Questions about the "non-gaming, entertainment experiences" offere by PS4 and Xbone.

slugg

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
4,723
78
91
Both consoles are trying to take over my entertainment center. Honestly, I'm a bit excited about this. However, I'm not exactly sure what kind of experience they expect us to accept.

I've looked around for answers to these questions and I either can't find an answer at all, or it's just a bunch of fanboy banter BS. Looking for clear answers. Rumors are acceptable, as long as they're represented as a rumor.

Here we go.

For both consoles:

1. Will we be able to use a mouse and keyboard with either of the consoles? I'm mainly worried about web browsing and other non-gaming tasks. However, if either one allowed this in games, that would be even better. I just don't really see the point of having a web enabled device without a keyboard.

2. Will either one have good support DLNA streaming? I rather enjoy having PLEX media server on my desktop and watching stuff on my TV through my Roku. I want this. I've heard PS3's is terribad.

3. Will Netflix support 1080p and surround sound?

4. Mobile device screen/interface augmentation - Are there any details on how SmartGlass and whatever Sony's offerings will work with the consoles? It looks like Microsoft has said that it can basically replace the on-screen TV-Guide and similar interfaces. What else? And what about Sony? Any news about Sony's client being developed/released for Windows 8 RT?

5. Stupid question, but it's just begging to be asked... What happens if we plug the PS4's HDMI into the Xbone's pass-through? Massive explosion, or will Microsoft somehow offer some integration, however hilarious that might be?


Thanks ;)
 

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
126
Both consoles are trying to take over my entertainment center. Honestly, I'm a bit excited about this. However, I'm not exactly sure what kind of experience they expect us to accept.

I've looked around for answers to these questions and I either can't find an answer at all, or it's just a bunch of fanboy banter BS. Looking for clear answers. Rumors are acceptable, as long as they're represented as a rumor.

Here we go.

For both consoles:

1. Will we be able to use a mouse and keyboard with either of the consoles? I'm mainly worried about web browsing and other non-gaming tasks. However, if either one allowed this in games, that would be even better. I just don't really see the point of having a web enabled device without a keyboard.

2. Will either one have good support DLNA streaming? I rather enjoy having PLEX media server on my desktop and watching stuff on my TV through my Roku. I want this. I've heard PS3's is terribad.

3. Will Netflix support 1080p and surround sound?

4. Mobile device screen/interface augmentation - Are there any details on how SmartGlass and whatever Sony's offerings will work with the consoles? It looks like Microsoft has said that it can basically replace the on-screen TV-Guide and similar interfaces. What else? And what about Sony? Any news about Sony's client being developed/released for Windows 8 RT?

5. Stupid question, but it's just begging to be asked... What happens if we plug the PS4's HDMI into the Xbone's pass-through? Massive explosion, or will Microsoft somehow offer some integration, however hilarious that might be?


Thanks ;)

1) Probably, The PS3 supports keyboard now so I think yes. The Xb1 is running WIndows 8 as well so I'm sure there is that usage in mind in some form.

2) PS3 has some third party media streamer for your PC that transcodes the video on the fly. Works fine except if you want to FF or something. I don't think anything has been said about the new consoles in that regard.

3) Nobody has talked about this as I doubt there's going to be a netflix app on day one. I wouldn't see why not though, even android does 1080p and the PS3 does 5.1 with netflix.

4) Again this has not been demonstrated and talked about. I don't think any of this is ready yet for launch. What I do know is that with the PS4 you can buy a game on PSN via your mobile device and it will start your system, download the game, and shut down when it's finished. Also for drive club you can make challenges and such from your phone or tablet but I don't know if that is a specific drive club app or not. I don't think this has been detailed either.

5) At best you'd likely only get passthrough and nothing more, it might not even work that way at all. Maybe you should try it and let us know lol

A lot of this usage hasn't been mentioned a whole lot because the focus has been on games since E3.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Sony has allowed a bunch of streaming apps to run on PS3 including Netflix, Amazon, VUDU, Crunchyroll, Crackle. Probably others. They seem to be willing to provide development kits to any significant streaming site, and allow Amazon and VUDU which compete with their own store. HD and 5.1 works well on PS3 and PS4 will be much more powerful.

So I expect the same for the PS4, but who knows which of them will be ready at launch. Sony has said that you will not need to pay for PS+ to use them. PS+ is only needed for multiplayer online gaming (except free to play MMOs).

X1 does have all of its streaming behind the Live Gold payall, but if you play online you'll need that anyway.
 

BrightCandle

Diamond Member
Mar 15, 2007
4,762
0
76
It was a big part of the push when the previous generation came out as well. The Xbox360 and the PS3 both came with media consumption capabilities built in, the PS3 even went as far as having the ability to install Linux and use XBMC and such to watch video any way you wanted. Ultimately however both solutions largely failed, the PS3 pulled its Linux support and the xbox360 was limited to the Windows ecosystem and their own marketplace.

