AfterDawn: News

PS3 PlayTV goes up for pre-order

Thanks to an apparent leak by Amazon there is now some information available on the availability of Sony's PlayTV add-on for the PlayStation 3.

The PlayTV will turn any PS3 into a "fully-fledged digital (or personal) video recorder." Amazon has it with a July 31st release date and with a price tag of £59.99. The gadget will boast "dual TV tuners, so all current Freeview channels will be available, and offer a 7-day EPG."



TV programming can then be recorded to the PS3s HDD and played back whenever you choose. Sony however, has denied official comment on the release date or price.

"We have yet to make an official announcement with regards to the release date and price of PlayTV in the UK, and we do not comment on rumour or speculation," said a Sony spokesperson.



Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 Apr 2008 14:24

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• 25 comments

• Vr0cK

  Sony hasnt mentioned anything but big Amazon has and Amazon wouldnt lie to us like that :P This is cool. Depending on people's preferences, but to me, this is another reason to choose a PS3 over other consoles and other Blu-ray players. PS3 is the best Blu-ray player out there, and thats how Sony wants to keep it. Keep these new features coming. Never hurts to have more options ^__^

  21.4.2008 15:28 #1

• Hunt720

  I agree with Vrock. I my problem is that I live in the U.S. and I'm not sure that Play TV is an option here at all.. last I heard its a UK exclusive. BUT... I think being able to use this feature adds another level of usability in turning the PS3 into not just a game console, but a fully functional media center. I currently have a DVR attached with my cable service and it has HDMI out and USB etc... so I'm not sure I would use this feature per say... but I think it is something that would be neat to see in action.

  21.4.2008 15:38 #2

• PantherM

  Man, I can't wait for PlayTV to hit the US. I fell in love with it when I first read about it 4 months ago. Hopefully, it will hit the US in the spring of next year...when we finally go digital.
  
  This is going to be sweet!

  21.4.2008 19:07 #3

• NexGen76

  Day one item...Now i cam give TimeWarner there Damm Box back.

  21.4.2008 19:43 #4

• hulud86

  I live in the US too. If this is a UK exclusive, i am going to punch myself. Play TV is another great reason to own a PS3.

  21.4.2008 19:59 #5

• PantherM

  Originally posted by hulud86: I live in the US too. If this is a UK exclusive, i am going to punch myself. Play TV is another great reason to own a PS3.Hate to see you punch yourself....but yeah...it is only in the UK right now.

  21.4.2008 20:40 #6

• Hunt720

  Quote:Originally posted by hulud86: I live in the US too. If this is a UK exclusive, i am going to punch myself. Play TV is another great reason to own a PS3.
  
  Hate to see you punch yourself....but yeah...it is only in the UK right now.
  
  ... on the other hand, if you are going to anyway.... be sure to upload the vid to youtube... then EVERY ps3 user can watch it!
  
  .... plus, its ALL the rage right now. ;)

  21.4.2008 22:11 #7

• nobrainer

  Originally posted by NexGen76: Day one item...Now i cam give TimeWarner there Damm Box back.you would be wise to w8 a week, well a month just to see if there is a price drop or that the service actually works.
  
  the problem today is that there is a marketing spin to encourage ppl to blind purchase products on the day of release, this is the worst move anyone can make as generally the first few months the populous are used as beta Ginnie pigs.
  
  
  if the sercive is a one off charge, with no hidden costs, and not loaded with DRM with a self destruct, or that it records in the full resolution of the broadcast not some lame codec good for sony.
  
  how many gimmicks do you need to sell a console, shouldn't they just concentrate on games as this is their fanbase!
  
  

  The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
  
  The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.
  
  How do you stop anti consumer = its easy purchase only second hand media and avoid their propertarian hobbled by DRM hardware! http://www.boycott-riaa.com/

  22.4.2008 03:09 #8

• ExogenBoy

  I assume that should work nicely in most parts of Europe, as any other dvb-t receiver.

  22.4.2008 03:19 #9

• PantherM

  nobrainer,
  Why post on this topic?
  
