Connecting Sony Playstation 4 to TV

When it comes to solving the question of how to connect PS4 to a TV, I just want to remember Bulgakov’s idea - cure like with like. The fact is that the only sensible way out of the situation is to buy (well, or have it in any case) a PS4 console and a corresponding TV. Old TV sets without an HDMI input connector will no longer work. A new PS4 connection also requires new hardware.

A little about the connector

Strictly speaking, HDMI, or High Definition Multimedia Interface, is a reflection of the current rapidly developing world of multimedia, and it would be naive to assume that Sony will lag behind this world and will enter the fields of the Champions League with some old stuff.

This connector:

• with copy protection;
• high definition signal transmission;
• multichannel;
• digital.

It was developed in 2002, its first version 1.0 was released on December 9 and could provide a transfer speed of 4.9 Gb/s, also very decent.

But since then this connector has even “jumped” over itself. The latest version 2.1, released immediately after the New Year 2017, already provides 10 times higher speed (48 Gb/s) and even audio transmission over 32 channels.

Of course, there are no TVs with HDMI 2.1 support on the market yet, although you have to wait “any day now”, and you never know if you’re late. But support for version 2.0 (it was released on December 4, 2013) is already in full swing. Although they often focus on HDMI 1.4b. 2.0 already supports wide screens - 21:9, and 1.4b - began to work with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels.

In other words, everything is made for the coolest new games, as if on purpose - for the Sony PlayStation 4.

What TV can be used to connect PS4

It is fair to say that playing on a modern and large TV is much more pleasant and comfortable than on older TV models. But sometimes you don't have to choose. There is a console, but you’ll have to wait a little while buying a new TV.

This is not a reason to abandon the games themselves. The only question is which TVs are really suitable for connecting PS4 to your TV. There is an opinion that this cannot be done on old TVs, since they simply do not have an HDMI connector. Apparently nothing will work without him. It's a delusion. You can play. Albeit with some restrictions.

We should take a closer look at the question of which TV you can connect to and enjoy the gameplay via PS4.

1. TV technology. The ideal choice would be modern LCD and plasma TVs with all the necessary connectors, including the much-desired HDMI. But PS4 does not limit its users to this. In theory, you can even connect to models with cathode ray tubes. But in this case, when compared with LED TVs, the user will lose in sound and image quality.
2. Screen resolution. The higher the better. You can start with 640x480 pixels. But it’s better to strive for HD, FullHD, or 4K.
3. Update frequency. The console will perform optimally on TVs with a refresh rate of 100 Hz and higher.
4. Viewing angle. It must be checked separately on each model. It will be a shame to sit down in front of the TV with a friend, start playing, and find that when viewed from the side, the screen darkens and almost nothing is visible. Some even modern models are guilty of this.
5. Input Lag. A characteristic that determines the time for incoming signals to be reflected and transmitted to the display. This is extremely important for games.
6. Response time. Defined in milliseconds. It is desirable that the response is no more than 5 milliseconds.
7. It is also the update index. Often it is not given much attention. It varies from 1000 to 3000, and this directly affects the cost of TV.
8. Display size. Here you need to focus on the size of the room and the distance at which the user will be relative to the TV.
9. Interfaces. If you are buying a new TV with the intention of connecting a PS4, the first thing you should do is buy a model with an HDMI interface.
10. Game Mode. Also on modern TVs, if you press the mode change button, there is a game mode. When activated, a number of options aimed at optimizing the operation of the TV are disabled in order to redirect all resources to the console.

But these are only the optimal characteristics that you should strive for.

At the same time, you should not fall into despair if you do not have at your disposal a modern, widescreen TV with the same HDMI interface and 4K resolution. You can still play on PS4. Although you will have to use some tricks, buy adapters and some equipment.

PS4 and old TVs

Here we are not talking about frankly old, almost black and white TVs. Here, rather, the question concerns color, but technically already outdated TV models, which do not have almost the main interface for operating a game console.

For some reason, many people think that in the absence of HDMI, you can forget about the ability to connect PS4 to your TV. In reality this is not the case. The presence of an RCA, S-Video or composite interface allows you to do without HDMI.

In the case of old TVs, you can most often find RCA connectors, that is, interfaces for classic tulips. To connect, you will need an adapter, as well as several additional cords.

ATTENTION. This makes connecting the PS4 possible, but reduces the image and sound quality that the console is capable of delivering on modern TVs via HDMI.

