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[LiegeWaffle]

The most likely answer is that they wanted to save on developing the player itself, with UI and thinking the user experience through. Playing CDs is technically one of the simplest things ever, but making a nice UI that works even when playing games is complicated enough that it may not be really worth it.

It's not about logic. It's statistics. If you look at what percentage of music purchases are digital vs physical, it's a no-brainier why Sony wouldn't spend the extra dollars to support the format in a mass-produced product where every part costs money. Physical copies of games still account for a large chunk of game purchases in 2017. It's nowhere close to the ratio that the music industry is at today.

...did you even look up the statistics you're talking about before writing this post? Digital revenue in the recording industry only surpassed physical in 2015, after PS4 was released. Physical CDs are very strong in a lot of places, like Japan.

The thing about CDs is, they are a pretty good format. They provide you with ~70 mins of music at the best quality you would ever need outside of home theater context, and we've got really, really good at manufacturing them cheaply and at scale, so everyone from major labels to obscure indie groups and collectors editions of your favorite niche Japanese RPG can afford to print them. On the other hand, Betamax, VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, etc, they all look quite awful by today's standards, which is why they all are moribund or dead.

 

[aaaaa0]

Just get over yourselves and buy a cheap $50 CD player if it's that important to you.

Hell, Amazon has 5 disc carousel systems for $150.

It's another thing you have to connect to your AV Receiver. Including getting a coax or SPDIF cable, and finding that input on your system.

The game console is already connected digitally via HDMI, why not use it?

 

[karobit]

It's not quite a dead format yet, but it's getting there, and it's puzzling that people are honestly wondering in 2017 why a mass market product whose primary purpose is not playing music doesn't support audio CDs. Like, okay, maybe you still use your video game console as a music CD player, but do you think your personal preferences represent anything resembling a remotely significant portion of consumers?

I look forward to this being a stance that comes back to haunt you again and again.

 

[NotSmartEnough]

It's really, really simple:

When designing the product they've assessed the cost to implement CD playback against the revenue from additional units they would sell.

Looks like they concluded that there wouldn't be enough extra sales to offset the cost.

It's not very realistic to put it down to being 'cheap' or 'lazy'. It's just business.

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

Would require 3 different lasers

So the Xbox One has 3 different lasers?

 

[Bastables]

Because the PS4 is hooked up to the living room TV, which is hooked up to the stereo, and (due to the infrequent need to play CDs) the PS4 has the only optical drive currently hooked up to that TV/stereo?

Why do you have a stereo system without a CD drive, espically considering how important CD music is, apparently.

 

[Cheerilee]

Why do you have a stereo system without a CD drive, espically considering how important CD music is, apparently.

I have one. I also have practically everything since Atari 2600 hooked up to my TV all at once. It's a horrible mess, but I love it.

Plenty of people are not like me. They have nice, clean, "minimal" setups. When the PS4 came out, they tossed their PS3, as they did with the PS2 and PSone.

Why would someone want to put a CD in their PS4? The answer is obvious, because they encountered a CD that they would like to play, and the PS4 seems like the most obvious machine for playing it. People don't need to live/breathe/eat the CD lifestyle to encounter a CD and want to play it.

 

[Bastables]

I have one. I also have practically everything since Atari 2600 hooked up to my TV all at once. It's a horrible mess, but I love it.

Plenty of people are not like me. They have nice, clean, "minimal" setups. When the PS4 came out, they tossed their PS3, as they did with the PS2 and PSone.

Why would someone want to put a CD in their PS4? The answer is obvious, because they encountered a CD that they would like to play, and the PS4 seems like the most obvious machine for playing it. People don't need to live/breathe/eat the CD lifestyle to encounter a CD and want to play it.

Can you quantify these people who have CD collections and only play them through their game consoles?

Because anecdotally I’ve never tried to pop a CD into my Saturn, Dreamcast, ps2, ps3 or PS4. I’ve also never tried to play a cassette tape in dad’s old spectrum either. I have actual stero systems and even a mini system for actually listening to music.

 

[ResidentDante]

Laughing at how many music enthusiasts here are playing their music collection through their console and TV. What a terrible way to listen to music.

