Sony Tells (Almost) All About PS3 Firmware Upgrade

[Neil]

This is an interview with Don Mesa, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Sony Computer Entertainment at CES 2010.

[youtube-hd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xumhTemxHJ8[/youtube-hd]

Very interesting interview! Share your thoughts and comments.

Regards,
Neil

[taz291819]

Hmm, I guess that confirms it, current 3D-Ready displays will need a converter even with the PS3.

[Likay]

I wonder how far the sony stereoformat will go. Is it a standard yet thus disabling all current stereodevices for future 3d? Can't really imagine this but it could happen...

[taz291819]

I really wish the MTBS crew would have asked specifically about whether the PS3 would be compatible with the checkerboard method. Or maybe they were told not to ask that question?

[DmitryKo]

You heard it, HDMI 1.3 devices won't be supported - why would Mitsubishi release a converter box... How cute, "we're starting with HDMI 1.4"... talk about lack of any foresight which results in a digital interface based on 10 year old technology with half as..ed specs that are never complete enough. Oops, we forgot about L-R frame metadata for shutter glasses... oops, we missed Full HD 120 hz... opps, can't transmit 1080p60 over 10 m even with a $250 cable etc.

DisplayPort 1.2 features twice the bandwidth (17.2 Gbit/s), stable 1080p60 operation with standard 15 m cable, and features support up to 240 Hz frame sequential Full HD stereo, up to 4Kx2K @24 Hz side-by-side, and probably up to 4Kx2K @60 Hz though dual interface, as well as support for multiple stacked displays -which is practically everything you should ever need for any stereoscopic application in the next 10 or so years, so there would be no need to buy some stupid format conversion box or a new display each time Sony and other HDMI Founders screw something up. By 2015, every PC monitor and video card and most gaming consoles and TV sets will feature DisplayPort, so both consumers and the industry will be more than happy to jump off the HMDI bandwagon.

[taz291819]

You heard it, HDMI 1.3 devices won't be supported - why would Mitsubishi release a converter box... How cute, "we're starting with HDMI 1.4"... talk about lack of any foresight which results in a digital interface based on 10 year old technology with half as..ed specs that are never complete enough. Oops, we forgot about L-R frame metadata for shutter glasses... oops, we missed Full HD 120 hz... opps, can't transmit 1080p60 over 10 m even with a $250 cable etc.

DisplayPort 1.2 features twice the bandwidth (17.2 Gbit/s), stable 1080p60 operation with standard 15 m cable, and features support up to 240 Hz frame sequential Full HD stereo, up to 4Kx2K @24 Hz side-by-side, and probably up to 4Kx2K @60 Hz though dual interface, as well as support for multiple stacked displays -which is practically everything you should ever need for any stereoscopic application in the next 10 or so years, so there would be no need to buy some stupid format conversion box or a new display each time Sony and other HDMI Founders screw something up. By 2015, every PC monitor and video card and most gaming consoles and TV sets will feature DisplayPort, so both consumers and the industry will be more than happy to jump off the HMDI bandwagon.

Excellent point. HDMI should have done the exact same specs are DisplayPort, it's not the physical wire couldn't handle the bandwidth.

[pixel67]

How ignorant. All of these pre 1.4 displays (my sammy and Optoma projector included) will need another upgrade (aka, hack) to play content.

[cybereality]

Arrg. I'm glad I'm still waiting...

[Okta]

Format wars for the $$$. Lulz as usual. Just dont buy Sony.

[cybereality]

Just dont buy Sony.

Why not? If there is a war they will probably win with PS3/BluRay one-two-punch.

[DmitryKo]

You mean, like Sony won in Betamax, Compact Disc, DAT, MiniDisc/Hi-MD, ATRAC, Video8/Digital8, SACD, MMCD, and Blu-ray format wars? Oh, wait, something is wrong about this list of successful formats from Sony...

[Likay]

You mean, like Sony won in Betamax, Compact Disc, DAT, MiniDisc/Hi-MD, ATRAC, Video8/Digital8, SACD, MMCD, and Blu-ray format wars? Oh, wait, something is wrong about this list of successful formats from Sony...

Roflmao!!!!!



Sad but true!!!! Lol!

[yuriythebest]

very good news from sony!

[Anthony1]

Wow, pretty shocking. I can't say that I'm too surprised by this. I knew that Sony wouldn't release the firmware update (allowing 3D), till they actually had something to sell to the public. So I knew that the firmware wasn't going to come until the Summer (at the earliest), assuming their new 3D enabled Bravias actually come out this summer. What I didn't know, was that it was going to require a display with HDMI 1.4. How lame. I honestly think that they could have had it work with older 1.3 hdmi 3D enabled devices, but because none of those displays are sold by Sony, why would they do that? No, they'd rather force people to buy a new set with hdmi 1.4, hoping that these people will end up buying one of theirs. I can tell you right now that I won't ever buy a Sony display as long as I can help it. It's shenanigans like this that make me never want to buy another Sony product in my life. The only reason I have a PS3, is because there are too many good game developers (Naughty Dog, Insomniac, etc) that are PS3 specific, and I wouldn't want miss out on their games.

[klikklak]

Oh bugger, then I'm guessing that it wont work with the Acer projector that looked cheap and good. Damn it. Hopefully there'll be other projectors for sale with HDMI1.4 by summer. Then again, it's just a stop gap for me, until Linux gets decent stereo support. But it does raise the question if a PS3 is actually worth it for S-3D purposes. I still haven't bought any gear, so I've got time to mull it over...

[Anthony1]

How ignorant. All of these pre 1.4 displays (my sammy and Optoma projector included) will need another upgrade (aka, hack) to play content.

How will a a hack work? If it doesn't support checkerboard whatsoever, aren't all the Sammy's screwed? I'm not sure if Optoma does checkerboard or not.

[DmitryKo]

How will a hack work?

It would only work by providing a firmware update which fully supports HDMI 1.4 stereo 3D protocol and at least some "half-resolution" formats like side-by-side with quincunx sampling (RealD), which is really a variation of the checkerboard, without supporting mandatory full-resolution formats; this scenario is allowed by HDMI. However, the same rule applies to PS3, so it remains to be seen which stereo formats PS3 will support.

See HDMI 1.4 does NOT support checkerboard and 3D Portion Of HDMI Version 1.4 Available For Download for a discussion on the supported stereo formats in HDMI 3D.