PlayStation 3 firmware 3.0 walkthrough video

Published 1 September, 2009 Duration 4:42

Sony's latest update is the last major one of 2009. We take a spin through the changes.

Comments (42) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Arwin #1 2 years ago

    Quick, install the free Afrika theme from the JPN store, and all will be well. ;) (looks AWESOME)

  • MasterNameless #2 2 years ago

    So no integrated Skype yet for cross game chat? That's the thing I'm most looking forward to tbh... The BBC iplayer looks pretty good though, may get some use out of that.

  • penhalion #3 2 years ago

    I haven't switched on my PS3 yet. It's awesome!

    Seriously though, what the heck is awesome about the BBC iPlayer?

  • JohnnyWashnGo #4 2 years ago

    WTF is it with all those sparkly things?

    Whomever considered that a worthy addition to the firmware needs a serious talking to.

  • MasterNameless #5 2 years ago

    There's nothing awesome about the iplayer I don't think... like many other things on the PS3, it's vaguely useful. Especially for the very lazy :/

    They really need to work more on the cross game voice chat, and no doubt other things too, that would actually be useful when playing games. That is what the console is supposed to be for primarily. Come on Sony!

    I'm assuming they fixed some other issues, connectivity/HDMI settings and stuff, but I don't think I had any problems there anyway, so I don't really care what they did in that area personally...

  • Bazfrag #6 2 years ago

    iplayer, 4 on demand etc has replaced normal telly for me.

  • mingster #7 2 years ago

    The grey boxes round the friends list look nasty

  • Scrumhalf #8 2 years ago

    iPlayer looks like it is juts a link to the website? If so that is very disappointing - the video quality on that has always been terrible on my PS3 :(

  • sonmi451 #9 2 years ago

    i would really like to see some stronger features to help organise my photos and videos. Some kind of folder creation tool would be great. i'd also like to be able to customise which icons i can see, e.g. i'd like to turn off 'photo gallery', 'Home' and a few others that I don't ever use. Do Sony have a PS3 firmware suggestion forum?

  • bnazir #10 2 years ago

    This update is utter pants! Hardly worth the wait. They have just added new shortcut links and thrown some sparkle in the background. Where's the real features like proper folder management support for video/photos and cross game chat...

    Waste of f'ing space if you ask me.
    Edited by 1 at 01/09/09 @ 12:22

  • zoweewowee #11 2 years ago

    sparkling but no champagne

  • Darren #12 2 years ago

    So RGB Range is now set to Full by default?

    Strange decision IMO, considering it can crush blacks and mask shadow detail on HDTVs that do not require this setting. My own Sony Bravia D3000 HDTV for example does not need RGB Range setting to Full, if I do it enhances the colours but makes everything way too dark unless I crank the Brightness to 80%. And if I do that PS2 games look washed out as do DVDs and BD movies.

  • bogmonster #13 2 years ago

    ooooh sparkles!

  • BritishBlue1 #14 2 years ago

    Not really something to shout about but then again every firmware is like that. Slowly but surely Sony are building on the PSN which, in the long run, is probably the best thing to do. Less console bricking that way.

  • optimusprym8 #15 2 years ago

    this should have been a 2.xx not a 3.0 but I guess they want a fresh number for first PS3 Slim iteration. BBC iPlayer "TV" category item is utterly pointless, especially as they can't even disable screensaver dimming when using it. The only good thing I've found so far is the multiple audio out option.

    +1 for hating the ugly as sin friendslist grey boxes, want an option to turn off.

  • jonsaan #16 2 years ago

    So, all in all, not much has changed.

  • Ryze #17 2 years ago

    Hey! Audio Multi-Output (3:15)! Only took them 3 years to get this one out of the door, eh?

    Hopefully this works on the 'fat' as well. iPlayer is a joke, as it just links to the website. If they'd improved the integration with the service - allowing downloads and HD playback, then that'd be something to shout about.

    As things are, it's poor and jerky.

