PS4 will not support media servers or MP3 playback at launch

PS4 will not support media servers or DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) support to stream videos from your personal PC, nor will it allow music playback... unless you subscribe to Sony Music Unlimited, of course.

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PS4 will not support DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) media servers at launch. In fact, it appears media support is rather limited on Sony's next-gen system, with the console unable to play personal MP3s and music CDs. The library of entertainment apps available at launch appears to be limited as well.

A FAQ rules out streaming video from a home PC.

In addition, the console will be unable to play back personal music. PS3 won't support MP3 playback and will not include a music visualizer. The only way to play music (in and out of a game) will be to subscribe to Music Unlimited, Sony's premium streaming service.

Video Unlimited (as part of the PlayStation Store) will also be available at PS4's launch. However, additional apps will be announced "before launch," Sony promises.

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Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    October 30, 2013 1:40 PM

    Ozzie Mejia posted a new article, PS4 will not support media servers or MP3 playback at launch.

    PS4 will not support media servers or DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) support to stream videos from your personal PC, nor will it allow music playback... unless you subscribe to Sony Music Unlimited, of course.

    • reply
      October 30, 2013 1:49 PM

      Kinda sad about the CD thing. The Playstation has been my CD player since '98.

      I'm sure they'll add MP3 support later though. My favorite thing to do on my PS3 is to play Wipeout HD with Techno, House, or DnB mixes in the background. That is just pure gaming bliss.

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      October 30, 2013 2:03 PM

      What exactly is the system going to be able to do on launch day??

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      October 30, 2013 2:07 PM

      Lol consolers

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      October 30, 2013 2:22 PM

      Did anyone do any of this on a daily basis in the last five years? I remember setting up media server and playing a couple of movies shortly after getting a ps3, but Netflix and redbox provide a much better solution.

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        October 30, 2013 2:39 PM

        I did it on my 360 maybe like 3 times total since launch. Now that I have my PC hooked up the TV I don't need anything else to carry stuff over.

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        October 30, 2013 2:46 PM

        Not on a daily basis, but frequently enough to miss it as a feature.

        My parents use their PS3 almost exclusively for viewing videos and photos on the TV which they've taken and backed up onto their computer. It's pretty much the only thing I've seen them do with it aside from some amazon instant streaming and xmas music during the holidays, again from their PC.

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        October 30, 2013 2:51 PM

        [deleted]

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        October 30, 2013 2:52 PM

        Every day: http://chattypics.com/viewer.php?file=Plex20_xts3vgupow.png
        Though we switched off using direct DLNA for using the Plex app since it has much better MKV support. The PS3's DLNA was very wonky and couldn't even do chapter skipping properly.

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        October 30, 2013 3:11 PM

        My PS3 is primarily a streaming box for my Bluray I get and rip just so I can store the discs away and never have to pop in discs in ever again. My PS3's drive probably hasn't seen a disc since The Last of Us cane out.

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        October 30, 2013 3:17 PM

        My ex still uses the media server functions of the 360 several times a week to stream stuff from her PC to the TV, and I'm sure there are a lot of PS3 users doing the same thing. So, yes.

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        October 30, 2013 3:24 PM

        Yes, daily. It's how I watc Hulu (not plus) on my TV, via PlayOn. Not buying a PS4 for a while, so it's all good.

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          October 30, 2013 8:07 PM

          Holy shit, playon is still around? I used that years ago before the MS officially add Hulu+ support. Haven't really has the need lately.

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            October 30, 2013 11:00 PM

            Yup! They've expanded A LOT since you last used it. I actually use it more for HBO Go now than Hulu

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        October 30, 2013 3:24 PM

        I bought a boxee instead because there was too much transcoding for certain formats

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        October 30, 2013 3:28 PM

        Streamed video from pc on a daily basis before I connected my pc directly.

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        October 30, 2013 3:32 PM

        I got fed up with both systems and ended up getting an Apple TV. I download Linux iso's that are formatted for the Apple TV and it works flawlessly and is all controlled from my iPhone.

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        October 30, 2013 3:35 PM

        Yup. I have a massive number of videos on my PC, the PS3 made it easy to stream them to my TV.

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        October 30, 2013 5:24 PM

        Maybe not a daily basis but several times a week I did yeah. I've come to expect that feature so I'm pretty disappointed that it won't be there at launch. Hopefully they won't take too long to add it back in.

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        October 30, 2013 5:31 PM

        Every single day. I own like three PS3 games and have played them like 2-3 times each. I bought the thing for Blu-Ray, but I tend to use it for media streaming and Netflix.

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        October 30, 2013 5:55 PM

        I stream all my music using PS3 Media Server, but never bothered much streaming video.

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        October 30, 2013 8:08 PM

        I have plex setup and use it maybe not everyday but dam close.

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        October 30, 2013 8:55 PM

        I use a WD Live. PS3 can't play mkv files anyway.

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          October 30, 2013 9:21 PM

          it can if you use PS3 Media Server

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            October 30, 2013 9:24 PM

            Yep

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            October 30, 2013 9:27 PM

            Not helpful when I'm reading the files from a NAS.

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              October 30, 2013 9:39 PM

              Nope, you have to be willing to run a PC, or a NAS that can run PS3MS like FreeNAS

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        October 30, 2013 11:13 PM

        Yes.

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        October 31, 2013 3:25 AM

        Yeah, I use my media server constantly through my PS3. So much of the video content I own is in digital format these days. We got rid of a ton of our physical discs when moving from Hawaii, so it's definitely a feature I use.

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      October 30, 2013 2:34 PM

      This might have something to do (at least in part) with the PS4 likely becoming the most popular console of the next generation. Streaming media is a huge server hog, and while I understand that Sony doesn't stream it themselves, a lot of the authentication for the app usage has to go through them.

      I think they mainly want it to serve its function as a game console with the least amount of server issues at launch, and then let everything else flow in afterwards.

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        October 30, 2013 2:47 PM

        DLNA has nothing to do with authentication on Sony's servers. I've used PS3 Media Server & PlayOn for months without even logging in to PSN.

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        October 30, 2013 3:38 PM

        I'm going to say it is more to do with them wanting to sell you rentals and movies.

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      October 30, 2013 2:47 PM

      [deleted]

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        October 31, 2013 12:19 AM

        Sony is trying to bring back ATRAC!

        Actually that would be hilarious if PS4 supported this off the bat.

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      October 30, 2013 5:03 PM

      No MP3s? That's not like a forever thing is it? That would be kind of hilarious.

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      October 30, 2013 5:26 PM

      So will it be able to play films from an external hard drive that's plugged into it?

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        October 31, 2013 3:27 AM

        PS4 doesn't support external hard drive.

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          October 31, 2013 11:27 AM

          I saw that it doesn't support external hard drives for expanding storage, but it wasn't clear on if it could read files from them.

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      October 30, 2013 5:33 PM

      Two things come to mind:

      1. One more thing a Steam Machine will probably do correctly! Or at least be able to do.

      2. I know it's not an option for regular folks but if anyone on a board like this would miss this functionality, you can get a Raspberry Pi, wi-fi dongle and memory card and run XBMC on it for like $50 all in.

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      October 31, 2013 12:32 AM

      [deleted]

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