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  1. #1
    Contributor gibboireland's Avatar
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    [UnAnswered] Different region FW on PS3?

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    Hi guys,

    I guess the short answer to this is no, but wondering if the talent on this site might be able to help anyway

    I have a US PS3 and wondered if it was possible to install a Euro FW file onto my system.

    Reason is that the Euro PS3 has more video output options available than the US.

    Any help really appreciated....

  2. #2
    Banned User
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    all retail firmware updates are universal.

    there might have been one around launch (not really sure w/o checking) that was for jap only.

    What video options do pal consoles have that ntsc ones dont???

    are you speaking of a 50/60 hertz selection???

  3. #3
    Contributor gibboireland's Avatar
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    Thanks idone for the response.

    Yep thats exactly it, Im looking for the 50hz option for my US PS3 in order to play some blu-rays.

    So will it work if I were to install a Euro FW on my US PS3 to get this option?

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by gibboireland View Post
    As idone says, there's only one firmware that covers all regions of PS3. The region code (for games, and for Blu-ray movies) is held outside of firmware, and is not changeable.

    With regards to Blu-ray movies at 50Hz, note that PS3 HDMI output is either 60Hz, or - if your display supports it - 24Hz. Most (all?) Blu-ray movies are encoded at 24Hz, irrespective of whether they are Region A or B.

    If your display doesn't support 24Hz playback, then regardless of your actual region (US/Europe/other) there'll always be some kind of pull-down/up to convert from 24Hz to the display rate (50Hz, or 60Hz).

    Hope this helps,


    p.s. There's a 'Play videos at 50Hz is available' option in newer PS3 firmware, but I believe that's really to allow for videos exported from PlayTV (which, in Europe, are at 50Hz in Standard Definition) to play without any kind of conversion.

  5. #5


    Thanks so much Arnie Pie - that helps explain it a great deal.

    My TV doesnt support 24hz, so from what you are telling me, the reason I cant play this bluray is a limitation on my TV rather than on the region of my PS3.

    Ah well, next TV I get Ill make sure supports it!

    Thanks once again!

  6. #6
    Hmmm.. no, that's not really what I'm saying.

    If you're being prevented from playing a different region Blu-ray movie on your PS3 (eg: a European Blu-ray that is locked to Region B, on a US PS3), then that would be down to region coding. Blu-ray movies aren't encoded at 50Hz or 60Hz, and not all Blu-ray movies are region free, unfortunately.

    You shouldn't need to go buy a TV that supports Blu-ray playback at 24Hz (it makes a reasonable difference, but it's not required.. my previous TV didn't support it, and I was able to play back US-authored region-free Blu-ray movies on my EU PS3 via HDMI without problems).

    I guess further questions to narrow down your problem would be:

    a: What is the Blu-ray you're trying to play?
    b: How is your US PS3 connected up to your TV?
    c: What TV is it?


  7. #7


    Hi ArniePie,

    Once again thanks for all the great help.

    The BluRay is Oasis - Lord Dont Slow me Down. It says on the box that its 1080p and 50hz.

    I have it connected to my TV via HDMI, and digital optical (Toslink) for the sound.

    The TV is a Sharp LC37P50E and until now, all BluRays regardless of where sourced from played perfectly.

    It doesnt appear to be region related, as Independence Day I know for a fact doesnt play on my US PS3 due to regional encoding. This doesnt seem the issue with the Oasis BluRay however.

    So my best guess for why it doesnt play is that the Oasis BluRay is at 50hz, and the US PS3 comes through on my TV at 60hz.

    So my original question was to see if there was any way I could change the settings on my PS3 to enable 50hz which my TV does support (as it is a European TV).

    What do agree thats what you think the problem is?

  8. #8
    The name of the Blu-ray was the important thing..

    Have a read of this : [Register or Login to view links]

    According to that thread, that particular Blu-ray is encoded at 1080i/50Hz (it's not 1080p, regardless of what the box might say).

    There's no way you can enable 50Hz video mode output on a US PS3, so your only chance of playing it on your US PS3 (short of getting a new TV that supports 50Hz too, and hoping that the US PS3 will output it - which isn't guaranteed) is to rip it from the Blu-ray disk (on a PC BD-ROM drive using [Register or Login to view links]), and turn it into a standalone video file.

    Sorry there's no immediate fix for you, mate.


  9. #9


    ArniePie, really appreciate all your help, very much appreciated.

    Think its not going to work so will put it down to experience.

    My TV does actually support 50hz, so its the PS3 I believe where the issue lies. Ah well. I believe changing to component cables (rather than HDMI) may get it at 50hz, but as the BluRay is at 1080i only, I guess this wont change anything for the better anyway.

    Thanks again for the help!

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