I don't think it's about enthusiasts here. It's about convenience of having all disc driven gadgets into one box. Especially when it's able to play DVD's.

 

[Cheerilee]

Can you quantify these people who have CD collections and only play them through their game consoles?

Because anecdotally I’ve never tried to pop a CD into my Saturn, Dreamcast, ps2, ps3 or PS4. I’ve also never tried to play a cassette tape in dad’s old spectrum either. I have actual stero systems and even a mini system for actually listening to music.

I only have to look as far as my brother.

When I go to his place, he has three things hooked up to his TV: A 5.1 stereo, an Xbone (he's a big fan of Halo), and a home theater PC (for Steam and Netflix). The HTPC doesn't even have an optical drive. And that's the only stereo in his entire house (his work computer does have a DVD drive, but it has shitty speakers). If I tossed him a CD, he would either listen to it in his car, or try to stick it in his Xbone.

 

[tzare]

I don't think it's about enthusiasts here. It's about convenience of having all disc driven gadgets into one box. Especially when it's able to play DVD's.

while this may be useful for some, in the era of spotify, netflix , plex it is hardly a priority. In fact most won't even use ps4 for netflix ,many have smart tvs, chromecasts.....
THe switch also foucs on gaming, without netflix for example for now, because smartphones do the job much better


So while it would be nice, it is not an important feature for most of the userbase, as it isn't 4KBRD either, and sales prove that.

 

[Team Andromeda]

Because the PS4 is hooked up to the living room TV, which is hooked up to the stereo, and (due to the infrequent need to play CDs) the PS4 has the only optical drive currently hooked up to that TV/stereo?

. You meant to say you don't have a PC or a means to rip your CD collection put them on a Pen Drive or Hard drive and share it across your network. Maybe you should have got a XBox One if CD playback in a console is such a big issue

 

[Bastables]

I only have to look as far as my brother.

When I go to his place, he has three things hooked up to his TV: A 5.1 stereo, an Xbone (he's a big fan of Halo), and a home theater PC (for Steam and Netflix). The HTPC doesn't even have an optical drive. And that's the only stereo in his entire house (his work computer does have a DVD drive, but it has shitty speakers). If I tossed him a CD, he would either listen to it in his car, or try to stick it in his Xbone.

So he cares about CD music so much he brought a stero system with no CD playback capability? I’m guessing he does not give a shit about the format as to come in contact with CD’s he has to borrow it off his sibling.

 

[Raiden]

Is this the worst first post ever?

Its way better than your post.

And mine.

 

[Cheerilee]

So he cares about CD music so much he brought a stero system with no CD playback capability? I’m guessing he does not give a shit about the format as to come in contact with CD’s he has to borrow it off his sibling.

Receivers don't generally come with CD drives built in. Stereo systems are modular.

And I'm not sure why you're trying to say that only hardcore CD enthusiasts would ever listen to CDs. My argument since the beginning has been that minimalists with a casual desire to listen to a CD tend to look at the only optical drive hooked up to their stereo as their CD player (when a CD player becomes temporarily wanted).

 

[Team Andromeda]

My argument since the beginning has been that minimalists with a casual desire to listen to a CD tend to look at the only optical drive hooked up to their stereo as their CD player (when a CD player becomes temporarily wanted).

Well if you want a current console to play CDs then get a Xbox One.

 

[Bastables]

Receivers don't generally come with CD drives built in. Stereo systems are modular.

And I'm not sure why you're trying to say that only hardcore CD enthusiasts would ever listen to CDs. My argument since the beginning has been that minimalists with a casual desire to listen to a CD tend to look at the only optical drive hooked up to their stereo as their CD player (when a CD player becomes temporarily wanted).

It’s not hardcore CD enthusiasts, if you like listening to cd you will have purchased a stereo/hifi system with a CD player, not what actually seems to be a home theatre system designed for tv connection. Your brother seems to be such a casual user he has no CD’s at all unless you (a person with CD capable stereo system) toss some at him.
He’s such a casual CD and PS4 user he lacks both items, because casual user now means not a user apparently .

