Sony PS3 firmware v1.54

PS3 owners, Sony has a little present for you today in the form of firmware v1.54. It's nothing revolutionary, but now you can use WEP 128, WPA-PSK (TKIP), and WPA-PSK (AES) with AOSS (Buffalo) WiFi, but perhaps more interestingly you can finally use a picture avatar, and they've also added video chat for your USB camera. As usual it's a fairly big file, so get 'er now before everybody else clogs up Sony's tubes.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[dtoney @ Mar 1st 2007 9:20PM]

What is the reported problem with 1080i? I am using it at 1080i and it works fine.

[Andir3.0 @ Mar 1st 2007 3:20PM]

My 1080i works fine...and I bought mine in early December.

[Jason @ Mar 1st 2007 12:31PM]

"As usual it's a fairly big file, so get 'er now before everybody else clogs up Sony's tubes."

How are all of those PS3's sitting on store shelves going to update themselves?

;)

[BleedingEdge @ Mar 1st 2007 12:48PM]

Ryan, you obviously don't own a PS3, so take a little extra care when making posts regarding it. The only new thing in this update is being able to do video chat with a usb camera and to zoom in on that picture. Everything else you mentioned was included in previous updates

[darkstar @ Mar 1st 2007 12:50PM]

someone with a ps3, please tell me.
can u hook up a kb n mouse via the usb n surf the web like a regular pc???

[hesh @ Mar 1st 2007 1:26PM]

Affirmative. I have a wireless Logitech keyboard/mouse combo that I've used.

[BleedingEdge @ Mar 1st 2007 12:58PM]

Yes you can darkstar

[hesh @ Mar 1st 2007 1:27PM]

I was lucky(?) enough to get one during the first few weeks of release. It's been collecting dust since Christmas. Purely based on lack of games, I totally should've waited.

[Kamokazi @ Mar 1st 2007 12:59PM]

@Bleeding

Before getting into fanboy defensive mode simply because the author made a mistake, maybe look at it from his perspective, eh? (Yes, we understand you're bitter because you wasted $600+ on a hunk of junk)

If you go the PS3 website and look at the update page, it states all the update notes for all updates in one place. Sony isn't clear about which points were in which update for all of them. It only specifies versions on three of the points. To an observer, you can't tell whether or not the other updates are new. This is Sony's fault, not Engadgets. Sony should more clearly specify which update provides what benefit.

[Maestro @ Mar 1st 2007 1:23PM]

Actually, I would love to be able to plug in both the optical and HDMI at the same time and have sound going to the TV for when I want the TV speakers and the stereo for when I want surround....With all the PS3's power, you have to chose one or the other, not both. Somehow my 360 has this puzzle figured out.

[TechGuy @ Mar 1st 2007 2:18PM]

Maestro

Wow you have an Xbox360 with HDMI! Is it one of the black ones?
Where did you get it? What blade do you have to set to use HDMI video out with optical audio out?

When did they come out? I heard rumors but didn't realize that they were shipping.

[Jason @ Mar 1st 2007 1:54PM]

If your TV is like both HDTVs I have it should have an optical out on the back. Plug the PS3 into your TV and the optical cable from your TV to your receiver. Mute the TV and turn up the receiver when you want to rock.

[Mitchgreen @ Mar 1st 2007 1:40PM]

@ Maestro

Can you select HDMI audio out or Optical out independently?
My TV has HDMI and with its 2 tinny little speakers, I def want my Surround sound doing that job.
Is it a if HDMI is selected then thats where the audio goes? Ideally I would like to use HDMI for video and optical for audio since my old'school reciever doesn't have HDMI (like the other 75-85% of recievers I'm sure)

Sorry your posting made me question this.

[Steve @ Mar 1st 2007 1:48PM]

@Mitchgreen
Yes, systems audio option allows you to change your audio out from HDMI to optical while keeping video out as HDMI. Just go in to the audio section of XMB system setting icon and you'll see.

[KC @ Mar 1st 2007 3:50PM]

@Mitchgreen, I've gone to a HDMI switching reciever and never looked back. If you plan to buy one, make sure it supports HDMI 1.3. The uncompressed audio over HDMI is pretty nice if you (plan to) watch lots of BD movies.

