I would presume that the OS SPE would be involved with things like audio encoding for Dolby Digital, etc. in real time.
Ps3: Firmware 1.6
- Thread starter StefanS
- Start date
I would presume that the OS SPE would be involved with things like audio encoding for Dolby Digital, etc. in real time.
crazygambit
Regular
Actually I think it has a lot to do with piracy protection. And we have no idea how intensive that process is, so Shifty might be mistaken when he says that the OS SPE isn't being used. It might very well be used almost completely for that and have very little resources left for backgroung downloading and other tasks. We just don't know.
Oninotsume
Newcomer
Remote Play
Sorry to interrupt the "Background Download" discussion as such a heated moment.
I have a simple, perhaps not so easily answered, question recarding remote access to the PS3 via the PSP. If it were possible to access a PS3 via a network spot would it be possible to turn on the PS3 from standbye mode, or would it always have to be left on? Also, disregarding the PSP's controller configuration for a moment, is it technically possible to Play a PS1/PS2/PS3 game from the PS3 via the PSP over the internet? I have the feeling that lag would be a insurmountable issue, but perhaps I am wrong?
Thanks in advance.
Oninotsume
Sorry to interrupt the "Background Download" discussion as such a heated moment.
I have a simple, perhaps not so easily answered, question recarding remote access to the PS3 via the PSP. If it were possible to access a PS3 via a network spot would it be possible to turn on the PS3 from standbye mode, or would it always have to be left on? Also, disregarding the PSP's controller configuration for a moment, is it technically possible to Play a PS1/PS2/PS3 game from the PS3 via the PSP over the internet? I have the feeling that lag would be a insurmountable issue, but perhaps I am wrong?
Thanks in advance.
Oninotsume
Right now you have to put your PS3 into a special mode for the PSP to be able to take over. So no 'wake-up-on-WAN' just yet. Which is probably good, because there are a lot of security issues to take care of to prevent your PS3 from waking up from random activities from other PSPs. 
(or even turn your PS3 into some kind of pay-per-view service for porn or illegal movies or whatever)
Of course, it would be nice to have that feature anyway.
Also, for now, there will be no playing games or BluRay movies through the PSP.
(or even turn your PS3 into some kind of pay-per-view service for porn or illegal movies or whatever)Of course, it would be nice to have that feature anyway.
Also, for now, there will be no playing games or BluRay movies through the PSP.
Oninotsume
Newcomer
Arwin, thanks for the reply. Although those functions are disabled at the moment, would it ever be physically/technologically possible to play games on the PS3 via the PSP over network, or are current network connections too unreliable?
Thanks,
Oninotsume
Thanks,
Oninotsume
It would certainly be possible, but you would run into control issues for sure. But you shouldn't forget that in the worst case, the PS3 will need to encode a 1080p/60fps datastream in realtime without any delay and send that to the PSP ... Not an easy, light-weight task, and I think certainly developers of a PS3 game that supports it would have to make sacrifices for it during its design.
I could imagine game types though where this could be a great addition. Current RPG games or remakes, Football Management, Sims, Nintendogs, and several other type of games could be great this way - the control scheme wouldn't have to change much, the graphics wouldn't necessarily have to suffer that much, and the benefit of being able to continue playing your main game in remote locations, in bed, or wherever.
The network per se though doesn't have to be a problem.
Why would you need to encode a 1080p frame if you're going to display it on a PSP? The PSP is what, 480x272? And I doubt you need to worry about 60Hz (latency will get in the way of responsiveness anyway so it's a minor concern) or even 24-bit colour.
Basically you're not looking at much more detail than a low end webcam.
I mean that you need to encode the original PS3 game graphics, which can be at 1080p/60, down to a 480x272 videostream. The actual videostream can be quite small, that's why I think the datatransmission and latency don't have to be a problem. But you have to create that low bandwidth datastream from something, and I don't see an easy alternative to encoding from the original 1080p.
I suppose you could create a 480x272 display image natively from within the game, much like F1 CE did in their original showcase. I somehow doubt it would be much less work though, and maybe it is telling that this feature was dropped in the final version of that game.
deathkiller
Newcomer
The current implementation uses 480p XMB resolution as source, every game must support 480p so it's not a problem but I don't think that it will be used for games.
Ah! That's a good point ... and in that resolution, you may also have some power to spare to do the send me to PSP screen. So who knows, that may actually be implemented here and there then. If I were Sony, I'd definitely go for it. It's unique for the platform and it'll boost PSP sales.
