Pimpin the PSP in 2023

The Sony PlayStation Portable or PSP was launched in 2004 and was a very popular and powerful handheld. But in 2023 is it still worth the trouble to use one? In today's episode, for around $50 we can pimp out any PSP-1000 with a new battery, larger storage and a new IPS Panel and turn it into an emulation machine that also plays native PSP games. Please enjoy!
• How the Sony Playstati...
Parts List : (Affiliate Links)
► PSP Battery Replacement : amzn.to/44MHws4
► PSP Micro SD Card Adapter : amzn.to/44HKKwS
► 128Gb Micro SD Card : amzn.to/3rNsxzs
► PSP-1000 IPS Screen : amzn.to/3q9saP8
► PSP-1000 IPS Screen : www.aliexpress.us/item/325680...
► PSP Hacking Guide : www.pspunk.com
Social Media Links :
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► BandCamp : modernvintagegamer.bandcamp.com/
► The Real MVP Podcast : player.fm/series/the-real-mvp
► Follow me on Twitter : / modernvintageg
#Sony #PSP

[@THEpicND]

I love how 1, the battery is easily replaceable (unlike modern tech) and 2- replacement batterys are still being sold to this day

[@rowaystarco]

replacable batteries will be making a comeback with new EU laws.

[@EmilyKimMartin]

You can thank Apple for encouraging this battery bullshit to become standard

[@anchorlightforge]

I recognized the extended back panel immediately. Kind of crazy how simple it is, looking at newer tech.

[@mrbisshie]

@@EmilyKimMartin But then our phones have to be a tiny bit more fatter, and we won't have water resistance(not water proof)! How ever will we survive with such ahem, benefits?!

[@VariantAEC]

​@@mrbisshie None of that is true in the least. Engineers can add $80 to $30 USD worth of physical HW level changes to new phones to keep them water proof while still allowing replaceable batteries all while keeping HW pretty small (adding as little as absolutely no additional thickness to modern phones). People that believed we needed internal batteries that are next to impossible to upgrade or replace without special tools have forgotten or never knew this was a possibility for literally decades in the form of tougher HW from Laptops to wristwatches waterproofing while still allowing tiny form-factors was always achievable. It IS *EASIER* and *CHEAPER* to make HW with non-replaceable batteries smaller, but it was never impossible to make the HW we see today as thin as it is now and keep it watertight.

[@ishaqahmed._]

the PSP/PS3 is the most modern and clean UI Sony has ever made, and you can't change my mind

[@ttkftykyfts]

i agree

[@offspringfan89]

I agree, always loved XMB (Cross Media Bar) UI on BRAVIA TVs, PS3 and PSP. It was the inspiration for default RetroArch GUI for years, until they changed it.

[@Lownamebrand]

@@offspringfan89 I'm just glad they give you the option to change it back

[@Wrublos212]

It feels so fast and smooth even today. I`m always pleased when turning on my PSP how snappy it is.

[@Mankey619]

Can’t argue on that flawless logic there. Sony went great all the way to the PS3, alongside with the PSP.

[@pibstarr]

The homebrew scene saved me money back in the day. My teacher allowed me to use the PSP with the graphing calculator emulator. Those things was $100+. I remember there being an IR blaster homebrew too, making it the flipper zero of our generation. Amazing lil device!

[@faizkhansinglelite1005]

Can you explain more about this

[@dragoon1090]

I always wanted to get that plugin to work but couldn't figure it out.

[@LarixusSnydes]

@@faizkhansinglelite1005 PSP has an IrDA (Infrared Data Association ) port. That was *the* way that smart devices communicated with each other. Any bidirectional communication port can potentially be used for hacking (hence the reference to the Flipper Zero, a hacking device that is used today). I don't know any graph calc. emulator for the PSP though.

[@Dark.Angel.Azazel]

@@dragoon1090 only the psp 1000 had IR

[@user-hc5si5tw5p]

@@faizkhansinglelite1005a graphing calculator is used for complex algebra and they are expensive so the psp bcus of its power could emulate one

[@ajzn97]

I'm still using my PSP in 2023. I play one or two backlogged games a year. But I did hack it and I use it a whole lot more. I love that fact that you can play it as a handheld but also get the cables to play it on your TV... like a prehistoric Switch.

[@LordMetalSonic1987]

Sega Nomad says "hi".

[@MrZhdarkstar]

@@LordMetalSonic1987 Your Sega Nomad probably relies on those cables now because of LCD screen degradation.

[@ajzn97]

@@LordMetalSonic1987 We're talking about good handhelds here. JK

[@Rouz102]

It’s wild how the psp feels like a more modern device but it’s about to be 20 years old. It was my first mp3 player, first wifi enabled device to allow me to do web browsing, first experience with custom firmware and emulation, and it allowed me to watch youtube after installing a homebrew program. Absolutely loved the thing.

[@dylapoo]

People forget this. It was a portable web browser AND you had multiplayer over wireless.

[@Aomicplane]

First experience with mobile handheld p*rn

[@alergames147]

real@@Aomicplane

[@DJCosmicLatte]

​@@AomicplaneShhhhhh we don't talk about that 🤐

[@da_Costa_666]

Can’t watch KZbin without a home brew program? Can’t remember, it’s been so long.

