/----\ /--- / | | | / | ----/ | / | | | \----|- | ---/ | Sony PlayStation 4 Hardware FAQ Version 1.3 (5/5/2017) By Nick Zitzmann E-Mail: moc.liamg@namzkcin (spell that backwards for an E-Mail address) For best results, please set your text editor/Web browser to use the ISO Latin 1 text encoding while reading this FAQ. * LEGAL STUFF * *************** Copyright 2014-2017 Nick Zitzmann. This is a hardware FAQ for the Sony PlayStation 4. It does not cover PS4 software. If you need help with PS4 software, then you ought to visit a site that carries software FAQs and walkthroughs, such as or . The author and contributors are solely responsible for the content of this FAQ. Sony Interactive Entertainment was not involved in any way, shape, or form. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. To summarize the above paragraph, I don't particularly care if you want to re-publish this FAQ elsewhere, or create your own derivative of this FAQ (e.g. a localized version). However, I **do** care if you plagiarize this FAQ, or re-publish it under a different license. Also, there are no warranties at all on the information in this FAQ. The entire license is available online at the following URL: That said, the latest version of this FAQ published by the original author will always be published first on GameFAQs: If you're sufficiently bored, you can also read my PlayStation 3 hardware FAQ on GameFAQs: * VERSION HISTORY * ******************* 1.0 (3/19/2014): First release. 1.0.1 (4/10/2014): Minor edits. Added two new questions & answers on keyboards & mice. 1.0.2 (5/14/2014): Minor edits. 1.1 (11/22/2014): Completely re-wrote 4.3 and added 2.4. Minor edits elsewhere. 1.1.1 (3/8/2015): Added Share Play references, and corrections to 6.4 and 6.5. 1.1.2 (4/4/2015): Updated the backup FAQs now that full disk backup is supported on the PS4. 1.2 (4/17/2016): Added 2.5 and 6.7; edits to 4.1 now that PS2 backward compatibility is here (sort of), and 5.3 now that Microsoft is opening up Xbox Live. 1.2.1 (8/21/2016): Added 5.11 and 5.12. Changed "OS X" to "macOS." 1.2.2 (9/11/2016): Updated many answers for the recently announced PS4 Pro. Added 5.13, 8.1, and 8.2. 1.2.3 (3/9/2017): Added 7.7, 7.8, and 7.9. 1.3 (5/5/2017): Added 2.6-2.10, 6.8, 8.3, and 8.4. Completely rewrote 5.1. * TABLE OF CONTENTS * ********************* To skip ahead to a specific part of the FAQ, then use your browser/text editor's find feature, usually activated by pressing Cmd-F on macOS or Ctrl-F on Windows or GNU/Linux. * 1.0 - General PS4 info. * 1.1 - What is the PlayStation 4? * 1.2 - What are the differences between the PS3 and PS4? * 1.3 - What kinds of PS4s have been released? * 1.4 - Does the PS4 have a regional lockout? * 1.5 - Does the PS4 have parental controls? * 1.6 - What are the hardware specs of the PS4? * 1.7 - What I/O ports come with the PS4? * 1.8 - What comes bundled with the PS4? * 1.9 - What is the PlayStation app? * 2.0 - Video displays and the PS4 * 2.1 - What video cables are supported by the PS4? * 2.2 - Can I use my PS1/PS2/PS3 video cable(s) with my PS4? * 2.3 - Does it matter which HDMI cable I use? * 2.4 - Can I connect my PS4 to a computer monitor? * 2.5 - What do I need to do to play on my PS4 remotely? * 2.6 - What do I need to do to play/watch 4K content? * 2.7 - What do I need to do to play/watch HDR content? * 2.8 - Why are the colors incorrect when capturing/streaming gameplay with HDR turned on? * 2.9 - Why are the colors washed out when switching between HDR and non-HDR content? * 2.10 - My display is flickering off and back on again. How do I fix this? * 3.0 - Audio speakers and the PS4 * 3.1 - What audio types are supported by the PS4? * 3.2 - How do I get multi-channel sound output on the PS4? * 4.0 - Backward compatibility * 4.1 - Is the PS4 backward compatibile with the PS1/PS2/PS3? * 4.2 - Why not? * 4.3 - What about the PS3 to PS4 program? * 5.0 - Going online with the PS4 * 5.1 - Do I need to go online in order to use my PS4? * 5.2 - Ethernet or Wi-Fi? Which is better? * 5.3 - Can I play PS4 games with PC/Mac/X1 users? * 5.4 - Do I need to pay to play games online with the PS4? * 5.5 - Why isn't online play free anymore? * 5.6 - Do I need a headset to play online games? * 5.7 - Are online games segregated by platform/region? * 5.8 - Are online passes required to play PS4 games online? * 5.9 - What is a "NAT type" and how do I change it? * 5.10 - Should I use Share Play? (IMPORTANT - SECURITY HOLE ALERT) * 5.11 - Does the PS4 support IPv6? * 5.12 - Why is my PS4 no longer a primary system? And why do I have games I didn't purchase on my PSN account? * 5.13 - What's this about my router not supporting packet fragmentation? * 6.0 - Controllers on the PS4 * 6.1 - What is the Dual Shock 4? * 6.2 - What is the PlayStation Move? * 6.3 - Do any of the earlier Dual Shock controllers work with the PS4? * 6.4 - Can I use the Dual Shock 4 as a computer game pad? * 6.5 - Can I use a keyboard or mouse with my PS4? * 6.6 - Why doesn't my numeric keypad work? * 6.7 - Why doesn't the ` key on my keyboard work? * 6.8 - Can I use a fast USB charger to recharge my controller? * 7.0 - Backing up & managing data on the PS4 * 7.1 - How do I back up my PS4 hard drive? * 7.2 - What kind of device do I need to do a backup? * 7.3 - Can I upgrade my PS4's hard drive? * 7.4 - Why does the PS4 report that my blank hard disk has considerably less space available for it than the hard disk was advertised as having? * 7.5 - Why can't I make a partition larger than 32 GB? * 7.6 - After I copy a file to a disk, why doesn't it show up? * 7.7 - Can I use an external drive to load and store game applications? * 7.8 - Great! Can I use an existing external drive with data already on it? * 7.9 - That sucks. Why did they require the drive to be reformatted and encrypted? * 8.0 - Misc. troubleshooting * 8.1 - Why is my PS4 shutting itself off while I use it? * 8.2 - Why does my PS4 complain it was improperly shut down when I properly shut it down the last time I used it? * 8.3 - Why does my PS4 randomly eject discs? * 8.4 - Why won't Netflix work on my PS4 Pro? * 1.0 - GENERAL PS4 INFO. * *************************** * 1.1 - WHAT IS THE PLAYSTATION 4? * ************************************ The PlayStation 4 is Sony's fourth PlayStation. It supersedes the PlayStation 1 (PS1, or "PSX" for a while until Sony released a different console with that abbreviation), PlayStation 2 (PS2), and PlayStation 3 (PS3). * 1.2 - WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PS3 and PS4? * *********************************************************** The PS4 has a newer, faster CPU and GPU. Almost every PS3 game that wasn't an HD port of a PS2 game supported 1080p output externally, but ran at 720p internally and upscan-converted the results. Just about every PS4 game runs at 1080p internally & externally with a full frame rate. But it's not just the graphics that got better. They also added: * A brand new UI called "Dynamic Menu" that replaces the Cross Media Bar * Background music on the home screen * Better multitasking support (you can, for example, adjust system settings or run the Web browser while a game is running) * Multiple sign-ins on one console (the PS3 had support for multiple user profiles, but only one user could be signed in at a time; this was a feature the Xbox 360 had that the PS3 lacked) * Party chat (another feature the Xbox 360 had that the PS3 lacked) * Voice mail (yet another X360 feature the PS3 lacked) * Greatly improved social gaming features (e.g. no more using e-mail to invite players into multi-player games) * Better online sharing features, including streaming & session sharing * The triumphant return of the slide-loading optical drive (which was present on original and slim-model PS3s, but removed from the super-slim models) * Remote software download support (including downloading/installing patches while the system is in standby; this was a feature the Wii had that the PS3 lacked) * Game