Sony rumored to give PS3 owners Blu-ray Profile 1.1 for Christmas

Sony is said to have yet another PlayStation 3 firmware update ready for download before Christmas, with the gift for movie-loving gamers being Profile 1.1 compatibility for Blu-ray Discs. Competing format HD DVD has had support for Profile 1.1 features such as picture-in-picture, secondary audio, and local storage since its inception, while in the Blu-ray spec they were optional. There aren't any Profile 1.1 Blu-ray titles on the market yet, and only a single 1.1-compatible player for sale from Panasonic, so this is really about having one more bullet point on a box for fanboys to argue about. The only major HD DVD feature that becomes required in Profile 2.0 is Internet connectivity, so downloadable content will still be optional for some 1.1-compatible BD players -- but not the PS3 with its built-in Ethernet jack. Considering the PS3 is still one of the cheapest and most widely-owned Blu-ray players, and Sony continues to improve its capabilities via firmware updates, PS3 fans and Blu-ray Disc aficionados have that much more ammo to use in the never-ending format war.

[Thanks, ag23]

[Britboyj27 @ Dec 7th 2007 1:29AM]

Too bad it STILL won't decode Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA and unless Sony puts a new audio chip in it, it never will.

The PS3 is great for video quality, but if I have a speaker system that costs anything close to half the cost of my TV, I want the best audio I can get.

[why not the LS2/LS7? @ Dec 7th 2007 1:40AM]

Actually, it WILL decode TrueHD or DTS-HD MA. It just can't pass them unmolested to an external amp for decoding.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/05/08/no-dolby-truehd-or-dts-hd-for-ps3-owners/

So you can get either of those formats, or lossless PCM or uncompressed PCM, both of which are better than TrueHD or DTS-HD MA.

[Namarrgon @ Dec 7th 2007 3:43AM]

Indeed, and since it's decoding from one lossless digital format(TrueHD) to another(PCM), there's no disadvantage to having your PS3 do the decoding instead.

In fact, if you want audio from the PiP mixed in to the main track, then the PS3 HAS to decode to PCM before it can do the mixing - which is why all players must support TrueHD decode themselves.

[Jason @ Dec 10th 2007 6:04AM]

I think you should stick with grocery store shelf filling, and not commenting on things you have no knowledge of.

The PS3 does not need a specialised audio chip to decode these formats, they can be done in software, on the cell, in the same way upscaling and current audio codec decoding works.

[why not the LS2/LS7? @ Dec 7th 2007 1:44AM]

PS3 (and profile 1.0) already supported local storage (but not as much as 1.1 has) and secondary audio. 1.1 adds high-quality picture in picture like HD-DVD has had in the spec all along.

I really don't want online access in the BD player on PS3 (or any other disc player). When you buy a disc that can access the internet, you can't tell what you'll have in a year. The company that makes it could change the available features by tweaking their server, or even disable the disc entirely.

[Nate the Prophet @ Dec 7th 2007 2:39AM]

That's a good point, but I think that the studio's websites have enough storage to handle it. But yea, in 10 years when it's no longer considered "profitable", who's to say.

[Namarrgon @ Dec 7th 2007 3:45AM]

So... you think it's better to have no web content at all?

[Jeff @ Dec 7th 2007 7:38AM]

"So... you think it's better to have no web content at all?"

Yes.

You bought the disc for the movie, not the web content. If there's *any* chance of the studio messing with the entire reason for buying the disc in the first place, then it's not worth it.

[why not the LS2/LS7? @ Dec 7th 2007 12:41PM]

Yes. I would prefer the disc not access the internet in any way.

I still have the LaserDisc of "Dr. Strangelove" which Kubrick got an injunction against. If the disc could be disabled remotely, Kubrick would likely have gone to court and forced the company to do so (presumably exchanging it for one without the script on it Kubrick objected to).

If your disc access the net, you don't really know what you're buying. Hell, the companies could put one set of content up on the net until release day just to rig the disc reviews to be good, and then when you get it, it would be something lesser.

Hollywood loves to screw us, I don't want to hand them the tools to do so. At least for now, when I buy a disc, it's mine to keep and watch over and over and Hollywood can't stop it. I'd like to keep it that way.

