Profile 2.0 support coming to PlayStation 3

Still no in game XMB!!!!!!!!!!! Sony stop being so damn anti consumer and listen to what your customers want.

Hmmm, I thought the last FW update made them 2.0 compatible? Guess not.

Ya well no in-game XMB doesn't cost the consumer any money. A new 2.0 Blu-Ray player because the PS3 doesn't support it does.

It will come soon enough, but this is probably more important to some...

Originally posted by ooZEROoo:

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Still no in game XMB!

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A highdefdigest member explains why implementing In-Game XMB is not as easy as it looks:

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Because to do it properly is not a trivial task. I work as an embedded systems programmer (not gaming, unfortunatly) but have a good understanding of the monumental task InGameXMB is. It's playing with the unpinnings of the PS3's operating system. Ensuring it works without affecting games past and present is quite a complicated task.

I'm sure if Sony had the choice, they would have prefered to delay the PS3, and have it in there from the outset, rather than leaving it out and retrofitting it later, with all the compatability issues they will have to deal with. However, delaying further was not an option....

My suspicion is, update 2.17 is a test update, where lots of changes have occured under the bonnet, which greatly lowers the memory footprint, Sony are monitoring things, and once confident nothing is broken, these extra resource savings will be used for Ingame XMB. Had they done both things at once, trying to determine if problems are related to reduced mem footprint work, or integration of XMB would be diffucult. Small steps....

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http://forums.highdefdigest.com/showthread.php?t=49262

Although BD-Live 2.0 was already expected, I'd be more amazed with DTS HD-MA decoding.

There are more details on the press release for the upcoming firmware.. one MAJOR change not mentioned here (at least for me) is the fact that DIVX files larger than 2gb will be playable!!

Here' a copy and paste:

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PLAYSTATION(R)3 To Support New Interactive Blu-ray Movie Features (BD-LIVE) With Upcoming System Software Update
PS3(TM) Owners Will Soon Enjoy Downloadable Movie Content, Games And More With Blu-ray Disc(TM) Profile 2.0; PS3's Interoperability With PSP(R) Will Also Be Enhanced

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that the next system software update for PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system, slated for release in late March, will add Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) Profile 2.0 or BD-LIVE, enabling PS3 owners to experience interactive features, such as downloadable video content, ringtones, games, and more. In addition to BD-LIVE, the system software update (v. 2.20) will enable photo and music playlists on PS3 to be copied to PSP(R)(PlayStation(R)Portable) handheld entertainment system, among other new features. These updates demonstrate how PS3 continues to evolve as a home entertainment hub with the flexibility to deliver the newest technology innovations that benefit PS3
owners.

"With Blu-ray established as the high-definition optical disc standard, more consumers are ready to jump in and take advantage of everything the format offers," said Scott A. Steinberg, vice president, product marketing, SCEA. "Whether you want to download movie extras, send ringtones to your phone, or play interactive games, BD-LIVE will offer exciting new ways to enjoy a Blu-ray movie. With these regular firmware updates and future-proofed technology, SCEA is making the 10-year lifecycle of PS3 possible."

BD Profile 2.0 requires an Internet connection and at least 1GB of local storage. The following features have all been demonstrated as possibilities with BD-Live and will vary by movie title.

-- A variety of downloadable content can be offered, including bonus scenes, shorts, trailers, subtitles, ringtones that can be sent to mobile phones, images, and more.
-- Interactive movie-based games can pit players who are sitting in the same room, or are across the world and online, against each other.

In conjunction with the PS3 firmware update, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is pleased to announce two BD-LIVE enabled titles to be released on April 8 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The 6th Day. Both titles will include exclusive downloadable content that goes beyond what is available on the actual Blu-ray discs. These initial releases preview some of the exciting new developments that will soon be available from BD-LIVE on Blu- ray disc.

