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[Oni Jazar]

Update: 03/22/07
******IT'S OUT (US)*******

Official Site:

http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/network/updates


Direct Link:
http://djp01.ps3.update.playstation...3a5f49bcee3948301aa698ed57ecb10e/PS3UPDAT.PUP

I wanted to centralize the discussion on what the 1.6 FW will be adding/fixing. What do we think? What do we know? What do we think we know?

Confirmed updates: (thanks to AlphaSnake for the big PR burst)
* PS1/PS2 Compatability with EU PS3 systems
* Folding @ Home
* Background Downloading
* Bluetooth Mouse + Keyboard support + Web Browser Changes
* Remote Play through LAN (20GB can now use)
* Disc Auto-Start - Settings allows you to
choose whether or not a disc should start automatically upon inserting
the disc or turning on your PS3 system.
* Blu-ray Disc Rewriteable (BD-RE) support (3.0)

Other Updates:
Overall
Support for playback of BD-RE (Blu-ray Disc Rewritable) ver 3.0 has been added.
The PS3 system can now automatically detect an HDMI connection to a TV. If the PS3 system is turned on with an HDMI cable connected, the screen for switching video output settings will be displayed automatically.*
* Does not function unless the TV that is connected by the HDMI cable is turned on.

Settings
Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Chinese (Simplified) and Chinese (Traditional) have been added as options in [System Language] under [System Settings].
You can now select the character set to be used for file names under [System Settings] > [Character Set].

[Enable WMA Playback] has been added as an option under [System Settings].

[Disc Auto-Start] has been added as an option under [System Settings].

You can now restore backed up data to another PS3 system under [System Settings] > [Backup Utility].

You can now register a keyboard and a mouse under [Accessory Settings] > [Register Bluetooth® Device].

[Remote Play Settings] has been added as an option.

Music
Support for playback of DSD (Direct Stream Digital) discs has been added. *
* These discs are music discs created using SonicStage Mastering Studio Version 2.1 or later or DSD Direct Version 2.0 or later (both Sony products, sold separately).

Video
Motion JPEG and AVCHD (.m2ts) have been added as playable formats.

Network
[Download Management] has been added as a feature.

Friends
[Start New Chat] has been added as an option.

PS1/PS2 Compatability with EU Systems
"It seems that Sony really have been striving to make up for all the love lost with early compatibility fears. Whilst standing by their original comments that backwards compatibility will not be the focus going forward, the early launch of its compatibility site reveals that 1,782 of the 2,451 PS2 titles (in the SCEE region) available will work on your PS3." - Threespeech

"The web site at http://faq.eu.playstation.com/bc lists those titles from the portfolio of PS2 titles available in the SCEE PAL territories that are playable on PS3.

“Our engineers have been working overtime, and have succeeded in delivering a significant number of playable PS2 titles for the European launch”, said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “We will be adding additional titles to this list in future firmware upgrades, but as we have made clear before, in the future our resources will be increasingly focused on developing new services and entertainment features exclusively for PS3, rather than on delivering PS2 backwards compatibility.”
- Official PR

Folding @ Home
"The Folding@home project allows PS3 owners to connect to Stanford University’s Folding@home program, a distributed computing project aimed at understanding protein folding, misfolding, and related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and many cancers. Using the power of the Cell Broadband Engine™, PS3 system can perform computer simulations for the Folding@home program ten times faster than your average home PC. Once PS3 system is updated to version 1.60, users can easily sign up to join the Folding@home program by clicking on the appropriate logo on the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) under the Network icon. Then, when the PS3 system is left on and reaches idle mode, it will automatically begin a simulation and, once completed, send information back to a central computer(*1). Additional details about Folding@home are available at http://www.scei.co.jp/folding/en/." - Official PR

Background Downloading
"Firmware version 1.60 delivers a more convenient process for downloading content to the PS3 from the PLAYSTATION Store. PS3 users will now be able to queue up to six downloads at one time. Progress of downloads can be easily tracked under a new Download Management menu under the XMB's Network icon. In addition, content will be able to be downloaded in the background while using some PS3 system features, such as accessing the XMB to display videos and photos from the system's hard drive, playing music, and browsing the Web. Please refer to http://www.us.playstation.com/ps3/network/updates for full information on this feature." - Official PR


*Update 03-22-07: According to MadFuzzy these actions will pause the downloads:

Watching Blu Ray discs or DVDs.
Playing online PS3 games.
Playing PS2 titles.
Using Folding@Home.
Using AV Chat.
Doing system updates.

*Update 03-21-07: Kotaku and IGN indicate that Background downloading will work while playing a single player game.


