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Korean PS3 to feature VOD

[UPDATE] Sony plans to offer a video-on-demand service in South Korea, where the console is due to be launched mid-June; still no US release plans.

Earlier this week, it was announced that South Korea would be getting a new model of the PlayStation 3 console, sporting a 80GB hard drive. So far, Sony has said that there are no immediate plans to release the new machine--said to be identical to the European model in every other way--in other countries.

The reasoning behind releasing an 80GB PS3 in South Korea is now becoming clearer--Sony plans to offer video-on-demand services to the region, reports the Korea Times.

Sony Korea spokesperson Park Seo-yun told the newspaper that the company was in negotiations with possible partner companies for the VOD service, although she declined to name them or offer a timeline. The PS3 is due to be released in South Korea on June 16.

An anonymous Hanaro Telecom--a Korean phone company--spokesperson commented, "We are negotiating with Sony and the atmosphere is pretty good. We hope to be able to reach an agreement in June."

Hanaro Telecom last July launched HanaTV, a VOD service that costs around 10,000 won a month (approximately $11) and lets users download a variety of different types of videos through a set-top box in South Korea. So far, the service has more than 430,000 subscribers.

Microsoft launched a VOD service called Video Marketplace over Xbox Live in November last year, allowing Xbox 360 owners in the US to download TV programmes and rent movies. So far, there has been no word of when (or if) the service is due to come to Europe.

The anonymous Hanaro spokesperson added that if the deal was successful, it would mean that PS3 owners could watch HanaTV without the need for a set-top box, and that the monthly costs would be the same as for current HanaTV subscribers.

[UPDATE] The addition of VOD makes the 80GB PS3 even more appealing to US gamers. However, Sony still has no public plans to bring the form factor to North America. "We are constantly looking at new technologies, services and configurations to meet the evolving needs of our PlayStation gamers," a rep told GameSpot. "But at this time, we have no announcement regarding any changes in our PS3 product offering in North America."

89 Comments

  • theKSMM

    Posted Jun 10, 2007 6:21 pm GMT

    It will be interesting to see if Sony can perfect the VOD idea in the Korean market and whether that would translate to other markets. My guess is that an updated PS3 won't be forthcoming until the channel is clear of the existing models and much larger hard drives are available at the same cost as the current 60 GB models.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted May 24, 2007 11:48 pm GMT

    PS3's VOD is different, it's basically letting you use the PS3 in place of a cable box. You don't dowload vids.

  • Scammeleon

    Posted May 24, 2007 11:41 am GMT

    Maybe after Sony messed up everywhere else, they're now trying to blitz korea with everything they've got for the launch (80gig cheaper PS3, now with VOD) which everyone else wanted (and still want!)
    Well, if they can make the PS3 do well in one region, then it'll be a change...

  • malmeid2

    Posted May 24, 2007 10:29 am GMT

    I wonder if it is actually possible for Sony to botch things up any further with the PS3... Well it is Sony after all, so the odds are probably pretty good.

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted May 24, 2007 6:10 am GMT

    I think some of you miss understand what VOD is really all about.

    There is more then enough bandwidth out there to supply it. You do not download and save to disk you stream it real time from the service providers.

    Just like the HD-On Demand cable we can get now...and the more VOD people use the less bandwidth they providers use by always broadcasting everything.

    This is part of a long term shift...this is a baby step to test the water.

  • GrimBee

    Posted May 24, 2007 2:51 am GMT

    I hope that media playback doesn't ruin the ps3 like it did for the PSX....

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSX_%28DVR%29

  • mycheatcodeemai

    Posted May 24, 2007 2:10 am GMT

    when it come to malaysia ?

  • FallenOneX

    Posted May 23, 2007 10:40 pm GMT

    Two words: "Test Market". That's what they did when they only released one version of the PS3 in Europe. If no one complains too much, except about not getting one, they'll call it a success. Nice plan. The only downside is that consumers in other regions always feel/act as if they were cheated.

  • radiostyle

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:38 pm GMT

    80GB PS3's price will be 513000 won in korea.(it's almost $550)
    it's little bit cheaper but there is a rumour that korean ps3 can't run any ps2 games.

  • alberto2045

    Posted May 23, 2007 7:50 pm GMT

    its only 20 more GB not that much besides they are getting a service thats brand new

  • GoddBless

    Posted May 23, 2007 6:32 pm GMT

    I thought Ken quit!

  • Pete5506

    Posted May 23, 2007 5:55 pm GMT

    I don't need that

  • smoothn00dle

    Posted May 23, 2007 5:25 pm GMT

    @GrimBee
    That is because BR or HD is too big for download. Try to download a 12gig movie. IPTV or console VOD is unproven business model.

