Hacking the PSP Blog

Sound Activated LED Mod How-to from Acid Mods

Over on the Acid Mods wiki there is now a guide on how to add sound activated shoulder button LEDs to the PSP. This mod was originally created by CyberPyrot and F00 f00 to use headphones or external speakers but then evolved, in response to a mass of emails, into a solution that uses the PSP's internal speakers. This does involve disassembling the PSP (voiding the warranty) and requires advanced soldering skills. If you choose to do this then realize that you are doing so at your own risk. With that said, this is not one for beginners but if you're still interested then you can head over to the Acid Mods wiki article using the link below. Also below is a picture of what the chip looks like after it's been put together.

Acid Mods' PSP Sound Mod




Source: Acid Mods

Right-side analog "Razor Nub" from Acid Mods

There have been several instances of PSP owners adding an analog stick mounted to the exterior of the rideside of the unit, providing analog controls on both sides. Well now Acid Mods is getting closer and closer to offering a right-side analog stick that can be installed inside the PSP unit. They've dubbed this latest project the "Razor Nub." cyberpryot on the Acid Mod forums was the one to offer this news:

This new nub design will be balanced and fit perfectly on the right side to match it's counterpart on the left side.. For all of you who waited for us to get it under the face plate your wait is now over. I designed the new board to fit cleanly. My good man Neubit manufactured the first batch of prototype boards this morning Chinese time zone. This weekend F00 F00 will produce the first PSP to sport the new design.

As you can see in the pictures below, this is pretty then (as indicated by the penny comparison). It'll be interesting to see what F00 f00 can do with this and maybe it'll even see mass production in the near future. More information is available on the Acid Mods forums via the link below.

Acid Mods' Razor Nub right-side analog stick






Source: Acid Mods

Sony job cuts detailed

News breaking earlier this month that Sony Europe was laying off 160 staff has now been followed by details on the SCEE development studios affected by the cuts.

Reported on developer blog Inner Bits, Sony Liverpool (Wipeout, Formula One), Sony Cambridge (24: The Game, Primal, GhostHunter, MediEvil) and Sony London (The Getaway, Home, EyeToy, SingStar) are the studios hit.

Sony Liverpool has seen over 50 redundancies, Cambridge around 20 and London again over 50. The blog says that an additional 30 staff working mainly in marketing, sales and PR have gone.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe declined to comment on the staff cuts when contacted.

Stuart Bishop
April 25, 2007

Source: CVG

Sony rolls out speedy Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo cards

Sony first announced its speedy new Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo cards all the way back in December, but it's now finally gotten a bit more specific about them, including providing the all important details on pricing and availability. Set to be available in 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB capacities, the cards boast a new 8-bit parallel interface that Sony says translates to a 30MB/sec transfer rate, which makes 'em about three times faster than the standard Memory Stick Pro. To take advantage of all that speed, Sony's also providing an ExpressCard adapter for the new Memory Sticks, although they will still be compatible with standard 4-bit parallel interface hardware, albeit at a significantly reduced speed. While there doesn't appear to be any word on how much the adapter will cost, you can look for the cards themselves to set up back $60, $90, and $150 for the 1, 2, and 4GB variations, respectively, with all three available in August.



Donald Melanson
April 25, 2007

Source: Engadget

Price Hike at PlayStation Store (Japan)

Classic PlayStation gaming through the PSP and PS3 just got a bit more expensive over in Japan. Along with the ability to at long last play Game Archive titles on the PS3 comes a higher download price for all Game Archive games old and new.

Since Sony started its PlayStation download program late last year, downloads through the service have cost 525 yen per game, regardless of the title (that's a 500 yen base price plus 5% tax). That price has gone up just a bit. As of 4/26, all Game Archive titles, old and new, cost a tax-inclusive 600 yen.

Sony's did not provide a reason for the price change. In fact, the company didn't even mention the price change in the press materials that were distributed to announce the start of PS3 compatibility for the service. The new prices have replaced the old ones at the official Game Archives website, however.

This news of price hikes and new downloads concerns only the Japanese market. We'll let you know what's going down outside of Japan once Sony starts talking.

Anoop Gantayat
April 25, 2007

Source: IGN

Kutaragi to retire from executive role at Sony

Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that Ken Kutaragi, dubbed the 'Father of PlayStation', is to retire from his executive role at the company this June.

He will continue to hold the title of honorary chairman at SCEI, and will be senior technology advisor to Sir Howard Stringer, chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation.

Kaz Hirai will remain as president of SCEI, but has now been promoted from the role of group chief operating officer to CEO.

Kutaragi invented the original PlayStation in 1994 and followed up with the PlayStation 2 six years later. According to Sony figures, the consoles have a combined installed base of more than 200 million and over 2 billion units of PS and PS2 software have been shipped around the globe.

In a statement, Sony said that following the worldwide launch of PlayStation 3, "Mr Kutaragi has decided to pursue his dreams beyond PlayStation and to accelerate his network vision".

"I am happy to graduate from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. after introducing four platforms to the PlayStation family," commented Kutaragi.

"It has been an exciting experience to change the world of computer entertainment by marrying cutting edge technologies with creative minds from all over the world. I’m looking forward to building on this vision in my next endeavours."

Stringer added, "Ken Kutaragi is a rare combination of a powerful visionary and entrepreneur in one figure. Not only has he created a multi-billion dollar business for the Sony Group, he has brought the industry into a new dimension.

"Sony has benefited tremendously from his vision, his creative genius, and from the very strong team he assembled and nurtured. As Ken moves forward to pursue new opportunities, we will encourage and support him."

Stringer also offered his continuing support for Kaz Hirai, who he described as "a terrific executive with a proven track record with PlayStation business in the US".

He concluded, "I am confident that he will inspire and lead SCEI to new heights."

Kutaragi's retirement will become effective on June 19, the same day as SCEI's annual shareholders' meeting.

Ellie Gibson
April 26, 2007

Source: GamesIndustry.biz