PS3 Now Upscales PlayTV to HD
Sony has released an update for the PlayStation 3 Play TV tuner unit enabling it to better serve the needs of HD buffs and mobile maniacs. Version 1.21 of the unit’s software lets you watch, pause and record HD TV over a DVB-T standard broadcast, Sony said, and makes it possible to simultaneously watch and record free digital HD channels. The update also supposedly provides “better standard definition upscaling”, Sony added, so that when you are watching SD channels on an HD screen they look...
PlayTV-HD Test For Australia
SONY Computer Entertainment Australia is ready to launch its much-anticipated PlayTV here, a box that transforms a PlayStation 3 console into a video recorder. The PlayTV hooks up to a PS3 console through a USB port and records television shows to the PS3’s hard drive for later playback. SCE Australia chief Michael Ephraim said the high-definition version of the PlayTV would be launched in Australia by October. A standard-definition version of it has been available overseas since late last...
PlayTV Update: SD Upscaling & More
The PlayTV add-on for PlayStation 3 has released a system update bringing some much needed new features to the table. Among the new additions, SD upscaling should bring a sharper picture to HDTVs, and a new XMB option to allow direct access to TV (no more having to go through the PlayTV menu) which should streamline things significantly. Other new functions have also been added, including new fast-forward/rewind speeds and new volume control settings. Read More →
85,000 PlayTV Units Shipped In UK
Released only last week in the UK, PlayTV has already shipped 85,000 units. That’s quite a good number considering that only around 9,000 pre-orders for the device were placed before its release. If things go well for Sony, PlayTV could eventually land a big footprint on media hub history. And while the Go!View service is already avaiable on the PSP, the PlayTV pushes the handheld’s capabilities further by allowing PS3 and PSP owners on-the-go viewing via Remote Play. Currently, PlayTV...
PlayTV – IGN Review
So, you’ve got your shiny PS3 and 60-foot mega-telly. That probably means you’ve also got some form of Freeview in your lounge/bedroom/multimedia toilet too. Let’s be honest, with a set-up like that it’s hard to imagine anyone who won’t have access to the lavish blob of pixilation we loving call standard-def digital television. Obviously then, it’s the ‘R’ aspect of Sony’s PlayTV PVR we’re all likely to be interested in. Still though, in...
PlayTV Allows DRM Free To PSP
Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of what’s official and what’s not, especially because Sony continues to contradict itself. When we first heard the Euro exclusive PlayTV box would allow users to copy recorded shows onto the PSP, we all said “yay.” The convenience of recording TV and taking it with us wherever we go sounded swell. Then, we found out that the files would be restricted. Well, with PlayTV in the hands of reviewers, it appears Sony has switched back to the...
PlayTV Tuner Test Run
Gadgetoid has been trying out the upcoming PlayTV tuner – here’s a quick overview of his findings. The PlayTV is due for release next month and couldn’t be better timed what with the 80gb PS3 having a good lead to give new PS3 purchasers oodles of recording space for that wholesome Freeview television. I’ve been playing with the PlayTV and like what I see. It’s a little on the big and ugly side but is easily hidden away as all control is effected through the PS3 itself. The picture produced...
PlayTV Files Not Transferable
Sony has told Eurogamer that PlayTV will not allow saved video files be transferred to PSP, PC or Memory Stick. Instead, the PS3 TV recorder will only be able to stream live or recorded content to your PSP using Remote Play functionality. Sony Cambridge, the studio making the software for PlayTV, had told us there was no copy protection or time restrictions on the standard format recordings, which could be moved freely onto all manner of storage devices. No reason for the change of heart was given. We...
PlayTV – The MC Challenger?
It’s been in the works for a few years, but the PlayTV is finally launching in England on September 19th for £69.99 and in Australia during the December quarter at below $200 (subject to confirmation). For TV hungry Playstation 3 gamers, the PlayTV is a digital, Freeview PVR. The device lets you watch, pause, rewind and record live television, and watch it on your TV or your PSP. The following FAQs should answer any burning questions you may have about the product. How do I use the PlayTV? Simply...
PlayTV For Australia – 4th Quarter 08
There’s been a few rumblings recently about the PlayTV’s European launch, but at a briefing today in Sydney, Sony announced that Australia will be getting the PlayTV in the fourth quarter this year, for less than $200, although official pricing and release dates are still to be confirmed. They also stated that we’ll be seeing it roughly a month after the Europe market gets it. So if the latest Amazon listing of October 31 in the UK is correct, that means the hottest gaming peripheral...