Sony has quietly added a new PS5 HDMI Link options according to reports from Reddit. The new addition device is found in the Advanced Video PS5 HDMI Settings menu and only appears on PlayStation 5 firmware version 5.00. It will also work with PlayStation 4 Pro, but the PS5 HDMI CEC settings will not show up if it's being run through a PlayStation PS4 console.
What is PS5 HDMI Link option for?
PS5 HDMI link options are designed to reduce latency when a display is operated from a PlayStation console. In the past, most consoles have been limited by HDMI cable length restrictions which do not allow for highly responsive peripherals like gaming mice and keyboards to be used while displaying game footage on TV screens placed at long distances. By placing the console closer to the screen, games can be played using more sensitive components without encountering major input lag that could cause trouble, especially with fast-paced action titles.
The current implementation of the HDMI link for PlayStation PS4 Pro does not require any additional hardware or software device configuration other than enabling it in the advanced PS5 HDMI CEC settings menu. The only downside is that many TVs don't support this feature or are unable to communicate correctly with consoles due to firmware limitations. It should work well for most newer models that support HDMI 2.1 or later versions while some older models can be updated to function properly with the feature through firmware updates by TV manufacturers.
There's a pretty limited amount of information available right now about what this does, leaving a lot of users confused as to why Sony would add something that seemingly doesn't work at all. Additionally, you can't actually test out these PS5 HDMI settings just yet, since thePlayStation PS5 is still running encrypted firmware for developers.
Rumors
One of the Reddit users describes what they were able to try with Auto Low Noice HDMI Mode: "You set it to 'Enabled', and your image quality will improve (no change in latency or lag). Turn it off, and you get exactly what you would expect; no improvement in image quality, all of the same latency and lag." According to Kevinkong, this option works with HDR content on a 4K TV with an Xbox One X.
Meanwhile, another user explained that Enhanced Audio Return Channel (ARC) Enabled" should work with PSVR. With this option enabled, the game will output directly to the VR headset without any intermediate sound system which allows for 3D audio effects. When it's off, you'll have to rely on your TV speakers or sound system.
However, there are conflicting reports about this feature right now since PlayStation 4 Pro doesn't even support virtual surround. It appears that many consoles currently running firmware version 5.00 aren't able to make these PS5 HDMI CEC settings work either, so they may not actually do anything at all right now in their current state.
What do PS5 HDMI Link users have to expect?
When it comes to the PlayStation PS5 HDMI Link settings, Sony may have simply added them as a placeholder for future support which they could add in an upcoming firmware update. The most likely option is that these options accomplish nothing right now and are thus not functional on existing consoles so developers can't even test them out.
Some of these device features may be quite useful once they launch properly since latency reduction technology has become more popular in recent years with console manufacturers starting to compete against PC gaming that benefits from improved input response times due to superior hardware components. While PlayStation PS5's ability to use HDR content on 4K TVs is limited by compatibility issues with HDMI 2.1 specification, this mode may set this feature up for increased support in the future when more TVs will finally support it.
Further speculations
Taken at face value, the PlayStation PS5 HDMI Link mode is potentially revolutionary for gaming with low-lag TVs that support the feature due to switching to the game mode when you start your games. The PS5 HDMI CEC setting can either activate game mode on compatible TVs or simply reduce input lag significantly making it great for both TV and monitor use cases. On the other hand, there are also reports of PS4 Pro consoles not being able to HDMI switch between modes when in standby which means this may be a problem with firmware version 5.00 right now even though some users claim they do have this option enabled on their consoles successfully already.
Additionally, people who own PlayStation PS4 Pro consoles running pre-release firmware are also claiming that this PS5 HDMI CEC setting doesn't work properly with HDR content on their 4K TVs even though it sounds like the most useful of all PS5 HDMI settings. It appears that enabling this option does reduce input lag but increases black level while disabling it renders game mode on your TV useless and images look too bright without any image quality improvement in return.
This report is preliminary since PlayStation PS5's official unveiling is still a month away right now and we haven't seen any games running on the console either not to mention more details about the PS5 HDMI Link feature may get revealed when codenamed Spider console gets more widely available to developers worldwide. Although Sony did not show any hardware or software at E3 2019, the platform holder still gave an in-depth overview of its plans for next-generation technology in gaming including 8K graphics and 60 FPS which are already supported by PlayStation PS5 based on reports about last year's development kits.
