Firmware update 2.3

nedd

Anyone get this yet? This change is updating the layout of the Playstation Store, but is there any new content?

Otacon

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055274740

This is the major update.

Mossy Monk

Content isn't usually added to a Thursday so it wouldn't surprise me if the PSN store has nothing new.

big_moe

is it just me or....

when i did the software update, under where it says "changes" it had the all the info for the new playstation store but it didnt mention the DTS-HD MA update... is this update done but it just doesnt tell you??

cheers
adam

McDermotX

Yeah...pretty much..
For the vast majority, the PSN Store update is the big part of the update (nicely done as well I suppose)..
The DTS-HD MA decoder has been enabled and, for the most part, is excellently implemented. As expected, decoding is done on-board, so nearly all HDMI amps capable of accepting multi-channel PCM are catered for..

One small caveat with the update is a minor one at present, but we may see another smaller (2.3x) update before 2.40 relating to perfected 7.1 DTS-HD MA decoding..
At the moment the decoder is processing 7.1 DTS tracks (such as Pan's Labyrinth and Shoot 'em Up) and outputting them as 5.1 LPCM. Familiar issue, as this was seen before with standalone players with DTS decoding and New Line discs due to incorrect flagging, and in both cases a small firmware update was required..
Still doing my own testing around this, but it appears to be an issue most people are seeing on the AV forums..

Other than that, a very nice job by Sony and DTS..

de5p0i1er

I got it today, the first thing it made me do was update GT5.

Mossy Monk

There was a GT5 update released aswell I have read. Makes graphical improvements and includes extra online events. Not been home yet to see for myself.

AtomicHorror

The store looks a lot better but it still seems to be pretty slow. Thumbnail loading time is abysmal. A step in the right direction though.

McDermotX

TBH,
I've found the thumbnail loading is comparable with Live Marketplace's icon loading........however, what Sony could do is find a way of displaying the name of the icon, prior to the thumbnail buffering in, in the same way as Marketplace..
Of course, the best way to do it would be to cache in the icons on the HDD as needed meaning you would an instantaneous display at all times..........................................but that would only make sense, so don't expect it !

At least you can highlight blank icons and see a description, so its not holding the user back, but they could optimize it a little more..
Of course, the fact the networks are getting hammered today may be causing an issue, so we'll have to see what happens over the next few days or so..

Downloaded that GT5 update earlier, seems to fix a few things going on what the description said, but nothing jumped out at me..
I suppose we'll have more than a few people having issues downloading it (ala the first update), but I cannot understand that..
I mean, I'm sure that people have issues getting downloaded content down from time to time, but I cannot recall ever having an issue with speed or timeouts across PSN or XBL (beyond known downtime anyway)..

unklerosco

I've only just gotten a PS3 and I'd pay an anual fee to have an online service like my 360... I find it quite fustrating how slow it can be. Downloads take an age and I haven't really been in the store cause its so god damn slow...

Is there any reason its like this???

AtomicHorror

unklerosco wrote: »

I've only just gotten a PS3 and I'd pay an anual fee to have an online service like my 360... I find it quite fustrating how slow it can be. Downloads take an age and I haven't really been in the store cause its so god damn slow...

Is there any reason its like this???

In my experience the download speed is grand. Never timed it but it's never stood out as noticeably slower than my PC downloads.

McDermotX

Well,
hardly a day goes by when someone hasn't a thread running about some network connection issues with the PS3..
Personally I'm running a Belkin N1 network which caters for a couple of PS3s (both on wireless), a 360 (wired), 2 PCs, Wii, HD DVD, PSP, Laptop etc etc etc, all with assigned IPs and have never ran into the issues people are seeing..

Downloads from PSN and XBL are comparable in speed, media streaming to devices from PC are handled fine (although the PS3 certainly enjoys the edge over the 360 in that regard)..
Gaming-wise, I wouldn't spend so much time lately online, but both services offer a decent service (of course XBL has its Friends list support and internal messaging, which some people need desperately....but not exactly something which is top of my list)........Both decent services, but they don't offer the flexibility of PC online of course..

I suppose whether or not people think the annual fee to XBL is worth it depends greatly on how much they play online......if its a main part of their time on the console, they see it as a small fee which their fine to waive. Where as in truth, its a peer to peer service which is abused by a fairly large number of idiots online affecting both its enjoyment and its smooth, lag-free gameplay.. Hosting is no more than at a basic level on MS' part, and yet they charge an extorionate fee....................that is not meant to be a put down of the 360 platform, just an observation on a service which has no business being charged for and spends far too much time down than MS should really be allowed to considering the outlay (take over Christmas for example)..

But like I say, gameplay-wise they both offer a similar performance online with some useful infrastructure on XBL's part, although it probably won't be too long until Sony offers similar bells and whistles..

On another note, I feel people have been too used to complaining about lack of content on the PSN as opposed to XBL without looking at some of the facts. I suppose thats true if the latest gamer pictures are your bag !......but I think the last few things I've bothered downloading on XBL have been a couple of Live Arcade jobs, whereas PSN provided Condemned 2, UEFA, Sega Tennis etc demos well in advance of XBL demo releases.
Granted some effort is needed to setup your foreign accounts, but even still even with US accounts on the XBL, I've been severely disappointed with content on XBL too as of late..

