PS4 System Software Update 1.50 Details by Sony Now Available

Sponsored Links

Sony Social Media Manager Sid Shuman shared details today on the upcoming PS4 System Software update 1.50 below that includes browser functionality, which will coincide with the North American PlayStation 4 launch day!

To quote: We wanted to shed some light on system software update version 1.50 for PS4, which will launch simultaneously with the system's official North American launch on November 15th, 2013. By updating to system software version 1.50, you'll be able to experience a variety of new features in addition to the basic functions of PS4.

The system software update 1.50 is approximately 300 MB, and will include the following features:

Remote Play

Users will be able to access PS4 titles displayed on their living room TVs and play them on a PS Vita system over Wi-Fi networks by using PS4 Link (Depending on network environment or titles, remote play performance may vary outside of the home).

We anticipate that most PS4 titles will be playable on the PS Vita system through Remote Play. The latest PS Vita system software version, to be released soon, will be required to use PS4 Link.

Second Screen

Users can use the PS4 Link application for the PS Vita system, and PlayStation App for iPhone, iPad, and Android-based smartphones and tablets, to use these devices as second screens in supported titles.

PlayStation App has the ability to enable users to interact with games with their mobiles devices. For example on The Playroom, a title pre-installed in all PS4 systems that requires PlayStation Camera, users can draw pictures on their mobile device screens and flick them towards the TV. The images then appear as a 3D object within the game.

Users can share their epic triumphs by simply hitting the Share button on DualShock 4, take screenshots or scan through the last 15 minutes of gameplay, tag it and return to the game-the video uploads as the user plays.

At the PS4 system's launch in North America, users will be able to share their images and videos with friends on Facebook and screenshots with followers on Twitter, though users will need to sign up for individual accounts to use Facebook and Twitter.

Broadcast and spectate gameplay

The PS4 system also enhances social spectating by enabling users to broadcast their gameplay in real-time to game fans around the globe, using Ustream and Twitch live internet streaming services (users will need to sign up for individual accounts to use Ustream and Twitch).

There are two ways for users to view live broadcasts. First, the Live from PlayStation application on PS4 aggregates streams from all PlayStation users. Second, users can spectate friends' PS4 gameplay from PCs, and applications such as Ustream, Twitch, and browsers, which are installed on their mobile devices.

These applications can be easily started up via PlayStation App, and users can also use these applications to post comments to gameplay broadcasts. Furthermore, users with PlayStation Camera can stream camera images and microphone sounds along with their live gameplay broadcast.

Play as you download

This feature enables users to play supported digital titles as they are being downloaded. The time it takes to begin playing will vary depending on game data size and network environments, and not all titles will support this feature When a game is purchased, users can start playing after PS4 downloads a portion of the data, while the rest of the game is downloaded in the background during actual gameplay. Games may be downloaded in stand-by mode.

Multi log-in

A maximum of four users can log-in to a single PS4 system simultaneously. These players can use their own save data to play games, and also earn trophies on their own Sony Entertainment Network accounts even when playing a multiplayer game together on a single PS4 system.

Party (Voice chat)

By using the Mono Headset bundled with the PS4 system, users will be able to chat with up to eight friends enjoying different applications or games. Furthermore, users can use Party to chat between PS4 and PS Vita systems.

Face recognition and voice commands

Users with PlayStation Camera will be able to register their facial image onto their PS4 system, and login to their system using facial recognition instead of DualShock 4.

Furthermore, users can use either the microphone of the Mono Head set connected to DualShock 4, or PlayStation Camera to navigate through the PS4 home screen (PlayStation Dynamic Menu) with voice commands to start up games and shutdown the system, among other features; please refer to PS4's online manual for recognizable voice commands.

Background music player

Users can enjoy gameplay while listening to music in the background with Music Unlimited, a cloud-based digital music service. Users can also voice chat with friends while listening to music. Learn more about Music Unlimited here.

Online Multiplayer

PlayStation Plus members will be able to play PS4 titles online with other players via the network. PS Plus makes it easy for members to join available online multiplayer matches in a variety of ways, including the ability to easily join a game from a live stream broadcast or Party voice chats.

Blu-ray Disc and DVD player

Users can enjoy not only gaming on their PS4 system, but also Blu-ray and DVD video contents. When using for the first time, users must connect to the internet to activate this feature.

Some features will not be available at launch, such as "suspend/resume mode" which is a feature that keeps the PS4 system in a low power state and promptly takes users back to their game.

