The Sony PlayTV digital television tuner for the PlayStation 3 is now available in Australia -- just in time for Christmas.

The PlayTV has twin high-definition digital TV tuners and full Freeview certification. It has a standard port for connecting an aerial, and it connects to the PlayStation 3 via USB.

The PlayTV device's dual digital television tuners allow users to watch one program while recording another (however, you cannot record two channels simultaneously). You can also record television to the PS3's hard drive while playing a game or watching a Blu-ray movie. The device's Freeview compliance means recordings cannot be transferred off the PlayStation 3, and a maximum 30x fast-forward scan prevents ad-skipping.

The PlayTV also offers Remote Play connectivity with a PlayStation Portable or Sony Ericcson AINO mobile phone. If the PlayStation 3 is connected to the Internet, each of these devices can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi (or 3G for the AINO) to remotely watch pre-recorded programs.

The PlayTV will be available in Australia from 26 November, with a recommended retail price of $169.95. The device comes for free with the 250GB PlayStation 3 console, which retails for $599.95.