Beyond BD-LIVE, the new system software update enhances PS3 system's interoperability with PSP system, enabling users to take their favorite music and photo playlists with them on-the-go with their PSP. To copy a playlist, PSP and PS3 must first be connected with a USB cable, and the PSP must be in USB mode. Then, on PS3, select "Copy" in the option menu of each music or photo playlist, and choose PSP as the destination. Now the playlist order, and the songs or photos themselves, will be accessible on the PSP's Memory Stick PRO Duo anytime, anywhere. This new functionality makes it easer than ever to share media content between the two systems.

The following new features will also be included in the system software update.
-- "Resume play" will enable PS3 system to start playing a Blu-ray disc and DVD at the point it was stopped, even if the disc had been removed.(*1)
-- "Audio Output Device" will be a new Remote Play setting, enabling PSP to serve as a remote control for music played through PS3.
-- PS3 system's Internet browser will be enhanced: Video files directly linked from a Web page will be able to be streamed, and the browser's view speed will be improved.
-- DivX and WMV format videos that are larger than 2GB will be playable.
-- "Mosquito Noise Reduction" will be added as an AV setting in the control panel of the DVD/BD player for improved movie playback.(*2)


*1 BD-J format disc is not supported.
*2 BD discs recorded with BDMV format are not supported.

About PS3 and PSP System Software Updates

PS3 and PSP systems were designed to continually evolve with regular system software updates that deliver new features. There's no additional investment required from consumers, who simply update their systems and can immediately enjoy the benefits of the added functionality. This process lengthens the lifecycle of PS3 and PSP, and consumers no longer have to worry about their hardware becoming outdated or missing out on exciting new capabilities. SCEA will continue to release system software updates on an ongoing basis. For further details and instructions on how to update the PS3 and PSP system software, please visit us.playstation.com.

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Originally posted by vinny13:

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Ya well no in-game XMB doesn't cost the consumer any money. A new 2.0 Blu-Ray player because the PS3 doesn't support it does.

It will come soon enough, but this is probably more important to some...

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I wasn't saying anything about more money. All PS3 owners have been wanting the same thing for some time now. I love my playstation products but I can't stand Sony

Originally posted by vinny13:

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Ya well no in-game XMB doesn't cost the consumer any money. A new 2.0 Blu-Ray player because the PS3 doesn't support it does.

It will come soon enough, but this is probably more important to some...

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You been boozen Vinny? I had to read that second part about 2.0 players a couple times to make out what you where trying to say.

Well there has to be like around 1 million people by now who bought a PS3 mainly for Blu-Ray... I could care less really but I'm pretty sure they'd be pissed just like everyone who doesn't own a compatible stand-alone

THought this first few sentences where a little redundant.... it says "The new version 2.2 firmware update will add Internet features that are expected with upcoming Blu-ray movies. " well of course if it is going to be spec 2 then it must but you write it like it is above & beyond spec 2 of BR!

Originally posted by ripxrush:

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THought this first few sentences where a little redundant.... it says "The new version 2.2 firmware update will add Internet features that are expected with upcoming Blu-ray movies. " well of course if it is going to be spec 2 then it must but you write it like it is above & beyond spec 2 of BR!

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I think you're confusing the firmware number with the profile number. They're totally different things.

For example:

PS3 Firmware # 2.1 - added Profile 1.1 to the PS3
PS3 Firmware # 2.2 - adds Profile 2.0 BD-Live to the PS3

http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/12201.cfm

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...new interesting playback memory feature will let users resume Blu-ray and DVD titles from a paused point even if the movie has been ejected since the last time it was viewed.

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I have a Sony DVD player - part of a surround sound entertainment center - that already does that. Either way, cool. I still have yet to purchase a PS3 though. Waiting for the price to drop even more.

Glad to see this. To me the PS3 remains the best Bluray player on the market, which is a good thing as I'm use it to watch Blurays.

