Ps3: Firmware 1.6

[patsu]

OK. I didn't realize, before now, that you can navigate the entire XMB via the Mouse alone. Proper scroll wheel support, as well. Pressing the scroll wheel button acts as the PS button, allowing you to put the current app in the background (like the browser, or music player) and brings the XMB to the front.

You can use the web browser with just k/b and mouse too.

At some point, I hope Sony goes through its XMB and bundled applications to harmonize the user experience more. They are a little inconsistent now (e.g., when you try to play a game with something running already, it will warn you that doing so will stop background applications like music playback and movie playback; but going into F@H, there is no warning at all).

These are minor details... but another layer of polish will make the user experience even more pleasant. There are still room for improvements... comparing to Apple.

 

[Gradthrawn]

A post on the AVS Forums prompted me to do my own test. The download limit is indeed 16 items, not 6. Downloads are also cached, not started over when stopped (just as they should). You can also have 16 items queued, with 1 actively downloading (making 17 items total).

You can use the web browser with just k/b and mouse too. :smile:

Yeah, I meant to mention that, too. Right click acts as triangle for everything. I haven't found an R3, L2, R2 substitute, though. Have you? It's crucial for zooming.

These are minor details... but another layer of polish will make the user experience even more pleasant. There are still room for improvements... comparing to Apple.

I'm very happy with what they've been doing so far, but I agree with you whole heartedly. I still see certain spots that could easily confuse your average user. I am pleased that they seem to be pursuing improvements even more aggressively then they did (are doing) on the PSP.

 

[ErnstH]

A post on the AVS Forums prompted me to do my own test. The download limit is indeed 16 items, not 6. Downloads are also cached, not started over when stopped (just as they should). You can also have 16 items queued, with 1 actively downloading (making 17 items total).

Ah, good to hear that the limit is higher than six. I don't think I'd run into queue limits with sixteen slots available (making it practically infinite ). I hope they raise the limit on XBoxLive as well.

 

[Gradthrawn]

Ah, good to hear that the limit is higher than six. I don't think I'd run into queue limits with sixteen slots available (making it practically infinite ). I hope they raise the limit on XBoxLive as well.

Now we just need 16 items worth downloading!


Details are finally up at the Playstation site. More stuff than I had originally realized:

Up to two keyboard and mouse devices in total can be registered at one time. If you register another keyboard or

Ok, so 2 devices total.

Example: When zooming in on text
The system calculates the enlargement ratio based on the paragraph size of the text in the area where the pointer is located and then displays the text in zoom mode.

Example: When zooming in on an image
The system calculates the enlargement ratio based on the size of the image in the area where the pointer is located and then displays the image in zoom mode.

Quite interesting.

The PS3™ system can now automatically detect an HDMI connection to a TV. If the PS3™ system is turned on with an HDMI cable connected, the screen for switching video output settings will be displayed automatically.*

You can now restore data backed up from one PS3™ system to another PS3™ system under

(Settings) >

(System Settings) > [Backup Utility].

Support for playback of DSD (Direct Stream Digital) discs has been added. *

Motion JPEG and AVCHD (.m2ts) have been added as playable formats.

 

[Deusp]

Sound like a fairly substantial update. There could be more though.

 

[patsu]

Yeah, I meant to mention that, too. Right click acts as triangle for everything. I haven't found an R3, L2, R2 substitute, though. Have you? It's crucial for zooming.

When I tried out k/b and mouse, I didn't test these. Perhaps some k/b keys will do it. I'll look around a bit after my first F@H work unit is done (1 hr 19 min to go !).

EDIT: Ok... R3 is in the pop-up menu (when you right click). L2 and R2 can't be found anywhere else.

 

[Nesh]

Did you read my post? I though it was funny that SURFING THE WEB(which requires bandwidth) was ok but playing games while online(which requires bandwidth as well) is not. See the connection now to my original question and why I would logically wonder?Now the logical explanation might be that surfing the web requires much less bandwidth than playing games online,but I don't know the answer to that which is why I logically wondered.


"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,

You dont mind "lags" when surfing the web. You dont play the web. You surf it. Lag ruins gameplay experience. Which part dont you understand?

 

[ninzel]

Great update, this is by far the best console I've ever owned.
If you don't already have one and don't plan on getting a keyboard yet(I'm waiting for a PS specific keyboard) get the Blue-Ray remote. It's nice for lite web browsing.