Bluetooth Mouse + Keyboard support + Web Browser Changes
"Firmware 1.60 also provides support for keyboards and mice enabled with Bluetooth wireless technology. Text entry is further expanded with the option to use a full QWERTY on-screen keyboard, in addition to the existing single tap keyboard. PS3’s built-in Web browser is also enhanced with the ability to zoom in to the optimal viewing size for the selected area of a Web page at the press of a button, as well as an optional tool for reducing flicker when the PS3 system is using interlaced video out (480i or 1080i)."
- Official PR

Remote Play Through WAN? (now looking unlikely :/)

When will the PS3’s remote play functionality be available from outside the home?
This was one question I had to ask - and one of the major reasons I wanted a PS3 in the first place, it’s a really great piece of media functionality. I missed this question in the Q&A but managed to ask him afterwards. He said “Remote Play from wireless hotspots? It’s included in the 1.6 update“. It’s an awesome feature - allowing you to access any photo, video or audio media stored on your PS3 at home, using your PSP, from anywhere in the world. Nice.

- tomkiss.net (three rooms event)

Updates That Sony Needs To Get Off Their Ass And Still Add:
* multi-tasking (included will be audio/video conferencing while browsing the xmb and its features/ gameplay - This of course is the big one that we're all hopping for)
* 720p Blu-ray support
* DVD upsaling
* PS2/PS1 upscaling (probably not until later this year)
* new xmb display options (custom backgrounds?)
* new animations for audio playback (PSP visualizers?)
* new photo album options

Anyone else have any info to confirm or deny what will be updated in FW 1.6 post it here.

 

[Blimblim]

Who here would let a PS3 (or worse a 360) ON all the time? I sure wouldn't considering how much heat its producing even when idle :/

 

[arne]

Who here would let a PS3 (or worse a 360) ON all the time? I sure wouldn't considering how much heat its producing even when idle :/

stop trolling!

 

[speculawyer]

Thanks for that confirmation.

Thus, there is no issue with getting the 20gb version . . . one can use the PSP to access the PS3 through your own wireless router.

 

[godofcookery]

so this replaces the locationfree player...

 

[nelsonroyale]

Who here would let a PS3 (or worse a 360) ON all the time? I sure wouldn't considering how much heat its producing even when idle :/

I would, my heatings not working right now

 

[theBishop]

so this replaces the locationfree player...

not if you want to watch a live broadcast.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Thus, there is no issue with getting the 20gb version . . . one can use the PSP to access the PS3 through your own wireless router.

Awesomeness. There goes the reason for getting the 60GB version besides the larger drive

 

[Dante]

Was hoping this was gonna have PS1 downloadable games playable on PS3, but that sounds like it's further away now

 

[v1cious]

stop trolling!

he has a point though. people people keep pushing location free... but is it really safe to just leave the console on for long periods of time? look how quickly the 360 overheats.

 

[spwolf]

so this replaces the locationfree player...

how? location free lets you watch movies/tv through PSP... I would think there will be PS3 version of locationfree type device that will also let you watch TV over PS3 in the future...

 

[Lord Error]

Who here would let a PS3 (or worse a 360) ON all the time? I sure wouldn't considering how much heat its producing even when idle :/

My PS3 is not producing that much heat at all. For whatever reason I have absolutely no fear to leave it on for however long, just the same as my computer. The console just seems really solid that way.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Who here would let a PS3 (or worse a 360) ON all the time? I sure wouldn't considering how much heat its producing even when idle :/

My PS3 is on 12 hours a day, and barely even runs warm. There's a lot of hot air being exhausted from the system, but the system itself stays pretty cool.

 

[mrklaw]

considering the current remote play requires you to navigate your XMB and select it from the PS3 menu - really dumb considering the point is to not need the PS3 using a TV.... how will the WAN version work?

Although in theory my 768k upstream should be enough to stream 384k AVC movies and I don't have to piss about with PSPvideo9 in advance.

All I have to do is piss about with PS3video9 instead, then copy to a USB HDD and onto the PS3 before leaving the house.

I hope they bring network storage access soon

 

[Beer Monkey]

380w of power, I can't leave that on, call me a tree hugger or a cheap bastard.

 

[Stinkles]

My PS3 is on 12 hours a day, and barely even runs warm



Ahem, this is the PS3 we are talking about here, not the 360.

My PS3 gets hotter and noisier than my 360 when I play Blu Rays. Discuss.

I think there's some merit to having wake on LAN (for either console), but with a sleep or hibernate function setting too. That way you could schedule DLs and set it to go back to sleep when it's done.