  • GrimBee

    Posted May 23, 2007 5:15 pm GMT

    And whats the point of bluray and hddvd when everyone is concentrating on downloading HD content onto a harddrive?
    Strange...

  • GrimBee

    Posted May 23, 2007 5:13 pm GMT

    VOD will take a year or two to reach the UK... internet speeds are darn awful here.

    DreFullCircle, you make a lot of sense! Fanboys/Zealots go on and on about "microsoft stealing" this and "sony theiving" that... its funny, you can date back to as early as e3 when HDMI was the talk of the town.

    Every ps3 zealot said "hah! xbox 360 does not support 1080p, its SOOO last gen!".
    Then, the update came and fixed that... now what else can the fanboys dig at? Well - "its not through hdmi... HAH!"...

    but then the elite fixed that...
    Seriously, fanboyism should hopefully stop soon as you will soon realise that Sony and Microsoft will be updating the heck out of their consoles to the point of being insane.

    Instead of releasing new hardware, they will concentrate on updates. Before you know it, everything people said negative about the ps3 - may be on the 360...
    Updates can change a console entirely, for better or for worse -

    Video on demand is a neat idea. However, I would let the guys at Sky do this kinda stuff, when you have a console - things tend to move more slowly and costly when you are an "all in one" unit.

    All apple needs to do is release a VOD box (of excellent quality) and anything microsoft and sony throw in will mean nothing. Its a new market, everyone wants a piece - but I dont think the winner will be a hybrid media-playing-games-machine.

  • town2020

    Posted May 23, 2007 4:57 pm GMT

    I just want to add few words. Not only Korea is the most wired country in the world, they have the fastest internet. That is why VOD is possible. From what I heard, their internet is faster than what we call high-speed.

  • DreFullCircle

    Posted May 23, 2007 3:20 pm GMT

    Everyone always says how the 360 needed more developement time, but this proves that the PS3 also has the same problems. Everyone cried wolf when the Elite was announced and now Sony does the same thing, except North America doesn't even get it for the forseeable future. People need to brush fanboy-ism to the side because you never know what these conglomorates will annouce next.

  • skyvader

    Posted May 23, 2007 2:29 pm GMT

    Doesn't the 360 have video on demand? This is just like Sony to follow anothers lead instead of lead by example.

  • PS3_3DO

    Posted May 23, 2007 2:27 pm GMT

    The 360 is getting IPTV in America and Canada and Europe.

  • theokguy

    Posted May 23, 2007 2:18 pm GMT

    Well if they do decide to bring this here to north amarica i hope canada will get it unlike microsoft.

  • dragg0n

    Posted May 23, 2007 1:48 pm GMT

    So Korea gets not only the 80 gb version but also VOD that no other region will probably see. Way to go Sony, you sure know how to keep the customers happy in your other major regions.

  • 4quarters

    Posted May 23, 2007 1:30 pm GMT

    please bring these features to the states!! No more blockbuster video!!

  • kavadias1981

    Posted May 23, 2007 12:37 pm GMT

    The Koreans are getting a mighty fine version of the PS3. Nice.

  • epormada

    Posted May 23, 2007 11:44 am GMT

    "Microsoft launched a VOD service called Video Marketplace over Xbox Live in November last year, allowing Xbox 360 owners in the US to download TV programmes and rent movies."

    Americans please take note to who is offering us a "pimp version" 360!

  • Afro_Samurai

    Posted May 23, 2007 11:17 am GMT

    This is the exact kind of reason why I"m going to start waiting longer than usual before I buy a system. Everytime they make a system, 6 moths later, they release an updated version.....

  • hiryu3

    Posted May 23, 2007 11:09 am GMT

    Hey I'm all for Games on demand forget the disc and download them to the system just like direct2drive. That would be great for the 360 to since there would be no more disc sratching.

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted May 23, 2007 10:44 am GMT

    I think Sony (and MS) are looking much more long term in regards to VOD.

    Ultimately VOD will kill movie rentals and take a huge chunk out of disk sales as well. As for bandwidth the cable companies already have HD-On Demand offerings and as those catalogs grow they will start to move to VOD for almost all programming.

    There is a colossal amount of bandwidth out there for most people it's all in how we use it. Think of what can be streamed if they were not sending out 200+ channels 24/7 at the same time.

    I'm not saying it's going to happen tomorrow...but it will be sooner then most expect.

  • ahyumifan

    Posted May 23, 2007 10:41 am GMT

    Well, my fellow Koreans get good feat over PS3. Guess PS3 is in much better use in Korea.

  • axia_777

    Posted May 23, 2007 10:01 am GMT

    Bahgahyahduh

    I just want a 250GB external harddrive, whose with me-----------

    Why do that when you can get a 250 GB internal HD in your PS3. Sony was nice and lets you put any compatible HD in your PS3. That is freaking sweet.

