About to purchase my first PSP - what to look out for?

[dupfold]

Hello

I am going to purchase a my first psp and wondering what to look out for. I would like to use home brew software and such and understand I need a psp with no newer firmware than 2.71 but what other things do I need to consider (if any)?

A few more questions if I may...

1. I've heard that the jap versions are the best as they have the best screens, is this correct or just a myth?

2. I take it all the brand new psp will now have firmware newer than 2.71 so would you recommend I purchase a second hand one or is it still possible to purchased a brand new one with 2.71 firmware?

3. I understand the some psp's suffer from dead pixels so are there certain models/serial numbers I should try and avoid?

Any further advice you feel I should consider would be much appreciated, thank you

[xcjzerox]

DOn't Get Motherboard TA82 Is bad
Get FW 1.50 Is the best for homebrews abnd other cool stuff

[xg917]

thats the only option he has if he buys one in store but i have full homebrew compatablity with my mobo and i have 2.71 using devhook to go to 3.02 and 1.50

[vision]

1. I've heard that the jap versions are the best as they have the best screens, is this correct or just a myth? Not sure but i think its a myth

2. I take it all the brand new psp will now have firmware newer than 2.71 so would you recommend I purchase a second hand one or is it still possible to purchased a brand new one with 2.71 firmware?Well try to become friends with the cashier or w.e and tell him yo give a non ta-082 mobo lol

3. I understand the some psp's suffer from dead pixels so are there certain models/serial numbers I should try and avoid? I dont think there is they all can get dead pixels

Any further advice you feel I should consider would be much appreciated, thank you


even if you get a ta 082 me and xg917 ( dude who posted above me ) we got devhook to emulate 1.5 nd 3.02 and there is still hope with dark alexs homebrew enabler

[splodger15]

1.They do have better screens jap PSP'S


2. Best place ,Have a look on Ebay you can get 1.5's from there

3. Any model can get a dead pixel not just a certain one

You dont want a TA-082 dont even buy one.Ok you can still run homebrew but not as much support as a 1.5

[acn010]

go a place likea town that they barely sell a psp, y opinion, and also the box has letters that identifies the psp age:
search on the codebar for letters between A - C which those psp has the old motherboards

[scottyboynow]

yeah wat acn010 said the lower the letter on the box near the serial number the lower the firmware. i reccomend not buying of amazon were i got mine. my brothers psp for gamestation which he bought 2 months ago was a non ta-082 with a 2.01 so guess what he does he upgrades to 3.01.IDIOT.

[dupfold]

thanks all. I managed to pick up a second hand white Jap PSP for £100!

[splodger15]

What firmware was it

[MattZani]

i have noticed a slightly crisper image from my Jap PSP, then my friends UK Version.

Also Jap versions can play US,Jap and UK region games (can someone confirm this), but not US Movies.

Matt

[dupfold]

What firmware was it

1.70, this is ok right? All I need to do is upgrade to 1.71 and then downgrade to 1.5 correcT?

[dejkirkby]

Are you sure it's not 2.70, because there wasn't ever a 1.70 FW.
Anyway, assuming it is 2.70.
Here goes.
Open up the UMD drive and hold the PSP with the screen away from you. Look just inside the drive and you should be able to see some sections of the green motherboard. Is there any orange/yellow writing?

[dupfold]

yeah sorry, I meant 2.70.

Haven't got it just as its being sent today.

What would the orange/yellow writing confirm?

[dejkirkby]

If it says "IC1003" you have a TA-082 board. You have to use the specific Ta-082 downgrader for this.

[dupfold]

ok got my psp and checked inside drive and I can confirm I have a IC6001, sweet!

So now my question would be what firmware package should I use? I understand I need 1.50 but are there different installers to choose from and if so which is the best / easiest / less likely to go wrong etc.

Finally is there anything I should/should not do to ensure I do not brick my psp when downgrading?

