Making the Most of Your PSP

It's no secret that I'm a tremendous fan of Sony's PSP.  Even though the original model was released back in 2005, many like mine are still running strong.  There have been several updates to the system throughout its life, with the last (and most likely, final) update 6.60 released in August 2011.

It's a given that the PSP is outdated technology since the release of Sony's PS Vita.  However, I still believe there's a place for the PSP and its great game library thanks to the likes of the PSN Store, respectable battery life, well built controls, and adaptability with removable media.

First and foremost, you'll want to have the latest update for the PSP installed on the system.  This can be done by checking for updates over the Internet which requires a WiFi connection.  Otherwise, simply head to Sony's update page for the PSP HERE.  Included on the site is a very straight forward and easy to follow guide on downloading, transferring, and installing the update.

To make the most out of your PSP, you must understand the limits.  The PSP has a limited amount of internal memory.  This will be either 32MB or 64MB depending on the model.  To compensate for this, I recommend installing a 16GB Memory Stick PRO Duo which should give you plenty of space to hold a moderate collection of media.  There is a 32GB model for those that want to have larger libraries.  For your consideration, the average PlayStation game is 400-800MB and the average PSP game is around 600MB-1GB.

Also, while the PSP has WiFi capabilities, it can only use a 802.11b wireless connection.  Most modern routers will only broadcast in the 802.11n or 802.11a signals.  If you don't have an older router that your PSP can communicate with, there's an alternative which transfers media via USB.

Media Go is Sony's answer to managing your media on PC.  Simply download the software and sign into your PSN account to have full access to your music, video, and games.  You can then connect your PSP via USB to manage data and transfer purchased games to the PSP.

However, when I ran through the process, I noticed the PSP had a very hard time communicating with the software.  After browsing through a few forums, I found this was a common complaint.  I was able to resolve the issue by first connecting my PSP via USB and enabling USB mode.  I then launched the Media Go software and could then transfer my recently purchased games to the PC.  In my case, I was transferring The 3rd Birthday and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy.  Each game only took about five minutes to transfer.

1.  Connect your PSP via USB to your PC
2.  Enter USB mode on the PSP
3.  Launch the Media Go software on your PC
4.  Sign into your PSN account

5.  Click "View Downloads"

6.  Download your game

7.  Click the "Games" section under"Library"

8.  Right-click the game you want, select "Add To", and select your PSP

9.  Wait for the transfer to complete and you're done!

If you take care of your PSP, there's no reason why it can't be your go-to handheld gaming system.  There's an incredible selection of games to download and play from the PSN.  With a full charge, you'll easily get 4-5 hours of play time.  And it's still small enough to fit in a pocket or purse so you can game on the go.  Despite the limitations of aging technology, there's still a viable way to update your PSP, and get new games added to it.