UPDATE: The Firmware 1.90 update is available now; I’ve also included an update below that addresses some of your comments here.
Firmware 1.90 brings with it several new features, many of which readers of this blog have requested – I’m happy to report.
Customization is one new feature: you can now personalize the wallpaper on your XMB with a photo. This was one of the top three requests we received via the blog’s contact form. When viewing a photo, simply bring up the options screen by pressing the triangle button and selecting “set as wallpaper” from the options displayed. Additionally, you can now change the order of the games displayed under the game icon on the XMB.
Another new feature focuses on added communication elements: When you’re sending messages to friends on PLAYSTATION Network, you can now use emoticons. We’ve added a bunch of emoticons that can be easily accessed from the virtual keyboard. Also, another cool addition is, when an avatar is displayed during voice/video chat, the avatar will move in response to audio.
Finally, on the more technical side, you can now play AVCHD videos saved on a Memory Stick or digital video camera, and we’ve added the ability to upscale audio CD output from your PS3. Now, there are two requirements for this feature: the device you’re outputting to must support a sampling frequency of 88.2 kHz or 176.4 kHz, and your PS3 must be connected to that device with an HDMI cable or digital optical cable.
Oh, and one more thing: you can now eject discs using your controller by selecting “Eject Disc” in the options menu after you push the PS button.
Several other minor options will be included in 1.90 including a few new display options that will allow you to adjust your display while playing PlayStation, PlayStation2 and Blu-ray movies.
We’re working on additional features for our next update that will incorporate more of your feedback, so as always thanks for all of your support, and please keep those suggestions coming!
[UPDATE]
The link on the SCEA website is now live, you can get the full info on firmware 1.90 here. Also, I noticed a lot of your comments were directly related to accessing XMB features in-game. We understand this is something you want and we are working on it. For the sake of keeping all the comments below on topic, please understand that we hear this request and are working toward a solution. When I have some more info to share on this, know that I will do so here on this blog.Now, with all of that said, thanks for the feedback. I decided to address some of the consistent comments in the body of this post instead of within the comments. One thing you have noticed is that under sorting your games, when you sort by creation date, it sorts by the date you downloaded the content. Sorting videos is done by the date that the videos were added to your hard drive. You can also ‘go-to’ a specific time in any of the videos on your HDD, by hitting triangle and then selecting the specific time from the clock at the bottom.
Something a few of you have noticed as well is that you don’t need to have the SIXAXIS controller connected to PS3 through the USB cable anymore to complete the update, which I know is something some of you were asking for.
Sounds great, but my own soundtrack to play while playing a game is what I really really want.
Thanks! I have been wanting to move around the stuff in my games section of the XMB for a while now to bring the stuff I want to play back up to the top. Only 2-3 more things and you will have my improvements checklist complete.
In game XMB with PS button so I don’t have to leave my game to check messages.
And if at all possible I want to stay online while playing a PS2 game and when people are playing a PS1 game I want it to say that next to their name on your friends list.
Still, no upscale fix for 480p/1080i TVs. We are being patient. However, this is getting old. Step up to the plate. The 360 has no problem with this challenge. Why should the best console of the next gen. have a problem with this functionality?
was the site down for a while?
@Mana Knight Do i detect a little sarcasm? Yeah I’ve been waiting forever just to change my background too. Its also going to be awsome to be able to eject the cdrom in the menu. That way i don’t have to get off the couch to change out games …. err wait , i guess i still do …… Doh! :-P
371 posts still nothing from sony common sony tell us when the update will come out already.
for the european, please….pleeeeeeeeeeaseeee….60hz pal
this is good new… but i still want my upscaling… its not like its all that hard anyway…
Oh.. and … the avatar update. That was much more needed than the divx, xvid, media center, and in-game XMB functionality. An avatar that becomes active while im chatting. Awsome! But seriously, i think Sony is taking the most retarded, useless update ideas, pinning them on a dart board, playing darts, and using the ideas that get hit. I must say, i think this method is much better than actually updating the things that people are asking for.
IN GAME XMB and CHAT on PSN
PLAY OWN MUSIC DURING GAME
PLEASE!!!!!!!
ALSO UPSCALE 720p GAMES TO 1080i FOR PEOPLE WITH OLD HDTVS THAT ONLY DO 480i/480p AND 1080i
@ Sony Thank you.
@ Everyone listen to thechosenfew88. Good job bro.
And I see that some of us finaly learned to copy and paste. Good job people, now stop it.
Nice update, Now only if we could get some ingame XMB access. And be able to have our own custom soundtracks.
