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PSP-Slim Hands On

Posted by Zonk on from the lite-vs.-slim dept.

fistfullast33l writes "PSPFanboy, a Joystiq blog, has a great closeup of the new PSP redesign. Photos show the old PSP and the new PSP side by side. Modifications include adding more RAM (up to 64MB), extended battery life, a new UMD loading door, removal of the IR port (Sony really hates infrared), and a redesigned headphone jack to support video output. Sony confirmed that you will be able to play movies and games through the video out, but the games can only be viewable via component, not composite cables. Also, 0okm has some nice pictures of the new PSP internals as well as a manual snapshot showing button layout (the wireless switch was moved) and TV out information." Gamasutra has the news that the slim-line is due out on September 20th in Japan.

21 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Other important (non)-feature.. by Constantine+XVI · · Score: 4, Informative

    Actually, it's been proven to use the TA-085 motherboard, which CAN run homebrew.

    --
    "I think an etch-a-sketch with an ethernet port would beat IE7 in web standards compliance."
  2. Video out by 68030 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It would be nice to see some sort of standardized, low-range, wireless digital video transfer protocol, then let the receiver worry about composite, component, HDMI, etc. I've noticed the references to the terrestrial digital video streams in Europe and the like... Sure would be nice to stick a powerful computer (or in this case console) in another room and a dongle on the DVI out and have a set top box that lets me switch streams like channels, without having to run wires.

    Somehow I doubt that would work well for battery life though.

  3. No IR? by Chouonsoku · · Score: 2, Funny

    How the hell am I going to screw with people's TVs and them not know it's me if I don't just look like I'm playing a video game?

    WRONG MOVE SONY!

  4. No composite video for games?? by physicsnick · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What the hell? Why not?

    Around where I live (Canada), I've never even seen a TV that takes component cables. Don't virtually all older TVs in North America take only composite? I thought the point of this was to make it into a sort of portable console; what's the point if you can't just plug it into any TV?

    This is so incredibly frustrating. I was all excited about the new PSP, and now I find it won't even work on my TV. Why didn't they tell us this in the presentation? Did they think we weren't going to notice?

    1. Re:No composite video for games?? by CastrTroy · · Score: 2, Informative

      I live in Canada too, although I find that there are many TVs with component video. However, there's a lot that don't, and even when they do have component cables, they're located in the back of the TV and hooked up to the DVD player. Moving the TV to get to these cables, and then rehooking up the other device when you are done can be really annoying. Meanwhile, most TVs have composite on the front for easy access. I can't even think of why they would need component cables for the PSP. It's not like the graphics are that good, that they're going to suffer if they use composite video. I agree this is completely stupid. Even though they have adapters to go from component to composite, you should have to get one of those, and this thing should just be using composite.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    2. Re:No composite video for games?? by ZakuSage · · Score: 3, Informative

      Component is required because progressive scan is required for games. Whatever reason they have for necessitating progressive scan, I don't know...

    3. Re:No composite video for games?? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Whatever reason they have for necessitating progressive scan, I don't know..."

      The LCD on the PSP is not interlaced...?

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  5. Re:Other important (non)-feature.. by EveryNickIsTaken · · Score: 2, Informative

    You're aware that this hasn't shipped yet, right?

  6. Re:Other important (non)-feature.. by fistfullast33l · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sony hasn't supported homebrew since PSP firmware 1.0...no reason to expect them to support it now.

  7. Re:Other important (non)-feature.. by EveryNickIsTaken · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Can't read that site from work here, however, it's likely a spec sheet / preview sheet based on a preview/press model. Given that Sony is now well known for changing hardware mid-production (see - no more Emotion engine chip) - I wouldn't give these preview specs too much weight until the final products ship.

  8. Re:No difference? by fistfullast33l · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The PSP really hasn't lost any body weight.

