PlayTV update adds SD upscaler

By Tom Bramwell Published 3 April, 2009

Plus straight-to-TV button on XMB.

Sony has released a free update for PlayTV that introduces an SD upscaler among other new features.

Perhaps most exciting (relatively speaking) is the new ability to go directly to watching TV from the XMB, rather than having to click through menus.

Producer Mark Bunting announced the new features in a Three Speech video blog, adding that there are also new fast-forward and rewind speeds, and new volume controls.

The SD upscaler is "basically magic with maths", he said, providing "sharper pictures" and "improved contrast" to normal TV images.

"One day we want PlayTV to work in high definition," he added, "but we can only do that when free digital TV comes in HD, which at the moment only happens in France and Spain."

To get the update, PlayTV users who haven't done so before should scroll down to the "About" button in the Settings menu and click through to download. Those of you who have previously updated should have a Software Update button on the main menu carousel.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (49) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • degville #1 3 years ago

    How about a freesat version of PlayTv?

  • AusFreelancer #2 3 years ago

    How about an Australian version of PlayTV?

  • Ornithophobe #3 3 years ago

    Still no series record, without that I will never be able to justify it as a replacement for WMCE box + 360.

  • bodypopper #4 3 years ago

    The bit about France and Spain is misleading. When Freeview HD arrives the current Play TV box won't be compatible. Considering any new box will need new DVB-T2 chips for Freeview HD, it will probably be a bit pricey too.

  • BillPoon #5 3 years ago

    Useless without a Conditional Access Module.

  • TheWretched #6 3 years ago

    What about a cable or satellite version? Then I'd be interested

  • valli #7 3 years ago

    I must be thick or something, unless the update isn't up yet.

  • neilka #8 3 years ago

    They really should shut up about the HD thing or UK customers are going to be pretty upset when it completely fails to work, for the reason stated above.

  • dr.glyndwr #9 3 years ago

    @bodypopper, @neilka: "When Freeview HD arrives the current Play TV box won't be compatible."

    We don't know that's true, actually. The signal reception bits of DVB-T and DVB-T2 don't differ very much, the main difference is the encoding standard of the bitstream inside the signal. As Sony are probably doing the decode in software, rather than hardware (god knows the PS3 has enough stream processing power), it's possible that a new firmware for the relatively dumb tuner box and new software for the PS3 side will allow PlayTV to receive FTA HD.

    It's the only explanation I can think of for Sony's confidence; they clearly pushed PlayTV as being HD capable and will pretty much have to issue refunds to everyone if it can't.

  • MaliceMajorE15 #10 3 years ago

    i dont think this update is out yet cos i cant get it. im anxious to see what this access to live tv from the xmb is, because i thought thats what i was doing, if it means in-game then i will be over the moon

  • Wyrm #11 3 years ago

    Yeah, it's not up yet.

  • X201 #12 3 years ago

    @dr.glyndwr The points that go against the upgrade the firmware option are that programmable turner chips cost loads more than hard coded ones, which wouldn't be economical for a consumer product like PlayTV. The other point is that their were no flashable chips on the market when Play TV was launched.

    The simple answer is that Sony know what chips they've put in the device, they know the DVB-T2 standards so they could very easily announce whether or not Play TV can be upgraded and shut the likes of bodypopper, neilka, the numerous other people saying "its not possible" and myself up once and for all. But they haven't.

  • mcwildcard #13 3 years ago

    Wow, well I already have PlayTV, so this is great news.
    Sorry for disturbing all the moaners out there, most of whom probably don't even own it, you can continue now.

  • bodypopper #14 3 years ago

    There are countless tuners for PCs etc on the market touting HD compatibility when what they really mean is in a general Euro sense (eg it works in France and Spain). It's just confusing people.
    Being in the industry I was told only last week that Sony is closely involved in the development of DVB-T2 chips as it wants to get products out quickly. I would say a new box is the way to go.

  • X201 #15 3 years ago

    @mcwildcard

    Had it since day of release knew that it wouldn't do HD when I bought it. Not bothered about lack of HD and would buy a HD version. Just wish Sony would come clean and be done with it

  • Vistrix #16 3 years ago

    Awesome update.

    PlayTV is incredible, I use it every day. It by far has the best TV guide system Ive ever used.

  • septimus #17 3 years ago

    Good news. It is nice to have as a quick replacement for each and every time my Sky HD fucks up.

    That and it was only £40 for PlayTV, I don't mind getting another if they release a HD compatible one at the same price.

  • Mark0605 #18 3 years ago

    not up yet aghh!

  • PrivateJoker #19 3 years ago

    Good news, love my playtv.

  • redlander #20 3 years ago

    How about they release and update to get mine to fracking work!

    /grumble grumble

  • tonynibbles #21 3 years ago

    Nice. The image quality is already very good, this should push it well in to awesome.

  • valli #22 3 years ago

    So is it out yet?

  • onyxbox #23 3 years ago

    it still needs Series Linking tho'... c'mon can't be that difficult surely.

  • MaliceMajorE15 #24 3 years ago

    come on already!!!

  • BraveArse #25 3 years ago

    Has series link even been implemented by freeview broadcasters yet? Last time I read about it ( admittedly a while ago ), it was mooted as part of a new standard but was yet to be implemented.

  • Greebo #26 3 years ago


    Any PVR with the Freeview+ symbol will have a series link capability

  • drxym #27 3 years ago

    Does the PlayTV have AVC support? Ireland is adopting DVB-T with AVC encoded content there are even test broadcasts happening around my region right now. It would be nice to buy the adapter and be able to watch them.