 

[Melchiah]

I moved on to USB-sticks for music playback long ago. I've transferred all the albums I like to listen to HDD, and just plug the stick to my home/car stereo. It's far more convenient that way. The downside is, that the stereos don't support WAV files, but the difference from 320kbps MP3s really isn't that noticeable on low/mid range sound systems.


EDIT: Come to think of it, even my car stereo doesn't have a CD drive.

 

[ronco2000]

What year is this?

 

[PantsuJo]

What year is this?

I don't know my man, but we just learned that Xbox ONE reads CDs apparently, so it must be a 1999/2000 system.

Maybe we shifted back in time, to 1999!

 

[Cheerilee]

It’s not hardcore CD enthusiasts, if you like listening to cd you will have purchased a stereo/hifi system with a CD player, not what actually seems to be a home theatre system designed for tv connection. Your brother seems to be such a casual user he has no CD’s at all unless you (a person with CD capable stereo system) toss some at him.
He’s such a casual CD and PS4 user he lacks both items, because casual user now means not a user apparently .

Actually, I know he has a couple of CDs, like... I know that he backed Bloodstained at a tier that includes a physical CD, and I know he bought the Shantae "Risky Beats" edition that came with a physical CD, but... so what?

The question was "Why would anyone ever put a CD in their PS4?" Minimalists exist (and my brother is far from the only one). If I (a hardware horder) tossed my brother a CD, he would absolutely put in in his Xbone and expect it to work. If he wasn't into Halo and preferred something like Uncharted, I'm sure he would try sticking it into his PS4.

 

[Previous]

I don't think many people actually listen to CD's anymore. Do a small number of people still buy them? yeah, but I imagine most will immediately rip them anyway.

 

[Bastables]

Actually, I know he has a couple of CDs, like... I know that he backed Bloodstained at a tier that includes a physical CD, and I know he bought the Shantae "Risky Beats" edition that came with a physical CD, but... so what?

The question was "Why would anyone ever put a CD in their PS4?" Minimalists exist (and my brother is far from the only one). If I (a hardware horder) tossed my brother a CD, he would absolutely put in in his Xbone and expect it to work. If he wasn't into Halo and preferred something like Uncharted, I'm sure he would try sticking it into his PS4.

No the question was to quantify (the number), because right now the two best selling home consoles have zero CD playback capability.


Your quantifying has netted the number of one person, aka an anecdote.

 

[kraspkibble]

i get that CD's are old technology now and most people are streaming or sticking music on USB but i just imagined that a blu ray drive would be able to read CDs.

listening to cds on a playstation is so 90's.

I don't think many people actually listen to CD's anymore. Do a small number of people still buy them? yeah, but I imagine most will immediately rip them anyway.

the only reason i still buy cds is because my stupid old car doesn't support bluetooth/phone input or i'd be streaming spotify. i've been meaning to mod it but eh

 

[Pankratous]

the only reason i still buy cds is because my stupid old car doesn't support bluetooth/phone input or i'd be streaming spotify. i've been meaning to mod it but eh

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_s...efix=car+bluetooth,aps,144&crid=2140DWIL77QU2

 

[Cheerilee]

No the question was to quantify (the number), because right now the two best selling home consoles have zero CD playback capability.

*sigh*

- Team Andromeda asked why anyone would want to play a CD on their PS4.
- I explained the concept of minimalists.
- You asked why I was a minimalist, if CDs were soooo important to me.
- I said that I wasn't one, but others are, and that CDs don't need to be soooo important for someone to want to play one.
- You asked me to "quantify" them, because anecdotally you aren't one (and apparently don't know any humans, as your anecdote began and ended with you).
- I explained the real-life case of my brother, as that one's very easy to explain.
- You disparaged his hardcore credentials.
- I asked where this "hardcore" thing is coming from, as it has never been part of my argument.
- You stuck to your guns.
- I don't know where you're getting this as it was never part of anything.
- Now you want me to "quantify" the number of PS4 owners who are minimalist and get rid of their old hardware as soon as it becomes obsolete clutter.

Sorry. I don't have access to Sony's demographics or any sort of survey data.

