Sony PS3 firmware 2.60 now available

[admin]

Sony’s update for the PlayStation 3 has been released, and is available to download now. PS3 Firmware version 2.60 includes a new Photo Gallery that offers face detection - similar to the new iLife ‘09 iPhoto app Apple announced earlier in the month - and automatic sorting by individual, individual’s age, landscape and color, among other things. There’s also improved codec support for the PS3’s media player.

http://www.slashgear.com/sony-ps3-firmware-260-now-available-2131402/

The improved codec support includes support for DivX 3.11.

As always, those who don't want to be guinea pigs should hold back and wait a week or two before updating, to see if the new firmware brings up any serious side-effects or not. And there is always a few whose Blu-ray drive stops working after firmware updates, nobody knows what causes it or whether it's caused by the firmware update at all, but be warned.

[drfsupercenter]

So the PS3 I just bought wouldn't come with version 2.60, would it? Is it recommended to update, or just leave it as-is?

And how do you update a PS3 anyway?

[admin]

The update is done through the PS3's web connection, there's an option under "Settings" to do it.

If you don't update, you can't use any of the PlayStation network services, so if you need multiplayer and/or the PS store, then you don't really have much of a choice. If you can wait then I suggest waiting a week or two before updating, especially with major releases like 2.60. Also keep an eye on the official PS forum's "update" sub-forum:

http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board?board.id=ps3updates

Note that reading the forum might scare you into not updating because there are always reports of the console dying or other defects. But for every report, there's probably a hundred unreported cases of successful updates, so chances are, you should be fine. And if your PS3 is under warranty, then it's not such a big deal and at most, you'll lose your PS3 for a few weeks - at least you don't get charged money to fix a problem that may have been caused by Sony in the first place. The most common update related problem is this one, where the disc drive disappears from the machine altogether:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=hwFoL3KUJ8Y

Sony refuses to acknowledge that there is a problem, but a batch of PS3s get this problem after every update (since 2.5), and so it's either something wrong with the firmware, or the update process, or maybe it was a hardware design fault all along and that the firmware simply "flushes" it out. I'm skeptical about it being a hardware fault, because even the new 80 GBs are suffering from the same problem and if there was a problem with the Blu-ray drive, you would think Sony would have fixed it by now. So that leaves some kind of problem related to firmware updates.

The Xbox 360 may be one of the least reliable machines around, but at least Microsoft came clean with the problem (eventually) and came up with some sort of plan, even though many people had to go through the same repair process several times before they could come out with a working 360. It would be good if Sony gave out some information on this issue, because there's a 57 page thread on their *official* forum all complaining about the same problem. Ironically, Sony recently used forum signups to inflate their PSN usage stats, to try and beat Xbox Live. You'll find that many of the people in the 57 page thread are first time posters, signed up for the sole reason to find a solution to their problem.

Anyway, I haven't updated my firmware since I got my (4th) PS3 back from Sony tech support, but then again, I don't use the online services. It's worked without a hitch so far and I don't plan on updating until someone finds out why the problem occurs.

[drfsupercenter]

Hmm, well I won't even have the PS3 for about a week due to the fact that we ordered it online.

I might use the online features... not for playing multiplayer, but downloading demos and such... so out of the box it won't be able to connect? (What about using Blu-Ray Live features, does that need new PS3 firmware to work?)

What would my PS3 likely come with if it's newly manufactured? 2.5?

[BR7]

so out of the box it won't be able to connect?

You have to set things up like everything else you buy.Dont forget that it has wifi,it may make things easier.

What would my PS3 likely come with if it's newly manufactured? 2.5?

More then likely it will come with the original firmware.You will need to upgrade firmware to get the most out of BD-Live 2.0, PS3 Power feature and bug fixes

[drfsupercenter]

Well "setting things up" usually is just a one-time thing and it just searches for your network, etc. My Xbox 360 took me 5 minutes once I got the Wireless Ethernet Bridge set up on my computer.

As far as BD-Live... is there a difference? I thought it was just one thing, not 1.0 vs 2.0.
And what's PS3 power feature?

I'm a total n00b to the PlayStation stuff... as I've never owned a PS system before. I used to be a Nintendo fanboy and then I got an Xbox 360...

[BR7]

BD-Live has been updated from 1 to 2 to accommodate it's new features

[drfsupercenter]

So you're saying out of the box the PS3 wouldn't work with BD-Live version 2?

[BR7]

If it comes with the original firmware,it may not work right.I wouldn't be afraid of upgrading your firmware,I have yet to have any problems.Just do as admin suggested and wait and see what people are reporting.I am updating tonight, so I will report back in tomorrow.

[copyless]

I agree with admin, I for one have one of the original 80GB versions of the PS3. I bought it the week they were released, and upgraded the HDD to 250GB, and have had every single update version and have expieranced absolutely no problems. But I do know of some systems that do have problems, and I believe they are the second version 60GB systems, but I could be wrong.

As he stated, the PS3 will not allow you online unless you update the FW, everytime an update is available.

[BR7]

I didn't get a chance to download it last night,so I will give a go tonight.

When you get it, check here and see if you got the 80GB version that supports SACD.I thought it may be of some importance to you being you mentioned you like to get the best out of your music

[drfsupercenter]

No, because the one I ordered is the kind that doesn't support PS2.

I don't use SACD anyway... really, PCM is pretty good sounding to me.