[Luigi Soprano @ Dec 7th 2007 3:02AM]

So wait, I don't get this. There aren't Blu-ray movies in Profile 1.1 out yet? So why should we have the features of Blu-ray Profile 1.1 features in our PS3's now then? Why should we consider this somewhat of a present from Sony for X-mas? Don't get me wrong - I love Blu-ray and I love getting features added to my PS3 but this doesn't make sense to me. Why can't they just add the features when the titles come out?

[EQC @ Dec 7th 2007 3:17AM]

probably a chicken-and-egg problem. PS3's are the majority of BluRay players out there. If suddenly *most* bluRay owners can use profile 1.1 disks to their full benefit, then perhaps the movies with those features will start to come out?

[Luigi Soprano @ Dec 7th 2007 3:46AM]

I hope they will start coming out. I think this is probably the only major area where HD-DVD is got over Blu-ray since its known that virtually all HD-DVD's that are out today have the advanced features Profile 1.1 Blu-ray has.

[superaktieboy @ Dec 8th 2007 11:56AM]

a very simple answer: You've got to start somewhere ;)

[Galley @ Dec 7th 2007 8:22AM]

Discs will be available in January. I forget what the first titles will be,

[mike @ Dec 7th 2007 9:09AM]

As an everyday user I don't see an a real advantage for my PS3. Unless you are a pro or a weirdo then ya maybe

[Evan @ Dec 7th 2007 3:46AM]

Barf... why don't they push to make everything 2.0 that they can instead of releasing partially functioning players? Granted, I understand that some will never have internet connectivity but the PS3 does. Why doesn't it have 2.0?

Just another reason on a list of many that HD DVD and Blu-Ray may never catch on... some of this stuff just doesn't make sense.

[Namarrgon @ Dec 7th 2007 3:49AM]

Looks cool, totally impractical.

Apart from being completely non-intuitive for pretty much everything ("WTF do I do to change the channel?!?"), just wait till someone nudges one accidentally, it rolls away down the coffee table, and turns the volume up to 11 before you can stop it.

[Namarrgon @ Dec 7th 2007 3:52AM]

Yeah! And why did Ford bother with that pathetic Model T? Why didn't they just release the Mustang immediately? And why don't we all have $50 hydrogen-powered supercars in our garages yet?

One more reason on a list of many that cars may never catch on.

[Evan @ Dec 7th 2007 4:42AM]

Yes, the Blu-Ray player just like the Model T will be a historic event for American industry and consumers... I can't decide if you are a fanboy or just a total dolt, either way Blu-Ray profiles still don't make sense.

[Namarrgon @ Dec 7th 2007 5:38AM]

To rephrase my point in a less passively sarcastic way, I imagine the reason that Blu-Ray players didn't come out of the gate with Profile 2.0-level functionality is that the manufacturers didn't want to delay their release (further) until they'd a) brought down the cost of the extra required hardware sufficiently and b) finished writing the 2.0 firmware support for the additional features. Simply put, most products are planned to evolve over time by economic necessity.

Or maybe I misinterpreted your post completely, being a total dolt fanboy & all.

[KC @ Dec 7th 2007 4:07AM]

Yeah! And why bother to learn to walk when running is so much better?

[Dave @ Dec 7th 2007 4:12AM]

This is the ultimate machine ! I love it!

[skhawaja @ Dec 7th 2007 4:48AM]

Sony has to do something for their PS3 technology adopters - remember that the PS3 is not categorized as a gaming device by Sony.

They're just like everyone else trying to take over your living room (or whatever room you have a TV).

To make sure they keep their owners happy, Sony has to roll out some 'gift(s)' or lose the real estate the PS3 is now enjoying in people's homes.

HD-DVD players are ROLLING - Sony is countering with dropping prices for their Blu-Ray players near PS3 prices (but why would someone buy the player instead of a PS3? I smell sales victims).

If Wal-Mart is ANY indication of what the volume sales are - HD-DVD and Blu-Ray have less than 300 titles EACH - that's less movies than the neighbourhood video store. Just the New Releases account for more than 400+, format war be damned.

Until everyone has a 1080p setup around the world, these two formats don't mean anything. They will be a high profit margin leader because of their niche market of home theatre aficiandos, more for bragging rights than anything else.

The future is content that you own stored virtually, but we're all into the tangible asset thing, we must physically possess something to feel like we truly own it. Until we can let that go, we are trapped in this material cycle. People steal the medium to resell, or shoplift for personal gain, and the countermeasures erode the cost effectiveness, it's a plastic disc remember, and end up raising prices.

