Emotional extremes recently ensued on receipt of a parcel containing a PSP Go. Having had a go on a Go, as it were, at E3, and been impressed by its industrial design, excitement instantly struck. Half an hour later - when I was near to getting the infernal object up and running - I had passed through annoyance and disillusion had set in.
To be fair, there was a specific problem: my office Wi-Fi is broken (or at least sufficiently broken that it won't work with PS3s, PSPs and Xbox 360s, although notebook PCs and my iPod Touch have no problem with it). Which shouldn't have been a problem: Sony's newest and dinkiest console comes with a USB cable, so I would hook it up to my PC, get it up and running and start downloading games to it. Hopeless optimism.
Media stop
First, I had to install Media Go, its media-management software, on my PC, from the supplied CD. Not a particular imposition. Until I fired it up. At which point it informed me that it wouldn't let me on the PlayStation Store, because I needed to download an updated version. When I finished cursing, I downloaded the update. 15 minutes later, with steam coming out of my ears, I finally managed to launch Media Go. Only to discover one of the least impressive items of software in the history of mankind.
To be fair, it is good for things like trawling your iTunes library for music although, annoyingly, it doesn't recognise iTunes Playlists - a problem if, like me, most of your iTunes music was ripped from self-recorded rather than shop-bought CDs, so has no details of track name, artist and so on. A minor point, but symptomatic of Media Go's lack of attention to detail and the likely wishes of its users.
Doggedly, armed with a code from Rockstar which would let me download Beaterator, I persisted, finally managing to access the PlayStation Store, redeem code and begin downloading. A process which, naturally, made watching paint dry feel like playing Modern Warfare 2.
Here we don't go
Aeons later, the download concluded and excitement returned. Only to be cruelly dashed when I attempted to persuade Media Go to pump it over the PSP Go. No go. I was informed that I'd have to download a firmware update for the PSP Go, before I could even copy Beaterator over to the PSP Go.
Casting around in vain for the "Update PSP Firmware" button in Media Go - the absence of which downgraded my opinion of the software from "Lacklustre" to "Downright useless" - I eventually located the updated firmware via some concerted Googling. Cue yet more downloading.
Buried near the back of it, I found a URL for online PSP Go help. There, I discovered that getting the firmware onto the PSP Go is pretty much the same process as getting new firmware onto a debug PS3, except that you can use a nice USB stick with a PS3, but the PSP Go only takes Sony's proprietary, overpriced Memory Stick Micro (M2) cards.
Vista to the rescue
Eventually, I solved the problem in Vista, by accessing the PSP Go's internal storage through Explorer, creating the requisite folder within a folder (as with debug PS3s) and copying the file over. At last, the PSP Go was able to locate its new firmware and update itself. And if I hadn't been familiar with updating the firmware on a debug PS3, I would never have been able to work out what to do - what hope is there for general punters? But finally, after the updating and rebooting process, I could download Beaterator to it.
Comments
19 comments so far...
jonbwfc on 18 Nov '09 said:
File under 'waaaaaa!'.
Jon
steve w on 18 Nov '09 said:
If you going to buy a psp go buy a ps3 as well so you can download games in about 15 minutes from psn and copy them over.
lonewolf2002 on 18 Nov '09 said:
So you need to spend £500 to get the most out of the Go, Bargaintatsic.....not.
bennyboi1979 on 18 Nov '09 said:
Get a grip CVG!!! Mine works perfectly fine.
liquidphantom on 18 Nov '09 said:
FANBOY ALERT!
dannybuoy on 18 Nov '09 said:
You need to get your bosses to buy you a better PC, get them to splash out on a decent broadband connection (or get everyone to stop downloading torrents at once!) and then try again. Mine worked fine. Was up and running very quickly. GT downloaded in about 15 mins on my 20mb line. My overall experience has been pretty good
Mark240473 on 19 Nov '09 said:
Wow, a personal opinion piece slagging off Sony. Who'd have thunk it?
Like others above, I was up and running in minutes and was playing GT within 20 minutes.
You can't blame Sony for your inadequate kit....
Stupid article.
richardnewns on 19 Nov '09 said:
After reading that article I'll be sure to recommend to my PSP-owning relatives to stick with their trusty fat PSP and avoid the PSPGo like the plague. So much for downloading games being the future.
Wozzakl on 19 Nov '09 said:
Historic article -- the only place where the phrase 'Vista to the rescue' has ever or will ever be used.
ricflair on 19 Nov '09 said:
Self recorded rather than shop bought CDs?? Arrrrghhh, roight you arrrre then Jim lad.
wrightandrewjame on 19 Nov '09 said:
Well quite a few of the things you've mentioned have been fixed today with Media Go! v1.3. The software tells you if your PSP firmware is out of date and now you can stack downloads. There's other things, but I only use it to store my downloaded games.
Dave_25 on 19 Nov '09 said:
@dannybuoy
Um very view people in the UK get 20mb broadband speeds unless they live in a large town or city, prick. The psp Go is an utter fail, the moment it was announced I thought 'that sounds s**t' and for the most part I was right. I don't have a problem with my psp 3000, not that I get much use out of it. Sony have missed the boat this gen, my ps3 and psp have had 0 gaming hours this month....unlike my PC (Dragon Age) and xbox 360 (MW2) which have had serious abuse!
influenceuk on 20 Nov '09 said:
this is the most retarded article i have ever read!
It's not rocket science, simply download the firmware and transfer it across using the USB cable to the system storage. This is not a new system, its basically the same as the other PSP's!!
My windows 7 laptop, vista PC, and Apple Mac all pic u the go, and allow file transfers!! So why make it sound like its more trouble than it really is.
My suggestion, learn to use a computer, the learn how to transfer files between storage mediums. Then write an article.
@CVG i see this is a freelance writer, suggestion - dont get him to write for you again!
davelk on 20 Nov '09 said:
"Historic article -- the only place where the phrase 'Vista to the rescue' has ever or will ever be used"
If people actually had a clue about computers and the various OS's out there it might help. Most people to cover over their complete lack of knowlege simply blame vista, i see it everyday.
CatGoneCrazy on 25 Nov '09 said:
Yeah, PS3 download and USB transfer is by far the best way to do it. And to argue that it's Sony's fault you can't directly download games for a download-only console because your wifi is crap (and you already knew it) is plain ridiculous.
Endworld on 28 Nov '09 said:
I've never commented here before but honestly this article is a waste, CVG shouldn't be paying people money to whine about something they find hard that everyone else manages! Don't blame your kit on your stupidity and learn how a USB cable works
bevoboro on 28 Nov '09 said:
I have to laugh at the wanker above who just called the people who can actually use a console as "fanboys"
coleguilla on 2 Dec '09 said:
Well, I dont have have the PSP GO yet, but I downloaded the Sense Me for my old PSP and Media Go for my PC without any problem. I will go for the new PSP anyway. Although I agree that I will miss the UMD, 16GB might not be enough for all the games I want.
ABCdt56 on 8 Dec '09 said:
No Its Not its just being sensible unlike you and hes saying that his works fine noting more