Sony adds DRM to upcoming PlayTV PS3 add-on

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15 Aug 08 01:29 by Seán Byrne in category Uncategorized To news archive

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Back in February when Sony unveiled its upcoming digital TV receiver PlayTV, Sony that the recordings would be made in its raw digital format without copy protection. For example, recordings could be transferred to any storage medium or be re-encoded and transferred to portable equipment to play on the move. Unfortunately, Sony has now gone back to its old habit and decided to enforce DRM copy protection on the device, which means that PlayTV recordings made on the PS3 cannot be transferred to any external drive, PSP or PC.

So far there has been no explanation given for the decision to use DRM, particularly since many set-top boxes and especially PC based DVRs do not copy protect their recordings. With the new restrictions, recordings can only be played back on the PS3 or streamed to a PSP using the Remote Play feature.

The PlayTV device will launch in the UK on 19th September for £69.99 and the recording feature will be limited to standard definition programming. Sony plans adding HD support at a later time.

Now that the PlayTV will be crippled with DRM, from what I can see, unless one really wants to be able to record digital TV on their PS3, they would be far better off getting a PC based digital receiver which also costs less or even investing in a set-top digital TV capable DVD recorder.

11 Comments

Witchdoctor6969: Posts: 30; Posted on: 15 Aug 08 07:00

Like my granny said " A tiger can't change it's stripes". And here's my unchanging stripes.... "UP YOURS SONY SCUM"

Just say no to sony and flu er bluray.............

guest: Posts: 15288; Posted on: 15 Aug 08 13:13

This is truly sad! Why shouldn't I be able to watch a TV program on my iPod on the way to work which I didn't get time to view the night before! Man, I was all geared up to purchase a PlayTV

Xterminator: Posts: 726; Posted on: 15 Aug 08 14:38

DRM is a deal breaker. Sony's reptile brain reflexes ("everyone is trying to steal our stuff, so we can use any means to stop them") are spoiling the whole new HD technology experience for me. I spend a great deal of money on both software and hardware, and still feel treated both as a criminal and a child. Not to mention all the technical problems and limitations caused by DRM and HDCP. No PlayTV for me then.

Dee: Posts: 10323; Posted on: 15 Aug 08 14:52

Why do people find it so hard to get into their heads that, generally, it's the content providers that demand DRM?

Let's think of 2 examples.
hmm.
Channel 4
Channel 5

Xterminator: Posts: 726; Posted on: 15 Aug 08 15:54

Depends on your definition of content provider. Cable providers are forced to use DRM and other restricting measures (like prohibiting website access from abroad) by TV networks or channels, who in turn take their orders from the content providers or producers. Do you really think Sony is forced to implement DRM by others? If you give an example, try to understand that not everyone lives in your country.

Crabbyappleton: Posts: 5756; Posted on: 15 Aug 08 18:31

"Sony adds DRM to upcoming PlayTV PS3 add-on"

Boy, I didn't see that one coming! /sarcasm

SciFer: Posts: 193; Posted on: 15 Aug 08 20:18

Too Bad So Sad, I don't believe anyone will buy it. And I'm Pro PS3 guy. So, unless they change back, Play TV will be a failure.

shaolin007: Posts: 883; Posted on: 15 Aug 08 22:27

"Another one bites the dust. And another one gone and another one gone. Another one bites the dust, heh!!"

GringoTM: Posts: 824; Posted on: 16 Aug 08 15:33

DRM or not DRM........
I Like the PlayTV and the PS3 all in One Devices But
the possible future evolution of the DRM......

You can't skip the Sponsor, You Must Watch in a timeline
period like 24 / 48 h after you lost the video !

And More and more.........thing !

guest: Posts: 15288; Posted on: 19 Aug 08 18:57

It's hard to see the rationale here - okay we all know the anti-piracy argument - but I've had a Sony HD DVD recorder for a number of years now, I record to the HD, transfer onto RW DVD if I want to keep the recording, and stick that on my Mac and transfer it into ipod format. Now if existing Sony technology will let you transfer recordings like that, surely it's a bit churlish to start making sure you can't copy the content on new technology?

guest: Posts: 15288; Posted on: 20 Aug 08 19:42

Content is a balancing act, with regard to 'piracy'. I believe that a good product will be bought by most people, at the right price. There are those that will never pay for it, in which case the content providers have lost NOTHING. Let's use TV shows as an example, then, and try to agree that a good TV show, in divx format, will spread across the net quite quickly... this WORKS for the people who make the show... it's a sort of Viral marketing tool in some ways. The producers of the new Battlestar Galactica would agree that bittorrent helped to get their new show into the homes of the globe without too much effort from them... a very successful show. You have many many more people buying the box sets as a result. DRM has never, and will never work. You see stories all over the place of a company dropping DRM from their mp3 catalogue... people buy the tracks because they have the freedom to play it in every device they own. Easy. The suits out there making idiotic decisions for Sony should wake up and smell the coffee - DRM is dead, get over it and concentrate on making GOOD CONTENT.

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