[@odinsplaygrounds]

PSP for me was the peak of Homebrew / Hacking scene, as I followed it very closely. It was so exciting to see how far it could be pushed with homebrew and emulators, just tons of applications made for it as well. Also really interesting to follow how new Firmware would get hacked. It was the first full media device that could play games, music and movies that I owned as well, as it was far before the smartphone craze.

[@targz__]

Idk chief. Half of the releases were just barely working quake mods. That's not really "peak". The NDS scene was far better in comparison

[@odinsplaygrounds]

@@targz__ Far from it. I literally used my PSP as an advanced calculator in high school, since it has a TI-92 emulator. Not to mention how superior the emulation support were on PSP.

[@TheTekknician]

I loved the hardware-mod where you could replace the UMD-drive with MircoSD readers, two even if memory serves :)

[@VariantAEC]

​@@TheTekknician I remember the totally jank memory card slot inside the UMD readers place. UMD is part of PSP's charm.

[@Shishkebarbarian]

YES! i remember this time fondly, i got my first psp sometime in 05 or 06 and followed every single bit of news. i have the 1000,2000,3000,Go and each one was great in one way or another (well, the 1k definitely is outclassed by all the others, but the build quality is still impressive!). all the hacking and homebrew led me into getting into the early android cfw scene on xda. that was an exciting time in tech! I used the PSP even after I had a Switch and Vita lol. I took it on vacation in 2018 loaded with a bunch of ps1/psp games and play the ps1's incredible civ2 release everytime we would fly between islands or lay on the beach.

[@licksweets]

As a coder on several PSP titles we would have problems at work buying enough devkits and test kits so we could debug our titles properly. We ended up having to mod stock PSPs in order for our QA guys to do their jobs. The big LOL was that Sony themselves also had the same supply issues, so the guys at Sony also had to have cracked firmware units to test our games.

[@masterquest91]

That's pin worthy

[@joeking1157]

the psps biggest downfall was a lack of a second thumbstick.

[@CatLover_69]

Love the PSP. However the Vita is an amazing step up from it, and having exactly 2x the resolution results in some AMAZING scaling. It's the best way to play PSP titles.

[@spacechannelfiver]

I found my original OLED model in a drawer, it's an amazing little handheld once you jailbreak it. I did pick up a PSP last time I was in Tokyo; but that was more for completeness sake.

[@stephencooper3067]

The best thing about the vita is PS1 games are full dual analog whilst on the PSP they are not even single analog. I find it funny though the PS1 emulator is run inside the PSP emulator.

[@DuckAlertBeats]

This.

[@JessicaFEREM]

You can also get a game card to SD adapter for real cheap. You do lose your game card but you could just as easily load up your game cards to the adapter.

[@Lownamebrand]

Agreed I absolutely loved my PspGo but it quickly got over shadowed once the vita was hacked especially with everything The flow and rinne have done with the console having GTA 1 through San Andreas on a handheld console is mind blowing to me or better yet having every final fantasy from 1-10.

[@heisenbergwhite00]

PSP/PSvita have gotten more popular in the last few years, this is insane, they're even more popular than older Nintendo handhelds.

[@WeirdSmellyMan]

It truly was a PS2 that fit inside your pocket. It was a beast of a system for it's time.

[@TheRealRidley12]

It can play PS2 games?

[@WeirdSmellyMan]

@TheRealRidley12 no, but it had graphics similar to the ps2, and a lot of PS2 games were released for it.

[@bagzhansadvakassov1093]

​@@TheRealRidley12only ps5 games

[@Sarge92]

its a shame most publishers couldnt make decent games for it alot of the big titles went into this weird phase where just because its portable it means they gotta make the game quirky and weird and gimmacky instead of just making a port of the game or a spin off instead we got weird games like final fantasy dysidia metal gear acid and portable ops

[@TheRealRidley12]

@@bagzhansadvakassov1093 The PSP can play PS5 games? That's incredible! 😆

[@gilramos5767]

Quick tip: Many replacement batteries from China are labeled as 3600mAh, but they are usually much lower, like 1200mAh. I think PSPident assists you in determining the true capacity of the battery. "Ostent" was one of the more dependable battery sellers, in my experience. Another tip is that if you bought a hacked PSP and it won't let you update the firmware because your firmware is too high (due to firmware spoofing), you can access the version.txt file by connecting to your PSP via USB and changing the path within the VSH menu to flash0. Many older custom firmwares change the version.txt file to a higher version number in order to fool the system and prevent unwanted updates.

[@user-gl5rh4ld6g]

remember 'cameron sino'

[@nubie1100]

Think I have to read up again, I've forgotten half of what you need to do 🤷‍♂️ I'm going to be on m33-6 firmware if that's right? I remember holding the power button up and pressing the shoulder buttons? Can't remember what for though 😂

[@Azraelfromgamefax]

Came here to say the same about the cheap batteries

[@coreyferreyra]

I just tried PSPident, and it doesn't have a battery checker, sadly.

[@RianQ]

If your in the UK you can buy a 1500mah one charge power bank for £1 and then put the lithium cell into a psp battery shell. Fits perfectly and you get good battery life.

[@Stray_x]

The PSP has a great library on its own, even if the emulators stop at snes/mega drive that’s still a huge addition to an already stellar collection. The PSP for the price might just be the best low end emulation and gaming machine for the price.

[@foobar2027]

The PS1 emulation on PSP is really good and have a high level of compatibility.

[@BarryVP12]

Oh no. You can go beyond. I successfully ran Project 64.

