PS3 Firmware 2.4x- Master Thread

[seanoff]

NOT YET. July 2nd (SCEE) will update this post when necessary.

Video of In Game XMB
http://www.viddler.com/explore/sceablog/videos/40/

Video of Trophies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6auW52RC12E


Features so far

~ Send and receive messages while in-game
~ Launch different game while still in-game
~ Check downloads while in-game
~ View thumbnails of pictures
~ Activate/change BT headset while in-game
~ Date and time displayed after pressing PS button
~ Play music from HDD while in-game (supported games not yet known)
~ Google search bar
~ Trophy support

from WatchImpress (jp - en google translation)
"Video" is related, HDD recording and video storage media, "FUREMUNOIZURIDAKUSHON", "BUROKKUNOIZURIDAKUSHON" (sofa cushion hardness setting, lol, I have no idea)can be set, including upconverted output. このほか、Blu-ray Discのアップコンバート、DVDビデオのDTS-ES、DTS 96/24、Blu-ray DiscのDTS-ES Matrixの再生に対応する。 In addition, Blu-ray Disc up conversion, DVD video DTS-ES, DTS 96/24, Blu-ray Disc playback of DTS-ES Matrix support.

BabelFish
With “video” relation, it reaches the point where it can set “frame noise reduction” and “block noise reduction” vis-a-vis the animated picture which is retained in HDD and the record media, corresponds to also rise conversion output. In addition, DTS-ES and DTS 96/24 of the rise conversion and DVD video of Blu-ray Disc, it corresponds to the playback of DTS-ES Matrix of Blu-ray Disc.

[seanoff]

JULY 2.

Wednesday then.

[Pugnax555]

~ Play music from HDD while in-game (supported games not yet known)

Burnout Paradise will be one of the games. Shortly after this update comes out there will be a game update (mid-July or so).

Anybody know if there are any changes to the media playback capabilities?

[Bob Pariseau]

Anything expected here for folks who use this puppy just for playing Blu-Ray discs?
--Bob

[GumboChief]

If nothing happens with bluray support, I will probably skip this one.
The store never seems to update the trailers, and this is the one use I have for it (acknowledging that I will be locked out)

[bobvan]

I had problems with the last update picture freezes due to handshaking issues and my HDMI connction getting lost, I read somewhere that formatting the HD can help I have not played a movie since I reformetted.

[Bob Pariseau]

Originally Posted by bobvan

I had problems with the last update picture freezes due to handshaking issues and my HDMI connction getting lost, I read somewhere that formatting the HD can help I have not played a movie since I reformetted.

Often, such problems are nothing more than the HDMI plug having come a little bit loose. The HDMI plugs are just a friction fit and it only takes a tiny bit of looseness to screw up the signal. If you moved the PS3 at all when doing the upgrade that could be what happened. Check both ends of the cable as sometimes HDMI plugs work loose just due to the weight of the cable itself.
--Bob

[Bob Pariseau]

Dang! No Trophies for playing Blu-Ray movies? Not even if you find an "Easter Egg"?



--Bob

[bobvan]

Originally Posted by Bob Pariseau

Often, such problems are nothing more than the HDMI plug having come a little bit loose. The HDMI plugs are just a friction fit and it only takes a tiny bit of looseness to screw up the signal. If you moved the PS3 at all when doing the upgrade that could be what happened. Check both ends of the cable as sometimes HDMI plugs work loose just due to the weight of the cable itself.
--Bob

Thanks for the suggestion Bobby

I did that when I lost the signal shutting the main power to the PS3 fixed that problem. I dont move the PS3 its always on my Tosh Regza. I never had these issues before the 2.36 update i got freezing on both BD and SD movies, anyhow I will update to 2.40 later this week. BTW reformatting is no biggie since I use this unit as a BD player only. I use a 360 to game.

-Bob-

[David Barteaux]

Originally Posted by bobvan

Thanks for the suggestion Bobby

I did that when I lost the signal shutting the main power to the PS3 fixed that problem. I dont move the PS3 its always on my Tosh Regza. I never had these issues before the 2.36 update i got freezing on both BD and SD movies, anyhow I will update to 2.40 later this week. BTW reformatting is no biggie since I use this unit as a BD player only. I use a 360 to game.

-Bob-

Too bad. The PS3 has some decent games...why don't you use it to its full potential?

[bobvan]

Funny thing is im not a huge gamer (Ironic since I own both systems) I mainly play NHL games. its a good thing since I would of lost all my game saves with the reformat. I realize that I could purchase a mem card to back up my games should I decide to start gaming with the PS.

[Hopstretch]

Originally Posted by seanoff

~ Send and receive massages while in-game

Awesome! No more having to get in the bloody car to go down to the rub 'n tug after a hard night of COD4. This is gonna be huge.

[whotony]

trophies?

[Bytre]

Originally Posted by bobvan

Funny thing is im not a huge gamer (Ironic since I own both systems) I mainly play NHL games. its a good thing since I would of lost all my game saves with the reformat. I realize that I could purchase a mem card to back up my games should I decide to start gaming with the PS.

Throw a USB hard drive (or even large flash drive?) on and backup before a format.

