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Ironically I hadn't considered an actual gaming device, I didn't know they could emulate NES. Does the PSP work with the memory cartridge type games like the gameboy used? The last portable gaming device I saw or used was the gameboy original, I know absolutely nothing about any gaming device after that one. How do you put NES ROMs on a PSP? Which is the best portable gaming device I could get under $100 that can emulate NES?
The original PSP has 2 main methods of inputting data: The Memory stick pro duo slot, and the "UMD" Slot. UMD are just Sony's proprietary format for PSP games and movies. Memory stick pro duo is just another competing memory card format similar to SD, but used primarily
(exclusively?
) by Sony devices such as the PSP and cameras.
Used PSP can now be obtained for just under $100. It runs at 333mhz clockspeed and can emulate a large number of systems at fullspeed with sound, including NES, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, SNES, Genesis, Sega CD, Sega Master system, MSX, Turbografx 16, Arcade games, lots of older computers such as C64, Atari ST, etc, and even Playstation 1
(yes, for real
) <---- All these emulators can run most games fullspeed with sound with no frameskip. The only way the Playstation 1 support is possible is because the emulator was actually developed by Sony... Of course then the hackers got to work and made it compatible with most any PS1 game ISO. There are lots of other emulators too, although some are not quite as fast as the ones I listed
(such as Dosbox, N64, etc
) . And of course there is the entire catalog of PSP games... And there are some really good ones.
So to run any of these emulators, all you have to do is get the emulator, put the ROMs and the emulator on the memory stick and you're ready to go.
This is of course after you've "unlocked" the system to work with unsigned code
(i.e. emulators
). You do this by flashing the firmware version to one of the various "custom firmwares".
Since it is a closed-source system, the original intent was just to run Sony approved games/applications. As it is with most video game consoles. So it is always a battle between the hackers and the game companies to see who can stay ahead for a few months.
One of the best resources for emulators, homebrew applications, and custom firmwares is probably qj.net :
http://www.qj.net/psp.html
I have been out of the loop for the past couple of years so I'm not completely sure the best way to install custom firmware on a PSP anymore... But probably the most reliable way is to obtain what is called a "Pandora's battery" which will first let you downgrade your official firmware to an older official version, and then upgrade to a newer custom firmware version from there.
You can find more info here:
http://pspcustomfirmware.com
or many other sites. I would caution you to be careful and do some research before you buy your PSP, make sure what motherboard revision it has before you buy it and make sure it is compatible with the method you choose to flash it
(i.e. pandora's battery
). There have been several hardware revisions since the original PSP, and each has several motherboard revisions and I'm not sure all of them are compatible with the process, so just make sure to do your research!
Just let me know if you need any help with this kind of stuff, I could even send you a "Pandora battery" in the mail for you to borrow to flash the PSP if you promise to send the battery back
Pandora battery is just a regular battery with one bit changed on the chip so it kickstarts the PSP into action.. It was originally a developer tool used by Sony to recover systems which had been bricked. But of course when the hackers got wind of it.....You know how it goes.
Anyway. Just send me a PM or respond to this thread if you need more info/help.... But I can promise if you are wanting to play some games in emulators, you won't regret buying a PSP. It was one of the best purchases I've ever made.
Peace
-Scott
Edited by indstr 2012-05-14 2:45 AM