[@Bossfightmedia]

Lets not forget the entire GBA Catalogue

[@Motherfukr420]

They stop at n64

[@TheMrKeats]

I use my PSP constantly to play quick retro games. N64 and above, I use my Note 10 plus with my Kishi controller. Sometime I'll use my Xbox controller with Samsung Dex.

[@VIRACYTV]

I have so much history with the PSP. I had this instead of a iPod for instance. I loved everything about it.

[@avann2006]

I recently dug up my old PSP and actually subscribed to your channel because you had the best comprehensive review of the history of the PSP and why it was such a groundbreaking development in gaming. I still think the PSP was way ahead of it's time and this video proves it! Hope to keep seeing your content for a while!

[@christopher9727]

No hope in going to the past come to the loving savior today Seek his Holy Spirit in prayer today he can give you peace confort and guidance today Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus

[@MetalJody1990]

Man I could talk about the PSP all damn day. What an incredible device for its time... I remember one day I bricked my PSP and kept it in a drawer until the pandora battery and magic memory stick came into existence. They brought my PSP out of limbo. I was filled with joy that day haha. Sadly I no longer have that PSP. Nowadays I'm rockin' the Vita. It's a lot better for emulation and runs all PSP games.

[@Gloryboyquan]

same here brah .. my oled modded vita beast 💪

[@jessemonster7292]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHTdimCHnaerl6csi=XSKcbm3InrlRlqaM

[@LOVE-wq4ku]

is having both the psp and vita are good choice ?

[@MetalJody1990]

It's not a bad choice.

[@LOVE-wq4ku]

@@MetalJody1990 i like the way you think

[@stephencooper3067]

At 3:56 please don't throw away official batteries. Depending on the system they are from the board inside them can be used to build Pandora batteries. Maybe its because of the connotation with piracy that it wasn't mentioned but more importantly they allow recovery of bricked PSP's so a very powerful tool.

[@kojitakamura2522]

actually, the battery and battery compartment were a source of problems for me for my original PSP. i think i had to make a foam shim to keep the battery in place, and I need to do some work on the UMD drive still.

[@TheRealKaiProton]

ah yes, Pandora, thats how I modded mine, I remember it being called Jig Kick battery

[@marsil602the2nd]

too true i use a burnt out battery (as in doesnt hold a charge anymore) as a pandora, i just need to have a charge cord present and everything works fine for a hack

[@chumorgan443]

The Tiny form factor of the PSPGo Is amazing for pocket travel.

[@wamba2097]

I imported my original PSP when they first launched in Japan, about a year or so before they were available here in the UK, from Sony's arch nemesis Lik Sang. Was an absolute game changer journeying to and from work on the bus! Strangely enough, the battery that came with it is still working whereas the battery that came with my 3000 model swelled up many, years ago.

[@Shishkebarbarian]

yeah my US launch psp1k battery is still operational (though terrible capacity) whereas the 2k & 3k ones are long dead. i'm happy there is still a vibrant market for them so it's easy to get a replacement.

[@ukzoinks]

Me too, I used Lik Sang import to the UK early 2005

[@ProjectDv2]

My launch battery is still going surprisingly strong almost 20 years later.

[@Journey_Awaits]

Lithium batteries can last forever if they’re charged and used at a regular interval without too much heat. When they sit unused they start to swell and decay.

[@brianstuntman4368]

Someone should make a video on the saga of how the Sony bullies forced Lik Sang to close shop. It's the main reason why I hacked all my Sony systems up to PS4 and pirate all games with no remorse.

[@DLC77]

The "PSP Scene" was amazing and also "HOW I MET MVG!" I was a head administrator of a fairly popular PSP modding website for a good many years. After Doom was ported to the PSP as a standalone, I was curious about it and excited. I cannot recall the specifics of the conversation or what questions I had in particular, but I remember being impressed and very thankful with the outcome. That was the day I met "Lantus", I believe you were going by. I'm still very much into the elements of homebrew and modifications all this time later and I must say, I am extremely thankful to the PSP scene for broadening my already large interest in these topics. You can say "Xbox scene", or "Wii scene", or insert any other system name, but the "PSP scene" means something very profound for the people involved shaping and enjoying that landscape. Long live the PSP, and thank you all this time later, Lantus/ MVG, for providing great content on YT and beyond. I truly appreciate you.

[@dinckelman]

This console was so insanely ahead of its time. Some of the games i've played on it still hold up today, and i play them frequently on my Vita

[@rfigueroa1247]

Crazy to think how much time has passed since the PSP came out. I remember being fascinated with it over the DS and the fact that that homebrew existed for it back then was one of the first systems I remember modding other than the OG Xbox without having to use a modchip

[@tomlion0116]

I bought a PSP one year ago and it became my favorite system. Yes, I like it more than the Vita because it's smaller size and bigger Dpad and face buttons. It's a perfect system for 8-16bit games, great for PS1 games and (ofcouse) PSP games. I played soooo many GBA games on it like Pokemon Fire Red, Advance Wars 1-2, Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga etc. Currently I'm playing Yugioh Tag Force 2 on it. I love the old Yugioh gameplay style before it became too complicated.

[@LordMetalSonic1987]

*favorite

[@tomlion0116]

@@Fralorgrafon The GX gameplay is more dinamic than the OG series.

