PSP/PlayStation Portable

PlayStation Portable

The PlayStation Portable (Japanese: プレイステーション・ポータブル Hepburn: Pureisutēshon Pōrutaburu^?, officially abbreviated PSP) is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on May 11, 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004. The system was released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in the PAL region on September 1, 2005.

The PlayStation Portable is the only handheld video game console to use an optical disc format, Universal Media Disc (UMD), as its primary storage medium. Other distinguishing features of the console include its large viewing screen, robust multi-media capabilities, and connectivity with the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, other PSPs and the Internet.

After the release of a slimmer, lighter, remodeled version of the PlayStation Portable (the PSP-2000/"Slim & Lite") in early September 2007, sales quadrupled in the United Kingdom the following week and increased by nearly 200% in North America for the month of October. This model was later replaced by another remodeling, the PSP-3000, which included a new screen and an inbuilt microphone. Since then, a complete redesign called the PSP Go has been released, which was sold alongside the PSP-3000. In 2011 a budget model, the PSP-E1000, was released. The PSP line was succeeded by the PlayStation Vita, released in December 2011 in Japan, and in February 2012 in North America, Europe and Australia, respectively.

History

Sony first announced development of the PlayStation Portable at a press conference before E3 2003. Although mock-ups of the system were not present at the press conference or E3, Sony did release extensive technical details regarding the new system. Then-CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Jose Villeta called the device the "Walkman of the 21st Century" in a reference to the console's multimedia capabilities. Several gaming websites were impressed by the handheld's computing capabilities and looked forward to the system's potential as a gaming platform.

The first concept images of the PSP appeared in November 2002 at the Sony Corporate Strategy Meeting and showed a PSP with flat buttons and no analog stick. Although some expressed concern over the lack of an analog joystick, these fears were allayed when the PSP was officially unveiled at the Sony press conference during E3 2004. In addition to announcing more details about the system and its accessories, Sony also released a list of 99 developer companies that had pledged support for the new handheld. Several PSP game demos, such as Konami's Metal Gear Acid and SCE Studio Liverpool's Wipeout Pure were also shown at the conference.

Launch

On October 17, 2004, Sony announced that the PSP would launch in Japan on December 12, 2004, at a price of ¥19,800 (about US$181 in 2004) for the base model and ¥24,800 (about US$226 in 2004) for the Value System. The console's launch was a success with over 200,000 units sold the first day. Different color variations were also sold in bundle packs, which cost more than usual, around $200. Sony announced on February 3, 2005, that the PSP would go on sale in North America on March 24, 2005, in one configuration for a MSRP of US$249/CA$299. Some expressed concern over the high price, which was almost US$20 higher than the system's price in Japan and more than $100 higher than the recently launched Nintendo DS. Despite the concerns, the PSP's North American launch was a success, although reports two weeks later indicated that the system was not selling as well as expected despite Sony's claim that 500,000 units had been sold in the first two days.

The PSP was originally to have a simultaneous PAL region and North American launch, but on March 15, 2005, Sony announced that the PAL region launch would be delayed because of high demand for the console in Japan and North America. A month later, on April 25, 2005, Sony announced that the PSP would launch in the PAL region on September 1, 2005, for €249/£179. Sony defended the high price, which was nearly US$100 higher than in North America, by pointing out that North American consumers had to pay local sales taxes and that the VAT (sales tax) was higher in the UK than the US. Despite the high price, the console's PAL region launch was a resounding success, selling more than 185,000 units in the UK alone, selling out of all stock nationwide in the UK within three hours of launch, more than doubling the previous first-day sales record of 87,000 units set by the Nintendo DS. The system also enjoyed great success in other areas of the PAL region with more than 25,000 units preordered in Australia and nearly one million units sold across Europe in the first week.

Technical specifications

The following Technical Specifications apply to all PSPs unless noted for a specific PSP series: Very detailed hardware differences available at PSP Secrets.

General: Dimensions: Width: 170 mm Height: 74 mm Depth: 23 mm Widescreen TFT LCD: 4.3 inches 3.8 inches 480 × 272 pixels (16:9 Aspect Ratio) 24-bit Color (16.77 Million colors) Four Brightness Levels (200, 180, 130, 80 cd/m2) Data communication: Wireless LAN 802.11b IrDA Bluetooth Mini-USB 2.0 AV-out Composite Video YPBPR Component Video S-Video Flash Storage: Memory Stick PRO Duo Expansion Slot Memory Stick M2 Expansion Slot Internal Flash Storage[citation needed] Internal NAND flash used by System Software is partitioned into 4 sectors: flash0, contains system firmware – 24MB (PSP-1000) flash1, contains system settings – 8MB (PSP-1000) flash2, empty* – 944 kB (PSP-1000) flash3, empty* – 880 kB (PSP-1000) PSP-N1000: 16 GB total, 14.74 GB usable. Part of the internal storage is shared with System Software. PSP-1000: 32 MB total, all of it used by the System Software. PSP-2000/3000: 64 MB total, all of it used by the System Software. Internal flash uses the FAT32 file system. Memory Stick media is compatible with both FAT and FAT32, although devices measuring 4 GB or more must use the FAT32 file system. Audio: Built in Stereo Speakers Built in Mono Speaker (PSP-E1000) Built in Microphone Powered by Media Engine Chip's embedded Virtual Mobile Engine (VME) Multichannel Audio 3D Sound Synthesizer, Effector and Equalizer ATRAC3 plus, AAC, WMA and MP3 support. WMA support requires activation by accepting an end user licence agreement UMD (Universal Media Disc): 60 mm Disc Diameter 660 nm Laser Diode Dual-Layer Storage Capacity of up to 1.8 GB Transfer Rate of up to 11 Mbit/s (1.375 MB/s) Read-Only Shock-Resistant Secure ROM by AES RSA Crypto System Unique Disc IDs Distribute System Software Updates Power: 5 V DC @ 2000 mA from AC Adapter 5 V DC from USB Charging Mode 3.7 V Li-Ion Battery Removable 1200 mAh Removable 1800 mAh 2200 mAh (Endurance Battery)

