Sony's PlayTV DVR for PlayStation 3 reviewed on video
It's black, it plays nice with your PS3 and it enables owners in DVB-T territories to watch live TV via their PlayStation 3. Yep, it's Sony's PlayTV, and it has recently been reviewed on video by Stuff's Ruth Owen. We'd go into elaborate detail about exactly what she thinks, but then you might be discouraged from actually clicking through and hearing her most delightful accent. So we won't.
[Thanks, JimB]
[Thanks, JimB]



















The user interface looks amazing, easily topping every other PVR by a mile. The DRM issue stinks. I suspect the only reason they don't allow show downloads is because of the Sky PSP service. If people can download TV to their PSP from DVB-T why would they be paying Sky? Personally I think the Sky service is going to fail and fail hard anyway (too expensive, too clunky), so I don't see that crippling PlayTV is a prudent move at all. .
Otherwise the major issue which I've failed to see answered is what happens when you program the PS3 to record a show and put it in standby. Does it go into true 0.3W standby or the pseudo 30W standby used for remote play? Can the PS3 even wake from a timer, and if not does the dongle have a way to wake the PS3 up?
That was a great review. The software and hardware seems to work great. However, the DRM is bull. These are not premium channels. It's content with commercials in it. I must say that doesn't surprise me being a Sony product. I hope they change their minds and release it DRM-free.
The main reason I read blogs is to get a summary of the article and then decide if I want to go to source to get the full take.
JimB = Fail
jeezus christ,
Sony, screw Big Media or whatever group is keeping you from doing this, but make this available in the States, NOW!
PLEASE, I'm begging you! How many PS3's do you wager you'll sell if you have this out here? If you get Clear QAM HD recording working, you'd have a bonafide gold mine.
Ummm.... Sony is Big Media. I was looking forward to the possibility of getting this in North America, but the lack of HD recording and no transfer = complete lack of interest.
Say hello to X360 paired with Media Center.
Sony is late to the party.
Um. No HD support at all?!
Sounds like releasing the best buggy-whip after the dawn of the automobile.
- Jeff
There is no HD DVB-T broadcasts yet. I assume that they have everything in place to support it, it's just there are no actual broadcasts to test against.
In the UK at least, PlayTV will never support HD broadcasts as it's only a DVB-T tuner and not a DVB-T2 tuner which ofcom intend to use for HD broadcasts.
This is a HARDWARE change and not a software change.
If we can get a Satellite version of this, win win win.