FAQ
As fans of PSP we wish to provide other fans with the utmost experience with using your PSP, so we compiled this list of frequent questions about PSP, his younger brother PSP Slim and the features they both have. Also, we have included frequent questions about differences between PSP and PSP Slim. You can freely browse the FAQ list below, but since it’s pretty big, we encourage you to use quicklinks just below this introductory text.
If you do have some unanswered questions, you can also visit our Tutorials section of the website. If you still do not find an answer to your question there, please do not hesitate to post the question it in the comments. We will give our best to find you an answer.
PSP in General
- What is XMB?
- What is UMD?
- Can PSP be updated?
- Can PSP connect to my computer?
- Can PSP play movies and videos?
- Which video formats can PSP play?
- Are PSP movies region-locked?
- Can I share videos from my PSP?
- Can PSP display my images and photos?
- Which image and photo formats can PSP display?
- Can I share images and photos from my PSP?
- Can PSP support languages other than English?
- Can PSP play my favorite music?
- Which audio formats can PSP play?
- Can PSP change display themes?
- Can PSP use wallpapers?
- Why did my PSP change background colors?
- Can PSP be password protected?
- Does PSP support parental control?
- Can PSP connect to HotSpots or other WiFi enabled devices?
- What is Ad-Hoc WiFi mode?
- How many concurrent connections can PSP support in Ad-Hoc mode?
- What is Infrastructure WiFi mode?
- Can PSP connect to my digital camera?
- What is Game Sharing?
- Can I play PSP games with my friends?
- Can I play PSP games over the Internet?
- Are there free PSP games on the Internet, and where can I download them from?
- Are there commercial PSP games available on the Internet, and where can I download them from?
- Are PSP games region-locked?
- What is LocationFree Player?
- What is Remote Play?
- Is it possible to surf the net with PSP?
- Is is possible to read E-Mail with PSP?
- Is it possible to read RSS feeds with PSP?
- Is is possible to display Flash movies with PSP?
- Is it possible to listen to the Internet radio with PSP?
- Can I have more memory storage in my PSP?
- Which memory cards are supported by PSP?
- Why does my Memory Stick PRO (Duo) has much less space than listed?
- What is the PSP battery life?
- How long do I need to charge PSP battery?
- What is a dead/stuck pixel?
- Is Skype available for PSP?
- What is the technical specification of PSP?
PSP - PSP Slim Related
- Are there new features?
- What firmware version ships with PSP Slim?
- Does PSP Slim really have more memory than PSP?
- Has the loading time from UMD improved on PSP Slim, due to double amount of memory?
- Has the loading time from memory card improved on PSP Slim, due to double amount of memory?
- Can Internet Browser use PSP Slims double amount of memory for page loading?
- Are there different options for TV output?
- Is it true that picture is framed when you output a game to the TV on the PSP Slim?
- What’s the quality of the TV output on the PSP Slim?
- Are video output cables included in the PSP Slim bundle?
- Does new PSP Slim support 640×480 video?
- Is ghosting effect still present while watching videos as the PSP?
- Is PSP Slim, really slimmer?
- Are the buttons on PSP Slim improved in any way?
- Is the UMD quieter on the PSP Slim than on PSP?
- Has the volume of the speakers been improved?
- Has the volume of the headphones been improved?
- Are there any changes to the headphones and remote on the PSP Slim?
- Has WiFi been improved on PSP Slim?
- Are there changes in battery life time on the PSP Slim?
- Are there changes in battery charge time on the PSP Slim?
- How long is the USB battery charge time?
- Are the batteries from the PSP compatible with the PSP Slim?
- Are the fingerprints still visible?
- Is it possible to play music while viewing a slideshow on the PSP Slim?
- What is the technical specification of PSP Slim?
What is XMB?
XrossMediaBar (pronounced Cross Media Bar), is an Emmy-award winning navigation system developed by Sony. The interface features icons, which are spread horizontally across the screen. Navigation moves the icons, instead of a cursor. These icons are used as categories to organize the options available to the user. When an icon is selected on the horizontal bar, several more appear vertically, above and below it (selectable by the up and down directions on a directional pad).
UMD is new, proprietary media format called the Universal Media Disc, released together with the PSP. Currently, only the PSP supports the universal media disc format and only content developers are able to create UMD discs. The disc is only two and a half inches wide and weighs only .35 ounces but it still has plenty of space for material with its 1.8 gigabyte capacity.
