Sony have been telling us that the PlayTV is coming to Australia this year ever since it didn’t arrive for their deadline last year. But their PlayStation 3 website has a brochure that promises the digital TV tuner for your PS3 will arrive late 2009.
Not only that, but there were reports earlier this week on Gamespot AU that stated a firmware update for UK versions of the device have enabled some of the extra digital channels not previously available to Aussie importers of the product.
Which all seems to point towards the notion that it might actually happen. So, the next question is, how many of you will buy one?
[Playstation 3 and Gamespot - Thanks Mark]
Brent McMillan
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 12:11 PMI’m one of those ‘importers’ and have had the device for around 9 months.
It really is the goods in terms of a swift HD-capable stb and more importantly for me (and my wife) it removes another device/remote from the clutter.
Since the latest updates you can now access all the Freeview channels, however you do lose some features such as ad skipping and exporting to the XMB (to meet Freeview AU reqs).
These features can be gained back however if you change your country to ‘other’ at the expense of losing SBS channels.
nozlaf
Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 10:48 AMmaybe for you the only drawback is loosing sbs but for those of us who live in regional australia we would not be able to get any channels
Rhys Kingston
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 12:26 PMI was pretty keen – a year ago. The extended delays and now Sony’s unnecessary pandering to meet the Freeview requirements has put me off to be honest.
Clayton Wood
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 12:31 PMif add skipping is not on, then playTV may not be on the cards anymore… why does it have to be freeview capable… really sony… why?
Travis Young
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 1:14 PMThe lack of ad skipping could kill this device for a lot of people. There’s no reason it should be ‘Freeview’ compliant, that’s just marketing rubbish trying to sell digital to the below average joe.
I’m curious though as to why SBS is lost if you select ‘other’ for your country. Are they on a bit of spectrum not normally used?
Phil
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 1:38 PMIt’s explained http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/?tag=ps3_playtv
Basically if you select ‘other’ you can’t access UHF, therefore no SBS
daf22
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 1:30 PMAd skipping?!
Are people serious too lazy/impatient to use the fast forward button.
NK
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 1:47 PMEarlier this week EB games changed their release date from “Nov 2009″ to 26/11/2009. They are listing a price of $169.95
http://www.ebgames.com.au/ps3/product.cfm?id=11558&refer=productsearch
Flame
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 1:58 PMI got tired of waiting and bought a cheap second-hand PC + TV card, with Win7 RC for Media Centre.
matt
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 4:22 PMI was tempted to do this too, as I already have an always on PC next to an arial. much fuss to set up?
as for ad skipping… TV isn’t free. don’t want ads? buy the dvds. (or the digital downloads)
Montydog
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 3:56 PMPicked mine up in France a fortnight ago (son imported one approx 6 months ago for himself), one of the best investments I have made for quite a while. Think people are getting a bit picky if the lack of lack of ad skipping is their only concern.