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Newbie Guide to the PSP
The Following guide is for newcomers to the PSP and is to give you as much knowledge as needed to use the PSP
NOTE: Please refer to your PSP Manual for detailed instructions for playing UMD-related games/music/videos as well as Music/Videos on your Memory Stick.
Background of Sony in Handheld Market:
The PSP (Playstation Portable) is Sony’s first handheld gaming device. Sony has created many handhelds before, but not in the gaming industry. Sony’s most popular line of handhelds are the Sony Cliés. Sony Cliés are a Palm-powered handheld and vary in many different handheld structures. Sony isn’t new to handhelds, but they are new to the famous industry of “handheld gaming”.
The PSP Unit
The Playstation Portable is what many refer to as the PSP. The PSP has the greatest graphics of any current handheld. The graphics are comparable to the PS2. Although it is not as powerful (graphics-wise) as the PS2, it yields better graphics than the PSOne, partly due to the smaller screen size. The PSP offers less buttons than the first Playstation Dual Shock Controller (Missing buttons include: L2, R2, and the Right Analog stick), but it does offer many more features than the PSOne had to offer. The PSP is slightly larger than the Nintendo DS and other handhelds in thickness, but the screen makes up for this. With a screen of 480x272 pixels, this screen is the largest handheld screen to date.
The PSP Unit Part 2 - Redesign
PSP 2000 (aka PSP Slim, aka PSP Slim & Lite)
With releases around the world within the months of September and October 2008, Playstation Portable model 2000 carries notable differences with the original PSP.
Easily distinguished is it's overall size and weight; both have been reduced thanks to various changes. Compared to the old PSP, the PSP-2000's LCD module is not fixed by a metal plate, which is one of the reasons for its lightness. Aside from the missing metal plate, the new PSP Slim doesn't have the metal chassis the that the old PSP has. The total weight of this metal chassis contributes about 8% of the total weight of the first PSP. There's also another revision that gave the PSP Slim it's noticeable weight loss. The old PSP has two layers of molding the protects the portable console, with a transparent resin layer to protect the LCD. On the other hand, the PSP Slim only has a single layer monochromatic molding, with a separate resin plate embedded at the top.
Here is a list of other changes:
- The 2000 model has a remodeled UMD loading mechanism which has no latch. The battery, the battery cover, and even the memory stick slot are revised.
- Video Output and aerial antenna
- UMD Caching and expanded usable memory which lets users minimize UMD reading and increase loading times.
- USB Charging
- Starting with it's initial firmware 3.60, the 2000 model also has access to additional themes on top of the twelve themes available to the original 1000 model.
- The 2000 model no longer has an infrared sensor.
Firmware
The most important part of the PSP is its firmware. Many owners refer to the firmware as the PSP’s OS (operating system) or BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). The firmware of the PSP is located in the PSP itself and not on your memory stick. The firmware on the PSP is replaceable/ upgradeable. Sony issues updates to the firmware every few months and adds new features. With these new features usually come security updates. These security improvements fix up holes in the firmware that may be accessible to the user. Sony does not like homebrew due to the piracy of UMD games on the memory stick and would stop it at almost any cost (Piracy/Isos/Loaders are discussed in a few sections below).
The Updates are downloadable on Sony's PSP website (Playstation.com) and only allows you to download the latest update. Once you have the update downloaded, move it to your PSP/Game/UPDATE folder (the eboot file) and it shall update your PSP. Once installed (the update) you can delete it from your memory stick
The Memory Stick
The memory stick/storage that the PSP uses to save saved game files is called the Memory Stick Pro Duo (The regular Memory Stick Pro will work, but it will stick out of your PSP since it is much larger in length). This flash media format was created by Sony for use with their handhelds (Including their PDAs and Ericsson phones). The MSPD varies in allowable size. The maximum storage size of these memory sticks at the current time is 2 gigabytes (bigger than the UMD’s allowed size). The memory stick can be used to play movies, save game files and play music on your PSP (able to play games on select firmware versions of 1.0/1.5).
Important: When you first obtain your memory stick you must format it using your PSP. To format it, please go to system settings and select format memory stick. Formatting will erase all data on your memory stick.
Be aware that due to discrepancies in calculations used by memory and hard drive manufacturers, as well as formatting requirements, means that your actual, useable space will appear smaller than the listed size of the memory stick. This is normal.
Games on the PSP:
UMD:
The main way of playing games on the PSP is via the UMD disc. This disc is the game format that is playable on the PSP. UMD’s can not be burned or copied as there is no way to do this via regular hardware. These discs hold up to 1.8 gigabytes (that is approx. 1,800mbs). To play games that are on the UMD: Read the instruction booklet that came with your PSP. Just insert the UMD game that you bought and scroll over to the Games section of your PSP’s “OS” and click X. This will launch the game and you will then be able to play games
Music on the PSP:
UMD:
With the Playstation Portable Handheld and the UMD format disc, users are able to place Music UMDs that they buy and play the music on their Playstation Portable. To play UMD Music:
1.)Buy a Music UMD
2.)Open up the package and take the UMD out of its case (remove according to manual instructions as removing in a different way then told may damage the disk
3.)Place it in your PSP (disc side forward facing the laser)
4.)Close the disc draw and go and select UMD from the Music menu and enjoy
5.) Please be sure you have the proper firmware before purchasing the UMD music or opening its package.
Memory Stick:
One of the most used aspects of the PSP, besides its games, is its ability to play music on your Memory Stick Pro Duo. The PSP will only play a select few formats (types of music) on the system with the firmware. As firmware updates come, we might see support for different/new types as well.
Here’s a list of supported song formats for each firmware:
1.0/1.5/1.51/1.52: MP3 and Atrac3 and Atrac3 Plus
2.0: MP3, Atrac3, MP4 and Atrac3 Plus (Atrac formats only work with 2.0 on Pro Duo sticks)
For information on how to convert to these formats, please visit [Only Registered users can see links . Click Here To Register...] and download Sonic Stage and follow the necessary instructions (if it asks you to update your PSP, do not!)
Place songs that have been converted in the PSP/Music folder
Videos/Movies on the PSP:
UMD:
UMD videos (also known as movies) can be played on your PSP. These movies are purchasable at almost any store that sells DVD’s. These UMD Videos contain full-length movies with a possibility of extras as well. To play the UMD Movies/Videos: Follow the same steps as with the UMD Music except select the UMD from the Video menu.
Note: Most movies are region-coded. This means that in certain countries, if you imported your PSP you will be unable to play your country’s movies. JP and EU (European) share the same region code but the US shares a different region code.
UMD Movie prices have been found to vary widely in range. Shop around for the best price.
Memory Stick:
The memory stick also allows movies/videos to be played via the PSP. At the moment only a few formats are supported and they are listed below.
Supported formats: MPEG4 (all firmware), AVC (requires 2.0+)
To convert videos to MPEG4 format, I would suggest downloading: [Only Registered users can see links . Click Here To Register...] and then download [Only Registered users can see links . Click Here To Register...] to encode/format for AVC/MPEG4.
Install MP4 videos in the: MP_ROOT folder (F:/MP_ROOT).
AVC videos go in the 100ANV01 folder, in the format MAQxxxxx.MP4 i.e MAQ10018.mp4
MPEG4 go into the 100MNV01 folder in the normal way.
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nice guide 
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