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The nearly 20-year-old PS3 just got another system update

IbizaPocholo

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
www.videogameschronicle.com

The nearly 20-year-old PS3 just got another system update | VGC

Version 4.93 is available now for the 2006 console…
www.videogameschronicle.com www.videogameschronicle.com

The console, which will turn 20 years old in November, has received a surprise update to version 4.93, about a year after the previous 4.92 update.

Sony's support page gives a vague description for the update, saying: "This system software update improves system performance."

This is the same patch note that has been given for the past three updates, and certain players believe that it's a generic patch note that doesn't really mean much.

In reality, the update will have likely been added to make it more difficult to jailbreak the PlayStation 3 console, as each new firmware update usually comes with new protection measures which hackers then have to break again.

It may also be an update to the console's Blu-ray player encryption key, as Sony warns players: "Please note, to play Blu-ray discs, your PS3 system needs a renewed Blu-ray player encryption key. Please update your PS3 system software to the latest version to renew the Blu-ray player encryption key."
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Quite impressive how the stability has reached a point it can no longer be improved, and now they just boost performance.
 
It's worth remembering those people who criticize Sony for its anti-consumer policies, while years ago they thought Xbox was the savior of the industry.

The PlayStation 3 Store is still operational.

The Xbox 360 Marketplace closed its doors in July 2024.
 
If my PS3 sill boots up in another 20 years, I'll still find it has some update to do.
PS3 is the go-to console for fetishist of loading bars. I've never spent more time updating stuff than with my PS3.
 
Updates usually for Jailbreaks and BluRay Keys. Nothing really new but still cool that the system is still being supported to some degree.
 
They are retiring the term PSN and PlayStation Network by this summer, doubt this has anything to do with that but if the store is still active on PS3 I assume they will need to refresh all those branding terms.


We'd like to inform you that Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has strategically decided to phase out the terms "PlayStation Network" and "PSN" across our platform in order to properly capture the breadth of our evolving digital services.

What's changing and timeline
The upcoming changes are purely visual and will not introduce any technical alterations to our offerings. To simplify and unify branding, the terms "PlayStation Network" and "PSN" will be phased out across all SIE assets by September 2026. All features currently associated with PSN, including core network features like friends, multiplayer, and trophies, will remain unaffected and available to players.
 
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Chad Warden like

vince mcmahon GIF
 
Prodyhig said:
It's worth remembering those people who criticize Sony for its anti-consumer policies, while years ago they thought Xbox was the savior of the industry.

The PlayStation 3 Store is still operational.

The Xbox 360 Marketplace closed its doors in July 2024.
Click to expand...

Sony tried closing the PS3 store in 2021. They may try again at some point.
 
One point in Sony's favor is that the PS3 and PSvita stores will still be open in 2026, while Nintendo and Xbox closed their 360, WiiU, 3DS, etc. stores years ago.
 
NeoIkaruGAF said:
PS3 is the go-to console for fetishist of loading bars.
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i really do have a thing for loading bars. (probably PTSD from building computers as a kid and stressing out at the time, staring at the bars, hoping they would reach the end because it all felt like black magic back then and my janky pc felt like it was held together by floss)

anyway, dont like the ps3 loading bars for whatever reason.
 
Usually they just messed with BD keys or something with recent FW updates. I doubt they are seriously trying to combat CFW on 20 year old console...

NeoIkaruGAF said:
If my PS3 sill boots up in another 20 years, I'll still find it has some update to do.
PS3 is the go-to console for fetishist of loading bars. I've never spent more time updating stuff than with my PS3.
Click to expand...

Multiple, big, super slow patches are the best.
 
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Prodyhig said:
It's worth remembering those people who criticize Sony for its anti-consumer policies, while years ago they thought Xbox was the savior of the industry.

The PlayStation 3 Store is still operational.

The Xbox 360 Marketplace closed its doors in July 2024.
Click to expand...
Sony tried to take it down long before Microsoft did. But they rowed back because the backlash from the community was just too big. They will take it down, it's just a question of when, not of if.

