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PS3 firmware v2.30 walkthrough: DTS-HD MA support / new PS Store included


Oh sweet mercy, what have we here? A sneak peek (on video) of the looming PlayStation Store revamp and a confirmation of DTS-HD Master Audio output in the next PS3 firmware update, that's what. Over on the PlayStation Blog, we're casually walked through the impending v2.30 update, and just as we had heard, Blu-ray fans can shout in unison as the inclusion of their favorite audio codec (as well as DTS-HD High Resolution Audio) is just days away. Word on the street has v2.30 headed down the pipes on April 15th, and if you're eager to catch a glimpse of some more stills from the made-over PS Store, head on over to Joystiq.

Read - PlayStation 3 firmware v2.30 walkthrough video
Read - Revamped PlayStation Store images
Read - DTS' own confirmation of the good news (Thanks, sTeViO!)

Apple TV: the mother of all interface galleries


As promised this morning, we've been spending some quality alone time with the Apple TV today, and we've got the gallery to prove it. We ran through most all of the options, hit a few bumps here and there, but for the most part had a good experience with the unit. Our favorite podcast, "William Hung Cooking Show" was a no-go thanks to the restrictive codec support, but otherwise our little collection of iTunes media transferred smoothly and played without a hitch on the device. In fact, sometimes it was a bit hard to tell if something had already been synced, or was just streaming off of our computer, or was in the process of both, since for the most part things "just work" with the unit. Setting up syncing was just like working an iPod, so there shouldn't be any worries for the noobs out there in getting this thing up and running. There is one huge caveat, however: TV shows and music videos don't look great after being scaled to 720p. Hopefully Apple has some HD content up its sleeve, 'cause otherwise it seems like waste of money to use this with a decent TV unless you want to look at photo galleries all day -- which look great, by the way. Actual operation and booting of the device is responsive, silent and energy efficient -- the unit is quick to fade the screen to black after going unused for a minute or so. For someone with a lot of cash invested in a collection of iTunes media, the Apple TV seems a solid -- if pricey -- buy, but for most people with more diverse media collections and saner pocketbooks, this is a hard one to recommend.

Hooking up a Mac Mini to your HDTV: If it doesn't just work

Then you probably don't have a television that includes a digital input like DVI or HDMI. If you own an older HDTV that is a likely scenario but not one that should prevent you from enjoying the 1080i Apple loving that our friend Ben has shared with us. robg of Mac OSX Hints.com  has created a walkthrough for connecting a Mac Mini running OS 10.4 using RGB cables and adjusting overscan.

Even if you're not a Mac-phile check out his page anyway for the DVD quality/HDTV quality comparison of the Harry Potter trailer available. Blow them up full screen and check out the additional detail noticeable even in those stills.

Update: You can also get more information on Rob's HD experience with the mini in this article.




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