Both companies chose to diminish the capabilities of their consoles. The xbox360 decided to sell HD videos but heavily compressed and with only 2.1 sound, whereas the SD versions were 5.1. The PS3 removed much of the capabilities and the OS/hardware was very restrictive in what it could decode and because the processor in neither was very good I suspect both ended up where they were due to the hardware on offer although many of the decisions also seemed to be driven by their partners as well not technically.

I just feel a strange sense of Deja Vu with all this multimedia hype around the consoles, because I heard it all before. Both of the previous consoles were terrible and I ended up with a HTPC in the end. Sony even took Linux away. They hyped their capabilities here in the past last time, the fact we aren't seeing it suggests yet its still not practical or well done.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
I'll disagree somewhat -- Linux was never promoted by Sony for media consumption, only as a hobbyist toy without access to GPU acceleration. It was allegedly done as a tax dodge for some countries to be able to classify the PS3 as a computer.

Native PS3 apps can decode streaming HD and 5.1 perfectly well. What Sony hasn't put much effort into is supporting torrent and usenet content playback in their DLNA player.

For Yarr Mateyware you're probably always going to be better off with a HTPC. For legal content the PS4 and X1 will most likely work very well.
 

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
126
Lol..."Yarr Mateyware" huh? I've never heard that term before...made me laugh. I totally get what you're saying here though, it just is a funny name.
 

Anteaus

Platinum Member
Oct 28, 2010
2,448
4
81
One plus is that both consoles will read NTFS finally so attaching large external hard drives full of music and videos is finally an option to those who prefer not streaming over network. Both consoles should provide viable HTPC functionality and both support all the major codecs. Right now the Xbox One has a theoretically edge with HTPC with its HDMI passthrough, but currently I wouldn't consider it anything more than a gimmic until we see how it works after release.

Right now they are a tie. Note: I'm not talking about gaming at all....only multimedia.
 

ImpulsE69

Lifer
Jan 8, 2010
14,946
1,077
126
Both will have their own porn channels streamed to your large HD screen and their controllers vibrate. That should be enough.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Both consoles are trying to take over my entertainment center. Honestly, I'm a bit excited about this. However, I'm not exactly sure what kind of experience they expect us to accept.

Nobody really knows what kind of experience to expect at the moment. I will say that it seems, to me, that Microsoft might have the early edge simply for the fact that this is what they are aiming for. Sony has said outright the PS4 is a gaming system first and foremost. Microsoft is designing and marketing the Xbox One as the one box you'll need for everything, gaming and entertainment. Hell, they named the product as such.

I will say that I will be surprised if the PS4 comes close in functionality to the X1's entertainment functionality. HDMI pass-through, screen overlays, integrated IR blaster, voice commands....it has the potential to be really cool. Given that Microsoft is a software company at heart, I'm looking forward to a demonstration soon.
 

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
Both consoles are trying to take over my entertainment center. Honestly, I'm a bit excited about this. However, I'm not exactly sure what kind of experience they expect us to accept.

I've looked around for answers to these questions and I either can't find an answer at all, or it's just a bunch of fanboy banter BS. Looking for clear answers. Rumors are acceptable, as long as they're represented as a rumor.

Here we go.

For both consoles:

1. Will we be able to use a mouse and keyboard with either of the consoles? I'm mainly worried about web browsing and other non-gaming tasks. However, if either one allowed this in games, that would be even better. I just don't really see the point of having a web enabled device without a keyboard.

2. Will either one have good support DLNA streaming? I rather enjoy having PLEX media server on my desktop and watching stuff on my TV through my Roku. I want this. I've heard PS3's is terribad.

3. Will Netflix support 1080p and surround sound?

4. Mobile device screen/interface augmentation - Are there any details on how SmartGlass and whatever Sony's offerings will work with the consoles? It looks like Microsoft has said that it can basically replace the on-screen TV-Guide and similar interfaces. What else? And what about Sony? Any news about Sony's client being developed/released for Windows 8 RT?

5. Stupid question, but it's just begging to be asked... What happens if we plug the PS4's HDMI into the Xbone's pass-through? Massive explosion, or will Microsoft somehow offer some integration, however hilarious that might be?


Thanks ;)

1. Most likely, as the PS3 and (IIRC) the Xbox 360 already do
2. DLNA hasn't been talked about.
3. Most likely. I know the PS3 already supports 1080p Super HD on Netflix.
4. Not much known about this yet.
5. It will be the equivalent of dividing by zero. What do you think caused out big bang?
 

zerocool84

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
36,041
472
126
People think the Xbox One can control everything your cable box does, you can basically only change channels with it, you can't access your dvr recordings which is how many of us watch TV nowadays. Yes it has the overlay but it's basically just a $500 remote. Want to watch anything recorded on your DVR? Still have to bust out the remote for that DVR.

Also if your cable box doesn't have HDMI CEC then you have to use the IR Blaster that comes with the Xbox. Want to turn up the volume? Have to pull out the remote for your TV or receiver. I understand that none of this is Microsoft's fault as they are only working with what we all have but it definitely is not the all in one people think it is. It actually makes it worse as instead of using one remote four your tv/cable box/receiver, you have to use the Xbox AND the remote.
 
