PS3 system update v2.30 now available

From Crackle: PlayStation Store video walkthrough

Sony wasn't kidding when it said the next PS3 system update was coming in mid-April. Just in time to take the edge off tax day, the version 2.30 of the PlayStation 3 system software is now available for download. As revealed last week, the software update adds DTS Master Audio decoding (to deliver the best audio from compatible Blu-ray movies), as well as a major overhaul of the interface for the PlayStation Store (as explained in the Sony video walkthrough shown above).

The question is: what do you think? Does the DTS upgrade make the PS3 an even better Blu-ray player? Does the PlayStation Store makeover finally put Sony's online offerings on par with Xbox Live? Is all of this irrelevant compared with the forthcoming releases of Grand Theft Auto IV and Metal Gear Solid 4? Let us know what you think.

[mpatyk]

I am SERIOUSLY disapointed in Sony , here they had a chance to finally be equal with XBOX Live and offer complete full downloads of movies and tv shows when the re-vamped the PLAYSTATION store, but THEY DO NOT!!! This is the one feature that the PLAYSTATION store BADLY needs. Sony claims they want the PS3 to be a entertainment hub, but with out this feature of downloading full complete movies and tv shows., then the PS3 will always be second rate to XBOX 360. And the PS3 shouldn't be second rate to anyone since it IS a superior product. Maybe Sony will re-think and add this sorely missing capability.

[brocknation]

The PS3 is no doubt a superior system and should be revered as such. I think Sony is still "backing" Blu-Ray vice online downloads. Sony mentioned entering the online media outlet as new Sony TV products are integrated with a new DMX service. In comparison to the XBOX, the Dashboard is a messy interface compared to Sony XMB. I have yet to review Sony's online store, but it's organization and aesthetics are welcomed compared to Dashboard's cartoon-ish appearance. The PS3 remains a great entertainment hub and will probably incorporate a future media download service. Sony's playing it smart remaining with Blu-Ray as it's superior media product instead of HD downloads I've viewed on AppleTV.

[dan356]

mpatyk, What!? Who needs to download generic movies that you only get to keep for 3 days? Its called Tivo my main man. Xbox live provides the most dumb crap. Its a gaming console not a tivo. By the time you download a rental movie on xbox live it fills up your entire HDD. Its just garbage. Thats why theres Tivo, blockbuster, etc. Yeah, no one needs to download little rentals, and bad tv shows. Just get Tivo you little chode. I can Watch, Record, have on demand tv with my Tivo. Not really slow 4gb downloads on xbox live. Yeah with Tivo i just have nice full 1080P HD with Tivo

[zgreenwell]

This does help make the playstation store more competitive. By watching the video it looks really similar to what is on Xbox live. Of course the biggest problem with PSN is that it doesn't have a centralized friends list and the biggest problem with live is that you have to pay for the ability to play online (not to shop or chat).

[han012]

mpatyk, why would Sony bastardize the sales of their BD discs by offering online video? If you want crappy online video, than stick with your d/l'able content on xbox live.

[dotcommunism]

I own a PS3 and previously owned an XBOX 360, however sold it so I could afford a PS3. With that said, I continue to be disappointed in the PS3's XMB. The 360 Dashboard was amazing, I could plug in my iPod and it would recognize and could view playlists, artists, etc while the PS3 struggles with this. When I plug in the iPod to the PS3, it just gives me folders which I have to hunt for songs. Further, the PS3 is lacking in custom soundtracks in-game... which the 360 could from the get go.

And to user dan356:
The moves that XBOX Live Marketplace offered are NOT generic. What the heck is a "generic" movie anyways? A Clockwork Orange wasn't generic. 300 isn't generic. Three Kings, The Matrix Series, Eyes Wide Shut, Harry Potter aren't generic. I can go on and on about the movie titles offered.... Plus they offer tons of moves in HD so again you're wrong. Stop lying to the people that read this forum. Once you're done watching a move, you delete it off the hard drive. It's not a hard concept, that's why the hard drive is there.

While playing online, I miss the friends list feature the 360 had.....

Having said that, the PS3 has a long way to go before I really am impressed with it. Right now, I'm just sitting tight for what MIGHT be, not what it actually is right now. But I knew that when I sold my 360.

[dan356]

yeah doctcommunism, i didnt mean the movies were generic, just how you get the movies is generic. Downloaded movies is a bad idea, you always should just have a hard copy. Plus with xbox live you cant keep the movies for more than 4 days. When i can just go to blockbuster get a blu ray movie or a dvd, than burn it, enough said. just go get a Tivo or something. When you can just have on Demand. Watch any movie you want.