Additionally, Sony was expected to unveil its next-gen system at a private event before showing off the console again during their traditional PlayStation Experience fan expo later this December in Anaheim, CA. While many gamers were expecting a grandiose unveiling similar to Xbox One X back in 2017, chances were that we would only get more details about the system itself at each of these events.
Comments:
“HDMI Device Link” is Sony’s branding for HDMI-CEC, which your display needs to both support and have enabled for devices to be able to take advantage of it. It’s been around for ages, but it’s a flaky standard with even flakier adoption, so it’s mostly just used for changing the volume on your home theater with your TV remote.
NicholasPayne / 2021-11-10 00:13:50
The CEC on my Switch decided to stop working for like a month and then it randomly came back. No clue why it did that.The other weird thing about it is Switch won’t turn off my TV when I turn it off but if I turn off my TV, Switch will turn off. When I turn on Switch my TV powers on and goes to the correct HDMI port.
baskinglizard / 2021-11-12 07:09:54
My LG OLED is the first TV I’ve owned that actually works properly with CEC. My old Sony and my Yamaha Receiver both worked so poorly with CEC I was forced to disable it and only use my Harmony remote. With this new setup (and a Bose Soundbar) CEC works well enough i’ve been able to mostly ditch the Harmony, which is nice. The bummer (not really though) is that the mouse pointer feature for the LG works so well I still keep that remote out to mess with settings and change inputs because my HTPC doesn’t switch inputs on the TV.
8ringer / 2021-11-14 02:46:44
HDMI-CEC with my Sony TV from 2015 seems to always work. I have a FireTV that when I press home on the remote, the TV turns on and switches to that input. When I turn on my Switch with the Pro Controller, the TV turns on and switches to that input and when I turn on my Xbox One X it turns on the TV and switches to that input.
smcallah01 / 2021-11-15 12:42:16
Agree with most others. HDMI CEC is a at least. for devices that support select-able power on and off I have it disabled. For my 4k UHD blu-ray player, I actually ordered an HDMI dongle that has the CEC lines disconnected. Out of the 9 or 10 devices I have connected, the ONLY things with CEC enabled are my TV and my HDMI ARC receiver.
Kaiju-geekgrtto / 2021-11-16 08:04:59
CEC was originally intended to be a universal standard, but in practice, every manufacturer has underlying differences related to the structure of the command codes. This results in re-branding of CEC, rather than putting in the additional effort to maintain compatibility with third-party equipment (Sony calls it “HDMILink”, whereas Samsung calls it “Anynet+”).If connecting two devices from the same brand, you’ll generally get more consistent results, like when using a Sony TV with the PS5. Outside of this scenario, you can often find work-arounds with a little effort.Using Samsung TVs for an example: one difference is that by default, on/off is a single command code which toggles the power state. This can be adjusted in the factory menu so that power on and power off are discrete commands, which generally seems to improve communication with Sony products (but as a nasty side-effect, would then require the use of a different IR remote which has separate buttons for on/off).Moral of the story: CEC is neat when it works, but overall - just a hot mess.
lobstercat66 / 2021-11-17 16:23:37
Add me to the list. I actually turned on HDMI-CEC when I got mine and noticed how it was turning on the console when I turned on my TV, to the point that it can be a little annoying after a while. I like HDMI-CEC for the ability to power on the console to turn on the TV automatically or alternatively, press the PS button to switch inputs, which worked on PS4 as well. It would be nice if it turned off the TV automatically when going to sleep but that never seems to work (My base model Xbox One is the only device I ever owned that could turn off my TV, and only when telling the Kinect, “turn off Xbox.”). At least now there are configuration settings to toggle specific HDMI-CEC features on or off.
coffincolors / 2021-11-19 05:33:07
Today’s update also grants PS5 owners the previously nonexistent ability to store PS5 games on an external USB device. Following the update, under your “Games and Apps” submenu, you should now see a separate column labeled “Move PS5 games.” Transferring those games to an external device works exactly how it does with PS4 games: just check off the ones you want to move and click the “move” button.The catch is that you can’t play those games while they’re stored externally. PS5 games require the system’s built-in solid state drive to run.
