Review: PSP Slim & Lite Component Cable

[bandit]

PSP Slim & Lite Component Cable
Manufacturer: N/A
Site: Buy from GameInfinity
Price: $14.95

Overview : PSP Slim & Lite Component AV Cable allows to display videos, photos and play music as well as games on TV.

Features:

• Enables AV output via Component
• Cable length: 2.5m
• Aluminum alloy housing cuts out any unwanted RF signals.
• Suitable only for the new Slim Series (PSP-2000).
• Allow you to display videos, photos and play music as well as games on TV
• For playing games, a TV with progressive scan support is required

Quality/Usability : One of the nicest additions to the PSP Slim & Lite is the video-out function that enables you to watch video, play games and view photos from your PSP on to your TV.

Following on the heals on newly released consoles are 3rd party manufacturers. The moment something new comes out...BAM! They already have products at online import stores/wholesalers. When the PSP Slim & Lite was released, component cables were hard to come by as some stores didnt receive any in stock.

The quality of the cables are decent. The biggest complaint about the PSP's video-out feature is that in order to play games, you'll need a TV that has progressive scan. If you dont have a progressive scan compatible TV, you'll be left with only looking at videos and photos.

Once you have selected the PSP's output setting, the image displayed on the TV does not fill it completely but is bigger than we expected. On my 32-inch LCD, it measured approximately 22-inches. Although this can be bothersome or nitpicking to some, once we got into the gameplay, we didnt really notice the size of the display compared to the TV.

Images were a little different and washed out compared to that of what is shown on the PSP screen. Taking a small image that is use to being displayed on the PSP's screen and blowing it up onto a monitor, you'll notice the jaggies on objects and textures. This is probably due to the fact that you're also sitting close to the TV as the length of the cable isnt really long to begin with.

Conclusion : Overall, the PSP Slim & Lite Component Cable works well for an aftermarket product. Colors and images could use better quality. The noticeable jaggies was expected since you're scaling up an image. The price tag of $14.95 is fairly reasonable as its only $5.00 less than the official cables.

There is also a video showing the XCM 1080p VGA Box allowing you to hook up the PSP Slim component cable and be able to play on a VGA monitor. You can read the news here and our full review on the XCM 1080p VGA box here.

Images via comments

[lightningquickguy14]

Man, the DS needs one of these. It would kinda be hard with the touch screen and all.

[ZeakStarwind]

It can be possible, but it would require them to make a special product which has a firmware updating DS card for slot 1 and comes with the slot 2 gba expansion cartridge that allows A/V or Component out. Like last time when it was able to use your Rumble Pak for the alarm clock.

[goliath182]

Well if DS got one of these it would look like CRAP!!! No bilinear filtering would make the video a pixelated mess.

[Spanishpeacock]

well, don't think this is the place to beg/debate a DS A/V cable, but the GBA player that GC had didn't look so bad.

[Apoklepz]

Would it be too hard to enable using this cable on the original Phat PSP unit? Maybe a custom firmware plugin could do the trick, or does this go as far as having to do some modding on the old Phat PSP unit's hardware?

I'm curious to know...meanwhile there's always RemoteJoy, but no true fullscreen for windows users yet, though.

[bandit]

Would it be too hard to enable using this cable on the original Phat PSP unit? Maybe a custom firmware plugin could do the trick, or does this go as far as having to do some modding on the old Phat PSP unit's hardware?

I'm curious to know...meanwhile there's always RemoteJoy, but no true fullscreen for windows users yet, though.

Its a hardware feature on the PSP Slim. It has nothing to do with firmware. So no, its not possible on PSP phat.

[Broadus]

Yeah, high-definition-capable cables aren't entirely necessary for the PSP...