AfterDawn: News

New PlayStation 3 firmware update adds Blu-ray Profile 1.1 support

This morning, the Sony UK PlayStation website leaked the new features of PlayStation 3 Firmware upgrade 2.10 that should hit consoles tomorrow.

The main updates will be big news for those who enjoy Blu-ray movies. The PS3 will finally support Blu-ray Disc Profile 1.1 meaning the PS3 will support picture-in-picture and audio mixing features. Also included will be the new BD Data Utility.



Additionally, support for DivX and VC-1 encoded files as been added, which should please users who have felt the console's video playback is lacking. There are however, a few issues. The PS3 still wont play copyright-protected files, files encoded by using DivX 3.11, or that are 2GB or larger.

Finally, a "voice changer" option will be added to allow users to "mask the sounds of their voice when chatting on audio or video chat over the PlayStation Network."

Source:
dailytech

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 17 Dec 2007 18:32

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• 24 comments

• spydah

  Divx is working great on the PS3 so far. As i said before keep the good updates coming.

  18.12.2007 00:37 #1

• Globe08

  im not a fan of the ps3 whatsoever but a voice mixer....thats PIMP!

  18.12.2007 01:17 #2

• rainofire

  Originally posted by Globe08: im not a fan of the ps3 whatsoever but a voice mixer....thats PIMP!Now we can sound like Darth Vader or the Chipmunks on online GAMES. LOL

  18.12.2007 03:54 #3

• jove

  You know the idea of updating the console with firmware wasnt a bad one after all. They didnt have to pack everything they would have wanted in, in the first place but over time it gets better and better for free. Not that im one to care much about blu-ray or picture in picture but for whoever does im sure they will apreciate this no doubt. Its nice from them to do this so even when the console turns 4 or 5 it will still be relevant.

  18.12.2007 07:24 #4

• kyo28

  Great update. I think as of now, the PS3 is the only BR-player that supports BR disc profile 1.1.
  The other additions are also pretty neat, including the support for DivX and VC-1 as well as the voice changer.

  18.12.2007 07:58 #5

• juankerr

  Originally posted by kyo28: Great update. I think as of now, the PS3 is the only BR-player that supports BR disc profile 1.1.Not really. The Panasonic DMP-BD30 is the first one to come out that had Profile 1.1 capability.
  
  http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/1184

  18.12.2007 09:00 #6

• sk8flawzz

  I'm just waiting on an the firmware upgrade allowing Profile 2.0 on the PS3, thats when I'll pick up this BD player/gaming machine =D

  18.12.2007 10:42 #7

• hughjars

  Conrats on them finally getting profile 1.1 to work on the PS3
  (tho I'll wait for several user reports before taking this as completely read & bug-free).
  
  Now they just have to get some actual media out to make it of use. :P
  
  Weird how with it's built-in ethernet port they didn't just go for profile 2.0 and the internet angle.
  Without it it's still very limited compared to iHD.
  
  Mind you it's a really stupid limitation being placed on it with 2GB files, for a high definition console the only divx files/movies you could play on it under that size wouldn't/couldn't even be HD (or would have such a low bit-rate they'd look no better than SD).

  18.12.2007 11:17 #8

• jshinevar

  So why is it when Sony can't get it right and they release updates people are praising them...? When Microsoft get's it wrong and releases updates, everyone flips their lid... it's a rehtorical question.

  18.12.2007 11:28 #9

• hughjars

  Adding WMV/VC-1 support at this stage is also a bit of a weird one considering
  (although I'm reading reports of people having trouble with it already).
  
  I see there's no DTS HD support either.

  18.12.2007 11:38 #10

• sk8flawzz

  What kind of support for audio tracks/profile can we expect the PS3 to be at in a year? as well as price?
  that's when I see myself recovering from my 360 purchase and leaning to the PS3 =D

  18.12.2007 12:03 #11

• lxfactor

  thats why u cut the divx.. have 4 1gb parts. =] uh oh HD on divx. shhh.

  18.12.2007 13:01 #12

• lxfactor

  double.
  

  
  

  18.12.2007 13:01 #13

• SDF_GR

  Originally posted by jshinevar: So why is it when Sony can't get it right and they release updates people are praising them...? When Microsoft get's it wrong and releases updates, everyone flips their lid... it's a rehtorical question.Even tho that is a rhetorical question, there is a simple answer for that.
  
  Sony's updates are add's.
  MS updates are Fixes.
  
  Simple as that.

  18.12.2007 14:06 #14

• NexGen76

  Quote:Originally posted by jshinevar: So why is it when Sony can't get it right and they release updates people are praising them...? When Microsoft get's it wrong and releases updates, everyone flips their lid... it's a rehtorical question.Even tho that is a rhetorical question, there is a simple answer for that.
  
  Sony's updates are add's.
  MS updates are Fixes.
  
