evolution of the PS3

[Queasy]

Did I miss anything? Just trying to come up with the significant changes since it was introduced.

The evolution of the Playstation 3

The Playstation 3 has undergone many changes since it was first introduced in 2005. Not only has the hardware changed but so has the software and services available to Playstation 3 owners.

With the recent news that firmware 3.21 removes the ability to install other operating systems on to the PS3, we thought it would be interesting to go back and look at how the PS3 has changed since it was first introduced in May of 2005 at the E3 Expo.

E3 2005
A Playstation 3 prototype was introduced and featured:

• 2 HDMI ports
• 3 Ethernet ports (the PS3 was said to act as a hub)
• 6 USB ports
• "Boomerang” controller
• Three colors
• Blu-Ray drive
• Built-in Wifi (802.11b/g)

E3 2006
Two models of the Playstation 3 were introduced for launch, a 20GB version and a 60GB version.

• 60 GB
  • 1 HDMI port
  • 1 Ethernet port
  • USB ports
  • Flash card reader
  • Built-in Wifi (802.11b/g)
  • Full PS2 and PS1 hardware backwards compatibility
  • SACD playback
  • $599.99 price
• -20 GB
  • No HDMI port
  • 1 Ethernet port
  • 4 USB ports
  • No Flash card reader
  • No built-in Wifi (802.11b/g)
  • Full PS2 and PS1 hardware backwards compatibility
  • SACD playback
  • $499.99 price
  • The “Boomerang” controller was replaced by the Sixaxis controller featuring motion sensing technology and a traditional Playstation controller form.
  • Built-in web-browser
  • Silver and Black colors

Tokyo Game Show – September 22, 2006
After an uproar from Playstation 3 fans, an HDMI port was added to the 20GB version.

Launch – November 17, 2006 – All previous features announced plus:

• 60GB version comes in piano black with chrome trim.
• 20GB version comes in all black.
• Playstation Network launched.
• Playstation Store launched.

April 2007 – 20GB PS3 discontinued

May 2007 – Firmware 1.80 released

• Upscaling of Playstation 2 and Playstation 1 games and DVD movies to 1080p added.
• PSP remote play over the internet added.
• Support for AVC High Profile (H.264) video added

July 2007 – 60GB PS3 price drop announced

• New $499.99 price to clear out inventory for announced 80GB PS3

August 2007 – 80GB PS3 released

• Backwards compatibility downgraded to partially software-based PS2 emulation. The 80GB PS3 can play about 80 to 85% of the PS2 games.
• SACD playback
• Built-in WiFi (802.11b/g)
• $599.99 price

November 2007 – 40GB PS3 released

• PS2 backwards compatibility removed
• SACD support removed
• Flash card readers removed
• Down to 2 USB ports from 4 USB ports
• Built-in WiFi (802.11b/g)
• $399.99 price

December 2007 – Firmware 2.10 released

• Adds support for DivX and VC-1 (WMV)
• Adds support for Blu-Ray profile 1.1

March 2008 – Firmware 2.20 released

• Adds support for Blu-Ray Profile 2.0 (BD-Live)
• Add support for DivX and WMV files over 2GB

April 2008

• DualShock 3 controller was released that incorporates rumble into the design of the Sixaxis controller.
• Firmware 2.30 released
  • Playstation Store redesigned to allow for quicker store functionality.
  • DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio output added.

June 2008 – Firmware 2.40 released

• Adds in-game XMB support
• Adds Trophy support

July 2008

• Video download service added to Playstation Store at E3 announcement
• 40GB PS3 discontinued

August 2008 – New 80GB PS3 released

• No PS2 backwards compatibility.
• No SACD support
• No flash card reader
• 2 USB ports
• Built-in WiFi (802.11b/g)
• $399.99 price

October 2008 – Firmware 2.50 released

• Support for Adobe Flash Player 9 added to built-in web browser
• Background downloading added
• Power save features added
• In-game screenshot capture added

November 2008 – 160 GB PS3 released

• No PS2 backwards compatibility.
• No SACD support
• No flash card reader
• 2 USB ports
• Built-in WiFi (802.11b/g)
• Piano Black with satin silver trim
• $499.99 price

December, 2008 – Playstation Home launched

January 2009 – Firmware 2.60 released

• Photo gallery application added
• DivX 3.11 support added

April 2009 – Firmware 2.70 released

• In-game text chat added.
• Back up of purchased video to local storage devices added.

