Firmware (v.2.30) Details and Store Walkthrough

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Hey Everyone! We know you’re all patiently waiting for the next PS3 firmware update, ver. 2.30, which includes the revamped PLAYSTATION Store. The good news is that it’s coming soon, and you can now see how the new user interface will look in this video demo featuring Grace Chen.

I have more good news to report today – the system software update will also add DTS-HD Master Audio output for Blu-ray videos, which means the high-definition visuals of Blu-ray will now be matched with the highest quality audio for the ultimate movie-watching experience on PS3.

DTS-HD Master Audio is literally bit-for-bit identical to the studio master recording and makes movie soundtracks and sound effects truly come to life. The technology delivers audio at the incredibly high rate of 24.5 mega-bits per second (Mbps) on Blu-ray disc, which is significantly higher than standard DVDs. DTS-HD Master Audio also offers 7.1 audio channels at 96k sampling frequency/24 bit depths, so you’ll be totally immersed in the sound. The firmware update will add DTS-HD High Resolution Audio as well, which is a similar output technology that requires less disc space. You can read more about both codecs here.

A lot of you, particularly the home theatre enthusiasts and audiophiles out there, have been asking us for this capability, and we can’t wait until you have an opportunity to pop in a compatible Blu-ray video to test it out for yourself.

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410 Comments

  • Please bring “Legend of the Dragoon” to the PS Store. I loved that game so much. I still perfer it for any Final Fantasy game I’ve played. I’d pay $20 to get that game off of there. Thanks.

  • WHAT A BUNCH OIF KISS ASSES HEY YOU ALL WORK FOR THE COMPANY . THIS IS PURE CRAP UNTIL THEY CHANE THE BROWSER IT DOESNT MATTER LOL GOD WHAT A BUNCH OF MORONS NOT EVERY ONE BUT MOST!!!

  • Something pretty ironic:
    Using the browser in the PS3 you can’t enter this blog. Embedded movies do not appear (like the one in this post).

    I thought it would be the first thing you’ll do. Guess I was wrong.

  • So when can we actually download movies,tv shows ect. to our ps3’s using the playstation network instead of downloading trailers.because i don’t want to see a trailer taking up space on my ps3 you know the 360 does it why can’t my ps3 do it i paid alot of money for my ps3 and I don’t think it’s fair for a cheap system like the 360 to do something better than my luxury ps3.c’mon.

  • YAY!! Not only does the new store look awesome ( Which was good enough ) but now its no longer a web site!! I’m a happy Silly Hat Mobster right now.

    The DTS HD thing is also cool, im not sure if my reciever supports that codec. ( My Reciever supports DTS, idk about DTS Hd or w/e its called. )

  • Looks great! And Grace rocks!

  • can sony give any details on how the ps3 is better than the 360 other having blu-ray cause so far i still don’t see improvements on any of the updates i don’t want to see a stupid update on how the menu for psn looks different if it works it’s fine leave it alone where’s the update for in-game XMB i’m tired to always quit in the middle of a game just to answer a message,again the 360 does it why can’t my expensive ps3 do it.It’s been 2 YEARS NOW get on the ball sony stop slacking off show some better results with the next up-date,i’m online playing not staring at the menu of the psn.

  • Good news, but what the home theatre enthusiasts needs is better codecs compatibility:

    – Complete support for DivX (include 3.11) and Xvid.
    – Support for subtitles not embedded like srt, sub, ssa ect…
    – Support for MKV Audio/Video container.

    And in another way, better linux support is need.

    – Drivers for Eye Camera
    – Access to RSX acceleration
    – Sony Bravia display drivers

    And finally the PS2 games resize needs a lot of work and better filters, please add AA.

  • This is sweet, I cant wait. One thing I hope they add though is NEF support. All of my photos are in NEF RAW format on my computer and I cant view them over my network on my PS3 unless they are converted to JPEG. SO the media server aspect is becoming less of a plus for me.

  • Soooo … I heard that a MGS4 Demo is coming out the same day the new PS Store comes out. I heard it from Konami themselves.

  • Looks gorgeous, Ms. Chen.

    Oh, the Store looks nice too. :)

    Now, how about some CONTENT!?

    *psst* PixelJunk, new maps and weapons for Monsters! OR A MAP CREATOR!!!! *psst*

  • yeah im wondering why we been spending time updating the store and giving us updates for codecs (i mean seriously what percent of people are walking around with divx discs?) and most the stuff people put in these formats are copyright infringed anyways, so why cant we get the stuff we are begging for first and then put out updates for the remedial stuff? I mean still cant do cant send messages or listen to music while im playing a game, the browser still sucks? can i please get an answer?

  • @ ketty24 – yeah be patient. that’s a good enough answer for you. when Sony has something ready for us they will release it. when you say remedial are you talking about the store facelift? cuz that’s something that i’ve personally wanted along with ig xmb and a more powerful efficient browser but that all comes down to sony.

    peace,
    Lh

  • Just wanted to see if anyone else just got a “PLAYSTATION Store New Downloads” email…I just did. It made me excited that the store update had just been released…until I checked my PS3 and found no new update and the old store still up and running.