The main CPU, PSP Media Engine and the NAND flash for the System Software (TA-079) The Wi-Fi Module with the Serial and Headphone Jack (TA-079) PSP CPU Chip: Sony CXD2962GG CPU Based on MIPS R4000 32-bit Core 90 nm Semiconductor CMOS Process 1-333 MHz (set at 222 MHz by default) @ 1.2 V 16 kB Instruction Cache / 16 kB Data Cache SiP: 32 MB eDRAM @ 2.6 Gbit/s Embedded FPU Embedded Vector FPU @ 3.2 GFLOPS Embedded Graphics Core: 1-166 MHz (set at 111 MHz by default) @ 1.2 V 256-bit Bus at 5.3 Gbit/s 2 MB eDRAM (VRAM) 3D Curved Surface and 3D Polygon Compressed Textures Hardware Clipping, Morphing, Bone(8) Hardware Tessellator Unit, 4 passes per cycle Bézier surface, Bézier curve and B-Spline (NURBS) 4×4, 16×16, 64×64 Subdivision Rendering Engine and Surface Engine Pixel Fill Rate: 600 Megapixels/s Up to 33 Million Polygon/s (with Transform and Lighting) 24-bit Full Color: RGBA 128-bit Bus at 2.6 Gbit/s 3D-CG Extended Instruction Set Media Engine Chip: Sony CXD1876 CPU Based on MIPS R4000 64-bit Core 90 nm Semiconductor CMOS Process 1-333 MHz (set at 222 MHz by default) @ 1.2 V 16 kB Instruction Cache / 16 kB Data Cache SiP: 2 MB eDRAM @ 2.6 Gbit/s Embedded Virtual Mobile Engine (VME) Sound Core Reconfigurable DSP Engine 1-166 MHz (set at 166 MHz by default) @ 1.2 V 128-bit Bus 24-bit Data Path 5 giga operations/s Embedded MPEG-4 (H.264/AVC) hardware decoder Embedded FPU 128-bit Bus @ 2.6 Gbit/s Memory: Samsung K5E5658HCM-D060 Main Memory: 32 MB 333 MHz DDR SDRAM (64 MB ) 8 MB reserved for Kernel Integrated or Support Chips: IDStorage Keys: stores screen brightness, volume, region, date, time and BIOS data also known as the Ipl Tachyon: version information for CPU, Media Engine and Graphic Cores Baryon: version information for the PSP's system control chip Pommel: the PSP's GPIO and Watchdog Kirk: the PSP's main encryption processor Spock: secondary encryption processor, used to decrypt signed UMD data

Models

Model	Image	Connectivity/storage	Wireless Connectivity	RAM and Internal Storage	CPU	Display	Original Release Date	Original System Software	Battery	In Production
PSP-1000		USB 2.0, UMD, Serial Port, Headphone Jack, Memory Stick PRO Duo	802.11b Wi-Fi, IRDA	32 MB, 32 MB System Software	MIPS R4000 at 1~333 MHz	4.3 in (110 mm) 16:9 TFT at 480 × 272, 16.77 million colors	December 12, 2004 (Japan)	1.00	5 V DC 1800 mAh, Upgradeable to 2200 mAh	No
PSP-2000		USB 2.0, UMD, Video Out and Mic Port, Headphone Jack, Memory Stick PRO Duo	802.11b Wi-Fi	64 MB, 64 MB System Software			September 2007	3.60	5 V DC 1200 mAh, Upgradeable to 2200 mAh	No
PSP-3000		USB 2.0, UMD, Video Out, Microphone, Headphone Jack, Memory Stick PRO Duo					October 2008	4.20		Yes
PSP Go (PSP-N1000)		All in One Port, Headphone Jack, Mic, Memory Stick Micro	802.11b Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR	64 MB, 16 GB User and System Software Shared		3.8 in (97 mm) 16:9 TFT at 480 × 272, 16.77 million colors, sliding screen	October 2009	5.70	5 V DC Non Removable Battery	Discontinued outside of North America
PSP-E1000		USB 2.0, UMD, Headphone Jack, Memory Stick PRO Duo	No	64 MB, 64 MB System Software		4.3 in (110 mm) 16:9 TFT at 480 × 272, 16.77 million colors	October 2011	6.50	5 V DC Non Removable Battery	Yes

Variations

Region codes

PSP region codes
Codes	Country
PSP-x000	Japan
PSP-x001	North America
PSP-x002	Australia / New Zealand
PSP-x003	United Kingdom
PSP-x004	Europe / India
PSP-x005	Korea
PSP-x006	Hong Kong / Singapore / Malaysia
PSP-x007	Taiwan
PSP-x008	CIS
PSP-x009	Mainland China
PSP-x010	Central / South America

The PSP is widely known by the series code (PSP-1000, PSP-2000, etc.). There are sub-codes within this numbering system however which designate the region coding. PSP game discs are region-free, however, most movie discs have region encoding, and so will only work on the appropriate master unit.

