As announced last week (see Blu-ray.com,
September 16), new firmware version 3.50 is now available for the PlayStation 3, which enables support for the Blu-ray 3D specification on all incarnations of the PS3 console. However,
Sony Computer Entertainment has confirmed that DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD won't be supported on the PS3 during 3D Blu-ray playback.
Thus, when playing back a 3D BD with a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, the PS3 will output DTS. When playing back a 3D BD with a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack, the PS3 will output Dolby Digital. This affects both PCM output and bitstreaming (available on slim consoles only).
As previously reported (see Blu-ray.com,
September 14), BD-Java on the PS3 is also limited when playing back 3D BD content.
Joshua Wingfield, Blu-ray.com news contributor and moderator of the 3D subforum, posted an
early
hands-on report and informed: "I can confirm that with the Ps3 3.50 firmware update it only puts the audio out as DTS standard (lossy) in the bitstream mode. Also the menus on
Coraline are flattened to 2D. Subtitles still show up in 3D mode, and so do menus. The image just flattens. Standard DTS is output by bitstream and linear PCM works as well but it still shows it as lossy DTS in the info bar on the PS3. So for now 3D on the PS3...full 1080p to each eye, but no HD audio and no 3D on menu screens or pop up menus. Can't say I'm disappointed. The update was free and the speed on the PS3 doesn't seem to be affected."