At Games Convention today, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced the introduction of PlayTV, a combined TV tuner and Personal Video Recorder (PVR) for Playstation 3.
PlayTV will be available in UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain
early in 2008, with other PAL territories to follow in due course.
The twin channel TV tuner peripheral and PVR software turns PS3 into
a TV recorder, allowing users to watch, pause and record live TV.
PlayTV will also record individual programmes or whole series to the
PS3 hard drive for viewing later or for transferring to the PSP.
Operating on the Digital Video Broadcasting ? Terrestrial (DVB-T)
format, PlayTV uses a quick and easy to use 7-day Electronic
Programme Guide EPG that provides the navigation for programming the
PVR features of PlayTV.
PlayTV?s two TV tuners are High Definition ready and are able to
view, record and play back High Definition signals in full HD1080P.
"The introduction of PlayTV really will extend the already broad
entertainment credentials of PS3, and makes it an exceptionally
attractive proposition for the whole family," said David Reeves,
President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. "PS3 already
provides High Definition gaming, Blu-ray Disc movies, music, video,
photo album, web browsing and PLAYSTATION Network support. With the
introduction of PlayTV?s state of the art TV tuner and PVR
functionality, PS3 is now the best choice of home entertainment hub
for the whole family."
The move sets Sony apart from Microsoft, which offers downloadable
movies and television shows for its Xbox 360 console but no live TV.
Sony seperately announced its plans to sell a satellite navigation
accessory from February 2008 that turns its handheld PSP games
console into a navigation device.
The PSP equipped with the global positioning (GPS) accessory will
compete with dedicated navigation devices such as those made by
TomTom and Garmin Ltd.
David Reeves, head of Sony's European games unit, said the accessory
would be priced between 100 and 150 euros ($135-$200).