier too many times on F1. Please have the option to force all games into 1080i. I didn’t buy all this fancy stuff to watch it at 720p (I know, some say it’s just as good, but I don’t care, and it should be up to me, shouldn’t it?). Last, please make the Bluray function as most regular Sony DVD players did/do when it comes to the old pause/stop/resume play stuff. Getting whomever to add real bonus material to Bluray DVDs would be nice too.
Again, thanks for both the firmware updates and this blog site, nicely done.
Post 295 “n0153 | June 27th, 2007 at 11:22 am
all I want to know is if there will be anytime soon an update that enables mac formated iPods to work properly with the PS3.
so… are you listening? will we get that?”
Yes indeed, my friends and I are heavy Mac users. So please see to this. I wanna be able to have my iTunes/iPod working smoothly with the PS3. It would be awesome to play tracks from my Mac iTunes while playing PS3 games.
Thanks!
@32, zefie:
What’s not working in MTV Music Generator?
I don’t own a PS3, but this is increasing my chances! Now if DiVX was supported, I’d go to Walmart tonight and buy a PS3 :)
Nice update coming! Just to help get the word out there since we (the consumer) can now be heard- I can really use for some total in game XMB access such as text messaging, voice messaging, maybe even a chat room for text and/or voice. Hopefully someday we can have cross game chat and invites? Oh and custom soundtracks (no matter how much the rest of the people say “We don’t need them.”) would really help bring old games back to life. Great job you guys at Sony have been doing. I’m proud to own a PS3. Keep up the good work!
How about the time and date displayed on the xmb and when you press the ps button. that cant be too hard.
Ahh Bisto, you should sell your PS3 and get an(other) Xb360, then you`d be happy and I wouldnt have to read your crap on this blog.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ADD FORCED 24Hz output for blu-ray :)
cool
Hey I know all of you guys are excited about XMB feature right? I just read this post and I thought I’d share the good news with you all. With the new update sony did on home, you are not able to access the XMB while doing other things. Please read the quote below.
“Home Beta updated
Added on 26/06/2007.
The Home Beta has received a decently sized update, its first since launch around two months ago.
This update provides several graphical enhancements, mainly noticeable during bowling and pool. However, characters look better as well and have multiple new customization options (weight, crazy hair colors, more clothes). Also, a few new items are available in your HomeSpace.
Another new development – it looks like our homies have gotten a bit of exercise as they can now run around Home after walking for a bit.
The Home Cinema has received several new trailers as well including the likes of Around the World and Reign Over Me. It also appears that new streaming methods have been implemented for videos in public spaces, as they play more smoothly the closer one stands to them.
Finally comes the most exciting feature of them all – the first true form of in-game XMB access. Anytime during and anywhere inside Home you can access your friends list (and therefore message people and read messages) by pressing select.
So while the promised Chess game and new arcade machines didn’t pan out, we are more than satisfied by this newest update. Hopefully Home will continue to be improved over the coming months before its scheduled Fall launch.”
**you are (now) able to access the XMB while doing other things. Please read the quote below.
aaquib, get a new TV like everyone else did. 720p > 1080i. Sony is about the future, not the past (with old CRT HDTVs).
Hi guys and girls from PS3.
I’m fairly new to the PS3 community (bought mine this weekend) but I am already more than pleased.
An idea for a next firmare would be the integration of a real good internetbrowser and email handler. It would make my playstation the primary device in the living room. The current browser is far from handy, and the lack of email is obvious an disadvantage. Integrating this features would also bring the PS3 to the next stage of entertainment buddy n°1
Blueforce
Use a Web Based Email provider.. its the only way to be sure..
that’s nice, how about expanding your installed base by adding VGA-out support? you can put all the pretty decals you want on the thing, i’m still not buying till i can hook it into my projector.
Bleh, how about a useful feature?, such as removing the region lockout on ps1 and ps2 titles? it’s not like it’d be a hard addition, and theres absolutely no reason not to anymore.
thanks so much, things getting better and better
Some more ideas to throw out there.. considering this blog post has become a massive community brainstorm..
Something else that would be great would be, under the Web section of the XMB, if an icon for the Playstation.Blog was there, and whenever there is a new blog post, there could be a little push-pin note or post-in note near it or something. It would be much easier to see when there are new blog posts.
I think this is my third post in this blog, sorry about that. Just keep thinking of different things..
Great announcment, thanks for the heads up. It’s great.
Now since you read them, stop making them mandatory. I’m not upgrading, so I will not be purchasing anything from the store. I wanted Rub-a-Dub for my girls, but won’t buy it anytime soon due to the fact you won’t let my 1.80 version access the PSN or PS Store.
