We’ve learned (via Eurogamer) that the external unit powering Sony’s PlayStation VR has been fully revealed – for now at least.
The above image (via VRFocus) shows off the head-mounted display (which Sony has upgraded to a fully 120Hz enabled OLED panel, which Eurogamer speculates has the PS4 outputting at 1080p/120Hz as a native refresh), as well as the long cable that connects it to an external processing box, which is being readied to ship with all PlayStation VR units. The processing box measures 140x140x35mm, and it comes with a small power supply.
It’s worth reiterating this is a development kit, and the size/design/mechanics of the consumer version. While the PlayStation 4 is actually doing most of the heavy lifting for PlayStation VR-enabled games, the processing box provides the “social screen” functionality.
More on the social screen feature – it enables the user to display the gameplay from their PlayStation VR headset to an HDTV, so others can watch in real-time. Here’s a shot of the back of the external unit:
The chip inside this unit is powerful enough that it needs cooling, hence the 25mm fan that is placed near the rear of the box (notice the vents). From right to left you have: HDMI out, HDMI in, micro-USB and the power input.
Finally, it’s worth pointing out the report mentions Sony has added asynchronous time-warp, meaning games that only run at 60FPS can be upscaled, framerate-wise, to the native refresh of the PlayStation VR HMD.
PlayStation VR is set to release within the first half of next year.
