How to Play Videos on Your PS5 from USB: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a powerful gaming console, but it also has excellent media playback capabilities. In this article, we will guide you through the process of playing videos on your PS5, including converting your video files to PS5-compatible formats using the ffmpeg command.

PS5 Supported Video Formats

Before diving into the conversion process, it’s essential to understand the video formats supported by the PS5 console:

MKV
- Video: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile Level 4.2
- Audio: AAC LC
MP4
- Video: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile Level 5.2
- Audio: AAC LC
WEBM
- Video: VP9
- Audio: Opus

Converting Video Files to PS5-Compatible Formats

To convert your video files to a PS5-compatible format, you can use the free and open-source tool called ‘ffmpeg’. Follow these steps to convert your video files:

Install ffmpeg:Visit the official ffmpeg website (https://ffmpeg.org/download.html) to download and install the software according to your operating system’s instructions.
Open a terminal or command prompt on your computer:Navigate to the directory containing your video files using the cd command:

cd /path/to/your/video/directory and create directory called converted
Run the ffmpeg command to convert all video files in the directory:For this example, we will convert videos to the MP4 format with H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec, which is one of the supported formats by the PS5.

for file in *; do ffmpeg -i "$file" -vf "scale='if(gt(a,3840/2160),min(iw,3840),iw)':'if(gt(a,3840/2160),min(ih,2160),ih)'" -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:v libx264 -preset slow -profile:v high -level 5.2 -crf 20 -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart "converted/${file%.*}_ps5.mp4"; done

This command will:

1. - Loop through all the files in the current directory.
  - Scale the video resolution to 3840 x 2160 (4K) if required if greater than allowed maximum resolution.
  - Convert the input video to 8-bit depth using the YUV 4:2:0 pixel format.
  - Use the libx264 video codec with the high profile and level 5.2.
  - Set the Constant Rate Factor (CRF) to 20, which is a good balance between quality and file size.
  - Use the AAC audio codec with a bitrate of 192 kbps.
  - Add the faststart flag to enable faster playback in streaming scenarios.
  - Save the converted files in a “converted” subdirectory with the “_ps5” suffix and the “.mp4” file extension.

Before running this command, make sure you have created the “converted” subdirectory in the same directory as your video files.

Playing Videos on Your PS5

1. Transfer the converted video files to a USB storage device, such as a USB flash drive or external hard drive, formatted as exFAT or FAT32.
2. Safely eject the USB storage device from your computer and connect it to one of the USB ports on your PS5.
3. Turn on your PS5 and navigate to the “Media Gallery” application.
4. Open the “Media Gallery” app, and you should see the USB storage device listed as a source.
5. Browse the contents of your USB storage device and select the converted video file you want to play.
6. Press the “Play” button, and the video should start playing on your PS5.
7. Use the on-screen playback controls to pause, rewind, fast forward, or adjust the volume as needed.

Conclusion

Now you know how to play videos on your PS5 and convert them to a compatible format using the ffmpeg command. By following these simple steps, you can enjoy your favorite videos and movies on your gaming console. Keep in mind that the PS5 Media Gallery may not play copyright-protected files or content with playback restrictions. In such cases, contact the content provider for more information or check if they offer PS5-compatible versions of their content. Happy viewing!