Sony PlayStation Vita TV dongle brings Vita games to the big screen

PlayStation VitaTV looks rather like an Apple TV dongle dedicated to playing your Vita games and streaming video content on the TV. Just plug in your memory card, pick up a controller and off you go. Guess touch panel functions are managed through the triggers (a DualShock bundle will be available if you don't already own one), but there's no current explanation for that, other than not all games are compatible.

You can also play PSP and PSone games on the big-screen. I guess Sony will add sales of this device to its portable category sales, which will confuse things even further, but if it plays like a Vita, it counts as a Vita, even if it doesn't look like one. Apps will run Netflix and Hulu services, and you can also watch through Sony's Video Unlimited service, making a neat alternative, though hardly a competitor, to Apple's TV dongle.

It also looks like you stream PS4 content to other devices around the home, allowing someone to watch movies while you play games in another room. Quite a fun little box for PS devotees and at £64 converted from Yen (so, probably £99), could be quite the attractive little dongle. In fact doesn't that make it a dirt cheap home console Vita?



The spec sheet details the dimensions of this tiny bundle of fun... PlayStationVita TV (PS Vita TV)

Product Outline Color - White
Product code - VTE-1000 AB01
Release date - November 14, 2013
Recommended retail price 9,954 yen (including tax)
External dimensions: Approx. 65.0 × 105.0 × 13.6 mm (length × height × thickness)
Mass: Approx. 110g
CPU ARM Cortex-A9 core (4core)
GPU IMG SGX543MP4+
Main slots and connectors:

• PlayStation Vita card slot 
• Memory card slot 
• USB connector (USB 2.0 Type A) 
• HDMI output port (HDMI-CEC) - Includes a HDMI cable
• LAN port (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX) 
• Wireless communication IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n=1×1) (Wi-Fi) 
• Bluetooth 2.1＋EDR (A2DP,AVRCP,HSP,HID) 

Internal memory card 1GB
AV output 720p, 1080i, 480p