It is also believed that the likelihood of video input burnout on the game console increases. This is due to the instability of the power supplies. Voltage surges can cause problems. And if the PS4 was not connected via HDMI, you cannot count on repairs under warranty.

So it turns out that you can connect to the old TV. But only in terms of picture and sound quality the user will naturally lose. For many this is not important. After all, the main thing here is to have the opportunity to play. And over time, you can already raise money and buy a good modern TV.

Can I connect PS4 to my old TV?

Basically, TVs without HDMI have an RCA interface, where the connection is made through 2 “tulips”. They don't produce high-quality adapters that can jump between formats. There are only artisanal homemade converters. However, in addition to the obvious decrease in picture quality, there is a risk of burnout of the video inputs of the set-top box. Since the stability of their power supplies is not strong, and sometimes they produce voltage surges on the HDMI bus. Warranty repairs are not possible in this case.

Connection options

There are several options for how you can connect PS4 to your TV, and this directly depends on the available interfaces on the TV. Some methods are extremely simple and take literally a few minutes. At the same time, they do not require the use of anything other than standard components. In other situations, you will have to try, use additional cords and adapters.

To connect the PlayStation 4 game console to your TV, you can use:

• HDMI cable;
• S-Video interface;
• RCA or tulips;
• composite interface.

Each option deserves special attention and more detailed consideration.

IMPORTANT. Regardless of the connection method, after turning on the TV, you must use the remote control to select the signal source.

HDMI

The simplest, most reliable and effective way to easily connect the PS4 console to your modern TV involves using an HDMI connector and the appropriate cable.

The connection is made as follows:

• on the side or on the back panel you need to find a connector labeled HDMI;
• take the cable from the kit to your TV or console;
• Insert one end of the cord into the HDMI socket on the TV, connect the other end to the connector on the console;
• connect the power cable to the game console;
• connect the equipment to the network;
• insert a network cable, or connect via Wi-Fi;
• connect a joystick, headphones, etc.

Then all that remains is to launch the console itself. This can be done with a special button on the body of the console, or by holding down a key on the joystick itself.

S-Video

Another method that allows you to establish a connection between TV and PS4 and connect the console to the TV without having HDMI.

An older interface, present on somewhat outdated panels. But connecting a TV to a set-top box via S-Video is still possible. Moreover, the picture displayed on the TV panel will be better and of higher quality than in the case of tulips.

This is an old connection method, but it still works. To implement it, you will need the cord itself, as well as a special adapter to convert from HDMI on the console to S-Video on the television panel.

ATTENTION. An S-Video cable is not included with the PS4. It will have to be purchased separately. So is the adapter.

The cord is quite affordable and is sold in almost any specialized store. As a result, all that remains is to connect the set-top box to the TV via an adapter and cord, and you can proceed to the setup stage.

Composite interface

If connecting via HDMI is not possible, and only a composite interface is supplied to the TV, the TV will still be able to display the picture from the PS4.

The composite solution has 2 connectors. This is YCbCr, responsible for the digital signal, and analog YPbPr. The result is the same component transmission. When broadcast, the signal has fairly high accuracy rates.

The user will have at his disposal 3 wires of different colors, which together form the composite interface cord:

• green transmits synchronizing pulses to the TV and determines the brightness level;
• The blue wire controls the difference between blue color and brightness;
• red adjusts the difference between brightness and red color.

The TV inputs are colored accordingly so that it is not possible to confuse the correct connection. Another two-channel RC interface will transmit sound.

ATTENTION. In the case of a composite interface, a special adapter is also needed.

With its help, you can connect the HDMI connector on the console and the composite cord from the TV. This converter is sold in many specialized stores and is relatively inexpensive. But it is important to consider that devices are not always fully compatible with a specific TV. Because of this, it is better to provide in advance the opportunity to return the product or exchange it for another if the connection fails on the first try.

Tulips or RCA

If the TV is really old, it will not have the connectors necessary for PS4. Only classic tulips are available here, that is, RCA interfaces. But this is not an obstacle to connecting a modern game console. Yes, the image quality will not be the same as on modern TVs. And you should be prepared for this in advance.

To connect through tulips, you need to use a special converter, that is, an adapter. The set-top box and the converter are connected to each other using an HDMI cable. And to connect the adapter and TV, a 3RCA-3RCA cord is used.

IMPORTANT. The adapter must not only convert digital signals to analog, but also simulate a TV that supports HDMI.

