Which is the better media player? PlayStation 4 and Xbox One revisited - Digital Foundry

Eurogamer:
"Ten months ago, we tested the media playback functions of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 extensively, using the feature-set and the quality of the veteran PS3 as the standard. Our verdict? PlayStation 4 passed muster, albeit with a few serious issues on specific applications, while Xbox One was close to an abject failure owing to fundamental deficiencies across the whole media offering. But in truth, neither of the new consoles could supplant the PlayStation 3 as the media centre of choice. Ten months on, has anything changed?"

[snookiegamer]

At this point they're probably 50/50...although I'm more interested in games than Applications I can do on my Lappy ;/

[bleedsoe9mm]

if you own both you know its not 50/50 , right now the xb1 is superior in every way which it should be it was designed with media playback as a major feature . hands free navigation and dlna and mkv playback make it an easy win for MS .

[rainslacker]

I actually think between the two, the X1 is doing better, and getting it's media features a lot faster than the PS4.

Look at my history and you'll see I'm a Sony fan, so I'm not saying this out of console preference, just objective analysis.

I also believe that media functionality is rather poor on both the systems though compared to many other devices out there, 3 of which sit under my TV already. I still default to my PS3 for media playback since it does all I need it to do simply and very well.

[2cents]

XB1

Totally agree bleedsoe9mm

I have both so it would make no sense to lie, XB1 is easily better in this category.

[ikkokucrisis]

Duh X1 is better at streaming movies

[N8]

X1 for me, the fact that I can stream my movies makes it a no brainer.

[Tedakin]

Don't know about the PS4 one, but the Xbox one is great.

[Starbucks_Fan]

da fuq is a PS4 one?

[WitWolfy]

XBMC openelec says hi.

[strangeaeon]

"Says hi" was dumb and irritating the firt 8,000,000 times I saw it used.

[WitWolfy]

That the best come back you got? Nothing compares to XBMC. FACT!

[troylazlow]

XBMC is life. XBMC is love.

[ShiranaiJittai]

Forgive my ignorance but what the hell is XBMC Openelec? Love videogames but I am weaker in the hardware terminology dept.

[Alsybub]

@ShiranaiJittai

XBMC stands for Xbox Media Center. It began development on the first Xbox, once people began to hack it, and has been going ever since. It is the ultimate media centre software, it beats everything else hands down. It literally has thousands of plugins for different streaming services and can be integrated with a PVR, it is also available for MAC, Windows, Android and there are Linux distributions of it.

The name has recently been changed to Kodi, due to trademarking issues with having Xbox in the name.

Find out more here: http://kodi.tv/

Absolutely nothing can compare with XBMC. I've been using it, and had some involvement in the early days on the Xbox, and now that you can buy a quad core Android TV box with 2GB of RAM outputting at 1080p 60HZ with 3D support for well under $100 there's no reason why anyone can't have the ultimate smart TV that will stream EVERYTHING and run every tablet app on Google Play Store. It's also impossible to convey just how beautiful and clever it is.

I cannot stress enough how good it really is and it negates the use of the PS4, X1 or a SMART TV as a source of media.

[BLKxSEPTEMBER]

You cant even stream movies from your pc on ps4 as far as i no. That automatically gives the x1 the edge. This topic is dumb.

[memots]

plex - > ps4 browser ( or any browser )

works great.
Oh yeah .. its free too for all the Masta race out there.

[lemoncake]

Plex and Mkv support on X1 plus the fact I can plug my cable box into it makes it easily miles ahead of the ps4 in this regard. Ps4 is missing so much still in this area, big switch around from start of last gen.

[WeaseL]

People need to update there TV's, having to turn your console on for media is so 00's

[u-bEttA-rUn]

Lmao waaait a minute... Lol
I usually don't comment like this but I just find it too funny that when ps3 was (from the beginning)
superior Media Hub in so many ways.It was crucified and down played because of this.

And now (ctfu) its the second coming...

But OT: Microsoft has done very well trying to counter what they thought Sony's approach would be to this gen based off of last gen.
But like the article stated most of these advantages can already be done via mobile device or media share. And if you don't have the >connect< (on purpose) along with the extra apps which comes with extra fees... Oh never mind play on lol

[Blaze929]

changed your calendar to 2014 yet?

