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PS3 Firmware 2.20 released, available now

jaw04005

jaw04005

macrumors 601
Original poster
Aug 19, 2003
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Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced that system software update v.2.20, for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™), planned for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) Profile 2.0 (known as BD-LIVE). With the ability to take full advantage of interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more, BD-LIVE promises to offer PS3 users the ultimate interactive film experience.

In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update will enable photo and music playlists on a PS3 to be copied to a PSP™(PlayStation®Portable), as well as other new features. To access Blu-ray Profile 2.0, users require an Internet connection and at least 1GB of local storage. Movies with BD-LIVE are scheduled for release next month.

The following features have been demonstrated to be possible with BD-LIVE and will vary depending on the title:

• A variety of downloadable content, including bonus scenes, shorts, trailers, subtitles, ringtones that can be sent to mobile phones, images, and more.

• Interactive movie-based games can pit players who are sitting in the same room, or are across the world and online, against each other.

In addition to BD-LIVE, system software update v.2.20 enhances PS3’s relationship with PSP, enabling users to copy their favourite music and photo playlists to their PSP and experience them on-the-go. This new functionality makes it easer than ever to share media content between the two systems.

The following new features will also be included in the system software update:

• “Resume play” will enable PS3 to start playing a BD and DVD video at the point it was stopped, even if the disc had been removed.*1

• “Audio Output Device” will be a new Remote Play setting, enabling PSP to serve as a remote control for music played through PS3.

• PS3’s Internet browser will be enhanced: Video files directly linked from a Web page will be able to be streamed, and the browser’s view speed will be improved.

• DivX and WMV format videos that are larger than 2GB will be playable.

• “Mosquito Noise Reduction” will be added as an AV setting in the control panel of the DVD/BD player for improved movie playback.*2

*1 BD-J format disc is not supported.
*2 BD discs recorded with BDMV format are not supported.

Update: Updated title to reflect release. Thought it would be better to keep it all in the same thread.
 
I heard an upcoming update would allow you to listen to music/play games on your PS3 at the same time (and other things, similar to pressing the xbox button on your 360).

I guess it was false, or it's not here yet.
 
sweet have to add a PS3 to my list of purchases later this year :)
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/3A110a Safari/419.3)

This is cool, but why can't we play music while playing games? Is it really that hard? Maybe well get it the next time around...
 
Zwhaler said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/3A110a Safari/419.3)

This is cool, but why can't we play music while playing games? Is it really that hard? Maybe well get it the next time around...
Click to expand...

A Sony spokesman said that a firmware update would be released in the Summer that supported some type of in-game XMB with messaging. Whether that includes music or not, that's not yet known.
 
Zwhaler said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/3A110a Safari/419.3)

This is cool, but why can't we play music while playing games? Is it really that hard? Maybe well get it the next time around...
Click to expand...

You can...it's called iTunes.

Why would you want to play your own music within a game, itself?
 
Antares said:
You can...it's called iTunes.

Why would you want to play your own music within a game, itself?
Click to expand...

Some games have soundtracks that get repetitive after a while. Example: Burnout Paradise has a pretty decent custom soundtrack, but would work every bit as well with my iPod plugged in playing my own music. The 360 can do this, I don't see why the PS3 can't.
 
sikkinixx said:
crappy news on that is the feature only works if the Blu-Ray disc itself has a digital copy to transfer. Meaning pretty much every BR on the market right now WON'T be able to be 'copied' onto your PSP. Mucho Lame-o
Click to expand...

Well that sucks...I was actually considering getting a PSP for this feature. Now it would have to wait. How would you know it has a copy for transferring though? A logo on the box or something?

Not only that but would you be able to do it with BR titles you get from subscription services like Netflix? Would really blow if it's only for retail copies of BR movies you buy at stores...
 
Great update, interested in the audio section. I hope they allow you to have say optical output tuned on alongside other AV audio output. It annoys me to have to manually turn on and off the sound if I want it to come through my DTS/DD system or TV.

The 360 allows both, so I can't see why the ps3 can't. Heck even the ps2 allowed both.
 
I updated my original post. Firmware 2.20 is live.

By the way, PC World incorrectly reported that this update would allow Blu-ray to PSP transfers. This feature is not in this release, despite being touted as a "feature" of Blu-ray Profile 2.0 by Sony at CES.

Some quick notes:

• I can't get a WMV-HD file that's roughly 8GB to play despite the claim that it's no longer limited to 4GB. File plays fine on XBOX 360. (Update: File will playback without sound if copied directly to PS3's hard drive, PS3 doesn't support 5.1 channel audio in WMV files.)

• Live preview/art is now available for content that is streamed (including MediaLink)

• Still no additional support for MPEG-4 files (Limited to original Simple profile, no Advanced support, etc)
 
Updated, and it's too bad that Sony decided to not include the feature I'm sure we most wanted, PSP transfers. At least they're improving the PS3 with what seems like baby steps unlike MS that ships 2 huge updates each year; not that it's bad or anything.

"Mosquito Noise Reduction" will be added as an AV setting in the control panel of the DVD/BD player for improved movie playback. What the heck does this do? Will it really make a difference?
 
Still no bloody audio fix :rolleyes: (no optical and hdmi sound at the same time)

I suspect it's probably hardware limitation now as they are taking too long to sort it out software wise.
 
OllyW said:
Perhaps those fools might want to stream high definition audio to their surround sound system ;)

It has a 1.3A HDMI output, which means in theory it can output HD audio. Perhaps it will be in the next firmware?
Click to expand...

As far as I know, DTS-HD Master Audio is the only audio format that the PS3 doesn't support currently. It can decode all other formats and output 5.1-7.1 PCM via HDMI to a compatible receiver.
 
MacRumorUser said:
Still no bloody audio fix :rolleyes: (no optical and hdmi sound at the same time)

I suspect it's probably hardware limitation now as they are taking too long to sort it out software wise.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure why you would want to use both at the same time?

Does your TV not have an optical port for passthrough?
 
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