The Search for the Best PSP Firmware Console

[wraggster]

With the recent release of the UMD (http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20182) Loaders (http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=19885) and the fact that the V1.5 Firmware plays Homebrew excellent without all the fuss of Eloaders etc, i would say that the V1.5 Firmware on a PSP Console is the King.

Those of you who have a V2.0 can also downgrade so that means those with v1.0, v1.52 & V2.0 can either be upgraded or downgraded to play the best in emulators and the best in UMD Releases.

So if you want a V1.5 or one of the other firmware than can be changed to V1.5 where can you get one, well heres a quick search of shops who say they have the right PSPs in stock.

SuccessHK (http://www.success-hk.com/affiliatewiz/aw.asp?B=112&A=50&Task=Click)
- Sony PSP Value Pack US ver.1.52 USD:267.00
- SONY PSP Value Pack Version1.52 (Asia Version) USD 299.00

Divineo Sweden (http://www.divineo.se/php/affstart.php?affcode=arboretum&prod=)
- PSP Value Pack 1.5 2890Kr

NeoDiscs.com (http://www.neodiscs.com/index.php?a=wraggster)
- PSP v1.52 Value Pack - £175.00

So there you have it, doesnt seem many have the lower PSP firmware consoles these days.

[slayer2psp]

in the usa i work at a gamestop all 14 new systems we have are c on the box which is 1.52 firmware not to hard to find 249.99

[irondirgible]

Does anyone know of a store that has 1.5-2.00 PSPs in or near Minneapolis, Minnesota?

[Voltron]

in the usa i work at a gamestop all 14 new systems we have are c on the box which is 1.52 firmware not to hard to find 249.99

Yes, I did see a guide about looking at the letter under the 120V on the side of the box where the barcodes & Serial # are. Based on the letter under 120V, you can supposedly determine what firmware is pre-installed on that PSP. The guide is as follows:

No Letter = 1.50 Firmware (Initial US Launch PSP)
A = 1.50 Firmware
B = 1.51 Firmware
C = 1.52 Firmware
D = 1.52 Firmware
E = 1.52 Firmware
F = 2.00 Firmware
G = 2.01 Firmware (BAD BAD BAD)
H = 2.50 Firmware (NOOOOOOOO!)

Anyway, my PSP was purchased in the US on 03/23/2005 and sure enough, there is no letter under the 120V. And based on what Slayer2PSP just said, his store has letter C PSP's. I also just checked my local Wal-Mart 2 days ago and they had at least 2-3 Letter C (1.52) PSP's. Everything I have seen and read so far about this guide indicates that it is accurate.

The department store clerk may look at you crazy when you ask to go through all of their PSP box's to find desired letter but what do you care, you are about to get a FULL Homebrew capable PSP.

Hope this helps - Happy Hunting! Please post success stories using this guide to further validate it.

[aries2k4]

Voltron your guide is right on the money. lol I still remember when I got mine, the clerk kept saying "but there all the same". nope!!!

[karurosu]

www.winsunx.com, youc an get a 1.5 for $369, and get a 1.52 for $240

[Lokinov]

...but it's no problem to downgrade a 2.00 firmware. I would NOT spend extra money to get a 1.5. I think it's extortionate when they wanna have such a high price.

By the way: I think the firmware 2.0 is much better then 1.5 because of the integrated browser and the new wlan security options and with 2.0 I can play NFS without loading fastloader or something before. But it would be great if someone is able to port an iso loader to Fanjita's new eLoader. Has anybody heared something about that? Or has someone a working isoloader for the eLoader?

Thx

[irondirgible]

Does Sony still ship 1.52-2.00 PSPs?

[Voltron]

Does Sony still ship 1.52-2.00 PSPs?

I doubt 1.50, 1.51, 1.52, etc. PSP's are still leaving Sony manufacturing buildings but large retailers such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc. probably still have a slew of these lower firmwares in their warehouse's and that is why you can still find them here and there. The recent holiday season probably left a decent stockpile of PSP's behind that have not yet sold. Every day that passes however, it will be harder and harder to get a 1.50-2.00 PSP.

I'm sure the majority of NEW PSP owners know very little if any about the homebrew capabilities and don't see a difference or else everyone would be hunting down all the lower firmware PSP's. If I come into some extra $$$ I'm thinking of securing 1-2 more lower firmware PSP's in hopes that someday, all the Emulators and homebrew will support adhoc multiplayer.

[grin.ch]

Go to eBay. That's where I got my Ceramic White v1.50 (Virgin). But if you don't care about a virgin v1.50, who cares what you get? a v1.52 or a v2.00, with MPH's downgrader, you can have a v1.50 anyway...