Sony is just following many other corporations, and doing incremental upgrades to the software side of things. Just to make sure it doesn't screw up if a big upgrade gets rolled out.

Whoever is spending money on product tie ins is basically betting that their choice will survive and conquer the competitors.

I'm not betting on it, lowest priced hardware always wins out over premium items. The last few years have been flat panel displays, this year it's next gen movie disc players (DVD still wins), next year is anyone's guess.

[Jeff @ Dec 7th 2007 7:42AM]

"I'm not betting on it, lowest priced hardware always wins out over premium items."

Then we'd all still be playing on our Sega Dreamcasts.

The hardware with the most desirable *content* always wins. That may or may not be the lowest priced hardware. They do often go together, because content creators will often naturally favor lower priced hardware thinking it has a better chance of success. But it doesn't *always* work out that way, and when there's more content on a more expensive format than a cheaper format, the more expensive format always wins.

[skhawaja @ Dec 8th 2007 5:41AM]

@Jeff

I think they're pushing for the movies - because the largest installed base for Blu-Ray is PS3 - and they better tell those people that there's a Blu-Ray player in there somewhere :]

Lowest common denominator wins for movies - do you goto the 99¢ video rental store for a new release DVD - or do you want to pay the $4 for the new release from BlockBuster?

They're pushing movies and high end audio/video capabilities with the PS3 - show of hands who hooked up their PS3 to a HDTV 1080p setup?

[skhawaja @ Dec 9th 2007 12:47AM]

LOL getting low ranked for telling it how it is :]

Does Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD have any blips on the radar around the world?

It really does seem like a vinyl - 8 track - cassette - cd scenario - please keep on buying stuff that we keep putting onto different formats.

Show of hands of how many people will be ripping their Blu-Ray or HD-DVD to a hard drive on a home theatre media server?

I really don't want to get a scratch on a piece of plastic that cost me $30 :[

[Alex @ Dec 7th 2007 5:56AM]

This will quickly die like the "camera angles" in DVD's

[The Aggie CEO @ Dec 7th 2007 8:52AM]

I have over 1,000 DVDs and I can only think of 1 that the Angle button works for.......and thats "Signs" and it doesnt change angles, it changed from the artwork for the movie and the actual film......not what I pictured it would be used for......but basically a useless feature.....

[boing @ Dec 7th 2007 5:25AM]

It's strange how obsessed people seem to be with hardware these days, all i hear are endless discussions about audio formats, bit rates, pixel counts and connection cables. So few people are actually talking about how good the games and movies are any more, it's like going to the theatre and only talking about the voltage they used for the lighting.

I know this is a tech site so it's more understandable here but even on the gaming sites it's all about pixel envy.

[DrXym @ Dec 7th 2007 8:45AM]

I am hoping (and expecting) that 2.1 will be mostly AV related changes - Profile 1.1 & divx spring to mind as likely items. I can't say I care about 1.1 but I can't wait for divx. The precedent for a mostly AV release would be 1.8 which shoved in all kinds of upscaling stuff.

[why not the LS2/LS7? @ Dec 7th 2007 12:44PM]

Sony did this 15 years ago. This is just a green colored "Vision Touch" remote. The Vision Touch system sucked ass, BTW.

http://www.dvdremotecontrols.com/Mfrs/Sony/SonyAudio/RM-VP1.jpg

[The Aggie CEO @ Dec 7th 2007 3:12PM]

These arent 2 clunky cassette tapes that are not compatible enough to at least fit in the same slot.......

of COURSE they will co-exist.....

Especially with Dual-format players coming down in price.......

[SRRED @ Dec 7th 2007 3:37PM]

Where's the DivX support they promised???

[skhawaja @ Dec 8th 2007 6:14AM]

You don't have to look further than Phillips

Now selling it's Philips Upconvert DVD Player with DivX for $40!!!

Come on!

or the RCA DivX Ultra Certified Progressive Scan Upconvert DVD Player for

[slash2k01 @ Dec 8th 2007 12:47PM]

constantly just drip feed this stuff.

[Micker @ Dec 11th 2007 3:34PM]

Profile 1.1 is nice, but WE NEED DTS-HD MA DECODING IN THE PS3!!!! Then it will be perfect. I would take DTS-HD MA decoding over 1.1 no question.