Play TV is a dual-tuner Freeview box and is one of many devices that Sony hopes will expand the appeal of the PlayStation 3 console. It was released on September 19, 2008 and connects to both the PS3 console and your television. , allowing the PlayStation 3 to record a TV channel to your hard drive while watching another or playing a game. There has been a lot of confusion regarding what this device can and cannot do, so this is an attempt to unravel the mysteries of Play TV.

The drive itself is lightweight and compact and comes with a USB cable. It is installed using the software on the disc that comes with the unit, once you have scanned and located the available channels, you are all set to start using the accessory. The PlayTV menu offers seven options.

On live Tv – This is where you watch TV. In addition to giving you the option to watch one channel while recording another, Play TV also allows you to pause the action, rewind and rewatch a favorite segment, and then resume watching at your leisure as Sky +.

Settings – This is where you can adjust PlayTV according to your personal preferences.

Handbook – A guide on how the console works and how to operate it.

Guide – This is where you will find out what’s on TV for the next seven days. The Live TV Channel Guide presents upcoming shows in an easy-to-understand, easy-to-use way, and once you’ve recorded a show, it can be accessed for repeated viewing from the library.

Calendar – This is where you organize your next recordings.

Search and record – Using keywords here will help you find your favorite shows.

library – This is where your recordings are stored. The half-hour recording value equates to roughly one gigabyte of memory, so you may feel the need to get a larger hard drive if you plan to get the most out of the accessory.

There was a slight sense of deflation when it was announced that Play TV would not be able to stream content directly to the PSP despite initial reports to the contrary, however it now appears that everything is back on track with PlayTV with the ability to export shows. from the library to the XMB menu on the PS3, allowing the user to transfer the recorded content to the PSP as MPEG2 files.

PlayTV is currently available for around £ 60 (its RRP is £ 69.99) it is quite expensive for what it currently offers and will only appeal to those who already own a PS3, but Sony seems to produce more functionality through firmware updates from on a regular basis, it could be improved in the near future and if you already own a PlayStation 3 console it may be worth buying one.

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