While having Remote Play on your PC for your PS4 is nice, there’s just one frustrating quirk: you can only stream at a maximum of 720p, compared to the Xbox One’s 1080p.
Sony’s trying to rectify that with the PS4 Pro, adding support for 1080p Remote Play streaming tomorrow as part of a wider software update.
In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony’s John Koller announced that the company as “adding a number of features” to support the upcoming console’s upgraded hardware.
As of tomorrow, version 4.00 of the PS4’s system software will support:
- 1080p streaming for Remote Play on PC/Mac and compatible Xperia devices
- 1080p streaming for Share Play
- 1080p 30/60fps live broadcasting on YouTube
- 1080p 30fps live broadcasting on Twitch
It would have been a stretch and a half to expect the PS4 Pro to stream gameplay at 4K, although it’s a bit disappointing that 60fps live broadcasting on Twitch isn’t supported when 1080p live broadcasting on YouTube is.
I’ve reached out to Twitch and Sony for an explanation, but at the time of writing hadn’t heard back.
The rest of the update will be welcomed by regular PS4 owners, though. It adds high dynamic range (HDR) support, provided you have a compatible display, as well as a refreshed Music section in the Quick Menu.
Perhaps more importantly, you’ll now be able to transfer data from one PS4 to another provided both are connected to a wired LAN connection. “You can transfer games, user info, and saved data,” Sony says.
The new features come on top of the redesigned Quick Menu, trophy improvements and folder re-orgnaisation that were announced last month.
Comments
33 responses to “The PS4 Pro Will Stream 1080p To Your PC”
I’m stymied, I think.
I can’t take advantage of the PS4 Normal trade-in to get a Pro, because I’ll need both consoles connected to transfer my data. P.T. is an obvious example, but the cloud storage catches everything else, right?
How was it done on PS3? Both consoles connected via LAN? Was that using the cloud storage or not?
Also, my PC lives in my entertainment area. I’m struggling to think what I’d use the stream-to-computer functionality for. If my PC was in a different room (I do move it around often), and really had an issue with where I usually park myself to play the PS4, I suppose I’d try it then?
Last one – have we heard of any Australian customers give this the acid test to date? What with our internet speeds, is it at all viable?
It’s a bit of a pain, because you can’t do the LAN cable transfer, but you could always just back up the original PS4 to a portable HDD?
Or, and you’d have to confirm they take the same 2.5″ laptop hard drive, just remove the HDD from the original PS4 and put it in the Pro? Assuming the Pro is also as easy to swap hard drives. I did it on Day 1 for my PS4, and it takes all of about 10 minutes. Super straightforward too.
RE: the internet speeds, a friend of mine is on 50/20Mbps NBN and has no issues with livestreaming from her current PS4. I struggle on my halfway decent 12Mbps ADSL though.
While I presume the hard drives are physically the same (low-profile 2.5″), I suspect there might be some kind of DRM that would prevent you from just swapping a HDD from one PS4 into another and having it work like nothing changed.
@leigh @stormo you can do a backup to a portble hdd usb. Plug in the portable hdd through usb, go to settings, backup/restore. Have backed up pt several times. If you want some advice though, delte all installed games (that have been installed from disc) as well as any digital stuff you are ok re-downloading to make the backup as small as possible. Corruptions of backups are common on large backups. I did a full hdd backup with everything, about 350gb, then i did 2 additional backups after i deleted everything but my pt game and all my saves. these last two backups were only about 3gb. the 350gb failed to restore, but luckily the 3gb backups worked.
Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the case. I’d just be interested to see if it’s possible. Guess I’ll find out in November!
I’m not sure about the PS4, but with the PS3 you were able to dump everything to an external hard drive and restore from that, it didn’t have to be PS3 to PS3.
Yeah best thing to do is backup to a external drive (must be formatted to fat32).
Go to [Settings] > [System] > [Back Up and Restore].
This will backup your application data which is the bulk of data on your ps4 i.e. games and apps. If you’re a PS Plus member you can upload your save game data to the cloud from [Settings]>[Application Saved Data Management] > [Saved Data in System Storage].
Only just had to do the same thing with a RA on my PS4, they don’t allow you to remove the HDD when sending your old PS4 in for a replacement.
Wait, they won’t transfer your data when you trade in? I traded my old 360 for an S around when it came out and they transferred the data on the spot… I assumed they just did it for all consoles that support data transfer.
What, really?
I’m not sure my local (any around really) has facilities enough to do that.
Not sure, kinda just assumed they would based on my past trade-ins, but thinking on it, currently transferring between two PS4s is a bit of a faff.
Sony’s said* firmware 4.00+ supports data transfer via ethernet, which would require an internet connection to sign into the new system, but otherwise would be direct console to console, from what I’ve seen; but they’ve also said even tho 4.00 launches this week, the Pro will launch with firmware 3.70… still the update would take far less time than the transfer, and could be loaded from a USB drive. Hmm…
I’ve sent a query to EB’s support page for an answer.
*Source
Boo. Response from EB was effectively “Here’s how you can transfer your data to a new console – it will need an update.” So, I’d expect because the Pro would require a firmware update to support the easy transfer method, they won’t offer to transfer your data in-store. Time to look at getting a 500GB HDD to back up to, I guess.
