Sony announces the creatively-named PSP Cradle

It's been a while since the PSP Slim got all up on your TV, but Sony wasn't going to leave you hanging forever without a slick docking solution -- say hola to the new PSP Cradle. Apart from some of that old-time Sony design flair, there's not much else to it: you dock your PSP, images show up on your TV, and you control things with the included remote. On sale April 24th in Japan for ¥4,800 ($46), or ¥6,500 ($62) bundled with a D Terminal AV cable.

[ijyt @ Mar 5th 2008 2:55PM]

Why make a dock for something that's meant to be portable and not standing under your TV...

[required @ Mar 5th 2008 3:06PM]

For starters, the PSP has TV out.

[Flashpoint @ Mar 5th 2008 5:46PM]

And Where is the keyboard with trackpad mouse?

[Kamall @ Mar 5th 2008 2:56PM]

Wonder if it'll come out here?

I know its a PORTABLE gaming device, but it would be nice to load it up with movies and TV shows and watch it on the go and then on your TV when your at home and use a remote. But then, thats what a DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray player is for.

I don't think this will sell well, only a few would utilize this. But this reminds me to get a bigger memory stick to get some TV shows on it. : )

[Brian @ Mar 5th 2008 6:57PM]

Maybe quite a few people will use it with the PlayTV on the PS3 and remote play. No need to store on the PSP as you can watch Live TV or anything stored on the PS3. I will be ordering one for sure.

[nathan.wong @ Mar 5th 2008 2:59PM]

Would the reporter reporting this docking station be happier if they called it PSP-A3200 instead of PSP Cradle since his headline is a sarcastic remark about the name of it? Geez, at least they called it something that wasn't obscure and random.

[FrankTheCrank @ Mar 5th 2008 3:00PM]

Yeah, I don't get this one either. The PSP has no internal storage and even with a 4GB stick of memory, how much video can you really put on the thing?

SONY SLAP A HDD IN THE FUC*ING THING ALREADY!!!

Do an iTunes app for PSP and let me download games, music, movies....the time is now. The PMP market is ready.

[nathan.wong @ Mar 5th 2008 3:03PM]

They should have put a hard drive in the cradle and put an extra analog joystick on the PSP itself!

[ijyt @ Mar 5th 2008 3:04PM]

I think it needs more RAM first.

[required @ Mar 5th 2008 3:08PM]

The memory is hot swappable and you can in fact get more than 4GB

[required @ Mar 5th 2008 3:15PM]

By the way Frank, there is store.playstation.com

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Mar 5th 2008 3:28PM]

Umm 8 gig sticks are available now with 16 gig soon to follow. Obviously you don't own a PSP, otherwise you would appreciate this. As being an owner of a PSP2TV set up phat psp, this will be a nice compliment.Side by side I can pic old or new to use on my 40'. SonyBrew and HomeBrew together at last. When I get this I'll do a split screen comparison. Less you guys wanna hook a guy up?

[tekdroid @ Mar 5th 2008 4:10PM]

Sony have a PSP Media Manager app for their PSP. Haven't tried it yet tho; can't say I'm wanting any iTunes-like apps.
http://www.jp.playstation.com/store/mediamanager/index.html


The day they put a hard drive in the PSP (or require an iTunes-like app to get stuff on there) is the day I give up on the PSP. One of the main points in its favour is it doesn't use a relatively unreliable, shock-prone and battery-sucking hard drive, IMO.

Hacking the PSP for homebrew allows you to run anything off the memory stick, as many have done.

Flash is dropping in price so fast (and grown in sizes well beyond 4GB) that this argument will be largely irrelevant in a relatively short time, anyway.

[FrankTheCrank @ Mar 5th 2008 7:05PM]

Guys...thanks for all the replies to my post.

1. your absolutely right about the PSN store. I had no clue. Just what I was looking for. Thanks for the heads up.

2. I think you're right about not needing an internal HDD. Especially with the high capacity memory cards. And the fact that memory is getting extremely cheap makes a HDD a non-issue.

Time to pick up a PSP lite.

[BioWare #1 @ Mar 5th 2008 3:08PM]

On a 2GB memory stick, I can fit 4 films ripped w/ DVDfabDecrypter (MP4 format). 320x240.

Now why in god's name you'd want to watch a 320X240 movie on a full size television is beyond me. You try hooking that crap up at my house and I'll throw your PSP out the window.

For real... how many people have you seen actually utilize the TV-out function on a iPod video?

Oh, but don't forget the new PSP slims can also display games you're playing on TV. So.. Uh. yeah. I still don't get it.

[required @ Mar 5th 2008 3:11PM]

I think a lot of people like to listen to music on the PSP. It has some nice visualizers, can stream internet radio, podcasts, etcetera.

[Kurian @ Mar 5th 2008 8:19PM]

Um...An AVC movie ripped at the original resolution of the DVD is smaller than an XVID rip. Which means you get almost DVD quality video for ~700mb. WTF 320x240, whos that moron.