patches are now downloaded in the background after starting a game for the first time (many people disliked how the PS3 handled patches) * Certain downloadable games can now be downloaded in parts (so you can start playing the game while waiting on additional content to be downloaded) * Second screen support using either a PS Vita or mobile phone/tablet (in supported games; see 1.9 below) * Remote play of PS4 games using a PS Vita, Android phone, or computer (in all PS4 games except for those that require use of the PlayStation Camera or other accessories) * Voice commands in the system menu and in supported games (like X360 with Kinect) * Sign-in using facial recognition (also like X360 with Kinect; requires a PlayStation Camera) * If online, you can now see how common a game's trophies are held among PSN users who have played the game at least once (this information was previously only available to developers) * Faster USB, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth support * Auto-toggle of daylight savings time (if you live in an area that observes daylight savings time/summer time/whatever your locale calls it) * Controllers can be recharged while the console is in standby mode * HDCP can be disabled * 4K resolution support (varies by console; see 1.3 below for details) * Sony HDR support (if supported by the connected display) * Support for storing game data on external USB devices Some features got changed: * The background firmware update download feature, which was only available with a PlayStation Plus subscription on the PS3, is now free on the PS4 * Likewise, game patch background downloads, which was also a "premium" feature in the past, is now free when the console is turned on (it's still a premium feature in offline mode) * The HDMI port will now auto-detect your A/V system's capabilities so you no longer have to manually set it up Some PS3 features were dropped: * The startup sound effect (the PS1, PS2, and PS3 each had a different one) * PlayStation Home (which Sony discontinued in 2015) * Life with PlayStation (which Sony discontinued in 2012) * Other OS (which Sony controversially removed from the PS3 in an update) * UPnP streaming * Analog audio/video out (see 2.1 below) * PS1 backward compatibility (see 4.2 below) * Memory card ports (which were present on early PS3 models, but later dropped) * Voice masking * Bluetooth headset support * PlayStation Portable (PSP) support * All LEDs on the front of the console (the PS3 had separate LEDs for power, optical drive, Wi-Fi, and the hard drive) * Adobe Flash support in the Web browser * 1.3 - WHAT KINDS OF PS4s HAVE BEEN RELEASED? * ************************************************ Here are the PS4s that have been released as of September 2016: * The Original/Launch PS4 (November 2013-September 2016) Storage Space: 500 GB Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz USB Ports: 2 in the front Optical Audio: S/PDIF Max. Resolution: 1920x1080 (1080p), 3840x2160 (UHD-1 4K, photos only) Remote Play: 720p Front Panel: Fixed The launch PS4 was on the market for nearly three years with no major changes, something that never happened back in the PS3 era. * PS4 Slim (September 2016-present) Storage Space: 500 GB Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz USB Ports: 2 in the front Optical Audio: None Max. Resolution: 1920x1080 (1080p), 3840x2160 (UHD-1 4K, photos only) Remote Play: 720p Front Panel: Detachable for cleaning The "Slim" model is nearly the same as the original PS4; it's just smaller, uses less power, and lacks an optical audio port, so the only audio output port on the console is the HDMI port. The Slim's front panel can be easily removed, which makes it easier to dust off the console's internals. * PS4 Pro (November 2016-present) Storage Space: 1 TB Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n/ac, 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz USB Ports: 2 in the front, 1 in the back Optical Audio: S/PDIF Max. Resolution: 3840x2160 (UHD-1 4K) Remote Play: 1080p Front Panel: Detachable for cleaning The PS4 Pro is more expensive than the Slim, and consumes more power, but it has a considerably more powerful GPU. Games specifically built with PS4 Pro support can run at a native 4K resolution, though some games may run at a lower resolution internally and upscan-convert the results. All PSVR games will also run at a higher resolution when connected to a PS4 Pro. Select streaming video apps also support streaming 4K video. Unfortunately, the PS4 Pro does not support handling UHD Blu-ray discs. Even if you don't have a 4K TV or monitor, games specifically made for the Pro can support a higher frame rate, or more detailed graphics, at 1080p resolution. Additionally, turning on Boost Mode will improve the frame rate in many non-Pro games. Boost Mode is off by default, since it causes compatibility problems in a few games. You can turn it on in Settings -> System -> Boost Mode. Sony has stated that they will not approve of any game that requires a Pro in order to run. Some of the people on NeoGAF put together a list of PS4 Pro-enhanced games: * 1.4 - DOES THE PS4 HAVE A REGIONAL LOCKOUT? * *********************************************** Thankfully not on games. The console will honor the regional lockout on DVDs and Blu-ray discs, however, because Sony is contractually obligated to do so. * 1.5 - DOES THE PS4 HAVE PARENTAL CONTROLS? * ********************************************** Yes, and they work for games, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and even the Web browser. Don't lose your passcode! Like the PS3 before it, the PS4 has no back-door for the parental controls (the PS2 had one), so it's self-defeating to forget the passcode once one is set. * 1.6 - WHAT ARE THE HARDWARE SPECS OF THE PS4? * ************************************************* CPU/GPU: AMD custom system-on-a-chip, 8 cores, 64-bit w/secondary low-power CPU for background tasks RAM: 8 GB (unified video/general use) Optical: CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc * 1.7 - WHAT I/O PORTS COME WITH THE PS4? * ******************************************* Peripheral support is handled through two USB 3.0 ports (three on the PS4 Pro), as well as a Bluetooth 2.1 radio. There is also a 10/100/1000-Base-T Ethernet port for networking, an HDMI port for audio/video, and an S/PDIF port for audio (except on the PS4 Slim). The PS4, like the PS3 before it, has a bay for a serial ATA laptop-sized hard drive, allowing users to plug in a separate hard drive. All ports on the PS4 are hot-pluggable, that is, you can plug and unplug things in these ports while the console is running. But since you should never remove a computer's boot drive while the computer is running, you should treat the hard drive as if it's not hot-pluggable. * 1.8 - WHAT COMES BUNDLED WITH THE PS4? * ****************************************** The PS4 comes with: * The console itself (obviously) * 1 controller (Dual Shock 4) * 1 mono headset w/microphone for the controller * 1 HDMI cable * 1 USB Type-A to Mini Type-B cable (for the controller) * 1 AC adapter cable * At least one "getting started" guide, perhaps several if your locale has multiple official languages * 1 bundle-in game, "The Playroom" Some PS4 bundles may include additional bundle-in games. The PlayStation Camera and Move controllers are sold separately as of early 2014. * 1.9 - WHAT IS THE PLAYSTATION APP? * ************************************** The PS3 had a few games that allowed users to play them using a PS Vita, as well as one game, "Beyond: Two Souls," that allowed users to have a second screen experience with a mobile phone/tablet application. The PlayStation App just brings this concept to the PS4, so that games can provide second-screen functionality using either a phone or tablet or PS Vita. Think of it as an evolution of the Sega Dreamcast's VMU and the Nintendo Wii U's tablet. The app also allows users to view their PSN trophies