Sony PlayStation TV REVIEW

DesignThe PlayStation TV$79.00 at Amazon is mind-bogglingly small, barely larger than a Google Chromecast$29.99 at Amazon or Amazon Fire TV Stick$39.00 at Amazon. It's a tiny plastic rectangle about the size of a pack of gum, measuring just 0.5 by 4.1 by 2.6 inches (HWD) and weighing only 3.9 ounces. It sports an HDMI port, a USB port, an Ethernet port, a memory card slot, a power connector, and a power button on the back, and a single white LED light on the front. The right side holds a Vita game card slot behind a rubber door. Plug the PlayStation TV into the included power adapter, connect your HDTV, press the power button, connect a DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 controller to link it (once you register either one with the PlayStation TV by pressing the PlayStation button, it will be wirelessly paired and you can then disconnect the USB cable), and you're ready. If you don't pick up the base PlayStation TV Bundle, you'll need a DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 controller to use the PlayStation TV.

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Most Vita games must install some data on the Vita-based device even if the game itself comes on a separate card, and storage is necessary for any downloadable titles like PlayStation Portable games or PSOne Classics. The good news is the PlayStation TV has 1GB of onboard storage, which should cover your needs for media apps, save files, and installation data. The bad news is the PlayStation TV still uses Sony's proprietary Vita memory cards instead of SD, miniSD, or microSD cards, and you'll need more than the single gigabyte of storage the device offers for any real amount of downloadable games. Vita memory cards easily cost more than twice as much as similar-size SD cards. The 8GB card that comes with the PlayStation TV Bundle is enough for about two downloaded Vita games, and between four and 16 PSOne Classics or PlayStation Portable titles.

Interface and Remote PlayThe PlayStation TV uses the exact same interface as the PlayStation Vita, which was designed for use with touch screens and not HDTVs. The experience translates relatively well to gamepad controls, but certain control aspects were clearly made for touch controls and not buttons. A tab-based application view shows active programs with the top-right corner peeling off. On the Vita, you can swipe the corner downward to close any open game or app. On the PlayStation TV, you need to hold the circle button down until the screen peels away.

Unlike the PlayStation 4 (and even the PS3), the PlayStation TV can't output in 1080p. Instead, it can only send 720p, 1080i, or (oddly, since the only connection is HDMI) 480p. This means your HDTV will upconvert the video signal to 1080p instead of using a native picture.

If you have a PlayStation 3 or 4, you can play games remotely on them through the PlayStation TV just like you can with a Vita. This is obviously less convenient than the portable Vita, but it lets you extend your PS3 or PS4 library to other rooms in your home. Remote play is dependent on your network connection, and if the PlayStation TV isn't on the same network as your other systems, be prepared for a laggy or stuttering gaming experience.

GamesSince the PlayStation TV is basically just a PS Vita with no screen, it can play most games the Vita can play, as long as they don't need a touch screen. This means nearly all PlayStation Portable and PSOne Classic games can be downloaded and played on the Vita TV with no problem, along with over 100 Vita titles. Unfortunately, the list of compatible Vita games is far from complete, and even titles that seem like they would work perfectly with the PlayStation TV don't run on it. That's because, rather than attempting to run a Vita game that requires a touch screen, the PlayStation TV refuses to load any program that isn't considered compatible. It won't even try.

In testing, I had no problems downloading Muramasa Rebirth, Luftrausers, and The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth on the PlayStation TV, and loaded Freedom Wars and Persona 4 Golden through my physical game cards easily. I also easily downloaded and played the PSOne Classic Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and PlayStation Portable games Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions and Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X. Unfortunately, when I tried to download the Vita versions of Mortal Kombat 9 and Street Fighter X Tekken, two fighting games designed purely for physical controls and with touch-screen aspects most players shy away from, the PS Store app warned me not to. Similarly, when I loaded Ys: Memories of Celceta from a game card, I got a similar error (though the Japanese version of Memories of Celceta was patched to work with the Japanese Vita TV months ago).

For the games that run, the experience is excellent. It's no different from any Vita, PSP, or PSOne Classic game played on the Vita with physical controls. Whether you get the bundle with the DualShock 3 controller or sync a DualShock 4 to it, games feel responsive and look generally very good. Since it's a lower-resolution output upscaled on a 1080p HDTV, you'll notice some definite blotchiness or blockiness if you have a big screen and sit close to it, but you should be prepared for graphical compromises if you're only spending $100 on a console to begin with. Vita games can potentially look gorgeous, like Muramasa Rebirth, since the upconversion works very well with certain types of graphics.

Media FeaturesThe PlayStation TV is also billed as a Roku, Fire TV, or Apple TV replacement. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. It can run several major streaming media services including Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, and even Crunchyroll. It can also access Sony's Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited media libraries. Beyond those major services, however, the app selection is sparse compared with what you can find on Roku or Fire TV.

That isn't the biggest complaint for watching media on the PlayStation TV. The biggest problem is the same feature that makes it so compelling for playing games: the ability to pair with DualShock 3 and DualShock 4 gamepads. Controlling video playback on a gamepad is unwieldy and frustrating, and that will likely be your main (and only) method of interacting with the device. On the bright side, the PlayStation TV supports the PlayStation 3 Bluetooth media remote, but that's an extra $25 when devices like the Roku Streaming Stick and Fire TV stick include media remotes in packages that already cost less than half the PlayStation TV's price. The PlayStation TV works in a pinch if you're hard up for a Netflix or Hulu box, but there are better media hubs out there.

The Sony PlayStation TV is an excellent device for a very specific audience: Gamers who want to play some classic console games or a small handful of modern portable games on an HDTV and who don't want to shell out for a current-gen home system (or already have one, and want a system for another room). If you want to pore through Sony's back catalog from the PlayStation and PSP days, and enjoy a solid if incomplete handful of must-play Vita titles (like Persona 4 Golden), it's an ideal and economical choice. If you want the full, modern gaming experience, your best options are still the pricier full consoles, like the PlayStation 4, or a PC. If you want a media hub and gaming is secondary, a Roku Streaming Stick or Amazon Fire TV Stick will offer a much better experience for a much lower price. Certain gamers, including myself, will love the PlayStation TV. It just isn't the best device for most users.