[xavierwalls]

I love both systems, and the reason the Xbox offers downloadable movies is because you cant play em in the unit(Not w/o the HD Drive Expansion). Why would Ps3 offer this when they charge $35 bucks per blueray. I feel both UI's are incredibly easy to use. I would say the Xbox still is superior in games available but its not that big of deal for me considering I rent games online for both systems. Now if only I could get my hands on a damn WII!!

[SCFootballFan]

dan356 - "Yeah with Tivo i just have nice full 1080P HD with Tivo" - you're watching 1080P broadcasts from your Tivo box?

[sussexj]

On par with xbox live? No not quite, but I have to give Sony credit for working hard to improve the service and interface while still keeping it free. Loving the new PS Store look and feel. :)

[Rsiller]

I just want a freaking Flash player for the freaking web browser.

[will2348]

I thought the PS3 had a flash player it always works when i use it. I think you should check your settings or something mate.

[Renegade Knight]

I don't use the live parts of either the 360 or the PS3 so the upgrade is great for me. If I did us the live the PS3 would get priority. It's got the hard drive space the 360 lacks.

[dotcommunism]

Uh, hard drive space has basically nothing to do with online play.

[MikeM1992]

Clearly, all owners of ps3 are extremely frustrated with themselves that they bought an overpriced peace of plastic that is inferior to the xbox 360 both in online gaming and game title selection. The only positive attribute the ps3 holds is a blu-ray player, and even at that it fails to be outstanding. Ps3 community, its time to wake up and smell the roses and realize that the ps3 has not even come close to living up to its expectations, and most likely never will. Theres many reasons why the ps3 has sold half the units that xbox has sold, and they are quite clear. Dig a little deeper into your research before you buy a console next time. Sony has dissapointed once again. No "online update" is going to fix the ps3's flaws. Sorry guys, but I think its time to think about selling your ps3 to buy an xbox, not the other way around. Thats just the way it is.

[Rsiller]

You must not own one. I have both therefore, I feel I can comment. Both systems have positive and negatives.

XBOX Pros
1. Game Library ? It?s on its 3rd year of its lifecycle what do you expect.
2. Online Gaming Community ? We pay $60 a year so it better be good.
3. HDMI ? No DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio so what?s the point?
4. Multimedia Center ? No to shabby.
5. Wireless ? Wish it had 802.11N.

PS3 Pros
1. Blu-Ray ? No Transformer yet.
2. Easily expandable HD ? I just wish I had something to download.
3. Free Online Gaming Community ? Not enough content and games to make it worth wild, but it?s free.
4. HDMI ? Rock on!!! DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio.
5. Web Browser ? Where is my freaking Flash player?
6. Bluetooth ? Thanks, but now my universal remote is not so universal.
7. Wireless ? Wish it had 802.11N.
8. Multimedia Center ? No to shabby.
9. Yellow Dog ? Let?s see you install an OS on your gaming console XBOX fan boy.
10. Power Supply ? Ha!!!!! Built-in ? eat your heart out Xbox.
11. SD, Memory Stick, and CF slots ? Great for watching por movies.
12. Quality ? No 3 reds lights of death here.

[RRosal]

MikeM1992: Spoken like a true Microsoft fanboi. Thanks for the wonderful words of enlightenment and making me look forward to a Microsoft-only world <gag>

[will2348]

As much as i like Sony i would have to agree with you. But i'm sure it won't be long until it is included in the next update. I ain't been on my PS3 for a while and i was shocked when i switched it on to find all of these different updates avaialble. In the way the PS3 is constantly being updated for free all the time is a big bonus since the xbox is barely ever updated.

[buddaman1260]

i agree with dan356! if you people dont like the ps3 then buy a 360!but i dont have the likes and dislike problems some of you people have .i have a ps3 in my living room and a xbox elite in my bedroom and a wii in my billards room.and i have a tivo hooked up to my 100+in lcd hdtv that just came out at the 2008 ces show in las vegas! and thats in my family room ..

[Earthanoid]

If you look at Sony's comments on the PS Store revamp, its just the beginning. They're going to be adding more stuff over time. This is also their M.O. with the PS3 and PSP, lots of regular and small patches, as opposed to WoW-style giant content patches at irregular intervals.

