PC remote play using a Windows Guest VM ?

[markcavan]

So we all know that playstation has added PC remote play in their latest update which is fantastic news, been looking forward to this addition for a long time.  

 

So this is a bit of an edge case here but I’m running Ubuntu 14.04 as my host PC and Windows 10 as a guest VM via Virtualbox. Just installed remote play, connected the USB Wireless controller and all worked perfectly. It even connected but alas the screen is blank. Its connected fine as I can hear sound from the PS4 theme I have installed and I can use the controller to move along the PS4 screen as I can hear it moving but alas no picture, just a blank screen :-(

 

Anyhow know of a possible solution to this ?

 

PS:  Constructive feedback/comments please, no Linux bashing :-)  I have various reasons why I run linux as my primary OS which I'll not get into here.

[Doom]

Could it be possible that somehow the video drivers aren't loading properly?

[markcavan]

Could it be possible that somehow the video drivers aren't loading properly?

 

Maybe but unlikely as everything else works and I've assigned all available video memory to the VM and enabled both 2D acceleration and 3D on the guest.  Other games also play fine on the VM host.  I do also two video cards on my PC but let me try and switch to the second one (nvidia) and see if that helps.

[DaivRules]

Maybe but unlikely as everything else works and I've assigned all available video memory to the VM and enabled both 2D acceleration and 3D on the guest.  Other games also play fine on the VM host.  I do also two video cards on my PC but let me try and switch to the second one (nvidia) and see if that helps.

 

I'm willing to get Doctor Doom is on the right track. Because your video card is being emulated in your VM, they tend to not have all the real capability of the physical video card. It wouldn't be too surprising to see a driver update for your VM software to address it soon enough.

"By default VirtualBox provides graphics support through a custom virtual graphics-card that is VESA compatible."

 

Doesn't really touch your actual graphics cards.

[markcavan]

I'm willing to get Doctor Doom is on the right track. Because your video card is being emulated in your VM, they tend to not have all the real capability of the physical video card. It wouldn't be too surprising to see a driver update for your VM software to address it soon enough.

"By default VirtualBox provides graphics support through a custom virtual graphics-card that is VESA compatible."

 

Doesn't really touch your actual graphics cards.

 

I certainly think you both are on the right track.  I have thought that the remote play was just showing the video but I think its much more than that and needs more graphics processing power.  Hopefully an update to virtualbox and/or its extensions will eventually fix this.  For now I've been using another Windows PC (physical) and can confirm that remote play plays like a dream, its perfect.  Not one problem so far evening running 720p and high frame rate.

[Bejorgon]

I'm in almost exactly the same boat. Ubuntu 14.04 host, Windows 10 Guest VM in Virtualbox. I can connect to my PS4 but just get blank screen.

 

Maybe I need to update the system software on the PS4? 

 

I'm at a remote location, can't try that until tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

So we all know that playstation has added PC remote play in their latest update which is fantastic news, been looking forward to this addition for a long time.  

 

So this is a bit of an edge case here but I’m running Ubuntu 14.04 as my host PC and Windows 10 as a guest VM via Virtualbox. Just installed remote play, connected the USB Wireless controller and all worked perfectly. It even connected but alas the screen is blank. Its connected fine as I can hear sound from the PS4 theme I have installed and I can use the controller to move along the PS4 screen as I can hear it moving but alas no picture, just a blank screen :-(

 

Anyhow know of a possible solution to this ?

 

PS:  Constructive feedback/comments please, no Linux bashing :-)  I have various reasons why I run linux as my primary OS which I'll not get into here.

 

[markcavan]

I'm in almost exactly the same boat. Ubuntu 14.04 host, Windows 10 Guest VM in Virtualbox. I can connect to my PS4 but just get blank screen.

 

Maybe I need to update the system software on the PS4? 

 

I'm at a remote location, can't try that until tomorrow.

 

Mine would not even connect until I updated the PS4 software so I'd guess yours upgraded automatically.  Let me know anyhow if you find a solution.  I'll keep searching myself ...

[FlareXV]

 Let me know anyhow if you find a solution.

 

Wouldn't it be easier for you to just create a separate partition.

[markcavan]

Wouldn't it be easier for you to just create a separate partition.

 

Then I need to dual boot which is a right pain in the ar$e.  VMs are much more versatile.

[FlareXV]

Then I need to dual boot which is a right pain in the ar$e.  VMs are much more versatile.

 

Ahh, okay.

[Bejorgon]

Still no luck. I've done following:

 

1) confirmed I have 3.50 system on PS4 (used Vita to remote in and confirm). Vita remote play works normally.

 

2) Installed Virtualbox guest additions in VBox Win 10 Guest, tried video card with 2d acceleration on, 3d acceleration on, both on, and both off. Still black screen on connecting.

