PSP F.A.Q.

Written by Michael Yagovane (Mike on the forums)

   I will be answering f.a.q. (frequently asked questions) about the psp. Hopefully this will convince you to make the best handheld decision in your life. Alright now let’s get started with the questions. 

1. What does PSP stand for?

PSP stands for Playstation Portable.

2. What company is the PSP made by?

The PSP is made by Sony.

3. When was the PSP released?

The PSP was released on March 24, 2005 in the United States, December 12, 2004 in Japan, September 1 in Australia and Europe, and May 2, 2005 in Korea.

4. What are the official features and specs of the system?

Official PSP Specs

UMD Specifications

Source – www.ign.com 

5. What is the PSP able to do?

The PSP is able to play umds (PSP games), mp3’s, view photos, play videos, and surf the web at hotspots. It also has a network update feature so when you are at a hotspot you can search for new updates for the PSP. This will allow the PSP to have more features in the future.

6. Does the PSP support flash?

Currently the PSP does not support flash. However, Sony is looking into a new update that will feature flash support. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this as a new update in the future.

7. Does the psp come in any other colors besides black?

As of now there is only black PSP’s in the U.S, Europe, Australia, and Korea. There is a Ceramic White PSP that is available in Japan only. We don’t know yet if it will be available anywhere else in the Ceramic White color. Below is a picture of the Ceramic White psp. 

8. When I buy the psp will it come with a demo umd disc?

Yes but it will only include non-interactive demos, movie trailers, and music videos.

9. What is an umd and what does it stand for?

UMD stands for “Universal Media Disc”. I have a picture below showing what an umd looks like. An umd is about the size of a game cube game but it is encased in plastic.                                               

10. Is the psp backwards compatible?

The psp is not backwards compatible. This means that it cannot play ps2 games, ps1 games, or cd’s or DVD’s like the ps2 can. This is because if Sony made it backwards compatible then it would be too bulky.

11. What is the PSP’s battery life?

The psp can last about 4 hours if you are playing games with the brightest setting and the music on the loudest setting? While watching umd movies on the PSP with the brightest setting and loudest sound setting it will last about up to 3 hours. If you are listening to music with the backlight off and the sound on full, it should last about 6-8 hours.

12. Does the PSP have a rechargeable battery?

Yes.

13. Am I able to charge my battery while I play my PSP?

Yes you are able to.

14. How long does it take to charge the PSP’s battery?

It takes about 2-2 ½ hours to fully charge the PSP’s battery.

15. What type of battery does the PSP have?

It has a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery pack.

16. Are there parental controls to prevent my child from playing “M” games and “R” rated videos?

Yes there are parental controls to prevent your child from playing games you don’t want them to or videos you don’t want them to watch.

17. Is there a USB port?

Yes there is a USB port 2.0.You will be able to plug in keyboards, cameras, etc. However, keep in mind that the psp cannot do all this out of the box. Sony will need to issue updates for these to work on the psp.

18. Can I connect my psp to my pc?

Yes. You will be able to. Once connected to your pc, you will be able to transfer mp3’s, videos, and photos to it.

19. What do I save my music, videos, photos, movies, and game saves to?

You can save them to your Memory stick Dou or Memory Stick Pro Dou.

Below are a couple of the memory sticks available that work with the PSP.

20. Can I browse web site wirelessly using my PSP?

Yes but keep in mind that you will need firmware 2.0 or higher.

21. What other firmware’s are available and what are their features?

Currently there are firmware’s 1.0, 1.5, 1.51, 1.52, 2.0, 2.1, 2.5, and 2.6

Below is a list of what their features are.

Version 1.0 – Original firmware that came with the Japanese PSP’s on the launch date.

Version 1.5 – Some new languages were added and more video support was also added.

Version 1.51 – Security update to fix the hack that allowed psp users to play homebrew on their PSP.

Version 1.52 – The feature to play music off of umds was added.

Version 2.0 – The PSP’s web browser was added.

Version 2.1 – Security update to fix the exploit in version 2.0 that allowed users to downgrade their PSP’s back to version 1.5.

Version 2.5 – The feature to watch TV on you PSP was added. You do however need a Location Free Base Station for this to work. These usually cost anywhere between $300-$400.

Version 2.6 – The feature to stream audio RSS feeds has been added under the network function.

22. Are there any Hard Drives for the PSP?

Yes. Datel has made a 4 GB external hard drive for the psp.

23. What is the PSP’s screen resolution?

The PSP’s screen resolution is 480x272 pixels.

24. How big is the PSP’s screen?

The PSP’s screen is 4.3 inches and it has a 16:9 widescreen display.

25. Do all the PSP’s have dead pixels?

No. Some have only 1 while some have up to 10. But there are some prefect PSP’s out there without a single dead pixel.

26. How many brightness levels does it have?

The PSP has 3 brightness levels. However, when you are playing the PSP while charging the battery it has 4 brightness levels.

27. Does the PSP have a sleep mode?

Yes it does. Then when you want to play the game it will start you back off where you were when you put it on sleep mode.

28. Does the PSP have a hold button?

Yes it does.

29. Can I play against other people online? Can I play against my friend who has a psp who is near me?

Yes to both. You can play online against people around the world in Infrastructure mode and you can play against your friends who live near you in Ad-Hoc mode.

30. Can I play my PSP and listen to music off my memory card at the same time?

Yes. Not in all games though. So far this feature is only in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

31. Does the PSP have an analog stick?

Yes but it is more of an analog nub because it slides instead of tilting.

32. Can I change my PSP’s background?

Yes you can. You can also use any photo stored on your PSP that you’d like or you can have the default color for each month.

33. Does the PSP offer a touch screen like the Nintendo DS?

No, it does not but it has a 16:4 wide, very clear LCD screen.

34. Why should I get a PSP instead of a Nintendo DS?

You should buy the PSP if you want a device that has the better features, more capabilities, better graphics, and overall better games. This system is meant for teens or adults though. I would recommend getting a Nintendo DS for your child if they are under 12. This is because it has many features that they won’t know how to use or take advantage of such as putting mp3’s on it, coding movies so they can be played on you PSP, surfing the web and a few other things. Nintendo DS is better if you like more kid based games.

35. Should I buy a psp?

It pretty much depends on how you feel about the psp after this f.a.q. I would say to go for it. I bought one and I never regretted my decision once. It just gets better everyday!

Written by Michael Yagovane (Mike on the forums)