PlayTV for PS3 - Any news?

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Jaxson

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#30840 23-Feb-2009 14:35

Hi all,

Anyone heard any new news on the PlayTV PS3 freeview TV/PVR addon?

Cheers.

vinnieg

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#197456 23-Feb-2009 14:44

Not sure, Sony have really been dicking round with their PS3I used to love my playstations, but I've ditched them and got an Xbox 360 pro, for $400 last year in october.
Since Sony kept saying with their PlayTV: will come out in April same time as freeview....then September....then TBA :(

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

ChrisPenrose

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#197599 23-Feb-2009 22:15

While we are waiting for PlayTV to arrive, check out PS3 Media Server.

http://code.google.com/p/ps3mediaserver/
http://ps3mediaserver.org/forum/

It is still quite new but I found it small, stable and very easy to setup. (Poor documentation though).

It automatically muxes or transcodes then streams everything (including ISOs!).
The only real limitations appear to be Sony's implementation of DLNA, but the developers are finding thier way around some of those (DTS optical and HDMI DTS-MA).

Worth a look if you want to get the most out of your media collection and PS3.

AmooMan

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#197611 23-Feb-2009 23:10

ChrisPenrose: While we are waiting for PlayTV to arrive, check out PS3 Media Server.

http://code.google.com/p/ps3mediaserver/
http://ps3mediaserver.org/forum/

It is still quite new but I found it small, stable and very easy to setup. (Poor documentation though).

It automatically muxes or transcodes then streams everything (including ISOs!).
The only real limitations appear to be Sony's implementation of DLNA, but the developers are finding thier way around some of those (DTS optical and HDMI DTS-MA).

Worth a look if you want to get the most out of your media collection and PS3.

Thanks very much for the links.. Installed it onto my XP and had it up and running and watching a movie on my PS3 in about 2mins..

Works very well.. looking forward to using it in more :)

NZtechfreak

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#197742 24-Feb-2009 13:54

Just googled for this - found this interesting topic:

http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/forum/index.php/board,1.0.html

There are some people there who have been in contact with Dave Hine, the SCE NZ Marketing manager. He is reported to have said:

"Sony Computers are working very hard at the moment with Freeview to have PlayTV on the New Zealand market within the next 2-3 months."

The poster went on to say this: "The 2-3 month is the worst scenario he did indicate SCE are hoping to have PlayTV on the market sooner not later.". He is awaiting a response from David Reeves, President & CEO of Sony Computers Europe, also.

So, looking like mid-year on current estimates. If they can be believed of course, its not as if the previous release dates estimates were any good...

Twitter: @nztechfreak
Blogs: HeadphoNZ.org

dolsen

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#197744 24-Feb-2009 13:56

Perhaps we are being punished for the premature worldwide announcement?
:-)

Jaxson

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#197748 24-Feb-2009 14:19

dolsen: Perhaps we are being punished for the premature worldwide announcement?
:-)

Funny you should mention this. I think we've all be under the belief that because this info was leaked by a NZ employee, that this therefore meant we were going to get it here. I'd have to check, but I think this release was prior to the complete freeview UHF specs being finalised here anyway. And then we opted to go for MPEG4 and MHEG5 only EPG data on UHF, no EIt as per sat system.

I had hoped that the fact Sony had inbuilt freeview tuners working in their TV's would mean they'd be clued up on the PlayTV addon. However it seems as if PlatTV is being developed on only in UK, so we'll have to take a number and wait by the looks of it. Massive opportunity slipping every month for Sony here though. Paying about the same as the Zinwell monster to get PS3 + bigger internall HDD + PlayTV + PS3 remote will also land you a media server, games machine and bluray player all in one. Come on Sony, give us some none PR massaged info at least!

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stevonz

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#197765 24-Feb-2009 16:00

ChrisPenrose: While we are waiting for PlayTV to arrive, check out PS3 Media Server.

http://code.google.com/p/ps3mediaserver/
http://ps3mediaserver.org/forum/

It is still quite new but I found it small, stable and very easy to setup. (Poor documentation though).

It automatically muxes or transcodes then streams everything (including ISOs!).
The only real limitations appear to be Sony's implementation of DLNA, but the developers are finding thier way around some of those (DTS optical and HDMI DTS-MA).

Worth a look if you want to get the most out of your media collection and PS3.

TVersity has been doing this for ages... new release is awesome too...

Cheers, Stevo

ChrisPenrose

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#197796 24-Feb-2009 17:55

Hi Stevo,

I am not the only one to have converted from TVersity etc to PS3 Media Server.

Have a look, I think you will find quite a few features that have been missing from other DLNA servers.

A big one for me was simple high quality ISO streaming. The VOBs and AC3 (DTS soon) can just be muxed, no transcoding required. The PS3 does its normal high quality DVD upscaling to 1080. The resulting image and sound quality is as good as the orignal.

I understand that for formats not natively supported by the PS3, on the fly transcoding is available.
I have not used / needed this.

Anyway thats my two cents worth.

plas

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#197935 25-Feb-2009 10:20

I bought a NAS that supported DLNA, saves having to leave the PC on to watch a movie.

ZiglioNZ

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#197983 25-Feb-2009 13:01

Sorry, I don't have a PS3 but I'm interested in what you're doing.
Does the PS3 understand DLNA then? couldn't it just find the files in the network? (my NAS appears as a SAMBA drive)

garvani

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#197989 25-Feb-2009 13:18

Yes the ps3 is a dlna client. It picks up my dlna NAS box without a problem (dlink dns-323), also picks up tversity which is on my laptop without a problem, so depending on what i want to watch i can either goto the nas box or the laptop, all from the ps3 menu (xmb). I dont think it will pick up a samba share though (havnt tried it but im doubful)

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ZiglioNZ

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#197998 25-Feb-2009 14:04

Thanks Garvani, if I had to buy my NAS (a Macpower) again today it would have DLNA, that seems to me to uPnP 2.0. I hope my next router will provide that functionality.
It's good to finally have an accepted standard though. I've seen some modern TVs will also act as DLNA clients.

PS By the way, your nickname sounds Italian like me

stevenz

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#198000 25-Feb-2009 14:29

ChrisPenrose:
I am not the only one to have converted from TVersity etc to PS3 Media Server.
Have a look, I think you will find quite a few features that have been missing from other DLNA servers.

I was using TVersity but the PS3 Media Server does seem to work better with the PS3 (funnily enough), although its file structure is a bit odd. I've got the house cabled for gigabit LAN, and the media server is about to be seriously upgraded so we should have enough power for realtime transcoding of everything up to at least 720p in top quality and possibly a little beyond. The lack of SMB support is irritating, but the alternatives have become acceptably workable.

I may have to retire my trusty Xbox :( - Once I've finally finished Psychonauts ;)

I was looking forward to the PlayTV unit, but they took so long I ended up getting a TV that had a freeview tuner built in. The PVR functionality would still be nice though assuming the unit doesn't cost too much!

Jaxson

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#198016 25-Feb-2009 15:47

stevenz: I was looking forward to the PlayTV unit, but they took so long I ended up getting a TV that had a freeview tuner built in. The PVR functionality would still be nice though assuming the unit doesn't cost too much!

Amazon UK has it for &50, which is roughly $150 NZ. Here's hoping!