 

[Bad_Boy]

Who here would let a PS3 (or worse a 360) ON all the time? I sure wouldn't considering how much heat its producing even when idle :/

patsu leaves his on 24/7.
seriously.

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

My PS3 gets hotter and noisier than my 360 when I play Blu Rays. Discuss.

Get a new system.

 

[rubso]

My PS3 is on 12 hours a day, and barely even runs warm. There's a lot of hot air being exhausted from the system, but the system itself stays pretty cool.

My PS3 turns to an oven the time i click "Download Now" in PS Store.

 

[kaching]

Thanks for that confirmation.

Thus, there is no issue with getting the 20gb version . . . one can use the PSP to access the PS3 through your own wireless router.

Not so fast...nothing stopping them from continuing to disable it for 20GB models.

 

[BlueTsunami]

I think there's some merit to having wake on LAN (for either console), but with a sleep or hibernate function setting too. That way you could schedule DLs and set it to go back to sleep when it's done.

Yep.

My main PC has a 500w PSU and its probably consuming around 300w. If you want to see your bill go up by $100 easy, have a device on constantly that consumes 300w :lol . I use my small form factor PC now and my big one for PC games mostly.

 

[Bebpo]

I get the feeling there won't be an in-game XMB in this update, despite what they said 3 months ago.

If the in-game XMB was really 99% done and ready to go, don't you think Sony would be showing it off and would have mentioned it at GDC?

 

[cgcg]

"look how quickly the 360 overheats."

X360's crappy hardware quality has no bearings on PS3's hardware quality. I've left the system on for an extended amount of time and it's fine. It doesn't generate more heat than let's say leaving it on for 1 hour.

 

[reilo]

380w of power, I can't leave that on, call me a tree hugger or a cheap bastard.

You tree hugging cheap bastard.

Besides, there are more trees today than they were 100 years ago. Don't listen to those damn hippies.

I also don't have a problem leaving my PS3 on all the time (I don't if I am not using it though). For those saying the PS3 will overheat if it stays on for too long... exactly where did you read this fascinating news? Just cause the X360 overheats, doesn't mean the PS3 will, too.

 

[Bad_Boy]

* Background Downloading (exact details of this are not confirmed)

Details:
You download something, you can go back to the xmb and do whatever. When you start a game (and I think dvd/blu-ray movies too, not sure) the download stops. The download resumes when you go back into the xmb.

It's not perfect (meaning downloading while in-game), but it's a shit load better than what we have now.

 

[garrickk]

380w of power, I can't leave that on, call me a tree hugger or a cheap bastard.

It's probably generating less than 80W when idle, probably more like 50-60W. I could probably get an amp meter from work.

When idle in the XMB, my PS3 produces very little heat and the fan is either off or so slow is completely inaudible.

I still won't leave mine on all the time. There is a GAF Clan Resistance player that has basically left his PS3 on since launch. And it's just not on - he stays loged into the Resistance lobby so he can pickup and play whenever in small bursts.

 

[Beer Monkey]

Besides, there are more trees today than they were 100 years ago. Don't listen to those damn hippies.

Well, there's also global warming or at a minimum our overdependence on fossil fuels.

 

[Dante]

My PS3 gets hotter and noisier than my 360 when I play Blu Rays. Discuss.

I think there's some merit to having wake on LAN (for either console), but with a sleep or hibernate function setting too. That way you could schedule DLs and set it to go back to sleep when it's done.

Time to take advantage of that extended warranty, you got a lemon.

 

[Raistlin]

Who here would let a PS3 (or worse a 360) ON all the time? I sure wouldn't considering how much heat its producing even when idle :/

It is on all the time though (standby).


It's possible they have devised some sort of wake-on-LAN and go back to stand by for this feature.

 

[spwolf]

Not so fast...nothing stopping them from continuing to disable it for 20GB models.

lol, why would they? So 20GB owners cant purchase PSP stuff from the store?
Thats pretty funny.

 

[Oni Jazar]

I left my 360 on overnight to let it download a bunch of demos and games I haven't gotten yet. This is my third system and I figure I better put it through a stress test before I find out that it's a lemon past my warranty period.

 

[cgcg]

"My PS3 gets hotter and noisier than my 360 when I play Blu Rays. Discuss."

You seems to have a lot of problems with the PS3.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

How about they fix the firmware for the wireless adapter built in to the 60GB so we can get download speeds that aren't 1/20th the speeds I get for my Wii and X360 sitting right next to my PS3?