[@Rigoberto.Calero]

What are You talking about? Maybe You hate the vita because everything that You mentioned is better on the PS VITA, PS1 AND 16 BIT GAMES AND ALSO PSP GAMES

[@tomlion0116]

@@Rigoberto.Calero I like the PSP more because it's cheaper, lighter in weight and smaler, it has bigger Dpad and Facebuttons and it's easier to put CFW on it. It's just my preferred handheld.

[@Pesthuf]

Damn, that replacement screen made a huge difference. One reason I never bothered to use my PSP 1000 was the screen. It's quite incredible this thing still offers such a good experience for retro games despite being almost 20 years old (oh god)

[@ZeranZeran]

That seriously shocked me too. I don't trust myself enough to do the screen replacement though! I hope I can find someone who will sell one affordably. This looks awesome. I can't afford a steam deck right now, but I honestly think I'd use my PSP more than a steamdeck if it looked this good!

[@sebastianelytron8450]

Spare a thought for Andrew Gosden, who would've recently turned 30. Can't think of the PSP without imagining whatever happened to him. Will he ever be found? 😔

[@omegarugal9283]

who was he?

[@Lownamebrand]

Teenager who went missing and there hasn't been any sight of him since. He caught a train with his psp and hasn't been seen since. I truly hope his family has closure someday.

[@RebornAudio]

I’m getting RDR2 vibes from this comment. GAAAAV. GAVIN?

[@TravisStamper]

Loved the PSP but I moved to Vita for the dual sticks and it does just as well with PSP games. Thanks for the info and the video MVG

[@give_me_my_nick_back]

then on vita there is that amazing plugin actually patching in dual analog controls for most of the games! :O makes me wonder if the dual analog controls were in these games to begin with, hidden anticipating revised psp with 2 sticks but dunno, just random guess

[@IdentifiantE.S]

@@give_me_my_nick_backOh thats cool !

[@FreedomFighterAsuka]

@@give_me_my_nick_back They weren't there in those games. For games that also had an identical PS2 port, possibly. But others, not really. So modders pretty much made those controls themselves at least to my knowledge.

[@clydefrosch]

@@FreedomFighterAsuka its typically all cheat codes to manipulate camera or set button combinations to the stick

[@itssomeoneelse]

But you still keep your PSP?

[@omargod236]

PSP was the first system I modded and got me interested in modding handhelds in general. For many years the PSP was my go to device, even before i had a smart phone i used it for my mp3 player and for watching movies on the plane or train. Still remember vividly the disappointment of the cancelled oblivion port.

[@brokenboy351]

Around 5 years ago I remember seeing a bunch for psp 2000 and 3000 on ebay for 15 - 30 pounds. I picked up 3 in super good condition.. all mint and came out to be around 50 - 60 quid.. I had a feeling they will start gonig up in price.. People starting to have nostalgia for them.

[@MukiMuki688]

The 1st PSP was a tour de force of engineering. A portable PS2.

[@arnox4554]

I dunno about that. I think the PS Vita would probably fit that description much better. The PSP was much more like a somewhat more powerful PS1.

[@franciscocampos8857]

PSP was somewhere between PS1 and PS2. Likewise, Vita was somewhere between PS2 and PS3

[@isaquenewton9525]

@@franciscocampos8857 PS Vita matches the Gamecube or OG Xbox performance, very distant to PS3.

[@franciscocampos8857]

@@isaquenewton9525 I know how superior home systems were in contrast to handhelds. What I meant is that, visually, the graphics a Vita produces are better than those of a PS2 but clearly not as good as the ones of a PS 3, thus considering it somewhere in between in that regard

[@FunnyParadox]

​@@isaquenewton9525These two consoles were WAY more powerful than the PS2 though

[@chemergency]

The Steam Deck is the true heir to the PSP and Vita imo. Loved the PSP back then though and still do now, PS1 Eboots were the best.

[@MrSlowestD16]

Is it, though? I'd say the switch is more of one. The PSP and Vita were portable units, low power processors aimed at battery life and games targeted at them. The Steam Deck is just a re-packaged laptop and as such, it just plays normal games you'd play on a laptop.

[@leclubbachraf]

​@@MrSlowestD16psp and vita gave you a lot more control over your games, media and apps, a lot less of the nintendo big brother paranoia which disables basic features like themes or battery replacement, and bloats your switch with drm steam deck basically is the true successor to the sony handhelds even if it is just a repackaged pc as it's a lot more customizable and power focused

[@chemergency]

@@MrSlowestD16 The Switch isn't pushing the boundaries of what handheld hardware can currently achieve, nor is it capable of playing Sony exclusives like the Deck is.

[@thelastofus2872]

​@@chemergencyyes but you can't really put the steam deck in your pocket :)

[@MrSlowestD16]

@@chemergency What boundaries is the steam deck pushing? It's a generic APU-based laptop re-packaged without a hinge with a built-in controller. Neither one of them are pushing boundaries. But secondly, you have double standards here. The steam deck is comparable to a regular Ryzen laptop, which would mean in its era the PSP would have been comparable to Pentium D or a Pentium 4 of the time - and it simply wasn't - it wasn't even close to that. It was considerably less powerful than a laptop in the name of power savings, portability, and size. Handhelds have traditionally been very low power devices making the most out of a tiny amount of resources, and that's what the PSP was - it only had like a 300Mhz processor - very low resources. And the TX1 in the Switch was very comparable in terms of power/watt and max consumption. A Steam Deck doesn't target the same thing, it's not a highly constrained system, it uses mainstream laptop components. There's a reason the Steam Deck can get down to 1h of battery life. You could never do that with a PSP.

