PS3 firmware version 2.0 announced

james.miller · 8 Nov 2007 at 02:15

I just got this e-mail from SCEE:

Latest PLAYSTATION3 System Software Update Allows PSP to Turn PS3 On and Off from Internet Connection for Enhanced Remote Play Ability to customise XMB™ and add personalised playlists for both music and photos also enabled

London, 8 November 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced today the availability of the latest version of the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) system software. Version 2.00 features the ability to turn a PS3 system on and off remotely, using a PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system via the Remote Play1 function, allowing for a truly mobile partnership between the two systems.

Building on the success and potential of the Remote Play functionality, Version 2.00 will cement the partnership between PS3 and PSP and create a truly global experience. With the ability to turn your PS3 on and off from Wi-fi connection, there is now the opportunity to listen to the music, look at the photos and watch the videos saved on the PS3 Hard Disk Drive, anywhere in the world.

To further enhance the PS3 offering, Version 2.00 allows for the creation of personalised playlists in both the music and photo sections. This simple to use function gives users an opportunity to create unlimited music playlists for all occasions, as well as sharing favourite photos in glorious high definition.

Continuing with the idea of a personalised PS3, Version 2.00 allows for customisation of the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) menu screen. Change the colour and brightness with the greatest of ease or have something completely different by setting a custom theme. With the potential for new backgrounds to become available on PLAYSTATION®Network in the future, Version 2.00 truly opens up a whole raft of options.

A host of other enhancements includes the addition of an Information Board on XMB to keep people up to date on the latest PlayStation® news, the inclusion of a new PLAYSTATION Network category and logo for easier navigation and Trend Micro Web Security, a free2, state of the art internet security system, designed to give parents peace of mind.

Official Link to Firmware 2.0 Press Release

[Edit: some pics]

no mention of ingame xmb

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you can now group the games by folder

1) In the Games list, turn on "group by album"
2) Go into the "unknown" folder and highlight the game you want to categorize
3) Press Triangle and goto "information"
4) Edit the "album name" to be the folder name you want (e.g Demo's or Full Games etc)
5) Repeat as desired for other items

not the most straight forward way of doing it, but at least it can be done. this also works for videos and pictures.

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custom theme time!

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=649025

Here's a couple of PS3 theme packs:

Instructions:
http://www.google.com/translate?u=h...ml#theme_setting&langpair=ja|en&hl=en&ie=UTF8

And a custom theme maker:
http://cdn.jp.playstation.com/ps3update/dl/tool/data/PS3_Custom_Theme_v101-J.zip

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UPDATE:

Multi channel SACD output is now available over spdif!

by accident, Markwpage over at avforums was playing around with his sacds and found that DTS 5.1 is now avaiable for sacd output using an optical cable. ive tried it and can confirm it DOES work. I believe this is the first time multi channel output has ever been available over anything other than analogue or an encrypted digital format. good news for SACD really!

markwpage said:
Sorry if this has been mentioned in another thread (I did a search but couldn't find anything) but I felt this discovery was worth sharing.

Whilst playing around with my PS3 earlier I decided to listen to the 'War of the Worlds' SACD. I was only expecting to be able to play the CD part of the disc as when I tried it earlier this year the PS3 would not allow multi-channel output from SACD through optical. However, I was surprised to find that the PS3 now encodes the multi-channel source from an SACD into full-bitrate DTS and will happily output the results through optical. The sound quality is excellent to my ears.

I'm assuming this is something that has been added with the 2.0 firmware but it could have happened earlier as I haven't tried to play an SACD through optical since I got my PS3 in June.

Still, it's a decent addition as now I can listen to my small SACD collection again without having to wait until I invest in an HDMI amplifier.

meths · 8 Nov 2007 at 06:50

Just installed it but it really doesn't add much.

Soulja · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:02

How hard can it be to add in game xmb? is it possibly because it will use too much memory?

Dutch Guy · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:19

What is the main benefit of ingame XMB, I don't want to listen to MP3's when playing :confused:

Kreeeee · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:19

Dutch Guy said:
What is the main benefit of ingame XMB, I don't want to listen to MP3's when playing

Being able to communicate with friends whilst in a game.

ic1male · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:23

They've had in game XMB during development and then probably took it out when they realised it takes up too much memory. You can see when you switch into a game that the PS3 does a soft reboot to clear its memory/unload the XMB and then boots into the game. My TV goes haywire at that point.