I would suggest to most people who have slow downloads etc across PSN to really go over your network at home and your PS3 settings, as there may be something amiss..

Sorry for the rant.....I appreciate both platforms, services etc, but I forever see this perception of the PSN being slow that I just cannot agree with for the most part..

cc

got the GT update also, would be handy when choosing to download if the gave you the file size first or how long the download is likey to last. Would save me wondering if its an especially big file or slow connection etc

kasm

Super stardust was updated as well.

unklerosco

McDermot... What settings are you using??

They way I see it is that the 360 was made for online play, it was a big selling point of the orig Xbox and is the same with the 360.. The Ps3 is the first PS to try n get into the online side of things so I'd expect it to take a while for Sony to get it to Microsofts stds...

The speed is the main thing for me, the store takes an age to show its icons... Updates take a good bit longer to download than they do on my mac... And I get far to many failed downloads.. I'd 3 with the update yesterday. I wont even start on the GT update(joke) and I'd a few with the first update when I got it(last sunday)

One other thing I notice is that when I'm downloading a demo etc it hogs my bandwidth... When downloading stuff off the 360 u'd never notice it but if the PS3 is doing it u feel it on everything else on the network...

McDermotX

unklerosco wrote: »

McDermot... What settings are you using??

Nothing overly complicated unklerosco,
all devices on my network are allocated static IP addresses.....both PS3s operate wirelessly with type NAT2 connections, UPnP enabled, MTU automatic etc..
The 360 is in the DMZ with an open NAT and performs equally as well in the downloading and online gaming stakes..
Both platforms have no issues during the individual in-built connection tests, which leads me to believe that a lot of people who have systems that fail PSN connection test but can still login, are probably having an issue not directly related to their console config.......more so their own network..

The other possibility that some people overlook is that its their ISP at fault (or at least restricting their service)..
I'm using an Eircom connection and have been for years.......there may be cheaper out there, but reliability is my primary concern and always has been, and I've never been let down by my Eircom connection in that regard..
I wonder how many people with issues are with IBB or one of the others.........I know some people regard Eircom to have issues with their PS3 network access, but I believe its more than that..
Perhaps their modem routers are not entirely blameless or they're using connections through their main PCs (never a good idea for either console)..

Dunno about PSN downloads hogging bandwidth either, there is slowdown on my end on the network as to be expected, but no more than what is seen when downloading over XBL or any other device on the network ?..
For example the second GT update that was released yesterday was down (first time) in approx 10mins, all the while surfing on the main PC..

Are you using wireless or wired ? If the former, there may be some investigation needed on your enviroment....if the latter, maybe there is some other factor at work..

thewheel2.0

McDermotX wrote: »

I'm running a Belkin N1 network

Is it any good? Im using the bog standerd router that comes with eircoms broadband, i have a connetion speed of 2mb. If i buy this will it make a huge difference in my connection to the Ps3.
Also is the range good? i can get 60% coverage tops in my room would the N1 increase this?

McDermotX

thewheel2.0 wrote: »

Is it any good? Im using the bog standerd router that comes with eircoms broadband, i have a connetion speed of 2mb. If i buy this will it make a huge difference in my connection to the Ps3.
Also is the range good? i can get 60% coverage tops in my room would the N1 increase this?

No problems with the Eircom service anyway thewheel,
I've always been comfortable with Belkin, so when the time last came to replace the previous router, I went for the N1..
You do get a greater range, although we are still talking about normal sized houses here........but you'll only see the speed advantage with compatible N wireless devices..
PS3's are only 802.11g standard, but the modem router has no issues at all accommodating legacy standards. At the moment the router is in the same room as the PS3s so it always maintains a 100% connection, outside the room it never dips below 80-90%..
Of course, every enviroment is different, multiple wireless devices could interfere with its range or condition as well as external forces..

I've always advised any new broadband owners to ditch the router that came with the bundle as in the majority of cases, they are of cheaper construction and features, but then again, I'm not sure what router Eircom supply these days..

thewheel2.0

McDermotX wrote: »

I've always advised any new broadband owners to ditch the router that came with the bundle as in the majority of cases, they are of cheaper construction and features, but then again, I'm not sure what router Eircom supply these days..

Its a netopia 2247NWG ya im thinking of splashing out for an N1. Where did you get it? Was it cheaper than normal or is it the same price every where?

eddhorse

You should get a router/access point that has two antennae, this helps against multipath and collisions. You should see a better range also.

McDermotX

thewheel2.0 wrote: »

Its a netopia 2247NWG ya im thinking of splashing out for an N1. Where did you get it? Was it cheaper than normal or is it the same price every where?

Can't remember exactly where I bought it.....more than likely online..
Komplett are doing it for about €150.....might have been around €180 when I bought it a while back
No doubt, other people may have good experiences with other makes, but I've never had an issue with this model........provides me with everything I need for both wireless and wired.
But I don't think anyone can really judge a router until they use for a length of time since a lot of factors come into it......ISP, strength of signal, wireless devices, interference

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=299342