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2manygs

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 10, 2015
16
3
Midlands, UK
Hi guys, just wondering how everyone is getting on with the PS4 remote play app?

I have been playing The Witcher 3 on my 15" MacBook Pro, it's a revelation for me as I can't really make out the text on this game when using my TV, despite it being a 65" model. (Bad eyes)

It connects every time so far over Lan or WAN. Controller latency is barely noticeable on LAN but noticeable on WAN, but still playable.

My only gripe is that the video quality is not great even on my home network, all settings on the Remote Play app are at max but it still looks like a bad Netflix/Youtube stream. My router is a BT Homehub 5, the MacBook Pro is over wifi, the PS4 over ethernet. I'm thinking of plugging in my Netgear router to see if it improves things.
 
I don't own a PS4 but I assume the same principle stands. Make sure that you have a router that supports WiFi band at 5GHz (instead of the 2.4GHz that is the most common/low cost) as it is considered a must when streaming in HD resolutions.

I had a similar issue streaming HD videos from my NAS to Apple TV. My old router with a 2.4GHz wifi band had unexpected pauses and random seeks every few minutes while streaming. Changing to a newer one and connecting on the 5GHz band problem is solved (routers that support 5GHz bands also offer the 2.4 one, so make sure you are connected to the correct WiFi network).

Just keep in mind that the 5GHz band - although much more powerful - has a shorter range.
 
Sitting same room as my router, PS4 and Mac and I get disconnections but other than that it is not to bad. A faster bigger broadband would maybe stop the disconnects but I cannot afford that at the moment.

Elsewhere I read connecting the PS4 to your router via an ethernet cable will solve picture quality issues and lags and disconnects.

Defeats the object somewhat but if as me in the same room sounds like a plan :)
 
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Any others who's tested it? I've not got a PS4 atm, but a feature like this would pretty much eliminate my need for a boot camp partition and boy do I hate that reboot. So if it's good, I might go for one finally.

Edit: I should add that I've got a sort of opposite setup today with a Steam Link and it works really well, even on wireless.
 
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Gave it a try with GTA. Impressed that it actually works. Sure some quality loss, didn't bother me at all. Pretty cool since my wife hates when I play on the TV and she can't use it.
 
I've been using the RemorePlay APP a few times since it came out and so far I'm pretty impressed.

I do have both my PS4 and my iMac connected via cable though (on the Vita...yes some people actually got one.. i'm used to the connection suddenly getting pretty laggy)

Connection wise its fast enough for racing games (Track Mania Turbo i.e.) but yes, sadly, the video quality could be a bit better
 
OK, because my main use for this is to use my Mac screen to play my PS4 I have connected my PS4 to my router via a Lan cable, and to say it is way way better is an understatement, works brilliantly, did not not notice any lag and the remote play settings are on their highest :)
 
I'd like to use this to play games on my 24" iMac, in the same house as the PS4.

I've tried it once so far and the window on the iMac was small. I also wonder whether being so near to the PS4 is a problem, as when I switch on the DS4 connected to the Mac via USB, the PS4 picks up the controller over Bluetooth and asks which user it is for, where as if I was in a remote location this would not happen.
 
I'd like to use this to play games on my 24" iMac, in the same house as the PS4.

I've tried it once so far and the window on the iMac was small. I also wonder whether being so near to the PS4 is a problem, as when I switch on the DS4 connected to the Mac via USB, the PS4 picks up the controller over Bluetooth and asks which user it is for, where as if I was in a remote location this would not happen.

i sit in the same room as my PS4, I have never noticed the controller issue you have asking which user it is for. As for window size can you not grab the bottom right corner and open it to the size you want.
 
Used this a few times and had no lag/disconnections. I have BT homehub 5, PS4 is connected to the router via ethernet cable, and Macbook Pro Retina is connected to the route via 5ghz wi-fi. I have even got a dual band wi-fi extender upstairs for the bedroom, and works fine connected to the extender. Settings are 720p and 60fps.

Only issue I have encountered so far is on The Golf Club - for some reason it runs smooth apart from swinging the club (which is annoying!) as it lags hugely. However games like Rocket League online run perfect (which is a much faster paced game and I would of expected issues with this more than a golf game!).

It's a shame 1080p is not an available option, as I think I have the bandwith (network wise) to handle this, hopefully this will be an option in future, but although 720p does look a little "washed out", its still more than playable and overall I like the remote play on the mac.
 
Since the PS4 does not support 5GHz networks, you have to connect to 2.4Ghz on the PS4 end so even using 5Ghz on the mac still results in bad quality. I cannot even get my PS4 to connect to my Mac, it immediately says the network isn't fast enough. Even though with my iMac on 5GHz I can pull 120Mb down and 25Mb up, since the PS4 is on 2.4Ghz, I can barely get 4Mb upload speeds.

I don't own a PS4 but I assume the same principle stands. Make sure that you have a router that supports WiFi band at 5GHz (instead of the 2.4GHz that is the most common/low cost) as it is considered a must when streaming in HD resolutions.