  • sneetch #18 2 years ago

    I presume that BBC iPlayer link doesn't appear unless your region is UK?

    Unless the BBC have suddenly acquired the rights (and will) to allow people outside the UK - i.e. people who don't have a UK TV licence - access to their site I don't think we want it on our consoles.

  • White_hell #19 2 years ago

    Hey Ive got a 60gb PS3 (the orginal) And i cant find the BBC Iplayer on the list, is it for the Slim only?
    Oh by the way Im in the UK so it should be there!
    Edited by 1 at 01/09/09 @ 13:39

  • Arwin #20 2 years ago

    To the last two comments: yes on both counts.

    This is what I found so far:

    PS3 Firmware 3.0 Out Now

    Feature list
    - What's New display showing new stuff on PSN, recently played games, new articles on the official blog, etc. All of these are in fact shortcuts and by selecting them you'll go to that item directly, whether in PS Store, Browser, or actually booting the game. (Booting a game requires you to press the Start button rather than X, presumably to prevent you losing a lot of time by accidentally selecting it)
    - PS Store avialable under all categories now for which content is available. Basically a category filter for the What's New section, showing for instance only Video content, or Games content
    - Stereo audio upscaling up-to 7.1 at 176KHz extended to audio files on USB and HDD (note, as with CD not compatible with XMB multitasking, so if you want music while browsing you need to select the default 48Khz option)
    - Music output possible to all audio ports at once. The non-default audio output will only output a stereo signal (e.g. for outputting sound to your stereo and to your TV separately).
    - 3D Theme support (see vid below), default theme has sparkles now that move if you shake the sixaxis, for instance, and they flow in a direction related to your scrolling behaviour in the XMB. LBP theme available in US for $3, Afrika theme available for free in JPN. A Classic Theme option is still available for those who don't like the sparklies.
    - Friends list redesign, with most important feature ability to read his/her messages directly from there rather than having to go to the message inbox.
    - Boot-up screens for both the system and games have been changed primarily to improve speed. No splash for games, short splash during boot-up.
    - Default font size increased for readability
    - Analog clock is also the universal busy indicator
    - Control video playback speed very precisely by rotating the right analog stick (cf professional editing boards)
    - Scrollbars when scrolling through large lists fast showing where you are in the list
    - Platinum Trophy no longer counts towards the Trophy percentage
    - Web browser has a print screen option to a printer connected over USB or over LAN
    - TV section in XMB, containing link to special optimised version of BBC iPlayer (its still running in the PS3 Browser though). Only available in the UK, may require a reboot of the PS3.

    Bugs / Complaints
    - No option for deselecting ticker
    - No option for changing the font size (only type)
    - Disabling What's New option doesn't seem to work for everyone/anyone
    - People want option for old splash (I agree it was classy); actually some people just want an option for old everything. :D
    - When selecting the Classic Theme, sparklies still appear in some cases (may have to do with certain items having their own Theme/background, like iPlayer)
    - I'm guessing that the XMB uses more power. Will be interesting to see if you can disable enough options to bring the power-use down close to the original. Look forward to someone measuring this.

    Official video preview:
    [yt]P2t4O8ygqFY[/yt] (click for widescreen/HD)

    Afrika Theme
    [yt]ijuTgUj8lSQ[/yt] (click for widescreen/HD)

  • Teamallstar #21 2 years ago

    Complete waste of time! No cross game chat, still years behind Xbox live!

    I can't believe I will have to spend hours downloading and then more hours installing this crap!

  • Arwin #22 2 years ago

    If you have to spend hours downloading (possible in theory, hours installing is impossible) then you must have such a lousy internet connection that even Live is of no use to you, so what are you complaining about?

    Seriously, PSN is NOT years behind Live. It's not even €59,99 a year behind Live. (I've been a Gold member for 6 years)
    Edited by 1 at 01/09/09 @ 14:14

  • Anufea #23 2 years ago

    Seems like they down-clock the Cell during Blu-ray playback to decrease fan noise now, some BD-J-based discs might therefore feel a bit slower. I am not making things up, just ran a standard Java benchmark on my new slim and raw processing performance is down by ~35%.