[bobvan]

Originally Posted by Bytre

Throw a USB hard drive (or even large flash drive?) on and backup before a format.

I did not know I can do that can you save game files on a flash drive?

[K.L.]

Originally Posted by seanoff

~ Play music from HDD while in-game (supported games not yet known)

I think it supports all games just like the XMB can be invoked within all games in 2.40.

[Pugnax555]

Originally Posted by K.L.

I think it supports all games just like the XMB can be invoked within all games in 2.40.

It's something that any game could take advantage of, but each individual game will need to be patched/updated to do so.

[K.L.]

Originally Posted by Pugnax555

It's something that any game could take advantage of, but each individual game will need to be patched/updated to do so.

Thanks, I checked it again and you are right
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2008/...ware-v240-faq/

Currently only music stored on the HDD is accessible in games that support this feature. We’d also like to reiterate that Firmware v2.40 merely enables custom soundtracks. It’s up to developers to include this feature in upcoming games (or to patch existing ones).

[seanoff]

babelfish video news in OP

[Bob Pariseau]

Golly! So there ARE going to be some Blu-Ray related improvements in this release! I'm particular looking forward to being able, at long last, to adjust the hardness of my sofa cushion!

It looks like the poster who has been fixated on the PS3's inability to decode DTS ES Matrix should be a happy camper.

I suspect that Blu-Ray "up-conversion" means the ability to play 1080i/60 Blu-Ray discs (live concerts, primarily) as 1080p/60 output. I certainly hope that is an option that can be turned off as I suspect my Anthem Statement D2 will do a better job of that de-interlacing.
--Bob

[rdclark]

Originally Posted by Pugnax555

It's something that any game could take advantage of, but each individual game will need to be patched/updated to do so.

Hm. Stardust HD has had what sounds like this feature since I started playing it back in January -- using my own music from my PS3's HD rather than the built-in game music.

So how is this new feature different, if programmers could already build the feature into the game?

[Pugnax555]

Originally Posted by rdclark

Hm. Stardust HD has had what sounds like this feature since I started playing it back in January -- using my own music from my PS3's HD rather than the built-in game music.

So how is this new feature different, if programmers could already build the feature into the game?

I believe the difference is that there is now a Sony-supported API that allows developers to do this. Previously it was doable, but it was up to the developer to figure it out on their own and code it themselves. Now they can just use supported system calls to do it.

EDIT: Also it looks like Stardust HD was a Sony title, so it's probably the same libraries that they're using for it.

[gourmetcoffee]

According to famitsu in Japan information, news comming from Sony Of Japan the new firmware 2.40 will add the following features not mentioned before?



Friends list has been expanded from 50 to 100
Linear PCM Output Support has been added to Music.
You can now print folders under Photo that Organized by Month, Year or by Album Name.
Support for the following has been made Both for DVD & Blu-Ray Playback: DTS-ES , DTS 96/24, DTS-ES Matrix. In addition the ability to upconvert media via external storage i.e user created content can now be upconverted.

If these two things are true its great news.

[eddy_winds]

Originally Posted by Bob Pariseau

Dang! No Trophies for playing Blu-Ray movies? Not even if you find an "Easter Egg"?



--Bob

[Maxx_75]

Still no ability to output audio via HDMI and optical at the same time ? I am hoping that this sneaks in at some point.

[cyberbri]

Here's some information from this WatchImpress article:
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20080701/sce.htm

I'll translate a few things so it's a bit more clear what the update adds:
Supports upconversion of recorded Blu-ray Discs (like 1080i programs recorded from HD broadcasts - to 1080p). This applies to BDAV discs, not BD-ROMs or BDMVs.

Also newly supports upconversion of video on the hard drive, memory sticks, and SD cards, as well as frame noise reduction and block noise reduction for this media.

When playing back DTS off of DVD, it now supports playback of DTS-ES and DTS 96/24, as well as Blu-ray Disc DTS-ES Matrix soundtracks.

A new addition is a mini control panel for music playback, as well as support for MP3 Surround files. MP3 Surround files are converted to LPCM for output.

[rio203]

i would like to know when put a cd in the ps3 i want my avr to do all of the decodeing is their a setting in the ps3 that will allow me to do this

[Pugnax555]

Originally Posted by rio203

i would like to know when put a cd in the ps3 i want my avr to do all of the decodeing is their a setting in the ps3 that will allow me to do this

What decoding? The data is stored on the CD as a raw 2-channel PCM stream. There's nothing for your receiver to decode.

[rio203]

what mean is i had a panny blu-ray when i would put a hdcd in my marantz would decode it

[Pugnax555]

Originally Posted by rio203

what mean is i had a panny blu-ray when i would put a hdcd in my marantz would decode it

Ahhh, gotcha. Yes, there is some extra data that can be decoded on HDCDs. The PS3 can certainly be made to recognize the HDCD flag and decode it, but whether or not they ever incorporate this is another matter. I'd guess that it's mostly a licensing issue (yet another fee they'd have to pay for every PS3 out there).

EDIT: Don't ever expect to see this on the PS3, as Microsoft now holds the patents for HDCD.