PlayStation TV US Release Date, Specs & Price: Top 5 Features of Game Streaming Device

Sony has announced that the PlayStation TV will officially be released in the United States and Canada on October 14.

According to MSN News, the standalone Playstation TV (or PS TV) will be priced at $99.99. But for an additional $40, customers can avail of a wireless controller, an 8 GB memory card and "The Lego Movie" videogame.

Playstation TV, which allows users access to movies and TV episodes from the PlayStation store, was launched last fall in Japan and other Asian countries carrying the name PlayStation Vita TV.

The report said that around 700 games will be available to PS TV users including "Metal Gear Solid" and the franchise "Killzone: Mercenary."

Despite Sony's extensive media hype on the PS TV, many people are still wondering how it will differ from the average PS3 or PS4.

Trusted Reviews defined PS TV as a tiny box that is attached to a television and lets users play games and stream video, with or without a PS3 or PS4.

Here are 5 things about the PS TV you need to know:

1. It can support Vita games

"The PS TV supports Vita games downloaded to a memory card. However, not all Vita games will work because the standard DualShock 3 pad doesn't have all the inputs of the Vita," cites Trusted Reviews.

2. It will get Sony Video Unlimited streaming

With PS TV, users get access to Sony's streaming services including Sony Video Unlimited and Sony Music Unlimited.

3. It will stream PS/PS2/PS3 games through PlayStation Now

"For users who don't own a PS4, one of the main draws of the PS TV box is its support for PlayStation Now - Sony's game streaming service, using the Gaikai technology which the company acquired back in 2012," explains Trusted Reviews.

4. PS TV uses the same core hardware as the PS Vita

According to Trusted Reviews, PS TV uses very similar internals to the PS Vita, which is one of the reasons why Sony has been able to make the box while working on the launch and development of the PS4.

5. It can act as a 'second PS4' through Remote Play

Through the Remote Play which PS Vita uses, the PS TV can actually serve as a second PS4 for users. It also has the capability to stream gameplay from the PS4.

Overall PS TV has great potential, but it's also deeply limited in some respects. It uses hardware that's about three years out of date by some standards and its audio-visual credentials are pretty poor, notes Trusted Reviews.