[JPN @ Mar 5th 2008 3:14PM]

First, you can get a 4gb card for about $30 now, give or take, and that can fit tons of movies, TV shows, music, etc.

Second, is that "hola" like Spanish, or HOLLA like....

[ET @ Mar 5th 2008 3:21PM]

Can I use a real controller to play psp games on the TV? ps3 wireless controller may be?

[conor @ Mar 5th 2008 3:42PM]

they shout include bluetooth in the stand so i can use a ps3 controller and remote play ps3 games when i am at my ski house

[conor @ Mar 5th 2008 4:21PM]

they shout include bluetooth in the stand so i can use a ps3 controller and remote play ps3 games when i am at my ski house

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Mar 5th 2008 3:33PM]

To make my own post. This will be great for Movies as the slim can output a higher resolution than the standard 480X320. I think for tv it can output double that.(don't quote me) also for go messenger that just came out it will help with video chat. which works here also. gomessenger.bt.com for info. would be great for Skype with the PSP microphone or go cam. Great for home videos. the list goes on.
I like to use my psp on my big ole tv but the ps3 is much better. My 4 gig can fit 3-4 high res movies.

[conor @ Mar 5th 2008 4:20PM]

they shout include bluetooth in the stand so i can use a ps3 controller and remote play ps3 games when i am at my ski house

[macserv @ Mar 5th 2008 3:42PM]

It reminds me of a Sony DA-2 D/A converter... painted black with a PSP glued to the top :)

[nate @ Mar 5th 2008 3:51PM]

Am I the only one who thinks that remote looks like it would be extremely difficult to use, all those buttons in so little space would confuse me.

[KC @ Mar 5th 2008 3:58PM]

Would be nice if the dock included a USB connection which can either be used to connect to a PC or PS3.

[Christian @ Mar 5th 2008 4:03PM]

I agree on the bluetooth connection option for it so that you can leave the PSP by the TV and play by your couch. I know that thing was meant for watching videos from UMD/memory card.

[andy.d.lee @ Mar 5th 2008 4:08PM]

With a 400 disc changer and DVR connected to a Sony Location Free, I was very excited when the slim hit with TV out. That excitement faded fast when I tried to output a DVD -> location free -> PSP -> TV and got the big "Protected content" message on screen instead of my movie.

I still use the PSP to output my DVR to various locations around the house, and will likely buy the dock when available, but Sony does know how to annoy customers!

[Logrithmic @ Mar 6th 2008 10:16AM]

"Progressive Mode ONLY!" tvs....

there goes that one

[wunch @ Mar 5th 2008 4:39PM]

At the very least, it would serve as a 1st-party charging dock. I'm not sure I would ever use the TV-out, but if it was my primary mp3 player I could see the remote as useful for playing music through the living room stereo.

[Frogboy @ Mar 5th 2008 4:50PM]

What's this? The Sony PSP is ripping off the GameParkHoldings GP2X? How sad, especially since they didn't even do it right by putting in USB ports so that you could plug in external gamepads and hard drives and stuff. How truly pathetic.

[printice @ Mar 5th 2008 5:02PM]

if it was compatible with the ps3 controller id be sold! and the argument about content i keep somewhere between 6- 8 hours of 720x480 video on my 4 gig memory stick at any given time what i normally do is because i work in a very quiet and understanding office i convert my videos over night load them up in the morning and watch some of them at work. however i encode them all in 480p so that they will look good through my 360 on my hdtv so to have a dock where i could locate it in say my bedroom and just drop the psp down and watch whatever i didnt finish at work wouldnt be a bad idea. though it would be a must have if i could play crisis core through it!

[tekdroid @ Mar 5th 2008 5:26PM]

According to the press release it comes with 1x lithium coin batter. (interestingly, the mistake was made more than once). It also requires firmware 3.90, interestingly.

Hi Sony, I am available to proof-read all your press releases and/or write them while making sure mistakes like this don't get out to Press Release Nazis like myself.

Regards,
tekdroid

[tekdroid @ Mar 5th 2008 8:07PM]

Dear Sony,
"AC adaptor and power code included with the PSP system is required"
------
This should be "cord".

Regards,
tekdroid
Unofficial Press Release Correction Officer

[tehuberone @ Mar 5th 2008 5:33PM]

Does it play games?

[Casper42 @ Mar 6th 2008 12:13PM]

Harmony users rejoice!
From the looks of it, its going to be Infrared and not Bluetooth like the PS3.

and for all those haters out there knocking it, keep in mind in Japan they have a Digital TV standard called 1seg and there is a 1seg adapter for the PSP so this cradle would allow you to watch TV from your PSP in Japan.

PS: This site below has some more details and high res pics.
http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=683721

[deusfaux @ Mar 9th 2008 2:35PM]

Too bad you can't play games on the tv out of PSP without it looking like shit:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13176129