August 2009 – Firmware 3.00 released

• Playstation Store shortcuts added
• “What’s New” added on XMB
• Dynamic custom themes and avatars added

September 2009 – 120GB PS3 Slim released

• “Slim” form factor.
• 2 USB ports
• No SACD support
• Bravia Sync XMB control
• Built-in WiFi (802.11b/g)
• “Install Other OS” option removed
• Added Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreaming
• $299.99 price
• All previous PS3 models discontinued

October, 2009 – Netflix on the PS3 launched

• Disk required from Netflix to play

November 2009

• -250GB PS3 Slim released
  • Same features as the 120GB slim just with a larger hard drive.
  • $349.99 price
• Firmware 3.10 released.
  • Added support for Facebook integration

December 2009 – Firmware 3.15 released

• Added support to play PSP Minis on the Playstation 3
• Added a Data Transfer Utility

GDC 2010 – March – Playstation Move officially revealed

April 1, 2010 – Firmware 3.21 released

• “Install Other OS” option removed from all non-Slim version of the PS3 via firmware update.

Summer (June?) 2010 – 3D Support added in two separate firmware updates

• 3D Stereoscopic gaming support
• 3D Stereoscopic Blu-Ray support

Fall 2010 – Playstation Move released

 

[Thraxen]

That looks like most of it. You're still missing some minor features... one you may want to add to the list is that as of 3.15 the PSP Minis can be played on the PS3.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Nice summary.

What I'd like to see Sony add next:
PSN offering PS2 game downloads, especially the out-of-print JRPGs that now sell for $50+
PSN offering full PSP games for PS3, not just minis

 

[Thraxen]

Nice summary.

What I'd like to see Sony add next:
PSN offering PS2 game downloads, especially the out-of-print JRPGs that now sell for $50+
PSN offering full PSP games for PS3, not just minis

Heh... outside of universal chat, those are probably the two most desired features among PS3 owners. Selling PS2 games in the PSN store would, obviously, mean a full working software emulator. Ever since Sony removed hardware PS2 BC to save costs I've often wondered why they didn't instead keep the PS2 BC and try to make up the costs by selling PS2 downloads. It seems like a potential goldmine, though maybe they didn't think they could sell enough to offset the cost of every PS3 having the PS2 hardware?

 

[Queasy]

That looks like most of it. You're still missing some minor features... one you may want to add to the list is that as of 3.15 the PSP Minis can be played on the PS3.

Yeah, I didn't want to add the minor stuff or else this would get way too long. Only the significant stuff.

PSP Minis should be added though, thanks.

 

[Kromis]

250GB Slim was $349.99, not $399.99

 

[Queasy]

thanks, fixed.

 

[joutlaw]

What gives Bluray players in general 3D support? More processing power or different video processing.

I'm curious to how the PS3 can get 3D support via a firmware upgrade. (I realize it's a gaming system that can do 3D already.)

 

[mugs]

What gives Bluray players in general 3D support? More processing power or different video processing.

I'm curious to how the PS3 can get 3D support via a firmware upgrade. (I realize it's a gaming system that can do 3D already.)

3D video doesn't really have anything to do with 3D graphics. 3D video is nothing but a series of static images, just like regular video. The difference is that 3D video has one set of images for your right eye and one slightly different set of images for your left eye. In a movie theater both images are projected simultaneously through polarized lenses, and the polarized lenses in the 3D glasses block out the image that you're not supposed to see with each eye.

3D TVs work by alternating images for the right eye and the left eye, and the 3D glasses actively block each eye from seeing the screen when it's not supposed to.

I'm not sure what needs to change on the Blu-Ray side... probably some indicator that tells the TV when it's sending a right frame and when it's sending a left frame.