[ianim8]

IMHO I do not wish to download Movies or TV shows. The quality format does not match whats offered in BD format. If you own both systems this is all moot. If your just trolling to vent cause you bought the wrong system...these arent the droids your looking for ;)

[daciple]

To thoes who keep saying ps3 owners are upset or unhappy...LOL LOL LOL your so full of it...I freaking love my ps3...granted at this time the interface isnt on par w xbox but that is because HOME hasnt released yet...I cant belive noone mentioned this... Once HOME is relased then all xbox360 owners will be so upset that they cant get online with thier friends and WATCH all thier movies together...HOME will allow me to invite people into my avatrs online house and start up say 300 and we all get to watch it or listen to music or anything else!!!! Its gonna be just like an MMO game (Everquest, WOW) where all ps3 users load into a massive world where we can walk around talk to each other and we all have our own houses... Sony plans to dominate from now till 2015 with the ps3...Poor xbox owner will have to buy a whole brand new system in 2 yrs just to stay current with the ps3...jsut look at the sorry arse xbox 4yr life span....whats real funny is they are still relasing brand new games for ps2 and thats going on 3 yrs after the last xbox game was made....Also by the end of this year everyuone will say that ps3 is by far the best gaming console out...the only 2 things 360 has over ps3 now is games and online services.... HOME will end the 360 better online and if you check out the exclusives for ps3 vs 360 in the next 2yrs the ps3 will dominate!!! Last month the ps3 out sold the 360 and that is just the first month of many too come...Sony wasnt trying to win a sprint they are in it for the long haul...Mark my words you will see xbox360 2 come out 2-3 yrs b4 sony drops ps4....why??? XBOX360 isnt next gen....it was a toddler step from the xbox...ps3 is true next gen and will continue to set the bar till about 2015 when ps4 comes out and once again pwns anything mircosoft makes!!!!!!!

And too mikem1992....hahaha bluray isnt impressive *** are you smoking?? go watch apocolypto on a 1080p hdtv n tell me it looks anywhere near the same as dvd... like i said get ready to bury your 360 in 2 yrs and drop another 500-1000 on the 360 2 just so you can be current with what tsony released 4 yrs b4 it hahahahah

[daciple]

O yea i forgot to add.... Next year when i go buy a new game its gonna be one disc...all of the xbox360 owners will get to stop in mid game and reinsert one of the 3-5 disc that they will have to use cuz mircosoft was to stupid to actually invest in future technology for thier 360...hahaha lets see how many game developers are gonna wanna put out and pay for 6 disc for one game when they can fit all of it and some on a single bluray.....

XBOX360 CAN YOU SAY PWND!!!!!!!!

[daciple]

O yea i forgot to add.... Next year when i go buy a new game its gonna be one disc...all of the xbox360 owners will get to stop in mid game and reinsert one of the 3-5 disc that they will have to use cuz mircosoft was to stupid to actually invest in future technology for thier 360...hahaha lets see how many game developers are gonna wanna put out and pay for 6 disc for one game when they can fit all of it and some on a single bluray..... XBOX360 CAN YOU SAY PWND!!!!!!!!

ALSO i have left my ps3 run nonstop since i bought it in dec (I do folding@home always anyone who has ps3 knows about it...neone is welcome to join my team foldtribe team id 112828 just send me an invite to daciple on the psn) and its still working...How many xbox360 users can say that...ill go with NONE!!! hahaha say hi to the wonderful red lights when you try that you stuipid fanboys!!!!!!!

[reactor4]

I think people are leaving out the fact that many of the features that are standard on the PS3 are extra on the XBox 360. The wireless adapter is 99.00, Xbox live is $50 a year and XBox does not currently offer a BlueRay player and if one does come to market, I imagine it will be at least $150. I would not be surprised if they never come out with a BlueRay player for the Xbox360. Also the PS3 is still considered to worth the price for the BlueRay player alone. As for titles, GT5 comes out on Friday and many people will buy a PS3 just for that game alone.

Xbox360 with the first battle but the PS3 will win the war.

[ianim8]

Also of note....due to recent workload, Ive had my PS3 opened almost every day for:
checking online for updates, movie trailers, demo games, game updates, to watch BD/DVD (upscaled) and sadly a few hours of older games (again due to lack of time).
My Xbox Elite....its not even hooked up since January. Lent it to a friend to sell. Played it for a week then ended up buying a PS3 when he found out that HD-DUD imploded.
I obviously dont fit the criteria of a die-hard gamer, but I am a consumer.
And we always win ;)