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Inside the PSP

Posted by timothy on from the packing-it-in dept.

fogez writes "We have seen numerous hacks for the PSP in the last couple days, but have you see what is inside this marvel? This might scare off many new PSP owners, but if you are curious and want some direction, this article is a good place to start. See the PSP laid bare, from LCD to wireless network card. BTW, any attempt to imitate will result in a void warranty :)"

5 of 320 comments (clear)

  1. Rights by deutschemonte · · Score: 4, Interesting

    How long do you think it will be before hacking/reverse engineering like this is made illegal DMCA style?

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    The preceding message was based on actual events. Only the names, locations and events have been changed.
  2. batter upgrade? by etheriel · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What are the chances of upgrading the battery on this thing? Or better yet, can I expect sony to improve the battery life if i wait a while? If so, how long should I wait?

  3. PSP can execute from the MS drive by bindster · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was at the Game Developer's Conference a few weeks ago, and the guys at the Sony booth were showing off the PSP. One of the things they had there was the dev-kit, which appears to be a regular VAIO desktop with a UMD drive. It also comes with a special PSP which has an umbilical to the desktop and subsequently, has no UMD drive.
    I asked one of the guys if the unit can execute code off a memory stick and he confirmed that this is possible. He then went on to add that this functionality is disabled in the consumer unit. Fascinating.

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    WARNING: DO NOT LET DR. MARIO TOUCH YOUR GENITALS. HE IS NOT A REAL DOCTOR.
  4. PSP modification outlawed? by karstux · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Disassembling your own is merely art.
    Well, I wonder about that. Using common sense,I'd be inclined to agree, but TFA says:

    Sony explicitly outlaws any modifications to their PSP. If you don't believe me, check out page 15 of the manual where they state, "No authorization for the analysis or modification of the system, or the analysis and use of circuit configurations, is provided."

    Can they really do that? Is there any legal basis for this? With software, it seems to be like this: when you purchase a program, you don't own the program, but are merely granted a license to use it. As such, the licensor can set limits to what you are allowed to do with the software.

    However, the medium you buy the software on, as I understand it, is entirely your property.

    So how does this translate to a hardware purchase, like the PSP? Of course, the hardware design is Sony's intellectual property. As is the firmware and all other software stored on a PSP. However, the PSP itself ought to be my property, and it should be within my rights to do with it however I may please. Including any modification and extension of it.

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    Don't whistle while you're pissing.
    1. Re:PSP modification outlawed? by kin_korn_karn · · Score: 5, Interesting

      IANAL

      This kind of thing is a manipulation of the common-law system that results in, basically, legislation being written by the Sony corporate legal department.

      The USA uses common law, which works almost entirely by precedent. If a new issue (such as a new license, like the PSP's) comes up, the first court ruling a judge enters to address it is considered to be the law until it's legislated by the government or overruled by a higher court.

      Sony (and other companies that have done this such as MS) write a license agreement that they would like to see as a law, find the most business-friendly jurisdiction in which to sue someone, and wait for someone from that jurisdiction that can't afford to appeal to violate it. They sue them, the judge gives them their precedent, and voila, instant legal credibility for this sort of corporate fascism.