Comparison of PSP-1000 and PSP-2000

- Joystiq take a look at the new model PSP:

This September, Sony will be unleashing the first ever revision of the PlayStation Portable. Codenamed PSP-2000, the system sports a new slimmer design, and the ability to display content on a television. There are a lot of mysteries surrounding the new system -- but tonight, we're going to clear things up. We asked the readers of PSP Fanboy to submit their questions and received about a hundred responses. That's a lot of ground to cover, so we're going to spend the next few days answering as many as we can. Let's begin.

The PSP-1000's volume wasn't that loud. Did they increase the volume?
Submitted by: dapurplebyrd
As you can see, the speakers on the new PSP (right) are not louder than the old PSP (left). With headphones on, the volume output is identical as well.

What firmware is shipped with the PSP?
Submitted by: mike

The system includes firmware 3.60. Some new features of the firmware include: USB Charge, new background colors (27 in all!), and Connected Display Settings (for TV output).

What video sizes does it play? Hopefully 640x480.
Submitted by: Surtur

Nope. PSP 3.60 still does not support 640x480 video, which means many iPod-compatible video podcasts still don't work on the PSP.

Is the system quieter when loading data from the UMD?
Submitted by: Brandon
In some ways. The PSP will still make that scratching noise when loading data from a UMD. However, it does seem to happen slightly less often. Listen to the video, though. You'll notice that both systems will make the same disc loading noise.

Do files open faster on XMB?
Submitted by: TheHood

We loaded up our 4GB Memory Stick Duo with tons of 1080p images and had the PSP generate thumbnails. In our test, we noticed one thing: the two systems performed identically.

Is ghosting still noticeable?
Submitted by: Saigon

Yes, ghosting is still noticeable on the screen, particularly in scenes involving bright whites. The screen isn't bad -- let's not forget that the original PSP screen still produces fantastic video.

Does the web browser take advantage of the added memory? For instance, can web sites that cause the old PSP's memory to run out work on the Slim?
Submitted by: J@F

We were trying to read our favorite gaming blog when this error message struck. Seemingly, the browser is another thing that hasn't been improved in the new PSP.

What happens if you press the screen button long enough to start video out if it isn't plugged in?
Submitted by: Don
The screen simply turns off, just as it did before. This will help you conserve battery.

Is it possible to play music while viewing a slideshow on the PSP with this new release?
Submitted by: Sai
No. When you enter a different part of the XMB, your music will stop just like before.

How is the Wi-Fi connection? Can you test the range?
Submitted by: Makiyura

The range for both PSP-1000 and PSP-2000 seem nearly identical. For us, the system lost a signal once more than 30 feet away from our wireless router. In terms of download speeds, we saw that the PSP-2000 had only a marginal advantage, one that could have been caused by random network speeds, rather than an inherent system design. Regardless, PSP-2000 constantly outperformed the original PSP in our RSS download tests.

Do the buttons actually have a better response/feel to them?
Submitted by: Dennis
Yes. The buttons have slightly more resistance, which makes it much better to the touch.

I heard that when you output games to your HDTV (through component), the picture is framed. Is it true?
Submitted by: Sephiroth_FF

Yes it is true. On our 61" TV, the image produced by the PSP was 42" on our TV. That means, in diagonal terms, less than 70% of your screen will be devoted to the game. The XMB, however, will appear in full screen, as will movies and everything else accessed from there:

The image quality of games is particularly impressive. Ignoring the somewhat significant borders, the games we played looked like they were being output by a PS2. Movies, on the other hand, fared worse. Our Spider-man 2 UMD looked good, but didn't match the quality of a properly upscaled DVD running on the PS3.

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There are still a lot more questions to answer. However, we need to spend a little more time with the system. Expect answers to burning questions on PSP-2000's load times, battery life, TV out functionality, and more in the next few days.

UK PSP Owners Finally Have Something to Smile About

- Sony have announced three new services for the PSP in the UK, with possible plans to expand out to other countries in the EU.
- Go! Messenger offers voice and video, (using the Go! Camera,) calls over Wi-Fi. Sony is working with telephone operator BT to roll out this service across Europe next January as part of a firmware update.
- Go! Explore turns the PSP into a portable GPS system. Slot a small peripheral into the mini-USB port on top of the system and you can plan routes and take 3D fly-throughs of them. A free service launching next February, though the GPS addon has yet to be priced.
- Finally, SKY are planning on offering downloadable movies, sports, TV shows and music available on either a pay-per-view basis or through subscriptions to particular channels. They also emphasised this is only for the PSP and no other platforms.