Yes it can. PSP has a “Operating System” widely known as firmware developed and maintained by Sony. To find more about firmware see Firmware section of our website.
Can PSP connect to my computer?
Yes it can. PSP has USB mini connector, therefore is able to connect to your computer using USB cable, where it is of course required that your computer has a USB connector and appropriate operating system and drivers installed. To find out more see our How to connect your PSP to your computer tutorial, or check out other tutorials in Tutorials section to see what else you can do with your PSP.
Can PSP play movies and videos?
Yes it can. PSP supports playing movies from UMD, and videos from the memory card. Although both movies and videos must be in MPEG-4 (MP4) format in order to work on your PSP. To find out more see our How to put videos on your PSP tutorial, or check out other tutorials in Tutorials section to see what else you can do with your PSP.
Which video formats can PSP play?
Currently PSP can play only MPEG-4 (MP4) video format.
Yes, movies for PSP are Region-Locked and will not work since they are region protected just like DVDs. Therefore, Japanese UMD movies will not work on a USA PSP.
Can I share videos from my PSP?
No. PSP currently does not have such an option. Currently you can share just your photos.
Can PSP display my images and photos?
Yes it can. PSP can display photos you store on the memory card or you get on the UMD. To find out more see our How to put photographs on your PSP tutorial, or check out other tutorials in Tutorials section to see what else you can do with your PSP.
Which image and photo formats can PSP display?
Currently PSP supports following image formats:
jpeg (aka jpg)
tiff
gif
png
bmp
Can I share images and photos from my PSP?
Yes You can. PSP has an option to share a images and photos by using wireless connection to another PSP user.
Can PSP support languages other than English?
Yes it can. PSP currently supports 10 languages and they are:
German
English
Spanish
French
Italian
Dutch
Portuguese
Russian
Japanese
Korean
Can PSP play my favorite music?
Yes it can. PSP can play music you store on the memory card or you get on the UMD. To find out more see our How to put music on your PSP tutorial, or check out other tutorials in Tutorials section to see what else you can do with your PSP.
Which audio formats can PSP play?
Currently PSP supports following image formats:
atrac3plus
mp3
mp4
wav
wma
Can PSP change display themes?
Yes. Up to firmware revision 3.70 PSP had one built-in theme which could not be changed in the manner of different look and feel of menu, icons and background. Since the release of firmware v3.70, PSP has support for different themes. To find out more see our How to put/apply theme to your PSP? tutorial, or check out other tutorials in Tutorials section to see what else you can do with your PSP. Also take a peek at our Themes section to find a nice theme for your PSP.
Yes it can. You can set any image or photo you have on your memory card to be a wallpaper. Setting an image or photo as wallpaper will automatically deactivate PSP theme. To find out more see our How to put photographs on your PSP tutorial, or check out other tutorials in Tutorials section to see what else you can do with your PSP. Also take a peek at our Wallpapers section to find a nice wallpaper for your PSP.
Why did my PSP change background colors?
If you are still using the default PSP theme, it will change each month, the following is a list of the months and their designated color:
January - Grey
February - Yellow
March - Light-Green
April - Pink
May - Dark-Green
June - Light-Purple
July - Light-Blue
August - Blue
September - Purple
October - Yellow
November - Brown
December - RedPlease do note that this is the color list which was available in firmwares prior to firmware v3.60.
Can PSP be password protected?
Yes it can. PSP has security settings in the Security menu of the XMB.
Does PSP support parental control?
Yes it does. PSP has security settings in the Security menu of the XMB.
Can PSP connect to HotSpots or other WiFi enabled devices?
Yes it can. PSP has integrated WiFi and can connect to other WiFi enabled devices. Most common use is to connect to other PSP users in order to play multi player enabled games or to share images and photos, also known as Ad-Hoc mode. Integrated WiFi also enables PSP to connect to the Internet by establishing connection to a HotSpot (WiFi AccessPoint), also known as Infrastructure Mode.
Ad-Hoc WiFi mode is direct connection between PSP and another WiFi enabled device - most probably another PSP. Ad-Hoc mode is used for playing PSP games over the WiFi, with your friends which also have PSP.
How many concurrent connections can PSP support in Ad-Hoc mode?
