Update 1:30PM ET: I received word from our Sony contact and the official word is now “It does not support analog out.” Sony had listed analog-AV support on its official site, on the PS4’s Amazon page, and then a Sony PR representative confirmed the feature to ExtremeTech. After the $399 price announcement last week, it seems possible that some last minute cuts could have been have made which then lead to this confusion. Apparently even Sony can’t keep the details straight.

Update 11:44AM ET: Sony removed “Analog-AV out” from the tech specs page after this article went live. Unfortunately, this makes the situation even more confusing. I’ve reached out for more information from a Sony representative, and I will update as soon as more information becomes available.

HDMI is a fantastic AV interface, but with it comes a load of copy protection baggage that compromises some functionality. It’s no surprise that the Xbox One will only feature HDMI out, but what about the PS4? While there has been some significant confusion about the topic, Sony has confirmed to ExtremeTech that the PS4 will, in fact, feature analog-AV output.

On Sony’s own PS4 Tech Specs page, the company lists “Analog-AV out” as a feature. Presumably, that settles the question, right? Not quite. Since the PS4 event at E3 last week, I started to see some members of the tech and gaming press refer to the PS4 as HDMI-only. I asked around, and I was told by Giant Bomb’s Jeff Gerstmann that Sony’s site had “old information.” I was left baffled at the situation, so I went straight to the source — Sony.

I emailed a press contact at Sony, and I asked “Can you confirm or deny analog-AV out support with the PS4?” Not long afterward, I received a clear and concise answer in the affirmative. The Sony representative said “The information on our website is correct.” So, as it stands, Sony has officially confirmed to ExtremeTech that analog output will be supported with the PS4.

Where did the confusion start? Partially, I believe it’s due to the ambiguous labeling of the back of the PS4. It sports an optical out, an HDMI out, an ethernet port, and an “Aux” port. It seems that most people are assuming that the auxiliary port will be used exclusively with the PS4’s camera peripheral. Instead, the auxiliary port could function as a method of serving an analog signal from the PS4. It’s not confirmed how it works just yet, but that seems like the most likely scenario. Truth be told, HDMI-to-component or USB-to-component are also possible implementations.

Another point of confusion could be this press release Sony sent out during E3. It doesn’t mention the analog-AV out, so that explains why some outlets would assume that there would be no analog support.

If true, the existence of analog output is outstanding news to those of us with older TVs lacking HDMI ports, but this means much more than that. High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is often enabled on devices sending out video over HDMI, and that can make capturing high definition game footage extremely difficult for outlets, like our sister site IGN. Even normal gamers are impacted because video walkthroughs and “Let’s Play” videos will become increasingly harder to accomplish using traditional means.

Since the PS3 has HDCP enabled whenever it is running video over HDMI, it makes capturing video over component the only legal way to record HD game play. On the other hand, the Xbox 360 only enables HDCP encryption when protected video is playing, so games are unaffected. The worry with HDMI-only consoles is that HDCP could stand in the way of easy video capture, and having analog output nullifies that fear completely.

Microsoft isn’t exactly in a consumer-friendly mood lately, so always-on HDCP encryption for the Xbox One is presumed at this point. That said, it has yet to be confirmed one way or the other. Whether the PS4 will have always-on HDCP encryption over HDMI remains to be seen as well, but the support for analog output puts my mind at ease.

Now read: Xbox One and PS4: Analyzing their support for 4K video and gaming

[Image credit: Sony]