@jh1212
I agree, I would like to see that list as well.
@Mana Knight
Sony doesnt care about the past? Then why add the emotion engine to US/Japan PS3s and pay $30 per console? Why try so hard to improve backwards compatibility. Why invest in upscaling PS1/PS2 games and DVD’s? If Sony didn’t care they’d be pushing Blurays and abandon DVD, and they’d be focused on PS3 games. Why even have 480i or 480p? 1080p is the future right?
If I paid $3700 on a TV 2 years ago, and now Sony’s SUPER HD REVOLUTIONIZING BEAST can’t handle it, but an XBOX 360 can handle it then something’s wrong. Hype to the max, and underdeliver, or in some cases(ingame XMB) don’t deliver. That’s Sony’s motto.
I really like seeing these regular firmware updates that add new functionality. As someone who is using their PS3 mostly for watching DVD and Blu-Ray content, there is one feature that I really miss that even a cheap standalone DVD player offers. That feature is the player’s ability to “remember” where it left off while playing a disc when the unit is powered down. My old Sony standalone would even remember it’s place if another disc were inserted before going back to the original disc. It really bugs me that the PS3 lacks this basic function.
On the positive side, my brother and I were debating HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray, and he seemed very convinced that the lower cost was going to be the deciding factor. He even went so far as to buy a standalone HD-DVD and order some rental discs from NetFlix, but apparently nagging doubts kept him from opening the box and installing it. Later he called to tell me that he had returned the unit and bought a PS3 instead!
While I respect two-way communication on any level with Sony, and I appreciate them finally creating a blog, it still isn’t making up for Sony’s mistakes. Allow me to elaborate, if you will, please.
Sure, Sony’s taking steps in the right direction in releasing content and updates, but let’s be honest; there is something wrong.
As with Playstation 2, it is now extremely clear that it’s going to take a significant period of time for the platform to mature.
However, (and this is a big however) it is in no way an excuse for the dis-satisfaction every Playstation 3 owner has no doubt felt at sometime in this products’ short lifetime so far.
From the moment we realized there would *not* be dual video outputs, to the day we opened the box and found no PSP integration (rear view mirror, huh?) and continuing with every single delayed release, broken promise, or atrocious store “update” – the Playstation fanbase has been more then patient.
And no, I’m not talking about the hard earned money we gladly invested in the product and the firm. I’m fine paying for a breakthrough product which cost millions to research. I’m talking about the marketing trickery which is far too ubiquitous in today’s competitive console environment.
People say “be patient, in-game XMB will come, its difficult and complicated to integrate.” Fans are elated with any minute tidbit alluding to the aforementioned feature.
The point is, it should already be in there. And claiming that the ability to play another type of Mpeg-4 video is sufficient for an update somehow feels wrong at this point.
Do you really think a mainstream audience is going to gladly convert all of their video files to a limited set of standards? Do you think they even know how at this point?
We now know that Sony is reading our (often hastily composed, but still honest) comments. If you didn’t believe it before, this blog proves it. The fact that they won’t even acknowledge support for other formats (Mpeg-2) or mention XMB shows the clear layer of corporate restraint that must be applied in today’s competitive age.
Think of the media attention that would arise were Sony to mention these things, and then not deliver on time.
It’s truly a sad state of affairs. But I’m optimistic, because the firm is taking baby steps. I will continue to be a loyal Sony supporter, in the hope that whatever is happening behind closed doors will eventually lead to greatness.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Christopher Aversa, age 20
PS3 proponent and Sony customer
Hi SONY,
Nice idea to create that blog.
Thank you for communicating with us.,
It helps with waiting for the next gen games…
I hope that the next upgrades will fix the issue with 1080P and Sharp AQUOS tv’s.
Since I connected my beautiful PS3 to my SHARP AQUOS XD1 TV, I have sometimes some blackouts with HDMI connection.
Please do something if you can.
regards
great update, in the future it would be nice if the ps2 games could be made to use the full screen, without those off center black bars, also… better crisper pitcture quality if possible
and of course, in game xmb access is a must, as well as real game demos on the psn, and real games to download…not the midway crappy games… if you know what i mean
and finally, keep psn free, the future is OURS!!
I agree with many others: Please, please give us DivX/XviD compatibility! It surely must be far less than impossible for Sony, because there are already very nice and inexpensive Sony DivX players for sale in stores.
