Didn't spot no PlayTV threads in this section of the forum, and it's my most used thing on teh PoS3, so i felt tempted to make this thread.

What is PlayTV?, well in the word's of Mr. Mark Bunting;

For those of you who are new to PlayTV, here is a little bit of background for you: PlayTV is a combination of a USB tuner and software that you install on your PS3 to watch your favourite free-to-air TV channels and listen to your favourite radio stations. PlayTV works with terrestrial signals, which basically means the stuff that you will pick up with an aerial and not a dish or cable, the signal needs to be digital as this is the new format.

Live TV

• SD Upscaling - This is taking the broadcast picture and improving the way it looks (magic with maths)
• Direct to Live - You can choose to skip the main menu to get to live faster
• Channel Switchback - use circle to switch between the last two channels viewed
  Favourites view option - Filter the list of channels to a smaller list using the favourites option
• Local channel ordering - See the order of channels in your country the way they should be ordered
• Fast channel change - We are proud of the speed it takes to switch between channels
• Slick interface - This is self explanatory but was one of our visions for PlayTV
• Interactive - MHEG - “Press Red” and bring up the red button interactive services
• Subtitles - If it has broadcast subtitles you will be able to see them
• Parental Ratings - Mostly applicable to European broadcasts at the moment but we support this
• Text Button Support - Similar to interactive and a bit of the old school of broadcaster providing you with more information
• Audio description - Some programmes have AD which provides additional information for those who are not able to see the picture as clearly. Try it out it is really handy if you are doing something while watching TV
• Alternative audio options - If there is a separate audio track in a different language then you can select this track and listen to it in that language

Recording

• Find and Record - from the main menu search the guide to see if there is something that you want to watch or record
• One Button Recording - Press select while watching a channel (not in pause mode) or select in the guide and you will instantly set (or cancel) a recording
• Repeat Recording - Set up a manual recording to repeat to record your favourite shows (I hear what you are saying about series link in the UK)
• Advance booking via EPG - tweak the settings to set the recording to start earlier or finish later
• Accurate event recording - We follow what the broadcasters say, we start and stop recording when they tell us we should
• PDC this is available in Germany and allows a code to be entered from a tv guide to set that recording

Library

• Thumbnail view - view your library as a whole lot of little pictures and then watch the selected one play back (very pretty)
• Sort option - This is available in all list views, press square and you will change the way programmes are sorted.
• Export to XMB - Need to archive your recording (like me on the news) you can do this via the x options menu in the library
• Radio exported as MP3 - To save space and make it compatible with the music player we export radio recordings in the popular MP3 format

Other features

• TV on PSP (needs a wifi connection when not in range of your PS3) - read above for more
• Recording during game play - You can record a programme and play games at the same time.
• Master volume change - Level out all of your audio by tweaking the audio level of
• Volume normalising - Some broadcaster max out the sound and some play it quite, with this setting you can keep it at a level setting. Good if you are switching between two channels with different audio levels.
• Updated via network connection, we are always working to make PlayTV better.

Accessibility

• 18 Languages supported
• BD Remote supported - The BD remote is supported with most buttons used
• In game help Manual - Go to the manual page to work out what the buttons do on your controller or Sixaxis
• First time help - You will get a help screes the first time you go to a few of the menu options
• Intuitive main menu - We tried to make it so intuitive our designers grannie could use it. My whole family can and some of them are technophobic.

In the next PlayTV update, PlayTV Producer Mark Bunting has indicated the the upcoming update will include:

• Series Linking
• UHF Support
• Fix for MPEG-2 stutter on HD recordings
• MPEG-4 recording
• AC3+/ Dolby Digital 5.1 audio support
• AAC Audio support

copy&paste ftw.

I recommend this to all UK living, non-Sky-subscribers, PS3 owners. Mark Bunting is a true visionary and leads a dedicated team over at SCEE Cambridge, known for making the best applications i've used such as PlayTV and the Passport To..  franchise.

For only £39.99 at Argos, I'd say we were robbing them.

faiizow


I recommend this to all UK living, non-Sky-subscribers, PS3 owners. Mark Bunting is a true visionary and leads a dedicated team over at SCEE Cambridge, known for making the best applications i've used such as PlayTV and the Passport To..  franchise.

For only £39.99 at Argos, I'd say we were robbing them.

Have to admit, it is pretty badass if you don't already have the features with your Sky or Virgin subscription.

Does the UK have all digital tv?

Max Power


Does the UK have all digital tv?

Nope, this is available in other european countries too. (If that's what you mean)

Max Power


Does the UK have all digital tv?

I think about 90% of people have digital (read it somewhere) but by 2012, depending where you live, everybody would need to have digital to watch tv, some regions already require digital
Switchover dates

Hope they make some kind of Party feature, just so i can laugh at Jeremy Clarkson's shoes on Top Gear with fellow N4G'ers.

well I asked because the US is all digital now, and if you had an antenna you would need a converter box.  I also know that this isn't available in the US, just wondering what they would have to do so it could be offered.

Max Power


well I asked because the US is all digital now, and if you had an antenna you would need a converter box.  I also know that this isn't available in the US, just wondering what they would have to do so it could be offered.

It'll probably be in the states when you U.S goes fully digital.

yeah play tv is very good ive had it since it came out and it has just kept getting better with the updates they bring.  i want to know when the uk are getting the hd version , i heard austrailia are getting them first and not gettingthe standard definition ones they are going to be the test for the hd version suposedly , i cant rember where i saw this but it was on n4g.

rickyjb23


yeah play tv is very good ive had it since it came out and it has just kept getting better with the updates they bring.  i want to know when the uk are getting the hd version , i heard austrailia are getting them first and not gettingthe standard definition ones they are going to be the test for the hd version suposedly , i cant rember where i saw this but it was on n4g.

Yeah it looks like i'm gonna have to buy another PlayTV box when that's released, as is every Freeview box owner aswell, if they want to see televison programmes in HD.

Been reading as to why this is and it's for the better, new channels are going to open and whatnot. Still waiting on Sky Picnic to be on Freeview. Edit: Just remembered that's defunct. <.<

http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2009/11/05/playtv-gets-even-better-with-1-21-update/