So PS4 losing some features

[Exhuminator]

People buying a PS4 to be a general media device are missing the entire point of what the console is meant for. If that's their big concern they can spend far less money for a dedicated media device like a Roku or a Micca.

 

[UnnDunn]

And I have no clue what they are. I just read an article on Kotaku explaining that the PS4 is losing some kind of "media server" support or something like that. I began to think to myself "Should I be sad and ashamed that I have no clue what they are talking about?" I have a PS3 myself, but I use it like I would think a "normal" person would. For video games almost exclusively. No photos, no music, and only the occasional youtube visit when my friends are over and we want to watch dorkly or honest trailers or the like. Does it suck that the PS4 is losing apparently a cool feature? Yes. Do I really care? No. So for the discussion then. Am I weird for not using my consoles as for all this other crap and pretty much only using them for video games like they were originally made to do? At least I think they were. Things seem to be changing. Also what do you think about it? Here's a link to the article.

http://kotaku.com/the-ps4-takes-a-step-backwards-1455495418?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Facebook&utm_source=Kotaku_Facebook&utm_medium=Socialflow

You aren't "weird". It's your console, use it how you want.

Clearly, however, a lot of people use the DLNA media streaming feature in PS3, and they want PS4 to have that feature as well.

 

[Caiphus]

Hmmm, I wasn't going to use the feature, but this does seem like a dick move.

If Microsoft were doing it, I have a feeling this thread would be a teeny bit different.

 

[RicoADF]

well the real irritating thing is that it's done in an obvious move to try and coax people onto Sony's online music or movie services. One problem: Sony's services SUCK. It's an attempt to try and squeeze money from consumers, but it probably won't work. What irks me more is something not brought up in this article and that's the fact that PS4 games have mandatory installs. Not good, especially since the PS4 won't allow for external storage.

External storage wouldn't be used for the installs anyway, but I agree its weird they did that. I'll be keeping an eye on why. The PS3 also had to install for most games, the PS4 is the same that most games will use the install to improve performance.

I never used my PS3 for anything other than games and DVD/Bluray player and I don't expect the PS4 will change especially since my smart TV can always stream them itself anyway so no loss for me, PS4 = game system not media system.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

Oh no. So my gaming console is becoming less like an entertainment device and more like a gaming console. How ever shall I live. #NotUpset

 

[piinyouri]

The media server thing allows you to stream things from your PC to your TV (at least that's how we use it)
Download the appropriate software, set up a dedicated folder for pictures, videos ect, turn the server on, turn PS3 on, voilla!

So yeah, a little sad to hear this won;t be there next go around. : /

 

[Raziel]

I don't care. I fill my playstations harddrives so fast I have no room to waste on music or movies.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

I agree with you that the most important thing for video game consoles to get right being them games.

Then again, I did/do use the DLNA capabilities of the PS3. With my latest TV upgrade, the TV can do DLNA all by itself just fine, but it was still quite handy to have the PS3 stream music and movies right from the media server with absolutely no fuss and a rough 90% compatibility of what I wanted it to do. Using the PS3 itself as a media server seemed like not a good idea due to its tendency to die and be quite limited with what you could stick into it and attach to it.

Either way around... the only proper reason I am very willing to accept is that with lost features Sony manages to reduce licensing fees, thus lowering the price for everyone.

Not sure about the MP3 thing. Rumour? If it turns out to be true, I can't wait to learn how else to do it. FLAC? OGG? WAV?

 

[loc978]

I don't care. I fill my playstations harddrives so fast I have no room to waste on music or movies.

...that's not the feature being lost. DLNA streams such things from a server, in the PS3's case, that server was usually a PC on the same home network. The point of it is not needing a device with a big ol' storage hard drive attached to your TV... kind of a moot point now, I suppose, since most people's TVs have DLNA support. Most are slightly more complicated to set up than it is on the PS3, though.

Still, surprising and less than stellar move.

 

[lunavixen]

I have a computer already so the loss of the media server function is no big deal to me, especially since I already have a PS3. Why don't people just stream from their PCs to their TV?

 

[Eddie the head]

Funny how Sony has cut all the offline features. Makes you think they want you to be always online huh?

Yes and nessy and big foot are real, also we never landed on the moon. This right here is the very definition of a conspiracy theory.

 

[Jack Nief]

So the PS4 is not going to have Media Server Support... Well, crap, that's... inconvenient. I just recently read that it also won't support MP3s as to get people to look into their Music Service, so no more personal music on your harddrive either. As much as people say its a gaming console, taking out features established by the previous generation is still kind of a dick move.