    Edit: Funny how this fits into the rest of the bunch... "size 30% down, power consumption 30% down, etc." ^^
    Edited by 1 at 01/09/09 @ 14:43

  • sandystrachan #24 2 years ago

    I am in UK i dont get the " TV icon " WTF!!!!!

  • MasterNameless #25 2 years ago

    It's hardly firmware hate - I think a lot of people were just hoping for a little more than a bit of sparkle and a link for the 3.0 update. I know I certainly was!

    Some people will praise and love Sony no matter what they do - however mediocre. If they put a webpage up of a steaming turd, then linked it through the PS3 as a 'Warm aroma simulator', they'd lap it up!

    Edit: All I wanted was cross game chat - it would make organising, and actually managing getting into games with friends infinitely easier! I'm sure I read that one of the major things for 3.0 was Skype integration, which effectively adds cross game chat - nevermind the eveything else you get with skype - and now there isn't even a single whisper of it. That's just annoying.
    Edited by 1 at 01/09/09 @ 15:06

  • Skurmedel #26 2 years ago

    Play my movies and I'm happy! :)

  • MasterNameless #27 2 years ago

    Play my MKV and I'll be happy too! Same goes to the bloody 360 on this one. Anyone know whether they've sorted this with this update? As that would be something significant for me.

  • collateral89 #28 2 years ago

    why the fuck have they made the comment bar longer and u cant even fill it thats just stupid!!!

  • Skurmedel #29 2 years ago

    Master: no I don't think they have. I'm still waiting for OGG Vorbis support on both, but I guess hell freezes over before they add that in. I love it how they both have awesome media streaming functionality, but crap codec support. Who the hell uses ATRAC these days?
    Edited by 1 at 01/09/09 @ 17:06

  • sandystrachan #30 2 years ago

    Why tha fuck didn't they add a mass deleting check button , i am sick of going through message after message to delete those fuckers . 3.0 more like 3. oh whats the point , they should have brought out more and included free dynamic themes along with avarats for everyone .
    Edited by 1 at 01/09/09 @ 18:01

  • bogmonster #31 2 years ago

    the friend bit has been ruined!! why did they put tatty grey boxes around everything? its just downgrading the effect, makes it look more like ps1!

  • makeamazing #32 2 years ago

    Cant believe people are complaining about the smallest of things like grey boxes etc...

  • Ryze #33 2 years ago

    Fucking hell man! No access to the audio playlist during playback, and no access to the fucking audio playback while web browsing!!!

    FUCKING - NOT ENOUGH RAM - UNFINISHED FIRMWARE UPDATE - FUCKING SONY FAIL!!!

    GET IT SORTED!

    iPlayer playback is nice and smooth now in full screen, though :)

    Nice to see that t3h c3ll can finally play sub SD quality video in full screen without dropping frames.

    Welcome to 1999.

    Now, when will they let me convert/transfer video clips to my PSP wirelessly, and using remote play?

    Video / audio chat between PSPs and PS3s over PSN?

    /waits... (it's only been 3 years since the console should have been launched...)
    Edited by 1 at 02/09/09 @ 12:51

  • sandystrachan #34 2 years ago

    Sony tech said log into home and log out it should work , doh it didnt work . they are working on a patch . people people please fone them and let your feelings be heard , i just did 30 minutes on fone to them UK PlayStation Careline – 08705 99 88 77

  • ShawnCGeorge #35 2 years ago

    Dynamic theme for Europe, yo? no? Ho.

  • Ducklord #36 2 years ago

    WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO MY BEAUTIFUL XMB???? ;___;

  • sandystrachan #37 2 years ago

    Its sunday , still no store update with dynamic themes and new avatars . And there still aint no patch for 3.0 yet . seriously what are sony playing at