And I think I'm done with this conversation. *unsubscribe*

 

[kraspkibble]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_s...efix=car+bluetooth,aps,144&crid=2140DWIL77QU2

thanks but the cigarette lighter/charger is broke on my car so can't use that or even charge my phone in it lol. i hate the damn car it's falling apart.

 

[Pankratous]

thanks but the cigarette lighter/charger is broke on my car so can't use that or even charge my phone in it lol. i hate the damn car it's falling apart.

damn that sucks man lol

first thing I did when I got my first car (also an old banger) was buy something like this. spotify 4 days.

 

[kraspkibble]

damn that sucks man lol

first thing I did when I got my first car (also an old banger) was buy something like this. spotify 4 days.

i've bought quite a few things over the years including battery FM transmitter and just gave up and bought CDs.

 

[Bastables]

*sigh*

- Team Andromeda asked why anyone would want to play a CD on their PS4.
- I explained the concept of minimalists.
- You asked why I was a minimalist, if CDs were soooo important to me.
- I said that I wasn't one, but others are, and that CDs don't need to be soooo important for someone to want to play one.
- You asked me to "quantify" them, because anecdotally you aren't one (and apparently don't know any humans, as your anecdote began and ended with you).
- I explained the real-life case of my brother, as that one's very easy to explain.
- You disparaged his hardcore credentials.
- I asked where this "hardcore" thing is coming from, as it has never been part of my argument.
- You stuck to your guns.
- I don't know where you're getting this as it was never part of anything.
- Now you want me to "quantify" the number of PS4 owners who are minimalist and get rid of their old hardware as soon as it becomes obsolete clutter.

Sorry. I don't have access to Sony's demographics or any sort of survey data.

And I think I'm done with this conversation. *unsubscribe*

My “anecdotes” also include the current best selling consoles lack CD playback capability.

Your anecdote is your brother (in a reply to me not andromeda) who you initially have to toss CDs to, lacks a PS4, lacks a music system to play CD’s and buys a Xboxone for halo, not in order to create a minimalist music entertainment centre based on a video game console.

We don’t need access to sony’s Demographics for PS4, we can see it’s (and the switch currently) the more popular choice by the market buying more of them than a CD capable console.

 

[Pandy]

It’s not hardcore CD enthusiasts, if you like listening to cd you will have purchased a stereo/hifi system with a CD player, not what actually seems to be a home theatre system designed for tv connection. Your brother seems to be such a casual user he has no CD’s at all unless you (a person with CD capable stereo system) toss some at him.
He’s such a casual CD and PS4 user he lacks both items, because casual user now means not a user apparently .

This is a dumb argument.

The best audio equipment in the house is often linked up to the TV and gaming set-up, so playing a CD through the PS4 would still be the preferred option for many people instead of playing it on a mini-stereo.

Also, lol'ing at "hardcore/casual CD user".

 

[Bastables]

This is a dumb argument.

The best audio equipment in the house is often linked up to the TV and gaming set-up, so playing a CD through the PS4 would still be the preferred option for many people instead of playing it on a mini-stereo.

Also, lol'ing at "hardcore/casual CD user".

Must be why the PS4/switch sales are in the toilet with all these consumers requiring CD playback through their video game consoles then......

 

[ScientificPizza]

You can't handle the truth eh?

v

sure but you can say lossless sounds better than compressed mp3s without coming off like a condescending douche

 

[FZW]

PS4 doesnt play legacy technology like 4k Bluray in the PS4 Pro.

LOL

 

[SlickShoes]

I don't think it's about enthusiasts here. It's about convenience of having all disc driven gadgets into one box. Especially when it's able to play DVD's.

PS4 was never marketed as such a machine, it was a games machine for gamers.

Sony went out their way to distance themselves from the all in one centre of the house does everything box.

If you are still hoarding hundreds of CD's you must be a collector or enthusiast. I love music and I ditched my CD collection a few years ago now, they won't last anyway and next to nothing plays them.

 

[aaaaa0]

Every Blu Ray drive I've ever used (PC, console, stand-alone player) was backwards compatible all the way back to CDs.

Seems like an odd corner to cut, IMHO.