Hey, just wanted to say thanks all. I’ll bookmark this because I know if or when I decide on a Pro I’ll be stuffed trying to find all these responses.
Cheers.
In 4.00 firmware upgrade re:Data Transfer to New PS4
“In order to make it easier to get all of your data from one PS4 to another, especially if you upgrade to PS4 Pro, we’ve added the ability to transfer data over a wired LAN connection. You can transfer games, user info, and saved data. Of course, you can re-download content and transfer saves through the cloud, but the LAN transfer should be much faster and easier”
If you trade in your console, you will also trade in this feature, unless EB have a rig ready setup
“Especially if you upgrade to a PS4 Pro”… which is why they’re launching the Pro with firmware that doesn’t support this feature. Cool. 😛
Yes, I know they’re launching it with mature, stable firmware that was ready when they sent the Pro to be manufactured. I guess the timing didn’t work out to get the new firmware ready in time for the Pro’s RTM date, which is a pity – it could have helped shift a bunch more.Or I could play pc games on my pc at 1440p
Porqueno los dos?
(Let me know how you get on playing those console exclusives on PC, by the way).
Source: PS4 and 1440p monitor/PC owner.
The pc exclusives more than make up for it 🙂
*fires up ARMA 3 in 1440*
OK then what’s your best price for my new 1440p cable monitor?
I don’t sell such cables so why is that relevant?
You say that, but last I checked there wasn’t a PC version of Bloodborne.
There isn’t a ps4 version of Arma 3, Ark (not yet anyhow), DayZ (they said there would be but we’re yet to see it), Homeworld Deserts of Kharak or a plethora of other games I regularly play. I have Bloodborne on my ps4, it was ok, but not exactly earthshattering.
Each to their own, I guess. I think Bloodborne is one of the best games of this generation and vastly superior to any game you mentioned. 🙂
It’s not bad, I did enjoy it honestly and I loved the aesthetic, I just prefer more open world style games personally. Ark tickles my fancy particularly (nearly 1800 hours worth at this point… oops) due to the variety of gameplay it holds. DayZ has kinda gone by the wayside though. I would love to see the Souls gameplay put into more different settings like Bloodborne did, give me a futuristic setting, a steampunk setting, a number of them!
Oh I know where you’re coming from, that’s why I have both.
My point was more so just to illustrate how they’re not comparable in the slightest. The PS4 Pro is not marketed to the “PC mustuh race”.
How much does a 1440p monitor and capable PC cost compared to a PS4 and a 1080p TV?
27″ Monitor and displayport cable can be gotten together for around 500ish, even cheaper if you shop around. Tv and ps4 depends on what tv you want really. But it’s a bit of a false equivelance really. The pc itself is for far more than just games and that’s all the ps4 is really utilised for, maybe movies at a stretch. But if cost for resolution and console is an issue, playstations about to hit that problem area with 4k tv’s, new console, cable etc with its coming generation too.
And then how much is the PC required to drive a 1440p monitor at decent quality settings and frame rates? (rhetorical question, I unfortunately know the exact answer from experience haha).
Anyway, point being that comparing the PS4 Pro to a 1440p capable PC is a stupid comparison.
Well of course it is, just as its stupid to expect the same sort of pricing point for a pc as people would a ps4. They’re completely different things, a pc is far more versatile and useful in the long run for far more purposes whereas a console has one major purpose (ok two, movies now). As for framerates etc, 1440p can be attained by a 970 card which isn’t expensive anymore anyhow, it’s pretty much the common standard with pc now just to let you know. 4k is a different question.
Oh I’m 100% in agreement, they’re wildly different in terms of capabilities just as they are wildly different in terms of price. That’s why, budget permitting, having both is the best of all worlds!
I’m just not sure what the point of “Or I could play games on my PC at 1440p” was. It’s like commenting on a review of the new Holden Barina saying “or I could drive my Porsche 911 GT3 RS instead”.
@hotcakes oh yeh that wasn’t me but Arma 3 in 1440 looks outstanding lmao
Personally I’m actually happy consoles and pc are now progressing past 1080p, we’re going to see new standards set graphically with games in terms of detail, rendering distance etc, it’s gonna be great for everyone.
Yeah, sorry, I didn’t mean to give the impression I thought that was you originally haha.
Arma 3 sure does look incredible at 1440p. Too bad the Bohemia engine is such an unoptimised CPU hog!
Agreed on the future looking bright though. Sure, you’ll never get $2.5K PC graphics out of a console, but it’s good to see progress past “upscaled 900p 30fps” on the console front.
The point of my comment was if I had a Playstation Pro to stream to my PC @1080p I’d much rather just play my PC at a far better resolution and frame rate. If said PC doesn’t run games at 1080p or I wanted to play Playstation exclusive, I would rather just use the Playstation. The streaming seems to be going the wrong way to me. I stream from my gaming pc to my htpc so I can playing games on the lounge in front of the big screen. Having said that, after about 15mins I’m usually back playing on my gaming pc.
Right, makes sense. I didn’t realise you were talking more specifically about the streaming rather than the platforms themselves.
I have to admit I wouldn’t really use the streaming either, but I guess it would be useful in situations like wanting to play in a different room without disconnecting everything? Even then I question the usefulness, but I guess it doesn’t hurt for it to exist.
This is more important for people with Macs and a PS4.