Sony Updates PS4 Pro Media Player To Support 4K Videos
In addition to major system updates for the new PlayStation 4 Pro, Sony continues to update the many native apps that come with the console. Those who use it for entertainment will discover an update for the Media Player app that allows it to play 4K videos.
To be clear, this means that you can have a 4K video in mp4 format and play it on the PS4 Pro via a USB device. The update will also let you watch 4K VR content through the PlayStation VR HMD, which has a per-eye resolution of 960 x 1080 and uses RGB subpixel OLED technology, which means each individual pixel can reproduce any color. This, in turn, makes for better colors.
If you already have a home server for media connected to the console, the app will automatically detect it as a source for content. But if you're using additional USB-based storage devices as an extension of the console’s hard drive space for game saves and other apps, you won’t be able to use those same devices to store and play videos.
The update doesn’t change the fact that you can’t use 4K Blu-ray discs on the console, but the added support for digital 4K video playback is an adequate substitution. However, if you do want to use a console to play 4K Blu-ray discs, your best bet is the Xbox One S.
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Rexly Peñaflorida is a freelance writer for Tom's Hardware covering topics such as computer hardware, video games, and general technology news.
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alextheblue Hmm I thought it could already do this? I guess the media player software was a little behind the streaming service apps. But yeah, still no UHD 4K blu-rays for purists. That's not something they can add with software... the drive doesn't support em.Reply -
esco_sid Not sure whats the big deal everyone makes out of no blue-ray 4k support its not a blue-ray player its a console for games and i think most people don't even buy 4k blue-rays now-days with most things being digital content off the internet.Reply -
Shadowman11 I would have upgraded if it had a 4k drive but instead just bought a separate 4k drive. Lots of people buy 4k discs, there's no digital content service that delivers the quality of a UHD disc. Heck, no service that delivers even standard Bluray quality that I know of.Reply
Except maybe that service the rich use to watch even current release movies in their homes. Not sure on its specs. -
esco_sid Reply19487291 said:I would have upgraded if it had a 4k drive but instead just bought a separate 4k drive. Lots of people buy 4k discs, there's no digital content service that delivers the quality of a UHD disc. Heck, no service that delivers even standard Bluray quality that I know of.
Except maybe that service the rich use to watch even current release movies in their homes. Not sure on its specs.
Vudu HDX comes closest usually about double the bit-rate of other streaming services. I am not sure why there is still no full bitrate service as 4k UHD at full speed would be 80mbits~128mbits(maybe allow you to keep the actual file). I would think you would need fairly expensive TV to even see all those differences when compared to HDX quality streaming if you are just a normal person.