[Maestro @ Mar 1st 2007 2:00PM]

Wrong. The PS3 will NOT output both simultaneously. You have to dig in to the menu and change it each time you want the other activated. The xbox 360 have BOTH outputing at the same time. If you are outputting Optical on the PS3 the HDMI and/or AV plugs are SILENT. And if you are outputting Optical, the HDMI is silent.
try it out.

[James @ Mar 1st 2007 1:58PM]

Mitchgreen,
yes, I'm using HDMI (to DVI) for video but composite for audio.

It's too bad this update misses ONE important feature... network support for video/audio/pics. I think this one item hurts Sony more than they know.

[El_Shiv @ Mar 1st 2007 2:32PM]

Wow, there are some real haters around here. I'm sure I'll get flamed for this but. If you don't own a PS3 don't bitch about what features work or don't work. 1080i is working perfectly on my TV. That was fixed with the last patch I believe. Actually the update you are talking about in this story was available yesterday. as soon as I powered up it came up as an available update.
It took me a long time to get my hands on a PS3. I finally got mine about a week ago. I will say that I really love the system. I have the 60GB unit. I'm upgrading the hard drive to 120GB. I love the fact that I have Linux running on it. I think it's stupid that none of these systems support Divx but that's why I have yellow dog running VLC. The PS3 is my media center now and I love how it works. I have a wireless keyboard & mouse on it for now until I find a really good media center type wireless keyboard. Is this system perfect? No it's not. But I like it, if you don't that's fine you don't have to. I don't like the Xbox & the Wii, though it's cool is just not for me. I don't feel a need to flame either one of them. So why do you need to hate?

[sycks @ Mar 2nd 2007 2:30PM]

Well said.

[Maestro @ Mar 1st 2007 2:54PM]

Uhh...no...The xbox outputs RCA and optical at the same time. If that feature is not important to you, then enjoy. I have the ps3 and the 360...trust me, I want to love the ps3 but it is just sitting there collecting dust at this point.

[Agathos @ Mar 1st 2007 3:44PM]

Does anybody know whether there are plans for a futrue fw update that will allow the PS3 to upscale/upsample regular dvds, PSOne, PS2, games? Any rumors?

[James @ Mar 1st 2007 4:35PM]

I'll preface this by saying that I own a Wii and a 360, but not a PS3 -- and both of those systems suffered from this, but...

Sounds like the PS3 is just about ready for actual sale now, e.g. coming out of beta. No WPA support? Jesus, what is this, 2004? I haven't been using WEP (WEt Paper bag) for security at least since then, if not longer. Before that, PS2 emulation didn't work right on HDTVs, and there were 1080i/720p resolution issues on some sets... I wasn't going to get one anyway ($$$$), but now I'm extra-glad I didn't. I'm sick of paying to beta test people's products.

[Brent @ Mar 1st 2007 4:43PM]

James -- this update added WPA for AOSS only...the PS3 always supported WPA. If you look at the details from the website:

"WEP 128, WPA-PSK (TKIP) and WPA-PSK (AES) have been added as security methods that can be used with [AOSS™] under [Automatic]."

Additionally, for those of you with an XBox 360, the XBox Live camera now works with the PS3.

[KC @ Mar 1st 2007 8:02PM]

"Before that, PS2 emulation didn't work right on HDTVs, and there were 1080i/720p resolution issues on some sets..."

The PS2 was launched in 2000. When were HDTVs that supported 1080i/720p readily available (and cost effective) to the public? You can just get a good scaler to upconvert your PS2 graphics to HD and stop complaining.

6 years from now, we'll be complaining that the PS3 won't scale well for the 1440p or whatever-comes-next-p.

[Sal @ Mar 5th 2007 12:48AM]

Anyone had HDMI sound problems when running it through your TV? I have two HDMI cables inputting into my Sharp Aquos, and then an optical out from my tv to my receiver (since my receiver is a bit dated and has no HDMI inputs). The cable box hdmi sound makes it thorough my lcd and out to my reciever but the PS3 doesn't. I even switched wires between the two tv input jacks between the two hdmi inputs and ran into the same issue, the ps3 sound was still not passing through the tv out to my receiver, but the box hdmi was....i'm thus almost certain it's not a TV setting.

Anyways, and PS3 insights would be good....else i'm gonna have to break down for a new receiver (though doesn't seem like I should have to)