 

3) Gave virtual video card maximum 256mb of RAM. Still black screen.

 

4) My cousin texted me a pic of his Mac running The Witcher III fullscreen on one of his monitors via PS4 Remote Play. I silently cursed his luck.

 

Mine would not even connect until I updated the PS4 software so I'd guess yours upgraded automatically.  Let me know anyhow if you find a solution.  I'll keep searching myself ...

[DaivRules]

Still no luck. I've done following:

 

1) confirmed I have 3.50 system on PS4 (used Vita to remote in and confirm). Vita remote play works normally.

 

2) Installed Virtualbox guest additions in VBox Win 10 Guest, tried video card with 2d acceleration on, 3d acceleration on, both on, and both off. Still black screen on connecting.

 

3) Gave virtual video card maximum 256mb of RAM. Still black screen.

 

4) My cousin texted me a pic of his Mac running The Witcher III fullscreen on one of his monitors via PS4 Remote Play. I silently cursed his luck.

 

As of right now, you will not be able to play in a VM. You must be running the compatible OS on the actual hardware, not virtualized. The virtual graphics card in the VM can not handle the video processing required for remote play.

[markcavan]

As of right now, you will not be able to play in a VM. You must be running the compatible OS on the actual hardware, not virtualized. The virtual graphics card in the VM can not handle the video processing required for remote play.

 

Thanks.  Can I ask where you found this information ?  I checked the system requirements page (https://remoteplay.dl.playstation.net/remoteplay/lang/en/index.html) and there is no mention of action hardware or no supporting visualized.

[DaivRules]

Thanks.  Can I ask where you found this information ?  I checked the system requirements page (https://remoteplay.dl.playstation.net/remoteplay/lang/en/index.html) and there is no mention of action hardware or no supporting visualized.

 

It isn't documented anywhere I can find yet, but I'm going off two things.

First, I just tried it on 7 different computers ranging in processing power in VMs will all kinds of setups. No dice.

Second, the System Requirement from the link above shows CPU of Intel Core i5-560M or faster and knowing what I know about the GPU part of that processor, which has to do it's own processing:

 

 

 

Graphics Specifications Processor Graphics ‡ Intel® HD Graphics Graphics Base Frequency 500 MHz Graphics Max Dynamic Frequency 766 MHz Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI) Yes Intel® Clear Video HD Technology Yes Intel® Clear Video Technology Yes Macrovision* License Required No # of Displays Supported ‡ 2

-

Expansion Options PCI Express Revision 2.0 PCI Express Configurations ‡ 1x16 Max # of PCI Express Lanes 163

 

You can't get that kind of performance virtualized, no matter how fast the CPU and the SSD raid you have installed. I did tweet to @AskPlaystation, we we will see if they give an official response, although I'm sure they'll go back to "A computer with either Windows 8.1 or 10 does not include Virtual PCs".

P.S. The format of that quote got horribly mangled, I'll fix it when I get the time.

[markcavan]

It isn't documented anywhere I can find yet, but I'm going off two things.

First, I just tried it on 7 different computers ranging in processing power in VMs will all kinds of setups. No dice.

Second, the System Requirement from the link above shows CPU of Intel Core i5-560M or faster and knowing what I know about the GPU part of that processor, which has to do it's own processing:

 

 

You can't get that kind of performance virtualized, no matter how fast the CPU and the SSD raid you have installed. I did tweet to @AskPlaystation, we we will see if they give an official response, although I'm sure they'll go back to "A computer with either Windows 8.1 or 10 does not include Virtual PCs".

P.S. The format of that quote got horribly mangled, I'll fix it when I get the time.

 

Thanks for the detailed response.  I've also reached out on twitter and I suspect you are correct.  Pity but will live in hope it maybe added in some future update.

Edited April 6, 2016 by markcavan

[Fing3rButt3r3]

Im baffled and quite not intelligent but what do we gain for running remote play on a pc? And this whole VM? Do we get better quality running PS4 thru a PC stream? Couldnt I just move my PS4 to a PC monitor? Or does this PC remote play allow me to play my PS4 while im at work pc??

[DaivRules]

Im baffled and quite not intelligent but what do we gain for running remote play on a pc? And this whole VM? Do we get better quality running PS4 thru a PC stream? Couldnt I just move my PS4 to a PC monitor? Or does this PC remote play allow me to play my PS4 while im at work pc??

 

Remote play is literally that. Leave your PS4 connected where it is and play it somewhere else. It's all about convenience. It works over the internet too so if your connection is beefy enough on both ends and you can install software on your work pc, plug in your DS4 at work and play away!

