Sony PSP FAQ

Launch Details

When will the PSP be released?
Japan: December 12, 2004.
USA: March 24, 2005.
Europe: TBA.

How much will the PSP cost?
Value Pack (see contents below): $249.99
Standard Pack (if made available): TBA

What will be included in the NA Value Pack?
Sony PSP system which includes: ($249.99)
PSP Hardware
32 MB Memory Stick Duo
Headphones with remote control
Battery pack
AC adaptor
Soft case and cleaning cloth
Movie/music/game video sampler UMD disc including multiple non-interactive game demo
And for the first one million PSP Value Packs shipped, a special UMD video release of the feature film Spider-Man 2 from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

How many units will be shipped?
Launch day in Japan: 200,000.
Before the end of the year in Japan: 300,000.
Between January and March in Japan: 500,000.
North America: 1 million units during the 2005 fiscal year.
Europe: 1 million units during the 2005 fiscal year.

Hardware Details

What are the official specs?

UMD(Universal Media Disc)
60mm
Laser Diode:660nm
Dual Layer :1.8GB
Transfer Rate:11Mbps
Shock Proof
Secure ROM by AES
Unique Disc ID

PSP CPU CORE
MIPS R4000 32bit Core
128bit Bus
1 - 333MHz @ 1.2V
Main Memory :8MB(eDRAM)
Bus Bandwidth :2.6GB/sec
I-Cache, D-Cache
FPU, VFPU (Vector Unit) @ 2.6GFlops
3D-CG Extended Instructions

PSP Media Engine
MIPS R4000 32bit Core
128bit Bus
1 - 333MHz @ 1.2V
Sub Memory:2MB(eDRAM) @ 2.6GB/sec
I-Cache, D-Cache
90nm CMOS

PSP Graphics Core 1
3D Curved Surface + 3D Polygon
Compressed Texture
Hardware Clipping, Morphing, Bone(8)
Hardware Tessellator
Bezier, B-Spline(NURBS)
ex 4x4, 16x16, 64x64 sub-division

PSP Graphics Core 2
'Rendering Engine' + 'Surface Engine'
256bit Bus, 1-166 MHz @ 1.2V
VRAM :2MB(eDRAM)
Bus Bandwidth :5.3GB/sec
Pixel Fill Rate :664 M pixels/sec
max 33 M polygon /sec(T&L)
24bit Full Color:RGBA

PSP Sound Core: VME
Reconfigurable DSPs
128bit Bus
166MHz @1.2V
5 Giga Operations /sec
CODEC
3D Sound, Multi-Channel
Synthesizer, Effecter, etc

AVC Decoder
AVC(H.264) Decoder
Main Profile
Baseline Profile
@Level1,Level2,Level3
2Hours(High Quality) - DVD movie
4Hours(Standard Quality) - CS Digital

I/O
USB 2.0
Memory Stick
Extension Port(reserved)
Stereo Head phone Out

Communication
Wireless LAN (i802.11)
IrDA
USB 2.0

Battery Details

What will the battery time be?
3-4 hours for Video watching through UMD.
5-7 hours for Video watching through Memory Stick
4-6 hours average for gameplay through UMD.
4 hours with headphones and 50% volume, no WIFI and highest screen brightness (180 cd/m2).
6 hours with headphones and 50% volume, no WIFI and lowest screen brightness (80 cd/m2).
10 hours mp3 with headphones 50% volume, no WIFI and screen off.

Basically, if you use all features (highest volume on speakers, highest brightness setting, WIFI and a badly coded (in terms of saving battery power) high graphics game then you will end up with 3 hours. If you play a puzzle game on low brightness, no audio and no WIFI then you will get 8 hours.
Batteries are $29.99 with additional AC adaptor if you want more battery time.

How many mAH does the official PSP battery have?
1800mAH.

How do I know how much of the battery is left?
The PSP have a battery meter with three notches.
3 notches lit = 67%-100% battery.
2 notches lit= 34%-66% battery.
1 notch lit = 1%-33% battery.

Can you change the brightness level on the PSP?
Yes. There are three different ones available. 180 cd/m2 (brightest), 130 cd/m2 /(medium) or 80cd/m2 (lowest). When being plugged in to your AC Adapter you get 200 cd/m2.

Can the batteries be replaced easily?
Yes.

