Sony is to take on Sky and BT with a new TV service for its PlayStation console.

Called PlayTV, it will allow consumers to watch and record live television without the need for a Freeview or Sky box.

The service will be free for people who have the £299 PS3 console and have bought a £69 PlayTV box.

It will have the same channels as Freeview and will offer facilities similar to Sky+. Users will be able to pause, rewind and record live shows, and set their console to automatically record programmes on to its hard drive. The device goes on sale on 19 September. "This is the start of an all-out war from Sony," said Katherine Hannaford of gadget magazine T3.

"They want to be a major part of the living room, and by making the PlayStation into a device that can do everything they can do that."

The PS3 games console already works as a high-definition Blu-ray player, and Sony has promised to launch a film and TV show download service.

Arch-rival Microsoft backed the ultimately unsuccessful HD-DVD format with its Xbox 360 console, while Nintendo has focused on occasional gamers with its hugely popular Wii system.

Experts say Microsoft's strategy may have cost it dear. "Microsoft has really now focused on its download service, which has been available in the UK for several months," said Miss Hannaford. "It has talked about joining with BT for a TV service but not actually delivered.

"With PlayTV, Sony is widening its target from just games companies. Sony is clearly after the likes of Sky and BT, which has its Vision service.

"Sony will be hoping it can compete, and perhaps even lure customers away from Sky when their subscription ends."

The company hopes its TV service will eventually replace stand-alone freeview boxes entirely. Mark Bunting, of PlayTV's producers, said: "It makes it very easy for people to access all their entertainment in one place. Midway through a game they can easily see what is on TV, and they can already play music, view movies and go online with the console.

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