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Malak

Lifer
Dec 4, 2004
14,696
2
0
1. Will we be able to use a mouse and keyboard with either of the consoles? I'm mainly worried about web browsing and other non-gaming tasks. However, if either one allowed this in games, that would be even better. I just don't really see the point of having a web enabled device without a keyboard.

PS3 supported mouse and keyboard since launch. Whether it works in a game is entirely up to the game developer, not Sony. A few games supported it, like Unreal 3. People don't get consoles to use a mouse and keyboard though.
 

Anteaus

Platinum Member
Oct 28, 2010
2,448
4
81
People think the Xbox One can control everything your cable box does, you can basically only change channels with it, you can't access your dvr recordings which is how many of us watch TV nowadays. Yes it has the overlay but it's basically just a $500 remote. Want to watch anything recorded on your DVR? Still have to bust out the remote for that DVR.

This is something I've been curious about. As someone who has HD cable but has never had a DVR box, I was under the impression that the XBone will not only control the channels but will operate as a DVR itself thus.

Since it's still early it's hard to get any straight answers from MS on this.
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
20,736
1,377
126
People think the Xbox One can control everything your cable box does, you can basically only change channels with it, you can't access your dvr recordings which is how many of us watch TV nowadays. Yes it has the overlay but it's basically just a $500 remote. Want to watch anything recorded on your DVR? Still have to bust out the remote for that DVR.

Also if your cable box doesn't have HDMI CEC then you have to use the IR Blaster that comes with the Xbox. Want to turn up the volume? Have to pull out the remote for your TV or receiver. I understand that none of this is Microsoft's fault as they are only working with what we all have but it definitely is not the all in one people think it is. It actually makes it worse as instead of using one remote four your tv/cable box/receiver, you have to use the Xbox AND the remote.

Yeah, not to mention that absolutely none of that, even the overlays and voice commands really add to the experience in any meaningful way.

Watching Breaking Bad or Raiders of the Lost Ark? Do you really want to see anything but your show on the screen? I know I don't. All of my TV's since the late 90s have had picture-in-picture, a feature I couldn't possibly care less about. I also have no problem changing channels and getting to whatever I want already. I'll probably never use any of that crap on the X1, it will just be a game system for me. I can't really imagine there will be very many people that any of that superficial stuff will matter to, as it doesn't bring anything truly new to the table. Still the same TV, movies, sports, just with the ability to have Bing overlaid on it? Yay? With the ability to tell it to do yadda yadda using voice commands? My car does that and I never ever use that feature, it's stupid.
 

zerocool84

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
36,041
472
126
Since when? PS+ has never been needed for anything, it only provides discounts and free games. Nothing on a game is ever locked out for lack of PS+.

Where have you been? This was a big announcement for the PS4, you need to pay to play multi-player.
 

cmdrdredd

Lifer
Dec 12, 2001
27,052
357
126
Since when? PS+ has never been needed for anything, it only provides discounts and free games. Nothing on a game is ever locked out for lack of PS+.

Someone didn't follow the PS4 conference and info very well at E3.

This is something I've been curious about. As someone who has HD cable but has never had a DVR box, I was under the impression that the XBone will not only control the channels but will operate as a DVR itself thus.

Since it's still early it's hard to get any straight answers from MS on this.

It doesn't work as a DVR for Cable. It only does Game DVR functions if you have XBL Gold.

http://www.shacknews.com/article/79306/xbox-one-does-not-provide-any-built-in-dvr-capabilities
 
Last edited:
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Yeah, not to mention that absolutely none of that, even the overlays and voice commands really add to the experience in any meaningful way.

Watching Breaking Bad or Raiders of the Lost Ark? Do you really want to see anything but your show on the screen? I know I don't. All of my TV's since the late 90s have had picture-in-picture, a feature I couldn't possibly care less about. I also have no problem changing channels and getting to whatever I want already. I'll probably never use any of that crap on the X1, it will just be a game system for me. I can't really imagine there will be very many people that any of that superficial stuff will matter to, as it doesn't bring anything truly new to the table. Still the same TV, movies, sports, just with the ability to have Bing overlaid on it? Yay? With the ability to tell it to do yadda yadda using voice commands? My car does that and I never ever use that feature, it's stupid.

Sure it does. Just because you won't use it doesn't mean it's isn't innovative. It's not just the overlays, either, it's the quick switch between games and TV, it's the snapping of other content to the side for whatever reason, it's having those NFL fantasy player alerts while watching football.

I'm not saying anybody is or isn't going to use it, but it's definitely bringing new stuff to the table.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
> it's the quick switch between games and TV,

I can already press one button on my receiver's remote to do this.

The other stuff sounds like it will appeal to sports fans, but I'm also in the "just want to watch my movie in peace" camp -- no popup chat window during a movie for me thanks.