PSX Firmware Upgrade Available Feb 1st

The release of the PSX multipurpose entertainment system in Japan last December was marred by last-minute changes to the console's specification. As Sony pushed to get the PSX on the market before Christmas, several features had to be cut due to time constraints. Today, however, Sony announced plans to return those features through a downloadable firmware upgrade, which will be available starting February 1.

PSX owners can implement the upgrade by downloading it via the system's broadband network connection, but Sony will also distribute copies on CD-ROM for users without a broadband connection.

The planned upgrade returns most of the promised features that were cut shortly before the system's release. A complete accounting is as follows:

Dubbing Speed Increase
The speed of recording video from the hard drive to DVD-R format returns to the promised 24X from the temporary 4X speed.

Still Picture Formats
The PSX will now display still images in TIFF format, as well as JPEG, providing they're stored on Sony Memory Stick media.

MP3 Audio Playback
In a very unusual move for Sony, which has so far proven quite attached to its proprietary ATRAC audio compression format, the PSX will now play back MP3 audio files stored on CD-R discs.

USB Keyboard Support
Keyboards that work with the PlayStation 2 will now work with the PSX, making it easier to chat in online games.

Interface Additions
A "flash" function for rapidly skipping to specific points on a recorded video, as well as new title sorting functions, will both join the existing video recording and playback interface.

Sony still has a few more improvements to the PSX firmware left on the agenda, particularly the addition of DVD+R support (as yet, the PSX supports only the DVD-R standard). Those are slated to arrive with a second upgrade in March.

Story source: gamers.com.