Sony's PlayTV DVR for PlayStation 3 gets unboxed

Time flies when you're having fun, but not when you're waiting anxiously for a new piece of kit -- particularly one that has been delayed numerous times. For Europeans waiting on pins and needles for the release of the PlayTV DVR for PlayStation 3, your time has arrived. Before rushing out to get one, however, might we interest you a short unboxing and a brief overview? No pressure whatsoever, though.

[aaron @ Aug 20th 2008 2:34PM]

its called 360 mediaroom (iptv) and unlike this its actually coming to the states and places not europe.....

[saayedalam @ Aug 20th 2008 2:25PM]

was this announced at the convention ?

[CraziestGadgets.com @ Aug 20th 2008 2:27PM]

wow fantastic unboxing... it looks like a....... box.

[1234321 @ Aug 20th 2008 2:38PM]

I doubt it does anything the PS3 couldn't do on it's own. It's just a way for Sony to make some money since they lose so much per console

[Gods beloved son @ Aug 20th 2008 2:54PM]

LOL i swear like all Tvs have this built in Already.

[Hellaphunt @ Aug 20th 2008 2:29PM]

WHEN DID PS3 COME OUT?!

Anyway, how does this compare to other DVRs?

[STIEN @ Aug 20th 2008 2:57PM]

dude where have you been, pluto? so i guess you haven't heard about it not being a planet anymore either...

[Lowest Ranked @ Aug 20th 2008 3:30PM]

Immediately before PS4.

[Hellaphunt @ Aug 20th 2008 6:33PM]

Wow... I forgot how much sarcasm DOES NOT translate very well online...

[HAZE @ Aug 20th 2008 2:34PM]

Damn Your A Peeans get all the cool stuff.

And they got free streaming video for the PS3 and PSP also.

Bastids!

[MadMike @ Aug 20th 2008 2:34PM]

They were right calling it "underwhelming" in the article. Kind of sad - technology has to be bastardized by moronic corporate executives and totalitarian content owners that want to own your lives.

I'm sad now. Oh well, at least we still have Beer to make everything better. :-D

[Juan @ Aug 20th 2008 2:36PM]

Will we be getting this here?

[Pablo @ Aug 20th 2008 4:17PM]

Yes, but not 'there' and 'everywhere'.

[MadMike @ Aug 20th 2008 2:46PM]

Where exactly is here? U.S. of A, Canada, Australia?

If your talking about the US, probably 1 second before never. We have too many stupid people in positions to make stupid decisions and screw us consumers over even more. I just want the content I want, when I want it and where I want it on any device I want and I don't want anyone telling me what I can and cannot do in my own home and I will pay a decent and fair price for that. As long as they don't allow us that fundamental freedom, I will be a dirty thieving pirate. If they want to curtail piracy, stop ripping us off.

[NNTPGrip @ Aug 20th 2008 2:45PM]

I'll take a 4 tuner US 256-QAM version w/Tru-2-way and multi-stream cablecard slot now please.

I would like to take my cable box with the molasses slow and buggy Passport Echo software that doesn't allow me to use the eSATA port and throw it out the window.

[Michael Witt @ Aug 20th 2008 2:47PM]

Can you please stop calling EVERYTHING 'kit' it's really annoying. It's almost as annoying as 'widget'. In the last article it even became a bit of a source of confusion; you were talking about DIY laptops (which might actually come as kit in the true sense of the word), and also remember that not everyone that reads this blog might be able to understand the intricacies of English grammar, so as to understand your meaning of 'kit'.

[xor24 @ Aug 20th 2008 3:04PM]

well it wont compare to a third gen tivo is my guess but it might be better then scientific atlanta boxes that timewarner cable gives u but that has the worst UI in the world.... this comin to the US

[wholly mackeral @ Aug 20th 2008 3:11PM]

I don't think its meant to compete with DVR's alone. Its just meant to add another feature to the system to make it more marketable. With this, Blu-ray, playing games....I think the Tivo is having a hard time competing. But as a DVR I would hope Tivo could make a better product.

[latida @ Aug 20th 2008 3:07PM]

I have been waiting for this....I have wanted another reason to buy a PS3, so if this DVR feature were available I would take the plunge (I am in the US).

We all would like everything we could get, but the reality is without some revenue stream no content would be created. The corp exec's need to make money in order to fund development, or no one would invest.

Look at what's happened to TV. All these crap reality/game shows because the networks won't invest in scripted programming since it doesn't have a huge payoff anymore. Its why music has turned to crap, and movies are mainly established franchises at this point. PAY FOR AND SUPPORT THE ARTISTS THAT MAKE THE ENTERTAINMENT YOU ENJOY, or you will see it no longer.

[KarlW @ Aug 20th 2008 5:41PM]

WTF? how did you jump from this to music piracy?

[h0mi @ Aug 20th 2008 3:33PM]

This is not coming to the US any time soon. The Playtv uses standards not used in the US.

Given the DRM in the device, I'm better off with my tivo.

[L.Rawlins @ Aug 20th 2008 4:38PM]

To my knowledge, the interface and OS on the (UK) BT Vision DVR that's connected to our Home Hub that we have sat in the lounge was built by none other than: Microsoft. Maybe I should say this in a hushed voice as not to knock the planet out of orbit but... it's actually pretty flippin' good! Both in function and in form. Even the downloadable/streamable IPTV based stuff is an accomplished asset and not (as you might suspect this early in the techs infancy) merely a marketing headline.

It's conceivable that the X360 could yet compete very well in this featureset, if not better thanks to prior market experience through third party avenues such as this one.

[jaye @ Aug 20th 2008 4:51PM]

I am sure we will be seeing a US version of the DVR option for the PS3 as soon as CableCard technology is launched around the same time as the February analog broadcast cutoff and Digital broadcasts only. Sony has to use an this card for the SDV solution in the US because of the bandwidth limit issues over fiber/copper hybrid plants to deliver HD channels and eventually hopefully a 1080p video-on-demand solution instead of the current 1080i/720p HD on-demand solution already offered in most urban centers of the United States, not to mention the ever increasing speed of their Internet solutions competing with true fiber to the home solutions already offered. I am paying for a 20Mbps/5Mbps service that costs the same as a service over half that speed just a year ago. Thank you for the competition....we went from one monopoly to 8 competing large companies all installing a fiber solution to serve the 8.5 million residents of the I-4 corridor

[ChiWax @ Aug 20th 2008 7:08PM]

This thing may be a nice add-on for some people. I still think "extending" a very nice Media Center PC to your XBOX 360 is still way better than this thing. Even tho extending costs a lot more money, a person can use that "extended" PC for so many other things...Q

[Kawaiipikachu @ Aug 20th 2008 7:47PM]

Well i most probably expect some stuff up with Sony's DRM methods .
Well if software company's code the DRM right & not stuffing like preventing our own legit copys from working on our own systems .
While some get it right like the Nintendo Wii's DRM on Virtual Console & WiiWare titles .
They work everytime they load up on the system they were downloaded to & as they tied to the one system means some of that nasty piracy is curb down .

[Sean @ Aug 21st 2008 12:51AM]

What about US!