PlayStation 3 firmware upscales to 1080p

REF: http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/12383/532/ By Stephen Withers

Thursday, 24 May 2007

New firmware for the PlayStation 3 will upscale DVD movies plus PS1 and PS2 games to 1080p resolution on compatible HD TVs. "The capability to upscale DVDs to HD quality is a feature normally only associated with top range DVD players, and its inclusion in the latest firmware upgrade now allows PS3 owners with an existing DVD collection to dramatically enhance the viewing pleasure of their DVD collection when viewed through a compatible HD TV set," Sony official said. Upscaling DVD content requires an HDMI-compatible TV. Available from today, the 1.80 firmware upgrade includes several other significant features, including the ability to view or play content stored on DLNA-enabled devices such as PCs and media servers on the same network. Dedicated media players sell for $US200 and up (significantly more for HD models) so this is a valuable feature. The ability to print photos stored on the PS3's hard drive or removable media such as CDs will also be welcome, and will help extend the PS3's appeal. While nobody is going to buy a PS3 just for this capability, we can imagine younger would-be PS3 gamers saying "But Mum, if we get a PS3 you'll be able to print your photos without having to mess around with the computer." The downside is that it seems only certain Epson printers are supported, but we would expect to see other brands and models added if this feature proves as popular as we predict. But upscaling of PS1 and 2 titles isn't the only thing the upgrade does for gamers - it also enables remote play of content stored on the PS3 across a broadband connection to a PlayStation Portable. Exactly how much bandwidth is required remains to be seen, and the feature requires the PSP to have the 3.50 firmware due by the end of the month.