PSVR External Processing Unit
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| PSVR External Processing Unit | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual reality |
| Type | Accessory |
| Subtype | Virtual Reality Accessory |
| Platform | PlayStation VR |
| Developer | Sony |
| Release Date | 13 October 2016 (included with PlayStation VR)[1] |
| Versions | CUH-ZVR1 series, CUH-ZVR2 series[2] |
| Requires | PlayStation VR, PlayStation 4 |
| System | |
| CPU | Marvell Armada 1500 Pro 4K SoC (DE3214-B0), per teardown of the CUH-ZVR1 unit[3] |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 4 GB Samsung eMMC flash, per teardown of the CUH-ZVR1 unit[3] |
| Memory | 1 GB DDR3 SDRAM (four 256 MB Samsung chips), per teardown of the CUH-ZVR1 unit[3] |
| Audio | |
| Audio | 3D audio processing[2] |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | HDMI, USB[2] |
| Power | AC adaptor[4] |
| Device | |
| Weight | Approx. 365 g (CUH-ZVR1); approx. 300 g (CUH-ZVR2)[2] |
| Size | Approx. 143 x 36 x 143 mm (CUH-ZVR1); approx. 150 x 39 x 114 mm (CUH-ZVR2), width x height x length[2] |
The PSVR External Processing Unit (EPU) or Breakout Box is a small black box required for PlayStation VR. The box is attached to the PS4 and the PSVR HMD. Sony Interactive Entertainment calls it the Processor Unit and describes it as "a small box that comes with your PS VR", which connects the headset to the PlayStation 4 and the television and provides HDMI cable management, Social Screen TV output, 3D audio processing and Cinematic mode.[5]
Sony lists the Processor Unit among the contents of the PlayStation VR package, and the headset launched on 13 October 2016.[1][6] Some gaming and technology press reported that the box helped the PS4 render VR; Road to VR suggested the confusion may have come from its technical name, Processing Unit. Sony senior staff engineer Chris Norden rejected that reading at the Game Developers Conference in March 2016, saying the box adds no extra CPU or GPU power and that the PS4 can output 120 Hz on its own.[7] A revised unit came with the CUH-ZVR2 version of PlayStation VR in 2017 and added HDR pass-through.[5] The successor headset, PlayStation VR2, has no processor unit and connects to the PlayStation 5 with a single cable.[8][9]
Function
- Object-based 3D audio processing
- Displays social screen
- Mirroring mode - see the view of HMD wearer
- Separate mode - see a view that is different from the HMD wearer's
- Displays PS4 system software interface in "cinematic mode"[7][2]
EPU handles the output of HMD view to a monitor. EPU provides an optional non-distorted output to a monitor. You can attach a monitor to the EPU to display PSVR's user's view in the undistorted form (Mirroring mode). It also outputs the different video and audio feed when compared to the HMD wearer (Separate mode). Separate mode allows asynchronous games that allow non-HMD wearing players play with the HMD-wearing player.[10]
3D audio
Sony's GDC 2016 presentation listed object-based 3D audio processing as one of the unit's jobs.[7] PlayStation LifeStyle reported that Sony described the audio processing as "really good and important to VR".[10] The processed sound is delivered through ordinary headphones: according to Sony, any wired stereo headphones or wired earbuds can carry the 3D audio, and a pair of stereo headphones is included with PS VR.[5]
Social Screen
Sony uses the term Social Screen for "the 2D image being shown on the TV when running a VR game or application".[5] The Processor Unit works as an HDMI splitter that sends images to both the headset and the television.[5] In mirroring mode, the unit takes the image rendered for the headset's lenses and undistorts it for the TV; PlayStation LifeStyle reported from Sony's GDC talk that it scales and crops the picture to hide the edges of the undistorted view.[10][7]
Separate mode sends a different audio and video stream to the television. The PS4 sends this stream to the Processor Unit compressed, and the unit decompresses it before output. Sony said at GDC 2016 that separate mode was "an innovation that came quite late" in development.[10]
Cinematic mode
Cinematic mode shows the PS4 system interface and all non-VR games and applications on a virtual screen inside the headset.[5] The Processor Unit handles the display of this 2D content.[10] Sony's Japanese PlayStation Blog listed three virtual screen sizes, 117, 163 and 226 inches, with 163 inches as the default, as reported by Engadget.[11]
What it does not do
- Provide extra GPU
- Provide extra CPU
- Act as an expansion unit for PS4
- Accessible to Developers in any way[7]
These points come from Norden's GDC 2016 session as reported by Road to VR and PlayStation LifeStyle. According to PlayStation LifeStyle, he said the unit is "not extra GPU power [or] CPU power" and "certainly not a PlayStation 4 expansion unit or upgrade".[7][10] Sony's own FAQ repeats that the Processor Unit does not give the PS4 extra processing power and only assists it with 3D audio processing, HDMI cable management, Cinematic mode and Social Screen output.[5]
Hardware
Connections
A teardown of the launch unit by iFixit found three HDMI ports (one input from the PS4 and two outputs, to the TV and to the headset), a USB port, a proprietary AUX socket and a barrel jack for DC power.[3] Sony's setup guide for the CUH-ZVR1 model connects the unit to the TV by HDMI, links it to the console with a second HDMI cable and a USB cable, powers it from an AC adaptor, and attaches the VR headset connection cable under a sliding cover on the unit.[4] For the CUH-ZVR2 model the guide uses the unit's HDMI (TV) port, a second HDMI port for the console, a USB cable to the front of the console, an AC adaptor plugged into the rear of the unit, and the headset cable matched to symbols on the unit.[4]
Internals
Inside the CUH-ZVR1 unit, iFixit found an aluminum heat sink and a brushless cooling fan. The chips it identified are listed below.[3]
| Component | Part identified by iFixit |
|---|---|
| System on a chip | Marvell DE3214-B0 Armada 1500 Pro 4K |
| Memory | Samsung K4B2G1646Q-BCMA 256 MB DDR3 SDRAM (four chips, 1 GB total) |
| Storage | Samsung KLM4G1FE3A-F001 4 GB eMMC flash |
| HDMI | ADV7626 HDMI 2:2 cross point transceiver (two) |
