Not content with playing games and Blu-rays, and being able to stream entertainment, Sony's PlayStation3 is all set to become a digital TV set-top box/personal video recorder. With the addition of a new bolt-on due early next year, the system will gain twin HD-compatible DTT/Freeview tuners and software enabling you to record the programmes it receives.
Announced at the Leipzig Games Convention, the new PlayTV add-on will be available in the UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain early in 2008, spreading out to other PAL TV areas later. You can watch, pause and record live TV, or it can be set to record programmes unattended, complete with series linking, via an Electronic Programme Guide said to be 'lightning fast'.
The TV tuners are fully HD ready, up to 1080p - should there ever be any broadcasts of that quality available on Digital Terrestrial TV - and content can be downloaded to a PSP for viewing on the move.
- Talking of the PSP, Sony also firmed up some details of its deal with Sky to provide TV content onto the portable player, first reported here. The service will include premiere movies and leading sports events on a pay-per-view basis without a Sky subscription, either directly via a wi-fi connection or downloaded on a PC and transferred to the PSP.
