This certainly caught me eye when I read a report earlier today, so I had to look in to it further.
PlayTV
Sony PS3 PlayTV Freeview Tuner
The announcement from Sony, that has now been syndicated to various sites, says that Sony have added support to show HD channels using the DVB-T format – which is true. However, certain sites have taken this to mean Freeview HD which isn’t correct.
Some countries broadcast HD TV using DVB-T. Crucially, in the UK, Freeview HD will broadcast from December 2009 in certain areas using a new format, DVB-T2, which although sounding the same, is different from the DVB-T standard now supported by the PlayTV device.
It is unlikely that the PlayTV device (as it exists now) will ever be able to receive Freeview HD in the UK without additional hardware. Similarly, existing Freeview TVs will not be able to receive Freeview HD in the UK without a Freeview HD Box, which are expected to go on sale in early 2010, several months after Freeview HD is available in some regions in the UK.
So, in short, don’t buy a Sony PlayTV in the belief that it will allow you to view Freeview HD channels in the UK. However, if you need a Freeview recorder for the living room or bedroom (or wherever your PS3 is), then for around £50, the PlayTV is certainly worth a look and would make an excellent Christmas gift.
Related posts:
Loading ...
Sony claim that the PlayTV will be able to receive HD after a software update. I think that all the processing is done by the PS3 and that the add on box is just a tuner.
Interesting to see if this is true, however my understanding is that Freeview HD uses DVB-T2 which will require new hardware. If Sony could issue a software/firmware update for their PlayTV device, you would think all of the other Freeview box manufacturers would be able to do the same for their existing Freeview receivers and recorders?
I hope that we can get Freeview HD through the current PlayTV but I doubt it, The PS3 does a good job upscaling anyway and the feed from play TV looks much better on my TV that the built in freeview decoder. I for one would go out and by a PlayTV that could decode DVB-T2 as PlayTV makes everything so easy and you can even download TV shows and films that have been recored by PlayTV on to a memory card or usb stick.
Sony shot themselves in the foot by supplying so many PS3s with just 40GB hard drives. After a few games, that leaves hardly any room for TV programs.
I would hardly say they shot themselves in the foot; the 40GB drive is plenty for most people who do not store video on their PS3. If, like me, you want to use playTV to record programmes then you will probably want to upgrade your HDD. This is VERY easy to do and Sony even tell you how to do so in the manual.
The PS3 manual includes instructions on how to upgrade the internal HDD. Took me all of 10 mins to put a 250GB unit in, costing all of £50. That was 2 years ago, so I assume that you’d get a lot more for your dosh now.
If the signal can be decoded using the processing of the PS3, we should be well away. I’m doubtful of that though.