| USB | Marvell 88E8087-NMN2 (identified by iFixit as likely a USB redriver) |
| Power | Marvell power management chip |
Models
Sony lists the same functions for both Processor Unit models: "3D audio processing, Social Screen (mirroring mode, separate mode), Cinematic mode".[2]
| Model | Dimensions (width x height x length)[2] | Weight | HDR pass-through |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUH-ZVR1 | Approx. 143 x 36 x 143 mm | Approx. 365 g | No[5] |
| CUH-ZVR2 | Approx. 150 x 39 x 114 mm | Approx. 300 g | Yes, only when the VR headset is turned off[5] |
CUH-ZVR2 revision and HDR
The original Processor Unit does not pass HDR signals through to the television, for both 1080p and 2160p HDR.[5] Owners who wanted to see HDR PS4 content on an HDR television had to disconnect the unit from between the console and the TV.[12]
Sony announced the CUH-ZVR2 version of PlayStation VR on 2 October 2017. Along with integrated stereo headphone cables and a slimmer connection cable, it has "an updated Processor Unit that supports HDR pass through, enabling users to enjoy HDR-compatible PS4 content on a TV without having to disconnect the Processor Unit". This function works only when the VR headset is turned off.[5] The revised model went on sale in Japan on 14 October 2017 in a bundle with the PlayStation Camera priced at 44,980 yen.[13] Sony did not give a North American date at the announcement.[14]
Because the cables of the two models differ, the Processor Units cannot be swapped between a CUH-ZVR1 and a CUH-ZVR2 headset.[5] All PS VR games work on both versions.[12]
Use with PlayStation 5
Sony's quick start guide tells owners who want to use PlayStation VR on a PlayStation 5 to use the PlayStation Camera adaptor.[4] Sony began giving the adaptor away free in October 2020, and owners requesting one had to supply the serial number from the Processor Unit.[15][16] In November 2024 Sony said the free adaptor would no longer be available as of 26 November 2024, or earlier if supplies ran out.[15]
PlayStation VR2 dropped the separate box. It connects directly to the PS5 over one USB Type-C cable, and iFixit noted in its 2023 teardown that removing the processor unit made setup "as simple as plug and play".[8][9]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jim Ryan (2016-10-13). "The future of play is here - PlayStation VR launches today". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2016/10/13/the-future-of-play-is-here-playstation-vr-launches-today/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 "PS VR tech specs". PlayStation. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://www.playstation.com/en-us/ps-vr/tech-specs/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Scott Havard (2016-10-13). "PlayStation VR Teardown". iFixit. https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/PlayStation+VR+Teardown/69341. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "PS VR: Quick start guide". PlayStation Support. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/psvr-quick-start-guide/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 Sid Shuman (2017-10-02). "PlayStation VR: The Ultimate FAQ". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2017/10/02/playstation-vr-the-ultimate-faq/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "PlayStation VR Launches October 2016 Available Globally at 44,980 Yen, $399 USD, €399 and £349". Sony Interactive Entertainment. 2016-03-16. https://sonyinteractive.com/en/press-releases/2016/playstationvr-launches-october-2016-available-globally-at-44980-yen-399-usd-399-and-349/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Ben Lang (2016-03-17). "Sony: 'PlayStation VR Breakout Box is Not a Crutch for PS4'". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/sony-playstation-vr-breakout-box-is-not-a-crutch-for-ps4-psvr-playstation-4-virtual-reality/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Hideaki Nishino (2022-01-04). "PlayStation VR2 and PlayStation VR2 Sense controller: the next generation of VR gaming on PS5". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2022/01/04/playstation-vr2-and-playstation-vr2-sense-controller-the-next-generation-of-vr-gaming-on-ps5/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Jacob Mehnert (2023-02-22). "Sony's PlayStation VR2 Teardown". iFixit. https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Sony's+PlayStation+VR2+Teardown/158170. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Michael Briers (2016-03-18). "PSVR Processing Unit Handles Bulk of 3D Audio, Enables Social Screen". PlayStation LifeStyle. https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2016/03/18/psvr-processing-unit-sony-playstation-vr/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Timothy J. Seppala (2016-07-21). "PSVR's 'cinematic mode' boasts a virtual 226-inch screen". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2016-07-21-playstation-vr-cinematic-mode.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Matt Brian (2017-10-02). "Sony's updated PlayStation VR won't block HDR". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/2017-10-02-sony-s-updated-playstation-vr-won-t-block-hdr.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Bayleigh Baker (2017-10-03). "PS VR Gets New Model in Japan in October". Anime News Network. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-10-02/ps-vr-gets-new-model-in-japan-in-october/.122148. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Rasmus Larsen (2017-10-02). "Sony's updated PlayStation VR is streamlined, supports HDR pass-through". FlatpanelsHD. https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1506944577. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Kris Holt (2024-11-10). "Sony is discontinuing its free PS5 PlayStation Camera adapter for PS VR". Engadget. https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-discontinuing-its-free-ps5-playstation-camera-adapter-for-ps-vr-171350519.html. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Ben Lang (2020-10-29). "PSVR Owners Can Now Request a Free Camera Adapter for PS5 Compatibility". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/psvr-ps5-compatibility-camera-adapter-request/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.