AfterDawn: News

Sony PSP gets European Launch

Many gamers in the EU, as well as in Australia and New Zealand will be delighted to finally be able to get their hands on a PSP console (without importing) tomorrow. Across Europe, PSP devices were being sold for the past couple of days, but games are not to go on sale until tomorrow. The launch comes finally after months of uncertainty about the PSP release date that left European gamers feeling snubbed by Sony.

The PSP console was released late last year in Japan, and then in the United States in March earlier this year. Sony is aiming to make the device attractive not only as a portable gaming console, but also as a portable entertainment device capable of music and video playback. Since its launch articles have appeared all over the web showing you how to convert video files or DVDs to playback on your PSP via a MemoryStick.



And along with the excellent success the PSP has gotten, there also has to be a degree of headaches for Sony due to the enthusiasm of thousands of hackers worldwide who eagerly awaited the console's launch. As a result it is possible to run homebrew apps on the PSP under firmware versions 1.00 or 1.50. This makes it possible to play games that were not made for the console as well as various other tasks such as launching some PSP games from MemoryStick.

PS2NFO is reporting that there is a notice accompanying the PSP device which instructs users to insert the Demo disc for the latest system updates. This means that the European PSPs use firmware version 1.52. To anyone hoping to run homebrew on their PSP eventually, updating to the recent 2.00 is not recommended.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 31 Aug 2005 13:42

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• 18 comments

• abuzar1

  If they are 1.52 then why shoudn't they upgrade to 2.00? I mean there are more people working to hack 2.00 then there are for 1.52 right?

  31.8.2005 14:57 #1

• abuzar1

  sorry hadnt heard bout the downgrade thing so lets see what tommorow brings

  31.8.2005 16:33 #2

• Mik3h

  I was gonna get one but I heard the battery life Is around 3 hours! That's not good..
  
  -Mike

  31.8.2005 22:05 #3

• gozilla

  hmmm, at $399 (AUS), coupled to a low lasting battery, i think i'll pass.

  31.8.2005 22:53 #4

• Dude2099

  theres alot of third party batteries that supposely last 2-3 times longer and there not to pricey

  1.9.2005 00:29 #5

• RoLLDeeP

  i'm hugely disappointed with my psp (from U.S) which i got the other day...the graphics are NOT PS2 like a lot have said. and im not sure about any other games but midnight club II (DUB edition) takes ages to load. im talkin up to three minutes, and the umd always sounds like its workin overtime. its a nice console but im gonna sell it ain prep for the 360 i think.

  1.9.2005 01:04 #6

• Makere

  just don't upgrade to 2.00... U'll see....

  1.9.2005 03:27 #7

• vylin

  Is there any confirmation that you can play European umd movies on a Japanese psp?

  1.9.2005 04:39 #8

• RoLLDeeP

  UMD is UMD like CD is CD- Universal

  1.9.2005 05:01 #9

• vylin

  Not quite. American umd movies won't play on a Japanese psp because they are a different region. USA = Region 1. Japan (maybe Europe) = 2. I hope someone tests this soon. If Jap and Europ are compatible

  1.9.2005 07:38 #10

• louiseyd

  Yes, Japan and Europe are region 2... that's why if I'd've imported it would've been a japanese psp so I could still play english movies (I live in England).

  1.9.2005 09:10 #11

• Phoenix21

  yer and australia is region 4 i just got my psp yesterday

  2.9.2005 04:49 #12

• jutsu

  hmm, it say "launching PSP game from memory stck" but why i should do that?? there already veeryy cheap PSP games in mini DVD format (see yourself at www.butik2000.com/index.aspx?mi=74) so,no need to place a game to MemoryStick :p

  3.9.2005 06:04 #13

• Mik3h

  But you can convert your own movies (or downloaded) into mp4 format, which is cheaper than buying a UMD Movie and doesen't use up as much batttery life.
  
  -Mike

  5.9.2005 07:53 #14

• jutsu

  yeah, with big memorystick i can fit a lot of movies and music, and thats imposible for me, MemoryStick is just too expensive. :p and i think 2.00 will be cracked soon :p , and i hear somewhere that someone are working to make a psp can read a USB HDD !!!!

  5.9.2005 23:59 #15

• dubaiboy

  soo can the japanese PSP play the region2 movies?
  
  please help<< because ihave a japanese psp

  10.9.2005 05:47 #16

• KURTWILY

  i want to buy psp

  11.9.2005 17:30 #17

• Mik3h

  Buy One Then... :S
  
  -Mike

  18.9.2005 10:01 #18