PlayTV brings HD DVR features to European PS3 systems

Posted Aug 22nd 2007 1:45PM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Hardware

In Leipzig today, SCEE announced PlayTV, a TV tuner and personal video recorder (PVR) for the PS3. PlayTV will be available in UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain early in 2008, with other PAL territories to follow in the future. [Update: Kotaku has confirmed that the service is unlikely to come to America. "The problem with the DVR is that the U.S. doesn't have terrestrial digital television yet, so while some cities like San Diego have it not nearly support in the U.S. to make it worth the effort for Sony. When that changes, and it will, Sony will be on the ball, Harrison said."]

PlayTV will allow users to watch, pause and record live TV. PlayTV can also record individual shows, or entire series to the PS3 hard drive. The videos can then be watched from the PS3, or can be transferred to the PSP to watch on the go. PlayTV will provide a 7-day Electronic Programme Guide (EPG2) utilizing the "widely available" DVB-T format.

The peripheral will feature two TV tuners that are 1080p compatible, allowing users to view, record and play full HD television signals. Through the PlayStation Network, the program will be constantly updated, to improve the service and offer new functionality.

See the full press release after the break.

Watch, record and replay TV shows on demand

Turn PS3 into a digital personal video recorder and record programmes to watch anytime, anywhere

Leipzig, 22 August 2007. At Games Convention today, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced the introduction of PlayTV, a combined TV tuner and Personal Video Recorder (PVR) for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™). PlayTV will be available in UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain early in 2008, with other PAL territories to follow in due course.

Designed to reinforce PS3's rightful place in the Living Room at the heart of the home entertainment needs, the twin channel TV tuner peripheral and PVR software turns PS3 into a state of the art TV recorder, allowing users to watch, pause and record live TV. PlayTV will also record individual programmes or whole series1 to the PS3 hard drive for viewing later on the family TV, or for transferring to the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) for remote viewing outside of the home.

Operating on the widely available Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial (DVB-T) format, PlayTV uses an incredibly quick and easy to use 7-day Electronic Programme Guide EPG2. that provides the navigation for programming the PVR features of PlayTV.

In line with PlayStation's focus on advanced technology made easy, PlayTV provides a host of added value features seldom seen on anything but the highest cost standalone PVRs:

· PlayTV's two TV tuners are High Definition ready and are able to view, record and play back High Definition signals in full HD1080P to fully complement PS3's already impressive High Definition credentials.

· Unlike the electronic programme guides found on conventional satellite and cable services, PlayTV's EPG is lightning fast, and simple to use with either PS3's SIXAXIS™ wireless controller or the BD remote control to really enhance viewing pleasure.

· Intuitive controls, single button help features, tutorial videos and simple navigation make PlayTV a positive joy to use compared with the complexity of some standalone PVR models

· Seamless connectivity with PSP allows you to set recordings, watch Live TV and recorded TV programmes remotely on PSP via a Wi-Fi connection (using Remote Play feature). Alternatively, quickly transcode recorded TV shows for high quality viewing to PSP by USB cable for remote viewing away from the home.

· Optional on-screen graphical display provides a wealth of information about the status of PlayTV and provides quick access to programme information, stored TV programmes and the controls to pause or record live TV. PlayTV will also set the correct interface for either Standard Definition or High Definition displays, maximising the viewing experience.

· PlayTV will evolve with time, with great added value functionality being updated via PLAYSTATION®Network; a feature that sets it above all other set top boxes. PlayTV will never be out of date.

"The introduction of PlayTV really will extend the already broad entertainment credentials of PS3, and makes it an exceptionally attractive proposition for the whole family," said David Reeves, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. "PS3 already provides High Definition gaming, Blu-ray Disc movies, music, video, photo album, web browsing and PLAYSTATION Network support. With the introduction of PlayTV's state of the art TV tuner and PVR functionality, PS3 is now the best choice of home entertainment hub for the whole family.

Tags: dvr, leipzig, lgc07, playtv, pvr

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Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. USA = Chicken liver ^_^
That is pretty cool, I do hope they announce it expanding to the US in the near future

Posted at 1:49PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Tanya

2. Good for you, Europe!

Now, what about us stateside? I guess there's too much nonsense with the cable providers here to pull off something this cool. IPTV anyone?

Posted at 1:50PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Popfrogs

3. See the nice menu at the Danish gaming site playstadium.dk: http://www.playstadium.dk/2007/08/22/sony-afsl%c3%b8rer-playtv-en-tv-tuner-til-ps3/#more-4204

Posted at 1:52PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Jakob

4. And finally Europe get something before the US :)

Posted at 1:53PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Jakob

5. Does the US have free digital TV (named "Freeview" in the UK)? If not then it's doubtful you'll be getting this little gadget. :P

This will be a nice little edition to my bedroom, save on the Sky bill.