[u-bEttA-rUn]

Of course I have... That's why I gave MS a little praise this time lol

I like the X1 for what it is... But I had one last gen (ps3 - minus voice command) lol
But for me personally
I have cable but don't watch it ( package deal with Internet)
And I couldn't care less for sports unless my home team is playing.
And let's be really honest here we aaaaall know where the best games are and will be. So someone convince me why I should buy a X1 please? Lol

[Death]

We all know where the best games are and will be? I hope the answer is Wii, PC, PS4, and Xbox One. You can probably add the PS3 and 360 in there since they are both still getting support. DS still gets them too. Possibly the Vita in 2015 if we are lucky.

Convince you to buy an Xbox One? Without it you will miss out on some great games. Same holds true if you are X1 only.

[MasterCornholio]

I pretty much agree with you. I use my PS4 for watching YouTube in terms of media features. But if I want anything extra done I just plug in my 50€ android HDMI stick and I can do everything from downloading movies via torrents to watching them on the same device.

[kingPoS]

It's kinda weird that the Xbox One doesn't operates bluray movies natively. It's the same thing that bugs me about the smart phone. Use an app for everything, even sites that should work perfectly fine without one.

Gateway MT6706 2008

[Xb1ps4]

Lmfao.. You asked for someone to convince you to buy an xb1..

With a ignorant comment like " I like the x1 for what it is but had one last gen"
So you loved the better media last gen but hate it this gen as if the ps4 has sssooooo much going for it right now.. Lol of course other then sales...

Why would anyone try to convince you?! You seem confused..

[Morpheuzpr]

"Microsoft has done very well trying to counter what they thought Sony's approach would be to this gen based off of last gen."

They have always been a me too company. For the 360 they tried to be what the PS2 was with the 3rd party support, Devil may cry, Resident evil, Final fantasy etc, so Sony beat them with their 1st party exclusives. Now for the Xbone they thought exclusives is the way to go but they had no 1st party so they paid for Titanfall, Ryse, Dead rising 3, Sunset overdrive and Tomb raider. Do you see the trend?

[rainslacker]

Not always. MS became successful because they weren't a me-to company. Their complete opposite approach to the PC market compared to Apple, and many other OS makers of the time, is what made them successful...that and making Windows available for the i286.

Nowadays though, I will agree that they do come late to the party too often. It's hurt them in some areas, but they still excel in others where people more often than not just copy them.

Sometimes, good ideas should be copied. Sony should have copied some of it's own ideas for this gen, and just improved on what the PS4's predecessor already had in abundance and quality.

Other than that, it doesn't matter which is a better media player. I don't think people are buying these systems for that feature. I could see it last gen for a "cheap" blu-ray player, but the need for buying an expensive device for this functionality are long gone. It's just a nice added bonus, and have no problem with it being included, and would like to see it improved on to make my TV set-up more convenient.

[Death]

The original Xbox had a tremendous amount of first party titles. The problem is they didn't all make money or even break even. When the recession hit many of these devs were lost due to cut backs and restructuring. The 360 lost out since these devs were simply gone. It wasn't till 2012 that Microsoft started investing into their first party studios again.

Both companies are diversifying. Sony did this in the 90's when they made deals with Sega to make their CD add-on and when they made a deal with Nintendo to make their "bulky" drive. When the latter fell through, Sony decided to bring out their own Playstation.

Microsoft obviously came to the party after Sony, but neither can be credited for building the industry. Both were bit players in an already established industry. Microsoft had dabbled with games since Flight Simulator back in the 80's and onto consoles when CE was the OS of the Dreamcast. It wasn't until the first Xbox that Microsoft Game Studios came into creation. Prior to the Playstation Sony was making addons and custom chips, but they also made CD based games for the Sega CD. Here's some cool history for Sony games. http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Both companies have brought quite a bit to gaming. It's hard to dismiss Microsoft as being a "me too" when they were the first to make broadband a requirement having an Ethernet connection on every Xbox. They were also the first to require a HDD which did away with the reliance on costly memory cards. These were two unpopular choices they made that went a long way in dragging gaming closer to cutting edge. They were also the first to offer a game matchmaking service with Live. Prior to this online was left up to publishers and developers to host and maintain.