and buy/download things from the PlayStation Network. It is a free download from your device's app store: iOS: Android: * 2.0 - VIDEO DISPLAYS AND THE PS4 * ************************************ * 2.1 - WHAT VIDEO CABLES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE PS4? * ***************************************************** Only one: HDMI. The analog A/V multi-out port that was on the PS1 (starting with the 5xxx models), PS2, and PS3 is no longer present on the PS4. You can still convert the HDMI signal into DVI-D or DisplayPort with an adapter if you want to use your PS4 with a computer monitor that supports one of those two standards. But if you have a legacy analog TV, or a first-generation HDTV with only component video input, then you will need to upgrade your TV before you can use it with a PS4. * 2.2 - CAN I USE MY PS1/PS2/PS3 VIDEO CABLE(S) WITH MY PS4? * ************************************************************** Your PS3 HDMI cable will continue to work, but due to the PS4's lack of an A/V multi-out port, your legacy analog cables will not work with the PS4. * 2.3 - DOES IT MATTER WHICH HDMI CABLE I USE? * *********************************************** Sort of. If you are feeding audio through the cable, then the HDMI cable has to be HDMI 1.3-compliant or you won't get audio. Every HDMI cable on sale today is compliant, and has been for years now, including the cable that comes with the console, so you generally don't need to worry about that. Since HDMI carries a digital signal rather than an analog signal, using a more expensive cable will _not_ give you a better picture. * 2.4 - CAN I CONNECT MY PS4 TO A COMPUTER MONITOR? * ***************************************************** Yes, but please note: 1. Many computer monitors made prior to 2014 have a native aspect ratio of 16:10, which is different from TV sets, where the native aspect ratio is 16:9. More recent computer monitors tend to have the same 16:9 aspect ratio as TV sets. If your computer monitor is 16:10, then the picture will be vertically stretched unless you set the monitor to display the picture to its aspect ratio, in which case, there will be black bars at the top & bottom of the picture. If both stretching and black bars bother you, then you ought to use either a TV set, or a monitor with a native 16:9 ratio. 2. The PS4 only has an HDMI output port. If your monitor supports HDMI, which most monitors made since around 2010 do support, then you're all set. If your monitor supports Thunderbolt/DisplayPort instead of HDMI, then you will need an adapter. If your monitor only supports a legacy HD input method, such as DVI or VGA, then you will need an adapter, as well as a separate stereo system that supports either HDMI or S/PDIF, or you won't get any sound. If your monitor only supports SDTV signals, or requires Component or SCART or D-Terminal video, then it's time to upgrade your monitor. 3. A lot of monitors marketed towards gamers top out at 1440p. No currently shipping PS4 (not even the Pro) supports 1440p, so you'll get only a 1080p maximum resolution on monitors that support 1440p as a maximum resolution. 4. As of early 2017, no computer monitors support HDR. This will probably have changed by the time you read this, but it'll be a while before there are any computer monitors with both 4K resolution and HDR. * 2.5 - WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO PLAY ON MY PS4 REMOTELY? * ********************************************************** All you need is either: * A PlayStation TV or Vita * A Sony-branded Android phone (there exists a hack that allows the Remote Play app to work on non-Sony phones as well, but it's not supported) * A personal computer, running either Windows 8.1 or macOS 10.10 or later OS Then you need to enable remote play in Settings -> Remote Play Connection Settings -> Enable Remote Play. This is on by default. Then, just follow the in-app instructions to get connected. Remember that Remote Play only works with games that do not require the PlayStation Camera or a specialty third-party controller. On a personal computer, you will also need to plug in a PS4 controller to one of your computer's USB ports in order to play a game remotely. You can download a Remote Play client for Windows or macOS for free from Sony's site: For the Android app, if you're not using a Sony-branded phone, try searching the forums at for the latest version of the app. Note that you'll need a computer with the Android developer tools installed in order to side-load the app. * 2.6 - WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO PLAY/WATCH 4K CONTENT? * ******************************************************** You need: 1. A PS4 Pro, or a non-Pro if you only care about looking at photos. 2. A display that supports at least HDMI 2.0a or later. 3. All HDMI cables connecting the PS4 Pro to the monitor must support HDMI 2.0a or later. If they say "high speed" on them, then they ought to work. The cables that come with the PS4 Pro and PSVR support HDMI 2.0a. 4. If you use an audio receiver, then the receiver must also support HDMI 2.0a or later. 5. Certain streaming apps that support streaming 2160p videos (such as Netflix) require your monitor and receiver to support HDCP 2.2 or later. This does not apply to games, since the game industry does not care about HDCP. The PS4 Pro does not support streaming or playing in 4K over HDMI 1.4, even though some 4K displays only support HDMI 1.4. HDMI 1.4 did not provide enough bandwidth to display a 4K picture with a > 30 Hz refresh rate. If your display supports HDMI 2.x and has multiple HDMI inputs, then it's possible that only one or two of them support HDMI 2.x, and the rest support the older 1.4 standard, so make sure you plug your PS4 Pro into the correct input port. * 2.7 - WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO PLAY/WATCH HDR CONTENT? * ********************************************************* You need: 1. Any PS4. HDR support was added to system software version 4.0. 2. A display that supports HDR, and at least HDMI 2.0a or later. If your display is not advertised as supporting HDR, or if you don't know if it supports HDR or not, then it does not support HDR. 3. All HDMI cables connecting the PS4 Pro to the monitor must support HDMI 2.0a or later. If they say "high speed" on them, then they ought to work. The cables that come with the PS4 Pro and PSVR support HDMI 2.0a. 4. If you use an audio receiver, then the receiver must also support HDMI 2.0a or later. 5. If you have a PSVR, then even if all of the above conditions are met, you must remove the PSVR's control box from the HDMI daisy-chain leading to the display. For some reason, the PSVR only partially supports HDMI 2.0a - it supports 4K video output at 60 Hz, but it does not support HDR. * 2.8 - WHY ARE THE COLORS INCORRECT WHEN CAPTURING/STREAMING GAMEPLAY WITH * * HDR TURNED ON? * ***************************************************************************** That happens because the captured/streamed video uses an HDR color space, which will not be handled correctly by all non-HDR displays. If you're capturing or streaming your gameplay, then until HDR support becomes more common in displays (which will be a while), you should turn HDR off. * 2.9 - WHY ARE THE COLORS WASHED OUT WHEN SWITCHING BETWEEN HDR AND NON-HDR * * CONTENT? * ****************************************************************************** If you're going to mix HDR and non-HDR games and videos, then you should set HDR mode to Automatic, so the PS4 will automatically enable/disable HDR as necessary. Adjusting the brightness/contrast on the display when switching between HDR and non-HDR content is the wrong way to handle this. * 2.10 - MY DISPLAY IS FLICKERING OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. HOW DO I FIX THIS? * ***************************************************************************** No, your PS4 is not defective. As of firmware 4.50, this