Sony has recently released the PlayStation 4 media player to the world, which can be downloaded simply by clicking the icon on your main PlayStation 4 menu screen. Once downloaded, you might be thinking, how do I use this to play video files? After all, the PlayStation 3 allowed you to not only play videos, but also store them locally on the hard drive. Unfortunately the latter is not possible with the PS4 (yet!), but you can use a USB stick to play your favourite videos, and here's how.
- Your USB stick needs to be in FAT32 or exFAT (the latter didn't work for me, and NTFS definitely won't work). This means that 4GB+ files may be an issue so cut them down to size if need be.
- Windows 7/8 don't make it easy to format your drives to FAT32, so you will have to download a third party piece of software here: FAT32Format
- FAT32Format will allow you to format the drive very quickly to FAT32.
- If this still doesn't work, you may have to go for a full format.
- Go to Start Menu -> Type CMD in Search Programs and Files, right-click to run as admin [Windows 7]
- Right-click Start button -> Select Command Prompt (Admin) [Windows 8/8.1]
- Type 'format i: /FS:FAT32' without the quotes, where i is replaced with whatever the USB drive is, be sure to get the right drive.
- Press enter and it should start formatting, but it will take a few hours depending on the size of the drive.
- Create a folder on the USB stick, and place all videos into this folder. It doesn't need to be called PS4, just needs to be a folder, else you won't see anything.
- Audio needs to be in a folder called Music.
- You can now go into the Media Player and select the USB stick from the list to watch your videos. Media Servers on your network will also be listed here i.e. Plex etc.
Once you get a PS4 compatible USB flash drive, you'll fully enjoy these benefits on your game console. Using USB Sticks in PS4. There are several purposes of using USB flash drives in PS4. All PS4 compatible storage devices share the same purposes with different level of usability. Backup Storage Solution. Usually a small-capacity USB flash. Have you bought a Synology NAS and have no idea how to stream your media to your devices? SOLVED https://www.span.com/product/Synology-DiskStation-NAS-DS718+.
Supported file formats
How to Set Up External Storage for PS4 and PS4 Pro By Andrew E. Freedman 09 March 2017 You can finally use an external hard drive to store your PlayStation 4 games and apps. Except for backup to cloud storage, this software supports to backup data to NAS and network shared as well. Download its free trial and have a try. How to Backup PS4 Save Data to Cloud Storage via AOMEI Backupper? Preparations: A Phillip screwdriver to uninstall PS4 hard drive. A computer with Windows OS (Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, XP, or Vista.
- MKV
- Visual: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile Level4.2
- Audio: MP3, AAC LC, AC-3 (Dolby Digital)
- AVI
- Visual: MPEG4 ASP, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile Level4.2
- Audio: MP3, AAC LC, AC-3 (Dolby Digital)
- MP4
- Visual: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile Level4.2
- Audio: AAC LC, AC-3 (Dolby Digital)
- MPEG-2 TS
- Visual: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile Level4.2, MPEG2 Visual
- Audio: MP2 (MPEG2 Audio Layer 2), AAC LC, AC-3 (Dolby Digital)
- AVCHD (.m2ts, .mts)
WMV is not supported yet, but this feature was added later on in the PS3's lifecycle as there is a license issue. So this may be added in a future update. JPG, BMP and PNG photos are also supported.
Back when the PS4 first launched, Sony didn't include any way to easily watch videos or listen to music from your other devices. It took well over year for the problem to get solved properly, but there are now multiple ways for you to stream your local media to your PS4. Today, I'll be showing you two easy methods to stream your unprotected TV shows, movies, and music.
Nes For Ps2
Let's start with a handy little app called Plex. For free, this server-client pairing lets you stream just about any DRM-free video or audio file from your computer or NAS directly to your PS4. It only takes a few minutes to get going, so let's jump right in.
Install the Plex server
First off, you need to install the Plex Media Server. Download it, install it, and then launch the executable. It's simple enough, and it's available on Windows, OS X, Linux, and FreeBSD. And while you're at it, sign-up for a free Plex account if you haven't done so already.
Configure server settings
Once the server is up and running, you can configure your settings as you please. Choose your server's name, add your media folders to the Plex library, and tweak your networking options as you see fit. If you need to change the port configuration, you'll need to toggle on the advanced mode by clicking the 'Show Advanced' button in the upper right. Most people shouldn't need to tinker too much, but the options are available if you're having issues. And if you can't figure it out on your own, the Plex support page is a good place to start troubleshooting.
Download the Plex app
Now that your Plex server is properly configured, go into the PlayStation store, and navigate to the 'Apps' section. You'll find the Plex app is free, so initiate the download. Once it's done installing, you'll find the Plex app under the 'TV & Video' section of the PS4's main menu. Alternately, you can always go to the 'Library' menu, and navigate to 'Applications.'
Generate a code
Launch the Plex app on your PS4, and you'll be greeted with four alphanumeric characters. You'll need this code to pair your account with your PS4.
Pair your PS4 to your account
Head on over to the app linking page on the Plex website, sign in with your account, and enter the four characters being displayed on the PS4. Press the 'Link' button, and you'll be greeted with a message. If it tells you that the app was linked, you're ready to rock. If you get an error, go back to your PS4, and generate a new code in the Plex app.
Start streaming
Finally, you'll be able to stream movies, TV shows, and music on your PS4 quickly and easily. And since the app also has 'Channel' support, you can also stream videos from places like TED, YouTube, CNN, and our sister site IGN.
Using DLNA instead
Last year, Sony began offering DLNA support through an app called Media Player. If you'd prefer to use that instead of the Plex app, here's how to do it. First off, you'll need to search on the PlayStation Store for the Media Player app. Navigate to the 'Apps' section of the store, and you'll find it under 'Catalog.'
Enabling your DLNA server
Of course, you're going to need a DLNA server to stream your media. Thankfully, the Plex server has DLNA streaming baked in already. Just go into the Plex server settings, find the DLNA tab, and make sure 'Enable the DLNA server' is ticked.
If you already have a DLNA streaming solution in place, you'll probably be able to use that without much tinkering. And if you want to be sure that you're only using supported file formats, check the PlayStation 4 User's Guide for a full list.
Select your server
Launch the Media Player app on your PS4, and select your DLNA server. If you're using Plex, it should start with 'Plex Media Server' in the server selection menu. From there, you'll be able to navigate through your music, photos, and videos as long as you're connected to the same network.
Stream as you please
Nas For Ps4 Console
Whether you prefer using the Plex app or Sony's own Media Player, you'll find that the PS4 is significantly more useful now than it was when it first launched. It compared very poorly to the PS3's robust streaming offering before, but it's a respectable set-top box these days. It's definitely not as cheap as a Roku or Apple TV, but if you already have one for gaming purposes, it's finally become a rock-solid media machine that's easy to recommend.
Of course, the best part of using Plex (or DLNA) is that you're not locked into any one platform. If you also have an Xbox One, smartphone, tablet, or laptop, setting up your streaming solution is just as easy. As long as your files aren't locked behind any kind of DRM system, you'll be able to watch whatever you want whenever you want on nearly any modern device.
