psn-video-store posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Get a free episode of Gunslinger Girl from the PlayStation Store

by Andrew Yoon { Sep 11th 2009 at 6:30PM }

Who doesn't like a freebie? You can get the first episode of the second season of Gunslinger Girl -- presumably about a girl that slings guns (that's totally a lie) -- absolutely free from the PlayStation Video Store. Browse the "Anime" section of the Store, and look for the episode entitled "Distance Between Two: Brother and Sister." The offer is available on both PSP and PS3 until September 17.

Catch a trailer after the break.

Continued →

First seasons go on sale on the PlayStation Store

by Andrew Yoon { Sep 11th 2009 at 1:00PM }

The US PlayStation Video Store is having its "First Season Summer Sale." From now until September 17th, you'll be able to download episodes from the first season of 30 Rock, Battlestar Galactica, Eureka, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Psych and The Office for only 99 cents each in SD. (HD episodes are $1.99 each, and will only work on the PS3.)

PSA: Think twice before deleting PSN video downloads

by Randy Nelson { Sep 22nd 2008 at 10:40PM }

The ability to download movies and TV shows via your game console definitely has its advantages. Like, for instance, never having to leave your couch. Of course, as so many modern conveniences are apt to, it's not without disadvantages. In the case of PS3's video store, one of them is the fact that, should you want to free up HDD space by deleting a video and then attempt to download it again later, you'll quickly find yourself on the phone with a Sony customer service representative. (Plus, you might actually have to get up to call them – ouch!)

Oh, the rep will happily flip a switch somewhere enabling you to re-download the video in question ... but only once. Make the same mistake twice and you're stuck. In this case, whether you actually "own" what you've paid for is more than a little fuzzy.

Of course, you could take advantage of one of the PS3's nicer features and simply install a larger off-the-shelf hard disk by yourself. And, since Sony's been so kind as to provide a PS3 Backup Utility for migrating your data, those videos will transfer right over ... right? Not so fast. According to the utility's documentation, purchased and rented PSN video store content may not play following the transfer process. In this case, you'd better hope you haven't used that one-off "lifeline" call to customer service yet.

[Via Engadget]

Source – PS3 re-download limits
Source – Sony PS3 Backup Utility

PS Store video service in Japan priced and dated

by Alan Tsang { Jul 20th 2008 at 12:00PM }

Unlike the PAL regions, it appears those of you in Japan will be getting the PS Store video service fairly soon. Sony has announced they will launching the new PS Store video service for the Japanese market in September.

The main shining star of the service will be something we Americans already enjoy -- the new exclusive anime from the renowned studio Bones, Xam'd: Lost Memories, which will be known as Bounen no Zamudo in Japan. A "three-day" rental in Japan of this anime in HD will cost you 400 yen, which is about the same as the US price of $3.99 ... except you only have twenty-four hours in the US. The SD download is 300 yen. No word yet again on any other regions.

PS Store video service not coming to Europe 'this year'

by Alan Tsang { Jul 17th 2008 at 10:00AM }

Despite launching on the same day it was announced in the US, Europeans will not be enjoying the PS Store video service in 2008. David Reeves, President of SCEE, made the announcement at a SCEE event yesterday, but both him and Howard Stringer promises that it "will come to all regions in due course" and that additional information regarding dates, content or pricing will come later this year. Reeves attributes the delay to localization of the service in regards to content. No word yet on any other territories.

Not till 2009?! That's a long time to wait for all the Europeans out there -- does Go!View provide any consolation? Tell us what you think.

PS3's PSN Video Store is region locked

by Jem Alexander { Jul 16th 2008 at 3:00PM }

Sorry, Europe. The video store will be heading your way at some point in the future, but in the mean time you're going to have to live with without some awesome non-interactive downloadable content. The video store is ip locked to the US, which means that even if you set up a US account in Europe, you're going to be locked out. There are probably ways around it using proxies, but for most people that's going to be more hassle than it's worth.

The question is, if Sony can region lock the stores like this, why don't they? Surely it prevents cross-region purchases far better than just crying "don't do that!" On the other hand, it makes sense considering that the PS3 is region-free for Blu-ray games, but locked for Blu-ray movies. Maybe the game stores remain unlocked because they know what a shambles the EU Store is. Whatever the reason, we're glad for it. Hopefully we'll hear about the EU rollout for the video store soon.

PSN Video store is region locked

by Jem Alexander { Jul 16th 2008 at 12:15PM }

We take the brand spankin' new PS Store video service for a spin

by Alan Tsang { Jul 16th 2008 at 6:20AM }

Announced yesterday at E3, the PS Store video service was ready for us the same night. We tried it out, and chronicled our experiences with it. Will you be using this instead of buying/renting a DVD, or even a Blu-ray?

We tried a both a SD and HD download, as well as watched a video on the PSP. We also played with different options, and even took a note of download and transfer speeds. Hopefully this will help out you guys who are on the fence about all of this.

So what cha' waiting for? Took a look here.