is a fairly common problem with PS4 Pros connected to a 4K display. Usually it only happens once per session, if that often, so it is a minor annoyance and not a deal-killing problem. If it's too annoying for you, then (1) make sure you are using a good quality HDMI cable, and (2) try removing every device between your PS4 and your display and see if that solves the issue. * 3.0 - AUDIO SPEAKERS AND THE PS4 * ************************************ * 3.1 - WHAT AUDIO TYPES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE PS4? * **************************************************** All common digital formats. The PS4 supports Linear Pulse Code Modulation (PCM), Dolby Digital 5.1 (AC3), Digital Theater System (DTS), and their uncompressed equivalents (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD) as well. The PS4 supports audio out over either HDMI or S/PDIF, however, S/PDIF users are limited to 2-channel PCM, AC3, and DTS only. If you are using an old analog stereo system with RCA/composite audio input, then you will need to upgrade it in order to use it with the PS4. * 3.2 - HOW DO I GET MULTI-CHANNEL SOUND OUTPUT ON THE PS4? * ************************************************************* Sony changed this between the PS3 and PS4. On the PS3, you could manually toggle multi-channel out in the audio settings. The PS4 still does this for S/PDIF, but if you're using HDMI for audio, then the PS4 will auto-detect what your sound system supports and adjust its output accordingly (though the most recent firmware makes an exception and allows 5.1 channel mode to be manually enabled if the stereo supports 7.1 channel audio). The problem is, if you have the PS4 connected to a stereo, and the stereo has audio pass-through turned on, then it will only output 2-channel audio over HDMI unless you turn off audio pass-through on your stereo. On most stereos, you do this by setting HDMI audio out from amplifier+TV to just amplifier. If there is a separate pass-through setting, make sure it is turned off. Also, if you're watching a movie and you're only getting 2-channel output, try pausing and pulling up the movie's audio options. Most movies come with both 2-channel and multi-channel audio options, and default to 2-channel. * 4.0 - BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY * ******************************** * 4.1 - IS THE PS4 BACKWARD COMPATIBILE WITH THE PS1/PS2/PS3? * *************************************************************** The PS4 is not backward compatible with PS1 or PS3 games at all. The PS4 has very limited PS2 backward compatibility - Sony sells some PS2 games for the PS4 on the PlayStation Store - but the PS4 will not run disc-based PS2 games. * 4.2 - WHY NOT? * ****************** The short answer: Because Sony changed the PlayStation CPU architecture for the third time since 1995. The long answer: The PS1 used a custom Sony-made CPU and a custom Sony-made GPU. The CPU used the MIPS instruction set, which was then made by MIPS Technologies (now Imagination Technologies). The PS2 also used a custom Sony-made CPU that used MIPS (which Sony called "Emotion Engine") and a custom Sony/Toshiba-made GPU ("Graphics Synthesizer"). It had everything on board it needed to run PS1 software using just the console hardware. The PS3 did not use a MIPS-compatible CPU; it used a custom PowerPC CPU (which Sony called "Cell Broadband Engine"), and the PowerPC and MIPS instruction sets are not even remotely compatible with one another. To achieve PS1 backward compatibility, the PS3 ran PS1 games in a virtual machine, emulating the CPU and GPU in software. It worked quite well. To achieve PS2 backward compatibility, the two launch PS3s had the PS2 hardware on board, while the 80 GB and European 60 GB models had the PS2's GPU & vector units on board and emulated the CPU in software. But having PS2 hardware inside the PS3 greatly increased the cost of producing each console at a time when Sony was under pressure to lower the PS3's price, so the feature was taken out after a while. The PS4 uses a CPU and GPU from AMD, which uses the X86 and X86-64 instruction sets, and is not compatible with the PS3's PowerPC CPU or RSX GPU. And while it is a powerful CPU and GPU, it isn't remotely powerful enough to run PS3 software in a virtual machine and allow that software to actually be playable. Sony changed the PS4's CPU architecture because IBM and Freescale, the two companies that make PowerPC CPUs, both dropped out of the super-speed race with Intel and AMD, and decided to focus on embedded systems that don't need extreme performance. This happened around the same time that Apple switched their computer CPUs from PowerPC to X86, which happened just before the PS3 launched. So they had to make the switch in order to stay competitive with Microsoft, which made the same CPU architecture switch between the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The PS4 could theoretically play PS1 games in a virtual machine, but so far, Sony has not ported their PS1 virtual machine to the PS4. I'm guessing that porting it is not as simple as just re-compiling the source code. And because of PlayStation Now, I do not expect them to port it over. As for the PS2, Sony has not commented on why the backward compatibility is so limited. * 4.3 - WHAT ABOUT THE PS3 TO PS4 PROGRAM? * ******************************************** At launch, Sony had a program where select games purchased for PS3 could be updated to PS4 versions for a per-game fee. This program never caught on with publishers after launch, and so only a few post-launch games had upgrade paths available: 1. All cross-buy games with PS4 ports purchased on a PS3 can be downloaded for free on a PS4. This includes "Doki Doki Universe," "Flower," and others. 2. "Final Fantasy XIV" once offered a free PS3-to-PS4 upgrade path, but it was discontinued in March 2015. 3. "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" is not a cross-buy game, but Activision did offer a free upgrade path. * 5.0 - GOING ONLINE WITH THE PS4 * *********************************** * 5.1 - DO I NEED TO GO ONLINE IN ORDER TO USE MY PS4? * ******************************************************** No. The PS4 is designed to work entirely offline, but you might want to take it online if you can. The following activities work without an Internet connection: * Set up the PS4 * Play a single-player, or local multiplayer, disc-based game * Play a single-player, or local multiplayer, downloaded game, if the PSN account that downloaded the game has marked the PS4 as its primary console * Play a DVD or Blu-ray disc, if the one-time online setup had been previously performed (but online-only functionality in Blu-Rays obviously won't work) * Install firmware updates (using either a file previously downloaded onto a USB drive, or a game disc if a game requires a newer firmware version than what's installed; the required firmware is on the disc & will be installed automatically) * Adjust settings, back up and restore, etc. The following activities require a working Internet connection: * Download firmware updates * Download updates for games & streaming apps * Perform the one-time setup operation for DVD and Blu-ray playback * Use the online features on Blu-ray discs * Watch streaming online play in "Live with PlayStation" * Transfer data between PS4s connected to the same LAN The following activities require a working Internet connection and a PSN account (with or without PS Plus) that has not been suspended or banned: * Purchase and download content from the PlayStation Store * Run a streaming video app (if the app does not require an account or a separate paid subscription, e.g. YouTube) * Play a single-player, or local multiplayer, downloaded game, if the PSN account that downloaded the game has _not_ marked the PS4 as its primary console * Play online games that are either free-to-download ("World of Tanks," "Onigiri," etc.) or games with a separate