Sony confirms imminent BD-Live upgrade for PS3
The PS3 is about to become an even better Blu-ray player.
(Credit: CNET)The next firmware update to the PlayStation 3 will add full Profile 2.0 compatibility to the game console's Blu-ray player. Sony hinted that the update would be coming during January's Consumer Electronics Show, but today's announcement confirms that it will arrive before the end of March. If it goes according to plan, the update would make the PS3 the first Blu-ray player to offer Profile 2.0 (or BD-Live, as it's also known). Profile 2.0 will add online features to compatible Blu-ray discs, the first two of which--The Sixth Day and Walk Hard--are scheduled to hit store shelves in April. Its addition to the spec finally brings Blu-ray's feature set in line with HD DVD players, all of which were built from the start to be able to access online content (though, to be fair, the feature wasn't widely employed on many HD DVD movies).
While most Blu-ray players can be updated to address bug fixes and disc incompatibilities, the PS3 is alone among current players with its ability to be upgraded to the Profile 2.0 standard. (That's why it remains the most highly recommended Blu-ray player on CNET--even for prospective users who aren't gamers.) The only other 2.0 players that have been announced are the Panasonic DMP-BD50 (due in April) and the Sony BDP-S550 (coming this autumn), both of which are expected to cost at least $100 more than the entry-level PS3.
In addition to enhanced Blu-ray support, the PS3 2.20 firmware is expected to include a number of other enhancements, including better DivX and WMV file support, better integration with the PSP, and improved Web browsing. Full details are available at Sony's PlayStation Blog.
John P. Falcone covers home theater and network entertainment products. He's been writing for CNET since 2002. 
The only real difference is that if you have a receiver that can decode Dolby True HD, it will never light up and tell you that it is playing Dolby HD, it will only say multi-PCM, because that is all it will ever get from the PS3.
Although some sticklers say that it is better to have the receiver decode than the player, it should be the same in terms of sound quality.
As far as DTS MA, the PS3 can not decode or send it via bitstream so all you can get for now have the PS3 extract the DTS digital track from the DTS MA track.
It is highly unlikely that the PS3 will ever be able to send the packed HD tracks via bitstream for your receiver to decode, via a firmware update. It has been mentioned that it it could be possible to add an on board decoder for DTS MA via an upgrade though. We will have to wait and see.
The only real difference is that if you have a receiver that can decode Dolby True HD, it will never light up and tell you that it is playing Dolby HD, it will only say multi-PCM, because that is all it will ever get from the PS3.
Although some sticklers say that it is better to have the receiver decode than the player, it should be the same in terms of sound quality.
As far as DTS MA, the PS3 can not decode or send it via bitstream so all you can get for now have the PS3 extract the DTS digital track from the DTS MA track.
It is highly unlikely that the PS3 will ever be able to send the packed HD tracks via bitstream for your receiver to decode, via a firmware update. It has been mentioned that it it could be possible to add an on board decoder for DTS MA via an upgrade though. We will have to wait and see.
Now, if Logitech can put out a universal remote that includes a Bluetooth antenna, we'll have it made.
Now, if Logitech can put out a universal remote that includes a Bluetooth antenna, we'll have it made.
You'd have to be a moron to buy a stand-along BR 1.1 player for $600 when the $400 PS3 is 'future proof'... and while there are indeed lots of morons out there, Sony's got all these consumer electronics companies drinking toxic kool-aid to establish the Blu-Ray market, then undercuts them at every turn, while taking a license fee on every Blu-Ray player and disc sold.
How is all this "better" for the consumer, again? If its "better" is because of less consumer confusion, frankly, I think the consumers were better off confused.
- Blu-Ray consortium members: BURNED!
- by lorax1284 March 21, 2008 7:31 PM PDT
- So, Panasonic, LG, Sharp, and the rest all have to compete with Sony's PS3... they all contribute to the victory of BR over HDDVD, and who gets the benefits? Sony, Sony, Sony!
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(24 Comments)You'd have to be a moron to buy a stand-along BR 1.1 player for $600 when the $400 PS3 is 'future proof'... and while there are indeed lots of morons out there, Sony's got all these consumer electronics companies drinking toxic kool-aid to establish the Blu-Ray market, then undercuts them at every turn, while taking a license fee on every Blu-Ray player and disc sold.
How is all this "better" for the consumer, again? If its "better" is because of less consumer confusion, frankly, I think the consumers were better off confused.