[@PhoticSneezeOne]

You can overclock the CPU via CFW. It helps a bit for N64 emulation

[@zz2442]

It does it default too.

[@ahmedp8009]

Another thing to consider, is the RAM situation better get a PSP 2000 or later because they come with more RAM (32MB vs 64MB).

[@zz2442]

@@ahmedp8009 the ram actually doesn't help much with Daedalus. We only use it for storing the ROM on the slim models. One of the previous Daedalus devs here.

[@ahmedp8009]

@@zz2442 Which would reduce random stuttering, wouldn't it? Unless stuttering is not a performance metrics, doesn't that mean what I said still stands? Beside the more RAM (which will help in other tasks and "future proof" the PSP), you also get upgraded display and other stuff, I'm not sure why go with inferior model? With that said, PSP was nice at the time, however nowadays there are plenty of alternatives that are multiple leagues beyond it, I can see someone getting it for nostalgia reasons, but that's about.

[@billy5688]

⁠@@ahmedp8009No, the rom files are so small that they can be read on the fly no problem. The form factor is great and its quality is better than the tons of garbage pushed out what seems daily. Though I do agree there are better options.

[@beardalaxy]

The psp got me through high school. I had all my music on it, watched movies and TV shows on it, and even browsed the internet with it. Of course, it also introduced me to the legendary series of silent hill. That's just the stuff you could do without modding, which is crazy to think these days. I had a slew of NES/SNES/GBA games on there too. I remember playing Mario 3 during school assemblies I didn't care about, and that's how I eventually was able to beat the game after all those years. Good times, one hell of a portable.

[@GoTeamScotch]

You ever turn the school TVs on and off with the PSP' iR blaster like I did? 😅

[@beardalaxy]

@@GoTeamScotch NO! that's hilarious though lol xD

[@superterrificthuggyhour6008]

Was about to go to sleep after an all-nighter, but a new MVG video takes precedence 😂

[@theodorelux]

Wow very nostalgic for me. My most beloved system of my childhood for sure. That IPS screen upgrade makes it look so much better, almost HD!

[@Chris.in.taiwan]

Another thing to mention is there you can play many classic games in ad hoc co-op with two PSPs. For example super Nintendo games like zombies ate my neighbors works very well. I remember that I used to play Neo Geo arcade games like metal slug in Multiplayer with my friends. Great times.

[@73vwkubel]

I’ve had my PSP-1001 since shortly after launch and it’s still one of my favorite consoles! Always good to see coverage of the awesome mod and homebrew scene around it.

[@JimmyBackbeat]

My UMD broke on my PSP 1000 around the time PSP 2000 was in stores. Shortly after that! The wifi-toggle broke too. Both of these were strange because I tend to keep my games and hardware in mint condition. I don't even throw away the plastic wrappings for controllers and cables for my consoles. Anyway; this left me with an unusable device and this is what brought me into the world of modding. I still got years of enjoyment out of the device after I modded it and even thought I was bummed out about the broken device... I'm glad that it left me with an open mind to modding and homebrew. Especially since I am a fan of jrpg's. Translations and undubs have been a blessing in the years since...

[@echodff]

Neither of those ever broke for me but my first PSP had stick drift, slightly to the left, after heavy use. It was still playable, but after some annoyance I just ended up spending more time in the emulators.

[@gutwallst6645]

throw the damn plastic wrappings away 😂

[@JimmyBackbeat]

@@gutwallst6645 naw, I won't. I love japanese game stores; they also have hardware with the plastic wrappings still in the boxes even with 40 year old hardware. Just as God intended

[@sylverrez]

The PSP is an amazing handheld, you've been pimpin' up something great for this video. Amazing work!

[@pablofmc]

Really cool that you made a video about the psp. I wanted to add some other cool things: - there is a plugin that allows you to separate your games into folders (games, emulators, etc) - there is another plugin that turns the music note key into a screenshot button (saves to the gallery in png format) - there have been a LOT of new fan translations in these years

[@TalonNismo]

Never knew, do you have any links to these mods?

[@TheRubiNaish]

@@TalonNismoThe screenshot plugin is called prxshot and you can find it easily to this day 😃 It’s sooo useful!

[@raykall]

hook a brother up man!

[@Jamdouglass]

do you know where to find the PSP digimon fan translation?

[@antd2010]

This console always holds a special place in my heart. I was 12 when it came out, it just felt like magic. It was also the first time I had ever heard of home brew/ modding. Such an awesome piece of hardware.

[@Whit3WolfXArcadia]

The psp was ahead of its time for a handheld

[@SegaMegadrive]

I recently got a PSP at a game market here for £40. Can't wait to get an SD card and memory stick adapter and unleash the true potential of this console

[@iancoop4537]

Playing Peace Walker on the PSP back in the day was an incredible experience, easily one of my favorite gaming memories growing up

[@ushilives3]

Not sure if it was mentioned but the 2000 & 3000 models have double the RAM which can be unlocked in the CFW menu. Also there's different format of PSP games, I prefer CSO so I can squeeze more games on the micro SD card

[@KoopaMedia64]

There are anecdote reports that CSO files can cause slow frame rates in games.