[memots]

i remember this well last gen.

"Ps3 is a media box a blue-ray player, I play game" from the fanboy now its changed. Second coming again lol

[Angeljuice]

"Microsoft designed Xbox One in an era where consoles were being used just as much for media playback - if not more - than they were for gaming. Placing so much emphasis on this proved to be a costly error both in terms of initial marketing and hardware design, but the logic at the time was sound. However, the reality is that media playback is now ubiquitous across virtually all devices - streaming from smartphone or tablet to an HDTV is ridiculous easy, assuming your HDTV doesn't already have smart functionality onboard to begin with."

Well done Microsoft, you win in a sector that is no longer relevant.
Thank goodness Sony concentrated on games.

[u-bEttA-rUn]

I was trying not to be that harsh but I agree lol

This was Sony's attack with the ps3 when it mattered. And at this moment while I'm typing this on my phone I'm downloading three movies to my galaxy streaming 1 to my ps3 that I will download to my playstation 3 once I finish watching (checking for quality)

And doing all that I stated above wirelessly from my couch for >FREE< along with all the latest TV shows Walking dead Sons of Anarchy S.h.i.e.l.d. and anything else you can think of
Ijs

[marlinfan10]

MS hasnt focused on games? Its had the best game lineup this year IMO. And I wouldnt consider it irrelevant these days. Until I can play tv through my ps4, snap my tv while gaming, snap netflix, or use plex, xbox will be my go to console.

[u-bEttA-rUn]

I like the whole snap thing myself... But if I'm a gamer and I own a ps3 is snap worth paying $500 for X1 No maybe $400...no? Maybe $339?no... Yea I don't think so either.
And MS didn't have the best lineup they were less scrutinized for their games because they did so well turning their image around this year. While Sony on the other hand had all the positivity and a few rough game launches and the hate comes right back... Most of the issues have been fixed and you can't tell me that these games aren't better then the ones available on x1 lol

Let's be honest here we all know what's about to happen in the next two years and on with Sony and their games library. Sony and their studios have been the most anticipated at every award show and gaming event for the past 6 years straight and that's no coincidence.

[Angeljuice]

"MS hasnt focused on games?"

They designed the Xbox one from a hardware perspective to be a media player/games machine. That is why it is weaker as a games console than the PS4.
If you're happy with a compromised games machine with superior media player, more power to you. I however am glad that Sony decided not to go down that route as I have plenty of ways of watching TV, movies e.t.c. already.

I am glad that you have enjoyed the Xbox One game lineup this past year, but each of those games would have been noticeably better had Microsoft not designated a significant amount of its limited hardware resources towards media playback.

I suppose it depends where your personal priorities sit.

[mxguy93]

Snap is the stupidest feature for gaming. Why would I want to obstruct my view of the game I'm playing with netflix or cable. The only thing I see it usable for is when u pause the game and u snap achievements to see what u need. Then unsnap it. It would have been so much easier though to bring back the guide from the 360. It was much better than this snap feature.

[marlinfan10]

Obviously snap isnt worth $400-$500, thats not what I said at all. The consoles are so similar though that features like that are big selling points. Your excuse about the games and hate is nonsense. If anything, sonys games shouldve scored better then since xbox has had a ridiculous amount of hate from the media over the past year, especially the first 6-8 months.

Sony had one bad launch if im not mistaken, all the others launched just fine. You can put your twist on it to make yourself feel better, but the truth is the xbox games have just been better. Best fps of the yr- TF and halo, both xbox exclusives. Best racer- fh2. Best fighter-KI. Those great games tied in with features like snap are the reason Im primarily on my xbox

@mxguy

Dont hate until you try it. I thought the same thing and now I use snap literally every single day. Being able to snap tv, friends list, messaging, or any app really, all while your playing is hard to turn back from. Its easily my most used feature on xbox

[mxguy93]

@marlinfan10 I have tried it had an Xbox one for a few months Hated snap. No use for it in gaming. Maybe if your like a sports fan that has ESPN app on and cable snapped. I don't see this being used from the hard core gamer perspective

[marlinfan10]

To each Their own I suppose. I consider myself a pretty "hardcore gamer" but I still find tons of use in features like this.

