In a somewhat surprising move the forthcoming update to PlayTv will have to be purchased from the PSN store, it will not be a free download. Whilst announcing the new features PSN product manager James Thorpe said:
“The development guys are constantly working hard to add as many new features as possible that have been requested across all markets. The new features in this update represent PlayStation’s strong community commitment.
You will be able to get the software update on PS Store at a reasonable price. A lot of effort went into developing these features and they will make PlayTV a very unique product.”
The update, due before the end of the year, will include ‘Chat TV’ which allows you to text chat with friends on the PlayStation Network while watching live TV, a premium TV guide and – for those of us in the UK – the much requested series link option.
Source: EU Blog
X201
August again!
My Time Machine worked ;-)
BalramRules
lool =P
But werent da whole point of play tv waz to be a free, gamin tv service thingy??
oh well, hopefully all goes well =1
woodsy321
Erm no, Its basicaly freeview for the playstation…
Keep working on that english fella….
Dazbobaby
So the only usefull update will be series link, something that should have been implemented a long time ago, and it will cost me money?
Did Bobby Kotick start working for Sony recently?
X201
Insert usual (“DVB-T2”, “HD”, “New Hardware”) debate here
Dazbobaby
There probably wont be a PlayTV-T2 tuner as the UK is the only country to need it. Everyone else can receive HD on normal digital TV tuners. Either that or if Sony do release it, it will be expensive.
cc_star
A lack of a DVBT-2 tuner will make Sony irrelevant in the UK in the mid-long run. To be certified for FreeviewHD and able to use the FreeviewHD logo all devices have to be capable of of receiving YouView (the new brand name for Project Canvas)
YouView may be at odds with Sony’s media plans for the PS3… who knows, but its coming to put-up or shut-up time for Sony and PlayTVs future.
DJ-Katy
That’s actually not true, we are using DVB-T2 in Norway and they are in Poland also. It is a bitch to find normal HDTVs with terrestrial tuners that actually work.
teflon
That’s all just software, though, CC. It’s like Freesat boxes, they all have to have ethernet so that they can one day get the firmware update to allow them onto iPlayer.
They’re likely waiting for the cost of the hardware to come down. PlayTV comes in at roughly £40, and that’s with dual tuners, whilst the cheapest Freeview HD box I could find (with just 1 tuner) is £70. So that’d be at least £100 for PlayTV 2..
As far as I’m aware, there’s also no USB DVB-T2 tuners for computers yet, either. They too seem to be waiting for costs to come down, as well as size and heat etc. etc.
So I think it’s too early to say that it’s curtains for PlayTV… I’d give them another year or so before I start feeling they should really be making a move.
sully1311
How is this new news!! They said it would cost ages ago!!!
hobgoblin
Yeah, it was announced about a month ago on the blog. Saw this headline and thought that the blog had posted more info about it.
hobgoblin
Additionally, CVG have today put up a post regarding this linking it to the month old blog post??
Slow news day perhaps?
kevatron400
Yipes. Paid-for features! All I want is series link. Don’t mind about all this social media nonsense.
hannes_truce
Fingers crossed for a heavy discount for PS+ subscribers.
Rocket_345
Heavy discount you don’t know the price yet. For all you know it could be 99p. Who am i trying to kid.
Grey_Ghost13
Screw heavy discount, how about free for PSN Plus subscribers?
hazelam
but then they might take it away if you stop subscribing.
Mick939
News to me , i stopped using play tv ages ago
spudmcgraw
Does anyone know the cheapest place to pick these up from? They were on offer for 20 quid a while ago
BlackWidowShirt
Fuck that Freeview garbage. Make a Sky player, then i’ll be interested.
Charmed_Fanatic
Ill wait for Play TV 2
OBBICH
Agreed. I thought PlayTV 2 was going to be launched before then end of 2010 any way? I want to hear more details about that!
I think the update for PlayTV will be useless except for series link, I don’t want to get social while watching a film I can’t multitask!