You might have heard that Sony issued another PlayStation 3 firmware update late last night (1.30), but might have been wondering "What the hell does it do?" Sony has sent out official confirmation of the changes and new features.

So, did Sony fix that niggling upscaling issue for PS3 owners who have 1080i support but not 720p? Hell no. Instead, the PS3 will now "automatically be displayed at the maximum resolution possible, according to the following order: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, Standard (NTSC)". Uh. Great?

On the plus side, support has been added for the Blu-ray remote control and USB peripherals"including steering wheels and flight sticks". Guitar Hero controller fix? Nah.

Additionally, under System Settings, a hard disk back up utility has been added to allow back up or restore of hard disk data. Interested parties should out the full statement after the jump for more info, while PS3 owners without 720p support should kindly piss off per Sony's request. Michael McWhertor

Sony Computer Entertainment America today introduced new features and settings to the PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3 ) computer entertainment system as part of the latest firmware update, version 1.30. Among the key updates is support for a Blu-ray Disc (BD) remote control and the ability to select the output format for BD/DVD video through an HDMI cable.

In addition to offering developers the ability to create more immersive games, the Blu-ray format delivers the ultimate in high-definition video through the highest resolution available today (1080p). Now PS3 owners can register a remote control for easier playback of movies on BD discs. The Bluetooth -enabled remote control will be available at retail later this month for $24.99. Also, to suit your TV's specification, you can now select the video output format (automatic, RGB, or Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr) for Blu-ray disc playback using an HDMI cable.

In addition to the updates related to the Blu-ray player, firmware 1.30 includes the following.

- Selecting video output resolution has changed, allowing you to choose all the resolutions supported by the TV. The video will automatically be displayed at the maximum resolution possible, according to the following order: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, Standard (NTSC).

- Backup utility has been added as a feature under System Settings, enabling you to back up your PS3's hard disk data to storage media or restore data from storage media to the hard disk.

- USB peripherals designed for PlayStation 2 titles, including steering wheels and flight sticks, can now be used when playing PlayStation 2 games on the PS3 system.

To install the latest system software on your PS3 system, you can select the System Update feature, use a PC to download the update data and transfer it to the PS3 system through storage media or a USB mass storage device, or install it using update data included on a game disc. Further details are available at http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Network/Updates/default.html .

Contact information for this author is not available.