 

[reilo]

Well, there's also global warming or at a minimum our overdependence on fossil fuels.

Or it's just Earth going into a heat cycle like it has done for the past few million years... but that's a topic for another day.

 

[Beer Monkey]

I left my 360 on overnight to let it download a bunch of demos and games I haven't gotten yet. This is my third system and I figure I better put it through a stress test before I find out that it's a lemon past my warranty period.

You'll stress it more by running it an hour on (run something like Gears, will push the CPU and GPU hard), then an hour off, repeatedly. Maximize the heating up and cooling off.

It's probably generating less than 80W when idle, probably more like 50-60W. I could probably get an amp meter from work.

It uses more:

The PS3, impressively, uses barely anything when off; the Watt display on the Kill-A-Watt metering device showing between 0 and 1 watts.

When sitting idle at the crossbar navigation system, the equivalent to the Xbox 360 dashboard or the Wii's home menu, the PS3 used anywhere from 185 to 205 watts. When doing similar work the Xbox 360 uses 145 watts and the Wii just 15-20.

Now, for the gaming. We tested with three games and found consumption to be lowest when playing Tiger Woods 07, registering at 185-190 watts, and highest when playing Formula One Championship Edition, which demanded a rather more disconcerting 217 watts on average. By comparison the Xbox 360 comes in at 165 watts during gameplay with the Wii using only around 120. Finally, during Blu-ray playback the PS3 continued to draw a surprising 205 watts, just to spew the rather craptacular Ricky Bobby to my HDTV.

 

[reilo]

How about they fix the firmware for the wireless adapter built in to the 60GB so we can get download speeds that aren't 1/20th the speeds I get for my Wii and X360 sitting right next to my PS3?

Hrmm. I get full download speeds from my PS3 -- then again, my router and the PS3 are only 2m apart. It really depends on how far your PS3 from your wi-fi router is, and how much noise there is in your house. I know that I have constant troubles with the Wi-Fi PC downstairs -- and I have been through two different Wi-Fi cards already.

 

[rs7k]

Where's my 720p Blu-Ray playback?

 

[bishoptl]

My PS3 gets hotter and noisier than my 360 when I play Blu Rays. Discuss.

Replace it before the red ring of death hits.

 

[Y2Kev]

They freaking showed in-game XMB when they had those builds of Untold Legends running last summer. Something must be really wrong.

 

[Oni Jazar]

They freaking showed in-game XMB when they had those builds of Untold Legends running last summer. Something must be really wrong.

That's good to hear. At least it's not something they need to add in last minute.

 

[Bad_Boy]

They freaking showed in-game XMB when they had those builds of Untold Legends running last summer. Something must be really wrong.

that was a dev kit.

 

[Beer Monkey]

FYI if the PS3 draws 200 watts at idle and you leave it on 24/7, we're talking $170 per year at the national average price of electricity.

 

[60_gig_PS3]

I leave my PC on all the time

 

[marwan]

Who here would let a PS3 (or worse a 360) ON all the time? I sure wouldn't considering how much heat its producing even when idle :/

well maybe the update would include some kind of a stanby or sleep mode for that feature. you never know.


i just want 2 things, to disable auto-boot when i turn on the PS3 while a disc is in, and an option to enable fixed color theme instead of this crappy time/date based themes.


edit: oh and im all for PS1/PS2 game upscaling/enhancing.

 

[Y2Kev]

FYI if the PS3 draws 200 watts at idle and you leave it on 24/7, we're talking $170 per year at the national average price of electricity.

Kev lives in a dorm and doesn't care about electricity. KEV ALSO HATES THE EARTH :O:O:O

Kev has a glacier-melting Tennessee house

 

[reilo]

Kev lives in a dorm and doesn't care about electricity. KEV ALSO HATES THE EARTH :O:O:O

Kev has a glacier-melting Tennessee house

You forgot to add the big Ford Expedition eventhough you have no children or family. :lol

 

[Jim]

and an option to enable fixed color theme instead of this crappy time/date based themes.

I like the date-keyed color, but HATE the time one. I play 99% at night, and am getting sick of seeing the same black BG

 

[Shawn]

Um, so where the f*ck is 720p Blu-ray movie output?

 

[backbreaker65]

Now lets do a little forward thinking, and see if this solution is at all possible. What if Sony, offers a turn off PS3 i.e. like with the controller you can differentiate between controller and system. Remember the system is always online and maybe it can accessed remotely. Maybe my ramblings are just pie in the sky but maybe this can be an options.

 

[Stinkles]

Replace it before the red ring of death hits.

Where does the ring appear!!!!!