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Sony is keen to stress that PlayStation TV is not an alternative for a media streamer - at least not yet. In a briefing I had, Remote Play was pushed as the main reason as to why people would buy it.
That's no bad thing. Extending PS4 playing to another part of a house is a great sell and something Microsoft has yet to deliver.
But it also means that Sony isn't recommending the PS TV as a micro console or a media streamer (although it is capable of both) but as a PS4 accessory - an add-on and a pricey one at that.
We liked
Once we got Remote Play working, it was great to play PS4 content in another room. Yes you need a strong internet connection but Sony makes it easy to set up.
I also like the bundled games. Couple the PS TV with PlayStation Plus and what you have is another place to play PSOne and PS mini games, which is a bonus.
We Disliked
The lack of on-demand TV and movie apps is a little strange and something that needs to be remedied soon, if Sony really wants to honour the TV side of PlayStation TV name.
Compatability issues with many Vita games is also an issue - why put a Vita card slot on the device if not all games are ready for the PS TV?
For Remote Play to work, you really need to tether the PlayStation TV and the PS4 to ethernet connections. This could cause problems in most home networks.
Verdict
The problem is that the £80-plus price tag makes this a rather expensive addition to the PS4. But if you are willing to pay a premium and play the waiting game, then the PS TV may well reward you.
Even though it lacks the television temerity of Amazon's and Sky's media streamers, surely Netflix apps and the like will eventually become available. And news of PlayStation Vue certainly hints at what's to come.
The compatibility issues with a number of games will no doubt be ironed out with a firmware update or two down the line.
It feels like the future of PlayStation TV has been mapped out but in its current guise it's all a little directionless.