  Simple as that.Thats is so true....lmao

  18.12.2007 14:18 #15

• OhCrap

  It just keeps getting better and better. God bless Sony.

  18.12.2007 14:57 #16

• ChromeMud

  Not over the moon with the DivX implementation either.
  My 360 can stream 1080P VC-1 encoded movies in 5.1 surround at over 8 Gig from my PC or from DL DVD.
  2 Gig limit.......must be the powa of da CELL :P

  18.12.2007 15:04 #17

• v965hdss

  Originally posted by jshinevar: So why is it when Sony can't get it right and they release updates people are praising them...? When Microsoft get's it wrong and releases updates, everyone flips their lid... it's a rehtorical question.Microsoft is a mickey mouse company...time they were split up

  18.12.2007 15:28 #18

• hughjars

  Originally posted by SDF_GR: Sony's updates are add's.
  MS updates are Fixes.
  
  Simple as that. - What a load of ridiculous blind fanboy BS.
  
  Sony have issued umteen firmware fixes for various PS3 problems (although they usually prefer to call them 'issues').
  
  They have tried to fix the scaling problems -
  http://www.techimo.com/newsapp/index.pl?photo=17528
  
  They have tried to fix various stability problems, random restarting & shutdown problems
  http://blog.us.playstation.com/2007/11/1...comment-page-8/
  
  They had to fix gameplay issues (Assasin's Creed being notorious) -
  http://phgamer.wordpress.com/2007/11/18/...sins-creed-fix/
  
  I can't be bothered listing the whole range of problems they've had and fixed with so many firmwares.
  
  Anyone who wants to look at the list of firmwares and the problems and 'issues' they address can see them all listed here -
  http://www.ps3fanboy.com/category/firmware-updates/
  
  Anyone who tries to say that the PS3 firmwares have only been about adding functions to the PS3 and have not been about fixing problems is just a liar, plain and simple.
  
  (tho no doubt they'll later claim to have been 'only joking')

  18.12.2007 15:38 #19

• trexxus

  According to Playstation.com the update is already there for you to update.

  18.12.2007 17:57 #20

• hughjars

  BTW I've read they've had to use emulation for some of this, so quite how good it turns out to be will have to remain to be seen, ditto any further moves to profile 2.0
  (or beyond - I don't suppose there's any reason why they couldn't come up with a profile 3.0 or a 4.0?)

  18.12.2007 21:43 #21

• juankerr

  Originally posted by hughjars: BTW I've read they've had to use emulation for some of this, They don't really have a choice now do they?
  
  The PS3 doesn't have the dedicated hardware to do the secondary decoding (like the SoC solutions in standalones) so they have to do everything thru emulation. The thing is the PS3 has enough muscle to do this (and I would imagine even profile 2.0) in software.
  
  They did a good job with 1080p/24fps and SD DVD upconversion so the software for 1.1 shouldn't be too hard for them. However, you can be sure the a/v geeks will let Sony know if more tweaking needs to be done on their software once the 1.1 discs come out.
  
  Some form of "emulation" is also involved when the 360 plays an HD DVD movie on the add on.
  
  That's exactly what emulation means - having one machine (the 360 or the PS3) perform the duties of, or behave like, another machine (an HD standalone player.)

  18.12.2007 22:15 #22

• OhCrap

  Quote:Originally posted by SDF_GR: Sony's updates are add's.
  MS updates are Fixes.
  
  Simple as that. - What a load of ridiculous blind fanboy BS.
  
  Sony have issued umteen firmware fixes for various PS3 problems (although they usually prefer to call them 'issues').
  
  They have tried to fix the scaling problems -
  http://www.techimo.com/newsapp/index.pl?photo=17528
  
  They have tried to fix various stability problems, random restarting & shutdown problems
  http://blog.us.playstation.com/2007/11/1...comment-page-8/
  
  They had to fix gameplay issues (Assasin's Creed being notorious) -
  http://phgamer.wordpress.com/2007/11/18/...sins-creed-fix/
  
  I can't be bothered listing the whole range of problems they've had and fixed with so many firmwares.
  
  Anyone who wants to look at the list of firmwares and the problems and 'issues' they address can see them all listed here -
  http://www.ps3fanboy.com/category/firmware-updates/
  
  Anyone who tries to say that the PS3 firmwares have only been about adding functions to the PS3 and have not been about fixing problems is just a liar, plain and simple.
  
  (tho no doubt they'll later claim to have been 'only joking')
  I think SDF_GR was just being sarcastic, at least I hope anyways. But all in all I think its great that firmware updates can add content and even fix problems.

  19.12.2007 11:07 #23

• borhan9

  Quote:Finally, a "voice changer" option will be added to allow users to "mask the sounds of their voice when chatting on audio or video chat over the PlayStation Network."This feature is what interests me i like to try this as security feature on PC's.

  27.12.2007 16:53 #24