As far as XMB goes, I frankly couldn't care less. I don't really feel like it's something I need as a user. I play a game and when I'm done, quite the game and go back to the XMB. I also hardly play online so XMB for me is pretty much on the bottom of the priority list.

Originally posted by vinny13:

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Well there has to be like around 1 million people by now who bought a PS3 mainly for Blu-Ray... I could care less really but I'm pretty sure they'd be pissed just like everyone who doesn't own a compatible stand-alone

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no one brought it for blu - ray .. blu-ray was forced upon us. also HD-DVD was out . so why you they choosen blu-ray?

Originally posted by kyo28:

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As far as XMB goes, I frankly couldn't care less. I don't really feel like it's something I need as a user. I play a game and when I'm done, quite the game and go back to the XMB. I also hardly play online so XMB for me is pretty much on the bottom of the priority list.

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Same here.I dont care at all.
I found it useless

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no one brought it for blu - ray .. blu-ray was forced upon us. also HD-DVD was out . so why you they choosen blu-ray?

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I bought it solely for blu ray so I must be the only consumer in the world who did that - either way , it immediately invalidates your argument - did you interview every PS3 owner in the world to arrive at that assertion ? No ? I didn´t think so :)

I purchased a PS3 as a game machine first, and as a media center a close second.
I'm happy that in-game XMB is coming eventually. It is not the end of the world if it does not come...but it is just another neat feature.

I could care less about some of the other add-on like the point system and rewards. That is Sony trying to copy MS in my book.

But the disc resume is a HUGE feature...because the PS3 was lacking it out of the box. $25.00 DVD players from Wal-Mart have it...but the PS3 didn't....until now.

My 60gb PS3 (not all PS3's can play everything) is simply the best all around media player available. CD's, CD-R's, CD-RW's, DVD's, DVD-R's, DVD-RW's, SACD's, and now Blu-Ray 2.0. Uncompressed Audio, upconversion of DVD's, full 1080p hi-def video. Divx files of any size now that can be held on the HDD or streamed from a computer.

The only thing missing on the media playback side is bitstreaming DTS-HD MA. Hopefully that will come in a future update.

I'm also excited to see what the enhanced video streaming from on the web browser looks like. If I can start streaming music video from the internet directly to the PS3...I'll be in heaven.

I am another that bought the PS3 for it's media capabilities over it's games. The main reason I got it was that since getting an HDTV I needed an upscaling DVD player. The highest rated ones were the Oppo players, going for around $230. For $170 more I could get a machine that played Blu-Ray, acted as a media center, and played games too - it was an easy choice. So far there have just been a handfull of games that I wanted to play, but I have switched to renting Blu-Ray when available from Netflix.

The in-game XMB isn't high on my list of priorities, and even when it is implemented I doubt if I will use it any if at all, maybe to change soundtracks in a racing game would be about all I can think of - give me Deep Purple's Highway Star or Golden Earring's Twilight Zone instead of the song list with the racing game.

The DVD/Blu-Ray resume was high on my list of wanted features.

Originally posted by PantherM:

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The only thing missing on the media playback side is bitstreaming DTS-HD MA. Hopefully that will come in a future update.

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Unfortunately the Silicon Image Si9132 HDMI 1.3 transmitter chip used in the PS3 will not allow bitstream transmission of the advanced audio codecs. You need the Si9134 chip for bitstream transmission.

All we can hope for now is for DTS-HD MA to be decoded in the player and transmitted thru HDMI. Dolby True HD decoding has already been implemented in a previous software update.

Originally posted by eatsushi:

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Originally posted by PantherM:

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The only thing missing on the media playback side is bitstreaming DTS-HD MA. Hopefully that will come in a future update.

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Unfortunately the Silicon Image Si9132 HDMI 1.3 transmitter chip used in the PS3 will not allow bitstream transmission of the advanced audio codecs. You need the Si9134 chip for bitstream transmission.

