PlayTV recorded content will not be transferable
by Alan Tsang 
{ Aug 13th 2008 at 2:30PM }
Furthermore, PlayTV will be unable to record HD signals, at least at launch. However, Sony is looking to add the feature some time in the future. With these reductions in features, will you still be picking the £69.99 device up come September 19th?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
saito ps3 @ Aug 13th 2008 2:32PM
i would pick it up......if i lived in europe xD
seedaripper1973 @ Aug 13th 2008 2:36PM
oh...what a tw@...looks like i'll have to invest into that bigger hard drive after all then (i'm still getting it, to record and watch tv, when i'm not in)
...but to re-iterate, bug@er!
Popfrogs @ Aug 13th 2008 2:55PM
You can say twat and bugger here, neither are proper curse words in the US.
reson8er @ Aug 13th 2008 3:03PM
Twat is most certainly a curse word in the US ;)
Echnaton @ Aug 13th 2008 2:39PM
I guess not, but not because of the limitation ... I would prefer a satelite version ...
Draco @ Aug 13th 2008 2:43PM
it makes sense, your PVR can't copy its files to a SD card, why would the PS3?
would have been nice moving it to PSP but I guess the industry doesn't want another VCR, especially considering they can charge over 100$ for a season of a TV show you could have produced for free at home.
Robert @ Aug 13th 2008 2:52PM
Mine can do it, I can plug a USB device or burn a DVD. This is a stupid limitation
Eric E @ Aug 13th 2008 2:45PM
you can do that w/ tivo can't you? it seems like you should be able to do all of that in the future, might require new hardware though which is why i'd wait a little while to buy it. ... if i was in europe.
Desi_D @ Aug 13th 2008 4:27PM
Non of the DVRs let you move files, I assumed it would be the same for this.
Steve Childs @ Aug 13th 2008 5:03PM
Yes they do, many of the ones with recordable DVD drives let you burn recordings to disk, my m8 does it with his.
mercurywa @ Aug 13th 2008 7:26PM
I can move files (shows) between my Tivos (and even on to my PC) across my home network.
I'll be skipping this add-on.
Dante @ Aug 13th 2008 2:47PM
what, that sucks, wont be in such a hurry to pick this up now, main thing i was excited about was getting the files onto my psp so i could watch them on the go (without needing internet access), otherwise this isnt really anything special. ill prolly pick it up at some point i guess.
Fiddlesworth @ Aug 13th 2008 3:31PM
No other freeview, cable or satellite box has a *quality* high-def UI like PlayTV.
Fiddlesworth @ Aug 13th 2008 3:27PM
"Furthermore, PlayTV will be unable to record HD signals, at least at launch."
PlayTV can't show or record what's not being broadcast yet! You can't blame SCEE for that or the lack of transferring videos if there's a legal/copyright issue.
Stoo @ Aug 13th 2008 4:05PM
The question though is, will the current hardware support DVB-T2 HD content when its available or is their idea of supporting it in the future, releasing different hardware?
Thats a point I would like clarification on.
master811 @ Aug 13th 2008 4:46PM
Nope the current PlayTV will not support DVB-T2 transmissions which is what HD transmissions will be using (in the UK at least). So they will have to bring out a completely new unit in order for UK users to watch HD stuff over freeview.
HD freeview trials were done using DVB-T in the UK, but these were only trials, and will not be used when the analogue system is finally switched off.
Steve Childs @ Aug 13th 2008 5:02PM
Well, they better clarify that before I buy one then, they initally said they were HD Capable decoders.
But the restriction on transferring recordings means I won't be buying one now. Why the hell should I not be able to transfer the recordings to the rest of my media collection? So what if I've recorded a show off the TV I want to keep - that's what you can do with any other DVR with a built in DVD recorder!!
My m8 has about 200 DVDs now of recorded shows. God knows if he'll watch any of them!!
Sorry Sony, you've just shot yourself in both feet and lost a sale.
master811 @ Aug 13th 2008 8:11PM
Well you see technically PlayTV is HD compatible (but only with DVB-T stuff), so its just that the HD broadcasts that will be used in the UK can't be viewed with it. Of course, that doesn't stop it receiving HD broadcasts elsewhere that do use DVB-T for HD.
Jakob Henner @ Aug 14th 2008 12:17PM
Denmark is going to broadcast HD signals through DVB-T(1) and MPEG-4.
SolidOtacon @ Aug 13th 2008 3:29PM
PlayTV is useless in Europe.All the best chanells are on satelites LOL.