Posted at 1:53PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Ste

6. @5 yes we have free digital TV here in the USA - we get ABC, NBC, CBS, and PBS in HD for free with an antenna

Posted at 2:02PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by ToyAnvil

7. hmm, nice looking menu.. how comes they're abandoning the XMB design?

I would of assumed all PS3 add ons would have a similar looking menu as the base XMB throughout..

Posted at 2:05PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by WA7ER

8. the us will get it too

Posted at 2:15PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by bajanboss

9. I'm with Jean, surely this isn't it? This is all well and good, but where are the games we all so desperately want to be playing?

Posted at 2:16PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Edd Mills

10. hmm...does anyone know where i Can watch the sony keynote? And surely these two things weren't all that was said or is going to be said during the keynote...right?

Posted at 2:20PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Jean

11. Now to wait for it to come to the US...

Posted at 2:21PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by CoolDude330

12. ehrm sorry my pc is being whacky, didnt mean to post that again and yeah im waiting for more..

Posted at 2:21PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Jean

13. @ bajanboos

The USA wont get that version, afaik the following if true:

"DVB-T is used for broadcast television in Europe. In the United States, ATSC was selected over DVB-T"

this will be a DVB-T receiver....

Posted at 2:24PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by gooftroop

14. was that really it? where are the fireworks!!?

Posted at 2:32PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Jean

15. Before I start my rant, I would like to add I am a massive PS3 fan boy... but heres my 2 cents....

THIS WHOLE EFFIN DVB-T THING PISSES ME OFF! I live in Ireland (a small neighboring country to the UK), I have and PAY for Digital TV with a company called Sky (or BSkyB if you wanna be pickey), with it I get one hundred billion channels with nothing ever one worth watching when I in, and all the good things on while I'm out... so I need a recorder... getting a VHS recorder is no good... well.. because its VHS... DVD or HDD recorders are good... but expensive here, Sky have a digital recorder thing but you have to pay for the box and then pay another €30 a month.. and another €30 if I want about 2 HD channels (ok theres like 8..)... so anyway if I want to do all that my PS3 will be able to do I have to dish out a lot.. and I'm not arsed doing that... Having a PS3, 32" Samsung HD TV (to shame[and boredom] a wii...) and several other expensive technological nicknacks (one not being an xbox thank you very much...) I'm kinda sick that I still can't record TV....

So its at this point in our story that I say "Enter the PS3 to save me from all this..." WRONG! instead of Sony finding more of a way to make my PS3 more amazing, they piss me off, my sky doesn't run off DVB-T, infact there is not DVB-T signal in the country, the Irish Broadcasting Pricks are doing small tests in small areas of the capital, but its gona be a few hundred years before we get it... So why didn't Sony put in more than just DVB-T, why not all types of digital signals, and analogue ones, as for subscription services, I can out put my sky box onto an analogue signal, and it can set itself to auto change channel... just like you'd have to do with any other external recorder here.... THAT WOULD HAVE MADE SENSE!

But hopefully I'm wrong and it will support more than a DVB-T signal....

Posted at 2:44PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Sim and Sim

16. No US don't get the SKY or something equal to Play-TV soon:

http://kotaku.com/gaming/gc07/harrison-sheds-light-on-us-plans-ps3-dvr-and-psp-tv-292330.php

Will the PSP video download service, come to other contries than UK and Ireland (aahh 2-0, IRL-DEN)

Posted at 2:45PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Jakob

17. I love that conference. In Denmark we only have about 4 Danish channels, 23 Germans (!), and 8 Swedish, and in October 2009, when the analog signal turns of. And then we got a lot of nice public service channels, free channels and pay channels (can Play TV use that?)

Is it just me, but sounds the Go! name on all the PSP products crazy? It doesen't look good :)

Posted at 2:50PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Jakob

18. "The USA wont get that version, afaik the following if true"

Right you are, but we will get the ATSC version if this is popular enough. I mean we don't get cars with the driver in the passenger seat after all =-.)

Posted at 2:51PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by borland502

19. We Hate You SONY.

-USA

Posted at 2:52PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by Mike

20. "I live in Ireland (a small neighboring country to the UK)"

So that's where the Irish come from! I always figured it was a province of Oz, somewhere over the rainbow.

Posted at 2:53PM on Aug 22nd 2007 by borland502

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