Its official, PlayStation 3 users in Europe will soon be able to record and playback digital TV on their console.

Sony has officially unveiled a high-definition TV tuner which plugs into the PS3 and turns it into a personal video recorder like Sky+. This multimedia addition will be known as PlayTV, allowing users to record and store live television shows on the PS3's hard drive.

PlayTV will launch in early 2008 in the UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain with other countries to follow.

The company held a press conference yesterday at the Leipzig games show which highlighted key multimedia capabilities for the PS3 and handheld PSP. More than 200,000 gamers are expected at the German show, playing some of the year's biggest games in a four-day event.

Titles like Metal Gear Solid 4, Mario Galaxy and Halo 3 wil be in gamers minds during the Leipzig games conference. Other games on display will include Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, Crysis, Warhammer Online and the new expansion pack for World of Warcraft, The Lich King.

However the current news on everyone's lips is Sony won't just fall back in the console wars.

In a statement, David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said PlayTV would extend the "broad entertainment credentials of PS3".

This is the first time a console has ever been given PVR capabilities. Gamers will have access to free channels that are delivered over digital terrestrial. Recorded programmes will then have the opportunity be streamed over a wireless internet connection to the portable PSP or transferred permanently to the handheld console via a USB cable.

PlayTV will allow users to watch one show while recording another in resolution up to 1080p. A seven-day electronic program guide will also be included, which can be navigated via the Sixaxis game controller to help schedule your day.

Sony is yet to announce price details for the PlayTV tuner, but it is rumoured PlayTV could possibly be totally free of charge just like its online network.

Rival Microsoft has touted its Xbox 360 as a platform for internet TV but no partner has yet come forward while its Xbox Live video download service has not launched outside the US.

Sony also used the conference to give more details of a video chat and instant messaging system for the PSP, called Go!Messenger, developed in conjunction with BT in the UK. PSP users in Europe will be able to send messages, and video chat with each other once the software behind the tool is released in January.

Sony didn't stop there, they unveiled a GPS add-on for the PSP, called Go!Explore, and said a UK video download service for the console, developed in conjunction with Sky and called Go!, would launch as well in the UK in January. However price details for both the new services for the PSP were not given.

Sony will be hoping that the new multimedia functionality for its PlayStation 3 and PSP consoles will make them more attractive to both gamers and non-gamers.

Both machines lag behind sales of rival devices from Nintendo and Microsoft, such as the Wii, DS handheld console and Xbox 360. But Sony is starting fight back and it seems they are closely stalking their rivals in every step.

The increase in Sony's shipments of the PS3 to 11 million units by 2008 will also lend them a helping hand, but will it be enough for them to break the dominance of its rivals?

Tags : Hard Drive : pc : PlayStation 3 : playstation portable : PlayTV : Sony : Video Recorder

Comments

By: Dragonfly On: 08:23 Aug 23rd, 2007 Online	Sony, Sony, Sony... When will you get the hint? Gamers want GAMES. These sort of tacked on, ultimately useless features are not going to push sales of their consoles.

By: dragongee On: 01:08 Aug 24th, 2007 Online	i think these would be a side-thing that may sawy people to them... If it does turn out FREE - highly unlikely.. but my god... lol

By: Samuel On: 01:23 Aug 24th, 2007 Offline	Trying to market games machines to none-gamers is like trying to get a kid who wants chocolate to eat cabbage. It's not going to happen, and soon there's gonna be mess all up the walls.

By: samshbrother247 On: 07:15 Sep 5th, 2007 Offline	I've got a lot to catch up on with the PS3 news. I just got a free one from a kickass website. It sounds like bullshit but its not. If your interested go to this website: http://www.ps34free.com/default.aspx?r=883669. You set up an account, fill some shit out, and then your all set. You have to set up a subscription to something that costs a little bit but you can cancel it in a week or two and still get your PS3 thats what two of my friends did a couple months ago and I'm cancelling mine this week. You'd think this was a scam but Fox, CNN, and NBC, interviewed the people of the website and everything was totally legit. So far I haven't had any problems and neither have my two friends. Anyways, I've been a nintendo person for as long as I could remember because the Playstation were always too expensive when they came out. Now I can check out what I've been missing.

By: ��ĮT�� On: 07:18 Sep 5th, 2007 Offline	I thank sony. And I will surely buy. As long as it is better than natural record.