Retail configurations

PSP Core Pack launch prices
Country	Release price	Release date
Australia	A$349.95	September 1, 2005
India	INR19,990[current] 7,790	September 1, 2005
United Kingdom	£179.99	September 1, 2005
Canada	CA$229.99	March 22, 2006
Europe	€199.99	March 22, 2006
United States	US$199.99	March 22, 2006
Chile	CLP$169,990	April 4, 2008

The PSP is sold in four main configurations that differ in which accessories are included. The basic unit package or Base Pack (called the Core Pack in North America) contains the console, a battery, and an AC adapter. This version was available at launch in Japan and was later released in North America and Europe. The Core Pack currently retails for CA$/US$169.99, ¥19,800, HK$1,280 or $1,360 (depending on the color), S$280, A$279.95, NZ$2990.95, €169.99, and £129.99.

The Value Pack includes everything in the Base Pack as well as a 32 MB Memory Stick Pro Duo, headphones with remote control, a carrying pouch, and a wrist strap. Some regions have modified versions of this pack that include different accessories. The Value Pack retails for US$199.99, ¥23,800, HK$1660, A$399.99, and NZ$449.95.

Many limited edition versions of the PSP that include various accessories, games, or movies have also been released.

Redesigns

PSP-2000

PSP-2000

The PSP-2000 (marketed in PAL areas as "PSP Slim & Lite" and still marketed as PSP in North America, Japan, China, India, Italy, and Portugal) is the first redesign of the PlayStation Portable.

At E3 2007, Sony released information about a slimmer and lighter version of the PlayStation Portable. The new PSP was announced to be 33% lighter and 19% slimmer than the original PSP system. The model numbers were changed to PSP-2000, following the previous region-based numbering scheme (cf. the PSP-1000 numbering scheme of the "old" PSP model).

It was released on August 30, 2007, in Hong Kong, on September 5, 2007, in Europe, on September 6, 2007, in North America, September 7, 2007, in South Korea and September 12, 2007, in Australia. On January 8, 2008, built-in Skype Wi-Fi Internet phone service was added via firmware updates.

Memory Stick PRO Duo Slot on a Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core edition PSP Slim

The PSP 2000 system is 19% thinner and 33% lighter than the original PSP system (reduced from 23 mm to 18.6 mm and from 280 grams [9.87 ounces] to 189 grams [6.66 ounces]). Internal changes to achieve this include the removal of a metal chassis (used to reduce damage in the event of sudden trauma to the system resulting from the user dropping the system on a hard surface). However, users have complained about generally poor hardware assembly like misaligned faceplates and loose/creaky battery covers.

Other changes include improved WLAN modules and Micro-controller, and a thinner and much brighter LCD. To cater for the original PSP generation's poor load times of UMD games, the internal memory (RAM and Flash ROM) was doubled from 32 MB to 64 MB with a part of it now acting as a cache, which also improved the web browser's performance.

PSP-3000

In comparison to the PSP-2000, the PSP-3000 (marketed in PAL areas as "PSP Slim & Light (with enhanced screen + built in microphone)" and still marketed as PSP in North America and Japan) has an improved LCD screen featuring an increased color range, five times the contrast ratio, half the pixel response time to reduce ghosting and blurring effects, new sub-pixel structure, and anti-reflective technology to improve outdoor playability. The disc tray, logos, and buttons have all been redesigned and the system now has a microphone. In addition, all games may now be output by component or composite using the video out cable.

In its first four days on sale, the PSP-3000 sold 141,270 units in Japan, according to Famitsu. In October 2008, the PSP-3000 sold 267,000 units in Japan, according to Enterbrain.

PSP-E1000

PSP-E1000

Announced at Gamescom 2011, the PSP-E1000 is a budget-focused model of the PSP which became available across the PAL region on October 26, 2011 for an RRP of €99.99. Unlike previous PSP models, the E1000 does not feature Wi-Fi capabilities and has a matte "charcoal black" finish similar to the slim PlayStation 3. Also, it only features a mono speaker instead of the previous models' stereo speakers and does not feature a microphone. An 'Ice White' version was later released across PAL territories on July 20, 2012.

Battery

Two different battery size standards

To make the PSP slimmer, the capacity of the battery was reduced by 1/3. However, due to more efficient power usage, the run time of the PSP is still the same as the previous model. Older model batteries will still work which extends the amount of playing time. However, the battery cover on the newer model does not fit over the older battery due to its bulkier size. The batteries take about one and a half hours to charge and last roughly 4.5–7 hours depending on factors such as screen brightness settings, WLAN and volume levels.