McManicMan · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:32

ic1male said:
My TV goes haywire at that point.

and mine, lol, blue screen then flickers back into the res thats required, expecting to see an error status on the blue screen, lol

londonbairn · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:41

So that's what that flicker was. I was worried it was the HDMI cable!

Bossy papa · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:42

can you get rid of the info bar at the top right of the screen ??
its spoiling the aesthetics of the xmb

msmalls74 · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:48

Bossy papa said:
can you get rid of the info bar at the top right of the screen ??
its spoiling the aesthetics of the xmb

Yep go into network bit select info and switch it off.

Bossy papa · 8 Nov 2007 at 10:50

thanks m8

james.miller · 8 Nov 2007 at 11:02

you can now group the games by folder

1) In the Games list, turn on "group by album"
2) Go into the "unknown" folder and highlight the game you want to categorize
3) Press Triangle and goto "information"
4) Edit the "album name" to be the folder name you want (e.g Demo's or Full Games etc)
5) Repeat as desired for other items

not the most straight forward way of doing it, but at least it can be done

rp2000 · 8 Nov 2007 at 11:05

james.miller said:
you can now group the games by folder

1) In the Games list, turn on "group by album"
2) Go into the "unknown" folder and highlight the game you want to categorize
3) Press Triangle and goto "information"
4) Edit the "album name" to be the folder name you want (e.g Demo's or Full Games etc)
5) Repeat as desired for other items

not the most straight forward way of doing it, but at least it can be done

This is what I wanted!!! I have a a hell of a lot of downloads from PSN so this will help me. Now they just need to apply this to music and photos and videos.

I have yet to download the update, will do so shortly.

Whilst I am sure it is all nice and pretty, I cannot help feel that whilst Santa (Sony) didn't promise to give me in game XMB support in my xmas stocking, Him giving me a satsuma instead is adding insult to injury

rp200

james.miller · 8 Nov 2007 at 11:16

yeah ive just sat through and grouped 34 titles lol.

arcade hits
demos
downloads
playstation eye
ps1 games

so much cleaner

the same can be done for film, photo and music

just select group by album and you're away

Demon · 8 Nov 2007 at 11:39

I know this isn't the place to ask, but how do you get the PS3 to 'see' MP3's without having to go Options->View All

I'm fed up with unreliable streaming at the moment, as soon as you have lots of media either the PS3 or TVersity just seems to bog down.. so I'm just going to use a USB Stick for some music in the meantime and on trying that last night, I had to do the old 'options->view all' before I could see any of the MP3's on the USB Stick..

james.miller · 8 Nov 2007 at 11:42

added a link for custom themes to the main post

Demon said:
I know this isn't the place to ask, but how do you get the PS3 to 'see' MP3's without having to go Options->View All

I'm fed up with unreliable streaming at the moment, as soon as you have lots of media either the PS3 or TVersity just seems to bog down.. so I'm just going to use a USB Stick for some music in the meantime and on trying that last night, I had to do the old 'options->view all' before I could see any of the MP3's on the USB Stick..

make a folder called MUSIC and stick them all in there

Demon · 8 Nov 2007 at 11:48

james.miller said:
added a link for custom themes to the main post

make a folder called MUSIC and stick them all in there

On the USB Stick? or in the new folder organising feature?
Sorry to seem a noob, but plugging in the USB with MP3's in the root, going to Music->Memory Stick from the XMB yielded no MP3's.. I had to view all to see them?

james.miller · 8 Nov 2007 at 11:50

sorry, on the stick itself

the same applies for other storage medium (usb hard drive for example) and file types, too. put pictures in a PICTURE folder and video in a VIDEO folder and it'll all show up in the XMb without having to 'show all'

rp2000 · 8 Nov 2007 at 12:13

Is it just me or does the left analog stick move through lists much faster now? I think before it was digital (only 1 speed) and now it is analogue, I can measure 3 different speeds by holding the stick at various points.

I don't know of this is good or bad, feels awkward at the moment.

rp200

james.miller · 8 Nov 2007 at 12:20

it does seem a bit quicker, but accessing some of the options takes longer im guessing because of that information thingy