Digital TV tuner for PlayStation 3, but what's in it for Sony?

Adam Turner
Friday, 03 August 2007 04:49

Opinion and Analysis

We all know games console hardware is sold at a loss, with the money made back on games and services, so why would Sony put a digital TV tuner in the PlayStation 3?

Around March next year, Sony expects to introduce a digital TV tuner add-on turning the PS3 into a personal video recorder, Sony revealed last week. If you're watching or recording television then you're not playing games, listening to CDs or watching a movie on Blu-ray or plain old DVD. Sony has a finger in all of these pies, but if you're just watching the idiot box then you're not putting extra dollars in Sony's coffers. Or are you?

It doesn't take much imagination to think about the possibilities a TV-enabled PS3 opens up for Sony. Monitoring your viewing habits, monitoring you add-watching habits, monitoring you ad-skipping habits - all precious data to both Sony and interested third parties. The promise of a Sony movie download service is designed to get more PS3 owners to connect their console to the internet, which obviously gives Sony access to the super computer they've snuck into your lounge room in the guise of a games console.

Microsoft has already patented a TiVo for advertisements, with the idea of inserting fresh advertisements into old recordings on personal video recorders, to ensure you see today's ads even if you're watching a recording from last week.

You can be sure Sony has similar ideas, and the PlayStation 3 is the perfect delivery platform. Sony has obviously learned by now if you don't give the people what they want, they'll just hack your devices and do it anyway. Apple relies on this, releasing limited but easily hackable devices like the Apple TV - so people can add the features they want but Apple doesn't have to support those features.

Sony knows if it doesn't add a digital TV tuner to the PS3 then someone else will. By adding a digital TV tuner itself, Sony assures it remains in full control over you and your console. Games consoles are all about control and "owning" your lounge room - and Sony isn't selling the PlayStation 3 just for your viewing pleasure.