Sony Plans to Add a Digital Tuner to the PS3

Sony PlayStation 3

As if the 5KG gaming monster wouldn't be packed with enough state-of-the-art technology, Sony plans to introduce a TV tuner for the PS3 next spring.

Sony's Warwick Light, head of New Zealand marketing, confirmed the news for the online edition of a local newspaper, also calling the PS3 an "incredible transformer".

"We're also hoping next year - about the same time that Freeview launches its terrestrial broadcasting service (expected to be in March) - to release a digital tuner for the PS3, turning it into a programmable TV recorder."

"A lot of people think that the PS3 is just a games machine. It's not a games machine. Well (laughs), it is, but it isn't (laughs again). It's a future-proofed super computer."

Some of the projects that Light mentioned during the interview are known and have previously been discussed by Sony in different occasions. However the news about the TV tuner is definitely spectacular, although Sony could not be reached for further comments.

"The challenge for the next few months is to inform New Zealand consumers about how much the PlayStation 3 has to offer. Most people are aware that it plays games; others know about it being a Blu-ray player, but we have a real job ahead to educate consumers about things like being able to surf the net on a big-screen TV," Light says.

"A lot of people think that the PS3 is just a games machine. It's not a games machine. Well (laughs), it is, but it isn't (laughs again). It's a future-proofed super computer."

Considering that New Zealand and Australia are getting the updates from Sony even 6 months later (the launch of the PS3 is a clear example) we should expect the TV tuner to become reality sooner than Spring 2008 for the NTSC territory.

Sony plans to make an official announcement about the PS3 tuners function later this month at the Games convention in Leipzig Germany.