  A back handed compliment of "if, if, if, then" followed by a dig at Sony's strategy brings NOTHING to this thread.
  
  At least do some research on PlayTV first.
  
  It has NO DRM what so ever...which is what makes it so awesome...especially when used with a PSP! And yes, it is 1080p.
  
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayTV
  http://www.ps3fanboy.com/tag/PlayTV/
  http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=93867
  http://playstation.about.com/od/hardware...a/PlayTVPS3.htm
  http://www.last100.com/2007/08/23/what-sonys-playtv-is-and-isnt/

  22.4.2008 08:16 #10

• Hunt720

  Quote:
  how many gimmicks do you need to sell a console, shouldn't they just concentrate on games as this is their fanbase!
  
  Firstly man, its been established NUMEROUS times that many of the PS3's sales are attributed to it being the one of the cheapest, yet one of the top-rated Blu-Ray Players available. So to say that these people who bought the system for that reason are a "GAMING" fanbase is rediculous. Many people (even gamers) use the PS3 for its plethora of media capabilites as well as gaming. Sony is simply addressing a growing fanbase that doesn't just encompass gaming. It has been part of thier "marketing" since day one.
  
  .. Seriously, its not like EVERYONE at sony stopped what they were doing and sat down to figure out how to create a DVR function for the console. A specific team of people were assigned this task, and the rest of SONY continued to work on their assignments.. I'm sure that the gaming fanbase doesn't need to worry as this year is to yeild some blockbuster titles for the PS3. You could have researched that too before posting.
  
  You are to the PS3 what Michael Moore is to the U.S. Government... the only difference is Michel Moore does some research first, and a few people actually agree with him.

  22.4.2008 09:08 #11

• Vr0cK

  Quote:how many gimmicks do you need to sell a console, shouldn't they just concentrate on games as this is their fanbase! I think Sony clearly stated that they want the PS3 to be in everyones homes as a "multimedia machine", the center piece of their media player, and they're doing a good job. I like the feeling to know that one machine can provide many usable features instead of having to buy more products to do features it didnt have. Blu-ray player/up-scale DVD player/Playstation 1,2,3 (if u get the 80gb)/ Online DLC/ new PlayTV..the list goes on yet im sure many people here know how wide the PS3 functionality can be. And that to me is amazing. And i know a handful of people that only bought the PS3 just for Blu-ray, thus their marketing plan IS working. Nintendo has its goal as making the Wii, a game console playable for all ages young and old. Sony's goal is to make its PS3 a multimedia system that also appeals to all ages.

  22.4.2008 10:50 #12

• SProdigy

  The only problem I have, personally, with game consoles wanting to be "the center of your living room" is that I can get ALOT more mileage from using a PC.
  
  Plus, I find it much less of a hassle to use a PC for media playback, especially considering the price comparison between a PC and a PS3/360.
  
  I will admit though, I like the whole tuner concept. I wonder when MS is countering with that IPTV service that appears on and off again?

  22.4.2008 11:29 #13

• locobrown

  I agree, a PC gives you more mileage than a console. We don't want to kill our console since it was quite expensive, but I'll use the PlayTV sparlingly and it always depends on who much its worth. To record movies in HD I use a DVR and a PC tuner. Really don't see the point to this, its just a promotional scheme in order to sell more consoles, just like the Wii with the iPlayer.

  22.4.2008 13:33 #14

• Hunt720

  The PC definately has more options for media playback... I'm maybe not as farmiliar with the price ranges that are comparable to the PS3..
  
  Example:
  
  Can you build a comparable PC (sound, graphics, HDMI - out for the TV,Blu-Ray player, etc.) I'm not trying to bash PC's here... I honestly just didn't think one could build a pc that could be considered equal. If you can, I would love to see someone post the materials and prices so it could be done, its definately a project I'd be interested in! I know you can build a PC for more money.. but maybe I just don't know of a place to buy these materials.
  
  I'd be talking about a 400-600$ price range.

