Playstation TV Specs and Release Date in the U.S.: 5 Things to Know

Debuting in North America on Oct. 14, Sony's PlayStation TV offers hundreds of games playable across PS Vita, PS One, PSP, PS3 (through PS Now) and PS4 (through Remote Play). But the handheld console proves that it does more than just gaming.

Starting at $99.99, the PS TV indeed functions as a television. It plays downloadable TV shows and movies from the PlayStation Store. In addition, video streaming apps will soon be available, including Crackle, Crunchyroll and Qello.

We listed five information for those eyeing PlayStation's latest product:

1. The PS TV System is offered in two versions: the PS TV and the PS TV Bundle. The PS TV is the standalone system, which comes at $99.99 MSRP. It Includes a PS TV system and a HDMI cable. A separate DualShock 3 or 4 is required. On the other hand, the Bundle version retails at $139.99. It comes with all of the features in the $100-version plus a DualShock 3 controller, 8 GB memory card, USB cable and "The LEGO Movie" Videogame.

2. The PS TV is a "sleek and compact" microconsole as it brands itself. Venture Beat described the device to be slim, appearing smaller than most smartphones today. The outlet also informed that the PS TV is Vita on the inside: a memory card is definitely needed since the device has no internal storage at all. It weighs approximately 3.9 ounces and measures about 4.134 inches in length.

3. The PS TV does not play every PS Vita game. According to Gizmodo, PS TV has provided a list of playable games. Among these are "Batman Arkham Origins Blackgate," "Borderlands 2," "Child of Light," "Dead or Alive 5 Plus," "FIFA 14," "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5 - 7" and "Spelunky." Note that not all games in the list are available to purchase yet.

4. The PS TV does not give all entertainment content. TechRadar reported that the device has a "strange lack of streaming." The outlet's reviewer wrote that attempting to download the Vita version of Netflix led to a message which reads, "This content is not compatible with PlayStation TV." Gizmodo's reviewer encountered another situation where Netflix, Hulu Plus and YouTube apps can actually be downloaded and installed--but they just don't work for some reason.

5. The PS TV supports the Remote Play feature. Through a wired or wireless connection, the PS TV can operate a PS4 system. This means PS4 games can be played in another area of the house away from the said console. Learn more about Remote Play here.

The PlayStation TV can now be purchased here.