Hacking Never had a PSP before - what to buy?

[Myria]

I’ve never owned a PSP. What model should I buy?

I’ve been thinking about buying a PSP 3000, for its supposedly better video capture. I don’t know anything about it, just heard about that.

When I get a PSP 3000 from someone, do I need to make sure that it has firmware in a particular version range so that I can install that “infinity” firmware?

 

[zoogie]

I have a PSP 3000, really like it.
Infinity works on the latest, 6.61.

 

[MrCokeacola]

2000/3000 same thing.

Just don't get a 1000(e).

 

[Manana]

I’ve never owned a PSP. What model should I buy?

I’ve been thinking about buying a PSP 3000, for its supposedly better video capture. I don’t know anything about it, just heard about that.

When I get a PSP 3000 from someone, do I need to make sure that it has firmware in a particular version range so that I can install that “infinity” firmware?

You could buy a GO model, a lot of people don't like the 16gb limit and M2 cards are rare and also cap at 16gb. However it's the smallest model, it works with infinity permanent CFW and there is a simple mod made by a man named Kouchan to use SD cards (I have 128gb in mine and it's bad @$$) What I did was google "original game accessory dummy adapter". The first link that pops up is in JPN lang. Use google translate and it should be cake. PayPal works fine too. If you're willing to go through a couple hoops I believe the PSP GO is, to this day, the P4P king portable in terms of size and library. It can connect a ps3 controller and you can buy a dock/cradle for it that charges it and connects to the TV like a tiny Nintendo Switch. It also fits in the mini fake pockets on my jeans giving them an actual purpose lol. "You can do this the easy way, or the hard way, the choice is yours!" - Fleece Johnson the Booty Warrior

Edit - As for versions, Nah don't worry about it. downgrading is no prob on any psp. IMHO, PSP is the easiest system to mess around with CFW. WII is a close 2nd. Just make sure you follow instructions carefully to avoid bricks (unlikely but possible). Also some youtubers are still making CFW tutorials in 2018 so you'll have plenty of answers for any questions you may have. Hope this helps and good luck Broly.

Last thing! - Online play is a thing now on psp. YouTube "Coldbird PSP plugin" or something like that. Not every game has players but give it a shot. DBZ, MH, MGS and occasionally Tekken (and a few others I don't play) have active players. I really only use it for monster hunter w/ issues here and there but it's sick either way!

 

[slaphappygamer]

2000/3000 same thing.

Just don't get a 1000(e).

This is all true. Cfw doesnt work well on 1000/e (aka Psp street) and psp1000 only has 16mb internal ram. The Psp 2000/3000 has 32mb ram. Snes9x runs better on psp2000/3000. Ive has both and couldn’t see much difference in the screen quality. Psp3000 was slightly better, only if you super stare at the pixels.

 

[DayVeeBoi]

I'm surprised nobody else has asked this yet, but do you have a Vita already and just want a PSP for the collection? Because Vita is hardware compatible with the PSP, even down to the CFW, its like you have a hacked PSP inside your hacked Vita, with a much nicer screen.

If you are interested in PSP because of the ability to use the PSP's PSx implementation, the only one that you can plug into your TV and use a DualShock3 with is the Go (it was the Switch before the Switch was a twinkle in Nintendo's eye).


The reason I think this is most relevant is because IMO the best PSP version (by far, it is still my fave console) is the Go and with it's increasing rarity I see Vita's all the time for around the same price as PSPgo are offered for (when you even see them).

Basically, you get two consoles for the price of one, without the bullshit storage capacity issues as Vita has adapters available for SD (SD2Vita, PSVSD), so you can use large capacity SD. I've used a 256gb for the last year or so and there's too much room almost.

I can't think of anything off the top of my head that you can't use on the Vita's PSP implementation that you can on a real PSP as it is hardware compatible and since theFl0w still actively develops for it, you are getting new features all the time (2 player PS1 games, savestates in PSP/PSx games, Analog stick plugins for popular games like GTA).

Also regarding

I’ve been thinking about buying a PSP 3000, for its supposedly better video capture.

The PSPgo has identical AV output to the PSP3000 AFAIK (composite video out/RCA).

 

[isoboy]

"When you even see them." I see plenty of them on ebay.

 

[Kwyjor]

What's the best solution for a PSP rescaler these days – such that PSP games (and PSX on PSP games) can use my full TV screen instead of a tiny box in the middle? My LG TV does have zoom controls, but that seems crude.

There was a lot of interest in the Lik-Sang LKV8000 at one time, and I was hoping that eventually I'd be able to pick one up for dirt cheap, but that never happened. Is there an alternative, aside from buying a Vita or a Playstation TV?

 

[DayVeeBoi]

"When you even see them." I see plenty of them on ebay.

I actually was referring to pawnshops or private sales, but I think to anyone with any common sense it would be obvious that I am remarking on the relative rarity of them in comparison to the rest of the PSP family/Vita.

An eBay search makes this pretty obvious when you're getting less than 100 hits for PSPgo and ~2000ish for the Vita* at approximately the same price. I don't think anyone is arguing that they're super rare or something.

*(or the roughly 3x PSP2000 and 10x for the PSP3000 at nearly 800 hits) I guess "Plenty" is plenty relative tho...?

