Previous page: Specs and hardware
Media features and value-added apps
Sony launched the PS4 as a gaming-centric machine, while Microsoft initially positioned its console as a device that would tie your TV, physical and digital media together. However, neither really excels as a multimedia device. Both are steadily improving, but the PS3 and Xbox 360 are still better media devices in many respects.
The PS4 is barebones in media functionality, offering significantly less than the older PS3. It can play Blu-rays and DVDs, and that’s basically it. There’s no native media player and the console doesn’t support DLNA media streaming. These features are thought to be on the roadmap for future firmware updates.
For now, the only way to listen to music on the device is via Sony’s Music Unlimited subscription service, which isn’t officially available here. Apps such as Netflix are also not officially supported in South Africa. You can use Plex to stream media from a PC through the PS4’s Web browser, but it’s not an elegant solution.
The Xbox One has a wealth of media features, but many of them will be useless if you have a South African Xbox Live account. Microsoft’s Xbox video and music services have yet to launch in South Africa, and as with the PS4, apps such as Netflix and Amazon’s Lovefilm are not officially available.
I have a UK Xbox Live account and use Unotelly to access Netflix. Since the Xbox One app is clumsy (and seems to gets worse with every update), I prefer to use the service on nearly any other device. However, the Skype app and Kinect are great for family video calls around a big screen.
It’s also quite nifty that you can access SkyDrive videos and photos from your Xbox One. The One’s media player is worse than the 360’s, but it is improving. Lovers of “Creative Commons” content will be pleased that the October update will enable them to stream DLNA .mkv files or play them on the One’s media player from a USB storage device.
Watch video: Ori & the Blind Forest is a dark horse in the Xbox One’s year-end line-up
Streaming media to the Xbox One has been somewhat cumbersome, but an October software update adds true DLNA streaming to the machine. What’s more, Plex is writing a native app for the Xbox One. These options should offer a big improvement over the Windows Play To functionality you needed to use in the past to stream content from your PC.
Unlike PS4, the Xbox One features an HDMI Pass-Thru input, which allows you plug your HD DStv HDMI cable and other HD devices into the console. However, MultiChoice, which owns DStv, has no plans to integrate its electronic programme guide (EPG) data with the Xbox’s OneGuide. For now, that means the Xbox One’s HDMI passthrough is of limited value unless you’re short of HDMI ports in your TV.
Winner: No contest — the Xbox One
Next page: Online platform and social features