Ad-Hoc WiFi mode is direct connection between PSP and another WiFi enabled device - most probably another PSP. Ad-Hoc mode is used for playing PSP games over the WiFi, with your friends which also have PSP.
What is Infrastructure WiFi mode?
Infrastructure mode is establishing connection to HotSpot (WiFi AccessPoint), most commonly for playing PSP games over the Internet. Infrastructure mode is also used for connecting PSP to the Internet.
Can PSP connect to my digital camera?
Yes it can. A digital camera can be connected directly to PSP by using USB connector.
Game sharing is the ability for multiple users to play the same PSP game wirelessly, with only one user having to have a copy of the game.
Can I play PSP games with my friends?
Yes you can. PSP has integrated WiFi, enabling you to play PSP games with your friends directly (Face-To-Face) by using Ad-Hoc connection, or over the Internet by using Infrastructure connection. It is important to note that not all PSP games have Multiplayer mode, and not all PSP games that have multiplayer mode support Infrastructure connectivity.
Can I play PSP games over the Internet?
Yes you can. PSP has integrated WiFi, enabling you to play PSP games with your friends over the Internet by using Infrastructure connection. It is important to note that not all PSP games which have multiplayer mode support Infrastructure connectivity.
Are there free PSP games on the Internet, and where can I download them from?
With the exception of PSP demo games and homebrew community, currently there are no free PSP games -legally- available on the Internet. Downloadding and running homebrew games/applications requires modifications (downgrading/replacing) of official Sony firmware in your PSP - which voids warranty of your PSP. Downgrading your PSP firmware and running homebrew games/applications is considered -illegal- by Sony. All websites offering free PSP games for download are considered as scam and/or phishing websites. To find out more see our How to install a PSP game demo to Your PSP tutorial, or check out other tutorials in Tutorials section to see what else you can do with your PSP. Also take a peek at our Demos section to find a demo game for your PSP.
Are there commercial PSP games available on the Internet, and where can I download them from?
Currently, with the exception of PSP demo games, there are no commercial PSP games -legally- available on the Internet. All commercial PSP games are sold on UMD’s, and downloading and running commercial PSP games requires modifications (downgrading/replacing) of official Sony firmware in your PSP - which voids warranty of your PSP. Downgrading your PSP firmware and running commercial PSP games is considered -illegal-, just like downloading movies or music. All websites offering commercial PSP games for download are considered as scam and/or phishing websites. To find out more see our How to install a PSP game demo to Your PSP tutorial, or check out other tutorials in Tutorials section to see what else you can do with your PSP. Also take a peek at our Demos section to find a demo game for your PSP.
No, you can play imported games on Your PSP. Therefore, Japanese PSP games will work on USA PSP, although it is possible multiplayer functionality may be lost with games from different regions.
With LocationFree you can stream TV or movies from your home over broadband Internet to your PSP system virtually anywhere in the world. At home, simply connect your A/V components (TV, DVD Player or DVR) and broadband internet to your LocationFree. On the road, connect your PSP system to a wireless hotspot and click on the LocationFree icon to start streaming your favorite TV programs.
Remote Play enables your PSP to access content on PS3 system by using WiFi connection.
Is it possible to surf the net with PSP?
Yes, it is. PSP connects to the Internet using wireless (WiFi) connection and has integrated Internet browser.
Is is possible to read E-Mail with PSP?
Yes, it is possible but only by using web based E-Mail client or webmail (Like GMail, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail etc.). Current version of PSP does not have an E-Mail client so reading E-Mail is limited to using PSP Internet Browser.
Is it possible to read RSS feeds with PSP?
Yes, it is. PSP has integrated RSS reader with support for audio and video clips which you can manually store to memory card for later reading/listening/watching. PSP can also automatically retrieve Your favorite RSS feeds, and this happens at midnight every night, if configured so.
Is is possible to display Flash movies with PSP?
Yes it is. PSP integrated Internet Browser supports Flash movies.
Is it possible to listen to the Internet radio with PSP?
Yes it is. PSP got Internet radio listening capabilities with Sony’s firmware update v3.80. If you have previous version of firmware you will have to update your PSP’s firmware either through Network Update option in the XMB, or through PlayStation website.
Can I have more memory/storage in my PSP?
You can expand amount of storage for your PSP by purchasing memory cards. PSP ussualy comes with 32MB Memory Stick PRO Duo, while some packs contain 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo.
