PS3 to Act as Digital Video Recorder?

PS3 Evolution writes "Ars Technica has some new info regarding the PS3 and PSP Connectivity, and explores claims that the console will be a Digital Video Recorder." From the article: "An 'accessory' for the PSP is going to be a device that can connect to the PS3 for interactive gaming, video sharing, and probably music synchronization. Think about it: you're Sony, and you have the PSP. The device is in the same price league as the iPod (although storage is more expensive), and the screen is better. You're also a content owner with fingers in movies, music, and television. Sony's efforts to-date with UMD offerings are only the opening salvos for the company. How do you go after iPod-like success? Like the iPod that is tethered to a computer, the PSP will be tethered to a PS3." Take with the usual recommended amount of salt.

Comments

Yes.

[ibullard]

It'll also play PS1 & PS2 games, act as an electronic secretary, automatically sort your socks, render the special effects in LOTR in real time and double your TV resolution. Meanwhile, if you plug in your PSP into the PS3 it'll make it play all of Nintendo's portable games as well as all of the Xbox games available. A software update late next year will allow the PS3 to play Xbox 360 at twice the speed.

Seriously, doesn't anyone remember the hype that surrounded the PS2? How much of that was true? Sony couldn't live up to it's OWN hype, nevermind what the press and fanboys came up with.

Possibly bad, but good direction

[Kranfer]

Now, after seeing that the PS3 might be able to be a PVR, I would have to say this would change my mind of whether or not to purchase a gaming console. In the past, they could play DVDs, but I have a home theater system... But this would make me definately want to purchase a PS3. Not only would it play DVDs (with my HT System, but it would record TV for me... and Time Warner wants 415 a month for that... so it pays for itself over time.

The only question is... Will Sony make their PVR software able to understand the guide information coming through? Or would you need to hook the console to the internet to get a directory of whats on much like how my ATI All in Wonder does for when I have it record? Definately something worth while.

Hope it has CableCard support

[The-Bus]

If the PS3 has a DVR, that's no doubt a great thing to many people. If you see TV over regular coax cable or have over-the-air HDTV reception, this will be great. However, there's a ton of people who have subscribers (DirectTV, Comcast, Time-Warner, Dish) where AFAIK the only way to see expanded and/or HD content is through that content provider's digital set-top box.

The two workarounds would be to have inputs and outputs to record the content (analog) or to have a Cable Card slot. But Cable Cards usually have monthly fees attached to them about equal in price to the fees for the content provider's DVR.

What strikes me as interesting is that Sony wants people to believe that you can happily move around movies, music, TV shows to and from your PS3 and your PSP. Yet this same company is the one that doesn't let you rip CDs that you've already bought. What Sony is not saying is that you can move your purchased content around. (See Sony's answer to iTMS). I can't see this being an easy, open way to move around your media. Not with Sony.

Also, if consumers really wanted DVRs with their game machines, the PSX would've been a huge hit that Sony would've brought to territories outside of Japan.

Cool, but will probably eff it up!

[TheSkepticalOptimist]

To date, there is no DVR/PVR available, unless it's TIVO or some box that you must buy directly from the cable company, that is worth buying.

Without built-in ability to access digital cable schedules and HDTV content, 3rd party DVR's are novelty items that find only limited functionality in the home. I bought a DVD-HDD DVR a few months ago and returned it, mostly because the ONLY way I could record content was to plug the video out of my Digital Cable box into the video in on the DVR, and then make sure I hit record when the television show started. There is no way to automatically schedule TV recording on 3rd party DVR boxes. The Cable companies won't allow Open cable standards to flourish, banking on proprietary cable technology to gain the extra $5-$10 a month renting boxes out generates.

Unless Sony builds a Cable Card slot into the PS3 (and US and Canadian cable companies actually start supporting Cable Cards), the DVR capabilities of the PS3 will be a novelty item, like the DVD player support in the PS2. A few people will find it handy, but most people will find it too cumbersome to use or have an existing solution that meets their needs. Without the ability to schedule Digital Cable recordings, or access HDTV content without the blessings of the Cable companies, the PS3's DVR capabilities will be greatly diminished.

Also, I am sure Sony will build in so much DRM protection schemes and other ways to prevent the PS3 from being an adequate DVR solution will make it suck as a DVR.

Sony is one of the few companies that are putting Cable Card slots into their TVs, so perhaps they will build them into the PS3. But this represents more technology to implement and license meaning that the cost of the PS3 will increase because of this feature.

That combined with the necessity of a hard drive means that the PS3 won't be cheap.

The PS3 doesn't, and shouldn't, be an all-in-one device. Playing back video, music, and photo slideshows is alright, these features can be added without any additional cost, but I would prefer if Sony focused on gaming and leave the superfluous features out of the PS3. Keep the price low and let people buy more robust and better implemented solutions elsewhere.