  • I can’t wait for the new look of the PS store. When is the next update? There hasn’t been anything new for 2 weeks. Must be something big coming very soon!

  • Is there any chance when you bring out the new PS Store you could allow steaming video on the PS3, May be some thing like Hulu?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulu

  • This is great. But PS3 is still not the best player out there. It will NOT send this signal to your receiver, it sends it through PCM. Until Sony sends it as bitstream for all formats (and not just dolby 5.1 and dts 5.1) your receiver will not light up any logos for dolby true HD let alone dts 7.1 MA. When they bitstream ALL formats then its the best player out there by far.

  • Indeed, why if it has hdmi 1.3, does it not send HD audio via bitstream, fair enough I can press the select on the PS3 pad to confirm which sound formant I have, but it would be nice to see it on my A/V receiver too *-)

  • althogh the store updates are nice..i am really looking forward to the dts HD master audio 7.1 support, although very nice, i am really hopeing for the bit stream output support as well, i have a pioneer elite vsx-91txh a/v reciever, and id like to see what its internal decoder sounds like with that format.

  • So is DTS-HD MA delivered via optical or HDMI or both?

    Very impressive addition to an already great console!

  • @wolfmanmike

    i agree 100% but unfortunately telling them how you really feel gets you absolutely nowhere!!!

    you have to fill their heads with false praise and tell them they’re awesome and keep up the good work to get some recognition…LOL

  • i dont do much complaining and im more then happy with my ps3 but seriously the system is still lagging behind 360 and xbox live in general, come on sony step it up

  • @PhantomPhoenix

    i got that email as well…i already anticipated this scenario…SONY has to look like theyre providing content to consumers even though theyre not and cant give an exact date as to when this new store will be up and running…like eveything else SONY touches…remember this name cuz its not going ANYWHERE….DelayStation 3

    AND…if Eric Lempel REALLY wanted to keep his job or even cared…that store would have been up and running in less then a week…not going on 2-3 already

  • Really a great update, really a needed one too !

    But why is the store page rendered in a 4:3 ratio instead of a 16:9 one ? What a waste of screen space ! Can’t we have an option to display more when using a widescreen ?
    Thanks !

  • Sony please add

    5.1 WMA Pro support for .WMV files

  • Awesome!! cant wait for new update thanks Sony.

  • This is sick!!!!!! cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been waiting forever for this

  • kylkimble@yahoo.com

    Perfect.
    Does this mean increased download speeds. I have a high speed internet connection and it still take incredibly too long to download a single demo. Also will the ability to download more than one item at a time be available. I can cue several downloads but they still download 1 at a time which is annoyingly and excruciatingly slow.

    Secondly im a little wierded out by how long an updated web browser is taking. I can’t fully view any popular website not to mention sony’s own official sites. It makes no sense to update your sites with the latest version flash videos but not even have them able to be viewed from your systems web browser. There’s also a problem with messaging and email, i can view my email & messages but cannot compose a message back (yahoo, myspace, facebook) which is strange.

    Third, i hate to beat the dog to death but no “in game xmb” and customizable game soundtrack is ridiculous. Not to mention your competition has had this feature since day 1 (not a fanboy just mentioning it, won’t even play a game on the system). how kick ass would it be to cruise down the street in GTA IV listening to a radio station with your very own music blaring through your car speakers or blowing away some Helghast and blasting Megadeth.
    Lastly, i know you guys are already working on this but more codec support would be great
    .mkv
    .mov and anything else you guys can think of

    THANX
    Keep up the great work. Sony 4 ever (still waiting on my PS9)

  • Get in. This now makes this system the best on the market. Bye bye xbox see you later!! ha ha ha ha ha

    Nice one Sony good to hear you listen to people.

    Now where’s Home!!! :-)

  • Gusax | April 10th, 2008 at 9:53 am

    DTS-MA – thank you!

    But please add a clock to the PS-button screen!

    Yes great idea. Nice one

  • @DTS MAN

    “This now makes this system the best on the market. Bye bye xbox see you later!! ”

    im sorry dude but if you think a halfassed revamp of the PS Store is what SONY needs to take down MS at this point then your sadly mistaking and slightly dilusional

    SONY absolutely 150% needs full HD 1080 support not the 720 they keep pumping out…way more games…way more 3rd party support not the pathetic ports they keep getting and way more content on this “re-vamped” PS Store…until the PS Store can start pumping out music videos, Movies, TV Shows etc etc like XBL then there is NO comparison…

    the only thing SONY has got on their side right now is Bluray….but Bluray cant carry the system forever…in case most of you forgot…the Playstation is a gaming console…Playstation 2 is a gaming console…Playstation 3 is NOT!…until the focus is put back into gaming…the PS3 cant hang with the 360

  • the PSP is WAY more of a gaming console then the PS3…LOL…way sad and way true…thank god i have a PSP…LOL

  • looks sweet more money for me to spend nice one sony nice one LOL

  • can we have the info in the playstation conversation plain on the ps3 info bar?