Just found out that I am guaranteed a launch PS3 here in Switzerland - sadly, I'm going to hold off a little longer and have therefore dismissed my order. It won't be PS3 for me until end of the year. Summer just is a far too busy time for me with me doing more important things outside. Will be looking very forward to Winter though - can't wait to own PS3 + Resistance!
While I hope to do lots of other stuff in the summer as well, I know from experience that we'll be watching movies and such occasionally and the relatively quiet PS3 is already an improvement over the PS2 we are using right now, let alone that we will definitely be enjoying BluRay releases since we also got a new HD TV a few months ago.
Also, we could really use a browser in the livingroom as well (connecting my laptop every time with that long, thick VGA cable is a pain, though I guess wireless keyboards and such would help there ... but even that's a bit of a hassle, as my laptop is my work-laptop as well). Even yesterday, we were watching pictures from our trip to Paris with some friends and while the Samsung has some decent features for showing the pictures, it's not nearly good enough compared to what I can do with the PS3.
It was a great day yesterday for gaming anyway (well, in our social circle at least
), as I made two new converts. A Subaru Imreza WRX STi driver could pick his own car in Gran Turismo 4 and drive a lap around the Nurburgring and the Grand Canyon. Even his wife enjoyed having a go.Arwin said:
True true, no doubt. I was more looking for reasons to make me feel good about putting it off! Damn you mate!
In the end, I'd pass anyway, since the PS3 is just too big of an investment at the moment - not because of its price tag, but because I have more or less decided on wanting to enjoy it on an appropriate LCD screen which would cost the price of another PS3 and then some. So in the end, I'd be looking at a total investment at a price of 3 PS3s which just isn't possible at the moment now that I have just went for a few upgrades on the car.
Summer will be expensive enough without a PS3 for me... new tires every now and then (more than the price of a PS3 for just the rear ones!), fuel, then money to get on track etc...
Ah yes, that is such an expensive hobby. But my only expensive hobby really is the PS3, and the TV sort of came as a bonus because my girlfriend didn't want our old huge 32" CRT TV in the new living room. So that made life a little easier.
(otherwise I'd probably have figured something out with a VGA connection of some sort)I almost only ever race on computers, so even if I would get me a nice G25 (which I'm bound to do eventually), I don't actually own a car so that saves heaps of money.
Then again, I'll be getting a company car soon, which means that I'll have to pay about 200 euro in taxes monthly, as this is considered a form of salary over here. Still, 200 euro including tax, insurance and maintenance is ok for driving a new car (Prius in my case).
Mod: Copied Arwin's post over here as well
Bolding of things that interested me mine:
European PLAYSTATION 3 Compatibility Site Launches Early
Firmware upgrade at launch to implement connectivity to Folding@home, background downloading and internet browser enhancements
London, 20 March 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today launched the web site that will allow prospective PLAYSTATION®3 owners to see which of their PlayStation®2 titles are playable on the new European PS 3 hardware model.
The web site at http://faq.eu.playstation.com/bc lists those titles from the portfolio of PS2 titles available in the SCEE PAL territories that are playable on PS3.
“Our engineers have been working overtime, and have succeeded in delivering a significant number of playable PS2 titles for the European launch”, said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “We will be adding additional titles to this list in future firmware upgrades, but as we have made clear before, in the future our resources will be increasingly focused on developing new services and entertainment features exclusively for PS3, rather than on delivering PS2 backwards compatibility.”
New owners of a European PS3 will need to install the latest firmware upgrade to play the PS2 titles listed on the web site. The upgrade will be available at launch from midnight on 22nd March through the PLAYSTATION®Network, from www.PlayStation.com or, for those unable to access the internet, on a disc obtained from local Customer Services.
The latest system software upgrade (Version 1.60) will deliver features such as Folding@home connectivity, background downloading of content from the PLAYSTATION®Store, support for Bluetooth® keyboards and mice, and an optional full QWERTY on-screen keyboard for text entry.
The Folding@home project allows PS3 owners to connect to Stanford University’s Folding@home program, a distributed computing project aimed at understanding protein folding, misfolding, and related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and many cancers. Using the power of the Cell Broadband Engine™, PS3 system can perform computer simulations for the Folding@home program ten times faster than your average home PC. Once PS3 system is updated to version 1.60, users can easily sign up to join the Folding@home program by clicking on the appropriate logo on the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) under the Network icon. Then, when the PS3 system is left on and reaches idle mode, it will automatically begin a simulation and, once completed, send information back to a central computer(*1). Additional details about Folding@home are available at http://www.scei.co.jp/folding/en/.