[xg917]

um... IC6001?....... that must be the newest mother board... thats bad.. that mother board it unknown.. check again to make sure

[dejkirkby]

um... IC6001?....... that must be the newest mother board... thats bad.. that mother board it unknown.. check again to make sure

That motherboard is fine to downgrade. go for it dude.

[xg917]

haha, im gonna turn you into poo! :P *chris griffin* hes funny as hell
ok, well lets see if it works

[dupfold]

Success, gigidy gigidy goo!

Whats the best loader, DAXZISO_062 or fastloader 0.7 or something else?

Also do I need a umd to use loaders or is there one that can do without?

[dupfold]

one more thing, interested in 3.03 OE-A but is there a list anywhere that compares all the different firmware please?

[xg917]

just get 3.03 oe a and u r set for everything now, ps1, homebrew, u name it! u dont need any loaders for 3.03 oe a. contact me on aim, msn, or yahoo and i can help you with installation and anything else

[dupfold]

awesome!! Can I always revert back 1.50 if need be?

[xg917]

yes you may by using the recovery menu. contact me through one of the messengers

[dupfold]

Literally an hour ago I had never used a psp before and an hour later I have upgraded, downgraded and upgraded again with easy! This has to be the easiest moddable games machine ever (apart from the DC which didn’t need any modding ;)

I’m loving the psp already and I haven’t even play a game yet!

Thanks for the help guys.

[BlackJack23]

I'm so envious of you!

The feeling you get when downgrading to the current golden firmware is damn near priceless. I remember waiting months for the 2.6 downgrader and when it finally came OMG:D

[dupfold]

oh god! Me and my big mouth!

I think I'm made a boo boo. When I up'ed to 2.71 I understood that I could then delete the upgrader which I thought would be the same for 3.03 oe.

As I didn't want the installation/flasher image displayed in games I deleted the folders but as soon as I had done that I knew I made a boo boo. Not to worry I thought as I'll just restore them from the recycle bin................doh!!!

I have tried the recovery but the PSP turns itself off and thats it. Still fires up fine but of course no homebrew will work.

HELP PLEASE!

[xg917]

for homebrew, make a folder in your psp folder called GAME150 and put ur homebrew in it. it should be able to play. and also, u shouldve contacted me befor installation to be sure... cuz now u cant use the recovery menu, wich is important..

[dupfold]

I did try to contact you via MSN (haven't used in years and now it asks for payment!), and tried aim but it said you were off line.

I take it then the DATA.DXAR was an important file, unique to my psp or what is missing which would cause the recovery not to work (I can still get to the menu BTW). Is it now not possible to get back to 1.50 ever?

[xg917]

wait, u can get into the recovery menu? can u move around in it? like click on stuff?

[dupfold]

yeah, everything is still working fine, I just deleted the firmware installation files by mistake.

I deleted the following folders

303oeflasher
303oeflasher%
oeupdmaker
oeupdmaker%

Maybe I don't need these after all then?

So as I can still get in to the recovery menu how would I (if needed) flash back to 1.50 please?

[xg917]

well u r supposed to delete them after you are dont installing them. if u are able to get into the recovery menu and change stuff in it, then that is good and u have no problem, i can also help u set up the flash back to 1.50 if your psp gets bricked at any time

[xg917]

here is the recovery folder: http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=13966&d=1168059494

and here is how you should set it up:
X:\PSP\GAME\RECOVERY\decryptprx.prx
X:\PSP\GAME\RECOVERY\eboot.pbp
X:\PSP\GAME\RECOVERY\extprxs.pbp
X:\PSP\GAME\RECOVERY\libpsardumper.prx
X:\PSP\GAME\RECOVERY\UPDATE.PBP (Official 1.50 firmware update file)

use the 1.50 update that u used for installing 3.03 oe a, and rename it to UPDATE

[dupfold]

excellent! Thanks for all your help xg917, your a star :)

[dupfold]

this is totally off subject but I have tried to create a new thread but I can't as I get the following error message....

"dupfold, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

1. Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
2. If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation."

Any ideas why this would be? Have I done something wrong?