Could 2009 be the year of Playstation entertainment? The Australian is reporting that Sony’s long awaited PlayTV will be launching in Australia in October. Not only that, but it will be a HD version of the device that will launch down here before anywhere else in the world.
This announcement comes a few weeks after the launch of Sony’s solid VidZone launch, which promises to be the precursor for a proper video on demand service from Sony.
The new PlayTV device will feature twin HD tuners and an EPG, and will connect to your PS3 via one of the USB ports, using your console’s hard drive to record TV shows. According to the Stuart Kennedy article, it’ll cost under $200.
It’s been a long time coming, but in all honesty, it’s better to have waited for an HD version rather than just tolerating an SD version. Not that there’s a hell of a lot of solid HD programming at the moment on FTA that isn’t sport, but it’s still nice to know that the product shouldn’t be obsolete in a few months.
JB
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 10:45 AMHere’s hoping it isn’t slapped with a stupid ‘Freeview’ badge…
John
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 11:50 PMHi Guys,
Has anyone actually got a PVR and an imported PlayTV. I was wondering, PlayTV $200, upgrade hard drive to 250GB + $80 + $20 for antenna splitter = $300.
Would one not spend and extra $100 and get a PVR designed for this work, with a proper and easy to use remote, 250GB? How are you finding, using the ps3 controller as your PVR remote ?
May other concern is my PS3 fans often start making quite a loud noise 20min into my DVD… a valid concern if one starts using it as a PVR everyday. Hopefully the PVR functionality will not push the unit enought to max fans.
Any comment welcome, wondering if I should wait till October or get a PVR. Thanks.
Geoff
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 11:08 AMFINALLY!!! I bought mine from the UK ages ago and it’s a fantastic piece of software that controls the programming. SBS didn’t work, and HD channels can be a bit dodgy to use, but over it’s been great. This Australian-optimised version will have these issues resolved – BRING IT ON!!
Ed Robertson
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 11:10 AMawesome… been looking forward to this for ages. glad they finally announced it
Marek
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 11:20 AMI’m pretty sure that my play tv records in HD, its just that in th UK there are no free to air HD channels unlike here. SO we aren’t getting anything special
Marek
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 11:27 AMyeah not having sbs sucks, the only hd channel that i have issues with is ABC. It’s an awesome piece of software/hardware, however you have to upgrade the ps3 hard drive as it chews though the gigabytes
dravvid
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 11:28 AMABOUT TIME! This will sell like hot cakes. Can’t wait. :D
Indefinite Implosion
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 12:23 PMYesss!
I’ve been waiting for this ever since I upgraded my hard drive to a 500GB one.
The only thing I don’t like is it’ll clutter the look up due to the lack of rear ports on my ps3 :(
Ed Robertson
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 7:47 PMit doesnt look that big so u could always stick it behind your ps3
Indefinite Implosion
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 12:23 PMyeah, I meant more of the fact I don’t want to use up one of my two USB ports and the fact that would still involve trailing the cord from the front round to the back
attila
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 12:34 PMWhy do tech writers (referring to Kennedy, not Giz) let Sony get away with claims like this?
The UK version is HD capable. I have one. It plays and records HD in Australia right now. There is no such “SD version” to be imported or tolerated.
Richard Gallina
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 1:28 PMawesome. i have been waiting for this for ages.
url404
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 4:00 PMThis is great! I’ve not really been keeping up with a lot of FTA television over the last couple of years so this should provide a good bank of entertainment for a lot cheaper price than a Tivo (although I really need to get some sort of USB hub and upgrade my HDD in the PS3 before I buy one).
Hooray for my Blu-Ray playing, media centre streaming PS3.
Of and the games as well of course!
Angus
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 4:09 PMAny word on if this “new” model will include a pass-through for the antenna? From what I understand, the one sold in the UK doesn’t have this, meaning you either have to (a) have the PS3 turned on just to watch TV or (b) buy a splitter and extra antenna cable, which is a bit messy.
Either way, $200 for a twin HD tuner PVR with EPG is pretty sweet.
Rohin
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 4:12 PMWhere can i pre-order!!!!
This was one of the selling points for me buying a PS3. Glad Sony Autralia didn’t ditch us!
Damon
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 5:48 PMYeah, I love how they never get the truth in the way of a good story, especially coming from sony themselves, PR department really needs to talk to the techs…
I just got my Play TV from the UK yesterday, it works on HD fine (few glitches, but will be fixed by software updates when the AU version comes out).