In mid-December 2007, Sony released the PSP Extended Life Battery Kit, which includes a 2200 mAh battery with a battery cover that fits over the bulkier battery included, initially only available in North America. The kit comes with two new battery covers, one black and one silver. In March 2008 the Extended Battery Kit was released in Japan. However, unlike the North American kit, the batteries are sold individually with one specific cover for some of the many different colour variations that were made available in Japan. There are ten separate kits for the colours Piano Black, Ceramic White, Pearl White, Ice Silver, Mystic Silver, Radiant Red, Spirited Green, Vibrant Blue, Bright Yellow and Piano Black with Monster Hunter Portable Original design.

External appearance, inputs and outputs

The PSP Slim & Lite has a new gloss finish. The serial port was also modified in order to accommodate a new video-out feature (while rendering older PSP remote controls incompatible). In PSP-2000, PSP games will only output to external monitors or TVs in progressive scan mode, so televisions incapable of supporting progressive scan will not display PSP games. Non-game video outputs fine in either progressive or interlaced mode. USB charging was made possible (the PSP Slim will only charge while it is in "USB mode". It cannot be charged via USB when playing a game). However, there are unofficial USB charge plug-in downloads for charging the PSP with a USB without the need for being in USB mode. The D-Pad was raised in response to complaints of poor performance, while buttons offer improved responsiveness, confirmed in the GameSpot "hands-on" review: "several GameSpot editors have noticed that the d-pad and buttons on the new PSP provide a little more tactile feedback for a better overall feel."

A new simpler and more compact UMD loading tray design was developed, in which the tray swivels out instead of opening up completely, while the Wi-Fi switch was moved to the top of the PSP. To address many consumer complaints about the Memory Stick door breaking off the old PSP, the Memory Stick door has been relocated and redesigned. The speakers were repositioned on the front of the PSP near the top of its screen. The infra-red port was also removed because it offered no use to the original PSP generation other than in homebrew applications. Its analog stick was also redesigned to be more flexible and is not removable without opening the PSP. The air vent at the top of the original was also removed.

A "1seg" TV tuner (model PSP-S310) peripheral, designed specifically for the PSP Slim & Lite model, was released in Japan on September 20, 2007.

TV output and accessory port

Component cable, which allows PSP-2000 and -3000 models to output analog stereo audio and analog component (YP_BP_R) video

Sony added TV output to the PSP Slim through Firmware update 3.60. It can output in a conventional aspect ratio (4:3) or widescreen (16:9), and offers a screensaver if the PSP is inactive for a set amount of time. It is able to output games, videos, and other media. To achieve TV output on the Slim model, Composite, S-Video, Component (YP_BP_R) and D-Terminal (YP_BP_R) cables are sold separately by Sony. PSP format games are output as a progressive scan signal, which can be carried only by the Component and D-Terminal cables, and displayed on televisions which support progressive scan. They are also rendered at the 480 × 272 resolution of the PSP screen, rather than the 720 × 480 resolution used for output, and are not upscaled meaning they are displayed with black windowboxing when viewed to an external display. This can be overcome on some TVs by using built-in zoom functionality. However, the PSP system software, music player and video playback are displayed in full-screen. As of firmware update 5.00, PlayStation (PSone) format software purchased from the PlayStation store is output in full-screen mode and optionally in interlaced format for non-progressive displays. Although the user needs component cables and a TV that supports 480p (mainly found in HDTVs) to play PSP format software, a homebrew plugin called FuSa allows anyone with a Slim PSP to view their games on any SDTV or HDTV using Composite or Component cables. The plugin is also advantageous to those with TVs that do support 480p because it allows a full screen (1:1 ratio) viewing of games. The maximum resolution through TV output is 720 × 480 pixels and composite video uses NTSC color encoding (no PAL composite signal is available; European TVs must be NTSC compatible to be used with a PSP via composite). The old PSP-1000 model is not capable of this feature due to a slightly different port. As a result, original PSP accessories (using the connector) will not work with the Slim and the Slim's accessories will not work with the original PSP. Sony has released a new version of the remote control accessory designed for the Slim as a result. The PSP Slim can still use 3.5 mm headphones, like the old PSP-1000.

Sony confirmed a GPS Accessory for the United States at Sony CES 2008. The GPS is to be retailed for the new Slim PSP models. It features maps on a UMD, and offer driving directions and city guide.

Releases and Limited Edition models

Limited Edition models began being released in Japan on September 12, 2007; North America on September 5, 2007; Australia on September 12, 2007; UK on October 26, 2007, and Europe on September 5, 2007. The PSP-2000 was made available in Piano Black, Ceramic White, Ice Silver, Mint Green, Felicia Blue, Lavender Purple, Deep Red, Matte Bronze, Metallic Blue and Rose Pink as standard colors (not all colors were available in all countries), and had several special edition colored and finished consoles for games including Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (ice silver engraved), Star Ocean: First Departure (felicia blue engraved), Gundam (red gloss/matte black), and Monster Hunter Freedom (gold silkscreened) PSPs in Japan, Star Wars (Darth Vader silkscreened) and God of War: Chains of Olympus (Kratos silkscreened) PSPs in North America, a The Simpsons (bright yellow with white buttons, analog and UMD drawer) PSP in Australia and New Zealand, and Spider-Man (red gloss/matte black) and Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (ice silver engraved) PSPs in Europe.