[rainslacker]

They do now, but the reveal, and up until E3, no, their focus was not on games. It was the most criticized thing about them past the DRM, and was at a time when Xbox fans were virtually non-existent around here...or at least they didn't say much or were just as pissed as everyone else.

MS said they had games to placate the gamer...poorly I might add, but the majority of their initial marketing focus was on it's media functionality and it's integrated features. That is undeniable, and shouldn't be up to revisionist history. Game systems should be about games, and these companies should be reminded of that every minute of every day if necessary...regardless of console preference. Luckily MS realized this, and they are doing much better because of it.

[Morpheuzpr]

People forget that Sony is a multimedia company, so putting dlna and mkv on the PS4 would be counter productive. I mean the main reason people want it is so they can stream their pirated movies and tv shows, a lot of which, could be produced or published by Sony. Microsoft has nothing to loose so they went for it.

[rainslacker]

Think it has more to do with the system being kind of rushed and the software not really being ready yet. it does take time to get that stuff running. MS might have gotten it quicker since the X1 OS is a windows derivative.

Just speculation of course. Sony makes many products which can easily stream pirated content, as well as the devices which can do the streaming, so I don't think they're withholding it from PS4 for that reason.

MKV they might withhold for that reason though. Luckily transcoding is readily available on most PC media servers.

[Bowzabub]

So the PS4 is done with updates then?

[sungam3d]

I have a crappy $200 computer hooked up to my PC with a custom XBMC (x box media center) program.
Wireless xbox 360 controller hooked up to it for control.
Streams all tv shows n movies off my main PC via LAN.

Love it, best software ever made.

[blackout]

Thats a lot of work. I just say XBOX ON and that's it.

[rainslacker]

I just use my regular computer and PS3 for streaming. Use a program called PS3 media server(not made by Sony), and it works quite well and is very easy to use with lots of transcoding features.

I'd like to set up a dedicated server PC for it though and stick it in some closet or something.

[Minute Man 721]

I knew it, 3D movies look better on PS3

[u-bEttA-rUn]

Lol

[abra511]

the ps3 wins

[kalimero2]

so PS3 was better last gen, this gen xbox one

[n4rc]

Wtf is up with the article itself?

Ps4 was cool but Xbox one failed? Please explain how the exact same feature set (no dnla on either, no mkv on either etc) gave such different results?

I know the article is about how they perform now.. But I can't get over that.. They were both exactly the same at launch

Did ps4 have all the features you hold against Xbox? Nope.. Blurays didn't work? Huh.. News to me.. Same with Netflix skipping etc..

[DJustinUNCHAIND]

Until a chromestick or Roku can play AAA games on them, I'll stick to using my console as my Media device.

[aerisbueller]

If I had ridiculous money to spend on just a media box, I'd choose the X1. The voice command channel thing by itself is just too badass.

I just wish it had a feature to search through all the streaming services in one command like. "XBox, play Breaking Bad", and it would list Netflix, AMC (the channel), and whatever else had it available with one single voice search.

[Lenrulesdaworld]

You can do that just pin breaking bad to the dash board in the pins area....boom, xbox watch breaking bad. And you can pull that from any streaming app

[aerisbueller]

Right. I mean being able to search your services that way though. So I want to watch Guardians of the Galaxy in a few months, and I don't know which if any services have it. Instead of checking each service one by one, I do one search and it checks all services.

I think I heard somewhere that Roku (or one those streaming boxes) might have a search like this. It will probably be the standard for everything in a few years. It would be cooler with voice and the x1's remote blaster thing as well.

[GNCFLYER]

I keep reading and hearing a lot about xbox1 features and updates that the ps4 doesn't have but no one writes articles about share play, remote play, and psnow. Aren't those features?

[No_Limit]

Those are not media features...they are game features.

Not just DLNA, but Snap to have 2 apps open at once, voice control with Kinect, external HDD support and the upcoming integration on Windows 10 are killer media features that are hard for anyone to match.

[windblowsagain]

I use plex on my pc and stream to PS4. Never had a problem with it.

And it's free.

All the other apps ,bbciplayer, nowtv( even though i've had now tvbox for ages all work fine.)

I'm not quite sure where there is any problem with any of the devices.

Live tv I don't care about.

I download what (I) want to watch or stream it FREE.