The other thing I want is … nVidia drivers for Linux on the PS3! Linux runs great on the PS3, but without nVidia drivers, video sucks. Though full 3D would be G-R-E-A-T, nice 2D drivers would be a step in the right direction. nVidia already maintains 2D free drivers in the Linux kernel that work OK, even though they don’t allow all the 3D-zoom-and-transparency madness that is coming to our PC screens.
The day you do these, I will be queuing for a PS3.
Note to people with 480p/1080i televisions:
Your set is not high def.
That is all, thank you.
We’re continuing to evaluate and improve things across the board, including PS2 software compatibility????????????????
what is that mean????????????????????
@afrosheen
What? 1080i is HD, sorry to burst your bubble bursting.
@farhad91
Probably means they fixed some bugs in PS2 games on the PS3.
@afrosheen
Keep patting yourself on the back for being late to the game and not knowing what the hell you’re talking about.
That is all, thank you.
good.. now if only we got a LAir demo on thursday
Aversa: I agree with some of your points. But this one is just ridiculous “The point is, it should already be in there.”.
According to who? You? Microsoft?
Plus I know people that are happy with their PS3 purchase and don’t even care about in-game XMB or even online for that matter.
Dual HDMI were removed because people complained and that just shows that they listen to their fanbase. Same with the banana controller. That’s why it was shown with notes that said “concept hardware”.
Just the same as when Microsoft said that all 360s would include a harddrive.
is this true?
There’s a HUGE Xmb update going to be shown at e3 – with folders availible in all sections (e.g Demo’s, PSN, Classic, etc in the game heading) also a new ‘profile’ section that will include a gamerscore, pictures, logs, and achievements / trophies (which will also link into home and be viewable as a ‘screen’ in your apartment if you wish). This new section will also include account management and the friends list and messaging will be a seperate heading.
Finally, the PS Store is getting a MAJOR overhaul… it will use a more console-type interface, and be more effectively laid out – the current store simply won’t be able to handle the content sony have got planned in terms of the different types and volumes.
Oh… and you’ll be able to ‘wear’ your trophies!!! you can select a trophy and it will appear as a graphic on your T-shirt or whatever.
source above from http://www.ps3forums.com/showthread.php?t=80851
Allow us to play any region DVDs (at least region 4 cause I’m from Mexico)
The feature I am most looking forward to besides the PS3 being updated in the future to be Blu-ray Profile 2 (BD Live) compliant (after October) is for the PS3 to be updated to decode DTS-HD High Resolution (HR) AND DTS-HD Master Audio (MA) to be sent over HDMI to a capable receiver for full audio playback.
Uncompressed PCM and Dolby TrueHD are awesome, so why not let me enjoy DTS-HD HR and DTS-HD MA as well?
The PS3 is a truly awesome device and having this advanced audio support would also make it the perfect Blu-ray player.
Yeeeeeeeeeeah!
mpeg4 update – that’s freaking wonderful.
wow, makes me think that if we got acrobat reader support in the gameOS, I’d almost have no need for linux being installed anymore :)
ok, so that’s not true… but close!
Allow us to play any region DVDs (nearly all of mine are region 1) PLEEEEEEAAAASSE!
Thank you so much for the heads up. It really does help. But on the subject of Audio Files supported. I was sad to see, that in 2005, when I got my PSP, it didn’t support MIDI playback. I thought that the Playstation 3 would surely have it, but it didn’t. Maybe you guys could include MIDI support? Thank you, again.
@Drfurbs……if i was to sell my ps3 i would’nt buy another xbox, i would give it to you and in return you could lick my balls.
I think the firmware update once a month or so is an excellent way to go. This way the evolution of the firmware is continueous.
The heads up a few days in advance is also a great way to go. Keep it up!
@jh2112: Late to what game? My set handles 720p and up. Anyone who doesn’t have a 720p-capable set doesn’t have a true HDTV. 1080i is an old hack and is much worse than 720p. Which one came first? Does technology suddenly regress? Is half field rendering more pleasing than full field, particularly in fast motion sources like uh, video games or sports broadcasts?
Sorry for the early birds that lost on non-720p sets, I just present facts, not condolences.
I have had my PS3 from the first day they went on sale have watched about 100 blu-ray movies and have played about 10 different computer games on the system and love the unit. The system is the best game console that I have owned that that goes back to the original 1972 Atari pong system I got at sears when I was a kid. The flexibility of the system is great and worth every penny, it gave real value to my 60″ Sony SXRD set.
Thanks Sony and keep up the great work.
And yes, 720p and 1080i are high def and with the 60″ SXRD set with a great processing chip the unit has I can not tell the difference between the old set and the new one, and I watch a lot of high def programming.