PS4 Remote Play
I just have to tell you all about the coolest thing I discovered recently. With the release of version 3.5 of the Playstation 4 System Software, Sony now supports Remote Play from (or to depending of how you see things) a PC or (even better in my case) from a Mac. Imagine that your better half want to see some weird baking competition on the TV while you’re busy kicking some Orc ass in Shadow of Mordor. Well, now you could just stream the visuals to your computer and continue playing on your computer screen instead. All you need is a reasonably good router and a Dual Shock 4 connected to your computer via bluetooth or USB.
Alright, so how does this help me when I have an ocean between me and my PS4? Well, the amazing thing is that with the new remote play features I can stream video games from Uppsala over the Atlantic to my place in Menlo Park, and it actually seems to work pretty well. The video seem to be a bit compressed and the resolution is capped at 720p, instead of the 1080p you are used to in most PS4 games. All this seems very reasonable if you ask me and the lag is not too bad (but if you play Call of Duty in multiplayer you might object).
I can even wake up the console from rest, which of course is a must for this to be convenient. Sony has previously implemented remote connection features, making the PS4 able to download and install updates automatically. They also allow you to download and install games you purchase from the Playstation Store from their webpage or from their mobile app. This is great since you can purchase a game while you’re away from the console and when you come home the game is installed and ready to go. But with these streaming capabilities they make things even more futuristic.
I should also mention that the Mac app is great. It’s simple, small in size and does its job really well. It’s super easy and straightforward to connect to the PS4 and you have all of the options for the streaming that you might need to change.
I think this is a really great and cool example of how Sony have and continues to do everything right with the PS4. Along with Playstation VR they have a really cool and futuristic set of features that are there for anyone to use right now. But enough of all this, now I need to go back to Firewatch. The integrated graphics card in my Macbook Pro can’t handle it, but now I can stream it from my PS4 back in Sweden. That is just amazing.