[Lenrulesdaworld]

What the caps on free, if you had an xbox one instead it would be the same way. It would still be free right, i mean theres no paywall for any of the apps like ps4 and plex is the same on both consoles.

[Master of Unlocking]

I'm very much interested in doing that, but on my PS3 since I don't have a PS4 (yet).
Mind explaining how you do it?

[S2Killinit]

Well lets wait until the "Vue" hits, and then decide. And i dont know if PSNOW is a consideration in this since its a gaming rental service. (Share play, remote play features?)

[Wintersina]

My Chromecast.

[Shineon]

Its already been proven that the ps3 has a better bluray player then both ps4 and x1.You don't have to believe me on this,google it yourself I kid you not

[Master of Unlocking]

I don't understand why Sony still hasn't brought .mkv and .srt support to both the PS3 and the PS4. In this day and age, this is unacceptable.

Every time I download a movie via torrent sites I have to make sure it's not .mkv, and if I want to have an original language track (say english for ex.) along with the subbed track, I need to look for those rare .mp4 vids that do it, it's such a chore.

[CernaML]

"Every time I download a movie via torrent sites I have to make sure it's not .mkv"

I think you just answered your own question. lol

[EliteGameKnight]

I'm not saying they should be removed, as people do enjoy them, but does it matter? I feel that as they are game consoles, that should be the first and formost focus. not having it serve as a movie/netflix/hulu/amazon/twit ch/facebook device, but instead as a device for the medium it was created for. not one that tries to wiggle its way into others

[Segata]

I honestly feel Roku is better for streaming services. They function better than consoles and UI is better and more responsive. I don't watch streaming services anymore on a console than I do play games on Roku. I rarely play a movie from a disc and just use my PS3 and it's super rare. I just don't put any importance on media stuff except for putting music on the HDD for games I can custom a soundtrack.

I just honestly turn a console on to play games and little to nothing else.

I also feel no one device can own the living room anymore because the living room is no longer stationary. It's now mobile with phones and tablets and laptops plus hand held gaming devices. Just so much anymore.

[SpinalRemains138]

I would definitely say the XOne is a better media console right now, and has been since launch.

I'm a staunch PS supporter, and this fact is ok with me, but I don't see how anyone can debate this issue.

PS4 was launched much like the PS2 was, with games solely in mind. PS3 was different due to pushing a new format and was slated to do a lot more than its predecessors.

PS4 however is back to its roots and is a gaming machine first, with media access slowly dribbled here and there. XOne is being pushed as a jack of all trades, and it does it well.

[souga_houjou_jin]

And........despite all that the xbox still behind the ps4

GZ ps4 for winning november WORLDWIDE
even the master milked collection,sunsnet overflop couldnt stop you

gz

[22CobraKing]

Yea all knew this its more of an entertainment device rather than a gaming console that's why it lacks good games/

[IslandNassau]

That's it I'm commenting,

I love your article, but it's hard not to see what's starting to brew (someone's being paid/not saying who are the payee and payer).

Your article asks the questions which console has the better media player. Not which was better –past, not which console had the most work done to make it better-updates. But simply, which is better. Your article starts heavily on what MS did and where they are now.

IMO: This article attempts to persuade persons on the fence as to what gaming console to purchase. It really shouldn't be a fight. Just deliver on said promises and let the consumers decide. Be fair in comparing pic/vids/articles, and let me the consumers speak.

If comparing Pictures/videos from both consoles, then let us see you capture those pics/vids and then let us be the judge. Let us see you bench test everything and link the vid in your article (be transparent).

· I have a Panasonic Viera 47/3d and the remote works fine with my PS4.
· YouTube Works fine (best ever)
· BBC iPlayer works fine (my daughter loves peter rabbit)
· Netflix works fine (like the Rock would say ask the millions and millions of ps4/3 fans).

Sony never promised a Media Center, they Promised and delivered a Gaming machine (An Awesome one at that) even now Kevin Butler would say so. And adding the media side of things to add quality to the console.

Ask these questions:
1. Which console at launch was The Best Gaming Console?
2. Which console at launch was the best for a Media Center (PS3, PS4, and the Xbox -1)?
3. Which Console delivered on their promises to consumers?