[@ushilives3]

@@KoopaMedia64I didn't know that, yeah I would prefer speed if that's the case

[@JoLiKMC]

This probably goes beyond the scope of this episode, but it's worth mentioning that there are plugins you can get for your custom firmware that add little niceties to the system. Things like build-in cheats ala _Action Replay,_ folders on the menu to sort your software, the ability to take screenshots, and many other things. It's awesome!

[@brohanime]

got a PSP 1000 model back in 2007 - never replaced the battery nor any of the other parts. still works absolutely fine. a complete marvel of hardware technology. planned obsolescence is a modern disgrace when it's so clear that tech can be built to last. both the PSP and the Vita are absolutely beautiful pieces of hardware, and loading them with CFW is easy and unlocks a world of features. highly recommended to anyone who can get them cheaply. also, just a quick fun fact about the Vita: the battery life defies all expectations. i bought mine secondhand (model 1000 OLED), and the battery life when in use is still pretty good, lasting around 3-6 hours (depending on brightness, etc). however, the standby time is absolutely absurd. i can be playing a game, put the Vita on standby for over SEVEN WEEKS, and come back to the same game. it can survive well over 50 days on standby and will boot you straight back to where you were. i don't even think my old Nokia could do that. unreal.

[@MazxsConsta]

My old PSP got modded back in the day, with the battery and memory card mod. Still runs like a dream 10 + years on.

[@SHGames97]

THANK YOU MVG! Huge PSP/Vita fan, even with a PSP go, a PS Vita I couldn't quite get the "full fat console experience" & ended up doing exactly what you did with a PSP 2000 a few months ago. Having a bigger screen over the go, ability to charge while using it hooked up to my TV, 64GB dedicated to it without the minor hassle of Adrenaline keeping them off the home screen. It is downright amazing to play, PS1 with all components to get running on a big screen in my pocket, PS2 adjacent AAA games, homebrew that looks incredible on any screen & DVD quality movies output to a hotel TV. Sony could have called it the PS ONE as Microsoft did but actually mean it especially for the era. I love all my 3DS models a ton, features & functionality however leaves the PSP a generation ahead of even some modern systems. In terms of all encompassing entertainment, ease of use, ability to get everything out of the unit & so much more. The PSP cannot be beat & its versatility still rare amongst handhelds.

[@ProjectDv2]

I take it you are unaware that Sony had already made a "PSone" console before the PSP came out, it released near the end of 2000 so that ship had long since sailed.

[@SHGames97]

That’s why I said “PS One” & mentioned the Xbox One referencing what that console was market for in comparison to the PSP. So to answer that, yes but sorry the comment was to broad for you.

[@VexAcer]

On a side note of the SD card adapters: It can hold a lot of storage but at a certain point the PSP isn't really designed to efficiently handle that much. My old PSP had one that allowed two micro SDs at once. I used 2 128GB cards for a total of 256GB. When filled up it would take over a minute to load when the PSP was booting up and extra loading when I went into a folder. Also there would be a pause when it had to save to the card. It'd be best to stick with smaller storage like 32 or 64GB. Keep your entire library on your PC and then just switch out the games when you want to play them.

[@PopoRamos]

There was also a mod that allowed USB charging by soldering 1 wire. I absolutely loved this mod as it made charging super convenient

[@ext274]

can’t you enable usb charging in the settings ? maybe it’s just for later models but i could swear i used to charge my psp with the mini usb port

[@PopoRamos]

@@ext274 no it did not support it. The mod made it pug and play, no settings involved. The PSP would think that you plugged in the DC barrel.

[@svpracer98]

Wow this takes me back... I got a 3000 series in summer of 2009. First game I ever played on it was midnight club 3 and I was instantly amazed at the capability of the hardware. I remember playing Test Drive Unlimited a few years later and being amazed yet again that such a game existed for a handheld decide.

[@Minto107]

I have the OG Japan 1000 model with it’s original battery still working and factory screen protector still installed. I love this thing

[@avarionuk4283]

I'm almost tempted to get a PSP, Almost. But these days it's so easy to Emulate the PSP on your phone where it will look a million times better and has better framerates and its even more convenient. What nearly convinces me to get it probably comes from Nostalgia, modding the hell out of the PSP was so much fun and there is/was a large community discovering all the things it could do, you really could customise it to no limits.

[@TalonNismo]

Get one, nothing to lose.

[@lolcat]

better now than in 10 years when they're prohibitively expensive

[@avarionuk4283]

@@TalonNismo apart from £50+ to do exactly what my phone can do better?

[@darkelf2245]

You can never beat original hardware

[@KostasKaranix]

I'm always surprised by how small the PSP feels in my hands whenever I grab it after a long time compared to the Ps Vita which I'm used to playing. It's a great machine in it's own way, smaller and easier to carry.

[@launchermonkey201]

Now pick it up after using the switch or steam deck 😂 my vita feels tiny in comparison. No longer have my PSP, but thinking about picking one up for nostalgia, even tho my vita can do everything the PSP can do.

[@arnox4554]

@@launchermonkey201 I'll see you and raise you the Gameboy Advance SP with an Everdrive.

[@RobotacularRoBob]

PSP feels like a Gameboy Micro after being used to Switch.

[@brunocar02]

As a long time member of the PSP community, I gotta said this is a really well video, I really appreciate recommending text guides over video guides in particular

[@hugorodriguez8422]

My fav handheld ever, brings me so many good memories, thx man!