  • drxym #28 3 years ago

    Concerning DVB-T vs DVB-T2, my understanding is that the way the channels are transmitted is different. Channel data is interleaved within one digital stream rather than being split into separate streams. If the device is just some braindead dongle that tunes to some frequency and lets the software do the rest then yes it may be that the PlayTV can do T2. If however, there is substantial functionality on the chip then it probably won't. I assume for example that the USB is returning raw stream data so it may be that the PS3 lets the the device tune into the data and it simply cannot work with T2.

    Still, I think Sony should be in a position to say whether it would work or not. I'd also wish that Sony would make a satellite version, and perhaps even a hybrid version too. In some countries, not all channels are going to be the same through satellite and aerial and it would be nice if a single unified device could handle them all.

  • X201 #29 3 years ago

    @drxym: If it did just dump signal data to the HD and decode it in the PS3, then they could just update the software. But if this was possible, why haven't they jumped at the chance to shout from the rooftops that PlayTV is future proof?


  • MrNyarlathotep #30 3 years ago

    "But if this was possible, why haven't they jumped at the chance to shout from the rooftops that PlayTV is future proof? "

    Because if anything prevented it happening it would be "OMG SONY YOU PROMISED HD TV, MORE LIES 4TH DIMENSION GIANT ENEMY CRAB" again probably.

  • red_shift #31 3 years ago

    God damn it, why is this still not up yet? Bloody Eurogamer, you made it sound as if the update was live now.

  • MaliceMajorE15 #32 3 years ago

    i always wondered how sites get access to updates b4 us. if indeed they do. on second reading of the article it doesnt say wether they tried it just that it was announced on three speech.
    Edited by 1 at 03/04/09 @ 18:52

  • Rash' #33 3 years ago

    personally i think sony aren't shouting it's future proof because it isn't (by current expected UK standards). i think they decided to release the kit rather than wait for a global standard in HD as there are at present no guarantees where the technology is heading. UK are gunning for one standard while the rest of europe has another. personally i think they were right to go ahead. my PS3 has transformed since i got the kit.

  • chanandler #34 3 years ago

    Update still not there..... maybe it's a late April Fool :)

  • napalm68 #35 3 years ago

    AusFreelancer - the UK PlayTV works fine here in Australia, with the exception of SBS. Works with HD too.

    I'll probably get the Aus one if they sort that out and ever release it here.

    The update isn't there yet. Still 1.02.
    Edited by 1 at 03/04/09 @ 23:11

  • drxym #36 3 years ago

    I don't think anybody really thinks Sony should say its future proof. At the moment the device is interesting but there are far too many open questions that need answers. The PlayTV website hosts an annoying flash app and an extremely vague FAQ. How about some adding some technical meat and potatoes for people who just want to know what it can and can't do, and what its capable of doing?

  • AusFreelancer #37 3 years ago

    napalm68 - the UK PlayTV works fine here in Australia, with the exception of SBS. Works with HD too.

    Yeah, that's the thing, I'd get it mainly to record Top Gear, and that's on SBS...till that's sorted, I doubt we'll see it released here. I'm sure our version will be the exact same hardware as the UK's.

  • Retroid #38 3 years ago

    I would've thought it would have an upscaler anyway. But nice that it *does* do that.

  • Vesuri #39 3 years ago

    Still no update. How about announcing releases when they are actually released?

  • wayneh #40 3 years ago

    How does everyone know it's not DVB-T2 compatible? My Bravia manual states it's DVB-T but it contains a DVB-T2 decoder but for some reason Sony don't advertise this in the UK.

  • fiddie #41 3 years ago

    why doesnty sum1 just open the play tv box up and see what chips arstalled dunno if u could tell anything from this just a thaught tho...

  • X201 #42 3 years ago

    @wayneh
    There were no commercial use DVB-T2 tuner chips in existence anywhere in the World when PlayTV was released. The only ones that existed were expensive programmable ones being used for transmitter tests.

  • X201 #43 3 years ago

    @fiddie
    I'm going to one day. As long as the chip numbers haven't been scrubbed it might point to an answer.

  • X201 #44 3 years ago

    Right then.

    Have opened up PlayTV box (4 screws hidden under sticky feet if you want to have a look yourself)

    Inside is a circuit board with 3 chips on it.

    One of the chips is a USB controller chip the other two are tuner chips manufactured by a company called DibCom

    The two chips are labelled as 7070PB1
    A quick look on DibCom's website (Here) reveals that the 7070P (in fact everything in the 7070 chip range) is a DVB-T tuner.

    EDIT:Will take and post photos tomorrow.
    Edited by 4 at 04/04/09 @ 23:03

  • napalm68 #45 3 years ago

    Has the update shown up yet?

  • red_shift #46 3 years ago

    Nope, its still not up.
    Edited by 1 at 05/04/09 @ 20:10

  • napalm68 #47 3 years ago

    Yeah, so it isn't just me, noone has found this so called update...

    This ticks me off. If it was a day off the original announcement that would be ok. But this is ridiculous.

  • YobRenoops #48 3 years ago

    Where's the update then EG? Anyone?

  • mallinersha #49 3 years ago

    Perhaps most exciting (relatively speaking) is the new ability to go directly to watching TV from the XMB, rather than having to click through menus.

    Downloaded the update but can't see this feature on the XMB am I missing it somehow?