The new PlayStation Vita TV, unveiled Sept. 9, 2013.(Credit: Sony video/Screenshot by CNET's John Chan)
Sony announced two new Vita branded products at a press conference in Japan, the Vita 2000 and Vita TV. While a Vita redesign seemed inevitable, the Vita TV is mostly a surprise, though it does provide insight as to how Sony will approach its campaign to invade your home when the PlayStation 4 launches November 15.
While there's yet to have been an announcement of a US launch, Vita TV is set to go in Japan on November 14 for what converts to roughly $95.
[h=4]Meet the Sony PlayStation Vita TV (pictures)[/h]1-2 of 5
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So what exactly is Vita TV? Judging from the videos and press releases, Vita TV seems like a Vita micro console that's designed for your TV. It'll play Vita games right from the box and can extend the PlayStation 4 experience to another TV in the home (that's also connected to the same network). Users can also locally broadcast PS4 games as well as stream video content. Think of it as a Roku-esque box with a slot for Vita games and memory cards.
Odds are it won't be as versatile as a Roku, but we don't have the specifics on which services will ultimately be available. If Vita TV simply streams the PS4 interface, then it's also logical to assume that it will also let you broadcast anything the PS4 can do as well. Any kind of special multitasking functionality (for instance the PS4 being used by two people at once) remains to be seen.
It's easy to draw a connection between the Vita TV and Apple TV, but like Apple's box, it'll make more sense to own either if you're already invested in the company's content ecosystem.
The PS Vita TV and DualShock 3 controller.(Credit: Sony video/Screenshot by CNET's John Chan)
It's also really tiny. Measuring in at 6.5cm x 10.5cm, it's dwarfed by a DualShock 3 when set side by side. Vita TV will let you play Vita games right off it using a DualShock 3 controller and a DualShock 4 controller when streaming PS4 games (though this functionality looks like it'll be unlocked at a later date).
It appears as if anything your Vita can play (PSP, PS One and other PSN games) can also be played on a TV with the Vita TV box.
Vita TV shares a similar chipset with the Vita and has a Vita game slot, memory card slot, USB port, HDMI out and Ethernet connections around back. There's also 1GB of internal storage on board which should come in handy for game saves, but not some much for storing actual games (as they tend to take up much more space).
We'll update this first take when we have more information about US pricing and release dates.
