Hardware PSP 1000 (Phat) buttons seem to be...sticking?

BigDaddyWeaves · Aug 8, 2020

I haven't been able to use it in many months (because I've been using its' battery for my PSP 3000 instead (it was the only thing that solved that issue). BUT when I did try using the 1000 the buttons seemed to be sticking or needed to be pressed very hard for any kind of response. I'm wondering if this is an easy fix or not. I am willing to open her up cuz she's of no use to me now as it is (and I have other PSP's that work) so if I mess up and it becomes a loss I won't mind as much but for the time being I don't even have a battery for the unit. So any tips will be gladly taken but I won't be able to update my status for a few weeks while I await a new battery. I basically made this thread to see what people would say as I don't know too much about the hardware of these individual devices, I only know the software part, I'm a PSP theme creator...not hard modder.

placebo_yue · Nov 25, 2020

im totally not a modder or anything like that but i did solve that issue (temporarly) by adding graphite to the contacts. It made the PSP and it's buttons response like brand new for a while, of course after months of not using it, when i brought it back it was back on the "have to press the buttons super hard for it to react" state. Actually it only happens with my circle button and slightly with the D-pad in some direction, but it's annoying enough

BigDaddyWeaves · Nov 25, 2020

placebo_yue said:
im totally not a modder or anything like that but i did solve that issue (temporarly) by adding graphite to the contacts. It made the PSP and it's buttons response like brand new for a while, of course after months of not using it, when i brought it back it was back on the "have to press the buttons super hard for it to react" state. Actually it only happens with my circle button and slightly with the D-pad in some direction, but it's annoying enough

Thanks for responding @placebo_yue unfortunately I don't think I have any graphite...and I guess I would have to open her up, wouldn't I?

placebo_yue · Nov 25, 2020

BigDaddyWeaves said:
Thanks for responding @placebo_yue unfortunately I don't think I have any graphite...and I guess I would have to open her up, wouldn't I?

yes of course you need to open ...her? lol.. up. Graphite is what pencils are made of! you must have a pencil in the house don't you?
Just "draw" over the contacts. If its a "B" pencil (the thicker darker ones) better, but any pencil should do it

BigDaddyWeaves · Nov 25, 2020

hm I will give it a try, I have pencils yes. (sorry I'm not big on common sense lmao) I don't have a clue about most things, but thanks for explaining I'll give it a shot over the next couple of days (turkey day tomorrow!) It's not hard to open a 1000 PSP, is it? (a couple of screws?)

placebo_yue · Nov 25, 2020

BigDaddyWeaves said:
hm I will give it a try, I have pencils yes. (sorry I'm not big on common sense lmao) I don't have a clue about most things, but thanks for explaining I'll give it a shot over the next couple of days (turkey day tomorrow!) It's not hard to open a 1000 PSP, is it? (a couple of screws?)

In case you were asking and not just saying, yes, it's fairly easy to open it. I also have a PSP 1000. You need to remove the sticker on the battery compartment, to access a critical screw or two over there.
Other than that it's pretty straightfoward

BigDaddyWeaves · Nov 25, 2020

Yes @placebo_yue I was asking, haha. When you say "draw" over the contacts you mean like scribble over the points of contact where the buttons go?

placebo_yue · Nov 26, 2020

BigDaddyWeaves said:
Yes @placebo_yue I was asking, haha. When you say "draw" over the contacts you mean like scribble over the points of contact where the buttons go?

exactly, just rub the tip of the pencil on the part of the circuitry that "makes the button button". They're pretty recogniseable even if you don't know anything about electronics. You can also add graphite on the plastic thingy that comes in between button and circuit. That does help too

elk1007 · Nov 26, 2020

I recommend cleaning the button contacts on the motherboard with 70% ISO alcohol.
Adding graphite could work, but the issue is dirty contacts.

You could buy new button pads, too. The rubber wears out and then you have to push them extra hard.

BigDaddyWeaves · Nov 27, 2020

elk1007 said:
I recommend cleaning the button contacts on the motherboard with 70% ISO alcohol.
Adding graphite could work, but the issue is dirty contacts.

You could buy new button pads, too. The rubber wears out and then you have to push them extra hard.

Hm @elk1007, buying new button pads does seem like a good idea, are they easy to install? I've seen videos online where the pads literally just pop right off and could very well easily be replaced. I think I'll order some new button pads and do the graphite (pencil) trick @placebo_yue.

elk1007 · Nov 27, 2020

I haven't had a PSP 1000 in years, but I recall them being easy to open.
IIRC, the faceplates were swap-able by removing a few screws, which exposed the pads.