Fiddlesworth @ Aug 13th 2008 3:35PM
I don't agree with that actually. Over the years I've had Sky+, Telewest, NTL and Virgin and a great majority of the content I watched was still on channels 1-5. People are different but I believe most in the UK can get by quite comfortably on the freeview channels.
Metal_Gear @ Aug 13th 2008 4:23PM
Wrong, Freeview has Dave... thats all you need :P
LT.ShinySides @ Aug 13th 2008 3:32PM
Well, there go the reasons i would have bought it for..especially the hd part :(
Maad Sheikh @ Aug 13th 2008 3:41PM
Im definately gona pick this up on the day of release.
Most "Heroes" fans probably will (like me) because the new season starts in September :D
@PS3Fanboy: Release is the 19th not the 15th
aliss77777 @ Aug 13th 2008 6:42PM
what a bunch of crap!!!!!! no PSP transfer and no HD recording? Sony you are killing me again...just working stuff that people actually WANT (like GAMESGAMESGAMES for ps3 and psp) and stop wasting time on suck ass over-priced, over-hyped "convergence" peripherals
Dr. Strangepork @ Aug 13th 2008 3:58PM
I've found remote play to be very unreliable outside of my home. If I'm trying to connect via internet somewhere off my network, it rarely works.
I mean this in context of the content not being transferable. There is always EyeTV though.
jaffa @ Aug 13th 2008 4:11PM
Well I will still be buying it!!
seedaripper1973 @ Aug 13th 2008 4:12PM
ok...this is the last time i post here..its a joke! i wrote an eloquent piece outling popfrogs great advice and concuring with fiddlesworth...yet i wait...and wait...and WAIT! for it to show up! i use the sixthaxis, threespeech, c+vg, eurogamer and countless others on the web,but stupidly i always come to ps3fanboy first?! why should i bother when you make it so difficult to 'air ones views' sort it out, as i believe others are miffed at the acane 'joystiq' style of posting...good bye
AzaMcWazza @ Aug 13th 2008 4:33PM
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - plop. You gotta be kidding me, not be able to record high def signals? Isn't that the main reason people want this thing?
Mooseman721 @ Aug 13th 2008 4:36PM
You know i'll wait ta. Sky+ is fine for now.
igotthatfire247 @ Aug 13th 2008 4:46PM
Wow. PlayTv might officially be the PS3's "Most USELESS" feature. No HD signal? No transfer of files? Why bother? No thanks, Sony.
Metal_Gear @ Aug 13th 2008 5:07PM
palmface.jpg
It *IS* ready for HD, just the guys in charge of Freeview dont broadcast HD channels yet, when they do Sony will be ready and it will be the first HD reciever and recorder on the market.
Mark @ Aug 13th 2008 5:15PM
Hey m0ron, it's no HD, becuse HD is not being broadcast yet, in the UK, the format was only decided last month (hence a release date, now it's finalised).
When HD begins to broadcast on terrestrial, then the PlayTV will record it. Until then, you clearly can't get something that's not being broadcast...
Where do these geniuses come from???
DrCheese @ Aug 14th 2008 12:38PM
You are still wrong mark, the playTV is a DVB-T tuner, not a DVB-T2 tuner. It will not be able to support freeviewHD even if it wanted to. A hardware change is required, not a software one
Windmill @ Aug 13th 2008 4:48PM
Well, that just ruined it. I'm not going to buy it anymore at all. WTF, why Sony why, I was really looking forward to this
mat parker @ Aug 13th 2008 6:42PM
No I'll just stump up the extra fiver and get a Sky+ box and PlayTV is useless for the following reasons:
1. The channel selection will be shit when Sky pulls its channels and buys and pulls Virgin's channels.
2. No card slot which means no access to Setanta or Sky channels
3. There is no digital terrestrial Broadcasts in HD until next year at the earliest thanks to Sky tying evryone into exclusivity deals.
Steve Childs @ Aug 14th 2008 6:30AM
LOL, talk about confused.
It won't be useless when Sky pull their channels, they have no channels on Freeview to pull! d'oh.
No card slot? Well yeah, no Sky dish input either! Oh wait, those two could be related.
As for the lack of HD broadcasts! - Nothing to do with Sky again (seems to be a dislike of Sky coming through your post), its to do with the fact that the bandwidth isn't there on Freeview at the moment to use it for HD broadcasts, hence why it'll be 2012 before there are any, when the existing analog TV transmitters are turned off.
h0mi @ Aug 13th 2008 5:13PM
Does me no good living in the US, but isnt playtv broadcast? In the US, cable card requirements allows cable companies to protect content from premium (and non premium) cable channels so that they cannot be transferred off of the DVR, but broadcast channels are not allowed to be blocked like that; if its broadcast you can record & transfer via tivo to go (or similar such functions).