 

[joutlaw]

3D video doesn't really have anything to do with 3D graphics. 3D video is nothing but a series of static images, just like regular video. The difference is that 3D video has one set of images for your right eye and one slightly different set of images for your left eye. In a movie theater both images are projected simultaneously through polarized lenses, and the polarized lenses in the 3D glasses block out the image that you're not supposed to see with each eye.

3D TVs work by alternating images for the right eye and the left eye, and the 3D glasses actively block each eye from seeing the screen when it's not supposed to.

I'm not sure what needs to change on the Blu-Ray side... probably some indicator that tells the TV when it's sending a right frame and when it's sending a left frame.

I wonder why standalone Bluray player's can't get this feature through a firmware upgrade... although I'm not that interested considering I just got a Vizio SV472XVT.

 

[Queasy]

I wonder why standalone Bluray player's can't get this feature through a firmware upgrade... although I'm not that interested considering I just got a Vizio SV472XVT.

The video capabilities have a lot to do with it. You essentially have to display two separate images. Not all stand-alone Blu-Ray players will have the horse-power to do that.

 

[Terzo]

Nice summary.

What I'd like to see Sony add next:
PSN offering PS2 game downloads, especially the out-of-print JRPGs that now sell for $50+
PSN offering full PSP games for PS3, not just minis

That would be sweet. I'm guessing that wont happen though, since psp games on the ps3 would significantly reduce demand for the psp? Although, is the psp sold at a loss? If it is, wouldn't getting a larger customer base for the psp games increase revenue?

 

[destrekor]

The video capabilities have a lot to do with it. You essentially have to display two separate images. Not all stand-alone Blu-Ray players will have the horse-power to do that.

I don't know if it's entirely a processing issue, or if some systems won't have the capability to decode a codec. Codecs require support, and up till now all BD codecs were apart of the original BD ratification.

BD-3D uses a new codec that won't require much more storage space at all, somehow. Well, it's basically just a new version of AVC iirc. Non-3D players can read the basic 2D video from the codec, much like non-HD Sound systems could read the basic "core" audio codec even if the system couldn't decode the advanced audio data.
It's half a hardware capability issue, and a money issue. Why keep updating an old player when you can add a few more bells and whistles and launch an entirely new model? Likely for most systems it's a hardware thing, at some level. Possibly just hardware decoding capabilities, certain chipsets may have the CPU power, but not the internal architecture/logic to do anything with the decoded information.

 

[joutlaw]

I don't know if it's entirely a processing issue, or if some systems won't have the capability to decode a codec. Codecs require support, and up till now all BD codecs were apart of the original BD ratification.

BD-3D uses a new codec that won't require much more storage space at all, somehow. Well, it's basically just a new version of AVC iirc. Non-3D players can read the basic 2D video from the codec, much like non-HD Sound systems could read the basic "core" audio codec even if the system couldn't decode the advanced audio data.
It's half a hardware capability issue, and a money issue. Why keep updating an old player when you can add a few more bells and whistles and launch an entirely new model? Likely for most systems it's a hardware thing, at some level. Possibly just hardware decoding capabilities, certain chipsets may have the CPU power, but not the internal architecture/logic to do anything with the decoded information.

Interesting... the cost of 3D equipment was the main reason I decided to go with the SV472XVT. New TV, new Bluray player, and a pair of glasses was close $4K which is pretty nuts.

 

[Queasy]

Interesting... the cost of 3D equipment was the main reason I decided to go with the SV472XVT. New TV, new Bluray player, and a pair of glasses was close $4K which is pretty nuts.

Yeah, 3D isn't going to take off for a couple of years at least. At least not during the remainder of this console generation I think. Too expensive.

 

[joutlaw]

Yeah, 3D isn't going to take off for a couple of years at least. At least not during the remainder of this console generation I think. Too expensive.

I don't think so either. Also a lot of people don't want to sit around with glasses on. My wife says she didn't pay $2K to get her eyes fixed to have to wear glasses to watch TV.

 

[velillen]

Itll come down in price over the next 2-3 years. Especially the "glasses" type 3d. Its the same as when LCD/plasma first came out (and bluray!) it starts expensive and slowly works it way down.

I personally could careless. i dont want to have to wear glasses to watch movie at home.