subscription fee ("Final Fantasy XIV") * Use online features in games that are not necessarily online play (e.g. online leaderboards, or the discovery-sharing feature in "No Man's Sky") * Participate in communities * Participate in party chat * Synchronize trophies * Maintain a friend list * Use Remote Play The following activities require a working Internet connection, a PSN account, and an account on social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.): * Share a screen shot * Share a previously recorded video clip The following activities require a working Internet connection, a PSN account, and an account on a broadcasting service (e.g. Twitch or Ustream; these accounts do not have mandatory subscriptions): * Broadcast online play * Make comments on other peoples' channels in "Live with PlayStation" The following activities require a working Internet connection, a PSN account, and an account on a video streaming service (e.g. Netflix or Hulu; most of these require a separate paid subscription & have a regional lockout): * Run a streaming video app The following activities require a working Internet connection, a PSN account, and PS Plus: * Play any other type of online game * Use Share Play * Use online storage * Automatically download and install game & app updates in standby mode (only games & apps used in the past month will be auto-updated) * Download and play free games for PS Plus subscribers (such games will stop working if your subscription runs out) * Take advantage of certain sales on the PS Store * 5.2 - ETHERNET OR WI-FI? WHICH IS BETTER? * ********************************************* Well, Wi-Fi will certainly be cheaper, and allow you to place your PS4 far away from your router without having to run a long & potentially expensive cable. But if your PS4 is located close to the router, I would recommend running a Cat-6 Ethernet cable instead. With an Ethernet connection, you will get lower connection latency, less susceptibility to wireless interference, and faster transfer speeds over the LAN (1 Gb/s vs. ~40 Mb/s on 802.11g radios vs. ~600 Mb/s on 802.11n radios). I placed a tilde in front of those numbers because you will never hit & sustain peak transmission rates over Wi-Fi, especially if some other device(s) are using the radio at once. * 5.3 - CAN I PLAY PS4 GAMES WITH PC/MAC/X1 USERS? * **************************************************** This is changing a bit. In the past, Sony was okay with PlayStation games connecting to third-party game servers, as long as they used the PSN as a gateway, so several PS3 and PS4 games were able to support cross-platform play with personal computer users. Meanwhile, Microsoft kept their Xbox Live network strictly segregated from third-party servers. ("Final Fantasy XI" on the X360 was the only exception.) As of April 2016, Microsoft has announced they are opening up Xbox Live to work with third-party servers, so future games running on third-party servers may support cross-platform play across both consoles. So far, there are games that support PS4/PC cross play, but there are no games that support PS4/X1 cross play. * 5.4 - DO I NEED TO PAY TO PLAY GAMES ONLINE WITH THE PS4? * ************************************************************* Yes and no. Games that are free to play, as well as games that require a separate subscription fee in order to play (such as "Final Fantasy XIV"), can be played by all PlayStation Network account holders. All other games require a PlayStation Plus subscription in order to play online. Yes, this has changed since the PS3. * 5.5 - WHY ISN'T ONLINE PLAY FREE ANYMORE? * ********************************************* You have to remember that, with free products/services, one or both of the following things are true: 1. You are not the customer; you are the product. The customers, typically advertisers, are paying to get access to you. 2. The product/service is being subsidized by the revenue from some other source, or by charitable giving if the provider is a non-profit organization. The PSN is not free for Sony to operate. During the PS3 era, the PSN was mostly financed by #2, with a little bit of #1 in the form of PlayStation Home sponsorships. Sony made the promise of free online play with the PS3, and they kept their promise. But since the PS3 launched, the Sony products whose sales subsidized the PSN have been on a downward tried, so the money necessary to run the PSN shifted to subscriptions. * 5.6 - DO I NEED A HEADSET TO PLAY ONLINE GAMES? * *************************************************** No. However, you should use one in games that support voice chat, so you can communicate with other players as you play the game. You can use either a Dual Shock 4 plug-in headset or the PlayStation Camera as a speakerphone. Bluetooth headsets don't work as of this writing (March 2014), but they ought to work in a future update. * 5.7 - ARE ONLINE GAMES SEGREGATED BY PLATFORM/REGION? * ********************************************************* No, unless the law of the land says otherwise, because segregation is a really bad idea with online games. Most people want to play with their friends, and segregation gets in the way of that. * 5.8 - ARE ONLINE PASSES REQUIRED TO PLAY PS4 GAMES ONLINE? * ************************************************************** No. "Online passes" were used game "taxes" that were imposed on PS3 owners that either borrowed or bought a game used and then tried to play the game online. Sony claims to have discontinued this practice on the PS4. * 5.9 - WHAT IS A "NAT TYPE" AND HOW DO I CHANGE IT? * ****************************************************** NAT stands for "Network Address Translation," and it is a system that allows multiple devices on a private LAN to share a single IP address when connected to the Internet. It is effectively the glue that holds the IPv4 Internet together, since there are far more devices connected to the Internet than there are public IP addresses available for them. When you perform a connection test on the PS4, it will report one of three NAT types: Type 1 means your PS4 is not behind a NAT, and is fully on the public Internet. Type 2 means your PS4 is behind a NAT, and the NAT supports the Internet Gateway Device Protocol, which the PS4 uses to ask the router to forward incoming connections on the required Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports to the console. Type 3 means your PS4 is behind a NAT, and cannot receive incoming connections on those TCP or UDP ports. Either the router is behind multiple layers of NAT, or the router is too old to support the Internet Gateway Device Protocol. On pretty much every modern home network router, your NAT type ought to be type 1 or 2. Type 1 is not optimal, though, because any script kiddie commanding an army of zombie PCs can flood your PS4 with traffic and knock it off the Internet. Type 3 is even worse, because you will experience connection problems playing online games if it's cut off from reception. Type 2 is the best, followed by type 1, then type 3. You cannot change the NAT type on the PS4; you can only change the type by changing your network configuration. You can move it from type 3 to type 1 by instructing your router to put your PS4's IP address in the "demilitarized zone" (DMZ), but that is not a good idea for the security reasons I mentioned above. Here are some better ideas: 1. Upgrade your router if you can afford it. Your PS4 should not report as being under a type 3 NAT on any home network router made in the last 10+ years, since pretty much all of them can perform intelligent port forwarding. If your modem or router was loaned from your ISP, then send it back to them, and buy a real modem/router. Depending on how much they charge you, this will also save you money in the long term. 2. If you can't do that, then you need to set up port forwarding manually. You will need administrator access to your router to do this. Most routers have a Web browser-based interface for configuration; check its documentation for details if you haven't done this before. 