The PSP 3000, released on October 14, 2008, in North America, in Europe on October 17, 2008, on October 16, 2008, in Japan and in Australia on October 23, 2008, is currently available in Piano Black, Pearl White, Mystic Silver, Radiant Red, Vibrant Blue, Spirited Green, Blossom Pink, Turquoise Green and Lilac Purple. The Limited Edition "Big Boss Pack" of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker saw the release of a camouflage PSP while the God of War: Ghost of Sparta PSP special bundle pack will include a black and red two-toned PSP.

Homebrew

The PSP scene is well known for its homebrew community. The homebrew community were initially unable to hack the later PSP-2000s and the PSP-3000 because it had a new CPU (motherboards revealed to be TA-088v3 (for PSP Slim) and TA-090v2 (for PSP-3000)) which does not support the PRE IPL Exploit used in hacking the previous versions. This is due to the motherboard having its own PRE IPL where it checks the firmware thoroughly; if passed, the PRE IPL is cut off entirely to prevent unwanted modifications to the system.

In November 2008, Datel announced a "Lite Blue Tool" battery which allows the PSP-3000 to boot into service mode. This battery is not able to start homebrew as the new PRE-IPL has yet to be cracked. The Lite Blue Tool was deterred from distribution due to legal action by Sony. Some time later, Datel changed the name from Lite Blue Tool to Max Power Digital and changed the description.

MaTiAz, a known hacker in the PSP hacking community, found an exploit which is done with a US copy of GripShift and a HEN save game exploit. However, this was only temporary. After the release of this initial hack, a sizable increase in sales of the game was experienced. Many eBay sellers inflated their prices to cash in on the sudden demand. A revised version of the PSP firmware (v5.03) was released shortly after to patch the exploit. Malloxis found a TIFF crash which is proven to work on 5.02 and 5.03 firmwares for PSP-3000; further crafted and engineered by MaTiAz, the TIFF crash became a TIFF exploit capable of loading an h.bin from the root memorystick. Davee, another hacker, further engineered this exploit with a privilege escalation exploit and created a Homebrew Enabler (HEN) which would allow the execution of unsigned code by users. In firmware revision 5.50, the TIFF vulnerability was removed, preventing any further firmwares being affected by the exploit. The HEN for the TIFF exploit, which was called "ChickHEN", was released on May 5, 2009.

On June 5, 2009, custom firmware version 5.03GEN-A for HEN was released, which is compatible with both PSP-2000 v3 and PSP-3000. It allows users to play game backups (ISO/CSO), PS1 games, and includes access to PSN, VSH, and recovery mode. This marked a major step forward in ending Sony's PSP-3000 piracy protection. Two days later, on June 7, 2009, a duo of hackers (Xenogears and Becus25) released custom firmware support software based on a modified work of the released 5.03GEN-A for the formerly unhackable handheld called "Custom Firmware Enabler 3.01" in which PSP-3000 users can install custom firmware and load those firmware's files onto the PSP's RAM with the direct usage of "ChickHEN".

On March 29, 2010, a user-mode exploit was revealed in the demo of the game Patapon 2. This was quickly followed by the first stable public release of "Half-Byte Loader", a piece of software allowing to load homebrew software on all PSP models (including the PSP Go) running firmwares less than 6.30 (an open-sourced HBL was previously publicly released on November 29, 2009 for the Medal of Honor Heroes exploit). HBL's portable and configurable design  made it easy to port for a number of other exploited games, such as Everybody's Golf, which allowed HBL to run on up to 6.60 PSP firmware.

On December 24, 2010, Total_Noob's HEN (6.20 TN-A) was released, allowing users to run Homebrew on any PSP Console with the 6.20 firmware.

On December 25, 2010, Liquidzigong, a well known hacker with numerous identities (such as hrimfaxi and Virtuous Flame), released a Homebrew application for 6.20 TN-A called Prometheus ISO Loader. This application allowed users to run game-backups on their console, which would have not been possible using the stand alone HEN.

On December 30, 2010, Total_Noob updated his HEN to the version B (6.20 TN-B), which featured a way to downgrade ALL the PSPs, including those with TA-088v3 motherboard, 3000+ and Go, breaking the long-established "barrier" that prevented these PSP versions from downgrading.

On January 2, 2011, Mathieulh announced the discovery of the PSP's master keys, allowing homebrew to run on the PSP without any firmware modifications.

On March 13, 2011, Virtuous Flame and Coldbird updated their HEN to the Version B3 (6.35 PRO-B3). This provided users with the ability to run ISO and CSO game-backups, run Homebrew games and applications, to run PS1 Games, and to run Plugins, while retaining access the PSN.

On May 29, 2011 the Pro CFW became open source and added compatibility with firmware version 6.39; this was upgraded on August 25, 2011 to version 6.60 compatibility.

Hardware issues

On release, an issue with interlacing was noticed on the PSP-3000 screen when objects were in motion. Gaming Bits (among others) did an in-depth review of the differences between the two versions, noting the interlacing issues, and about a week later Sony announced that they would not be releasing a software update to address the issue:

On some occasions, scan lines may appear on scenes where brightness changes drastically, due to the hardware features of the new LCD device on PSP-3000. Installed with this new LCD device, PSP-3000 offers more natural and vibrant colors on its screen, but the scan lines have come out to be more visible as a result of improving response time to alleviate the afterimages on PSP-3000. Since this is due to hardware specification, there are no plans for a system software update concerning this issue.