vwtifuljoe5 / 2021-11-20 13:50:47
For the most part, but there’s actually a hidden feature in that games that don’t absolutely need the SSD speed can toggle whether or not they’re playable from external storage on XSX. If you view the details text of a game you can check. Halo MCC is one, I have the SX version installed on my external drive and it plays, other games will prompt you to move it first.I think they don’t advertise it because a) few games allow it, and b) it adds more confusion than “SX games internal, BC games internal or external”
earle117 / 2021-11-21 18:56:03
My experience with HDMI-CEC is that it works alright if you get lucky with your device toolchain and there’s not too much stuff on it. My bedroom TV with a FireTV hooked to it does more or less OK. However, I’ve got a fairly complex home theater setup (like... six HDMI devices, a component device or two, an AV receiver, etc.), and there’s no way whatsoever HDMI-CEC unto itself is going to do what I need it to do short of some radical restructuring of the standard to work a LOT better.
overeducatedeconomist / 2021-11-23 04:51:19
Sharp’s implementation of CEC has always been garbage. What I love is that by default Sharp TVs completely power down all components required to turn the TV back on except through IR (HDMI, serial, network, etc). You have to go turn on the fast-boot, quick-boot, something, I forget exactly what it’s called in the menu just to get the serial port to receive power on commands. At least they added a menu setting. Used to be you had to turn on the TV and send it a serial command to do that. The only companies that seem to actually implement HDMI-CEC correctly from my experience in the commercial space are Samsung, LG, and Sony.
pandalulz / 2021-11-24 18:00:35
I know many other people have pointed out that this isn’t a new feature it’s been there since day 1 (only being able to turn it off being new) but your little bit about holding down the PS button to turn it off is also wrong. You don’t hold down the button anymore, you just push it once and then select power from the quick select menu. Which is the same steps you used to have to do on PS4 except it’s a single press instead of a long press to bring up the the quick select menu.
jaqenhghar8050 / 2021-11-25 21:28:03
The feature was already there, they’ve just added more options instead of making it all or nothing. I had high hopes for the update as it’s nice to use my TV remote to control the PS5, but, sadly, even with both the power options turned off (but the main link option on), the PS5 still turns on whenever I switch my TV to that input. This is annoying because my TV always boots to the last input used, so it’s functionally the same as having it set that whenever my TV turns on, the PS5 turns on. If they can fix it so that power states are completely ignored but I can still use the remote, that would be the ideal scenario. Xbox used to do that, but at some point it stopped working and I’ve never been able to get it working again.
thebigcheese / 2021-11-27 15:27:43
I have problems with the exact opposite issue that Sony is mentioning here: every time I turn on my TV, my PlayStation turns on. Which is a problem if I don’t actually want to play on my PlayStation. This of course stops being a problem if I turn HDMI link off, but then I can’t just swap directly to the PlayStation when I press the PS button on the controller, like I can when I press the home button on my Switch.
lewa358 / 2021-11-28 23:46:19
Do people not know about hdmi cec? I’ve been using this since my ps3 and old Bravia from over a decade ago. Back then it was very basic but my current tv and PS4 does all these features plus I can control it with my tv remote. Very rarely, turning to my input doesn’t turn the PS4 on but I can still turn it on via my tv remote
boobsandbacon / 2021-11-29 20:46:09
This was working for me even before this update. It’s the CEC option on TVs (if your TV has it). I turn on my PS5, my TV turns on. As for the other features, like turning off my TV turns off my PS5, never knew that was possible, not sure if my PS5 was doing that before. I sold the TV and currently using an old Plasma that does not appear to have these smart features.
talverio / 2021-12-01 03:28:08
Sony’s implementation of CEC in ALL of it’s devices is terrible. I’ve gone so far as to remove a Sony receiver from my equipment over it, and purchased a CEC-stripper (it just disables the relevant pin) for a Sony UHD player — which I replaced with the PS5 and removed the stripper at the same time, only to put the stripper back a day or two later.
