How to View Photos, Play Music, and Watch Videos with PS4 Media Player

Sony put an enormous emphasis on video games when it launched the PlayStation 4, and its laser centered advertising and marketing gained the hearts and minds of avid gamers. However as its new PlayStation Vue industrial so astutely illustrates, simply because video games are the main focus of the format, doesn’t imply that house owners aren’t fascinated by pictures, music, movies, and other forms of media. It’s a very good factor that the platform holder launched the PS4 Media Participant throughout E3 2015, then – however how does this new software really work? We’ve put collectively a fast information that can assist you to rise up to hurry with the overdue addition.

Downloading the Media Participant app

As Sony’s wont to do as of late, you’ll discover the Media Participant app on the PS4’s dwelling ribbon. Clicking on it is going to take you to the PlayStation Retailer the place you’ll be capable to {download} it at no cost. Should you can’t see it in your dashboard, then simply search ‘Media Player’ utilizing the PlayStation Retailer’s search perform. It’ll pop up within the search outcomes as an App, and clicking on it is going to, once more, take you to the {download} web page for the software.

Organising your pictures, music, and movies for USB

The PS4 Media Participant accepts media from each USB and a house community. We’ll get to the latter in a second, however let’s first give attention to USB. This works equally to the USB Music Participant, however clearly consists of help for media past audio. You’re going to wish a FAT or exFAT formatted USB drive, however don’t fear should you don’t perceive these phrases, as likelihood is your system will likely be.

With a view to organise your content material, you’re going to need to create a trio of directories (or folders) on the root stage of your USB drive: ‘Photo’, ‘Music’, and ‘Video’. You must then create extra directories inside every of those relying on the content material you’re going to deliver throughout: ‘Holiday Photos 2015’, for instance, or ‘Taylor Swift’. When you’ve performed this, copy throughout the media you need.

It’s price noting that the PS4 Media Participant app solely helps sure file extensions, which you could find listed in full beneath. In case your media makes use of various file extensions, then chances are you'll have to convert them earlier than they’re suitable with the PS4. This is applicable to networked content material, too. If you end up on this place, there’s tons of software program on the internet that may aid you to get this performed at no cost.

Accessing your pictures, music, and movies utilizing a Media Server

Connecting with a Media Server is a bit more difficult, as there are dozens of various items of software program and working programs to think about right here. We’re going to give attention to Home windows 8.1 as a result of that’s what we examined, however you need to be capable to discover data for different setups on Google. Bear in mind to supply as a lot data as attainable when trying to find the very best outcomes.

Should you occur to be a Home windows 8.1 person, although, right here’s what you'll want to do:

1. Go to ‘PC Settings’.
2. Click on ‘Network’.
3. Choose the Wi-Fi Router that you just’re utilizing:
   This should be on the identical community as your PS4.
4. Set the toggle beneath ‘Find Devices and Content’ to ‘On’.
5. Return to ‘Network’ and click on ‘HomeGroup’.
6. Set the toggle for ‘Music’, ‘Pictures’, and ‘Video’ to ‘On’.
7. Set the toggle beneath ‘Let devices on my network (like TVs and game consoles) stream my music and videos’ to ‘On’.

With this accomplished, you need to see your PC or laptop computer listed within the PS4 Media Participant app. The identical will likely be true should you’ve accurately setup an alternate working system or piece of software program. As above, nevertheless, it’s price noting that the PS4 Media Participant app solely helps sure file extensions, which you could find listed in full beneath.

Utilizing the PS4 Media Participant app

With all the above full, you’ll be capable to entry your media by way of USB, your property community, or each. Choosing the supply that you just want to use will deliver up an inventory of folders on USB and media sorts on your property community. Choose them to entry your content material. Every merchandise will be added to your favourites for fast entry by pushing the R3 button. You possibly can really combine and match between USB and residential community recordsdata, constructing playlists and such throughout the differing sources. It’s price noting, nevertheless, that you just can't copy recordsdata to your PS4 laborious drive, so you'll want to have both your USB stick inserted or your Media Server switched on with a view to entry your favourites.

Listed here are a number of extra ideas for particular media sorts:

Photographs

• Use the suitable analogue persist with zoom in and the left analogue stick to maneuver round.
• Press X (cross) to begin taking part in a slideshow and once more to pause it.
• Press triangle to view file data and the choices button to entry the Management Panel.
• Within the Management Panel you may set slideshow pace, transition kind, and extra.

Music

• Press the sq. button to deliver up the Music Management Panel.
• Utilizing the Music Management Panel, you may shuffle songs, change the amount, and extra.
• When you’ve began taking part in a track or playlist, you may return to the PS4’s dwelling display screen by pushing the PlayStation button. Your music will preserve taking part in, and can play throughout video games. You possibly can skip songs when you’re in-game by holding down the PlayStation button and utilizing the mini Media Participant within the Fast Menu.

Video

• Use the L2 and R2 triggers to rewind and fast-forward respectively.
• Press triangle to view file data and the choices button to entry the Management Panel.
• Along with skipping and extra, you may also allow Steady Playback utilizing the Management Panel which allows a collection of movies to be performed in sequence. That is helpful should you’re wanting to observe a sequence of movies so as.

What file sorts and codecs are supported by the PS4 Media Participant app?

Beneath you’ll discover the record of file sorts and codecs supported by the PS4 Media Participant app on the time of publication. Bear in mind that, whereas each effort has been made to make sure the accuracy of this piece, compatibility might change relying on future patches or software program updates.

Video

• MKV
  • Visible: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Excessive Profile Level4.2
  • Audio: MP3, AAC LC, AC-3 (Dolby Digital)
• AVI
  • Visible: MPEG4 ASP, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Excessive Profile Level4.2
  • Audio: MP3, AAC LC, AC-3 (Dolby Digital)
• MP4
  • Visible: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Excessive Profile Level4.2
  • Audio: AAC LC, AC-3 (Dolby Digital)
• MPEG-2 TS
  • Visible: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC Excessive Profile Level4.2, MPEG2 Visible
  • Audio: MP2 (MPEG2 Audio Layer 2), AAC LC, AC-3(Dolby Digital)
  • AVCHD: (.m2ts, .mts)

Picture

• JPEG (primarily based on DCF 2.0/Exif 2.21)
• BMP
• PNG

Music

Have you ever been utilizing the PS4 Media Participant app in your console? Are you proud of it or do you suppose that it nonetheless wants enchancment? Have you ever received any Media Server setup hints for working programs aside from Home windows 8.1? Unfold the enjoyment within the feedback part beneath.