I just bought a 50" pioneer Kuro just for my PS3, because it looks like ass on a 77" 4k OLED, so I welcome Sony still updating the old PS3.

It's still the best media center out there for everything Blu-ray, DVD and music related. The ease of use was never reached again by any of Sonys consoles.
 
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vodka-bull said:
Sony tried to take it down long before Microsoft did. But they rowed back because the backlash from the community was just too big. They will take it down, it's just a question of when, not of if.

I just bought a 50" pioneer Kuro just for my PS3, because it looks like ass on a 77" 4k OLED, so I welcome Sony still updating the old PS3.

It's still the best media center out there for everything Blu-ray, DVD and music related. The ease of use was never reached again by any of Sonys consoles.
Click to expand...
Yeah its great. Ps3 is slow with updates, unpacking etc..but for the rest? Still fine. Runs on your hdmi set up, has wifi and ethernet. Plays BR movies, ps1 discs (ps2 dependant on model) and you can grab classics like Vagrant Story from its Store.

I still have it for games like Outrun 2 SP, GTI Club and Afterburner Climax which i luckily purchased when they released. Those games disappeared more or less.
 
Miyazaki's Slave said:
They are retiring the term PSN and PlayStation Network by this summer, doubt this has anything to do with that but if the store is still active on PS3 I assume they will need to refresh all those branding terms.


We'd like to inform you that Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has strategically decided to phase out the terms "PlayStation Network" and "PSN" across our platform in order to properly capture the breadth of our evolving digital services.

What's changing and timeline
The upcoming changes are purely visual and will not introduce any technical alterations to our offerings. To simplify and unify branding, the terms "PlayStation Network" and "PSN" will be phased out across all SIE assets by September 2026. All features currently associated with PSN, including core network features like friends, multiplayer, and trophies, will remain unaffected and available to players.
Click to expand...
What the heck are they changing the name to? Or are they just removing ALL branding?
Sticks said:
Chad Warden like

vince mcmahon GIF
Click to expand...
utsZewjGckqx6Alq.gif
 
Some of you are too young to remember how hype those PS3 stability updates were back in the day.
 
PatientGamer said:
I miss PlayStation Home and using my PS3's processing power to help with protein folding..

If you know, you know. Those were the days :pie_lcry:
Click to expand...
Folding@Home. Those were the days.

Funnily, Playstation home would have thrived in the brief metaverse period we went through lol
 
Prodyhig said:
It's worth remembering those people who criticize Sony for its anti-consumer policies, while years ago they thought Xbox was the savior of the industry.

The PlayStation 3 Store is still operational.

The Xbox 360 Marketplace closed its doors in July 2024.
Click to expand...
They're the same people who state Sony will be bad with a monopoly and increase prices.

Meanwhile Microsoft is already ten steps ahead on that front.
 
Prodyhig said:
It's worth remembering those people who criticize Sony for its anti-consumer policies, while years ago they thought Xbox was the savior of the industry.

The PlayStation 3 Store is still operational.

The Xbox 360 Marketplace closed its doors in July 2024.
Click to expand...

They each have their strengths and weaknesses. Xbox has BC, Sony doesn't.

Still though, I am happy to see the PS3 still supported. I was just playing Resistance 2 and it looks fantastic on my 75 inch TCL. I was also playing a few PS2 games on it and they emulate smoothly. Cold Winter is a super underrated FPS.
 
vodka-bull said:
Sony tried to take it down long before Microsoft did. But they rowed back because the backlash from the community was just too big. They will take it down, it's just a question of when, not of if.

I just bought a 50" pioneer Kuro just for my PS3, because it looks like ass on a 77" 4k OLED, so I welcome Sony still updating the old PS3.

It's still the best media center out there for everything Blu-ray, DVD and music related. The ease of use was never reached again by any of Sonys consoles.
Click to expand...

