The PSP Slim could’ve been a gamer’s dream handheld…
Cracked a few very interesting nids the other day. More proof that the HDD wasnt just a rumour.
- 0xc68f1573 sceSysconCtrlGSensor
- 0x3ab3aeef sceSysconReadGSensorReg
- 0x07a0c260 sceSysconWriteGSensorReg
- 0x72eda9af sceSysconGetGSensorVersion
- 0x58531e69 sceSysconSetGSensorCallback
The G-Sensor is already used on Sony’s Vaio laptop and also their HDD based Walkman’s. To quote Sony:
The innovative G-Sensor system automatically and instantly reacts to changes in gravity and velocity by releasing the recording head. This helps protect the hard disk surface, preventing crashes and loss of data, ultimately improving long term reliability.
These new nids along with the new HDD nids cracked just last week provides pretty conclusive proof that the PSP Slim does in fact natively support a HDD.
- 0x8b95c17f sceSysregAtahddIoEnable
- 0xccf911c0 sceSysregAtahddIoDisable
- 0xa23bc2c4 sceSysregAtahddResetEnable
- 0xf5ea8570 sceSysregAtahddResetDisable
- 0x8ce2f97a sceSysregAtahddClkSelect
- 0xb59db832 sceSysregAtahddClkEnable
- 0x9155812C sceSysregAtahddClkDisable
- 0xe45bed6a sceSysregAtahddBusClockEnable
- 0x681b35c4 sceSysregAtahddBusClockDisable
- 0xa975f224 sceSysconCtrlHddPower
- 0x051186F3 sceSysconGetHddPowerCtrl
- 0xF9FDAFA5 sceSysconGetHddPowerStatus
- 0x04EEFD03 sceSysconSetHddPowerCallback
This along with the (also missing) Bluetooth features (sceSysconCtrlBtPower etc.) could’ve made the PSP Slim a very attractive handheld indeed. What you are left with instead is a slightly ‘slimmer’, ‘lighter’ model with very ordinary additions (TV out, USB charge, UMD cache, larger flash space etc).
So why did Sony decide in the end to skimp on these features (Im sure there’s a few more features still hidden – there’s still about 20 more syscon nids that havent been cracked yet). Well the two main factors are a) battery life (the slim battery is already at a lower capacity than the fat) and b) cost (the slim was released at the same price as the current fat).
So even though these are dream features to have on a PSP (and in fact these features are still supported natively on a HW level – just need to connect the HDD and write the drivers for it) could you justify the sacrifice in battery life and increase in purchase price to have these features?
November 16th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Funny you don’t mention things that were taken out of the “phat” on the slim, like the pretty much completely unused IR port (a la 1394/HDD on PS2 redesign.) Perhaps they are finally learning?
November 20th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Very interesting, SilverSpring. I brings me to wonder what additional hardware they would need to design to interface those parts.
Though i can’t say i’m too much of a hard drive fan, the bluetooth would have been quite interesting.
November 21st, 2007 at 8:43 am
@cory1492:
Ah the completely useless (officially that is) irda, well one could be forgiven for forgetting that such a (officially) useless device even existed.
@codes02 (nice to hear from you again):
From a purely HW point of view, the motherboard should already be able to support the hdd without modifications. If the hdd were going to be internal (which it was from the looks of the tiny new Samsung hdd the rumours purported), then probably something as simple as just soldering the connecting cables to the various points on the motherboard.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:49 am
Sigh.
Dangle a few more carrots, why don’t you.
Dammit, Sony…
December 20th, 2007 at 7:05 am
How will having a hard drive or bluetooth make it a ‘dream handheld’?
I just don’t see it. In fact these are probably the last things I’d want to see in a portable console. Reliability and far better battery life seem the antithesis of putting a hard drive and BT in there.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:26 am
****. I just got a slim. Should have kept my Phat for another year :/