Sony Playstation Portable

[Steve]

The crunch question, should you buy one or not? Well, that’s up to you, to be honest. Personally, if I had the money to spare, I’d get one, but not until they were released in the UK. That way Sony will have tech support set-up and ready if I need help and with region free games I’ll be looking at a nice back catalogue of stuff made for the already released US PSPs. Of course, if you’re an out and out technophile, you’ll either already have one or have one on pre-order, and if so, you won’t regret it. And if you’re having an umm and err about it, either cave in to impatience or save up and hang on for an official release.

http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews...lld19JRD0xMDk2

[Stoo]

Now the strangest thing I've heard about the UK PSP is that the Sony UK reps are telling people not to buy import PSP's as they will *not* be compatible with UK games, apparently the reps are telling the store owners that the UK spec PSP will be having new screens, get this, running at 50Hz, as opposed to the import machines 60Hz, meaning that the games won't display properly.

This strikes me as a complete crock, as it just doesn't make any sense, considering the PSP production is all coming out of the same plant, and it wouldn't be cost effective to run different types of screen just for the european market, and that why would the old PAL/NTSC 50/60Hz be a factor anyway?

The console is lcd based, and iirc 60hz is the standard for all lcd panels regardless of application, and it wouldn't be running pal/ntsc anyway as it's not a television based video signal..

Strikes me as a bit of desperation from Sony as some sort of justification of why the UK/Euro PSP will be wildly overpriced compared to the US and Asian versions..

It's probably all rot, but there might be a story in it

[iMc]

Lets hope someone from Hexus can get in touch with Sony and get an answer!

Sounds utterly ridiculous.

[Stoo]

Yep, I was stood there in the local game arguing with the assistant manager that it was obviously a pile of drivel designed to scare people into waiting for the UK launch, but he wasn't having any of it...

[Jonathan500]

I can confirm that the pics in the review just don't show how stunning the screen is, it really is very good. And watching films is very acceptable as the screen is a watchable size.

I can import another PSP for around the price they may sell in the UK so why wait, the games are region free btw, only the UMD movies are coded like dvd's, but as you can get the films for £10 and the games for £20-£25 from the states i am not upset if i cannot play UK games.

And if you do buy one make sure you buy Wipeout Pure, so you can surf once you get use to the browser its pretty good, but it does not like the Hexus homepage lol.

[Agent]

Now the strangest thing I've heard about the UK PSP is that the Sony UK reps are telling people not to buy import PSP's as they will *not* be compatible with UK games, apparently the reps are telling the store owners that the UK spec PSP will be having new screens, get this, running at 50Hz, as opposed to the import machines 60Hz, meaning that the games won't display properly.

This strikes me as a complete crock, as it just doesn't make any sense, considering the PSP production is all coming out of the same plant, and it wouldn't be cost effective to run different types of screen just for the european market, and that why would the old PAL/NTSC 50/60Hz be a factor anyway?

The console is lcd based, and iirc 60hz is the standard for all lcd panels regardless of application, and it wouldn't be running pal/ntsc anyway as it's not a television based video signal..

Strikes me as a bit of desperation from Sony as some sort of justification of why the UK/Euro PSP will be wildly overpriced compared to the US and Asian versions..

It's probably all rot, but there might be a story in it

Thats crock, i assure you

[Nick]

Yes, it would appear very odd that Sony are touting games as being region free... which then doesn't link up with the 'screen refresh rates are different' argument at all, does it? Why do region free games if they're not compatible worldwide with any unit?

AND... what difference does a different refrech rate make IF such a thing were true? I can run my monitor at different refresh rates... it makes bugger all difference to if a game will actually RUN or not!

(I just get a headache sooner rather than later...)

[Agent]

AND... what difference does a different refrech rate make IF such a thing were true? I can run my monitor at different refresh rates... it makes bugger all difference to if a game will actually RUN or not!

Because the speed that a game runs at is often linked with the FPS, programming wise.

[Zak33]

Now this is just Zak being a picky, irritating bugger....BUT......

that mem card says "Mem Stick DUD" on it!!!! Why not change the type face so it says DUO nice and clear.

Otherwise....what a good looking machine.

One last thing. Nick, mate, when did you last go boarding? or skateboarding? Let me assure you, the lads and lasses who want big pockets, can have them. Most trousers hanging around on street corners today could hold your 19" Belinea CRT AND your car

[Lee H]

the lads and lasses who want big pockets, can have them. Most trousers hanging around on street corners today could hold your 19" Belinea CRT AND your car

Indeed .... /strokes his airwalk pants with uber pockets that can carry 1/2 my stuff to a LAN and they are great for carrying discs and whatnot in

Sony should team up with airwalk and release a special pair designed with special "custom" pockets to house the PSP and the media cartridges. They'd sell LOADS

[Ruggerbugger]

Gimme

(How much?)

[Stoo]

BTW, Lik Sang just dropped their PSP prices down to £149 for the Value Pack, and £135 for the hardware only pack..

You will of course need to add any import charges on top of that.

[Nick]

Because the speed that a game runs at is often linked with the FPS, programming wise.

Yeah, true, but then, how would they be able to do region free games?

Unless they mean region free for the rest of the world and region locked for Europe?

I think it's all just a load of unprintables, to be honest...

[Stoo]

Region free because the hardware all runs the same spec, ie it's all a load of bollards (I've spoken to a couple more of the staff in the shop in question is they swear that's what the Sony rep stated too..)

[saintrobyn]

Music can be dragged across in MP3 format but you’ll have to create a directory structure the PSP can understand, which is a pain to first time out abut a doddle afterwards as you’ve done the hard work.

This is not entirely true. Sony does make it drag and drop friendly for music and pictures. All you have to do is format the memory card when you first put it in the PSP. The PSP will create the folder structure for you. Once formated you can drop any music and pictures into the appropriate folders and it will pick it up .

[nvening]

Every time i see one i just want one more and more!!!!
I think ill wait, not cause of the region thing, but for the warrenty and UK support and mabe a uk web browser (someone get onto bt). I want one before i go to rome though, painfull planes!