All we can hope for now is for DTS-HD MA to be decoded in the player and transmitted thru HDMI. Dolby True HD decoding has already been implemented in a previous software update.

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I've read something along those lines before....and that is my biggest concern. I'll take what I can get....heck my receiver is so old (5 years) right now that it is not a big deal for me anyway. Regular DTS in 5.1 via optical is the best I can do at the moment.

Originally posted by eatsushi:

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Unfortunately the Silicon Image Si9132 HDMI 1.3 transmitter chip used in the PS3 will not allow bitstream transmission of the advanced audio codecs. You need the Si9134 chip for bitstream transmission.

All we can hope for now is for DTS-HD MA to be decoded in the player and transmitted thru HDMI. Dolby True HD decoding has already been implemented in a previous software update.

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Wow, I wasn't aware of this as I don't have a TrueHD receiver (yet! :-P). I can't understand the logic though. The PS3 can send regular Dolby Digital and DTS as bitstream through the HDMI cable. It can also send PCM up to 7.1 along the HDMI cable. Isn't it a simple case of "passing on" the audio to the receiver? I mean, surely this technology isn't *that* advanced. It should have been an obvious addition to include bitstream TrueHD in the PS3.

I am a little disappointed that this isn't made clearer on the PS3 website (online manual). I am a very careful consumer and I scrutinised the online instruction manual before I made my purchase. Nowhere does it say "Note: Dolby TrueHD is not able to be output as bitstream". This is what the manual says...

Originally posted by PS3 Online Manual:

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BD / DVD Audio Output Format (HDMI)

Set the audio output format to use when playing a BD or DVD containing audio recorded in Dolby Digital or DTS format. This setting is used when an audio output device is connected to the system via an HDMI cable.

Bitstream: Set to output audio with the original digital signal prioritized.

Linear PCM: Set to output audio by converting the digital signal to Linear PCM format.

Hint:
If [Bitstream] is selected, some portions of the audio content may not be output.

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That ^ in my books is nowhere near clear enough. :-(

Reference Link: http://manuals.playstation.net/document/...tings.html#1470

I love my playstation products but I can't stand Sony

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sony's evil huh. they are like bullies of the industry just aiming to do bad with everything they set out to...

-_-*

Originally posted by juankerr:

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Although BD-Live 2.0 was already expected, I'd be more amazed with DTS HD-MA decoding.

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Agreed. BD-Live 2.0 is good but I'd rather see onboard DTS-HD MA decoding.

i hear alot of people say the PS3 is junk--cuz after a few months the games stop reading andno longer play--is this the problem for every console made from sony??? all ps3's???? what seems to be the reason for this?

Originally posted by bpanther:

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i hear alot of people say the PS3 is junk--cuz after a few months the games stop reading andno longer play--is this the problem for every console made from sony??? all ps3's???? what seems to be the reason for this?

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Sony has always had laser problems with their consoles, but it isn't consistent in all of them. Some people are just unlucky. The PS3 failure rate is like barely 1-2% people say...

Originally posted by bpanther:

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i hear alot of people say the PS3 is junk--cuz after a few months the games stop reading andno longer play--is this the problem for every console made from sony??? all ps3's???? what seems to be the reason for this?

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If by PS3 you mean PS2, then yes. Otherwise no.
I believe there was one batch of 40GB consoles that had some kind of major fault but other than that no other significant issues have arisen yet.

@vinny13
I have several 10+ year old PS1's that would disagree with that comment, Only the PS2 has laser issues.

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Originally posted by bpanther:

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i hear alot of people say the PS3 is junk--cuz after a few months the games stop reading andno longer play--is this the problem for every console made from sony??? all ps3's???? what seems to be the reason for this?

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If by PS3 you mean PS2, then yes. Otherwise no.
I believe there was one batch of 40GB consoles that had some kind of major fault but other than that no other significant issues have arisen yet.

@vinny13
I have several 10+ year old PS1's that would disagree with that comment, Only the PS2 has laser issues.