Note: if there are typos, errors, major grammar issues. Please ignore them.
​

[IslandNassau]

Pc Streaming to PS4 works very nicely (takes a bit of work, but it works)

[Condemnedman]

Salty tears Sony fanboys salty tears 😭

[brianunfried]

The best media player is the OUYA.

[Funky Town_TX]

You either like media features or you don't. I don't have an X1, but the PS4 media features are behind the xbox 360's media features. The tacked on mp3 player feature is sad. Streaming music into games plays the mp3 audio at the same time as the game audio

[StrawberryDiesel420]

Who cares, people buy game consoles to play games primarily

[MadMenX]

xbox, hands down.

[captainexplosion]

I can't get my XB1 to stream in HD or without constant buffering. And the XB1 degrades pic quality if you run cable though it. PS3 is the best media player still. And PS4 is much better than XB1.

[Condemnedman]

Must be your Internet connection, mine is fine and running a cable through it does not degrade picture.

[captainexplosion]

Lol. Running through XB1 cable does degrade pic quality. Trust me, I am 100% sure. Google it. It is very easy to test yourself because the picture freezes if pull out the HDMI. When there are artifacts pull out the HDMI and then run it directly from satellite to tv and see if it improves. It will. And as far as my Netflix not coming in HD that was a very common complaint with XB1 around launch. It seems to have improved for most, but not for me. And it has nothing to do w my internet connection. Even PS3 ran Netflix better than the 360 for me. Back when I could only get 1.5mb internet in my neighborhood I couldn't get Netflix to stream at all on my 360 but I could no problem on my PS3 as long as it was SD. PS3 is my go to streaming device. The XB1 has great games (Sunset is my GOTY), but as a all-in-one home entertainment device it is a complete failure.

[Helloween13]

I bought a PS4 and Xbone for playing games on them as for the media i dont give a flying toss about it thats for 10 year old boys to get excited over

[ShiranaiJittai]

Playstation 3. Odd yet true

Edited to explain this strange fact.

Let's look at the different types and ways media can be played with all systems from this current generation as well as previous

Wii : Nintendo Wii and Gamecube Games, Streaming

Wii U: Nintendo Wii and Wii U games, Streaming

Xbox 360: CD,DVD,Xbox 360, some Xbox games, Streaming, Flash Drive support

Xbox One : DVD, Blu-ray, Xbox One Games, HDMI IN/Out, Streaming

Playstation 4: DVD, Blu-ray, PS4 Games, Streaming

Finally the PS3 Xbox One is probably in second don't get me wrong I love my PS4 but when you are talking about it being a media device being able to hook it up to another box is a pretty cool feature.

PS3: CD, PS1 Games, (Some models) PS2 Games, DVD, MP3, DLNA, Memory Stick Pro Duo, Flash Drive, External HDD, Blu-ray, PS3 Games, Streaming.

That is nearly double the features of any other system on this list. PS3 wins no contest if you are talking clearly of quantity and range of "additional features"

What is really sad is that the Blu-ray player in the PS3 is still the best Blu-Ray player out there. I found it hard to believe as well but there are numerous tech reviews that compare the 3 blu ray players in PS3 PS4 and Xbox One and most agree.

It comes down to the cost of the system. PS3 cost just shy of 1100 dollars to make. No idea what 360 or Xbox One cost to make but PS4 was something like 440-480 dollars? Somewhere around there. The largest cost is the 8GB GDDR5 Memory estimates put it at half the cost of the system.

[Master of Unlocking]

Interesting (and voted as such), but hold on a sec: do you mean the PS4 can't even read music CDs???

Also, I have an external 2TB HDD with my pics, mp3s and vids (MP4 and AVI) on it, I just hook it up to my PS3 to watch and listen to all that stuff, could I hook it up in and enjoy it in the same way on the PS4?

[DarXyde]

Did we really need to involve Digital Foundry to make this assessment? Pretty obvious XBOX One has more going for it in terms of media functionality.

Fortunately, I only have 4 demands: Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, and the web browser. Not once (this generation or last) did I ever need streaming or even Blu Ray playback. I'm pretty good with my PlayStation 4 just playing games, thanks.
I have enough devices hooked up that can stream and all that jazz, even if I don't use it. My car has a sunroof too, and I couldn't tell you what the button looks like.