Frequently Asked Questions: Here is the section on the new Sony controller.
We report the useful translation made on PlayStation Blog, dividing it for convenience and ease of use in various separate articles. Index HERE
Part 4: DualShock 4
How long does the battery last of a DUALSHOCK 4?
The battery life of a DUALSHOCK 4 is similar to that of a DUALSHOCK 3.
How long does it take to upload a DUALSHOCK 4?
It will take about two hours to fully charge a DUALSHOCK 4 once connected to a Ps4 or a charging device.
How can I recharge a DUALSHOCK 4? Does PS4 include a charging cable?
Users will be able to charge a DUALSHOCK 4 on their PS4 whether the system is on or in standby, using a micro USB cable included with the PS4 system. Universal chargers supporting micro USB and Dedicated Charging Ports (DCP) can be used to charge a DUALSHOCK 4. Charging devices will be available.
Can I load a DUALSHOCK 4 on my PS4 while I'm not playing?
Yes, you can recharge DUALSHOCK 4 while leaving PS4 on standby. European users will be able to do this by enabling the “Charging from USB ports” option found in the menu under Settings, Power Saving Settings.
How many DUALSHOCK 4 can I connect to my PS4 at the same time?
PS4 supports up to four DUALSHOCK 4 connected simultaneously.
How do I sync a DUALSHOCK 4 to my PS4?
To synchronize your DUALSHOCK 4 you will need to connect it to your PS4 using the front USB ports, just like with PS3.
Can the auxiliary port on the back of the PS4 be used for anything other than running the PlayStation Camera?
No, this port can only be used with PlayStation Camera.
How does the touchpad integrated in the DUALSHOCK 4 work?
The capacitive touchpad of the DUALSHOCK 4 supports drag and drop, flicking and multi-touch input. In addition, the touch pad is clickable. Developers will be able to choose how and whether to exploit these features. For example, in Killzone: Shadow Fall the touchpad is used to assign different commands to the player's OWL drones in the single player campaign.
How can I take advantage of the light bar incorporated in the DUALSHOCK 4?
It will be up to the developers to decide whether to support it. The bar is an immersive and versatile addition to DUALSHOCK 4. In games like Killzone: Shadow Fall, the light bar can help communicate status information to players, changing color as energy runs low. In other games, the color of the light bar can adapt to the development of the story and much more. Furthermore, when used in connection with the PlayStation Camera, the game can recognize the position of DUALSHOCK 4. It will be up to the developers' imagination to use the DUALSHOCK 4 light bar properly.
Will the light bar be turned on and off?
No. The light bar is also an indicator that the DUALSHOCK 4 is actually turned on. Depending on the different games, the color and intensity of the DUALSHOCK 4 light bar can be changed by the developers, but it cannot be turned off completely.
Will PS4 contain headphones?
Yes, the PS4 system will contain Mono headsets that will enable voice chat for online games and optional PS4 voice commands. The PlayStation Camera, sold separately for € 49,99, will also support PS4 voice chat and voice commands.
Will the 3,5mm jack of the DUALSHOCK 4 support other headphones?
PS Vita headphones are fully supported. Other Third party headsets may support audio and chat features on PS4 but Sony Computer Entertainment cannot guarantee this.
Is it possible to set the game audio to come out from the headphones attached to the DUALSHOCK 4?
Yes, you can select the type of Output in the headphone options: “Chat Audio” or “All Audio”.
Will PS3 and PS4 users be able to use voice chat or video chat together?
PS3 and PS4 users will be able to communicate with each other using text messages, but not video or voice chat.
As for cross-game Party Chat, how many users will PS4 support?
As with PS Vita, the PS4 system will support up to eight users for cross-game Party Chat. Party Chat also works between Ps4 and PS Vita.
Can PS4 users send voice messages to each other?
Yes, PS4 users will be able to record voice messages of up to 15 seconds and send them to friends, who can listen to them later.
What impact will the speaker integrated in DUALSHOCK 4 have on gameplay?
The speaker integrated into the DUALSHOCK 4 will allow particularly brilliant developers to immerse the player even more in the game world. For example, in Killzone: Shadow Fall, audio journals collected in the campaign will be broadcast by the speaker built into DUALSHOCK 4. We can tell you that other developers are using very interesting ways to take advantage of this feature.
Has the DUALSHOCK 4 motion sensor been improved over the DUALSHOCK 3 motion sensor?
Yes, the SIXAXIS® featured in DUALSHOCK 4 is much more sensitive than the one featured in DUALSHOCK 3. For example, the PS4 edition of Flower will enjoy more precise controls that will allow users to guide the flower petals more easily. The SIXAXIS of the DUALSHOCK 4 is also more precise in terms of writing. PS4 users will be able to "point" letters to form words.
I have heard that the DUALSHOCK 4 is equipped with "enhanced vibration". What does it mean? What are the benefits?
The multiple motors that provide vibration to the DUALSHOCK 4 give PS4 games a greater degree of expression and immersion.
I have heard that the DUALSHOCK 4 has lower "latency" than the other controllers. What does it mean?
All wireless devices suffer from some form of latency, a small delay, for example, between pressing a button and playing motion on the screen. Thanks to new technology and hardware optimizations, DUALSHOCK 4 suffers from less latency than PS3's DUALSHOCK 3.
Will the DUALSHOCK 4 be able to connect to a PC?
Yes, you can connect a DUALSHOCK 4 to your PC using USB; the controller will support basic functions. We have no details to provide at the moment on full compatibility with DUALSHOCK 4 PC games.
What colors of DUALSHOCK 4 will there be?
The DUALSHOCK 4 will arrive in “Magma Red” and “Wave Blue” colors at the PAL launch scheduled for November 29th. Other colors will be available after launch. We will announce the release date in the future. Follow our web channels for the latest news.
