More PlayTV

New video of PlayTV

If the video doesn’t work click on the Link and go direct to the BBC article.

PSP Firmware Update 3.90

A new firmware update for PSP is now available for download. Version 3.90 (25meg) contains the following features:

. Support for PlayStation Network titles has been expanded

. Skype has been added as a feature under Network

Not mentioned in the update is the addition GO!Messenger however the client itself is not available and it just takes you to info site via the browser.

… and that’s it, a pretty poor update if you don’t own the PSP Slim. A video walkthrough can be found below:

From Crackle: Skype on the PSP

PC Games on PS3

StreamMyGame allows users to ‘record, watch and share games without the need to install them’. In short it allows you to play a PC game on your Linux enabled PS3. You need a fairly hefty PC and a subscription ($9.99 for one year) to get the best out of it but it but there is a free option.

How it works:

‘Members receive a small 3Mb plugin called Streamer when they register.

Both Streamer and standard registration is available for FREE here.

Members share their games by listing them on our website. This creates a Game Stream hypertext link. They use our website to allow other members to access this Game Stream link. By selecting this link a secure, authenticated connection with encryption is established between the member who has the game and the member who wants to play it. Our website starts the game and uses Streamer to intercept the games video and audio. Streamer converts the video and audio to a Game Stream’.

Stream Games from a Windows PC to a PlayStation3

New PlayTV Video

Sony have released a new video for PlayTV, their new add-on for PS3. The video itself explains what PlayTV is, however what it doesn’t tell you is the price, release date and can you record TV whilst doing other things, such as playing a game. When announced at Leipzig 07 it was scheduled for 1st quarter 08 and the fact they’ve released this video hopefully means it should be coming soon.

PS3 Video Chat

Modern games consoles are about far more than just playing games. a bit of an obvious statement especially given the price but it always amazes me how little of the functionality the average person uses. Gaming is a much more social hobby these and voice and video communication is a big part of it. However both the 360 and PS3 have built in video chat, with the appropriate hardware i.e a camera.

To access the chat facility you need to navigate all the way to right of the XBM. Above your message box is the option ‘Start New Chat’ select this.

Once inside the, very cool looking, chat interface you have a number of options, from left to right they are: Invite a Friend, Tools, View, Chat Settings and Leave. Each white ball represents a potential friend you can invite to the session.

When you click on Invite Friend your friends list appears, you can mark each friend you wish to send the invite too, then select OK. Rather strangely it will send the invite to people who are off line and they will get the invite next time they log on even if this was days ago.

The friends PS3 icon will now replace one of the balls as you await their response. In game access to the XMB is not available yet (although Sony are working on it) so reposes may not be forthcoming or may take some time as the friend comes out of the game they are playing.

Once accepted video cat can commence. The View option now becomes available allowing you adjust how you see yourself and the incoming video, side by side, full screen, picture in picture, etc. This is accessed by pressing the square on the controller.

There are a number tools you can use within chat such as changing the display picture with any image stored on your PS3, or turning off the camera and adjusting the volume. The advantage PS3 video chat has over the 360 is that the microphone is built into the PS3 camera so if there’s a large group of people in the room everybody can speak and hear the conversation without having to pass around a headset. Great for keeping in touch with family and friends.

Free PlayStation Management Software

Sony Media Manager (link to US Pro Site) for PSP as the name suggests allows you to manage all the files on your PSP and transfer files to and from your PC. This software comes in 2 version basic and Pro. It seems that in Europe you can no longer get the software which use to cost €9.99/£7.99. Links from the official UK PlayStation site are now dead. This may be because Sony are going to release the pro version as they have done in the US and Japan. However if you can’t/don’t want to wait clicking here will take you to the Japanese PlayStation Store where you can download version 2.5 of the software for free. Installation is in Japanese (takes a small bit of guess work) but once installed the program is in English.