  • i like the new interfase of the store… nice work guys

  • Lot of comments, interesting mix of serious gamers, video & audiophiles. All deserving frank answers to significant unanswered and potentially show stopping questions:

    where did dsd go, is it coming back or was it deliberately dropped? will video streaming be fixed, when? what happened to large sata drive support, is it coming back or is the machine being limited? will/can the ps3 ever support bitstream audio over the hdmi port or is the hdmi chip in fact a crippled 1.3 implementation? …

    On the plus side and to Sony’s credit, the machine has for the most part steadily improved and the company has been keeping its promises; e.g., 1080p24.

    Most of us would like to believe that degradations in function appearing newer firmware releases are not deliberate but are the result of minor bugs in a complex product that will be eventually fixed.

    What remains of concern is the lack of forthcoming factual information to real and substantial customer concerns that should be easy to answer. Contining Sony silence in these areas is of no benefit to either Sony or its current and potential customers.

    Here would be a good place for Sony to post those answers.

  • Fantastic improvement. The new store exceeded my expectations.

  • You guys are absolutely amazing. Good things come to people who do wait. I give you a huge round of applause for not bowing to pressure when the media and especially your competition was quick on attacking you.

    The store looks really, really good. I can tell that you put a lot of effort into this and I like it because it’s even easier to navigate. I’m sure that if people wait even more for Home and the other stuff you promised, you’ll deliver.

    Once again, excellent job Sony.

  • Lol, # Wolfmanmike, calm down. Don’t develop a heartattack over your computer there.

  • Love the new store, cant wait to speeder buying.

    DTS-HD Master Audio – The one thing the Playstation 3 lacked as a Blu-ray payer.
    The best feature added since divx support.

  • “DTS-MA – thank you!
    But please add a clock to the PS-button screen!
    Yes great idea. Nice one”

    I 100% agree with this.
    A clock in the ps-button screen (like the psp) would be the greatest thing. Also one on the XMB too.. just to make it more pspish.
    And thanks for DTS-MA!

  • I’ve always been a playstation freak, but lately with all these updates that don’t mean anything and we’re not getting what we really want is starting to piss me off! X-box has things that PS3 doesnt have and the X box is cheaper I’m starting to wonder why I bought a PS3 I was thinking my ps3 would be able to do way more than the X box but it doesnt it just has blu ray wow! A new interface? I mean it does look good but I like to play games not stare or spend all day in ps store. I should off just bought a blu ray dvd player maybe that thing could out do an x box! in game xmb would be great is that to much to ask? Come on sony you guys can do much better than this stop slacking off you guys are shooting yourselfs in the foot!!!!

  • PS3 is a video game console that should be priority its all about the gamers stop leaving us behind. Do something where it can give us the greatest gaming experience ever! Like more games more features etc….

  • game-bUGer: Then go buy a damn 360 if you’r so pissed at the PS3 and Sony.

  • This is awesome. A much needed improvement. Really gives the 360 a run for its money.

  • @Loucifer, are you paid by Microsoft to be this much of a delusional fanboy like youre being in this thread? If you bothered to venture at the games list for this year and 2009, youd realize SONY have more games planned than their competition right now and arguably the strongest and best upcoming lineup. The 3rd party offerings lately have gotten a quite better with the developers getting more used to the architecture (ex. Burnout Paradise, Devil May Cry 4, COD4,) and some are even now choosing the PS3 as the lead platform for their games.

    And as for the PS3 not able to hang with the 360, well from a hardware selling perspective, its been killing it worldwide for months now despite the 360 having their OMG Best Lineup Eva of 2007! and XBOX live. With more interest in the PS3 from consumers due to blu-ray and the killer apps that are coming out this year, the software and hardware sales should be great. From a software perspective, I see tons of upcoming exclusives for PS3 for this year and next. Maybe you’re looking in the wrong places unlike the rest of us. Also, with the blu-ray victory, they have been more focused on the gaming side.

    Also, 2 interesting comments here:
    “until the PS Store can start pumping out music videos, Movies, TV Shows etc etc like XBL then there is NO comparison…”
    “until the focus is put back into gaming”

    So which is it? Should they focus on non gaming related items or gaming? You need to clarify because you sound like you’re contradicting yourself. Anyway, I would like In Game XMB, home, and more store content but [DELETED] about isn’t going to make it come any sooner. Sony should have had some items out sooner to compete and delays suck but they’re addressing the problems and concerns. X-box live when it started was a joke and it took years to actually be worth something.

    “Playstation 2 is a gaming console…Playstation 3 is NOT!”

    It’s a device that plays games. So yes it is. Just because you’re not interested in the offerings doesn’t make it a non gaming console. And it’s funny you bring up the PSP as more of a gaming console when it gets the same criticisms as the PS3. While being a gaming device, you have people use it way more for hacking and as media center than games despite the good library it has.

  • I hope in the new FW the last problems like recieving messages from day before or the possibility to join XMB chat to every user will be fixed. furthermore the status window on top left should disappear that shows every user who´s still online as comin´ online…i´m lookin´ forward 2 it.

  • Are we going to get the new Resistance Teaser trailer?

  • looks similar to xbox live marketplace now, but with better video capability. I’m loving it!

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