 

[kyser73]

It's another thing you have to connect to your AV Receiver. Including getting a coax or SPDIF cable, and finding that input on your system.

The game console is already connected digitally via HDMI, why not use it?

3.5mm jack into 2x phono, stick it in the sockets marked ‘CD’ on the back, and then select CD as your input.

Sounds like a real hassle.

 

[Team Andromeda]

This is a dumb argument.

The best audio equipment in the house is often linked up to the TV and gaming set-up, so playing a CD through the PS4 would still be the preferred option for many people instead of playing it on a mini.

Very true but most people also have a means to rip CD music to PC and so put it on a pen drive or hard drive which can be used on the PS4 or in a lot of cases the amp its self

Failing that, just get a XBox One.

 

[Carl]

Some new laptops now don't even come with disc drives

No one uses CDs now

 

[aaaaa0]

3.5mm jack into 2x phono, stick it in the sockets marked ‘CD' on the back, and then select CD as your input.

Sounds like a real hassle.

At least for me, I'd have to pull my whole damn system apart to get at the rear to put the cables in.

And who the hell would use analog I/O for CD audio?

Digital (SPDIF optical or coax or HDMI) is the only acceptable interconnect for CD audio.

As early as 2013 Sony promised they were going to patch CD playback back in. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-11-12-sony-is-working-to-add-mp3-and-cd-support-to-the-ps4

Where did it go?

 

[ResidentDante]

PS4 was never marketed as such a machine, it was a games machine for gamers.

Sony went out their way to distance themselves from the all in one centre of the house does everything box.

If you are still hoarding hundreds of CD's you must be a collector or enthusiast. I love music and I ditched my CD collection a few years ago now, they won't last anyway and next to nothing plays them.

You're getting the wrong end of the stick here.

If you're an enthusiast still collecting CD's you're not using a console to play them back, you've most likely invested in a standalone CD with suited specs for enthusiasts. People may not be collecting CD's anymore, but they have them from years ago, and PS4 being a disc drive system they will take it for granted that CD's should just be able to be popped into it and played back for DVD's and Blu-Rays.

Which casuals care if the PS4 was marketed for gamers? They're not what the marketing was made for, and most likely haven't given a damn about the "for the gamers" slogan anyhow. PlayStation is a household brand that has become synonymous with playing music and movies. Not having the CD playback function is just a weird and consumer confusing decision, it would have cost Sony hardly anything to include it.

Sure you can laugh at CD's, or DVD's for that matter, when it comes to all the streaming services available. But people still have them lying around at home and maybe want to pop them in to play them.

 

[Theslammer]

Cd: infrared light (780 nm)
DVD: ”red laser" (650nm)
Blu Ray: blue/violet laser (450nm)

Removing the capability to read CD will of course mean cheaper manufacturing and consumer cost. Remember the PS4 was cheaper than the multimedia ps3 and xboxone at their release dates. Sony focused on cost cutting to manufacture a focused games console not a bloated entertainment system ala ps3 xboxone.

Yeah, I think that is getting lost in this conversation. I don't play CDs on even my PS3 or my PS2 that I still own, and I totally understand the circumstances that keep people from owning a CD player right now.

But part of the reason the $399 price point was so amazing, compared to the bloated PS3 $599 price point, is because a lot of the features -- Share, streaming, Shareplay, etc., -- focused on games. You can still play apps, watch Netflix, Amazing Video, Hulu, all that stuff, but some things weren't there from the beginning because they wanted to bring a more affordable console to the market considering the big mistake the PS3's price point was. So I don't mind that sacrifice as much considering I was able to own a PS4 within a month of its release, whereas I waited four years to buy a PS3.

Can't say I blame someone who's in this position who wish it would play CDs since I totally get all-in-one media players (hell, I watch TV on the PS4 through Vue, so I understand completely). I buy Blu-Ray because I prefer that over streaming movies, though for price concerns, I do stream plenty of TV through Prime Video. But I agree with what you're saying.

 

[gtj1092]

When my PS4 collector's editions come with audio CDs and my PS4 can't even play them, I get slightly angry at Sony*


*

Spoiler

because believe it or not I ran out of devices that can play CDs. My PS3 can't read them anymore and my PC has no disc drive

Why did you buy a PC with no disc drive then?