PSP Go

PSP Go

The PSP Go was revealed on May 30, 2009, in the June episode of the PlayStation Network online magazine Qore and was later officially announced on June 2, 2009, at E3 2009. The PSP Go features Bluetooth functionality, a smaller 3.8-inch (97 mm) screen and weighs 43% less than the original PSP. Instead of the UMD drive as found on previous models, the PSP Go has 16 GB of internal flash memory and a Memory Stick Micro port that accepts cards up to 16 GB. Currently, the PSP Go has a max memory of 32 GB, but the M2 memory can be increased in firmware updates. Games must be downloaded from the PlayStation Store. The sliding mechanism on the screen hides the main face buttons and the analog 'nub' when not in use. With the release of the PSP Go, most future PSP games will also receive a PlayStation Store release,^{[citation needed]} whereas only a handful of games were available before.

Sony announced in April 2011 that it was ceasing production of the PSP Go to focus resources on developing the PlayStation Vita (then known as the NGP), but shortly thereafter SCEA clarified that the PSP Go would continue to be produced for the North American market.

PlayStation Vita

The PlayStation Vita or simply the PS Vita is a handheld game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the successor to the PlayStation Portable as part of the PlayStation family of gaming devices.

The device includes two analog sticks, a 5-inch (130 mm) OLED multi-touch capacitive touchscreen, 3G, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support. Internally, the device features a quad core ARM Cortex-A9 core processor and a quad core PowerVR SGX543MP4+ graphics processing unit as well as LiveArea as its main user interface, which succeeds the XrossMediaBar for the PlayStation Portable.

The device features full backwards compatibility with all PlayStation Portable games digitally released on the PlayStation Network, via PlayStation Store, the device's dual analog sticks will be supported in only select games. The device will upscale and smooth the graphics of the PSP games via the software emulator for the device.

Sales

Region	Units sold	First available
Japan	15 million (as of December 28, 2009)	December 12, 2004
United States	17 million (as of March 14, 2010)	March 24, 2005
Europe	12 million (as of May 6, 2008)	September 1, 2005
United Kingdom	3.2 million (as of January 3, 2009)	September 1, 2005
Worldwide	71.4 million (as of September 14, 2011)

By March 31, 2007, the PlayStation Portable had shipped 25.39 million units worldwide with 6.92 million in Asia, 9.58 million in North America, and 8.89 million Europe. In Europe, the PSP sold 4 million units in 2006 and 3.1 million in 2007 according to estimates by Electronic Arts. In 2007, the PSP sold 3.82 million units in the US according to the NPD Group and 3,022,659 in Japan according to Enterbrain. In 2008, the PSP sold 3,543,171 units in Japan, according to Enterbrain.

In the United States, the PSP has sold 10.47 million units as of January 1, 2008, according to the NPD Group. In Japan, during the week of March 24–30, 2008, the PSP nearly outsold all the other game consoles combined with 129,986 units sold, some of which were bundled with Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G, which was the best-selling game in that week, according to Media Create. As of December 28, 2008, the PSP has sold 11,078,484 units in Japan, according to Enterbrain. In Europe, the PSP has sold 12 million units as of May 6, 2008, according to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. In the United Kingdom, the PSP has sold 3.2 million units as of January 3, 2009, according to GfK Chart-Track.

From 2006 through the third quarter of 2010, PSPs have sold a total of 53 million units.

Hardware

A black PSP-1000. The shoulder buttons are on top, the directional pad on the left with the analog "nub" directly below it, the PlayStation face buttons on the right and a row of secondary buttons below the screen.

The PlayStation Portable uses the common "slab" or "candybar" form factor, measures approximately 17 × 7.3 × 2.2 cm (6.7 × 2.9 × 0.9 in), and weighs 280 g (9.88 oz). The front of the console is dominated by the system's 11 cm (4.3 in) LCD screen, which is capable of 480 × 272 pixel video playback with 16.77 million colors. Also on the front are the four PlayStation face buttons (, , , ), the directional pad, the analog 'nub', and several other buttons. In addition, the system includes two shoulder buttons and a USB 2.0 mini-B port on the top of the console and a WLAN switch and power cable input on the bottom. The back of the PSP features a read-only UMD drive for movies and games, and a reader compatible with Sony's Memory Stick Duo flash cards is located on the left of the system. Other features include an IrDA compatible infrared port and a two pin docking connector (discontinued in PSP-2000 and later series), built in stereo speakers and headphone port, and IEEE 802.11b Wi-Fi for access to the Internet, ad-hoc multiplayer gaming, and data transfer.

The PSP uses one 333 MHz MIPS32 R4000-based CPUs, a GPU with 2 MB onboard VRAM running at 166 MHz, and includes 32 MB main RAM and 4 MB embedded DRAM in total. The hardware was originally forced to run more slowly than it was capable of and most games ran at 222 MHz. However, with firmware update 3.50 on May 31, 2007, Sony removed this limit and allowed new games to run at a full 333 MHz.