Can the battery be switched while the PSP is running?
Yes. But just like laptops you might have to put the game in "stand-by mode" before switching.

How long will it take to charge the battery?
About 2 hours from 0 to 100%

PSP Media Support

Gaming

What mediums can the games be played from?
Although the PSP can support gameplay from a Memory Stick currently the only games are available via UMD.

Which games will be available at launch (Japanese, North American, European, Korean)?
List of Launch games with screenshots and links to videos.
boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=psp&message.id=110627

What games will be available for official online play at launch?
MLB
NBA
Gretzky NHL
ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin' Trails
Twisted Metal: Head-On

What games are being developed for the PSP?
Action Girlz Racing (Data Design), Activision Anthology (Activision), AI Series: Mahjong (Marvelous), AI Series: Igo (Marvelous), AI Series: Shougo (Marvelous), Autobahn Crossroads (Resolution), Axel Impact International (SCEK / Axis), Azaya: Jungle Bowl Champions (Jungle Peak), Battle Blades (Data Design), BBG (Seed9), Big Choppers (Eutechnyx), Big Mutha Truckers 2 (Eutechnyx), Board Game Gallery (Phoenix Games), Burnout (Criterion), Bust-A-Move (Taito) Card Shark 3 (Phoenix Games) , Car Jacker (Eutechnyx), Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Buena Vista), Cloud of Verruca (Success), Clusterball 2 (Resolution), Crazy Racing Kart Rider (Nexon), Dance Mat Challenge (Data Design), Derby (SCEI), Doraslot (Dorat), Fighting Spirits (SCEA), Formula One 04 (SCEE/Evolution), Free Runing (Eidos), Generation of Chaos (Idea Factory), Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (SCEI) Habitrail Hamster Ball (Data Design), Harvest Moon (Natsume), Infected (Planet Moon), Intelligent License (Now Production), Joe (HumanSoft), Junior Sports Basketball (Data Design), Junior Sports Hockey (Data Design), Koron (CyberFront), Legend of River King (Marvelous), Mahjong Kakutou (Konami), Mahjong Taikai (Koei), Mercury (tba/Ignition), Metal Shell (Tantalus), Myth Makers Karting (Data Design), Need for Speed Underground (Electronic Arts), Ninja Bunny Warriors (Data Design), Offroad Xtreme (Data Design) Pilot ni Narou (Marvelous), Popolocrois Monogatari (SCEI), Professional Wrestling (Yukes), Project S (Sega), Rig Racing (Data Design), Romance of Three Kingdoms (Koei), RS Revolution (Spike), Shingata (Sunrise), Shin Mojibittan (Namco), Shin Tenmakai (Idea Factory), Sparrow Merit (Success), Sprint Madness (Resolution), Sticky Balls (Warthog), Super Star Studio (Coong), Talkman (SCEI), Technic Cute (Arika) Tengai Makyou (Hudson/Red), TGM-K (Arika), Tokyo Xtreme Racing (Genki), Tony Hawk's Underground 2 (Activision/Neversoft), Transformers (Atrai/Melbourne House), Twisted Metal: World Tour (SCEA/Incog), Vegas Casino 2 (Phoenix Games), Volcanus Online (Zepetto), World Soccer Winning Eleven 8 (Konami), World Tour Soccer 2005 (aka This Is Football 2005 - SCEE/Studio Soho), WRC (SCEE/Evolution), Zero Hour (Argonaut), Zooo (Success)

Is game sharing available (download games from one PSP to another via WiFi)?
Yes this feature is possible the first game we will see utilize this feature is Namco Museum. For more information go here.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

How much will the games cost?
Third Party Games: $49.99
Sony Games: $39.99

Where can I find screenshots of games?
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Click on the letter that the game you wish to see a screenshot for then click on the game link itself.

Are games region coded?
According to Sony, no, however in the leaked NA PSP manual there are hints at game region coding. We will have to wait for a more official word from Sony.

Are most of the PSP games ports from PS2?
No. There are some games that people could see as "ports" (GT4, Tony Hawks Underground 2 and Hot Shots Golf for example), but the amount of games like that are very few compared to all the brand new games being developed for the PSP. Those "ports" all feature new content as well. GT4 features wireless play (as well as online), THUG2 features 4 new levels and more players to choose from as well as wireless multiplayer, Hot Shots Gold features 4 new maps, 10 new playable characters and wireless multiplayer. Need For Speed Underground Rivals features brand new levels and wireless multiplayer specifically made for the PSP. Every game features new game modes as well. Sony have actually said that they don't allow games to be ported without new content/features.