 

The quality is not the same as playing on the PS4, no matter what you use to connect. While a PS4 can output 1080/60, the best connection you'll get from a remote play session is 720/60. Again, it's only about convenience. If you want a remote play session that does the exact same quality as the PS4 at home, the only way to get that right now is to buy a special box that can do it, but runs about $350.

 

VMs are a convenient and flexible way for people to run multiple OS's on one host OS for infinity reasons. However, at this time, it looks like the VMs aren't able to run a remote play session, likely due to the video encoding since sound definitely works and moving the controller makes the correct sounds.

[Bejorgon]

I've found remote play works very well over all kinds of public wifi when I'm out and about. I've used both the PS Vita and the Nvidia Shield tablet to play remotely a lot. It helps having 20mbps upload speed on my home network. If public wifi is a bit slow, I set the stream quality to "low" and it works fine. 

 

At this point I just want to get it working on Ubuntu out of pure stubbornness.

 

 

Remote play is literally that. Leave your PS4 connected where it is and play it somewhere else. It's all about convenience. It works over the internet too so if your connection is beefy enough on both ends and you can install software on your work pc, plug in your DS4 at work and play away!

 

The quality is not the same as playing on the PS4, no matter what you use to connect. While a PS4 can output 1080/60, the best connection you'll get from a remote play session is 720/60. Again, it's only about convenience. If you want a remote play session that does the exact same quality as the PS4 at home, the only way to get that right now is to buy a special box that can do it, but runs about $350.

 

VMs are a convenient and flexible way for people to run multiple OS's on one host OS for infinity reasons. However, at this time, it looks like the VMs aren't able to run a remote play session, likely due to the video encoding since sound definitely works and moving the controller makes the correct sounds.

[DaivRules]

I've found remote play works very well over all kinds of public wifi when I'm out and about. I've used both the PS Vita and the Nvidia Shield tablet to play remotely a lot. It helps having 20mbps upload speed on my home network. If public wifi is a bit slow, I set the stream quality to "low" and it works fine. 

 

At this point I just want to get it working on Ubuntu out of pure stubbornness.

 

I would absolutely qualify a 20 mbps upload speed as "beefy". My ISP, which is pretty awesome in my opinion, only last year went from 1 mbps upload speed on most packages to 5 mbps, for all but the two most expensive tiers. Those are now 10 and 20 mbps.

 

I have no doubt *someone* will put something together to get it working natively in Linux, but it sure as heck won't be Sony.

[Grizzle-bizzle]

What version of VirtualBox have you guys tried? I am on the latest from the repository I'm on (5.0.2) but there is much later available (5.0.16). I would rather stay on the repository version if it isn't going to make a difference - just wondering if you have already tried 5.0.16? I don't see any reason it shouldn't work - this is not challenging stuff for the machine to run in a VM. Not even talking about full HD here.

 

I'd rather run it on WINE but I guess nobody has figured that out either since there are some goofy MSFT dependencies.

[markcavan]

I'm running 5.0.16 the latest versions from VirtualBox.

Edited April 7, 2016 by markcavan

[DaivRules]

What version of VirtualBox have you guys tried? I am on the latest from the repository I'm on (5.0.2) but there is much later available (5.0.16). I would rather stay on the repository version if it isn't going to make a difference - just wondering if you have already tried 5.0.16? I don't see any reason it shouldn't work - this is not challenging stuff for the machine to run in a VM. Not even talking about full HD here.

 

I'd rather run it on WINE but I guess nobody has figured that out either since there are some goofy MSFT dependencies.

 

I tried 5.0.16 on both OS X and Slacker. No dice. I think a much more complex video codec is being used than is assumed. It's not simple streaming, clearly. 

...and yet Remote Play will work in an Android VM

[sixones]

You would be better using Crossover or Wine to do this rather than trying to run it inside a VM, you should just need to install the Windows Media SDK inside a Wine bottle and then the Remote Play. If your struggling, download a free trial of Crossover and give that a try, the installer is very automated and should offer an easier way of figuring out what dependencies are needed.

[DaivRules]

You would be better using Crossover or Wine to do this rather than trying to run it inside a VM, you should just need to install the Windows Media SDK inside a Wine bottle and then the Remote Play. If your struggling, download a free trial of Crossover and give that a try, the installer is very automated and should offer an easier way of figuring out what dependencies are needed.

 

I don't know that $60 is worth the squeeze. Wine hopefully offers a solution, I'll play with that this weekend.

[sixones]

I don't know that $60 is worth the squeeze. Wine hopefully offers a solution, I'll play with that this weekend.

It's more that the free trial of Crossover is quite easy to install possible dependencies, so you can use the trial to figure out whats needed. Then export the bottle for Wine, or rebuild it with just the right dependencies in Wine.

Though saying that, Crossover doesn't support Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, which is needed for RemotePlay.