3. If you have NATs behind NATs, stop that. That's silly, unless you are in the rather unusual situation of having to share a single network connection with tens of thousands of other devices. Consider consolidating down to a single all-in-one router, or at least make the master router handle DHCP and disable the other NATs. The incoming ports you will need to forward to the PS4's IP address are: TCP 80, 443, 5223, 9293; TCP/UDP 10070-10080; UDP 3478, 3479, 3658, and 6000-7000. If you're on a type 3 NAT, and you have no control over your PS4's router, and the person who has control won't help you, then you're screwed until (1) the PS4 gains IPv6 support (see 5.11 below), and (2) your network, and most of the rest of the Internet, supports IPv6. * 5.10 - SHOULD I USE SHARE PLAY? (IMPORTANT - SECURITY HOLE ALERT) * ********************************************************************* It depends on the game. First of all, if you do not subscribe to PlayStation Plus, you cannot use Share Play to share your session or play a multi-player game. Second, you **really** need to be careful about sharing your session. I strongly recommend that, if you are playing a game where your character is stored server-side, and the game includes avatars with items and equipment, that you never allow Share Play. The reason is because, in that scenario, Share Play is a security hole that can lead to the destruction of all of your progress in a game in the hands of someone you don't know. (And yes, this has happened to people.) If your game is stored client-side, then it's probably okay to share your session, but I would recommend you keep your game backed up before you do that. Usually, online games store progress server-side to prevent cheating, while offline games store progress client-side. So Share Play is a fine feature for action and sports games, but you shouldn't use it in games with RPG elements. * 5.11 - DOES THE PS4 SUPPORT IPv6? * ************************************* Unfortunately not as of August 2016. Let's get one thing straight about IPv6 - if your ISP and router support it, IPv6 will not get you faster downloads, increased stability, or lower latency. IPv6 will provide three things: 1. It removes the need for the kludge that is NAT (see 5.9 above), due to IPv6's larger address pool. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses; we'll most likely never run out of IPv6 address space. 2. It would allow the PS4 to access online services that are only available over IPv6. 3. It handles packet fragmentation differently from IPv4, so the PS4 will never complain about packet fragmentation support again. In general, you don't need IPv6 (though it would be nice to have), unless: 1. Your PS4's network connection is on a type 3 NAT with no hope of going to type 1 or 2. (And even then, if the PS4's uplink is using a firewall to block incoming connections, then this won't help you that much.) 2. You need to access online services that are only available over IPv6 (which are rare at the time of this writing). 3. Your ISP only offers an IPv6-only uplink (which is also very rare). * 5.12 - WHY IS MY PS4 NO LONGER A PRIMARY SYSTEM? AND WHY DO I HAVE GAMES I * * DIDN'T PURCHASE ON MY PSN ACCOUNT? * ****************************************************************************** If that happens, then your PSN account was compromised. There are several different ways someone could have compromised your account, in order from most to least likely: 1. You use the same sign-in credentials on multiple online services, and one such service had its security compromised a while back & your account details were leaked. 2. You fell for a phishing scam, where a site that looks like the PSN but is actually run by a thief asked for your account credentials, and you entered them. 3. You used an easy-to-guess password for your PSN account. 4. You signed into the PSN from a computer that had its security compromised, was running a key-logger, and shared your keystrokes with a third-party. 5. You shared your account credentials with another person, and that person betrayed you. 6. Your PS4 somehow fell for a man-in-the-middle encryption attack. 7. Someone figured out how to break all encryption on the Internet, started reading all traffic on the Internet, and just happened to stumble upon your PSN account credentials. If your PSN account is compromised, then you need to change your password immediately. If your PS4 is no longer a primary system, or if it has games available you don't recognize, then you will need to contact Sony via telephone to deal with this. Never reverse the charges on your credit card! If you reverse the charge(s), then you will be permanently banned from buying things on the PSN. Always deal with Sony when dealing with fraud. As for protecting your account from the compromises mentioned above, I recommend you take the following steps: 1. Never use the same password twice on the Internet. If you have trouble mentally juggling multiple passwords, then consider using a secure password manager, such as 1Password or Keychain Access. Also, consider visiting to see if any sites you use have had their security compromised recently. 2. If you ever receive a mysterious e-mail about your PSN account details, then it's probably a phishing scam. It's best not to follow links in e-mail messages. When signing into the PSN, always make sure the URL belongs to a Sony-owned domain (like playstation.com, sonyentertainmentnetwork.com, etc.). If you're not sure, it's probably not Sony. 3. Never use "abc123", "12345", "password", or other easy-to-guess passwords. Consider using a secure password manager as mentioned above, or consider a password generator like this one: 4. If you're using your home PC, then be careful about what you install on it, and keep your computer's anti-malware software up to date. Windows and macOS both include built-in anti-malware software; make sure you use them. If you're using a PC at a hotel, library, or Internet café, then it is safe to assume the PC has been compromised, and you shouldn't log into the PSN from one of those computers. 5. Your account details are your secret. Do not share them, even with family members. If you have family member(s) that are 13 years old or older, then they should have their own account(s). 6. This is not likely to happen in reality. It would require someone upstream from your PS4 to replicate the PSN's sign-in system & domain name with a certificate and private key signed by a trusted certificate authority. This could only happen if the certificate authority was either careless or compromised, in which case, you'd have far more to worry about than your PSN account. 7. This is extremely unlikely to happen in reality. I just included it to be thorough. * 5.13 - WHAT'S THIS ABOUT MY ROUTER NOT SUPPORTING PACKET FRAGMENTATION? * *************************************************************************** If you're seeing that warning when you test your connection, then one of three things is happening, in order of most to least likely: 1. Your router's firewall is configured to block fragmented packets. 2. Your router is using QoS, and its QoS implementation is discarding fragmented packets. 