1Seg TV Tuner for PSP in Japan

- From IGN:

"Sony has slowly been upping the functionality of the PSP, taking it beyond just games and movies and into, most recently, the high tech world of global positioning. But it appears that the company is just getting started.

As part of a flurry of announcements from today's PlayStation Premiere event in Tokyo, Sony Japan announced a 1Seg Tuner device for the PSP. Attach this to the PSP USB port in much the same way that you attach the GPS receiver and camera to the system now, and you'll turn the system into a portable TV that's capable of receiving digital television broadcasts.

The 1Seg Tuner will go on sale on 9/20 at a cost of 6,980 yen. It will be compatible exclusively with the new PSP-2000 redesign, so current PSP owners are out of luck."

New PSP Gets Jap Price/Date

- From Engadget:

"According to Reuters, Sony will launch its trimmed down PlayStation Portable on September 20th in the Japanese market, and it plans on listing it for ¥19,800 ($162)."

PSP Lite

- From Joystiq:

"We already uncovered a couple of the details gleaned from the newly redesigned PSP's manual from our own experiences with the unit, but there's a couple we weren't aware of. Here's the list:

* RAM has been doubled to 64MB, games should load faster
* The new system will support charging over USB
* The 1200mAh battery is rated at 3-6 hours, the same as the original PSP's 1800mAh battery (good news: more efficient, bad news: same overall runtime)
* Original PSP remotes will not work with the new PSP
* The fancy component AV cable will not be included (big surprise)
* The PSP Lite features a TA-085 PCB ... so, uh, yeah ...

We'll admit it, we feel silly coveting this thing. Like the DS Lite, the PSP Lite is the same old PSP with a svelte new bod and yet, we're powerless to resist its charms. That new video-out functionality is pretty amazing though ... yeah, that's it."

All-Firmware Exploit Found

- Homebrew group Noobz have some interesting news for us:

"Following research in conjunction with Archaemic, Noobz are proud to present the first ever all-firmware exploit for the PSP. Based on Lumines, the "Illuminati" exploit is a user-mode exploit using a buffer overflow in the savedata file - similar to the GTA exploit.

That's right - if you've got a legal UMD copy of Lumines, then you can run homebrew on your PSP - whatever the firmware version. That includes v3.50! Right now, the only homebrew is the Hello World demo released below - but in future we intend to release a HEN and downgrader."

PSP Clockspeed Upped to 333MHz Officially

- From Engadget

"Sony has admitted that it sneakily upgraded the PSP's clockspeed to 333MHz (from 266MHz) in the version 3.50 firmware update that was released last month. This admission is confusing for a couple of reasons: for starters, Sony originally underclocked the PSP in order to increase the stated battery life of the console. Does that mean they'll be forced to decrease the stated battery life, so as to avoid false advertisement? It's also rather odd that developers are only now being granted access to the extra MHz oomph, prompting mutterings of a new PSP model which -- as one Joystiq commentator points out -- could take as long to appear as games that take full advantage of the 333MHz clockspeed. Or, maybe this upgrade simply enabled the PSP to cope with all that "remote play" malarkey that 3.50 enabled. That would be the logical assumption."

PSP Plays Nice (Remotely) With PS3

- From Engadget:

"Just released in Japan, Sony's 3.50 firmware for the PSP should making the global rounds soon enough. That, coupled with the latest PS3 firmware update, means you've just scored "Remote Play" functionality -- access to videos, music, and pictures on your home PS3 running 1.80 -- over the Internet. In other words, you can stream media but can't actually play games remotely. The update also includes an RSS Channel Guide but we know it's the remote play you want. The new firmware should already be available via your PSP's Network Update option even though many of Sony's download sites are still pegged at version 3.40."

PSP Becomes Voice/Video Phone

- From Engadget:

You lucky PSP-ownin' Brits. BT has developed custom VoIP software for use with PSPs fitted with new Go!Cams (pictured to the right). Using the Go!Cam's mic and camera, PSP punters will initially be able to make voice and video calls to other PSP users and some BT phones across the UK. Eventually, BT will distribute the software globally and allow users to call PCs, fixed line phones and mobiles from any WiFi hotspot. The new service takes advantage of BT's 21 century network (21CN) designed specifically for IP technologies. Now the bad news: while the Go!Cams are scheduled for release on 25 May in the UK, BT won't be providing any additional detail on the PSP VoIP service until sometime in August. Oh BT you saucy minx you.

The Game Onion: Gaming Stories That Fell Through The Cracks

- Weekly World News a reliable, infallible source of fact? The Colbert Report full or Truthiness? If you believe that then you'll love the in depth reporting over at The Game Onion.
- Go check that bad boy out.