How long does a game running from UMD take to start up?
About as long as it takes for a PS2 game to start.

Can I play my PS1 or PS2 games on PSP?
No, the hardware is not the same, it is not backwards compatible and it does not have built in PS1/PS2 emulation.

Multiplayer Features
What kind of multiplayer will PSP offer?
Wireless and online multiplayer. Online will be similar to Xbox live, except that it will be free of charge (content downloading such as new maps etc will be charged though).
Max amount of players for Wireless: 16
Max amount of players for online play: Unlimited (there's actually a MMORPG being developed which will hold thousand of players)

What kind of wireless standard is the PSP using?
It's using 802.11B, and therefore it will use regular 802.11B limitations;
Indoors: 30 meters at 11Mbps, 91 meters at 1Mbps
Outdoors: 120 meters (393ft) at 11Mbps, 460 meters (1508ft) at 1Mbps
This is under extremely perfect conditions, you will most likely not get range like this.

Will you be able to play against other players through the Internet with your wireless router/hotspot?
Yes, the first method is the included online software in the game (there are currently five launch titles with this online play ability), or the second method is tunneling through popular tunneling programs such as xLink (a guide to using xLink can be found here)
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
d=psp&message.id=94811

Will it be possible to buy games/download demos from the Internet and then save on your memory stick?
Yes, however, Sony wants to show off the UMD capabilities at first so it might not be possible to buy games online and put on memory sticks until 2005.

Can I play multiplayer games with people (online and local wireless) that have games from USA if I have the same game, but from Japan?
No, games are not cross region compatible. If you want to play against someone that has an English version of Ridge Racers then you need a English version as well.

Will it be possible to play online by using your cell phone in case you aren't near a wireless router?
Possibly, the PSP has a built in IR-port which could be used to communicate with cell phones (with built in modem and IR connectivity).

Videos, Pictures, and Music

What formats can the PSP handle?
These have been confirmed so far:
UMD Audio (codecs: ATRAC3plus, PCM, )
UMD Video (codecs: MPEG4 AVC, ATRAC3plus, PNG subtitles)
Memory Stick: Audio: Atrac and MP3
Memory Stick: Video: MPEG-4
Memory Stick: Pictures: JPEG

Will there be region coding on movies?
Yes, in the same extent of DVD movies.

Can I watch/listen to my current movies/CD's on my PSP?
Yes, as long as you have a memory stick.
But you are going to have to convert the CD's to the MP3 format yourself.
You are also going to have to convert your movies to the PSP format (MPEG-4 Part 10).

Can I play European UMD movies on my Japanese PSP?
If (big IF) they use the standard DVD region settings, then it will work (seeing as both Europe and Japan are region 2 when it comes to DVD's), but they might make it different for UMD's.

UMD
What does UMD stand for?
Universal Media Disc.

How much data can fit on a UMD?
1.8 Gigabytes on dual layer UMD's and 900 Megabytes on single layer UMD's.

How much does it cost to produce a UMD?
Single layer: ~$2.30 (250 Yen)
Dual layer: ~$2.80 (300 Yen)

Can I play UMD's in any other devices?
Sony has announced plans to make UMD a universal format for media.

What kind of quality can I expect from UMD Movies?
UMD Movies are using H.264/AVC (MPEG-4 Part 10) which is higher quality then DVD movies. H.264/AVC will be used on HD-DVD as well.

Are UMD's rewritable or can I burn my own UMD's?
No, the UMD's are being created as a "read-only" format.

Can the PSP read DVD-discs?
No, it reads UMD's. You can rip DVDs to your computer and then transfer them to your Memory Stick quite easily however.
There is a nice guide on doing this for Windows here.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
d=psp&message.id=112871
Or a guide for Macs here.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Memory Stick
What Memory Stick does the PSP accept?
Memory Stick PRO DUO (with Magic Gate) is recommended.
However, if you're only going to save games then only Memory Stick DUO is needed (no magic gate protection).