    As for this VOD I am not so interested. For small videos and such it would be kool, but like games, for movies I just want a disc.

  • wooplez

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:55 am GMT

    10,000 won? haha. why does korea get the pimp version? wtf?

  • azizrulez

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:50 am GMT

    yeah go liverpool,
    we can do another istanbul,
    and why do the koreans get everything

  • kyo_tetsuei

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:48 am GMT

    I think it's good that Sony is looking at ways to expand its services, seeing as how the conglomerate is wide-reaching, so should its products as well. We've seen this trend with the expansion of features of gaming consoles over the generations, and this seems like another step towards that. As long as Sony doesn't lose sight of the gaming core of the platform (And they certainly have the resources to focus on more than just games at any given time), I think this is a great move. I agree with some of the other comments here in that this feels like a test run of expansion of features before Sony decides to bite the bullet and do a mass-market push of these newer services.

  • andyrook

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:37 am GMT

    Seeings as there appears to be much randomness in this thread i thought id join in COME ON LIVERPOOL!U can win the champions league trophy again tonight!!!!Oh and good luck Sony and congrats on trying something AGAIN to increase your low PS3 sales lol....

  • darkzerogamer

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:27 am GMT

    Yet again Sony slaps US gamers in the face... so apparently they think only the Korean market is suitable for the 80gig model...

    My feeling is that they are just using the Korean market as a test area to see how well it sells. If it is accepted there then they will release it to the rest of the world.

  • haichuu

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:06 am GMT

    "I dont understand this so much though. One would think Sony wants people to buy Blu-Ray discs, not d/l stuff they want."

    A single layer Blu Ray disc is 25 gigs a duel layer disc is 50 gigs for full 1080p HD most publishers are using a full 50 gig Blu Ray disc for they're content. Imagine DL a 50 gig movie... first off the 80 gig HDD would not be nearly large enough to handle DL Blu Ray movies. Second off w/ my DSL connection it would take me roughly 2-3 days to DL a Blu Ray movie... something that I'm just not willing to do... so Sony isn't giving up on Blu Ray for unsurpased audio and picture stick w/ Blu Ray. It will take some huge advancments in technology before DL what they fit onto a Blu Ray disc is practical

  • SolidSnake2020

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:06 am GMT

    ok.

  • doughtybenjamin

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:03 am GMT

    well said bahgahyaduh!!!! im with you on that one, but why not a 1Tb EHD

  • Bahgahyahduh

    Posted May 23, 2007 9:00 am GMT

    I just want a 250GB external harddrive, whose with me

  • Teyon

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:56 am GMT

    That's pretty cool. Uhm, where did that bit about Microsoft come in? I could understand if you were showing it in contrast to the PS3 but you didn't back it up by any numbers (Number of people using it, number of shows available...nothing). So why mention it at all in an article about the PS3? Heck, you didn't even start the paragraph in a way that would segue into it, you just ran straight in and then dropped the ball right after. Silly. Ah well, I'm looking forward for when the PS3 stateside gets a similar program in place!

  • insom187

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:47 am GMT

    I dont understand this so much though. One would think Sony wants people to buy Blu-Ray discs, not d/l stuff they want. I think theyre just really trying to tap into the South Korean market for one last push before they can see where they really are in this console war.

  • football_legend

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:43 am GMT

    WTF!! what about the states! Korea of all countries?

  • football_legend

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:42 am GMT

    WTF!! what about the states! Korea of all countries?

  • KingSigy

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:41 am GMT

    Sony is stupid for not using this in America. Even if they wanted to test the service first, Sony should've just did it with America. We American's buy the most random crap for no reason, Sony would've been raking in the money like crazy

  • onlineps2player

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:40 am GMT

    Good...

  • damageisking

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:39 am GMT

    So what makes the European version different to other versions?

  • DonutTrooper

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:38 am GMT

    Wow, can Sony at least stick with one thing at a time? At least they realized that HD-DVD and Blu-Ray would both die in the movie market from internet HD downloads. But if they didn't rely on one different feature for every single square foot of the globe, maybe their sales would be better. Oh well, wake me up after the E3 Sony hangover, when they put all the qualities and features on one system to sell everywhere.

  • xatman911

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:36 am GMT

    Wow, that is pretty amazing. 430000 subscribers already.

  • Hotwad

    Posted May 23, 2007 8:22 am GMT

    Seems to be Sony has now made Korea their test market region. We may never see the light of day on this or the 80gig PS3...though i do not see a point in the 80gig unless Sony plans to set the current 60gig price to it and then 499 the 60gig, then yeah i could see that as a great way to go.

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