Which memory cards are supported by PSP?
PSP supports only Sony memory cards. Memory Stick PRO Duo is natively supported, although Memory Stick PRO can be also used but you will not be able to close memory slot protective cover.
Why does my Memory Stick PRO (Duo) has much less space than listed?
If you bought a 256mb (or 512/1gb) Memory Stick PRO (Duo) and the capacity is actually less, you didn’t get ripped off. The difference has to do with the fact that software considers bytes to be a power of 2, while hardware considers it to be powers of 10. Thus, 1 kilobyte in software is 2 to the 10th power (1024 bytes) while in hardware it is 10 to the 3rd power (1000 bytes). As sizes go up, the discrepancy gets larger. Rest assured that this is not a mistake, it is simply the way all hard drives and memory cards work.
It all depends on the usage of the PSP. Are you playing a movie or a game? Are you playing a singleplayer game or multiplayer game? All in all, your battery should last anywhere from three to ten hours. See tehnical specification at the bottom of this page for more details on the battery life.
How long do I need to charge PSP battery?
Approximately two hours is enough for PSP battery to reach full charge.
A dead pixel is a point of light on the screen of your PSP that shows red, green, blue, black or white. A dead pixel would only show black because well its dead (Not working). A stuck pixel is a pixel that is stuck on one color only (red, green, blue, or white).
Actually it is. Skype PSP was released with Sony firmware update v3.90 on January 30th 2008. It is important to notice that Skype PSP is available only to PSP Slim (PSP-2000) models. If you have previous version of firmware you will have to update your PSP’s firmware either through Network Update option in the XMB, or through PlayStation website.
What is the technical specification of PSP?
Size:
- Dimensions: (W x D x H) 6.7” x 2.91” x 0.91”
- Weight: 8.36oz
Controller:
- D-pad, Analog Stick or ‘nub’.
Processor:
- Processor: MIPS R4000
- Processor Clock Speed: 1-333MHz
- Processor (2nd): MIPS R4000
- Processor Clock Speed: (2nd)1-333MHz
Memory:
- Main Memory: 32MB EDRAM
- Video Memory: 4MB EDRAM
Video:
- Display: 4.3″ 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD
- Resolution: 480×272 Colors: 16.77 million colors
- Brightness: 200 cd/m2
- Fill Rate: (pixels)664 Mpixels/s
- Fill Rate: (triangles)33 Mtriangles/s
Audio:
- Speakers: Built-in stereo speakers, included headphones
Connectivity:
- Game Media Format: 1.8GB Universal Media Disc
- I/O Connectors: 1 x audio out, 1 x microphone, 1 x control connector, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x Memory Stick Pro Duo, IrDA, IR remote
- Integrated Communications:802.11b Wi-Fi
Power:
- Battery: Lithium-ion battery 1800mAh
- Audio: ATRAC, MP3, MP4 (AAC), WAV (LPCM)
- Video: MPEG-4 (AVC) Pictures: JPEG, TIFF, GIF, PNG, BMP
- Battery Details: (all figures are rough approximations)
- Low Visual Intensive Game: 5 hours
- Highly Visual Intensive Game: 3.5 hours Wi-Fi
- Gaming: 3 hours Audio Playback: 10.5 hours
Are there new features?
Thanks to new firmware, PSP Slim is now able to charge through USB cable, output display to TV, display more different backgrounds - 27 in total.
What firmware version ships with PSP Slim?
New PSP Slim features firmware version 3.6.
Does PSP Slim really have more memory than PSP?
Yes. PSP Slim features a double amount of NAND memory - a total of 64MB.
Has the loading time from UMD improved on PSP Slim, due to double amount of memory?
Changes in loading time are apparently insignificant. Some games performed slightly better and some even slightly worse. PSP Slim outperforms PSP in loading time in the matter of just a few seconds.
[UPDATE 16-Sept-2007]: Please see the new test results report …
Has the loading time from memory card improved on PSP Slim, due to double amount of memory?
No, loading times are identical.
Can Internet Browser use PSP Slims double amount of memory for page loading?
No, you will still get error message “There is not enough memory” when trying to open large websites on your PSP Slim.
Are there different options for TV output?
Yes. Options for TV output include 16:9 and 4:3 modes, progressive or interlaced.