garretn / 2021-12-02 21:27:43
I think it’s a problem with your TV because me the HDMI link as been working since day one. When I turn on my ps5, my tv power on and switch to the right input.The only problem now is if I turn on my TV, somehow my TV decide to power on my ps5 as well which is annoying when it was not what I was going to do.
inhert / 2021-12-04 00:55:35
Edit: I have the Sony XBR-85-X90CH, Denon, and PS5. I have nearly all of the HDMI ports in use on the Denon, however for the ps5 to detect all of the TV features on launch day, I had to have the PS5 going directly to the TV and use the earc feature for the Denon and TV. So I have been using the HDMI link since November 12th at 12:11pm mountain time, when I got home from picking up my ps5 from GameStop. It has worked extremely well too.Press a button on the controller, my TV and sound system turns on. Sound system goes directly to the specific settings I have set for the ps5.Though everyonce in a while I get a weird thing happen. The PS5 randomly will turn on when no one is using anything, not even watching TV. When this happens, everything turns on. Very weird when I’m bed sleeping and you hear it all turn on.Oh another actual bug with this patch, once I use the ps5, it I change to watching TV, or a TV app, the sound no longer works on the tv/sound system, even with the ps5 turned off. I usually have to restart the TV to get it fixed. It only started with the recent patch to ps5.I think it is keeping a signal going to the TV, pretty much saying that it is the device demanding the sound. I’m thinking it’s related to the standby feature on the ps5.
taessi / 2021-12-05 09:14:28
This is not a new feature. HDMI CEC can do this already. I press the home button on my controller and the PS4 wakes up and the TV too, automatically switching to the PS4 input.Also the reverse is true: I turn off my TV and the PS4 goes to sleep. I can even use a menu option on the TV remote to send the PS4 to sleep and use my TV for other stuff.And here comes the kicker, when I send my PS4 into rest mode, the TV stays on, and that is a good thing! There are parties who totally don’t get it how this should be (I’m looking at you, Apple!)BIW, that works also with the PS3.
Arnulf / 2021-12-07 01:36:52
Wow, that is surprising considering that back in the late 90's/early 00's both my Sega Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 would turn on my old CRT television when I turned them on (as long as it was in standby, of course).With the technology developments of the past two decades I assumed this had been standard for all game consoles since then. (I haven’t bought any consoles after the PS2; my family has both a PS3 and a PS4 in the master living room, but I’ve never even turned them on.)
pedro-macedo / 2021-12-08 00:14:18
I honest to God hope whoever wrote this article understands that this is a two way feature, meaning IT ALSO MUST BE ENABLED ON THE TV. Sharp and LG screen have this feature set off by default. Remove this article or have the humility to slap an errata on it if you guys care for integrity.
fabio78 / 2021-12-09 05:18:14
But my ps5 has been turning on the tv and switching to the right channel since i got it last month? And my ps4 did it before too? I don’t remember doing anything special to enable it. I kinda assumed it was just because i have a sony tv and never looked deeper.Turning it off with the tv would be quite nice, i’ll check that.
seriouscyrus / 2021-12-11 00:55:45
Have I been high this entire time, or did this feature already exist? I’ve had a ps5 since February and had already turned on an hdmi link function in the settings and it worked as described in this article. When I turn my ps5 on it turns on the tv and switches input. When I turn the tv off the ps5 goes off. This has been a feature since I first got my machine months ago. Has something changed or have I misunderstood this article??I use an LG B9 OLED BTW.
1maddaddam1 / 2021-12-12 10:51:02
MAYBE I’m wrong but I always thought HDMI-CEC or Link or whatever only worked 1 way. As in, I turn on my AppleTV and it turns my TV on. When I sleep my AppleTV, it turns my TV off. Powering the TV off or on by itself has always done nothing - and in my mind that’s the correct thing. How would the TV know what device I plan to use? Would it turn all of them on?
havanesecheese / 2021-12-13 15:55:34
Did you check different HDMI Ports on your TV? Also, did you enable it on your TV? As stated below different tv’s have different names for it (My Samsung calls it anynet+. From having a Sharp TV back in the day they always called their stuff Aquos something (Probably aquos cec or aquos link or something like that).My sharp tv from back in the day only had 1 hdmi port where all the cool bells and whistles worked.
vaguedreams / 2021-12-15 01:51:03