PlayStation VR Must Be Unplugged to View HDR Content
By Alexander Pan 04 October 2016
HDR TV owners who plan on purchasing a PlayStation VR headset will have to deal with some cable management, as users will have to unplug the headset in order to use a PS4 in HDR.
We are less than two weeks away from the October 13 release date of Sony’s virtual reality headset, the PlayStation VR, and the company has released a lengthy FAQ on its official blog that addresses a number of questions that users may have. Most of it covers what we already know, such as price and pre-ordering information, but it does provide some interesting new information regarding the headset’s Processor Unit and HDR television set owners.
For those who are unaware, the PlayStation VR headset connects to a PlayStation 4 through an external processing box called the Processor Unit, which comes bundled with the headset and serves as an HDMI splitter. Normal TV owners won’t have an issue with the Processing Unit, but new information from Sony’s blog reveals that HDR TV owners will have to do a bit of extra plugging and unplugging in order to experience HDR content on their TV set.
While users can still use their PS4 console with the PSVR headset plugged in (as long as the Processing Unit is plugged in and the headset is off), Sony has revealed that the Processing Unit’s pass-through functionality doesn’t support HDR at any resolution. This means that users will have to unplug the PSVR’s Processing Unit and plug their PS4 or PlayStation 4 Pro directly into their TV set if they want to play HDR content.
Since HDR TV sets are still relatively uncommon, this HDR TV/PSVR plugging and unplugging issue won’t be an issue for most people. But with all PS4 consoles now supporting HDR, developers looking to deliver HDR support to their games, and the inevitable rise of HDR TV set owners, this will undoubtedly be a nuisance to be aware of in the future.
However, given the current demand for Sony’s VR headset – it is reportedly in greater demand than the original PS1 console – it is unlikely that some minor cable management will derail the PSVR’s impact. For those who are still planning on purchasing the headset, there are probably other areas that require more attention, such as room space requirements and the need for the PlayStation Move controllers for some games.
Having said that, these are relatively minor issues for a piece of technology that could play a hand in changing the gaming industry. But until we all get to experience the PSVR headset in a home environment – Processing Unit cable management and all – Sony gets the benefit of the doubt regarding this minor cable hassle for now.
PlayStation VR is scheduled for launch on October 13th.
Source: Official PlayStation Blog (via GameSpot)
