Why is the PSP media functionality impractical?

[Rash']

I use my PSP for everything and one of my personal bug bearers of the unit is that you can't access the XMB content while in the middle of the game, like on the PS3. Realizing my stop on the train has come and not being able to turn my gaming functionality to music playback at the press of a button, as well as not being able to return to the point I left off is a really annoyance. The impracticalities of the PSP as a portable multimedia device is disappointing and I was wondering if this is because of hardware limitation or poor software implimentation? Thanks in advance.

 

[wazoo]

Is there any portable media console that let us switch between media and games as will ??

Doing this would imply either multitasking or more memory to freeze the game state.

I understood your problem, but there is no other portable console that let us me do all of this at this price. There are always shortcomings.

 

[Rash']

Is there any portable media console that let us switch between media and games as will ??

Doing this would imply either multitasking or more memory to freeze the game state.

I understood your problem, but there is no other portable console that let us me do all of this at this price. There are always shortcomings.

So it's hardware problem? That's a shame. Could it not be resolved in a fireware update?

 

[Arwin]

In theory, they could allow it for users with large memory sticks, by dumping all the registers and memory settings to the memory card. We are talking about 32mb+ memory here. It won't be very fast though, even in that situation.

I think you are also a little bit complaining over nothing. Many games can save at any time and any place, and even when you can't it isn't always a big deal. And you can really get to your music from a game within a few seconds.

But hey who knows in a next version ...

 

[bomlat]

Hey , guys.
A customer complaining about a software functionality.It mean that the sony next step have to implement it if it is realy give them an advantage above the competition.

And imho it can not be so hard to implement, the psp don't have to save too much memory:the size of the save is equal with the size of the mp3/video player.

And this functionality is make sense,and save time to the user.
(hey, the Sony addvertising the psp as an entertrainment device (alliwantforxmasisapsp)so it have to be a very usefull feature)

 

[Rash']

In theory, they could allow it for users with large memory sticks, by dumping all the registers and memory settings to the memory card. We are talking about 32mb+ memory here. It won't be very fast though, even in that situation.

I think you are also a little bit complaining over nothing. Many games can save at any time and any place, and even when you can't it isn't always a big deal. And you can really get to your music from a game within a few seconds.

But hey who knows in a next version ...

The new Pro Evo soccer has a master League mode and while playing it I regularly find that because I'm so ingrossed in the game I'm getting off the train in the last minute. In situations like that you should be able to switch media modes intuatively and at the moment you can't. With Pro Evo for instance not only can you not save a game in the middle of a title winning match, but it takes what seems like an age to return to XMB before accessing my music files. You may think this is nothing, but imagine if you could have all your content at a moments notice regardless of where in the device you were. Would that not lift the product far beyond it's current limits?

 

[deathkiller]

There is a homebrew solution for playing mp3 while in-game (http://www.psp-hacks.com/2006/12/26/irsmp3-module-04d-released/) I also hate the fact that you have to fully stop your game to play some music (if you don't use homebrew), I wonder what would take to sony to add a simple "play music" to the home button window.

 

[Rash']

There is a homebrew solution for playing mp3 while in-game (http://www.psp-hacks.com/2006/12/26/irsmp3-module-04d-released/) I also hate the fact that you have to fully stop your game to play some music (if you don't use homebrew), I wonder what would take to sony to add a simple "play music" to the home button window.

If there's an homebrew option then technically, it is possible. I wonder what's stopping Sony from adding the functionality. It must be a no brainer.

 

[Npl]

If there's an homebrew option then technically, it is possible. I wonder what's stopping Sony from adding the functionality. It must be a no brainer.

Sure its technically possible, but games would need to reserve CPU Cycles for it (ie. dont use the PSP to its fullest potential). Else you occasionally see hickups or slowdowns.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Not much for an interrupt, and then dump out the RAM contents to MemStick and switch over to the music player software, which I presume is already present in the reserved OS RAM? And technically if they stream the audio, they needn't exit the game at all. Just suspend the game and switch to the OS with it's audio playback and a small cache in RAM streaming the audio file.

It's a software issue and one that would be a nice addition, but probably not high on Sony's priorities even if they've thought about it.

 

[Rash']

Not much for an interrupt, and then dump out the RAM contents to MemStick and switch over to the music player software, which I presume is already present in the reserved OS RAM? And technically if they stream the audio, they needn't exit the game at all. Just suspend the game and switch to the OS with it's audio playback and a small cache in RAM streaming the audio file.

It's a software issue and one that would be a nice addition, but probably not high on Sony's priorities even if they've thought about it.

They should really address it because it undersells the quality of an otherwise brilliant product.