Is it true that picture is framed when you output a game to the TV on the PSP Slim?
Unfortunately yes. Unlike the XMB and movie output which use up whole TV screen, games use up about 70% of the TV screen making them framed.
What’s the quality of the TV output on the PSP Slim?
Both games and movies have impressive image quality, although movies preform somewhat less in terms of quality compared to DVDs.
Are video output cables included in the PSP Slim bundle?
No. Video output cables will be sold separately from the PSP Slim.
Does new PSP Slim support 640×480 video?
No. Unfortunately not.
Is ghosting effect still present while watching videos as the PSP?
Yes, ghosting effect is still there.
Changes in the appearance of PSP Slim are not that apparent but the change in it’s weight is. PSP Slim really does feel lighter than PSP since it has lost 33% in it’s weight and 19% in thickness.
Are the buttons on PSP Slim improved in any way?
Actually - yes. Buttons have slightly more resistance, and stick out somewhat more from the body of the PSP Slim, making them better to the touch of the finger.
Is the UMD quieter on the PSP Slim than on PSP?
Not significantly. Even though UMD loading dock has been changed, UMD noise seem less frequent but it’s still there in the same noise as before.
Has the volume of the speakers been improved?
No. Speakers on new PSP Slim have been moved more to the top of the device, instead of being close to the bottom, but the volume has not been significantly modified.
Has the volume of the headphones been improved?
No. Unfortunately headphones still cannot output loud volume as much as most of us would want.
Are there any changes to the headphones and remote on the PSP Slim?
No, PSP Slim features identical headphones and remote as the PSP.
Has WiFi been improved on PSP Slim?
Apparently not in general. Both PSP Slim and PSP have range of approximately 30 feet from the WiFi Access Point, and downloading times seems almost identical. Although, PSP Slim features a 2 second advantage on RSS downloads.
Are there changes in battery life time on the PSP Slim?
PSP Slim features new slimmer batteries with reduced power, but since PSP slim also features reduced power drain, battery life will feature somewhat longer times.
Are there changes in battery charge time on the PSP Slim?
Since PSP Slim features new slimmer batteries with reduced power, charge time will be somewhat faster.
How long is the USB battery charge time?
Approximately 5 hours.
Are the batteries from the PSP compatible with the PSP Slim?
They are, but since PSP Slims changed dimensions, old batteries will stick out of the device and you will not be able to close the battery cover. PSP Slim features new slimmer batteries.
Are the fingerprints still visible?
Yes, although the coating on the PSP Slim is somewhat better you’ll still get fingerprints on the device and the screen.
Is it possible to play music while viewing a slideshow on the PSP Slim?
No. When you enter a different part of the XMB, your music will stop just like it did on PSP.
What is the technical specification of PSP Slim?
Size:
- Dimensions: (W x D x H) 6.7” x 2.81” x 0.73”
- Weight: 6.66oz
Controller:
- D-pad, Analog Stick or ‘nub’.
Processor:
- Processor: MIPS R4000
- Processor Clock Speed: 1-333MHz
- Processor (2nd): MIPS R4000
- Processor Clock Speed: (2nd)1-333MHz
Memory:
- Main Memory: 64MB EDRAM
- Video Memory: 4MB EDRAM
Video:
- Display: 4.3″ 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD
- Resolution: 480×272 Colors: 16.77 million colors
- Brightness: 200 cd/m2
- Fill Rate: (pixels)664 Mpixels/s
- Fill Rate: (triangles)33 Mtriangles/s
Audio:
- Speakers: Built-in stereo speakers, included headphones
Connectivity:
- Game Media Format: 1.8GB Universal Media Disc
- I/O Connectors: 1 x audio out, 1 x video out, 1 x microphone, 1 x control connector, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x Memory Stick Pro Duo, IR remote
- Integrated Communications:802.11b Wi-Fi
Power:
- Battery: Lithium-ion battery 1200mAh
- Audio: ATRAC, MP3, MP4 (AAC), WAV (LPCM)
- Video: MPEG-4 (AVC) Pictures: JPEG, TIFF, GIF, PNG, BMP
- Battery Details: (all figures are rough approximations)
- Low Visual Intensive Game: 6 hours
- Highly Visual Intensive Game: 4.5 hours Wi-Fi
- Gaming: 3 hours Audio Playback: 11.5 hours
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