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Sony PlayTV (PS3)

By Ty Pendlebury on 02 November 2009

The Sony PlayTV is an add-on for the PlayStation 3 that allows you to use your console as a fully-fledged, dual-tuner video recorder.

User rating:9

If you needed any more proof that the PlayStation 3 was the ultimate "must-have" home theatre device, then Sony has provided it in the PlayTV peripheral. While it's been available overseas for some time, only recently has it become useful in Australia.

Sony is about to release the PlayTV, a dual-HD tuner Personal Video Recorder addition to the PlayStation 3. With dual tuners you can record one show while watching another or while playing a game or a Blu-ray. You can't record two channels at once, though.

The PlayTV features a seven-day program guide (but it's not Freeview compatible, it seems) and is navigable via the Sixaxis controller or the Blu-ray remote.

PlayTV content can also be viewed over Remote Play, which means it can be viewed with a PSP or the new Sony Ericsson Aino phone.

Even if you have one of the new 120GB PS3 Slims we'd suggest upgrading your hard drive to 500GB or higher, otherwise it'll get full of HD programming real quick. Don't even think about adding a PlayTV to a 40GB model without upgrading.

The PlayTV accessory will be available 26 November 2009 for AU$169.95.

Topics: playTV, playstation 3, pvr, slim, sony, epg, playstation, blu ray, ps3, tuner

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Comments (10)

  • Craig gave a review on 06/11/2009 15:03 Report abuse

    Sounds great but I have the 40GB model. Anyone know a good HD to upgrade to?

  • W42 gave a review on 05/11/2009 11:06 Report abuse

    Will you be able to skip ads?

  • Shayno gave 9/10 on 04/11/2009 10:02 Report abuse

    • Good: Lightning fast / easy to use
    • Bad: No coax pass through

    One of the best PVRs i have used. It is Freeview so one minute skip is now 10 minute skip and fast forward is max 30x.

    Would recommend to anyone (with a ps3)

  • complectus gave a review on 04/11/2009 04:28 Report abuse

    This isn't a review. Even a Preview should involve some hands-on time with the product, and it is not at all clear that the (p)reviewer has had that opportunity here.

    Shouldn't this product announcement be in a different section?

  • daWish gave a review on 04/11/2009 00:37 Report abuse

    • Good: Jack of all and master of several
    • Bad: should be integrated

    MickB is on the money; play tv must be integrated into the unit moving forwards. All you would need in the theatre are a tv, amp, speakers and ps3; done. If it looked like a pro theatre component, all the better. Stuff in 750 GB. Bring it. That all said, vendors are notoriously adept at leaving us wanting just that little bit more, take Apple and their bluray "bag of hurt" for example. If the new 27" iMac isn't bleeding and screaming for a bluray drive, then, well, then I don't know what... The iMac would be, imho, the perfect computer. Much the same as the ps3 would be the perfect component if we had our wish here.

  • GoGamer gave a review on 03/11/2009 16:31 Report abuse

    • Good: Small / Convenient / Good Price / Integrates into PS3
    • Bad: Sony has taken too long to release it / Garbage on TV

    Its about high time Sony brought a device like this out to us PAL viewers, its a pity its taken them so long. Price and feature wise its not too bad for $169, but the fact is the stuff on TV is not worth recording. Im sick of all the US shows, so why would I bother recording any of them? Im not into sports, so dont record sports, and dont like reality tv.

    Sony should have integrated this into the PS3 Slim at the same price, this would make the PS3 even more popular.

  • Torres gave a review on 03/11/2009 11:00 Report abuse

    Can it replace IQ for Foxtel?

  • MickB gave a review on 03/11/2009 09:39 Report abuse

    • Good: PS3 is still the most technically supperior games console
    • Bad: Sony, They seem to have lost there way.

    Imagine what would happen if Sony took the PS3 and the Play TV and a 500 GB HDD and combined it into one unit with a normal looking AV component chassis (So it fit into a Home theatre set up like other components). PVR, PS3, media streamer and Blu-ray player all in one.

  • Mike gave a review on 02/11/2009 20:35 Report abuse

    Hmmm, this should be an interesting device, considering how much dvd recorders are going for, this will be a useful little gadget, and since you can upgrade your ps3 hard disk there should be no problem with storing alot of content on your ps3. i heard the US got netflix on ps3, cait wait till we get something like that down under.

  • K137 gave a review on 02/11/2009 17:52 Report abuse

    I think it is freeview compatible :( wish it wasn't though.

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