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Me too. Mine has a mod chip :)

I read though that many had that problem with PS1s too... Definitely not as big as the PS2 though...

What's the deal with all the constant bickering about in game XMB? That should be pretty much #0 priority. Who seriously cares? I don't. I bought a PS3 just beccause I do like Sony and their products. Now, bear in mind I'm no fanboy as I do happily own a Wii and use to own a 360 but seriously, complaining over something as small as in XMB support is just plain silly.

Originally posted by xblade132:

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What's the deal with all the constant bickering about in game XMB? seriously, complaining over something as small as in XMB support is just plain silly.

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well what else is a fanboy to do to fill his time until Mommy shouts from downstairs that dinner is ready ? ;)

The PS3 2.2 Software Update is now available. Just hook up your PS3's and download.

Originally posted by domie:

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Originally posted by xblade132:

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What's the deal with all the constant bickering about in game XMB? seriously, complaining over something as small as in XMB support is just plain silly.

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well what else is a fanboy to do to fill his time until Mommy shouts from downstairs that dinner is ready ? ;)

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lol....

Ooo....goodies. With these new features, my PS3 is proving itself a good purchase. Lovin the DivX update! Now my PS3 rivals my chipped XBOX 1 as a media center!

In addition to BD-Live support, the 2.2 update adds support for the LTH BluRay recordable disc:

http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/13371.cfm

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Sony slips LTH Blu-ray recordable disc support in 2.20 PS3 update

While BD-Live got the majority of the attention in the PlayStation 3's 2.20 firmware update, it appears Sony has made another important addition by implementing support for cheaper organic dye-based LTH (Low to High) Blu-ray recordable discs. These version 1.2 BD-R's, announced back in September, are manufactured with a different process that allows plants to upgrade CD and DVD equipment more easily. Existing Blu-ray players can't read the discs, which debuted in Japan last month, without a firmware update. Sony Japan's upgrade web site notes the new support, confirmed by AV Watch; although it went unmentioned in U.S. press materials, we'd assume the upgrade made it over here for any of those looking to burn (slightly) cheaper Blu discs.

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Originally posted by emugamer:

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Ooo....goodies. With these new features, my PS3 is proving itself a good purchase. Lovin the DivX update! Now my PS3 rivals my chipped XBOX 1 as a media center!

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"Rivals"? ... more like disembowels lol!

I stopped using my Modded Xbox after the divx feature became available.... but I still have fond memories of it.

Originally posted by Hunt720:

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Originally posted by emugamer:

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Ooo....goodies. With these new features, my PS3 is proving itself a good purchase. Lovin the DivX update! Now my PS3 rivals my chipped XBOX 1 as a media center!

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"Rivals"? ... more like disembowels lol!

I stopped using my Modded Xbox after the divx feature became available.... but I still have fond memories of it.

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Disembowelment would be when mkv is supported. (is it yet? did I miss the press release?....no, really)

/saddened by image of xbox disembowelment :-(

Originally posted by emugamer:

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Disembowelment would be when mkv is supported. (is it yet? did I miss the press release?....no, really)

/saddened by image of xbox disembowelment :-(

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I have explained this many times, it is impossible to license Matroska (mkv) support because...

1) It is a completely open container format, meaning it has the ability to support any combination of elementary streams. To add support for Matroska would mean running a OS platform with downloadable access to any codec you wish. We all know (because of licensing issues) that this could never happen on the PS3 or any other stand alone player.

2) It is open source, meaning there is no international standard that governs it. This is enough reason for Sony to not want to touch it.

If Sony or any other company does eventually offer some support for Matroska, it will certainly come with limitations and probably offer no benefit over the container formats already supported.

So there is no way that the PS3 Ubuntu or YDL could someday support it? Because I wasn't referring to a Sony update. I was referring to using the PS3 as a media center in general.

