Upon opening my PlayStation VR box for the first time, I was amazed at how many cables were inside the box. After following some IKEA inspired instructions, I finally managed to set the VR up. Which took a lot longer than I care to admit.
I then thought about rearranging my gaming room so I could have more room to play my VR. But my cable was a bit short, so I wondered if I could extend my VR cable. Have you had this thought too?
Well, the answer is: No you cannot extend your PS VR cable!
Sony made the PlayStation VR cable that goes from the headset to the processor unit proprietary. Meaning that the cable doesn’t use a standard port, which basically stops third parties from making cheaper accessories for us to buy.
Surely I wasn’t the only one having this problem, there had to be a workaround. This is what I found to help you ‘extend’ your PS VR cable.
- Why is my PS VR’s cable the size it is?
- Is your room fit for a PS VR?
- Extending the HDMI cable this is not a silver bullet.
- I overlooked some simple solutions.
Now you’ve got your answer, come and find out some simple sizing-up solutions – (hehe chuckles to self!).
Why is my PS VR’s cable the size it is?
Ok, so the cables aren’t as short as a Nintendo Mini, but I don’t really want to play musical chairs every time I want to play on my PSVR.
The cable that goes between the PlayStation headset and the processor unit (which looks like a mini PlayStation) is made up of 2 cables.
One cable is called ‘Cable 5’ (the number should be on the cable, that is if you’re not stupid like me and peel the stickers off) which is attached to the headset, and ‘Cable 4’, which connects ‘Cable 5’ and the processor unit.
This was the original set of cables that I was hoping to extend.
The total length of these 2 cables combined is 14.4ft or 4.3 m.
On paper this sounds like it should be long enough.
Sony designed the PlayStation VR experience thinking that you would sit 2 meters away from the television. With that line of thinking the cable should be more than sufficient.
But my living room is not designed by the technicians at Sony.
On the bright side, the fact that my cable is a little short means I never get tangles!
This seems to only be an issue for the PSVR as other headsets can easily be extended due to the companies using standard ports. Mainly because the cables have to work with a wide variety of PCs.
Just my luck. Now I was going to have to come up with a creative solution to my problem.
Is your room fit for a PS VR?
Like most people when the PS VR was released I saved up and purchased one. The other VR headsets were out of the question as they were too expensive. I would’ve had to remortgage my house just to build a new gaming PC.
Yet, while I was watching for updates and reviews, the thought never occurred to me to check if my room was VR compatible.
After looking into Sony’s recommendations it seems that the optimum space you need to play your VR in be at least 3m x1.9m.
This is based on your PlayStation camera being placed above or below your television, and with you sitting/standing 2m (6’) away from your television screen.
Based on this information if you have a tiny room, you wouldn’t need a cable extension.
But, if you have a large room, and you want to make the most of the space, you really need to consider if the PS VR headset is for you.
If you were looking for a full-room experience, where you can move around freely, you’d be better off looking into the ‘Valves HTC Vive’. This headset does allow you to move around your room.
The other issue with your room is lighting.
While lights are pretty common in most homes, they don’t do much good for the PS VR headset.
Why? The PlayStation camera has to be able to track the lights that appear on the headset. If you have lights around your room they will cause interference, and it could ruin your VR gaming experience.
It’s best to decrease the amount of light, and as many reflective surfaces as possible too, (such as mirrors), as it will confuse the camera.
Same goes with windows, it might be best to draw the curtains. After all, in that critical gaming moment you don’t want the PlayStation camera to think the light in the window is a PlayStation Move Controller.
Oh, and on the lighting note, hanging lights are a definite no go! I have hit my light plenty of times…
Extending your HDMI cable is not a silver bullet?
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
I’ve heard a lot of people saying you can just extend your HDMI cable to create a longer cable for your VR headset.
The answer is, yes you can.
The problem is it might not solve the problem you want it too.
You use 2 HDMI cables when using your PSVR. The first goes from your Playstation to the Processor Unit (that’s the mini looking PlayStation), the second goes from your Processor Unit to the TV.
So, in theory, if you get a longer HDMI cable that goes from the Processor Unit to the TV, you might get some extra distance.
But depending on the setup of your room you might also have to buy another HDMI cable, one that goes from the PlayStation to the processor unit, to balance out all the cables’ lengths.
You might also find yourself looking for a longer USB cable as the processor unit moves further away. The USB cable must be attached to the PlayStation to pass data back and forth.
So, if you do manage to buy all of these new cables, you’re going to be left with the processor unit in the middle of your floor, and plenty of cables around it. Which is a trip hazard for you, and particularly problematic if you have pets or small children.
Personally, this sounds like a lot of effort, but if it works for you then great, problem solved.
I overlooked some simple solutions
There are a few things that can easily be overlooked when you set up your headset, but these small changes could be worthwhile, and cheaper in the long run for you.
Have better cable management
Behind the average television set, which certainly includes mine, is a tangle of wires. I’m not even sure what they all do.
A touch of general housekeeping could solve your cable length problem.
Sort out your cables, pull out the unwanted cables, and take out the tangles.
You’ll find those precious inches that you need.
Optimise your TV’s sockets
Using the optimal sockets for each device will have a big impact. Most TVs have a wide array of sockets at the back and on the sides, so make sure you’re using the sockets that are the most sensible for the job.
If your Playstation is off to the right side and you have a HDMI socket on the right side of your TV, plug in the PS cables there – it’s a no-brainer.
Same goes with the power.
Move closer to the TV
It’s recommended by most TV manufacturers that you should sit roughly 1.5 times the diagonal screen measurement away from your TV screen.
This is to give you the best viewing experience.
But, ask yourself, do you really need to be that far away from your TV screen when your playing VR? You get the screen via your headset! It’s only those around you that’ll watch the TV when you’re playing.
Not all games need the TV!
A Lot of people overlook the fact that not every PSVR uses the TV. Especially the solitary experiences.
You just need to be in front of the Playstation Camera.
So, you could be sitting off to the side, or in the corner of your room, not necessarily facing your television.
You still need to keep in mind that you need to be hooked up to the Playstation. But, the TV is not always required.
Problem solved!
Keep in mind if you’re playing co-op games like ‘Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes’ or ‘Monster Escape’, that you need the TV for your other players to join in.
Quick Reminder
So now you have some suggestions on how to make the most of your PS VR cable. Here’s a quick reminder of the best bits we’ve talked about:
- You should look to set up your room for your VR.
- Extending the HDMI cable might help.
- Have better cable management in general.
- Optimise your TV’s sockets.
- Try moving closer to the TV.
- Not all games need the TV!
What next?
What is the Processor Unit and what does it do?
The Processor Unit is the box that looks like a mini PS4. It’s essentially a splitter, that sends images to the VR headset, as well as an output to the television.
Can I use PlayStation VR without the TV?
Yes, but not with all games. Some games are designed to have asymmetrical gameplay, where the person in VR is competing against local players, who are playing via the television. It can get a bit fiddly, as the game instructions don’t often pop up for everyone playing to see.
Can I wear my glasses while using PlayStation VR?
Yes, the headset was designed with glasses wearers in mind. Just don’t make the lenses too tight, as this could damage your actual glasses, or scratch the VR’s lenses.
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