@CitizenInsane27 – Great list.
Ok well these would all be welcome additions:
1. RSS feed support
2. More video codec support OR Video converting tool to ‘import’ videos to the PS3 in to MPEG4 – I know the PS3 CELL can rip encoding tasks up like nothing
3. More browser memory, Flash Player 9 support.
4. Freeview / TV Video Recording tools.
5. Audio/Photo/Video playlists
6. In-Game XMB access
7. Allow video/audio chat to other platforms such as Gtalk clients
8. In-game screenshots – this really is something to get sorted. It would help from a basic level of support – having the ability to screenshot issues and send directly to support. And take screens of those beautiful games – I was itching for a screenshot feature when I first got MotorStorm and those awesome crashes.
9. Add a clock to the screen when you press the PS button! PSP does it and it’s REALLY useful to check the time at any point
10. And fix the music bug! Album artwork on *PS3* MP3s is wiped if you copy the music *to* other media like a PSP! So annoying!
@ Sony
Nice update. Very well done. Customers ask for a lot, but little by little it will be done. Next step in game XMB.
Funny a guy was talking about his hacked XBox being a media server (that was the only way it was ever a usuable media server), and (if you’re ok with computers) you can put Linux on ur PS3 and run any type of media. Or use TVersity, don’t complain about you’re old console that you hacked and still didn’t do things great (I know, I had one).
Great to have a regular firmware update aswell, and there’s a couple things there that are gonna save me time (adjusting display in-game), nice work Sony!
@TonyNibbles
Thanks man, I just think that if people were to actually take the time, be mature about this, and come up with a consolidated list of new things they could do, all of them would get done. Right now, it’s really just a jumbled mess with “INGAME XMB!!!” written all over it. I’m positive this is coming, and relatively soon (We ARE on 1.90 now! If it’s in 2.0, it’s not that far away!)
Good list BTW. I definitely agree with the playlist and clock ideas.
Schweeeeeet!!
That’s cool. I hope we will get XMB in the next update as Lempel mentioned in the gametrailers interview. I think he said we should be getting the feature after the next one, which is 1.90 :).
OMG, my avatar is never showing up then? I have done everything there is to do and my avatar never shows :(.
I enjoy the update and like everyone else I have a suggestion. I noticed recently that that other console had a really nice feature.
– Automatic downloads of Trial Versions. I’d like it on the PS3 as well, any chance that will happen?
I agree with #331, I have heard some gamestop people working at some of the stores bad mouthing the PS3 and in some instance some out right lies about the system, they must have a XBOX 360 and are mad, but I think when you work in a store you need to talk about all the good things the system has and not say a system is junk just because you do not own one. I should know I once worked for Apple selling systems at the old computer superstores. Never talked down a PC but I talked up the Macintosh, system it is not very cool to trash a system that you have never used.
Thanks for the continual update. It’s always nice to see a company continue to upgrade their product even after they got my money.
Anyway, I’m sure you’ve got a long list of suggestions. Personally, I’d like to have the option to customize that opening music that plays when the PS3 turns on. Seems reletively simple to do…
Also, an option to rip the ps1 games I already own to the HD would be nice… maybe add something to prevent it form being copied to an SD card or the like to prevent piracy.
There is really and honestly one thing that I want, along with many, many others. In-game XMB access so that we can read and write messages to people on our Friends List. It really is that simple. Please add it.
Yes i do have an Xbox with a mod-chip and XBMC. Cost? $170. Plays nearly everything and does excellent job. PS3 Cost? $600 Plays crap. As a media center, PS3 loses badly. Why is technology getting more expensive and less functional than advertised?
Off Topic.
The Metal Gear’s Anniversary Party is tonight I think in Japan. Tomorrow we should have a review of Kojima’s MGS4 demo.
Must Have Features:
1. Time and Date when press PS button
2. In-Game XMB
3. RSS Feed Support
4. Music Playlist Support
5. VC-1/WMV XMB support
6. Flash Player 9
7. Oh and can we please Overscan the PS1/PS2
Upscaling so we can get rid of the black bars.
How do you change the NAT 3 type setting on the PS3 network setting.
My wishlist:
#1: Disable HDCP for games. I have a Westinghouse TV. Nuff said.
#2: Make the upscaling prettier. I don’t care if it stays 720p, but some better AA would be nice.
#3: Moderate this blog.
(I actually don’t give a fig about ingame XMB)
Congrats on these features, they are great. Please add in the next update:
– Ability to sort videos, games and music into folders.
