How To: Setup and Use PlayStation 4 Remote Play on Your Mac

Sony last week released a firmware update for their PlayStation 4 console, enabling the long-awaited Remote Play feature allowing gamers to play PS4 games in a window on their Mac or PC. This quick how to shows you how quick and easy it is to setup.

Remote Play comes in handy for users who don’t have a second television or HDMI-capable monitor available,  and who don’t always have access to the HDTV their PS4 is hooked up to.

What You’ll Need

• A PlayStation 4 (DUH!) Updated to Version 3.5.
• A PlayStation 4 DualShock controller, connected via USB to Your Mac.
• The previously mentioned Mac.

What to Do to Enable Remote Play on Your PS4

1. Make sure to install the version 3.5 firmware on your PS4.
2. Activate Remote Play on your PS4. Go to: “Settings” -> “Remote Play Connection Settings.” Make sure you’re signed into the PlayStation Network .
3. This step is optional: You can set your PS4 to accept wake commands from your Mac by going to: “Settings” -> “Power Save Settings” -> “Set Features Available in Rest Mode,” and turn on “Stay Connected to the Internet,” as well as “Enable Turning On PS4 from Network.”

What to Do to Enable Remote Play on Your Mac

Now, we move over to your Mac.

1. Connect the DualShock controller to your Mac via a USB cable.
2. Make sure the Mac, and the target PS4 are on the same network. A wireless connection will work, but having them both connected via ethernet is optimal.
3. Download the Remote Play app from Sony’s website and run the package installer.
4. Open the Remote App and click “Start.”
5. Sign in with the PlayStation Network account you use on your PS4.
6. Return to the main Remote Play screen, and click “Start” again.
7. Wait for the app to find, connect to, and register with the PS4. This should all happen automatically, and should take a few minutes. Go get a cold drink while you wait. (You can also manually configure the network connection, but that shouldn’t be necessary.)

After the app finds your PS4 and connects to it, you should see the PS4’s home menu in a window on your Mac’s desktop. You’ll be able to control the PS4 remotely, including playing games, by using the DualShock controller you have connected to your Mac via a USB cable.

Remote Play runs at a default 540p resolution, at 20 frames per second. You can change the settings to 360p or 720p, and up to 60fps, but only when Remote Play isn’t running. Go to: “PS4 Remote Play” -> “Preferences,” and adjust the resolution and frames per second there.

You’ll find that Remote Play offers a fairly decent streaming gaming experience. For the most part, video is smooth, the audio stays synced, and controls don’t show much, if any lag. Of course, this all depends on how you’re connected to your network, as Wi-Fi did show a bit pixillation when playing a few games in testing.

While Remote Play on your Mac might not be the optimal gaming experience, it certainly beats waiting for your parents to finish watching “Cheers” reruns to get the TV back.