Themes allow you to personalise your PS3 (or PSP for that matter) and have been becoming available quite regularly on PSN but for the truly original the Theme Creation Pack allows you to create your own themes for the PS3. Warning, this software is not the easiest thing in the world to use but a quick search of the Internet will find numerous sites that will allow you to download user created themes.

 

PSP Video 9 is a free PSP video conversion and management application. It can convert regular PC video files (avi, mpeg, etc) into PSP video files, as well as manage/copy these PSP video files between your PC and PSP

PlayStation News At CES 08

A quick run down of what Sony have announced at CES for the PlayStation:

Warner Bros announced that they will go over exclusively to Blu-ray. Whilst this isn’t the end of the format war, in the words of Winston Churchill, ‘it’s the beginning of the end’.

Keeping with Blu-ray news Sony Pictures demonstrated an imbedded, low res version, of the movie on the Blu-ray disc. The idea of this is that when you buy a movie you will then be able to transfer a version of the movie onto the memory stick for your PSP. This is a fantastic feature and Sony Pictures hope to start rolling it out this year. Good video below which also looks at BD Live.

Of course downloading all these movies to your PSP means you’ll need a bigger storage medium. Sony announced the 16GB Memory Stick Pro Duo. At $300 it’s a big investment but with Sony introducing more and more downloadable content, games, movies, application as well as all your music and pictures it may be worth the investment. But in all likelihood wait 6-12 months and it will be half the price.

So you’ve got your new memory stick and want to fill it up. Well as long you have a PSP Slim you can use Skype. Full details can be read here and I understand that the reason it will only be available for the slim version is due to the expanded memory (64meg as opposed to 32meg) in the newer version. Obviously for this to work you’ll need a Wi-Fi hotspot and the PSP Camera, although Engadet have an image of an attachment that is just the microphone.

  

The last bit of news is about the release of Go!Explore in Europe, again for the PSP. The official press release is here but what it doesn’t give is the price which will be €119 (£88) for the UMD with receiver and €149 (£110) if you want it with a car mount. Go!Explore is due for release in the Spring.

 

PSP 08

Sony have announced (I saw it on the PS3 ticker) that the PSP will be getting Go!Messenger via a Firmware update in the new year (I guess that means anytime now). This will be a free service and will allow users to communicate by voice and video wherever they have WiFi access. Also mentioned was Go!Explore the GPS system already avialable in Japan but coming to Eurolland. Full info and links when I get to a PC.

PS3 Printers

I have  Epson printer, it sits under the stairs not connected to anything, ink drying, gather dust. The PS3 does have limited printer support, officially they support Canon and Epson however not all printers from these manufactures will work. I plugged mine in and although it recognised it as the correct model (giving me a bit of hope for the future) it came back with a communications error so for anyone wanting to know what Epson printers are supported, here is a list.

 Epson products supporting printing from the Sony PlayStation 3:

• PictureMate Deluxe
• PictureMate Express
• PictureMate Pal
• PictureMate Snap
• PictureMate Flash
• Stylus CX3800 / CX3810
• Stylus CX4200
• Stylus CX4800
• Stylus CX5000
• Stylus CX6000
• Stylus CX7800
• Stylus Photo R260
• Stylus Photo R340
• Stylus Photo R380
• Stylus Photo RX580

Reading the online PS3 manual it appears that each region may support different printers (or at least have different names for those printers) so check out your localised version at PlayStation Global.

PS3 Gamer Cards

One of the things I like about the 360 is its use of Tags and Gamer Cards. It creates an identity and the fact that most of the time all you need to do is type in your gamer tag and the cards get filled in with the most up to date information is a real boon. These can be used in forums, web-sites or anywhere else for that matter. I don’t know if there’s the infrastructure on PSN to allow this sort of user data distribution (although I’d be pretty shocked is Sony didn’t have the data) so until a better solution comes up I’d like to recommend Triple Tags. After registration you can create as many cards as you like and use then to however you like.