What's the best solution for a PSP rescaler these days – such that PSP games (and PSX on PSP games) can use my full TV screen instead of a tiny box in the middle? My LG TV does have zoom controls, but that seems crude.

There was a lot of interest in the Lik-Sang LKV8000 at one time, and I was hoping that eventually I'd be able to pick one up for dirt cheap, but that never happened. Is there an alternative, aside from buying a Vita or a Playstation TV?

I have no experience with this but one I hear about sometimes is the (pretty costly - $300ish) Framemeister, but just due to the prices I see, it wouldn't be something I'd be personally interested in.

There is an open source upscaler that I had heard good things about (OSSC - $130+) and of course, since it is open-source you could also take the initiative to build it yourself. This is the only place I know of that sells them completed, YMMV (Video Game Perfection) and they seem to only have refurbished ones right now). I would suggest checking out the forums for it and the OSSC Wiki if you are interested in this project, just in case there are any small wrinkles that have yet to be ironed out (as is sometimes the case with Open Source stuff).

I was just using Component (RGB) and the feature that's built-in to my TV. This tv is pretty decent for games (it's the only reason haven't bought a bigger one), but it's like 7 years old and still costs the same as when I got it ($300 range, I assume because it has decent latency and is pretty well known for it), so I can't really recommend it as a purchase (I know that's not what you're looking for, just pointing it out for future readers).

Also, I had never heard of Lik-Sang before but when I googled it I came across this article discussing how Sony pummelled them into the ground for unauthorized distribution of the PSP when it was a giant PITA to get a hold of. So hard to get that according to court documents, some high-level Sony exec's bought there's from Lik-Sang!

Sony is Ruthless!

 

[Kwyjor]

So, does your TV have a special zoom option for game consoles or mobile devices? I hear that's a common thing now.

Also, I had never heard of Lik-Sang before but when I googled it I came across this article discussing how Sony pummelled them into the ground for unauthorized distribution of the PSP when it was a giant PITA to get a hold of. So hard to get that according to court documents, some high-level Sony exec's bought there's from Lik-Sang!

I'm probably getting them mixed up with Lenkeng, or maybe Lik-Sang was the typical place to purchase the LKV8000 back in the day.

 

[DayVeeBoi]

First, I just want to say apologize to OP for hijacking the thread. Sorry..

So, does your TV have a special zoom option for game consoles or mobile devices? I hear that's a common thing now.

I'm probably getting them mixed up with Lenkeng, or maybe Lik-Sang was the typical place to purchase the LKV8000 back in the day.

TL;DR I took a look at MonoPrice for an upscaler/converter with decent reviews and found it on Amazon.ca for you. At $81 CAD I would probably bite the bullet and get OSSC myself, but this has Amazon's policies behind it and that's hard to beat.

I will spark up my PSP later and see what exactly I did. I'm sorry I don't have a better memory of it.

I made the video over two years ago before the Switch came out and everyone's mind was blown that you could possibly have a handheld with a dock and play it on your TV with a wireless controller, then be able to pick up the handheld and play the same game seamlessly while you sit on the toilet.

The miracles of modern science, who could've possibly thought of this but Nintendo (or Sony about 11 years earlier). I did buy a Switch at launch, and I like it. I'm not bagging on Nintendo, just at how soon we forget.

The tv itself is really bare bones. It's pretty old and was entry-level even when it was new. The model just happens to share a decent panel with some better TV's (there's a custom firmware for this tv, just as an aside). It does have a "Game Mode" but I am pretty sure it just reduces lag (by turning off some processing functions).

When I click through the zoom modes on my remote there's one that just basically fills the screen without stretching. If it doesn't fit 16x9 it just black bars it. I use whatever internal settings between the TV and console and I muck around with it until it looks reasonable. I guess this game just happened to look pretty good (some look like shit!).

I'm not somebody that's like, super-concerned with having accurate representation on the odd occasion I dig into a retro-game. I played games on a microscopic 4:3 TV (like everyone else my age) for the first 15 years of my life or so. I remember it and have little interest in recreating it, ha-ha. As long as I can play on a modern TV without a whole lot of lag I'm gonna do that. Although I do occasionally wish I didn't get tired of lugging around my old Trinitron from shack to shack.

As for Lik-Sang. I had just never heard of the company before but they sound something like Play-Asia now, where they kind of have their own peripheral crap (cases or whatever) but they also distribute out of region stuff to other regions? I wonder why Sony stopped giving a shit about regions? I had no idea that had happened.

I did look at the website for the company that made LKV8000, and it looks like it is discontinued but they have like 4 pages of associated products so I am sure they have another iteration of it. I would suggest MonoPrice for AV crap that is pretty good for a decent price.

I noticed that you are from Canada, so have you heard of the company MonoPrice? They are suppliers for AV/Electronics, but they do that white box stuff where it's like debranded products so some of their stuff is pretty good. The only thing that sucks hard about MonoPrice is their shipping to Canada. Last time I wanted something from there the fucking product cost half as much as the shipping. Thankfully they have started to list stuff on Amazon.ca, so if there's something I want from their website I check Amazon first now.