PlayTV
Encyclopedia
PlayTV is an HDTV/DVR add-on unit for the PlayStation 3
(PS3) video game console. It allows the PS3 to act as an HDTV or DTV receiver as well as a digital video recorder
(DVR) for recording television programmes to the hard drive for later viewing. The application will only start up with the DVB-T adaptor connected.
The Live TV feature allows access to free-to-air (unencrypted) channels in the widely available DVB-T
network (known as Freeview in the UK, Australia
and New Zealand). While using the Live TV option, live programming is cached as it is displayed, so that users can pause, rewind and fast forward through any recently-viewed material, as well as record and turn subtitles and audio description on/off. Screen size can also be changed. PlayTV allows users to watch one programme while recording another. Live TV also has a now and next bar enabling users to scroll through live TV and see what is on other channels and what is coming on next.
Guide (Electronic Program Guide):
The software features a 7-day electronic program guide
.
PlayTV allows users to set recordings and change channel from the Guide; also selectable is a Favourites guide which is a list of a user's favourite programmes. The Guide shows a full description of all programmes. While setting recordings, users can set whether they would like to repeat the recordings daily or weekly for up to 26 times but lacks Series Link.
Library:
The PlayTV Library is where all the recorded content is stored. The content can be viewed in a list view or in a thumbnail view. Its also fully sortable by date, channel and name. The library is also where content can be exported to the PlayStation 3's main menu to be stored with the rest of the user's video files. While playing back the recorded content, users can pause, fast forward, rewind, skip to/from and turn subtitles and audio description on/off. Screen size can also be changed.
Schedule:
The schedule feature allows users to edit their future recordings. It is also fully searchable.
Find and Record:
The find and record feature allows users to search the next 7 days worth of TV programmes by searching with a key word in the title of the programmes and/or the description of the programme. Find and record also lets users set manual recordings using the channel, date and time that you wish to record.
Mobile TV with PSP:
Wi-Fi connectivity with a PlayStation Portable
allows for portable viewing of live or recorded television programming. By using the Remote Play feature of the PlayStation 3, owners can use a PlayStation Portable
to access their PlayStation 3 console from anywhere in the world via the Internet. The Remote Play feature has the ability to 'wake up' the PlayStation 3 from stand-by mode, allowing the user the ability to watch live TV, set recordings and watch previously recorded content anywhere in the world direct from their PlayStation 3 to their PlayStation Portable via the internet. The new Sony Ericsson Aino
has been confirmed to link up to a PlayStation 3
and will use Remote Play which allows users to watch PlayTV on their phone.
Manuals:
PlayTV displays an on-screen manual. This acts as a quick reference to the various functions of a controller, Blu-ray remote control and remote play using a PlayStation Portable.
Settings and other features:
Sony previously stated that PlayTV would be able to record TV while playing PS3 and PS1 games, the code for the function has already been incorporated in the version 2.41 firmware update. To use the product however a 5GB install is required from the disc provided with the PlayTV device.
Sony has stated that PlayTV is incompatible with the UK Freeview HD, as it uses the DVB-T2
standard.
Australia
and New Zealand
were originally to receive the PlayTV accessory 2 months after Europe but it was delayed until 26 November 2009 in Australia along with an HD software update. In New Zealand the device was pushed back further to a release date of 25 November 2010.
The update underwent testing in both countries due to the wide availability of HD channels and use of common broadcast codecs (MPEG 2/MPEG 4).
PlayTV is only capable of tuning DVB-T broadcasts, so is not available in regions which do not use DVB-T. A similar accessory known as Torne was made available in March 2010 available in Japan for use with their ISDB-T broadcast system. It is unknown if there are plans to release PlayTV or a similar device for use with North American NTSC
/ATSC
broadcasts.
On 12 September 2008, Sony released an interactive demo of PlayTV on the PlayStation store in Europe.
First week shipments of PlayTV in the UK were reportedly 85,000 units, apparently with "specialist and national press giving thumbs up to the device."
In February 2009 another update was released, which provided improvements to standard definition upscaling.
On 14 April 2010, an update due to be released towards the end of the year was announced.
On 23 August 2010, details of a new update (version 2.01) were revealed. While part of the update is free, an unlock key must be purchased from the PlayStation Store
in order to access some of the features (listed below). The update was released on 17 November 2010.
The following premium services are offered with the 2.01 update:
On 6 December 2010, another update, version 2.02, was released. Many users have complained that since the update the PlayTV software has become unstable, with the most commonly reported symptom being the software hanging on the PlayTV launch screen and not proceeding any further. Sony have acknowledged the problem, and on March 3 2011, update version 2.03 was released to fix the issues.
by patching the USB IDs in the driver of a card with the same dibcom hardware (such as the Pinnacle PCTV Dual DVB-T Diversity Stick). It can be used in both 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows using this method. There are believed to be two hardware variants of the device, using the ULI chipset.