I had a similar issue streaming HD videos from my NAS to Apple TV. My old router with a 2.4GHz wifi band had unexpected pauses and random seeks every few minutes while streaming. Changing to a newer one and connecting on the 5GHz band problem is solved (routers that support 5GHz bands also offer the 2.4 one, so make sure you are connected to the correct WiFi network).

Just keep in mind that the 5GHz band - although much more powerful - has a shorter range.
 
Since the PS4 does not support 5GHz networks, you have to connect to 2.4Ghz on the PS4 end so even using 5Ghz on the mac still results in bad quality. I cannot even get my PS4 to connect to my Mac, it immediately says the network isn't fast enough. Even though with my iMac on 5GHz I can pull 120Mb down and 25Mb up, since the PS4 is on 2.4Ghz, I can barely get 4Mb upload speeds.

My understanding is that the ps4 sends to the mac via the router. So the mac would still connect to the router at 5ghz, so the issue about 2.4ghz would only be relevant if the ps4 was connected wirelessly and not via ethernet to the router?

Personally never saw an issue with connecting ps4 with ethernet, as the router is always at the main tv unit where the ps4 is.
 
Since the PS4 does not support 5GHz networks, you have to connect to 2.4Ghz on the PS4 end so even using 5Ghz on the mac still results in bad quality. I cannot even get my PS4 to connect to my Mac, it immediately says the network isn't fast enough. Even though with my iMac on 5GHz I can pull 120Mb down and 25Mb up, since the PS4 is on 2.4Ghz, I can barely get 4Mb upload speeds.

Oh, that's very disappointing. Didn't know that PS4 had such a handicap. And I thought that only my Amazon Kindle was left so far behind...
Well, cable connection seems the only way, then.
 
My only gripe is that the video quality is not great even on my home network, all settings on the Remote Play app are at max but it still looks like a bad Netflix/Youtube stream. My router is a BT Homehub 5, the MacBook Pro is over wifi, the PS4 over ethernet. I'm thinking of plugging in my Netgear router to see if it improves things.
The output from the PS4 is limited to 720p same as when capturing videos of gameplay using the PS4 share features, so it won't look all that great on a higher resolution screen (even more so if it's a retina display).
 
I've used remote play quite a lot since its release, I have the home hub 4 router and use the 5ghz wifi to my 2011 MBP. The only issue I have is after around 30 minutes of gameplay my MBP freezes and the sound crashes in a loop then the MBP reboots!
 
i sit in the same room as my PS4, I have never noticed the controller issue you have asking which user it is for. As for window size can you not grab the bottom right corner and open it to the size you want.

I think the problem was that I was pressing the PS button when connecting the DS4 to the Mac, to turn the controller on, which I don't need to do as connecting it via USB is sufficient. And yes I can make it full screen, but the resolution isn't great.

For now I'll stick to using my Xenta wireless HDMI sender to cast the PS4 upstairs as the picture quality is much better.
 
I think the problem was that I was pressing the PS button when connecting the DS4 to the Mac, to turn the controller on, which I don't need to do as connecting it via USB is sufficient. And yes I can make it full screen, but the resolution isn't great.

For now I'll stick to using my Xenta wireless HDMI sender to cast the PS4 upstairs as the picture quality is much better.

Probaly wont be as the highest setting is 720 and also sending it over WiFi will not help unless upu have a real good router, if using it in the same room which you are not connecting by LAN cable is the best choice I have found.

I also read that the PS4s WiFi chip is the best in the world either.
 
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For now I'll stick to using my Xenta wireless HDMI sender to cast the PS4 upstairs as the picture quality is much better.

I always heard wireless hdmi was too laggy to play video games with. I guess your experience is different?

Are you just using the ps4 controllers through the floor/ceiling, or are you somehow remote connecting them somehow to the ps4 as well?

I am actually interested in relaying my xbox one to a bedroom tv, I may break down and try a pc stick running Windows 10, but I want to figure all my options (including wireless HDMI) before spending the money.
 
I decided to cave in and get the PS4 and so far I'm very happy with the results. But, as mentioned, the lack of support for 802.11ac is crippling the PS4 a bit. What I did is that I use a Powerline adapter for the PS4 and managed to cut the latency from about 25-35ms to 3-5ms, which good enough for most games.
 
I always heard wireless hdmi was too laggy to play video games with. I guess your experience is different?

Are you just using the ps4 controllers through the floor/ceiling, or are you somehow remote connecting them somehow to the ps4 as well?

I am actually interested in relaying my xbox one to a bedroom tv, I may break down and try a pc stick running Windows 10, but I want to figure all my options (including wireless HDMI) before spending the money.

Hi Rich

I've had no problems with lag, I've used this set up to play COD and Killzone Shadowfall online.

The PS4 controllers connect via bluetooth, as usual, to the PS4 downstairs. The bedroom is directly above the lounge. I have splitters and a switch downstairs so that I can switch between the PS3 and PS4.
 
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