Originally posted by emugamer:

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So there is no way that the PS3 Ubuntu or YDL could someday support it? Because I wasn't referring to a Sony update. I was referring to using the PS3 as a media center in general.

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Yes, that is indeed possible. As you also stated, I was referring to the PS3 officially supporting it by Sony. However, anything is possible with unofficial platforms. :-D

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Originally posted by emugamer:

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So there is no way that the PS3 Ubuntu or YDL could someday support it? Because I wasn't referring to a Sony update. I was referring to using the PS3 as a media center in general.

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Yes, that is indeed possible. As you also stated, I was referring to the PS3 officially supporting it by Sony. However, anything is possible with unofficial platforms. :-D

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Yeah, so as a media center, my upscaling XBOX 1 is still fighting for a place next to my 26" HDTV and my PS3 only has the slight advantage of playing blu-ray, but that's not a criticaly important feature to me yet.

Originally posted by emugamer:

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Yeah, so as a media center, my upscaling XBOX 1 is still fighting for a place next to my 26" HDTV and my PS3 only has the slight advantage of playing blu-ray, but that's not a criticaly important feature to me yet.

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If you feel that having Blu-ray is a "slight" advantage then you are entitled to your opinion but there are many others who feel very different. Given the fact that your TV is of the smaller variety (26"), then in your case your statement could indeed be considered fair.

Just out of curiousity, does the XBox support Matroska (as you used as a point against the PS3 media's capabilities previously)? Hmmm... Didn't think so. For obvious reasons which I have already pointed out.

Did you know that it's very much possible to convert a 720p/1080p MKV file into a playable file on the PS3? Often times all that is required is simply re-muxing the streams directly into a new container or authoring them onto a Blu-ray or AVCHD (BD-5/BD-9) disc. The PS3's media capabilities annihalate anything on the market right now.

I am not meaning to be anti XBox in any way. I am in no way motivated by immature fan boy emotions. On the contrary seeing someone say that the PS3 only has a slight advantage over a XBox 1 in media capabilities sounds quite obscure to me.

Originally posted by Ryu77:

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If you feel that having Blu-ray is a "slight" advantage then you are entitled to your opinion but there are many others who feel very different.

Just out of curiousity, does the Xbox support Matroska? Hmmm... Didn't think so.

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Yes, throughout my post, I used the words "my" and "me." I'm not speaking for anyone else. Blu-ray is only a slight advantage for "me" now because "I" don't have any bluray movies "yet." I'm sure there are others who feel that the blu-ray is a huge advantage. More power to them. And yes, I realilze the hardware limitations of the XBOX, and why it doesn't support Matroska.

Originally posted by Ryu77:

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Did you know that it's very much possible to convert a 720p/1080p MKV file into a playable file on the PS3? Often times all that is required is simply re-muxing the streams directly into a new container or authoring them onto a Blu-ray or AVCHD (BD-5/BD-9) disc. The PS3's media capabilities annihalate anything on the market right now.

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I did not know that. I will do some research, but already it sounds like a little too much effort for the time I have available. Sounds very interesting!

I was editing my post as you posted. I added in the point about your statements could well be true for you.

In regards to the re-muxing process for the PS3, sometimes it can be very easy if you already have compliant streams.

Dela just made a very simple guide for tsMuxeR: http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/...ation_3_ps3.cfm

I also have a whole thread dedicated to this application: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/621809

Originally posted by Ryu77:

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I was editing my post as you posted. I added in the point about your statements could well be true for you.

In regards to the re-muxing process for the PS3, sometimes it can be very easy if you already have compliant streams.

Dela just made a very simple guide for tsMuxeR: http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/...ation_3_ps3.cfm

I also have a whole thread dedicated to this application: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/621809

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Very nice...thanks for the info. I've had my PS3 for a little over a month, but have been swamped with work the past 3 weeks and haven't had a chance to really pick it apart. Learning more every day!