But not all converters have such properties. Therefore, it is worth understanding the offered assortment in advance. If the necessary characteristics are missing, the TV will simply not see the connected console. Or some kind of problem will arise.

Connecting the set-top box

Connecting PS 4 to a modern TV is not difficult: everything you need is included in the kit, namely, you will need HDMI cable . It is inserted at one end into the TV, the other into the set-top box, pre-connected to the power supply. PS4 has a minimum number of connectors, so it is simply impossible to insert anything incorrectly here. After connecting, all that remains is to select the required signal source on the TV – HDMI.

Users often ask whether it is possible to connect a Sony PlayStation 4 to an old TV without an HDMI output. To do this, you will need an adapter from HDMI to the output that the TV has - tulips, DVI, VGA.

Important! It is worth considering that in the case of the latter there will only be a picture without sound. In addition, the use of adapters will result in a decrease in image quality.

For those who decide to use a monitor as a screen, the solution is similar to that described above. Ideally, you need HDMI, but if the monitor does not have it, then adapters are used.

Some users need to connect a game console to a computer or laptop. It is not advisable to do this, since in the case of a PC it is easier to connect the PS4 directly to the monitor (less latency), and synchronizing from laptops is pointless due to the latter’s small display. However, if such a thought does occur to you, then the wires will not help in this situation - modern PCs and laptops have HDMIOUT, that is, an output, and only very expensive professional-level video cards are also equipped with an input (in this case they simply use an HDMI cable ).

Meanwhile, the problem of such synchronization is solved by a wireless connection. The set-top box and the device to which the connection will be made must be on the same Wi-Fi network. You should install the PS4 RemotePlay application on your gadget. The most convenient way to download it is from the official Sony website. After activating the program, go to the console and in its settings look for the item “remote play connection settings”, and in it we activate the first item “enable remote play”. After this, the console menu will be displayed on the PC in the application window. We connect the Dual Shock control panel from the console with a USB cable to a PC/laptop. Depending on the Internet speed, there may be lags in the broadcast.

Possible connection problems

There are several common problems that users may encounter when connecting. But in most cases, they are all easily resolved.

1. A green screen appears. Or these are other dominant colors that almost completely cover the display. Here you need to enter the video game settings through the control menu. Namely, find anti-aliasing processing and put it in TAA mode.
2. The device is not automatically detected when the cable is replaced. It happens that there is a need to replace a cord with a similar one. And after that the connection is broken. First, you should try rebooting the TV and set-top box. If it doesn’t help, use the remote control to open the settings on the TV and manually select the connection (output interface).
3. The TV does not automatically detect the signal source. A completely natural phenomenon. Even when connected via HDMI. The solution is simple. You need to manually select the signal source.
4. Cable fault. There are 2 options here. Either the cord is defective or it is not suitable for connection. Only replacement will help. Check if this cable works with other devices. If not, go to the store.

If you follow the instructions, use high-quality adapters and cords, and follow the sequence of settings, you should not have any problems playing on PS4, even if you have a fairly old TV.

Possible connection problems and their elimination

Things don't always go smoothly. To help the user - frequently encountered problems and ways to resolve them.

Green screen

Sometimes there is an anomaly with color filling of the screen. That is, objects on the monitor become completely green. Other monochrome options are also possible: black, blue, red. Here you will need the game's video settings in the control menu. You need to find the “anti-aliasing processing” parameter and set it to “TAA” .

Cable change

When connecting a new cable, a situation may arise where the device does not automatically detect it. In this case, you just need to reboot both devices . Another way is to go through the TV remote control to the settings menu and manually select the desired output interface.

Signal source

For many TV models, the connected console is not automatically recognized. TV devices continue to broadcast channels. The solution is to select the signal source manually.

In order to use all the functionality of the Sony Playstation 4 when playing online, you need to connect the console to the Internet. A LAN cable is preferable to a wireless connection here, because... The speed with this connection is higher and there are no problems with the smoothness of frame changes.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. Press “Up” on the joystick to open the navigation panel.
2. Select the “Settings” section.
3. Open “Network”, then click on the line about setting up an Internet connection.
4. Set one of the connection options: LAN or Wi-Fi.
5. In the next field you may need to enter a password.
6. Click "Test Internet connection". It will be tested if it is connected to the network.

All that remains is to log into your PlayStation Network account or create a new one. It is better to reject the proposal to use proxy servers, since they slow down the network.

Faulty cord

One of the causes of problems is a failed cable, which may also be defective. There are only two options here. Check the cord with another device, and if this is the case, throw it away. There is no point in repairing the wire; it is easier to buy a new one.

