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Hands on with PSP Slim & Lite's component AV cable

Get PSP on your TV

Hands on with PSP Slim & Lite's component AV cable
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PSP

Unless you've really not been paying attention, you'll know one of the more interesting new additions to the revised PSP is the inclusion of a video-out function enabling you to watch image, video and game content from your PSP on your TV.

Remarkably, the appropriate cables (composite and component options exist) weren't available when Slim & Lite launched last month and so we weren't able to include this function in our review of the handheld.

However, keen to try it out and aware that some of you might be curious, we finally managed to obtain the official component cable from our friendly online retailer (which received stock at the end of last week).

The first thing to note, aside from the cable's relatively decent quality, is the issue of compatibility. Sony doesn't shout about it but if you read the packaging carefully you'll be informed that PSP outputs signals in the NTSC video format so you'll need to make sure your TV is able to display this (probably all LCDs do these days).

But that's not all. If you're planning to play games then your TV needs to be progressive scan compatible, too. Otherwise you're stuck with just looking at photos and video.

Happy that we satisfied all requirements, we connected everything up and switched the PSP's video output mode. It was odd to see the handheld's front-end displayed on the TV, just as it was to see WipEout Pulse's intro sequence show up soon after.

The image was clearly far larger than what we're used to but it doesn't fill the screen. On our 32-inch LCD, the PSP's display measured 22 inches (see photos above) and it was interesting to note how quickly we got used to it – within half a race, playing a PSP game on TV seemed comfortingly familiar. This was helped, no doubt, by the fact that holding the PSP in your hands feels very much like holding a controller so any console players will rapidly adapt to the situation.

One thing that may surprise, however, is how angular games will look. Blown up beyond the 4.3-inch screen they usually reside, the graphics show their sharp edges far more evidently, not least because the 2.5-metre cable forces you to sit relatively close to your TV. Again, it's something that your eyes eventually get accustomed to, but we suspect some games will look a little on the ugly side.

Granted, we could argue over the dubious merits of transforming your PSP into a 'home console' when the very essence of the handheld is that it provides a portable gaming experience, but who are we to tell you how to live your life? Besides, it has obvious advantages with regards to displaying any other content you may have on your PSP.

The point is the lead provides a different PSP experience, it could prove essential for some and it's hardly expensive (we paid £15 for our lead).

Joao Diniz Sanches
Joao Diniz Sanches
With three boys under the age of 10, former Edge editor Joao has given up his dream of making it to F1 and instead spends his time being shot at with Nerf darts. When in work mode, he looks after editorial projects associated with the Pocket Gamer and Steel Media brands.