PlayStation 4 firmware 1.51 improves stability

Sony has issued a 1.51 update for the PlayStation 4, aimed at improving stability and making minor adjustments to the user interface.

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Sony has issued its first PlayStation 4 firmware update since the system's launch, focused mostly on system stability. The 1.51 software update hit last night, and consoles that have automatic downloads enabled (by default) should already have it loaded onto the system.

A post on the PlayStation.Blog says that the update improves "stability of system software" and makes minor refinements to the user interface, like giving a clearer indication when a user downloads a game and game patch at the same time.

Though the post doesn't go into detail about specific stability tweaks, right now the main concern among owners is likely the blue light error. Sony issued a troubleshooting guide earlier this week, but we're not sure if this patch is meant to address it.

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  • reply
    November 20, 2013 6:30 AM

    Steve Watts posted a new article, PlayStation 4 firmware 1.51 improves stability.

    Sony has issued a 1.51 update for the PlayStation 4, aimed at improving stability and making minor adjustments to the user interface.

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      November 20, 2013 6:44 AM

      i have auto updates on and this did not download overnight. it's a pretty quick update though.

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        November 20, 2013 6:47 AM

        Did you leave your system on standby?

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          November 20, 2013 7:01 AM

          yes.

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            November 20, 2013 7:57 AM

            Is standby working properly? I only tried it once, but it took just as long to power on and it didn't seem to keep my game open.

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              November 20, 2013 8:03 AM

              suspend mode isn't in yet. Standby works for turning on the system to do remote play at least, but that's the only thing I've tested.

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          November 20, 2013 7:02 AM

          also it updated sounds shapes early yesterday morning so its working

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      November 20, 2013 6:57 AM

      This brings up an interesting issue that I have with PS4 thus far. There's no option to turn off automatic firmware updates while keeping other things, like game patch updates, turned on. My first PS3 was bricked recently by one of the recent updates, and while I've chalked the experience up to the system mostly being too old (6-years) to handle it, I've set my PS3 super-slim replacement so that it does not automatically download firmware updates. This way, I can find out on the net if the patch is safe first and working properly for the majority of users before downloading it to my system .

      Here's hoping that they add this option.

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      November 20, 2013 7:32 AM

      Interesting. I just installed the 1.51 update and now the PS4 is able to log me in by face recognition alone (I have the PS4 camera). I no longer have to lift up a controller below my face to confirm that it's me. While I kind of liked doing that, as it avoided accidental sign-ins, this works for me too, as you have to put your head into a "frame" displayed on the screen before it will actually log you in, so the same effect is achieved. Also, since the PS4 supports control through HDMI, I can turn the PS4 on via my Sony TV's remote, rather than using the controller, so this addition allows me to get into the PS4's menus controller free. It's kind of nice!

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        November 20, 2013 7:48 AM

        I guess I don't see the point of being able to turn on and log in without a controller. Once you're logged in you have to use it anyway to navigate around right? Or can you move through the menus like with the 360 and Kinect with hand gestures? I admit it is a cool feature, just not one I see the point of.

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          November 20, 2013 8:29 AM

          If you want to say, watch a Blu-Ray movie, fire up Netflix or simply change something in the system settings, it's nice to just use the TV remote. You CAN navigate the menus just by using the remote, provided your TV supports HDMI control and whatever you're doing on PS4 doesn't require you to use an actual face button, like Square or Triangle (I have a Sony TV so it's possible that those buttons may be supported somewhere on the remote, but I haven't found any that correspond yet). Obviously if you're going to be doing something that requires more specific controller functions, you need the controller.

          Up until this point however, I was under the impression that I could not log in at all without the controller, but now I'm delighted to know this is not the case. That said, if you turn a controller on, you still have to hold it up to the controller so that it can link it to you, even though you're already signed in. Still very cool.

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          November 20, 2013 11:19 AM

          [deleted]

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        November 20, 2013 5:10 PM

        That's neat! Controller free is nice for the reasons you just listed below.

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      November 20, 2013 11:02 AM

      I wonder when we will be able to see how much charge our controllers have left.

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        November 20, 2013 11:06 AM

        [deleted]

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        November 20, 2013 11:16 AM

        You can now. Hold down the PS button til the shutdown screen comes up. Battery life is on the bottom.

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        November 20, 2013 11:20 AM

        [deleted]

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        November 20, 2013 11:26 AM

        You already can. Without being in front of a PS4 I can't tell you exactly how to do it but it is similar to the PS3: hold down the PS button and I think there is an adjust devices (?) options that once selected will show a battery icon.

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      November 20, 2013 11:21 AM

      [deleted]

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