Playstation 3 firmware 1.5 fixes backwards compatability issue
Thursday 25th January 2007, 12:12:00 PM, written by TeamB3D
Released yesterday, Sony's latest firmware update for the Playstation 3
has succeeded in correcting one of the more frustrating aspects of the
console's launch; horizontal scaling issues resulting in degraded
visuals across a number of legacy game titles.
Originating in natively interlaced games that were built around buffer resolutions under 640 horizontal, the scaling glitch resulted in visuals that were markedly more jagged than on a PS2. Although this issue never affected more than a handful of titles (relatively speaking) among the thousands available, it nevertheless cast a serious pall over the key backwards compatability feature of the Playstation 3 by affecting high profile games such as Final Fantasy XII, Devil May Cry 3, and Metal Gear Solid 3. Given the present health of Sony's Playstation 2 library, many PS3 early adopters had hoped to be able to discard their older hardware while at the same time being free to utilize the newer system both for upcoming PS2 titles and/or released titles they hadn't yet gotten around to.
Now with this issue pleasantly in the past, it appears that Sony is proceeding apace towards full software emulation; a stated goal whose achievement would allow for the EE+GS chip present in the Playstation 3 to be removed from future revisions of the console, thereby reducing expense.
Ironically, though there can be no doubt that the backwards compatability fix is the single most important aspect of the update, it goes completely unmentioned by Sony in their official release notes. More likely than not this is due to the fact that a 'problem' with backwards compatability was never officially acknowledged by Sony to begin with. Rather, the official notes highlight improved wireless LAN security options, the ability to use a photo as a custom user icon, and Korean on-screen keyboard support.
With firmware 1.5, Japanese consoles also enjoy support for 'Edy,' a contactless electronic wallet system that can be carried in either smartcard form or via cellphone. Edy support will allow for the use of Edy 'wallet' devices when making purchases from the Playstation Store, for those that prefer this method to entering credit card information.
Originating in natively interlaced games that were built around buffer resolutions under 640 horizontal, the scaling glitch resulted in visuals that were markedly more jagged than on a PS2. Although this issue never affected more than a handful of titles (relatively speaking) among the thousands available, it nevertheless cast a serious pall over the key backwards compatability feature of the Playstation 3 by affecting high profile games such as Final Fantasy XII, Devil May Cry 3, and Metal Gear Solid 3. Given the present health of Sony's Playstation 2 library, many PS3 early adopters had hoped to be able to discard their older hardware while at the same time being free to utilize the newer system both for upcoming PS2 titles and/or released titles they hadn't yet gotten around to.
Now with this issue pleasantly in the past, it appears that Sony is proceeding apace towards full software emulation; a stated goal whose achievement would allow for the EE+GS chip present in the Playstation 3 to be removed from future revisions of the console, thereby reducing expense.
Ironically, though there can be no doubt that the backwards compatability fix is the single most important aspect of the update, it goes completely unmentioned by Sony in their official release notes. More likely than not this is due to the fact that a 'problem' with backwards compatability was never officially acknowledged by Sony to begin with. Rather, the official notes highlight improved wireless LAN security options, the ability to use a photo as a custom user icon, and Korean on-screen keyboard support.
With firmware 1.5, Japanese consoles also enjoy support for 'Edy,' a contactless electronic wallet system that can be carried in either smartcard form or via cellphone. Edy support will allow for the use of Edy 'wallet' devices when making purchases from the Playstation Store, for those that prefer this method to entering credit card information.
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