 

[DjinnFor]

That sucks, I use the media server everyday. I'm sure you can at least use flash drives to copy over video and music. What's even worse that was detailed in the article is that the PS4 will launch with no MP3 support, what the fuck is up with that bullshit?

Proprietary mp3 codecs cost $$$, and you risk patent lawsuits in the U.S. if you go with "free" codecs if you're not a non-profit organization. Cutting features nobody really ever uses as a gamer (do people really use their PS3 to listen to music? like really?) and delaying completion of promised features past launch to lower the R&D budget is how they got the $400 price tag. PS4 will most likely support Mp3s in 2015, because that's when the US patents for it end.

You can read-up on mp3 licensing in the U.S. here [http://mp3licensing.com/help/developers.html]

 

[gphjr14]

Sucks but not a deal breaker since I have 2 PS3 and Playstation Media Server (PMS) on my desktop. When I buy my PS4 I want it to play games above all else...

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

Proprietary mp3 codecs cost $$$, and you risk patent lawsuits in the U.S. if you go with "free" codecs if you're not a non-profit organization. Cutting features nobody really ever uses as a gamer (do people really use their PS3 to listen to music? like really?) and delaying completion of promised features past launch to lower the R&D budget is how they got the $400 price tag. PS4 will most likely support Mp3s in 2015, because that's when the US patents for it end.

You can read-up on mp3 licensing in the U.S. here [http://mp3licensing.com/help/developers.html]

But for custom soundtracks you kinda need MP3 playback as that's the most popular codec. I'll convert my shit to a different codec to put on the PS4 if I have to as my favorite modern band (Tokyo Jihen) and artist (Shiina Ringo) isn't even available on those music services so there's no point in my using them.

 

[Yopaz]

well the real irritating thing is that it's done in an obvious move to try and coax people onto Sony's online music or movie services. One problem: Sony's services SUCK. It's an attempt to try and squeeze money from consumers, but it probably won't work. What irks me more is something not brought up in this article and that's the fact that PS4 games have mandatory installs. Not good, especially since the PS4 won't allow for external storage.

External storage wouldn't be used for the installs anyway, but I agree its weird they did that. I'll be keeping an eye on why. The PS3 also had to install for most games, the PS4 is the same that most games will use the install to improve performance.

I never used my PS3 for anything other than games and DVD/Bluray player and I don't expect the PS4 will change especially since my smart TV can always stream them itself anyway so no loss for me, PS4 = game system not media system.

I find gamer rage to be quite hilarious. The Xbox One gets a lot of hate for advertising itself as a multimedia platform rather than a gaming platform. The PS4 gets hate for removing multimedia functions while focusing on being a gaming platform.

Honestly, this isn't a big loss for me. While it's practical I don't really need these functions and I think I have used it a grand total of 3 times. My blu-ray player does the same thing, but with a wider support of codecs. Seriously, I can play mkv files from an external drive if I want.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

My blu-ray player does the same thing, but with a wider support of codecs. Seriously, I can play mkv files from an external drive if I want.

The PS3 supports the video and audio codecs of an MKV but just not the container itself. You can remux the video and audio stream of a MKV into a MP4 (no converting whatsoever, just pure copying and it only takes a couple minutes to do) and the PS3 will play it just fine, I do it all the time, the only issue is with foreign language stuff as MP4 doesn't support subtitle tracks. AVI, MKV, MP4, etc. are containers, not codecs.

 

[Ed James]

I have a computer already so the loss of the media server function is no big deal to me, especially since I already have a PS3. Why don't people just stream from their PCs to their TV?

So it's alright for Sony to expect everyone to have a smart TV, but Microsoft can't assume everyone has a smart phone? These double standards, people. It's really not cool.

The PS3 was advertised as a media centre, I know people who bought just for those streaming capabilities. For sony (and consumers) to just turn around and complain at Microsoft when they try the same tactic, and let Sony off the hook when they start stopping features that made the PS3 so popular, is just hipocritacle. Take a step back and look at the initial PS3 marketing. It was ident ucle to the XBone right now. And it never had to deal with Hal of the shit people are lambasting MS for.

I'm all up for competition, but when consumers start doing the marketing for those brands, it's no wonder these companies think they can get away with doing what ever they want.

 

[Ed James]

Also the rationalizing of the loss of these features due to the reduced price tag is just funny. The PS4 is only cheaper due to it dropping the move with the console after MS announced they were initially cheaper. This just hurts devs more than anything , cos people will buy the move if they love their console or game series enough, but they're always going to be tacked on features now because the consumer base for the move will never be a descent size. Heavy rain move editions all around!