  22.4.2008 18:23 #15

• PantherM

  The PC does have more power....but my PC is in my loft...not in my living room, and my PC is used for different things...like taxes and stuff.

  22.4.2008 22:22 #16

• Vr0cK

  Quote:and my PC is used for different things...like taxes and stuff.lol just funny imagining someone doing their taxes, sitting on the couch, working it out on a big LCD 1080p tv XD

  23.4.2008 00:23 #17

• SProdigy

  Originally posted by Hunt720: I'd be talking about a 400-600$ price range.All considering, if you don't need/want Blu-Ray or a TV tuner, there are plenty of other avenues to get content, and that content will be most likely be playable on a PC rather than a console. (ie. iTunes store content, Vongo, Netflix streams, etc.)

  23.4.2008 08:55 #18

• NexGen76

  Originally posted by locobrown: I agree, a PC gives you more mileage than a console. We don't want to kill our console since it was quite expensive, but I'll use the PlayTV sparlingly and it always depends on who much its worth. To record movies in HD I use a DVR and a PC tuner. Really don't see the point to this, its just a promotional scheme in order to sell more consoles, just like the Wii with the iPlayer.Actually this would be less mileage on the PS3 because your not using the laser only playing content off your HD.In my opinion i just think PC gaming is old & out of date & not very comfortable.

  23.4.2008 10:22 #19

• locobrown

  But just by having it on, makes me think its going to over heat. I guess that the 360 made me heat-shock, If I could put it in those terms. I had to ship out my 360 to microsoft 6 different times, now its working perfectly without any heating or laser scratching issues. The good news about it is that my warranty renews itself everytime a get a new revised model. I say to myself sometimes, "relax it won't happen to the playstation".

  24.4.2008 13:48 #20

• hulud86

  Quote:Quote:Originally posted by hulud86: I live in the US too. If this is a UK exclusive, i am going to punch myself. Play TV is another great reason to own a PS3.Hate to see you punch yourself....but yeah...it is only in the UK right now.... on the other hand, if you are going to anyway.... be sure to upload the vid to youtube... then EVERY ps3 user can watch it!
  
  .... plus, its ALL the rage right now. ;)
  I'm no youtube celeb

  25.4.2008 03:32 #21

• hulud86

  Quote:Quote:and my PC is used for different things...like taxes and stuff.lol just funny imagining someone doing their taxes, sitting on the couch, working it out on a big LCD 1080p tv XDSony should make a do your taxes video game. It could be called "Crazy Taxes 2" or "Call Of Taxes 4: IRS Warfare. It would be bigger than Halo.

  25.4.2008 03:43 #22

• Hunt720

  Quote:Quote:Quote:and my PC is used for different things...like taxes and stuff.lol just funny imagining someone doing their taxes, sitting on the couch, working it out on a big LCD 1080p tv XDSony should make a do your taxes video game. It could be called "Crazy Taxes 2" or "Call Of Taxes 4: IRS Warfare. It would be bigger than Halo.As long as the third installment is just barely better than the second, yet has countless heaps of hype to boost sales beyond what its mediocrity would have brought it.

  25.4.2008 20:13 #23

• jack08

  hi iv all ready got ps3 play tv is very good use a sky plus box plug it in at the back with the usb deivice plug your arial to ps3 play tv add the sofe ware go on google n type in (sky tv usb connect to ps3 downloads)then find the downloads ull get free sky sports n sky movies or if that dosent work type in (sky tv hack codes) allways works p1080 ps3 sytem 60gig or 40gig dosent work on inported ps3's
  if any 1 wants 2 no any thing message me ill let u no evry thing some times it dosent work 82% it will work

  14.5.2008 17:10 #24

• Sharpy321

  im assuming the play tv solely takes its power from the ps3, does anyone know how much power it uses? i need to get a dual charging dock(charging 2 30 mA sixaxis controllers) and this play tv box within a total of 500mA or less as i have a usb hub running from the ps3 as in 1 port goes to 2 ports (one for play tv and one for the charger dock)

  17.5.2008 11:34 #25