    If you're going to bash a redesign, at least read the article in the summary:

    The most immediate thing we noticed was how light the system is: the original was in no ways heavy, but the new handheld is certainly much lighter, without making it too feathery.

    Granted, maybe you actually attended E3 and held the device and this is a matter of opinion, but that seems like a pretty dumb statement to make if you haven't.

  9. how did they do it? by grapeape · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The battery shown so far has been a 1200mah one while the one in the current PSP is 1800mah. If thats the case and it still gets a longer battery life, they have achieved quite a bit. Anyone know exactly what changed to get such a huge bump?

    1. Re:how did they do it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The added RAM means less time spinning the UMD looking for data. The biggest energy sapping system in the PSP is the UMD Drive. With 64mb of RAM, that means you don't need to look stuff up on the disc as often...

  10. Summary by suv4x4 · · Score: 4, Informative

    That was a boring article:

    We're very excited.

    The new PSP is much slimmer than the original, but the original is slim too.
    The new PSP is much lighter than the original, but the original is light too.
    The new PSP is much shinier than the original, but the original is shiny too.
    The new buttons "feel better".

    We'll talk a bit about the infrared and composite, but won't test it, or give you our feedback on any of this.

    We're very excited (again).

    The new PSP is much better than the original, but the original is good too.

    THE END

    1. Re:Summary by LoudMusic · · Score: 2, Funny

      You failed to include that none of their pictures are in focus. Otherwise, good summary (:

      --
      No sig for you. YOU GET NO SIG!
  11. RAM eh? by Floritard · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What good is more ram anyway? New games certainly can't require more ram than was on the original PSP. Are old games going to know they can use more memory when loading content on a new PSP? Apparently you can't use the PSP for homebrew so really, why bother with more ram?

    Also, the fact that they didn't have tv-out in the first place is probably 90% of why UMD movies were such a stupid idea (you know, aside from having another proprietary format for no reason). And it's especially cute that they call this the slim model. Look at those photos. The original wasn't exactly a fat bastard, but slim would imply some significant change in width. God damn Sony is stupid. Just amazingly so.

    All that said I'd like to like the PSP and these are all good improvements. Now if only they would release some worthwhile software for the thing, but isn't that just their MO of late. I want to want a PSP and I want to want a PS3. Why can't Sony just get their shit together?

    1. Re:RAM eh? by ch0ad · · Score: 2, Interesting

      apparently the new ram will be used to cache data from the umd to speed load/reload times.... or something like that. also (this is just speculation) i expect it will be used in the web browser to avoid so many "out of memory" errors.

  12. Re:Hates infrared? by fistfullast33l · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Well, seeing as the IR port was useless on the PSP (except for some homebrew that figured out how to turn the PSP into a universal remote), I can see why Sony removed it. But on the PS3, it drives me crazy when trying to use it as a DVD/Bluray player. I can't use my TV remote (Sony also) to control the PS3 because it doesn't have an infrared port. Even worse, the bluetooth remote that Sony makes doesn't have IR on it, so it's only good for hte PS3. It's rather annoying.

  13. Focus! by riffzifnab · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "Close up" indeed. Some one needs to tell them about the macro function on their camera. Cripes.

  14. Appealing... by MaWeiTao · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have been thinking about getting a PSP for some time. I have a DS and while I think it's great there are some things that have always bothered me. As much as I like sprite-based 2D games I can't get past the fact that 3D graphics on the DS are generally crap. The games for the DS that are good are great, but some genres in particular are quite lacking. And to this day I still don't like the two screens. The functionality it allows for in some games is great, but it still feels gimmicky. I would much prefer it had a single large screen, and coupled with the touch-screen functionality it would be truly great.

    This updated PSP makes the console particularly appealing. Of course, this is still Sony we're talking about. So I still have some reservations.

  15. It gets even more confusing... by Hamster+Lover · · Score: 2, Interesting

    There will be a composite cable for the PSP, but it only supports video from the UMD or Memory Stick.