Aamir-Zing @ Aug 13th 2008 6:59PM
You guys need to chill.
PlayTV was clearly designed for a certain audience, meaning it's not meant for everyone.
Sony aren't telling you to buy it.
I'm going to get it.
Freeview is going to use DVB-T2 to broadcast HD channels, so this PlayTV version ain't gunna work with it because it only has twin DVB-T tuners. I doubt firmware could fix this, I think it's a matter of software, but I could be wrong.
But in my opinion, I'm not too hyped about HD channels. I just want a nice GUI, the ability to record TV shows I want and all from my PS3.
The channels might not be HD, but the PS3 will output it through HDMI, so you will be getting a much clearer picture than other DVRs on the market that only use scart etc.
Aamir-Zing @ Aug 13th 2008 10:36PM
I meant it's a matter of hardware, not software.
JaffaBoy @ Aug 14th 2008 10:56AM
...but come on, you've got to admit its pretty poor of Sony to not allow content to be copied to the PSP, hell they even allow it for the video service in the US.
I want to watch programmes I've recorded on the move and remote play just does not work well enough to avoid the need for a copy to PSP function.
GCT @ Aug 14th 2008 12:02PM
Well. In Australia we get HD broadcast on DVB-T. Seems silly to me to not allow recording in HD. Obviously the recordings can be large (20gb for 3hrs of HD). But hey.. if you have the HDD space why not?
What gets me is the whole sales pitch, then removing all the key selling points just before launch.
By not allowing users to transfer off content, it becomes a watch and delete box.
Like others I was excited at the thought of being able to record a show, transfer it onto my PSP and watch it while in transit to work on the Train. :(
Disseminated Sony!
SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ Aug 13th 2008 11:12PM
and that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you destroy any envy i had of Sony Europe. thanks guy!
halfbaked{NZ} @ Aug 14th 2008 1:41AM
Just so you know, freeview in NEw Zealand carries a bit of HD content already, with the olympis in HD and alot of prime time shows (crap like CSI and Bones and wateva) and they use DVB-T to do this.
Dont know how europes gunna go with this but im certainly still picking it up, especially when FreeView STB's are $400!
dumpertaker @ Aug 14th 2008 3:13AM
I'm kinda disappointed that you will not be able to transfer recorded files to PSP, it would have been one of the main reasons for me doing this.
I think I might pass on this.
JaffaBoy @ Aug 14th 2008 3:44AM
Well thanks very much Sony for nothing!!!
I've been waiting for this for nearly a year, brought a PSP in anticipation of being able to record a program, copy to PSP and watch on my train journey into work... wouldnt even mind if it had some drm restriction like they've put in place for the video service in the US.
Just to do a blanket "no copy" is pathetic and I hope this product fails big time.
Ah well, back to my current; record on HDD recorder, burn onto DVD, take to PC, rip to MP4 and copy to PSP.. long winded but works.
wilboss @ Aug 14th 2008 5:17AM
The decision to use DVB-T2 has only been taken very recently so Sony would not have been able to take it into account when producing PlayTV. Also DVB-T2 won't start broadcasting in the UK until November 2009 and then only in the Granada region to begin with, so we won't be missing out on anything for well over a year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVB-T#DVB-T2
I'll still be getting it!
JaffaBoy @ Aug 14th 2008 11:03AM
So does this mean that all the freeview receivers in our HDTV's will not be able to get HD channels in the future then????
There's going to be uproar if this is the case - look whats happening right now with those people who have 3 year old freeview receivers that no longer work after a recent "upgrade".
I've always believed that we couldnt get HD channels because there isnt the bandwidth but once they turn off analog this would change??
wilboss @ Aug 14th 2008 11:44AM
@ JaffaBoy
From my understanding of what I've researched today - yes, that is exactly the case.
Freeview HD broadcasts in the UK will be via the DVB-T2 standard which will require a new receiver to view, any current equipment will not be compatible as the standard has only just been approved.
I'm sure there will be an uproar when people realise they won't be able to get these HD services, I wasn't impressed when I found out!
NB This refers to FREEVIEW transmission, Freesat is a different situation as it broadcasts via satellite.
Topsu @ Aug 14th 2008 8:38AM
To me, Sony is the LAST company, that would allow you to copy anything recorded on any of it's devices, in this case, the PS3 :/ And I don't get the point of copying recorded videos to PC. I'm fine after I can watch them once on the PS3 and then delete it. Was delete right word btw? I'm Finnish :)
But the lack of HD-recording is really a pity.