In Linux or Windows, PlayTV can handle AVC/MPEG4 HD broadcasts which are used in Ireland and continental Europe. The UK has adopted DVB-T2
for terrestrial high-definition TV broadcasts, so the PlayTV will not give PS3 owners access to those TV channels.
An unofficial Windows application (in Spanish language only) allows users to edit the file channel_ps3.bin and customize the order of channels in the PlayTV software (a function not normally available). A PlayStation Jailbreak
device is required in order to transfer the file from PS3 to PC.
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
(PS3) video game console. It allows the PS3 to act as an HDTV or DTV receiver as well as a digital video recorder
Digital video recorder
A digital video recorder , sometimes referred to by the merchandising term personal video recorder , is a consumer electronics device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card or other local or networked mass storage device...
(DVR) for recording television programmes to the hard drive for later viewing. The application will only start up with the DVB-T adaptor connected.
Features
LiveTV:The Live TV feature allows access to free-to-air (unencrypted) channels in the widely available DVB-T
DVB-T
DVB-T is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Terrestrial; it is the DVB European-based consortium standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television that was first published in 1997 and first broadcast in the UK in 1998...
network (known as Freeview in the UK, Australia
Freeview (Australia)
Freeview is the brand given to the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia. It is intended to bring all of the free-to-air broadcasters on to a consistent marketing platform to compete against subscription television, in particular Foxtel, and coincides with the expansion to 3 digital...
and New Zealand). While using the Live TV option, live programming is cached as it is displayed, so that users can pause, rewind and fast forward through any recently-viewed material, as well as record and turn subtitles and audio description on/off. Screen size can also be changed. PlayTV allows users to watch one programme while recording another. Live TV also has a now and next bar enabling users to scroll through live TV and see what is on other channels and what is coming on next.
The software features a 7-day electronic program guide
Electronic program guide
Electronic program guides and interactive program guides provide users of television, radio, and other media applications with continuously updated menus displaying broadcast programming or scheduling information for current and upcoming programming...
.
PlayTV allows users to set recordings and change channel from the Guide; also selectable is a Favourites guide which is a list of a user's favourite programmes. The Guide shows a full description of all programmes. While setting recordings, users can set whether they would like to repeat the recordings daily or weekly for up to 26 times but lacks Series Link.
Library:
The PlayTV Library is where all the recorded content is stored. The content can be viewed in a list view or in a thumbnail view. Its also fully sortable by date, channel and name. The library is also where content can be exported to the PlayStation 3's main menu to be stored with the rest of the user's video files. While playing back the recorded content, users can pause, fast forward, rewind, skip to/from and turn subtitles and audio description on/off. Screen size can also be changed.
Schedule:
The schedule feature allows users to edit their future recordings. It is also fully searchable.
Find and Record:
The find and record feature allows users to search the next 7 days worth of TV programmes by searching with a key word in the title of the programmes and/or the description of the programme. Find and record also lets users set manual recordings using the channel, date and time that you wish to record.
Mobile TV with PSP:
Wi-Fi connectivity with a PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
allows for portable viewing of live or recorded television programming. By using the Remote Play feature of the PlayStation 3, owners can use a PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
to access their PlayStation 3 console from anywhere in the world via the Internet. The Remote Play feature has the ability to 'wake up' the PlayStation 3 from stand-by mode, allowing the user the ability to watch live TV, set recordings and watch previously recorded content anywhere in the world direct from their PlayStation 3 to their PlayStation Portable via the internet. The new Sony Ericsson Aino
Sony Ericsson Aino
Sony Ericsson Aino is touch screen based slider phone. It has a multimedia PS3-inspired touch menu, a large touchscreen, VGA@30 frame/s video recording. The screen is touch-enabled but only in the multimedia part of the menu and the camera interface. Some third party applications like Opera-Mini...
has been confirmed to link up to a PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and will use Remote Play which allows users to watch PlayTV on their phone.
Manuals:
PlayTV displays an on-screen manual. This acts as a quick reference to the various functions of a controller, Blu-ray remote control and remote play using a PlayStation Portable.
Settings and other features:
- Turn Subtitles on / off
- Turn Audio Description on / off
- Set whether you would like live TV to always be recorded or just when paused for trick mode.
- Screen Size settings
- Game play recordings on / off (See below)
- Parental Lock
- HDD Size: PlayTV can only record to the PlayStation 3's own internal hard drive. Recorded video can then be transferred to an external storage device.