[@nicolaspaesi2846]

3:56 Do not throw the old battery out, they can be fixed by changing the cell. Also replacement batteries usually suck and last less than 2 hours and might have other issues. Best solution is to solder a new battery to the original battery board if you got the time and skills. If you don't care about the umd then a big battery can be throw in there and give you 10-12h of battery life. I usually used old not bloated samsung batteries that I had laying around.

[@mikenewbold1699]

who's gonna do that lol pointless

[@paparansen]

"I usually used old not bloated samsung batteries that I had laying around." ... link to howto?

[@ryanw217]

um, you shouldnt be soldering batteries. heat generated from the soldering iron can destabilize and damage the battery, causing it to bulge, hiss, leak, catch fire, and even explode.

[@scaryjam8]

One of the upgrades I performed was to remove the umd drive and install a battery into the available space. Uses the original charger, took battery life to over 10 hours. The only real con besides losing the umd drive (which. I wasn’t going to use anyways) was the battery meter on the console doesn’t adjust to the new battery. Per my testing it will run down to one bar quickly then stay on that last bar for 6+ hours. If you’re capable of tearing one apart, soldering a battery and knowing how charging and usage voltage work, I’d highly recommend it!

[@Journey_Awaits]

I saw a guy do that on KZbin and it died after a week

[@Cheatsalot123]

Psp was one of the 1st systems I modded and did emulation on it. Thank you for the video.

[@Asakk]

One of the console I had played the most! It was my first hacked console, played a ton of games, it also played PS1 games in the go was fantastic at the time and without any issues as it was perfectly emulated by Sony himself. So much memories! Thanks for the video I’ll definitely grab one of those memory card adapter

[@foxzyx]

I love the PSP so much. It was the first system I ever modded back in 2020 I played so many retro games for the first time, downloaded a lot of ports. The PSP has such a special place in my heart.

[@LiquidSnakeSSJ4]

2020 wasn't that long ago. if you owned one of these in 2006-2010 and were a teen back then, it is quite nostalgic indeed

[@foxzyx]

@@LiquidSnakeSSJ4 I had a PSP for years before I hacked it. I used to play some UMDs on it

[@kalarse]

I love this, and I’ve been enjoying the fact you can convert any PSOne game and use the PSP as an official PSOne emulator and it works wonderfully. It made me return to the itch of playing RC de Go! and Gran Turismo ❤

[@davidsummers6700]

I've found that Ive collected almost every console that you make videos on. Just pulled out my pink Japanese PSP-3000 for the first time in about 6 months. Thanks for always keeping my collection of consoles fresh. I'm quite interested in that 2TB microsd card firmware. Mighty take a look at that. My 64GB card is filled to the brim and I would love to be able to hold 2TB in my PSP. I find the most fun thing is taking a 4K Blu-Ray and compressing it down to a PSP formatted mp4 file.

[@aaroninclub]

The MicroSD > MemoryStick adapter I tried was an absolute NIGHTMARE of an experience! Extremely instabilities, games freezing up, data suddenly disappearing, and both the adaptor & memory card were NEW!

[@aaroninclub]

It is very bad & misinformed advice to suggest using one of these, UNLESS IT IS KNOWN to be a reliable variant of this adaptor.

[@k3rber0s_]

2 things I feel were left out: 1. Another really useful mod is the USB charge mod. It's super easy to do and a great QoL improvement 2. There are still titles with an active fan base like Socom and Ratchet and Clank that are playable online via revival servers

[@davidsantiagoalonso]

Great video... But... The price of PSP consoles will now go up. And yes, alot are already softmodded because the umd drive sucked the power out of the battery like crazy! It was insane how much it affected the time you could use it. I am really glad the men card now has a converter, those original Sony memory cards were super expensive. I bought an original 32gb card for $250+ as i recall. Just glad you did this video... My favourite hand held console.

[@mrkatking1]

It's crazy how cheap it is now for an SD card Memory duo adapter.

[@DeAthWaGer]

Battery charging circuits can be salvaged, remove them from the old batteries. Solder the leads onto any cellphone battery you want. I removed my UMD drive and cut the plastic into the battery compartment, fit a battery in there that gets 16+ hours a change😁

[@Destide]

Some great memories unlocked I used to have a charging dock that had speakers, it became a really good portable media device

[@johnellis3383]

Oh man... I LOVE the PSP! Such a great little system with some absolute classic games. I loved the umd discs at the time, I thought they were so much cooler and more "mature" than the competing ds carts lol

[@lloydmilton9808]

The PSP was the first system that I had ever performed a mod on. It wasn't too hard to get the custom firmware and emulators up and running, but I was so afraid of bricking my system. It is a little expensive these days, but I would love to find a PSPGo to add to my collection.

[@echodff]

The early image exploit was the scariest for me, exploiting some .tiff image file to kickstart the hack. But some updates in the middle and near the end of PSP life were simply put the file on your memory card, let it update. I don't know whether to tell people it was the easiest thing to do or the scariest, I guess it depends on what year. I only know I hated the temporary exploits you had redo every reboot with a fiery passion and was thankful once stable releases became standard.

[@stazeII]

You might have missed a mod you did. Original PSP didn’t charge over usb, you had to run a wire from usb jack to charging circuit. Was a super easy mod, but well worth it.

[@hansundgerlinde]

Gonna get my old 3004 out and give her a overhaul, had a awesome time with this handheld. Thanks for the vid!