The PSP includes an 1800 mAh battery (1200 mAh on the 2000 and 3000 models) that will provide about 4–6 hours of gameplay, 4–5 hours of video playback, or 8–11 hours of audio playback. Official accessories for the console include an AC adapter, car adapter, headset, headphones with remote control, extended-life 2200 mAh battery, battery charger, carrying case, accessories pouch and cleaning cloth, and system pouch and wrist strap. The PSP is equipped with a two-pin docking connector immedietly below the AC adaptor jack for easy drop-in charging using a docking station that was to be sold separately for the PSP-1000 series. However no such charging dock was ever released by Sony. The two-pin docking station charging contacts were removed from the PSP-2000 and later versions.

Software

System software

See the PlayStation Support Site for the latest official System Software Information:

PlayStation Portable system software

XrossMediaBar – PlayStation Portable XMB

Sony has included the ability for the operating system, referred to as the System Software, to be updated. The updates can be downloaded directly from the Internet using the [System Update] feature under [Settings] in the XMB. Alternatively, they can be downloaded to a computer from the official PlayStation website, placed on a Memory Stick Duo (Memory Stick Micro for PSP Go models) in following directory: PSP → GAME → UPDATE → EBOOT.PBP, and subsequently installed on the system. Updates can also be installed from UMD game discs that require the update to run the game. The Japanese version of the PS3 allows the System Software to be updated by downloading the System Software onto the Hard Drive then to the PSP. Sony has prevented users from downgrading the PSP to an earlier version of the System Software that is currently installed.

While System Software updates can be used with consoles from any region, Sony recommends only downloading updates released for the region corresponding to the system's place of purchase. System Software updates have added various features including a web browser; Adobe Flash support; additional codecs for images, audio and video; PlayStation 3 connectivity and patches against several security exploits, vulnerabilities and execution of homebrew programs. The most current version is v6.60.

Web browser

Web browser on a PSP-1000

The PSP Internet Browser is a version of the NetFront browser made by Access Co. Ltd. and was released for free with the 2.00 system software update. The browser supports most common web technologies, such as HTTP cookies, forms, CSS, as well as basic JavaScript capabilities.

The version 2.50 upgrade added Unicode (UTF-8) character encoding and Auto-Select as options in the browser's encoding menu, and also introduced the saving of input history for online forms.

Version 2.70 of the PSP's system software introduced basic Flash capabilities to the browser. However, the player runs Flash version 6, five iterations behind the current desktop version 11, making some websites difficult to view.

There are three different rendering modes: "Normal", "Just-Fit", and "Smart-Fit". "Normal" will display the page with no changes, "Just-Fit" will attempt to shrink some elements to make the whole page fit on the screen and preserve layout and "Smart-Fit" will display content in the order it appears in the HTML, and with no size adjustments; instead it will drop an element down below the preceding element if it starts to go off the screen.

The browser also has limited tabbed browsing, with a maximum of three tabs. When a website tries to open a link in a new window, the browser opens it in a new tab.

Parents can limit content by enabling Browser Start Up Control which blocks all access to the web browser and creating a 4-digit PIN under [Settings] in [Security]. Additionally, the browser can be configured to run under a proxy server and can be protected by the security PIN to enable the use of web filtering or monitoring software through a network. Recently, TrendMicro for PSP was added as a feature that can be enabled via a subscription to filter or monitor content on the PSP.

The PSP browser is slower compared to modern browsers and often runs out of memory due to limitations put in place by Sony. Alternatively, Homebrew has allowed a custom version of the browser to be released that utilizes all 32/64 MB of the PSP's RAM, which allows the browser to load pages faster and have more memory for larger pages. Opera Mini can also be used on PSP through PSPKVM, a homebrew application which is a Sun Java Virtual Machine. It was claimed to provide much faster loading times than the default browser and provides better web page capability.

Remote Play

Remote Play allows the PSP to access many features of a PlayStation 3 console from a remote location using the PS3's WLAN capabilities, a home network, or the Internet. Features that can be used with Remote Play include viewing photos and slideshows, listening to music, watching videos stored on the PS3's HDD or on connected USB devices, and several other features. Additionally, Remote Play allows the PS3 to be turned on and off remotely and allows the PSP to control audio playback from the PS3 to a home theater system without having to use a television. Although most of the PS3's capabilities are accessible with Remote Play, playback of DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, PlayStation 2 games, most PlayStation 3 games, and copy-protected files stored on the PS3's hard drive are not supported.

VoIP access

Starting with system software version 3.90, PSP-2000, PSP-3000 and PSP-N1000 can use the Skype VoIP service. The PSP-2000 requires a headset for this feature while the microphone is built into the PSP-3000 and PSP-N1000. Due to hardware constraints, it is not possible to use the VoIP service on PSP-1000. The service allows Skype calls to be made over Wi-Fi and on the PSP Go over the Bluetooth Modem feature. Users must purchase Skype credit in order to make calls to non Skype devices such as a landline or mobile phone.

Room for PlayStation Portable

A screenshot of Room

Announced at TGS 2009, a similar service to PlayStation Home, the PlayStation 3's online community-based service, was being developed for the PSP. Named "Room" (officially spelled as R∞M with capital letters and the infinity symbol in place of the "oo"), it was being beta tested in Japan from October 2009 to April 2010. It was able to be launched directly from the PlayStation Network section of the XMB. Just like in Home, PSP owners would have been able to invite other PSP owners into their rooms to "enjoy real time communication." Development of Room halted on April 15, 2010, due to the feedback of the community.