 

[ninzel]

You dont mind "lags" when surfing the web. You dont play the web. You surf it. Lag ruins gameplay experience. Which part dont you understand?

I understand everything,but I asked the question because it wasn't confirmed,it's called thinking out loud.We all do it on forums sometimes. In fact I even mentioned in a later post that they probably allowed it due to slow browsing being deemed ok vs laggy gameplay but again nothing was confirmed so it was a fair question to ask. I'm one step ahead of you again.
If you are so smart, your above post should have been your first response to my original post on the subject?
And why are you being such a smarta"ss to a simple inquiry? You have could have politely responded with the correct answer to my original post. Having a bad day?

 

[bobthebub]

Looks like some previously unannounced changes on Linux support with 1.6

http://www.playstation.com/ps3-openplatform/index.html

Instructions for using version 1.60 are currently being prepared.
Note that the following changes were made in version 1.60.

• The "installer" no longer needs to be downloaded from this website. The PLAYSTATION®3 system software can directly install the "boot loader" that is saved on the storage media. Note that the location of the otheros.bld file on the storage media has not changed.
• You no longer need to create a partition for the "other system" on the hard disk.

 

[phat]

Great update, this is by far the best console I've ever owned.
If you don't already have one and don't plan on getting a keyboard yet(I'm waiting for a PS specific keyboard) get the Blue-Ray remote. It's nice for lite web browsing.

Mine hasn't proven itself a great *game* console yet (just a lot of unrealized potential so far), but it's been a pretty cool living room swiss-army-knife monolith thing...

 

[mckmas8808]

Looks like some previously unannounced changes on Linux support with 1.6

http://www.playstation.com/ps3-openplatform/index.html

No more partion. Does that mean I don't need a new HDD for Linux? Explain.

 

[crazygambit]

Great update, this is by far the best Computer Entertainment System I've ever owned.
If you don't already have one and don't plan on getting a keyboard yet(I'm waiting for a PS specific keyboard) get the Blue-Ray remote. It's nice for lite web browsing.

Fixed that for you And with the uses I plan to give mine when I can finally afford it (yes, I'm looking for that second job Kutaragi ) it's not so much a console anymore.

 

[DieH@rd]

Looks like some previously unannounced changes on Linux support with 1.6

http://www.playstation.com/ps3-openplatform/index.html

Cool. So, Linux can be installed on same partition where XMB files are? Right? No more partitioning?

 

[mckmas8808]

Cool. So, Linux can be installed on same partition where XMB files are? Right? No more partitioning?

Yes, but I'm still scared to do it. I'm not Linux proficet. It might over whelm me.

 

[Rolf N]

Yes, but I'm still scared to do it. I'm not Linux proficet. It might over whelm me.

I don't get it either. It's great if Linux can see all files that are on the system, as you'll probably end up putting videos and music somewhere under XMB's reign, and duplicating them for Linux would be ... dumb.
But those files should be in a clearly designated location in the Linux tree (suggestion: /home/your_name/XMB/), not just at the root of the hierarchy with everything tangled into one monolithic mess.

With the single issue of relatively fixed size, partitions are a good thing, especially if you're not sure when/if you're going to dispose of the Linux install (or try another distro or whatever). I really don't understand how they're separating the domains if not with partitions. I'll try and have a look into how the drive is laid out sometime. Atm I think they're either using ext3 for the XMB's files anyway and now fully unifiy the filesystem (which is nuts!), or they are nuts in some other way

 

[Jesus2006]

Great update, this is by far the best console I've ever owned.
If you don't already have one and don't plan on getting a keyboard yet(I'm waiting for a PS specific keyboard) get the Blue-Ray remote. It's nice for lite web browsing.

Btw. is the remote acutally IR or radio controlled? If it is IR, does a Logitech remote also work with the PS3? (properly programmed)

 

[crazygambit]

Btw. is the remote acutally IR or radio controlled? If it is IR, does a Logitech remote also work with the PS3? (properly programmed)

It's Bluetooth, just like the Sixaxis. The PS3 doesn't support IR remotes (yet).

 

[Deusp]

It's Bluetooth, just like the Sixaxis. The PS3 doesn't support IR remotes (yet).

The PS3 doesn't have an IR port. It would be rather difficult getting it to support an IR remote.

 

[crazygambit]

The PS3 doesn't have an IR port. It would be rather difficult getting it to support an IR remote.

I know that. Doesn't mean someone can't come up with an USB IR receptor of some kind though (which is why I put yet in parenthesis)