Firmware Version 1.60 also delivers a more convenient process for downloading content to the PS3 from the PLAYSTATION Store. Up to 6 pieces of content from the PlayStation store can be queued up for download while the user enjoys other functions of the PS3 system, including playing games, browsing the web, using media functions including photo browsing, video and music playback. Progress of downloads can be easily tracked under a new Download Management menu under the XMB’s Network icon(2).
Firmware 1.60 also provides support for keyboards and mice enabled with Bluetooth wireless technology. Text entry is further expanded with the option to use a full QWERTY on-screen keyboard, in addition to the existing single tap keyboard. PS3’s built-in Web browser is also enhanced with the ability to zoom in to the optimal viewing size for the selected area of a Web page at the press of a button, as well as an optional tool for reducing flicker when the PS3 system is using interlaced video out (480i or 1080i).
(*1) To run the application automatically in idle state, PS3 must be connected to the network with both main power switch and power button turned on. Option setting must also be changed as this automatic feature is off at default.
(*2) Please refer to http://eu.playstation.com/help-support/ps3 for full functionality as some limitations may apply. The speed of download depends on bandwidth and network usage.
Bolding of things that interested me mine:
European PLAYSTATION 3 Compatibility Site Launches Early
Firmware upgrade at launch to implement connectivity to Folding@home, background downloading and internet browser enhancements
London, 20 March 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today launched the web site that will allow prospective PLAYSTATION®3 owners to see which of their PlayStation®2 titles are playable on the new European PS 3 hardware model.
The web site at http://faq.eu.playstation.com/bc lists those titles from the portfolio of PS2 titles available in the SCEE PAL territories that are playable on PS3.
“Our engineers have been working overtime, and have succeeded in delivering a significant number of playable PS2 titles for the European launch”, said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “We will be adding additional titles to this list in future firmware upgrades, but as we have made clear before, in the future our resources will be increasingly focused on developing new services and entertainment features exclusively for PS3, rather than on delivering PS2 backwards compatibility.”
New owners of a European PS3 will need to install the latest firmware upgrade to play the PS2 titles listed on the web site. The upgrade will be available at launch from midnight on 22nd March through the PLAYSTATION®Network, from www.PlayStation.com or, for those unable to access the internet, on a disc obtained from local Customer Services.
The latest system software upgrade (Version 1.60) will deliver features such as Folding@home connectivity, background downloading of content from the PLAYSTATION®Store, support for Bluetooth® keyboards and mice, and an optional full QWERTY on-screen keyboard for text entry.
The Folding@home project allows PS3 owners to connect to Stanford University’s Folding@home program, a distributed computing project aimed at understanding protein folding, misfolding, and related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and many cancers. Using the power of the Cell Broadband Engine™, PS3 system can perform computer simulations for the Folding@home program ten times faster than your average home PC. Once PS3 system is updated to version 1.60, users can easily sign up to join the Folding@home program by clicking on the appropriate logo on the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) under the Network icon. Then, when the PS3 system is left on and reaches idle mode, it will automatically begin a simulation and, once completed, send information back to a central computer(*1). Additional details about Folding@home are available at http://www.scei.co.jp/folding/en/.
Firmware Version 1.60 also delivers a more convenient process for downloading content to the PS3 from the PLAYSTATION Store. Up to 6 pieces of content from the PlayStation store can be queued up for download while the user enjoys other functions of the PS3 system, including playing games, browsing the web, using media functions including photo browsing, video and music playback. Progress of downloads can be easily tracked under a new Download Management menu under the XMB’s Network icon(2).
Firmware 1.60 also provides support for keyboards and mice enabled with Bluetooth wireless technology. Text entry is further expanded with the option to use a full QWERTY on-screen keyboard, in addition to the existing single tap keyboard. PS3’s built-in Web browser is also enhanced with the ability to zoom in to the optimal viewing size for the selected area of a Web page at the press of a button, as well as an optional tool for reducing flicker when the PS3 system is using interlaced video out (480i or 1080i).
(*1) To run the application automatically in idle state, PS3 must be connected to the network with both main power switch and power button turned on. Option setting must also be changed as this automatic feature is off at default.
(*2) Please refer to http://eu.playstation.com/help-support/ps3 for full functionality as some limitations may apply. The speed of download depends on bandwidth and network usage.
Djscribbles found it on threespeech ... The link was up for a while apparently (this happens more often, Sony sometimes seems to do some quick live tests), or it went down only because it is getting hammered.
Apparently the number of titles is already at 1700+ (see djscribbles thread, not far from this one)
SO that means we will be able to do lost of stuff while downloading adn even play games. Sweet
actually, it says "queued for download", not "downloaded". So simultaneous playing and downloading might still be questionable, Nesh. Given the wording of the Japanese PR, there seems to be still confusion on the topic