Digital Comics Reader

Sony has partnered with publishers such as Rebellion Developments, Disney, IDW Publishing, Insomnia, iVerse, Marvel and Titan to release digitized comics on the PlayStation Store. This new application requires PSP firmware 6.20 for it adds a new XMB category called "Extra". The Digital Comics Reader application can be downloaded on the PlayStation Comics official website.

The PlayStation Store's "Comic" section launched in the United States and English speaking PAL regions (United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand) on December 16, 2009, though the first issues of Aleister Arcane, Astro Boy: Movie Adaptation, Star Trek: Enterprise Experiment and Transformers: All Hail Megatron were made available as early as November 20 through limited time PlayStation Network redeem codes. The service premiered in Japan on December 10, 2009, with licensed publishers Ascii Mediaworks, Enterbrain, Kadokawa, Kodansha, Shueisha, Shogakukan, Square-Enix, Softbank Creative (HQ Comics), Hakusensha, Bandai Visual, Fujimishobo, Futabasha and Bunkasha. In early 2010 the application expanded to German, French, Spanish and Italian languages with Digital Comics available in the respective European countries.

The choice of regional Comic Reader software is dictated by the PSP's firmware region, and cannot be chosen. The Japanese Comic Reader will not display comics purchased from the European store, and vice versa. So although a Japanese PSP can log into the European PlayStation Store and purchase and display videos and games bought there, any comics purchased cannot be displayed.

As of October 31, 2012 the Digital Comics App is no longer available for download.

Games

In addition to playing PSP games, several older PlayStation games have been rereleased and can be downloaded and played on the PSP via emulation. Currently, the only three official ways to access this feature are through the PlayStation Network service for PlayStation 3, PSP, or a PC.

Demos for commercial PSP games can be downloaded and booted directly from a Memory Stick. Demos are also sometimes issued in UMD format and mailed out or given to customers at various retail outlets as promotional content.

During E3 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment America announced that the Greatest Hits range of budget titles were to be extended to the PSP system. On July 25, 2006, Sony CEA released the first batch of Greatest Hits titles. The PSP Greatest Hits lineup consist of games that have sold 250,000 copies or more and have been out for nine months. PSP games in this lineup retail for $19.99 each.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe announced on September 5, 2006, that a number of titles would be available under the Platinum range for €24.99 each in Europe and £19.99 in the UK.

Sony has said downloadable games will still be limited to 1.8 GB, most likely to guarantee a potential UMD release.

Homebrew development

On June 15, 2005, hackers disassembled the code of the PSP and distributed it online. Initially the modified PSP allowed users to run custom code and a limited amount of protected software. Sony responded to this by repeatedly upgrading the software. Over time people were able to unlock the firmware and allow users to run more custom content and more protected software. One of the ways hackers were able to run protected software on the PSP was through the creation of ISO loaders which could load copies of UMD games from the memory stick.

Reception

The PSP received generally favorable reviews soon after launch and most reviewers cited similar strengths and weaknesses. CNET awarded the system an 8.5 out of 10 and praised the console's powerful hardware and its multimedia capabilities while lamenting the lack of a screen guard or a guard over the reading surface of UMD cartridges. Engadget applauded the console's design, stating that "it is definitely one well-designed, slick little handheld". PC World commended Sony's decision to include built-in Wi-Fi capability, but criticized the lack of a web browser at launch and the glare and smudges that resulted from the console's shiny exterior. Most reviewers also praised the console's large and bright viewing screen and its audio and video playback capabilities. In 2008, Time listed the PSP as a "gotta have travel gadget", citing the console's movie selection, telecommunications capability, and upcoming GPS functionality. The PSP Go received mixed reviews to date. IGN gave the product a 7.2 stating that with the absence of the UMD slot, the PSP Go is difficult to consider for purchase.

Controversial advertising campaigns

• Sony admitted in late 2005 to hiring graffiti artists to spray paint advertisements for the PSP in seven major U.S. cities including New York City, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. The mayor of Philadelphia has filed a cease and desist order and may file a criminal complaint. According to Sony, it is paying businesses and building owners for the right to spraypaint their walls.
• In 2006, Sony ran a poster campaign in England. One of the poster designs with the slogan "Take a running jump here" was removed from a Manchester Piccadilly station tram platform due to concerns that it might encourage suicide.
• In July 2006, news spread of a billboard advertisement released in the Netherlands which depicted a white woman holding a black woman by the jaw, saying "PlayStation Portable White is coming." Some found this to be racially charged due to the portrayal of a white woman subjugating a black woman. Two other similar advertisements also existed, one had the two women facing each other on equal footing in fighting stances, while the other had the black woman in a dominant position on top of the white woman. The stated purpose of the advertisements was to contrast the white and black versions of its game console available for sale. These ads were never released in the rest of the world, and were pulled from the Netherlands after the controversy was raised. Despite having been released only in the Netherlands, the advertisement gathered international press coverage. Engadget notes that Sony may have hoped to "capitalize on a PR firestorm".
• Sony came under scrutiny online in December 2006 for a guerrilla marketing campaign hoping to go viral, for the console, with advertisers masquerading as young bloggers who desperately wanted a PSP. The site was registered to and created by the St. Louis, Missouri, advertising firm Zipatoni on behalf of Sony before it was taken down.