We will provide additional information about system software update version 1.50 and features available at the PS4 system's North America launch, and features that will be available after launch, in the near future.

Finally, Sony's President of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida confirmed on Twitter that you can play your PlayStaion 4 without ever connecting to the internet. Thus, the Day One update is not required for the console to function.

• James ‏(Jimmy_Lmao): will i be able to take my PS4 home and play games offline without ever connecting to the internet and doing a day 1 update? thankyou!

PlayStation 4 FW Update 1.5 (PS4UPDATE.PUP) & PS4 Updatelist XML Out

Following up on the initial PS4 Firmware 1.50 Update details, today Sony PlayStation 4 hacker SKFU has made available the PS4UPDATE.PUP and Recovery file link and analysis, which comes shortly after some ps4-updatelist.xml files were made public by B7U3 C50SS as well.

Update: The update files were removed from the SONY update server. Since it is unclear if this was firmware version 1.00 or 1.50, let's hope there was some mistake made by SONY here which helps us in future

Firmware .PUP - c64d11f839ac8628176941b99fd3670e

Recovery .PUP - 6f4d6afe98dd7297c70aa4d6e7e5482b

Update #2: It appears Frumix (via neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=87942869&postcount=1) also discovered the same thing, who states the following additional details:

PS4 1.5 Update File is apparently up on update servers #1

Update file (308 MB)

Recovery file (859 MB)

Just like on PS3, it seems it's the same file across all regions (data in the american xml seems to be erroneous somehow). Not sure what you might need it for this early, but here you go. Update if old.

IMPORTANT: If you're unsure what to do with any of this, wait until official Sony page goes online.

According to Sony's Shuei Yoshida confirmed that the PS4 1.50 System Update won't be included on PlayStation 4 game discs.

When asked if the servers fail on launch day, Yoshida answered with "No" outright. He also stated that games will not insert the update, so users will have to download it from the Internet.

Everything is encrypted after that, even the selfs, so might take a while until we see runable x86/64 code appearing from the PUPs.

Finally, from xerpi comes a few revisions of his own PlayStation 4 PUP Extractor (linked above) with details below as follows:

[xerpi] here's my version of a PS4 PUP extractor: pastebin.com/qdgumb8t
[flatz] xerpi, i think SKFU is wrong with the fixed size of header
[flatz] seems like data is aligned to the block size
[flatz] so if you have 20 files for example, then data offset should be 0x400
[xerpi] I've thought this, but I've read that there are a maximum of 10 files
[flatz] i think it is just his assumption
[xerpi] so If there's no file limit, the data would be: 32 + 48*filecount
[xerpi] data offset*
[xerpi] but there's still a reserved space so I don't know if this space will continue existing
[flatz] actually you don't need to calculate data offset
[flatz] just get it from entry table
[flatz] data_offset = block_index * block_size
[flatz] header always start with block_index = 0
[xerpi] right, but as I see block_size is 512
[xerpi] so the first PUP offset (data_offset) will be 512 bytes after the begin of the file
[xerpi] I don't see any dynamic number telling the size of the blocks
[flatz] it is fixed to 512
[flatz] data_offset = align_up(header_size + entry_size * num_entries, 512) where header_size = 0x20, entry_size = 0x30
[xerpi] yes, so I set the general offset to PS4_PUP_HEADER_SIZE + header-]pups[i].offset
[xerpi] ok, so the only static size here is the size of the header of the header (the top part of the header)
[flatz] yep
[flatz] and block size
[xerpi] yeah
[xerpi] It makes sense now, thanks
[flatz] np
[flatz] seems like they use some sort of mapping/paging.. that's why they use fixed-size blocks and padding to make data size multiple of block size
[xerpi] I see
[xerpi] done: pastebin.com/bHXBhTyc
[flatz] great
[xerpi] treat it as an "experiment"
[xerpi] I was bored when I saw this info so I decided to try to do a simple pup extractor
[flatz] i'm too
[xerpi] btw I got to go now, it's a bit late here hahaha
[xerpi] cya

0x40 bytes after the magic are encrypted with aes. (256 bits CBC Mode). The new encrypted buffer contains the new erk and riv to be used for the next decryption. The next 0x240 bytes are decrypted with aes. (128 bits CTR Mode). That 0x240 bytes contain a table of information relating to the system files. Each entry in there contains the offset for encrypted sections, sha1 hmac keys, and the erk and riv to decrypt each encrypted section. Each section is decrypted using aes. (128 bits CTR mode).