Sony released last night firmware update 1.8

Amongst other new features:
- Enables upscaling from DVD, PS1 + PS2 games
- Enables BluRay output in native 24p
- Media streaming over DLNA

http://www.scee.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=4372&NewsAreaID=2

happy watching
Adrian

I am considering getting a ps3, how do you do the updates? Do you connect the ps3 upto the internet? Please forgive me if this is a stupid question

Yes, you register online (mine is through wireless BT Internet), and then can download updates, demos etc

Phil

I downloaded this upgrade last night, and am very impressed. The upscaler in the PS3 seems more capable than the upscaler in my TV, which had been dealing with the 576 line from my DVD player. That, and the connection via HDMI rather than component has rendered my DVD playback considerably better.

Nice to get things for free once in a while - good old Sony.

Phil

Yes, it's a very nice upgrade indeed

In the display settings, you can now configure the black and white levels over HDMI. This helped my to get a deeper black with my screen...

Adrian

I have a wireless router. Can the ps3 connent wirelessly with this?

Yes, it has wired and wireless capabilities built in. http://www.ps3.eu -> select country -> specifications menu -> 60GB model. The 20GB model has no wireless, but it's not sold in my country.

I have just finished installing a new apple airport extreme base station and switched the Mac and the PS3 over to wireless.

It had become annoying to pull a long ethernet cable across the flat. O.K. as a temporary workaround to download something. But not as a fixed solution. And it was also dangerous as you could fall over if you didn't watch out.

hope this helps
Adrian

quote:

Originally posted by Adrian Frauchiger:
Sony released last night firmware update 1.8

Amongst other new features:
- Enables upscaling from DVD, PS1 + PS2 games
- Enables BluRay output in native 24p
- Media streaming over DLNA

http://www.scee.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=4372&NewsAreaID=2

happy watching
Adrian

I updated mine last night and very happy about the results seen. How much is the PS3 in England? here in Canada it is about 600 dollars a unit.

Short below 900 swiss francs here...

About £400.

jeez Tuan, you guys get a pretty good deal on it up there. down here (PAL, of course) we pay around NZD1200 for the 60GB with one controller (that's about CAD950).

I'll be buying a Hi Line before a PS3 arrives Chez Rico.

the ps3 can now display blacker than blacks on a calibration dvd. it could not before.very inpressive pic quality now.

The way the pound is at this time its a lot cheaper to get one from the USA,

Don't forget region coding on Blu Ray though. If you import a PS3 from the USA (or Japan) you'll need to source your Blu Ray disks from Region A. Personally, I'd prefer that. I'd rather be locked into Region A's release schedule, title availability and price than Region B (Europe). However, the downside is that you can't pick up the odd disk from your local supermarket or rent disks from Blockbuster, Amazon, etc.

Allan

Allan, just browsing on the movietyme site there are loads of blue-ray titles with no region coding from the usa, not sure about the titles released over here though ?

The region coding on Blu Ray is a bit confusing. In principle, older catalog releases shouldn't be region coded but new releases will be. However, take something like Black Hawk Down which you wouldn't expect to be region coded and you'll find that it is. Now take a new release, Casino Royale, the region A version is region coded but the region B version isn't! Some studios are heavy on region coding for all release some aren't. There are no hard and fast rules so you've just got to be careful.

Allan

Really how good is the upscaling quality on the PS3? Comparable a mid range regular player?

I've just received my copy of the Planet Earth Blu-Ray from Amazon US, which isn't region coded. Amazing!

It came in at $77, which at today's exchange rate is excellent, although i had to pay £14 customs charge, of which 6.50 was customs, and the rest was the Royal Mail 'international clearance fee'... hmmmm. Still good value though, and who knows when it'll be available here.

Why does the US get BBC documentaries before us?

Phil

(Back in the UK now, need to change my profile!)

The upscaling is comparable to a good dvd player in my opinion.I really wasn't expecting it to be as good as it is ,The 1.8 update really quite shocked me to be honest as you would'nt really think a software update could make such a difference.I was comparing it on a sony pearl projector against a meridian dvd player costing way more money at a friends house.very pleased indeed.

quote:

Originally posted by Jaseamondo:
The upscaling is comparable to a good dvd player in my opinion.I really wasn't expecting it to be as good as it is ,The 1.8 update really quite shocked me to be honest as you would'nt really think a software update could make such a difference.I was comparing it on a sony pearl projector against a meridian dvd player costing way more money at a friends house.very pleased indeed.

smile.

So...
According to Tuan it was originally the best dvd player he's ever seen...

and now after a significant upgrade it's

quote:

comparable to a good dvd player

Interesting!

Interesting indeed Mike....

quote:

Originally posted by Mike1380:
So...
According to Tuan it was originally the best dvd player he's ever seen...

and now after a significant upgrade it's

quote:

comparable to a good dvd player

Interesting!

It is true that I have not seen the DVD5 from Naim but the performance of the PS3 with the last upgrade please me. The PS3 has a very powerful CPU and most of the upgrade are software base. This will give the machine a very long life (not being obsolete easily). For a fraction of the cost of the outdated DVD5 I still think that the PS3 is a better buy.

quote:

It is true that I have not seen the DVD5 from Naim

...then why compare the performance of the two? You've never experienced firsthand, why make a comment?

In some cases, the built-in processing of a display might actually be better than that of an upscaling DVD player–this is the dirty little secret that many people have discovered in the context of an actual, real-world comparison.

And this is nothing to speak of the DVD5's analogue audio performance, especially with multichannel DVD-A....

quote:

Originally posted by David Dever:

quote:

It is true that I have not seen the DVD5 from Naim

...then why compare the performance of the two? You've never experienced firsthand, why make a comment?

In some cases, the built-in processing of a display might actually be better than that of an upscaling DVD player–this is the dirty little secret that many people have discovered in the context of an actual, real-world comparison.

And this is nothing to speak of the DVD5's analogue audio performance, especially with multichannel DVD-A....

For the price of the PS3 around 600 Canadian dollars, do I need a comparison? a good common sense is sufficient to see what need to be done. Also, I never say that the DV5 is not a good DVD player, but IT IS OVER-PRICED now when compared to the next high definition DVD players.

Tuan,

Good common sense told me two years ago that High Def would be a moving smorgasbord of standards that would dart around like an incontinent mouse failing to be nailed down - which is still the situation, including much of the technology in the PS3.

In the meanwhile I will continue to enjoy the superlative quality of the picture and sound produced by the DVD5.

.....would I buy the DVD5 now? Probably, the format war continues, and despite the mis-information pushed by Sony I believe that actual High Def FILM sales are in favour of HDVD.

I will continue to be resolutely SD until the format war resolves - if it does.

For me the DVD5 is the most musical DVD spinner bar none.

Martin

quote:

I never say that the DV5 is not a good DVD player, but IT IS OVER-PRICED now when compared to the next high definition DVD players.

The PS3 is overpriced relative to an Xbox 360, and is unimpressive when viewed (in a Sony store, with latest firmware) with the best of Sony's own 1080p LCD flat-panel offerings (which could also be considered "overpriced").

I guess it depends on which way the blade cuts...or depends upon your own conception of "quality".

We always seem to get back to DVD5/PS3 saga
Its getting boring again
Adam...

How about telling us something about the scaler for the DVD5 then and make it a more exciting thread