- Codecs: PlayTV supports MPEG2 SD. AVC/MPEG4 is now available with the latest PS3 firmware update. (UK manual only states MPEG2 in the supported codecs under technical specs)
- PlayTV can be controlled using a PlayStation controller or Blu-ray remote control.
- Twin HD (720p/1080i) tuners
- Antenna input only. No antenna output.
Sony previously stated that PlayTV would be able to record TV while playing PS3 and PS1 games, the code for the function has already been incorporated in the version 2.41 firmware update. To use the product however a 5GB install is required from the disc provided with the PlayTV device.
Sony has stated that PlayTV is incompatible with the UK Freeview HD, as it uses the DVB-T2
DVB-T2
DVB-T2 is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial; it is the extension of the television standard DVB-T, issued by the consortium DVB, devised for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television....
standard.
Release
The device was launched in the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France on 19 September 2008 with other regions in Europe following.Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
were originally to receive the PlayTV accessory 2 months after Europe but it was delayed until 26 November 2009 in Australia along with an HD software update. In New Zealand the device was pushed back further to a release date of 25 November 2010.
The update underwent testing in both countries due to the wide availability of HD channels and use of common broadcast codecs (MPEG 2/MPEG 4).
PlayTV is only capable of tuning DVB-T broadcasts, so is not available in regions which do not use DVB-T. A similar accessory known as Torne was made available in March 2010 available in Japan for use with their ISDB-T broadcast system. It is unknown if there are plans to release PlayTV or a similar device for use with North American NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
/ATSC
ATSC
ATSC standards are a set of standards developed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee for digital television transmission over terrestrial, cable, and satellite networks....
broadcasts.
On 12 September 2008, Sony released an interactive demo of PlayTV on the PlayStation store in Europe.
First week shipments of PlayTV in the UK were reportedly 85,000 units, apparently with "specialist and national press giving thumbs up to the device."
Software updates
Software updates are available via the About section in Settings using the "Game Update Check" Functionality (when using the original PlayTV software). In recent versions of PlayTV software, a Software Update function is available directly from the main PlayTV menu. A further update was announced on 2 April 2009 that will include new volume and search controls, upscaling of standard definition (SD) content and faster access to TV shows from the XMB menu system.In February 2009 another update was released, which provided improvements to standard definition upscaling.
On 14 April 2010, an update due to be released towards the end of the year was announced.
On 23 August 2010, details of a new update (version 2.01) were revealed. While part of the update is free, an unlock key must be purchased from the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
in order to access some of the features (listed below). The update was released on 17 November 2010.
The following premium services are offered with the 2.01 update:
- Series Link - record a whole series at the touch of a button. (UK ONLY)
- Chat TV - live chat for up to 64 users during TV viewing.
- Recommendations - recommend shows to your friends via Facebook.
- Community favourites - Lets you see what your friends and the PSN Community are watching and enjoying. (Not available in Australia)
- Premium 7 day EPG - Electronic Programme Guide. (Standard PlayTV programme guide only in Australia)
- Search by actor, director and genre.
On 6 December 2010, another update, version 2.02, was released. Many users have complained that since the update the PlayTV software has become unstable, with the most commonly reported symptom being the software hanging on the PlayTV launch screen and not proceeding any further. Sony have acknowledged the problem, and on March 3 2011, update version 2.03 was released to fix the issues.
Linux and Windows
The device can be used in Linux since 2.6.30. It also can be used in WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
by patching the USB IDs in the driver of a card with the same dibcom hardware (such as the Pinnacle PCTV Dual DVB-T Diversity Stick). It can be used in both 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows using this method. There are believed to be two hardware variants of the device, using the ULI chipset.
In Linux or Windows, PlayTV can handle AVC/MPEG4 HD broadcasts which are used in Ireland and continental Europe. The UK has adopted DVB-T2
DVB-T2
DVB-T2 is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial; it is the extension of the television standard DVB-T, issued by the consortium DVB, devised for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television....
for terrestrial high-definition TV broadcasts, so the PlayTV will not give PS3 owners access to those TV channels.
An unofficial Windows application (in Spanish language only) allows users to edit the file channel_ps3.bin and customize the order of channels in the PlayTV software (a function not normally available). A PlayStation Jailbreak
PlayStation Jailbreak
PlayStation Jailbreak, often referred to as PS3 Jailbreak, was the first USB chipset that allows unauthorised code execution, such as homebrew, on the Playstation 3. It bypasses a system security check using a memory exploit which occurs with USB devices that allows the execution of unsigned code...
device is required in order to transfer the file from PS3 to PC.