Sony will update its PSX personal video recorder/Playstation 2 combo device family on 1 July following the company's move to suspend production of the original models earlier this year.

The new models, the DESR-5100 and DESR-7100, offer the same storage capacity - 160GB and 250GB, respectively - as their predecessors, the DESR-5000 and DESR- 7000. What's changed is the introduction of a better graphical user interface and the ability to add DVD-style menus to content copied from the unit's hard drive to a DVD-R, DVD-RW or DVD+RW disc.

Sony has also taken the opportunity of an update to add an analog satellite TV tuner along with technology to improve the reception quality on the existing terrestrial analog tuner - essentially to minimise or remove 'ghosting'. Sony also appears to have added a range of extra video recording modes to maximise the amount of programming that can be stored on the PSX's hard drive.

The new PSXs will ship in the standard white styling, but the 5100 will also be made available in a silver finish for a limited period, Sony said. Japanese punters should expect to pay around ¥74,000 ($676/£369) for the 160GB model or ¥95,000 ($868/£474) for the 250GB 7100.

Sony also said that it will offer a further software update on 15 July to bring the software on board original PSX models into line with the new releases.

The consumer electronics giant halted PSX production last April in order to clear its inventory of unsold 5000s and 7000s, presumably in order to pave the way for the new version.

The PSX is expected to ship in Europe by the end of the year. ®

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