3. Your router's MTU is misconfigured. Make sure your router's firewall is not blocking fragmented packets. If it isn't, but QoS is turned on, then try turning it off. If all else fails, then try adjusting the MTU until you have a value set that causes the connection test to quit complaining. The MTU should typically be set to adjust itself automatically, but if your router requires it to be set manually, try numbers between 1400 and 1500. You might need to reboot your router in order for MTU changes to take effect. In the past, fragmented IP packets were used to launch denial-of-service attacks, such as the infamous teardrop attack, but those attacks were worked around by vendors decades ago. Unless you have some device(s) from the 1990s connected to your router, it ought to be okay to have the firewall allow them. * 6.0 - CONTROLLERS ON THE PS4 * ******************************** * 6.1 - WHAT IS THE DUAL SHOCK 4? * *********************************** The Dual Shock 4 is Sony's fourth-generation controller (fifth if you count the PS1's analog-less launch controllers). It is functionally the same as the Dual Shock 3, but it has a few changes: * There is a new trackpad located between the joysticks * Like the Wii remote, there is now a speaker on the controller * There is now a port on the console for a headset * There is also an "EXT" port present for apparent future use * The "Select" and "Start" buttons have been renamed to "Share" and "Options" * Both joysticks and the L2/R2 triggers were redesigned to be easier to grip * And then there's the controller's most notable love/hate feature, the light-bar in the front of the controller, which replaces the red LED on the Dual Shock 3 There was one Dual Shock 3 feature that didn't make it into the Dual Shock 4: * Pressure-sensitive controller buttons other than L2 and R2 (which were only used in a few PS2/PS3 games, most notably "Metal Gear Sold HD Collection") As of September 2016, there have been three generations of Dual Shock 4s: 1. The 1st generation controllers were sold from September 2013 to mid-2015. 2. The 1st generation controllers had quality problems with their L2, L3, R2, and R3 buttons, which would stop working as expected over time. The 2nd generation controllers, which appeared starting in mid-2015, were more reliable. 3. The 3rd generation controllers, which first appeared in late 2016, have a 2nd light-bar above the trackpad, and support switching to USB for communication when plugged directly into the console, which increases control responsiveness a little bit. * 6.2 - WHAT IS THE PLAYSTATION MOVE? * *************************************** The PlayStation Move is Sony's 3D motion controller. It is only supported in specially marked PS4 games, and requires the PlayStation Camera in order to work. Although the Move was originally intended to work with the PS3, Move controllers work with the PS4 as well. * 6.3 - DO ANY OF THE EARLIER DUAL SHOCK CONTROLLERS WORK WITH THE PS4? * ************************************************************************* No, they do not. You need new controllers for the PS4. * 6.4 - CAN I USE THE DUAL SHOCK 4 AS A COMPUTER GAME PAD? * ************************************************************ Yes, and here's the great news: Unlike the previous Dual Shock controllers, you don't need an adapter or a driver in order to get it to work. The Dual Shock 4 fully supports the USB and Bluetooth HID interfaces, so you just need to plug it into your computer, and it will work, careless of whether you are using macOS or Windows or GNU/Linux on your computer. To use the controller as a Bluetooth wireless controller, while the controller is turned off and unplugged, press and hold the Share and PS buttons until the controller's light starts to flicker. You can then pair with the controller from any Bluetooth-enabled computer with a controller profile. To re-pair it with your PS4, plug it into the PS4, then press the PS button. Windows users: On Windows, there are a lot of games that recognize the Xbox 360 controller and load a pre-set configuration when they detect the controller. However, very few games do this for the PS4 controller. To make these games think your PS4 controller is an Xbox 360 controller, consider installing the third-party app "DS4Windows": * 6.5 - CAN I USE A KEYBOARD OR MOUSE WITH MY PS4? * **************************************************** Just like you could on the PS3, you can use both a keyboard and mouse on a PS4. They have to support either Bluetooth, USB, or non-Bluetooth wireless with a USB receiver. In other words, your legacy IBM PS/2 keyboard won't work with the PS4 without a USB adapter. You can set the keyboard type in Settings -> Devices -> External Keyboard. The keyboard can be used in any app or game that supports text input, as well as the home screen. The keyboard will not work as a controller in a game, except in games specifically programmed to work with the keyboard, such as "Final Fantasy XIV" and "War Thunder." The mouse can only be used in games that specifically support the mouse as an input device. There are third-party devices out there that will allow you to use a mouse (and keyboard) as a controller, by emulating a gamepad. I haven't used any such devices, so your mileage may vary. Only one logged-in user at a time will get to use each device. * 6.6 - WHY DOESN'T MY NUMERIC KEYPAD WORK? * ********************************************* The PS4 by default puts the keyboard into "num lock" mode, which won't be obvious on keyboards that don't have any indicator for this state, such as Apple's keyboards. In this mode, pressing a key on the numeric keypad will correspond to a directional key instead of a number. To get the numeric keypad to work, try pressing the key in the upper-left corner that is not a function key, which is the Clear button on Apple keyboards. * 6.7 - WHY DOESN'T THE ` KEY ON MY KEYBOARD WORK? * **************************************************** The PS4 reserves the use of the ` (grave) key, located between the Esc and Tab keys on most keyboards, as a key that will switch between alphabets when pressed. This is useful if you are using a non-Roman keyboard type (e.g. Japanese or Korean) and you want to switch to a different alphabet, e.g. switching between Roman and Kana if the keyboard type is set to Japanese. It's not too useful if you are actually trying to type a grave; I suspect they chose that button because the grave is not a common punctuation mark in any language. * 6.8 - CAN I USE A FAST USB CHARGER TO RECHARGE MY CONTROLLER? * ***************************************************************** No! Fast USB chargers work by providing a relatively large power current (> 2 amp) to the connected device. Some batteries, typically mobile phone batteries, can handle the large current without any issues, but the battery in the Dual Shock 4 is not one of those batteries. Using a fast charger will affect the controller's long-term battery life. You should only charge a PS4 controller using either the PS4, a USB hub intended for use with a computer, or directly with a computer. They typically provide 0.5 amp of current, which is safe for any battery. * 7.0 - BACKING UP & MANAGING DATA ON THE PS4 * *********************************************** * 7.1 - HOW DO I BACK UP MY PS4 HARD DRIVE? * ********************************************* As of version 4.0 of the PS4 system software, there are four ways: 1. If you have PlayStation Plus, use PS Plus's cloud storage, located in Settings -> Application Saved Data Management -> Saved Data in System Storage -> Upload to Online Storage. 2. Manually copy your data to an external drive, in Settings -> Application Saved Data Management -> Saved Data in System Storage -> Copy to USB Storage Device. 3. Use the full backup feature, located in Settings -> System -> Back Up and Restore. 