[@jgstrider]

All I want for Christmas is a PSP

[@Izquierda]

If part of the fun is doing things as cheaply as possible then a PSP is a good route, but otherwise it's really much better to do all your PSP stuff on a hacked PSVita. I do like the PSP's interlaced output for CRTs though and it's cool that you showed it (I wonder if you were passing it through your new RT4X prototype lol).

[@rwentfordable]

This video came just the right time for me, I've dug mine out after not touching it for ten years and see how far ahead it was.

[@augustodeleon4358]

Excellent video!!! I do have one that I haven't used in years. It's time to bring it back to the action!

[@mIRChele]

Isn't the doubled ram in the slim versions (64mb vs 32mb) a thing to consider when evaluating which psp to buy, especially for homebrews?

[@decepticonmecha]

Bruh, my PSP 2000 has double the ram? Didn't know that. 🤔

[@charleschamp9826]

I would be very interested in seeing you test that 2TB limit. I remember back in the day getting an adapter that let you use two Micro SD cards, it'd format them to work as a single Memory Stick Duo. But I also remember it being fragile and when I took it out the thing was falling apart. Still worked if I put it back in, but I wouldn't trust it after that. Wonder if those have gotten any better since then?

[@TheLowDee]

I have 128gb sdcard. It takes like 10+ sec for PSP to read

[@animeloveer97]

​@@TheLowDeeit depends on how many files and folders you have

[@wwijsman]

The homebrew community for the PSP is also still active. I've been working on improving the homebrew SDK called PSPDEV and we now have SDL2 and a ton of other libraries.

[@hinchlikescake7592]

NIce vid.. such an underrated handheld, especially when CFW'd. Reminds me I should dig it out and get new batteries for my gen 2000 PSP. Its got such a buttons and form factor that still to this day are unmatched for handhelds. And love the UI.

[@svcross-do]

Honey wake up! A new PSP video!

[@MrReese]

I have never been into handhelds (I did play the Gameboy and Game Gear that friends had, but never owned one myself), but Sony really did a lot right with the PSP and the Vita back in the day.

[@CommodoreFan64]

Yeah except when they came out they were more expensive than Nintendo's offerings, and the memory formats they used where also more expensive, and in the case of the Vita even hard to find them on store shelves for a long time. Then about a year after the PS Vita came out Nintendo launched the 2DS at 130 bucks, so if a parent had 2 kids to buy for, they could get 2 Nintendo 2DS units for for 10 bucks more that also included a 4GB SD card, and later on even an included game, where the PS Vita did not. So while Sony had great handhelds, they really botched it in the price, support and marketing department on the Vita.

[@renerios7319]

Can’t wait to try this!! Awesome video!

[@gamerplayer8882]

Literally have my new SD for the psp coming in today, and then this video comes out. Definitely will help me figure out what to check out once it's modded!

[@cuttersidwell]

Psp just went up in price after this video. Lol 😂 dang. Thats a joke but you honestly do such a good job explaining things in your videos it really could drive the price of used hardware up!

[@Tweaked818]

I remember being jealous of my bro cuz he had homebrew running on his psp but atleast i had an r4 lol

[@renakunisaki]

DS had some pretty sick homebrew too. It was my first portable media device before I got a PSP.

[@magicknight8412]

I picked up a psp1000 2 years ago and it’s quickly become my favourite handheld. The high quality look and feel with the capabilities and games is so impressive. The stock battery still Holds a decent charge but will replace it and think about doing the screen. I got it running games copied onto the memory card already

[@Queso305]

It is a classic handheld. Way ahead of its time! So glad I grabbed one back in the day

[@herekongato]

The psp 1000 is the best❤ I just love the weight of it and quality of materials, the other versions definitely feel cheaper!

[@Nate0808]

I just bought and modded a Vita, and I've gotta say the price difference between the two devices pushes me to recommend a Vita instead of a PSP for almost everybody. $50 extra gets you a far more attractive and functional handheld that can play all the same games/homebrew and so much more!

[@luluchen8947]

Excellent video. Really well made and helpful. Thanks a lot!

[@retrig202]

Fantastic video, , man! I was looking forward to this one. I may snag a PSP 1000 after seeing this, even though I have a really nice Vita already. Much love to you. Also, the outro music is amazing :)

[@paradigmfellow]

Instead of saying "throw out" you should have said "recycle the battery"

[@AlanBowker]

Still my favorite handheld of all time, especially once homebrew was unlocked. It was already a swiss army knife before, but adding homebrew turned it into a real powerhouse.

[@TrackSol]

Still use my PSP-1000 to this day. Mine is an imported Japanese White model. Will definitely have to look into that new screen mod. Thanks.

[@ssmelche]

This video is really timely as I'm taking my swollen OG PSP battery to a recycling center today.

[@GameJunctionMedia]

Absolutely still one of the best handhelds. Great video!

[@bradnimbus4836]

I loved my PSP! I picked up a Vita to do the exact same stuff with emulators and the PS library. It can still rock and roll with the Switch

[@kirilnikolovski81]

after doing some research i took the plunge and i found that it was so easy to get hardware and software mods etc. i had the psp from day release back in the day and yeah the thing blew my mind with so much power in your hands, i now carry it around with me, with 128gb card it holds a fair bit of stuff to entertain myself with.

[@stapuft]

man i miss my PSP so damn much, it was the first console i really hacked, and i LOVED everything it could do, once hacked, the ir blaster could even be used, the this was just simply the BEST.