Just outta curiosity, how is the Blu-Ray player quality in comparison to the newer machines? I usually pop my Blu Rays in my Series X on the basis that it is the newer console.
 
JackHanma said:
Just outta curiosity, how is the Blu-Ray player quality in comparison to the newer machines? I usually pop my Blu Rays in my Series X on the basis that it is the newer console.
Click to expand...
It depends a lot on the source of the material and way more on the TV you're watching them on than on the actual BD player. After all, Blu-rqys are a digital medium, so either you get a picture or you get no picture, I doubt that the PS3 compared to other blu-ray players is a big difference. The only difference would be the features, compatibilities and such. And HDCP sucks a little bit on the PS3, but you can circumvent it with an HDMI splitter that also geta rid of the HDCP.

I mostly watch older movies and I'd say everything up to Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit looks absolutely fine on the PS3. Older movies on DVDs is the same, connect the PS3 to a Full HD Plasma TV and you'll get the best quality possible for Full HD movies.

For 4k and newer movies you'll want to use the PS5 and a 4k TV, obviously.

Full HD setups definitely have their own charme, and due to the (in my opinion) better looking motions on older TVs I personally like warching movies on my plasma more than on my 4K OLED. After all, the 4K TV is so huge and so bright, any minor little detail is way more difficult to ignore on the 4k TV. For example, I saw some minor picture errors on some movies, a few dust spots that were on the camera lens for example. On a 4K 77" TV unmissable. On a Full HD Plasma it's barely visible. On a CRT I'd assume you won't notice anything.

And if you want to watch any normal DVD source, depending on how old the movie is, you might as well consider playing it via PS2 on a CRT TV.

I just bought the Bud Spencer and Terence Hill Collection (most US people probably don't know these movies, but they're classics in central europe) and these films were made in the 70s and 80s. I bet watching them on a CRT would be the best option out there, but unfortunately I have not yet found the CRT I would want in my setup.
 
Prodyhig said:
It's worth remembering those people who criticize Sony for its anti-consumer policies, while years ago they thought Xbox was the savior of the industry.

The PlayStation 3 Store is still operational.

The Xbox 360 Marketplace closed its doors in July 2024.
Click to expand...

Very true. Granted, it's buggy as hell now and it often fails to even load the times I have tried. I think last time I used it there was a category $10 and under and it had many games well above $10 in it.
 
vodka-bull said:
It depends a lot on the source of the material and way more on the TV you're watching them on than on the actual BD player. After all, Blu-rqys are a digital medium, so either you get a picture or you get no picture, I doubt that the PS3 compared to other blu-ray players is a big difference. The only difference would be the features, compatibilities and such. And HDCP sucks a little bit on the PS3, but you can circumvent it with an HDMI splitter that also geta rid of the HDCP.

I mostly watch older movies and I'd say everything up to Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit looks absolutely fine on the PS3. Older movies on DVDs is the same, connect the PS3 to a Full HD Plasma TV and you'll get the best quality possible for Full HD movies.

For 4k and newer movies you'll want to use the PS5 and a 4k TV, obviously.

Full HD setups definitely have their own charme, and due to the (in my opinion) better looking motions on older TVs I personally like warching movies on my plasma more than on my 4K OLED. After all, the 4K TV is so huge and so bright, any minor little detail is way more difficult to ignore on the 4k TV. For example, I saw some minor picture errors on some movies, a few dust spots that were on the camera lens for example. On a 4K 77" TV unmissable. On a Full HD Plasma it's barely visible. On a CRT I'd assume you won't notice anything.

And if you want to watch any normal DVD source, depending on how old the movie is, you might as well consider playing it via PS2 on a CRT TV.

I just bought the Bud Spencer and Terence Hill Collection (most US people probably don't know these movies, but they're classics in central europe) and these films were made in the 70s and 80s. I bet watching them on a CRT would be the best option out there, but unfortunately I have not yet found the CRT I would want in my setup.
Click to expand...
Nice thanks for the detailed analysis!
 
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