What is Magic Gate?
A way to ensure copy protection. Sony will allow stuff to be bought from the Sony Connect store, and since they don't want you to give the stuff to other people then they need some way to be sure that you can't. Magic Gate protects against such actions. However, if you own movies yourself you can just convert them to the PSP's movie format with Sony's software.

Additional PSP Resources and Questions

Where can I buy cheap Memory Sticks for my PSP?
Sandisk are probably your cheapest and most reliable brand. However there have been reports of the Sandiscs being thicker than Sony’s.

64MB (~$29) .
128MB (~$32) .
256MB (~$44) .
512MB (~$74) .

How do you transfer files to the PSP?
You can either use a memory card reader for the memory stick or just connect your PSP to your computer with the USB cable that comes with it. After you have plugged in the PSP, it will come up inside "My Computer" and you can just move files back and forth.

Is the PSP compatible with Macs?
Yes PSP is completely compatible with Mac OS. In fact there is $15 program makes it very easy to transfer pictures, movies (transfer and convert), and music to your PSP. This program is called iPSP and is available for download here.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

What could we see in the next firmware update?
There was a unofficial leaked PSP firmware update that was found on a sony site a couple weeks ago (WARNING: If you have come across this update do NOT install it on your PSP it will need to be sent back to Sony for a fee). However in this firmware update we saw a word processor, an email client, and an internet browser. Hopefully these will all be additions to the next official firmware update.

Why doesn't the PSP have a hard drive?
It would compromise price, internal space, power consumption and heat.

Can I plug in a USB memory/USB hard drive to my PSP?
None of this has been asked by journalists and Sony hasn't mentioned it so it's fairly sure to say "no" to this one. Making it impossible makes sure that people buy more Memory Sticks.

What's the price of the accessories?
Battery and AC Adapter: $29.99
32MB Memory: Around $24.99
Headphones With Remote Control: $24.99
Soft Case & Hand Strap: $19.99
(note some prices are speculation )

Where can I import a PSP from?
Lik-Sang and Play Asia are two safe choices.

Will the PSP come in more then one color?
Most likely. Although it will only come in black when it is first released.
When Japanese people were allowed to vote for their favorite color besides black, they chose red, so it's possible that red will be the next color.
"At the start of sales, black will be the only color but, after that, we will keep that (color variations) under consideration."

Will there be a cable to hook up my PSP to a T.V.?
It seems highly unlikely without the PSP having an A/V (audio video) port (ports that camcorders use to hook up to T.V.s)

Do I get a demo disc with my PSP?
Yes, you will get a demo disc with the North American Value Pack.

Additional PSP Media

Video Review of the PSP
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Excellent Pictures of the PSP in use.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Edit: PSP 3d link is broken

Where Can I find an english PSP Manual?
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Mac Conversion and Transfer program iPSP
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Thanks to speedis for parts of this FAQ.

I hope this was of some help. Please post additional or forgotten questions below and I will edit as soon as I have found an answer.

[pspcrazy]

Thanks for the post thsi is now stickied . It will also be on the news page
Also a tv connector is possible in the future . theve done it with the gba and im sure they will do it with the psp.

[zMastaa]

ive hurd about that but sony stopped it b4 launch in japan becasue it will cut into Ps2 sales

[DappaDizzle]

Originally Posted by zMastaa

ive hurd about that but sony stopped it b4 launch in japan becasue it will cut into Ps2 sales

yeah i think that was true thats why they took it out

[pspcrazy]

wow really that would have been sweet if it had a tv connector. Too bad sony needs to be greedy.

[GamingMonkey]

Originally Posted by pspcrazy

wow really that would have been sweet if it had a tv connector. Too bad sony needs to be greedy.

i dont think it was Sonys choice..it was hollywood. Because they were being anal about it, because people could pirate the movies(as if they cant do it with DVDs) but it was just a deal made to get UMD movie support...at least thats what i remeber from way back when

[Andaris]

man! 49.99
for third party games
yikes!

[Jerome8036]

That does suck about not having a TV adapter. It would also be cool if you could take an accessorie like the Sound dock and add inputs to it so you could get cable or hookup a DVD player or a PS2 or something.

[Andaris]

as for now only "EA" games are 49.99

[weaponx0073]

I know game prices are going to see a major shift soon its appearing that the next gen console games are going to be 59.99