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Are PSP Download Sites Worth the Money? |
There is a lot of buzz on the internet these days about PSP Download sites, but what do they really offer? I recently bought a PSP and was interested in downloading. I checked a few membership sites out (PSP Blender, etc.) and this is what I found.
The membership sites advertise that they have unlimited downloads, but in fact, they only display links to the same torrent downloads that are available on the internet for free to anyone. Some reviews and sales sites compare the most popular membership sites and make it sound like one has more downloads than another, or one has faster download speeds than another, but since they all use the same torrent download sites this is just a sales pitch.
The membership sites advertise that they support all firmware versions. This may be true as far as movies and music go, as any PSP can play any downloaded movie or music file when it is properly formatted. But this claim is absolutely not true when it comes to downloaded games.
Sony places codes in their firmware that prevents PSPs from playing downloaded games. This is their attempt to control game piracy. There are only two ways that anyone can play downloaded games. The easiest is to downgrade the PSP's firmware to a much earlier version (version 1.50) and then upgrade it to a customized non-Sony version. The most popular and reliable is currently the 3.10 OE-A. (OE stands for Open Edition.) The other way is to use a program called DevHook.
As of this date it is impossible to downgrade a PSP that is newer than version 3.03. That means that versions 3.10, 3.11, and the latest version 3.30 cannot be downgraded. All new PSPs are these later versions. Therefore, regardless of the availability of a download, you just cannot play the games if you have not done the downgrading/upgrading process, and you cannot do that if you have one of the newer versions of PSP.
The downgrading/upgrading process can also be a little hairy, and can leave you with a "bricked" PSP if done incorrectly. (Your dead PSP is about as useful as a brick, hence the term "bricked," but that is a subject for another time.)
The membership sites provide you with resources to assist you through the upgrading/downgrading process and provide you access to free downloads. Or do they? No, again, they only show you what is already there free for the taking. They do this very cleverly by creating what is called an I frame. Their site appears as the frame and the interior appears to be their content, but in reality it is another person's website.
Needless to say, I was not thrilled to be paying $37 for access to content that is free on the internet. I did, however, appreciate the help and software for the downgrade/upgrade process that I found at PSP-Monkey.com, one of the very few sources that offers such assistance. They lead you through the process step-by-step and actually provide the necessary software.
Check out the download sites yourself, but be aware what you are actually paying for. Good luck with your downgrade/upgrade, and enjoy your tricked out PSP!
About the Author
Mathias Drake is a PSP and computer gaming fanatic and is constantly improving his PSP library. For a comparison of the top PSP download sites and guides, go to PSP Download Site Reviews: http://psp.nerdshock.com
Article source http://w4rum.com/2390.t
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| [By Kimber Fulcher] [05/May/07] |
