PlayStation 3 Now "Most Advanced" Blu-ray Player
Here's another reason you want to be especially wary of unsourced chatter on the Internet. First, you may have encountered certain persons (PR plants in disguise? Is that too paranoid?) claiming HD DVD wasn't going anywhere in the wake of the format's early 2008 studio sponsorship meltdown. Of course it now seems that even the people suggesting HD DVD was in serious trouble may have been too conservative, given that the entire edifice effectively collapsed overnight.
Then you had the occasional wander-by planting rumors that the PlayStation 3 Blu-ray drive was going to somehow be incompatible with upcoming changes to the Blu-ray format and thereby future Blu-ray discs, and that buying a PS3 for Blu-ray was simply an exercise in planned obsolescence.
Well surprise, it's called "upgradeable firmware," which lets Sony update the PS3 to Blu-ray 2.0 profile compliance courtesy version 2.20 of the console's system software.
What's BD Live? Think "Internet" for your video playback device, where the discs themselves contain code that can access the Internet and increase your "interactive experience." Which -- since the PS3 already is Internet-enabled -- may turn out to be less of a big deal and more of a formality for Sony than it'll be for upcoming standalone players.
Of course Sony's standalones probably aren't worth your dime at $400 to $500 a pop. Given the choice between a standalone player and a PS3, who wouldn't buy the dramatically feature-superior PS3 for the same or less? The 40GB PS3 is generally sold for less than $400. How much do you want to wager that price drops (or Sony intros a cheaper entry-level model) by year's end?
Per Sony's official PlayStation blog, other features/enhancements coming in Firmware v2.20:
- The ability to copy PS3 Music and Photo playlists to a PSP system. We introduced the ability to create Music and Photo playlists on the PS3 in firmware update v2.0. Now you can easily export your playlists to your PSP. (Me: Cool, but it still won't supplant my iPod shuffle, which I clip into a lightweight pair of Monster headphones when I go running.)
- You can now play DivX and WMV format files that are over 2 GB. In addition, you can now display subtitles when viewing DivX files. (Me: And you'll be getting DivX movies that utilize subtitle files from where exactly? Assuming you're thinking what I'm thinking, this seems like kind of a bold support move on Sony's part.)
- Resume Play - begin playing a DVD or BD disc from the point where you previously stopped it, even if you eject the disc and insert a different movie or game. (Me: And you can optionally turn this off if you want to, right? Now how about a "skip all the bologna at the beginning of the disc," including the FBI warning, once you've viewed it at least once?)
- Use your PSP as a remote control to play back your music files on your PS3 without turning on your TV. (Me: Almost typed "boh-ring" until I digested the part about not turning on the TV, which suddenly upgrades this to "must-have" for me.)
- The Internet browser now displays some web pages faster. In addition [Save Target] has been added as an option under file. This option lets you save a file that is linked to a web page to your PS3 hard drive or storage media. (Me: Saving files to your PS3's hard drive = fantastic-o! But browsing the Internet on a TV, even a high-def one = still clumsy-o.)
The only thing missing? PS2 backward-compatibility for the 40GB PS3. Call me insensitive to the "here's how Sony makes a buck so it can " argument, because it's simply unacceptable that Sony's still blocking this, when a simple software update could add it back and remedy an irksome up-sell gimmick.
Replay
Agree? Disagree? Have your say below in comments, visit Wake the Happy Words for expanded dialogue, or pelt me with emails here
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Hey have oyu heard anything about "Home" lately? I'd thought it be here by now. Did I miss a delay announcement?
I agree with your comments on this to the most part.
It does bug me that the 40gb PS3 can't play PS2 games, combined with the high price and lack of any must have games, I'm still waiting to get a PS3. Once the Gran Turismo comes out, hopefully Sony will reduce the PS3 price by $50 or so at the same time, then I'll probably finally buy one. The built in Blue Ray player is good, but not enough of an incentive on its own for me. Content sells, and I want great games that aren't available on the Xbox.
In the interim I'll keep having fun playing my tired old PS2 and my Nintendo Wii!
P.S. Microsoft sucks.
Yes, home releases in july 08. It is a fact btw
lilwacko, why dont you give up your sony fanboyism and just buy a 360 AND a PS3, that way you get great games for BOTH of them.. you get your high end simulators and upcoming RPG's for the PS3 and your straight up awesome everything else for the 360. thats what i did, although its kinda hard for me to play both systems all the time. i end up playing my 360 more cause there really arent any good games for the PS3. but warhawk is fun. but i was disappointed in heavenly sword because it has the graphics of a PS2 title....
Sweet! Looks like my recent decision to purchase a 40GB PS3 to function solely as a BD/media player was a smart move.
Heavenly sword... Graphics of a PS2 Title???!!!!! What Game were YOU playing? the graphics owned, and the cinematics were that of an A rate Movie. Please remove head from sphincter before commenting next. thanks
And might i add to the "No games" comment. Shall I explore say, Uncharted, Hot Shots Golf, Resistance Fall of Man, Motorstorm, among the absolute slaying of exclusive titles coming out in the near future, Haze, Killzone 2, Gran Turismo 5 (Prologue and Full) Metal Gear Solid 4, Little Big Planet, HoME... Not to mention the Final Fantasy games which have always pushed both the graphics envelope and the the storyline too. Once again, think before you speak
its funny to think that in '99 we were talking about ps2 s dvd
the way we are talking about bluray. in two years we will have one for each tv at $50 apice
think im lying? do you use your ps2 as your only dvd player?
I do own a ps3 buy the way 60 gb model and love it mg4 baby!!
that in itself is worth the price of admission!
though blu ray is a nice feature but not a reason to go out and get a $500 player
I do own a ps3 buy the way 60 gb model and love it mg4 baby!!
that in itself is worth the price of admission!
though blu ray is a nice feature but not a reason to go out and get a $500 player
"[Yuffiek133] but i was disappointed in heavenly sword because it has the graphics of a PS2 title...."
I Agree with "theoboley", Heavenly Sword was awesome, the graphics are sweet and character modeling was fantastic. Hell, even the actor who did Golem in the LOTR Trilogy did the Mokap acting for King Bohan. Even the "God of War" style of gameplay fit really well into Heavenly Sword.
The only problem I had with the game was that it was to short. I could have played it for hours more.
Only one thing matters in terms of PS3 firmware updates right now: "Where the hell is the PS2 backwards compatible enabling update."
PSone is supported, future features of BD tech will keep coming in firmware updates, making the PS3 a PS2 backwards compatible system should have been a huge selling point but here we are waiting and hoping with no relief in site. ! WHAT ! ! THE ! ! HELL !
I'm not a gamer but got the 40GB PS3 solely for blu-ray DVDs. It was the best player for the money at $399. I don't recommend it for a non-tech type person for blu-ray only since setup and operation are not as simple as a standalone player. I extremely pleased with it and upgraded to 2.20 today. Not sure I got the resume play working since I have to watch all the FBI warning again.