There is a post in the Evil Avatar forums about the PS3 Firmward 1.8 release happening tomorrow.

I’ve included the main text of the post here (visit the link above for discussion on the topic)

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Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) announced today availability of the latest version of the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) firmware. Version 1.80 features upscaling of PlayStation® and PlayStation 2 games, and DVD movies up to full 1080p HD resolution when viewed on a compatible HD TV set.

The capability to upscale DVDs to HD quality is a feature normally only associated with top range DVD players, and its inclusion in the latest firmware upgrade now allows PS3 owners with an existing DVD collection to dramatically enhance the viewing pleasure of their DVD collection when viewed through a compatible HD TV set1. Not only can DVD movies be enhanced to full 1080p HD quality but so too will PlayStation 2 and PlayStation games be upscaled to provide much improved gaming pleasure.

In a comprehensive update to PS3’s already impressive capabilities, Version 1.80 also allows users to enjoy Remote Play on their PSP across the internet, allowing them to access their PS3 anywhere in the world where a broadband internet connection is available2.

Version 1.80 also allows users on a home network to seamlessly view and play rich media content such as images, music and video on their PS3, that is stored on their DLNA3 enabled devices such as PCs and laptops elsewhere in the house, reinforcing PS3’s credentials as a home entertainment hub that truly deserves pride of place in the Living Room.

A host of other enhancements include the ability to print photo images stored on PS3’s hard disk or inserted storage media to a selection of Epson printers.

PS3 owners will be able to upgrade their PS3 with the latest Version 1.80 firmware from 24th May 2007.

Notes

1. DVD-ROM (including DVD Video content) can only be upscaled with HDMI compatible TV sets.

2. Use of Remote Play requires a powered up PS3 with Version 1.80 as well as PSP firmware version 3.50 which will be available at the end of May.

3. DLNA – Digital Living Network Alliance. For more info on DLNA, please see http://www.dlna.org/en/consumer/home

I was looking forward to 2.1. I’m sure we all were (well, except paladins). I was NOT looking forward to the possibilities of extended down-time, server restarts, addon issues, lag, etc. Of course… We did get these things. Was it worth it?

I like the new changes I have experienced so far. I enjoy the new pet HoT. I just need to remember to use it!. I haven’t yet respecced my pet (since there is no pet trainer in shat) but I will probably do that tonight. I saw the new quest line starters and picked them up (didn’t try them yet though). The feign death change is welcome (especially to my healing buddies). My biggest problem (besides the issues with not being able to login and the server restarting a few times) is with the addons.

I know Blizzard does not guarantee that addons will work in any way. I just wish there was some way for them to make sure the changes they make did not cause so many problems with them. There really should be a black box API that doesn’t change (maybe add things, but retain old calls for backwards compat). I am not sure what was changed (I do not code addons, personally) but it made some significant issues with many of the addons i had. My Bongo Bars had issues that the Pet bar never showed up! I upgraded to Bongos2 and that caused issues that I completely lost my setup of the bars and cyCircled (I think that is the name of it) doesn’t seem to work anymore with them. There were many other addons that don’t work anymore. One is DeliHunterAEP. I was using this to help me figure out the relative value of gear to my hunter (Agility Equivalence Points). I miss it..

I do realize, once again, that Blizzard has never said they would even “try” (as far as I know) to maintain backwards compatibility for addons, but it would be nice to do what they can. I’m sure we already have updates to the most popular addons already and hopefully the less known/used ones will get updates too.

In addition to the issues I was having with the addons, I did notice something else that was annoying.  I’m getting a “stuttering” in the video.  About every second, it seems that it pops back a frame to cause what looks like a stutter step or a slight pause (it might be a pause and not a frame drop).  If anyone else has noticed this, let me know.  My FPS is usually over 40, so I don’t think it has to do with video settings.  I need to try removing all my addons and see if that helps.. I tried removing some, but it kept happening. Please.. if someone can help me with this, I would appreciate it.

Enough rant… On to the next segment.. What did we do last night? —-

We again tackled Shattered Halls. A little swap around on the group though (same general makeup). Bligh (War, MT), Kezz (Magerrific), Rogue (same as night before), Priest (MH, New to instance), Me. Things went pretty well. Only wiped a few times (1 shotted all bosses). Again our strategy for the final boss played out and we downed him with seemingly few issues (from my perspective of boss DPS dude). I received a couple of drops from the bosses. None of them were “spectacular” upgrades, but they were decent. Grand Warlock Nethekurse dropped the Telaari Hunting Girdle. Kargath Bladefist dropped the Gauntlets of Desolation which, I know, is supposedly Shammy gear, but they were an upgrade to the green gloves I was still wearing.  I was hoping for the Beast Lord Handguards, but it was not to be this time. I’ve still got a ways to go to get revered with HH, so I am sure we will be back in there again soon (if not tonight!).  It is a pretty fun instance actually, once you get the pulls down.  There are some very large groups to pull in there and the “organized” chaos is something to behold.

After completing the run, I got Kezz to make me some gems for my new gloves (lowend ones for now, since I might not keep this one too long) and got a Assault enchant put on them by our Priest.  (ooh, have to remember to send him the mats from my bank toon).  I’m really thinking about taking some time to level my rogue (who is my Enchanter) so he can start disenchanting the higher end greens that are sitting in my bank..  I wish you could D/E through the trade window.. That would be pretty sweet. (Like you can get enchants on souldbound items through it).

I think that about does it for my latest raving rant.  I’m just about outta juice.  Later.