– Ability to communicate with other network users without exiting the game you are in
– Ability to create playlists under music & video (PSP should also have this feature)
good update, but there are some nice lists here that should be added too :)
Why don’t you issue a statement about .AVI Playback?
It’s ridiculous…
why dont a issue a statement about anything theyve left us in the dark all day today its kinda rediculous.
Not sure if anyone from Sony will read this after nearly 400 comments – but still…
If Sony are trying to improve the blu-ray movie experience (as they obviously are from looking at recent firmware changes) – they *really* need to start looking at the audio side of things.
For example, outputting bitstream audio to the new generation of amplifiers / receivers from the likes of pioneer/onkyo/denon.
Currently, any blu-ray movie with a high-def audio format on (ie TrueHD, DTS-MA, etc) will be downsampled on the PS3 from it’s full resolution to a more straightforward DD – and so will never reach (or be decoded by) the amplifier in the quality it was intended to be played at.
As the PS3 apparently has HDMI 1.3 built-in, I assume that the necessary bandwidth is available to be able to do this bitstream ‘squirt’ – so it’s a shame that it hasn’t been enabled.
With so much effort being put in to the video side of things, it would be an oversight if the audio side were not up to par (as is the case currently).
Please consider this addition – many bluray AV fans would thank you ! (and buy a PS3 of course).
Rupert
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?avips3
Eric, I would like the ability to define custom partition sizes via the XMB’s format utility to allocate more space for Linux.
It makes no sense to gimp Linux or the XMB by limiting its maximum space allocation to 50GB:10GB or 10GB:50GB.
Please get back to me about this (and RSX access in Linux). : )
@rfield Isnt that already an option in the setup menu? I think you can choose bitstream.
Yeah I’m sure constantly posting the same thing over and over will sure help them get us a new firmware out…
You guys don’t sound selfish or greedy or anything….
@391 You’re talking about a modded console, you tool. As a retail release, the PS3 destroys the Xbox as a media center.
I Still want 1080i support for games in 720p. Step up to the plate Sony…
seeing that there are over 400 posts, I reading only about 50 or so of ’em. I have to say that i really agree with the AVI playback. Also i’m not sure if it’s been mentioned but i would much rather use my ITunes then having to install WM11 or whatever for networking my media, and most of the other stuff mentioned in the first 50ish posts.
PSN id: jelloed
MTL!!
Not sure if anybody from Sony will read this, being the last comment.
What Sony needs to do is include this key feature that everyone wants:
– In-Game XMB Access
– Ability to see Who is playing the game in your PS3 before playing it by using the PSN
– More Profile Options
– Gamer Score Type Thing
But the top would do nice for a start. Sony also needs to put more effort on the PSStore, they are letting XBL get all their multiplatform demos, whats going on there Sony? In the Official PlayStation Magazine, we used to get like 10 demos monthly, now we are lucky to get 1. During E3, we got no demos, and XBL got 5 demos, 5 DEMOS! You gotta work harder Sony, your my favorite company and all, and I don’t want to see you falling behind.
Cool. Keep it up.
Yeah, under settings -> bd/dvd settings. Last two options are bd audio output settings for hdmi and optical. You can choose bitstream. Sorry, i know this isnt a help forum. Just letting you know the functionality is there. Unlike avi’s :-(P
great stuff thanks
@Deviation Look you tool. I love my PS3 as much as the next fan. So no need for calling names. Alls im saying is that for the price, it sucks as a media center. I dont like to be tricked into buying something if it doesnt do what it says.
@Stunt F50
“- Ability to see Who is playing the game in your PS3 before playing it by using the PSN”
The PS3 already has this feature. You can see which games the people on your friends list are currently playing by highlighting their name under the friends tab.
If they’re playing the same game that you own then you’re in business.
This up-date is pretty good. I hope to see in game XMB in update 2.0 though hopefully in 3-4 weekss!!!
And on top of it all. They wont even comment or give us any response as to why it doesnt have the functionality. They could at least let us know if they’re working on it or if we’re just never going to have it.
@FasuXe
Then who’s fault is it that you bought a bad media center? There was plenty of talk, and specs and all that stuff posted constantly around the internet around launch time, yet for some reason, you imagined things would be more than they were listed? You figured that Sony was just highlighting their favorite type of video codecs that can be played?
They never said it could do EVERYTHING, they just said that it could playback movies from the HDD (gotta read into fine print on these kinds of things) and that it could play music and show your pictures. Now in that statement it does come off as the ultimate media player, BUT a good consumer looks into these kinds of things before making a purchase, especially if its $600 and the said features mean a lot to you.
And stop calling each other tools, if you were tools, you’d be on the 360 blog right now.