PlayStation Portable

The PlayStation Portable, officially known as the PSP, is a not yet released handheld game console by Sony Computer Entertainment. The PSP was unveiled during E3 2004 on May 11th, 2004 at a Sony press conference.

Compared with the current specifications of the upcoming Nintendo DS, the PSP hardware is more powerful but less innovative. Both handhelds feature WiFi for wireless gaming and connection to wireless networks. The PSP features 32 MB of main memory, eight times that of the Nintendo DS, and provides richer storage options by supporting Sony Memory Sticks and "Universal Media Discs" instead of cartridges. On the other hand, the Nintendo DS features dual displays, the lower one a touch screen.

With USB 2.0 and Memory Stick support onboard, Sony has created a portable sporting enough connectivity to serve as a portable music and video player as well as games machine. Wi-Fi support allows the PSP to connect to wireless networks, other PSP units, and according to several industry insiders, Sony's upcoming PlayStation 3.

The PSP is expected to cost around $200 when released in North America, although Sony has not released any official pricing details. The official release dates are late 2004 in Japan, March 2005 in North America and Europe, and mid 2005 in South Korea.

Table of contents

1 Official Specifications 1.1 PSP Console 1.2 Universal Media Disc 2 Unofficial Specifications 2.3 UMD (Universal Media Disc) 2.4 PSP CPU CORE 2.5 PSP Media Engine 2.6 PSP Graphics Core 1 2.7 PSP Graphics Core 2 2.8 PSP Sound Core: VME 2.9 AVC Decoder 3 See also 4 External Links

Official Specifications

These specifications were released by Sony Computer Entertainment America in a press release release dated May 11th, 2004.

PSP Console

• Product Name: PlayStation Portable (PSP)
• Color: Black
• Dimensions: Approx. 170 mm (L) x 74 mm (W) x 23 mm (D)
• Weight: Approx. 260 g (including battery)
• CPU: PSP CPU (System clock frequency 1~333MHz)
• Main Memory: 32MB
• Embedded DRAM: 4MB
• Display:
  • 4.3 inch, 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD
  • 480 x 272 pixels (16.77 million colors)
  • Max. 200 cd/m2 (with brightness control)
• Speakers: Built-in stereo speakers
• Main Input/Output:
  • IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi)
  • USB 2.0 (Target)
  • Memory Stick™ PRO Duo
  • IrDA
  • IR Remote (SIRCS)
• Disc Drive: UMD Drive (Playback only)
• Profile: see below
• Main Connectors:
  • DC OUT 5V
  • Terminals for charging built-in battery
  • Headphone/Microphone/Control connector
• Keys/Switches:
  • Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left) Analog pad
  • Enter keys (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square)
  • Left, Right keys
  • START, SELECT, HOME
  • POWER On/Hold/Off switch
  • Brightness control, Sound Mode, Volume +/-
  • Wireless LAN On/Off switch
  • UMD Eject
• Power: Built-in lithium-ion battery, AC adaptor
• Access Control: Region Code, Parental Control
• Accessories:
  • Stand
  • Headphone with remote commander
  • Headphone with remote commander and microphone
  • External battery pack
  • Case
  • Strap
  • USB Camera for PSP (Demonstrated at E3 2004)
  • USB GPS for PSP (Demonstrated at E3 2004)
  • USB Keyboard for PSP (Demonstrated at E3 2004)

• Dimensions: Approx. 65 mm (W) x 64 mm (D) x 4.2 mm (H)
• Weight: Approx. 10 g
• Disc Diameter: 60 mm
• Maximum Capacity: 1.8GB (Single-sided, dual layer)
• Laser wavelength: 660nm (Red laser)
• Encryption: AES 128bit
• Profile:
  • PSP Game (full function)
  • UMD Audio (codec ATRAC3plus™, PCM, (MPEG4 AVC))
  • UMD Video (codec MPEG4 AVC, ATRAC3plus™, Caption PNG)

These are unofficial specifications reported by PSP.ign.com.

UMD (Universal Media Disc)

• |MIPS R4000 32bit Core
• 128 bit Bus
• 1 - 333 MHz @ 1.2V
• Main Memory: 32MB(eDRAM)
• Bus Bandwidth: 2.6 GB/s
• I-Cache, D-Cache
• FPU, VFPU (Vector Unit) @ 2.6GFlops
• 3D-CG Extended Instructions

• MIPS R4000 32bit Core
• 128 bit Bus
• 1 - 333 MHz @ 1.2V
• Sub Memory: 2 MB(eDRAM) @ 2.6 GB/s
• I-Cache, D-Cache
• 90nm CMOS

• 3D Curved Surface + 3D Polygon
• Compressed Texture
• Hardware Clipping, Morphing, Bone(8)
• Hardware Tessellator
• Bezier, B-Spline(NURBS)
  • ex 4x4, 16x16, 64x64 sub-division

• Reconfigurable DSPs
• 128 bit Bus
• 166 MHz @1.2V
• 5 giga operations/s
• CODEC
  • 3D Sound, Multi-Channel
  • Synthesizer, Effecter, etc

• AVC(H.264) Decoder
  • Main Profile
  • Baseline Profile
• @Level1,Level2,Level3
  • 2 Hours (High Quality) - DVD movie
  • 4 Hours (Standard Quality) - CS Digital

• List of PlayStation Portable games
• PlayStation
• Nintendo DS
• Game Boy Advance
• Game Boy

• Sony takes on GameBoy, from CNN/Money 14 May 2003
• PSPInsider.com
• PSP.ign.com: The PSP FAQ
• SCEA PSP Specifications press release
• ''PSP Info and Pictures
• PSP Discussion Board