4. If you have two PS4s connected to the same LAN, you can perform a PS4-to-PS4 direct transfer. (This mode is intended to be used when changing PS4 hardware.) The full disk backup feature is the best way to back up, since it backs up all saved data, downloaded content, and (optionally) applications. However, it does require a system restart, so you can't start a backup in the middle of a game session. * 7.2 - WHAT KIND OF DEVICE DO I NEED TO DO A BACKUP? * ******************************************************* Any USB device that (1) supports the mass-storage standard and (2) has a FAT partition on it can be used as a backup disk. External USB hard drives, USB thumb drives, and SD card readers all work. If you use a memory card for backup, it does not need to be a Sony-brand memory card. Any memory card ought to work. (On the PS1 and PS2, you had to use Sony-brand memory cards or you ran the risk of data loss.) * 7.3 - CAN I UPGRADE MY PS4's HARD DRIVE? * ******************************************** Yes. Just like on the PS3, you can use any serial ATA drive made for laptops in your PS4. * 7.4 - WHY DOES THE PS4 REPORT THAT MY BLANK HARD DISK HAS CONSIDERABLY * * LESS SPACE AVAILABLE FOR IT THAN THE HARD DISK WAS ADVERTISED * * AS HAVING? * ************************************************************************** Because computer marketers intentionally overstate the capacity of hard drives. One true gigabyte is 1,073,741,824 bytes, but hard disk sizes are marked as if a gigabyte was 1,000,000,000 bytes, which is not true. That's why your "500 GB" PS4 hard disk actually has considerably less space available. Pretty much everyone in the computer industry, not just Sony, markets computers and hard disks this way. And before you ask, yes, they do point this out in the fine print in order to avoid lawsuits. * 7.5 - WHY CAN'T I MAKE A PARTITION LARGER THAN 32 GB? * ********************************************************* For some reason, probably because the size of each disk block gets ridiculously large at >32 GB partition sizes, Windows only allows a maximum of 32 GB for each FAT partition. If you need anything larger than that, then you'll need to make the partition using macOS or GNU/Linux, both of which do not have this limitation. If you have to stick with Windows, then there are some third-party disk tools out there that don't have this limitation. * 7.6 - AFTER I COPY A FILE TO A DISK, WHY DOESN'T IT SHOW UP? * **************************************************************** This could be caused by one of two things: 1. The PS4 only supports external media that uses the FAT or ExFAT file system. It does not support other file systems, such as NTFS (used by Windows) or HFS+ (used by macOS). Make sure the volume is formatted using ExFAT. 2. If you formatted the volume using macOS, then you have to manually drop the volume's EFI partition. For some reason, macOS' Disk Utility always places a ~200 MB EFI partition on every volume it partitions. The PS4 only supports saving files to the first partition on any given volume, so the presence of an EFI partition will cause any file system operation to fail. Assuming the file system was formatted using the GUID partition table, you can use the "gpt" command line tool to drop the EFI partition on the volume. * 7.7 - CAN I USE AN EXTERNAL DRIVE TO LOAD AND STORE GAME APPLICATIONS? * ************************************************************************** Starting in version 4.50 of the firmware, you can. There are a few requirements: 1. The drive must support USB 3.0 or later. 2. The drive must have a capacity between 250 GB and 8 TB. 3. The drive must support USB Mass Storage, and not use some non-standard interface. (Non-standard interfaces on USB devices are not common.) That covers about 99% of all non-thumb-drive, non-flash-card external drives available on the market today. Sorry, but your old iPod Classic can't be used to store PS4 games. * 7.8 - GREAT! CAN I USE AN EXISTING EXTERNAL DRIVE WITH DATA ALREADY ON IT? * ****************************************************************************** Unfortunately no. If you want to use an external drive in order to load & store PS4 games, the PS4 requires you to reformat the drive, which of course means all the existing content on the drive will be wiped out. Drives used as PS4 external storage are encrypted, and cannot be accessed from a non-PS4. * 7.9 - THAT SUCKS. WHY DID THEY REQUIRE THE DRIVE TO BE REFORMATTED AND * * ENCRYPTED? * ************************************************************************** Security. If the drive was not encrypted, then it would be trivial for a user to make unauthorized modifications to games. And that's a bad thing, because that would make cheating in online games trivial. * 8.0 - MISC. TROUBLESHOOTING * ******************************* * 8.1 - WHY IS MY PS4 SHUTTING ITSELF OFF WHILE I USE IT? * *********************************************************** Two things come to mind: 1. If your PS4 reports it is going to standby mode out of the blue, then what's most likely happening is your PS4 is overheating, and shutting itself down in order to prevent a bad situation from getting worse (meaning component meltdown or an electrical fire). 2. If your PS4 turns itself off immediately without reporting anything, then you either experienced a power outage, a popped circuit, or a brownout. If it's a thermal issue: Make sure that the PS4's ventilation ports on the back and left side of the console are unobstructed by furniture, carpeting, or anything else. If the ports are dusty, then use a can of compressed air to dislodge the dust. Don't place your PS4 in a room that is hot and humid. If the room temperature is over 32C/90F, then it's way too hot, and you need to cool the room down or move the PS4. If you choose to open up the PS4 to sweep it, then make sure you use a shop vacuum. Vacuums other than shop vacuums can generate static energy, which can short-circuit the PS4. If it's an electrical issue: Call an electrician if you own the place where the PS4 is located, or the building maintenance crew if you are renting the place. And invest in a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) while you wait. * 8.2 - WHY DOES MY PS4 COMPLAIN IT WAS IMPROPERLY SHUT DOWN WHEN I PROPERLY * * SHUT IT DOWN THE LAST TIME I USED IT? * ****************************************************************************** This can happen if a power outage occurred while your PS4 was in rest mode. If this happens frequently, then you might think about turning your PS4 off instead of putting it into rest mode, which you can do by choosing Power Options -> Turn Off PS4 in the PS button quick menu. Either that, or consider investing in a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply), so your PS4 will run on battery backup while the power is out. * 8.3 - WHY DOES MY PS4 RANDOMLY EJECT DISCS? * *********************************************** This was a rarely occurring hardware problem that only happened on the original launch PS4s. If it's happening to your launch PS4, then that means the capacitive eject button has been jammed. If your PS4 is still under warranty, I'd get it exchanged. If you don't mind voiding the warranty, and know what you're doing, you can probably take apart the front panel and fix it yourself... But it would probably be a better idea to upgrade to a newer PS4 Slim or Pro, which do not have this problem. * 8.4 - WHY WON'T NETFLIX WORK ON MY PS4 PRO? * *********************************************** Streaming apps on the PS4 Pro may require HDCP 2.2 in order to work. If you start a streaming video app, and you have a receiver that supports HDCP 2.2, but a display that only supports HDCP 1.4 over HDMI 2.0a, then you'll get a blank screen. You might be able to fix it by forcing the PS4 Pro to use HDCP 1.4. Unfortunately, Sony hid this setting in the safe mode menu, rather than in Settings. To force your PS4 Pro to use HDCP 1.4, do this: 1. Power down your PS4. 2. Press and hold down the power button on the front of the PS4. Wait until you hear a second beep (about 7 seconds later), and then release the power button. 3. Choose the "HDCP" option, which is at (or near) the bottom. 4. Choose "HDCP 1.4" in the next menu. 5. Choose to reboot the PS4. To verify that this worked, go to Settings -> Sound and Screen -> Video Output Settings -> Video Output Information. It should say something like "currently, this PS4 is set to use only HDCP 1.4." Now your streaming apps will work, but they will not be able to stream 4K video. * SPECIAL THANKS * ****************** Thanks to: * CJayC and SBAllen (for hosting this FAQ) * Raven on PSN for the port numbers enumerated in 5.9: Fin!