BigDaddyWeaves · Nov 27, 2020

@elk1007 So I could change the front faceplate, and still have the black buttons (it's a piano black original PSP 1000). They sell that kinda stuff on AliExpress, right? I know they take a long time to deliver, but I recently got 2 genuine:
100% Original Sony 3.6V 1800mah batteries from them and they shipped in protective bubble wrap and in a small little box that seemed pretty well protected. I was very happy when I saw that they were GENUINE and not knockoffs. I will do some shopping on there again and buy a faceplate so when I do clean the buttons/contacts etc, I'll swap out the front bit and have a bright color with black buttons! Making it my most customized PSP, although I have a Darth Vader PSP, that's my main squeeze, haha. Got 238GB's in that particular one, I'm a theme maker (if you check my name online you'll see themes I've made. I'm a big contributor to EndlessParadigm.com and of course, I post on this site as well.

placebo_yue · Nov 27, 2020

BigDaddyWeaves said:
I recently got 2 genuine:
100% Original Sony 3.6V 1800mah batteries

For the PSP 1000? how much gameplay do you squeeze out of these? are there still in stock? i made a thread asking about what to do, if battery-modding my PSP or if there's any brand of lipo or whatever that i could use, because AFAIK everything being sold is super cheap chinese crap that either don't works at all, or lasts like an hour best case scenario

BigDaddyWeaves · Nov 27, 2020

@placebo_yue Well, being that this PSP is incapacitated right now with the buttons not working right, all I have are the two (apparent) OFFICIAL Sony PSP 1000 Phat (Original) batteries. I have yet to test it. Should I do a quick test today? Let the battery run all day and set a stopwatch and tell you how much time I get out of it?

elk1007 · Nov 27, 2020

Not to be a bummer, but I have doubts that SONY is making fresh batteries for the 1000.
If they are genuine, they are quite old.

BigDaddyWeaves · Nov 27, 2020

elk1007 said:
Not to be a bummer, but I have doubts that SONY is making fresh batteries for the 1000.
If they are genuine, they are quite old.

Well, I'll test it out and see if they are good or not, who knows I might have gotten duped? I'll only know once I test the 2 I received. But thanks for the input @elk1007 I appreciate everyone who's posted on this topic.

BigDaddyWeaves · Nov 28, 2020

@placebo_yue Quick question: I have a pretty bad screen on my PSP 1000, with lots of scratches, will replacing the shell replace the screen too? (I have a feeling that it's connected to the shell? No? Am I right? I know the real screen is MUCH harder to replace. Just thought I'd ask before I go ordering anything.

placebo_yue · Nov 28, 2020

BigDaddyWeaves said:
@placebo_yue Quick question: I have a pretty bad screen on my PSP 1000, with lots of scratches, will replacing the shell replace the screen too? (I have a feeling that it's connected to the shell? No? Am I right? I know the real screen is MUCH harder to replace. Just thought I'd ask before I go ordering anything.

The screen is not attached to the shell, only to the motherboard.
Be careful when opening the shell, you might accidentally scratch or, what happened to me get dirt on your screen. I tried to clean up a little dust particle on my screen that bugged me for like a whole year, and i ended up with more than one after closing the shell. I didn't use any watery cleaning products because i was afraid of fucking up the electronics tho. Maybe with the right product you could clean it properly.

BigDaddyWeaves · Nov 29, 2020

@placebo_yue I know the REAL screen is on the inside of the shell, what I'm asking is...isn't there a protective cover over the screen (that's attached to the faceplate)? I think that's where most of my scratches are from. Not directly on the screen (inside) itself. Just want some clarification before I order a new faceplate, I think I'm right just wanted to make sure.

placebo_yue · Nov 29, 2020

BigDaddyWeaves said:
@placebo_yue I know the REAL screen is on the inside of the shell, what I'm asking is...isn't there a protective cover over the screen (that's attached to the faceplate)? I think that's where most of my scratches are from. Not directly on the screen (inside) itself. Just want some clarification before I order a new faceplate, I think I'm right just wanted to make sure.

I don't think so, it's just shell and screen, nothing in between. It's been a few years since i last opened my PSP so i might be wrong. Perhaps you could try "ifixit" or some videos of modders to check the guts by yourself and make sure

Hardware PSP 1000 (Phat) buttons seem to be...sticking?

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