Sometimes after launching a game connected via HDMI, the sound disappears - despite the fact that everything is present in the menu. This problem occurs when a gamer played for a long time on one TV device and then bought a new one. Especially if the purchased equipment was produced by another manufacturer.

You can turn on the sound in the following way. You need to turn off and then turn on the console while holding your finger on the Power button. After some time, the set-top box will play a second beep. You will be asked to allow audio output via HDMI, requiring you to click “OK”. You just need to agree.

We looked at the main methods that explain how to turn on PS4 on your TV. All you need is a suitable TV model from any company (for example, LG or Samsung), preferably with an HDMI connector and the ability to connect to the Internet via LAN. The composite interface and S-Video are seen as additional chances to safely connect PS4 to an old TV. Gaming equipment malfunctions are mainly due to settings failures and cable malfunctions, as well as cable changes.

Setting up the set-top box

After making a physical connection, you need to work with the settings.

Ideally, when you turn on the power of the console, a window should appear on the TV asking you to establish a connection. Or you will need to do this manually by entering the menu and selecting the signal source.

Next you need to do the following:

1. Language. Mostly Russian-speaking users choose Russian.
2. Internet. A LAN cable is connected to the console or a wireless connection via Wi-Fi is used. The second option is more convenient, and the LAN connection is more stable and faster. Having chosen the connection method, you will need to enter codes and passwords for your Internet.
3. Camera. PS4 also prompts you to turn on the camera. If you have it, click on connection.
4. Date, time, region. When this window appears, simply fill out all the fields.
5. Confirmation of the license agreement. You have to agree with him.
6. Synchronization and update. This process will occur automatically. It is not recommended to stop updates. Agree with the proposals and wait.
7. Login and password. We are talking about login data in the Sony community. Here you can use your old account if you have one, or create a new one.

After this, the console is completely ready for use.

How to connect PS4 to TV?

So, in order to connect PS4 to TV, you need to follow these steps:

1) First connect the HDMI cable to the PS4 connector on the back. Then we find a similar connector on the TV, usually located on the back or side.

2) Then connect the power cable to the outlet and to the corresponding connector on the back of the PS4.

3) If you have a wired Internet connection at home, you will also have to connect a network cable. But often the Internet in modern houses and apartments is distributed via Wi-Fi.

4) To turn on the console, press the button on the front of the case.

Visually it looks like this:

TV settings

It's not enough to just turn on your PS4 and TV panel to start playing games right away. You also need to make some settings on the TV, not forgetting to adjust the parameters of the set-top box itself:

1. First, go to the settings menu of the set-top box. Here you need to adjust the screen, sound, video output. Focus on the capabilities of the TV and your requirements, the feeling of truly comfortable sound and image.
2. It is better to choose 1080 screen resolution, and set the RGB range to full range. DeepColor is simply automatic. Save your changes and go back.

   

3. Go to the very bottom of the menu, where there is a “System” section. Here you should uncheck the box next to “Enable HDMI device channel”.

   

That's all with preparing the console. Now to the TV settings.

ADVICE. If the TV allows you to change operating modes, use a gaming one for the console.

Moreover, this does not depend on which manufacturer of the TV panel you use. This disables TV enhancement options that can cause delays during gameplay.

Also, in the connections menu, select the game console. For some reason, many users choose PC. This advice is relevant regardless of whether you are using a connection via HDMI or other interfaces.

An example is the Samsung TV setup. Here the parameters should be approximately as follows:

• dynamic contrast (HDR) is disabled;
• It is also better to turn off the black current;
• Clarity or sharpness should be set to up to 50;
• the backlight is selected individually;
• You also need to disable Motion+;
• brightness at 55;
• color about 60%
• tone 350-50;
• select the aspect ratio according to the screen;
• contrast is about 80.

In fact, each user customizes the characteristics for himself. Everyone has different TVs, perception of image and sound. Therefore, it makes sense to go through different options and ultimately settle on the best ones specifically for the user.

If you are using modern TVs from Sony, then it is usually enough just to turn on the game mode, and the system will automatically adjust to work with the game console. Especially if this TV was released after the release of the game console. Still the same manufacturer.

Automatic settings are enough for many gamers. Moreover, regardless of the brand and model of the TV. If you feel that there is not enough brightness, or the screen is too bright, all these values ​​can be easily adjusted to suit you. All you need is a remote control and a little time.