Ask PSP Fanboy: Volume 48
It's the end of the week, which calls for a new volume of Ask PSP Fanboy! Each week we'll collect your questions, and each weekend a new volume of Ask PSP Fanboy will appear on the front page. If you've got a question, send an email to justin.eaton @ weblogsinc .com with the subject "Ask PSP Fanboy."
Q. I have the PSP-1000 and was looking at getting a new battery, and was wondering if the new batteries that Sony sells will work or do they only work for the PSP Slim and the Bright. If not, what are some other options for batteries?
A. Hmm, you're in a rough position. The newer batteries are much easier to find in stores, but you're not going to benefit from the extra battery life. I would search for an original PSP-110 battery, if possible, otherwise any Sony battery will do the job. One of those extended battery kits would be nice, but those may prove difficult to track down too.
Q. Do you ever think Sony will make a friends list on the XMB, that would be like the PS3, where you could chat, message, send invites, and more to your friends? Because to me that would bring up the PSP's online status, and they could even add trophies. What do think?
A. Sounds like a great software update, maybe you should write a letter to Sony. It depends on which direction Sony takes the PSP, but something like this could certainly be integrated into the XMB, featuring PSN content. Heck, there's already an icon for the PlayStation Network on your PSP. Hopefully, it won't be long before new features are added.
Q. Do you believe that better games with come out in 2009? Or will the "make games for the sake of making games" era continue?
A. Next year is an excellent opportunity for the PSP to rebound, and it certainly can, as long as Sony backs it up with the support it needs. If Sony can advance the PSP as a portable gaming system, the developers will invest their time into creating better software. Only time will tell...
Q. I was wondering if you can explain to me why we would need a hardware update for the PSP to watch YouTube videos on it. When I do Remote Play with it, I sometimes go on the web browser and watch YouTube videos and they come on my PSP's screen just fine. Is this possible without Remote Play to watch YouTube videos on my PSP or does it have something to do with the processing power of the PS3 or something?
A. The PSP can't handle YouTube in the web browser due to it's outdated Flash support, which at the moment is Flash 6. YouTube requires flash 7.0 or greater, with Flash 9 being required to watch the "high-definition" content. The PS3 is capable of watching these videos because it's processing power far surpassed the PSP, something the PSP won't be able to do without a standalone application or a hardware upgrade.
Q. In Volume 47 you stated that most of the "Digital Copy" are pre-formatted to work with the iPod. Do programs like Red Kawa's PSP Video convert these files for use on the PSP? If not, what happened to BDLive 2.0 function to transfer directly from the PS3 to the PSP?
A. Although confusing, there is a difference between the "Digital Copy" and the "Portable Copy" we've been tossing around. Digital Copy would again refer to a pre-formatted copy on a Blu-ray disc, that can be transferred upon entering the included serial number. Portable Copy would be specifically for the PSP, in that you can plug your PSP into your PS3, insert the Blu-ray, and initiate the transfer. Ideally, the feature should be slowly launching, but we haven't seen much in the way or releases. I think as time goes on the feature will expand, but Sony hasn't mentioned any details in quite some time.
Q. When are we ever going to be able to use remote play from anywhere in the world? I know Sony claims we can do it now, but I haven't been able to and neither have a lot of people over the web. I can only connect to it via internet when I connect to the same network my PS3 is on but whenever I try to connect from another network it fails.
A. This usually means you have some form of a firewall on your network, which is preventing you from external access. This commonly happens when you attempt remote desktop with your computer, but can't connect from a separate network. Additionally, make sure your router is set up for UPnP. If not, you can also set up port forwarding. Remote Play requires port TCP: 9293.
Q. Will we ever see Sly Cooper on the PSP?
A. There's been reports in the past that Sly Cooper would make his comeback on the PS3 and PSP simultaneously. I certainly hope so, we'll keep an eye out!