Do yourself a favour just import one from the UK, mine cost $131AUD delivered, took a week to arrive, easy….
NaS-T
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 2:16 PMNice catch! where did you score yours from?
Homer Simpson
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 2:48 AMWoo hoo!! Note to self: Buy hard drive in October, 500GB if possible.
BoZo
Friday, July 10, 2009 at 4:35 PMFirstly, VIDZONE is a real hit with me, move over MTV, now I get the BEST music all the time, in the order I want, and not the crap playlists you unleash on us more and more. But please $ONY more content…
PLAYTV – I want it, but I feel $200 is over priced, a PVR/STB is cheaper, and I’ll be able to record and watch while I play the PS3! or will the PS3 game and record without lag ????
Time will tell.
greg
Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 6:26 PMi think this site has reported wrongly
the SAME play TV the UK uses wil be released in australia in october
sony plan on updating the software to work better with the australian DVB-T standards
GIZMODO reported a HD version will be released, PlayTV has only ever been released with twin HD tuners all over the world
some places only DVB-T in SD such as the UK
i have a UK playtv which works fine, only prob is it doesn’t get SBS
HD channels that are broadcast in 720p stutter sometimes(abc HD)
one HD, seven HD, nine HD, work and record fine
this is only because of sony’s software issues
but if i hook playTV up to my PC (both windows and linux) it works flawlessly all channels even the UHF, SBS, HD channels work perfectly
greg
Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 6:28 PMthere is no new model
therazza
Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 8:25 PMDoes the imported version work in Tasmania??
I am asking as we have a channel that has 7 & 10 combined :(
John - Aus
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 9:35 PMMy only concern is when I watch blue ray movies on ps3 the fan makes enough noise for it to be annoying… This might tip me in a PVR direction.
Is anyone else experience this problem while playing blue ray? Perhaps I have a fault thermostat.
:-)
Rik
Friday, August 7, 2009 at 2:28 PMI’ve just brought mine from ebay and it’ll be here Monday. YEAH!
I’ve been doing a bit of research before I brough it to find out if there is anything I’m not going to get. From what I found out is,
The UK and Aus are the same device.
When it gets released in Aus it will get an update and hopefully add UHF channels not just VHF like now.
If you buy the UK version you are just getting it before the AUS version as nothing has changed.
All the “new versions” are software/update based.
Hopefully they add MPEG4 encoding so redordings are smaller.
If your signal is crap you might not be able to use it. You have to tune in the channels before you can update the software.
Pity I cant use one of my other USB HDTV devices. I have 3 spare. Still, having a PC as a PVR and now the PS3 with PVR I can watch, record and pause TV whenever I like. :)
Bas
Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 12:37 AMHey guys,
Was having a look around for the play tv and found it’s on the EB Games australia website for release in November 2009 (type in Play TV in the product search box). No price as of yet, but I went in to my local store, slapped down 10 bucks and put my name on the pre order list. They said they would call me the day it is released, I’ll cross my fingers till then.
mk
Monday, October 26, 2009 at 9:52 PMWell, October has come and almost gone and I’m not surprised we STILL haven’t been given a release date on this, nor is there a single trace of anything to do with Play TV on Sony’s Australian website.
Pull your finger out Sony, we have been awaiting this product for too long.
Bas
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 12:15 AMHey Guys,
EB Games website has the Play TV for release on the 26th November 2009 $169.95
http://www.ebgames.com.au/ps3/product.cfm?id=11558&refer=productsearch
Jim
Monday, November 2, 2009 at 9:13 AMIf a uk playtv worked here I would get it form Currys UK selling it for 44.98 – $82 and some change plus postage still cheaper than anyone here.
geoff
Monday, November 2, 2009 at 7:45 PMSony helpline confirmed release for 26th November. I have UK version which works perfectly fine – except SBS. Have updated firmware for 22 October release but am still not getting SBS. Anyone getting SBS?
Paula
Monday, November 23, 2009 at 9:52 PMHave just bought a Play Tv from curry’s in the UK, paid 45 pounds plus five postage, total is less than $100,and a lot less than the $169 we’re being charged here for it
blake
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 7:39 AMYes SBS works for me. But One HD/Ten doesn’t work at all and won’t be picked up. It’s a piece of shit.