 

[KORNdoggy]

i imagine its a case of important features taking precedent over often unused one in an attempt to make a cheaper machine. i mean, i'm sure they'll have analytical data (from PS3 or other places) suggesting not many people use it when it's there. so the same reason they don't have BC i guess.

 

[Rellik]

Why did you buy a PC with no disc drive then?

He probably built it. It's not exactly something you put into your gaming rig these days.

I grabbed a cheap shitty one for mine just in case.

Some new laptops now don't even come with disc drives

No one uses CDs now

Yeah literally no one on earth uses CDs now.

Some of you live in fascinating bubbles.

 

[JoeNut]

well the fact it's taken like 4 years to ask this question is probably a good answer...nobody wants it to.

 

[Raitaro]

Why are there always answers like these when someone asks/criticizes something about Sony missing simple stuff?

Games' OST for Sony's own games are released in CD (because the quality is way better than what they sell you in the PS Store) and you can't even play them on their console.

I agree with this. CD's are only dead if you choose to ignore them. Plenty of stores around that still sell them here in Europe or Japan.

In fact, I happen to have a large stack of game OST's that I picked up in Japan over the years and due to moving house quite frequently I no longer have easy access to a device to play them on, which sucks. The fact that I have a PS4 sitting in front of me which should be able to play them if Sony had kept to their promise of doing a software update to allow for CD playback is quite ironic and frustrating. (The Wii U and Wii - i.e. my only other two disc-based consoles - not supporting them either makes it suck even more, as did my PS3 breaking down a few years ago that I used for playing CD's...)

well the fact it's taken like 4 years to ask this question is probably a good answer...nobody wants it to.

It's not taken four years since the link I provided mentions Yoshida being surprised by "fan backlash" against no CD and MP3 support back in 2013. Granted, MP3 support has been added and might have been the bigger omission for many but still.

 

[Ragelink26]

jeff_rigby would have loved this topic :'(

Didn't he have a thread about this around the PS4 launch?

 

[RowdyReverb]

Do BD drives not have 3 lasers by default? Why does the PS4 apparently have the only 2-laser BD drive? Wouldn’t it cost more to specially manufacture that than just use the more common variety?

 

[Bickle2]

Do BD drives not have 3 lasers by default? Why does the PS4 apparently have the only 2-laser BD drive? Wouldn’t it cost more to specially manufacture that than just use the more common variety?

I’ve been in this business nearly 20years

They’re using off the shelf drive mechanisms, they are completely mechanically capable of playing CDs. It would probably cost them double or triple to roll off custom drives that couldn’t.

It’s the answer is the exact same reason it doesn’t play PS1 games.

Sony spent a pile of money on their Music service partnership with Spotify to keep it out of Microsoft for years, and to create a recurring revenue stream from the subscriptions. The same as they spent a billion dollars on PSNow. The same reason they spent hundreds of millions on creating a streaming cable service and paying huge brib...incentives to Viacom and others to go with them.

It is against their financial interest to give you easy avenues of easily using your existing property instead of paying them subscriptions, particularly as the brass very much wants to transition from making hardware themselves to being the first big Japanese services company. Yes, they still include the Blu-ray software, because for now people will definitely miss that. But it evens out for them as they’re selling the same movie two weeks early on the store. Mysteriously, the PS store is not integrated with UV like the actual Sony Pictures digital store is, they really do see PlayStation as a walled garden to trap your money in.

The PSPro doesn’t play UHD because it was a fast and dirty overhaul of the existing hardware. Adding UHD required a ground up overhaul of the entire APU and board, which Microsoft was already doing for Scorpio and S. So they took the gamble it wasn’t going to really hurt them in the short run between now and PS5. Sony brass are quite down on the movie business anyway, they’ve been licensing out their movie catalog, it took them over six months o get a UHD player out, and of course the CE division remembers how PS3 sabotaged their dedicated Blu-ray player sales. Put all that together and they wait.

Oh and yes, the reason why you have to download the app on both consoles is because they don’t have to pay royalties until you do. Saves a lot of money.

I hope this gives some insight.