Latest PSP survey suggests impending TV streaming service

Apparently dishing out surveys to garner potential interest in (hopefully) forthcoming products and services is the fad of the month, as Microsoft barely received back all the results in its latest Xbox 360 questionnaire before Sony threw down a few of its own. Most recently, however, a question was posed to PSP owners that piqued our interest, and it involved the possibility of receiving TV streams on that oh-so-sexy widescreen LCD. The higher-ups at Sony HQ seemingly have streaming video on the brain, as users were asked to choose which scenario they'd prefer when kicking back and catching a show on their handheld. The choices involved a "Sony LocationFree TV box" that would stream content directly to the PSP using a local WiFi connection, or a subscription-based service that would broadcast TV shows using "always on cellular technology" for $9.99 per month. Considering Sony can hardly pay folks to take those dust-gathering UMD flicks, we don't think that making a move in the television realm would be such a bad idea -- so, what's up Sony? Inquisitive minds (and PSP / DS Lite fence-sitters) are yearning for an answer.

[Thanks, Simon V.]

[Peter @ Nov 17th 2006 5:51AM]

I'm a disgusting spammer: [e-mail]

[Jypson @ Nov 17th 2006 4:41AM]

Maybe I can finally use my PSP for something now. They certainly aren't making an effort in the game department.

[boss sauce @ Nov 17th 2006 5:06AM]

This is a lot of speculation-- surveys have a lot of "what if?" scenarios built-in, and it's easy to get into those threads of questioning.

It's a long road from customer surveys to product features, though-- this means nothing.

[DC @ Nov 17th 2006 6:57AM]

What about option 3: "Just let me watch streaming video from my Slingbox using WiFi."

[jon @ Nov 17th 2006 6:57AM]

This still wouldn't get me to buy a PSP because when I think of a handheld console I think of, Oh I don't know... Games. While this would go nice with games but not a replacement.

[Jamar @ Nov 17th 2006 7:49AM]

Why not use the existing P-TV service that they offer on the Japanese firmwares? If you have to work through a web page, use Google Translation.

[SKI @ Nov 17th 2006 8:29AM]

The best option would be an off-air antenna that attaches to the PSP.

[Jason @ Nov 17th 2006 10:55AM]

Just bring on the PS1 downloads, and get off the media player train please... Thats all I ask, MORE GAMES PLEASE....

[Al @ Nov 17th 2006 1:34PM]

I would go for the always on feature as long as there were some good channel choices and it didn't stutter like some of the lousy web content i've seen

[frank @ Nov 17th 2006 1:54PM]

The big problem I see with such a service is that it's obviously going to have to be web/WiFi based since that's the only radio the PSP currently has. How are they going to integrate a "cellular technology"?

Even if they did, streaming-based TV has proven to be complete and total garbage, as evidenced by the unbelievably bogus offerings of the major CDMA carriers in this country. If it doesn't end up being a DMB-like scenario, it's just going to be a bunch of useless crap that Sony thinks you should be watching.

A Slingbox kinda thing would be perfect but I find it hard to believe that Sony would ever be on board with such a forward-thinking idea.

[andrew @ Nov 17th 2006 2:08PM]

Or make it a media center extender just like Xbox 360 ... that would be wicked cool... I could get TV shows from my MCE PC, plus have all my pics and music too and not have to deal with putting content on the memory stick

[Adam Brockett @ Nov 17th 2006 11:17PM]

Or you could just get PiMP Streamer. I'm not sure how much setup on your computer it needs, but it basically allows files to be streamed off your hard drive over wifi.
And its free...which means it needs fandangaling. So pick your poison. But your wouldn't be here if you didn't get all tingly at acutally doing something for yourself...
I'm sure there are many other options as well, this is just the one i've heard of.