Handheld Gaming
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If you can get lucky on ebay, you can possibly still get a original fat Vita Oled with the original firmware. This has to be hacked, although it's a simple software hack to do, but once done it's then even more amazing than the PSP - since the Vita can also play all PSP games. The screen is a massive step up from the PSP, and even most handhelds out there, and it has more processing power for emulation such as N64.
I own a orignal fat PSP, and 2 original fat Vita Oleds. I keep one vita upto date, latest firmware and game updates. And one with a software hack on allowing emulators, and I can even put all my Vita original games on the sdcard.
One beauty of hacking both the PSP and Vita, is that you no longer require the expensive Sony media cards - you can now use standard micro sdcards with a adapter. -
@ClassicGMR Agreed. The PSP (best ones are PSP 3000 and PSP Go) supports lots of systems . Even Neo geo , cps 1 and cps 2 work very well.
It was my go to device before I discovered the Pi. Now it gathers dust because I rarily play anything outdoors and indoors I prefer my 40 inch tv, over the 4 inch psp screen. :)One issue might be the battery...they're not making them anymore, so original batteries are getting old and third party batteries usually aren't great.
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I have a GPD XD. It works well, but there are caveats. Thepreinstalled version of Android is packed with data collection software, awful emulators, "happy chick", and various other garbage. This means you have to install a custom version of android. But that is actually a pretty easy process. After that you can just put Retroarch on itand go to town.
Another issue is the d-pad that is preinstalled on the device. It's of average quality at best and I'm being generous by saying that. I modded the pad and just put a whole new one in.
So, if you are handy with electronics they are a great deal. If you are notstrong with tech, look elsewhere.
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Huh, I was looking for an Handheld myself a few hours ago. I've seen a few reviews that mentioned the bad D-Pad on the GPD XD and I'm not sure if I can get a Vita.
So, I finally spent some time to install RetroArch on my old Tablet and was suprised how well the one PSX game was running.
The touch controls are awful though but I will see if I can pair my Xbox One controller over Bluetooth later. -
@EctoOne I've had good luck pairing the newer Xbox One controllers with android devices. If you have a decent smartphone, they sell clips that will attach most phones to an xbox controller. It's not a bad way to go.
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@Beldar I just did a quick test and yeah, pairing was super easy. Maybe the cursor speed was a little fast but I will look into that next weekend when my Xbox gold is running out and I'm not going to renew it this time.
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@John_RM_70 said in Handheld Gaming:
If you can get lucky on ebay, you can possibly still get a original fat Vita Oled with the original firmware. This has to be hacked, although it's a simple software hack to do, but once done it's then even more amazing than the PSP - since the Vita can also play all PSP games.
I've been following the Vita scene but I have done nothing with CFW hacks on mine. I have one that's fairly up to date(though I deleted the wifi settings a few months ago to prevent further updates). I am hoping that - with the imminent death of the Vita (2019) - the firmware will get the attention from the hacking community it deserves and open up like 6.60 did on PSP.
I really want to retire my PSP for the reasons John mentioned above but - for me - the firmware is not getting enough attention and the emulation isn't where it could be due to this.
My PSP is a launch 1000 model and I still get hours of use out of it before it needs a charge. It helps that you don't waste power using the drive since everything is read off the memory card. I considered updating to a 2000 (in side to side comparisons the 3000 seems to have a blurry screen that's lower quality) but I can't justify spending the $75 or more for one when mine still works 100% perfectly.
Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional!
Enjoy the ride! -
I wanna see someone put a Pi in a Gizmondo casing, although I suspect those might have actually gone UP in value since it 'launched'. At that time the reviews were calling it 'an electronic turd'.
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@ClassicGMR Using the 3000 you can see scanlines during fast motion..I hardly notice it anymore though. Colors are much better on the 3000 than 2000.
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@ClassicGMR said in Handheld Gaming:
My PSP is a launch 1000 model and I still get hours of use out of it before it needs a charge. It helps that you don't waste power using the drive since everything is read off the memory card. I considered updating to a 2000 (in side to side comparisons the 3000 seems to have a blurry screen that's lower quality) but I can't justify spending the $75 or more for one when mine still works 100% perfectly.
I love the original PSP 1000 model, mine is the 1003 fat model. There is something about having the original fat model. Just like the Vita, the original Vita is the Oled screen Vita, and it looks amazing. Amazing blacks, and colours. Super-clear screen.
I still use my PSP, but now it's mostly for the massive back-catalogue of amazing games. I own about 90 originals, they're so cheap on ebay, and I regularly play them.
I don't emulate Nintendo games because I now prefer the original hardware. For the original Gameboy DMG Grey model, I have a white backlight mod, and a bivert mod which inverts the screen giving more contrast. This breaths new life into the old Gameboy.
For GBA, I use a GBA SP + ags 101 screen. The SP is just perfect. Perfect form factor, perfect screen, great battery.
Emulation is nice, but you can never beat the real thing. -
@mediamogul said in Handheld Gaming:
GPD devices have always been a decent choice, as well as some of their competitors. Outside of those or making your own, a modded PSP is indeed a solid choice choice as well.
Guys, I don't recomend GPD XD. I have one, it's great for emulation, but if you charge the battery with it powered off, the screen just burns up and don't show anything at some point. I still using it with HDMI on my TV, but losts the meaning of being a handheld device to play games without a TV. For this, I have my RPi2 and an OUYA.
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@danielmewhouse Sounds like you had some bad luck! Mine's been fine for over a year now. I do agree that they are not the highest production quality and thus defects like this may be more common. The real issue with them is they are not ready to go without modding and flashing, so they are pretty useless to somebody who isn't willing, or can't aford, to be a touch risky with their devices.
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I just got around to doing the Henkaku hack to my 3.68 PS Vita. I have to say I'm kind of disappointed.
On the one hand the screen is much better and the Vita games are better than the PSP games so from a retail standpoint it's a great console. But I had that already before I modded it...
The flip side on this - emulation - is way behind. I have to load Adrenaline (PSP emulator) to play GBA emulation. Follow me here... I have RetroArch installed on the Vita BUT I have to load a PSP emulator on the system to then load a GBA emulator to play GBA games well. What?? That's sad.
PSOne games are MUCH better off in the PSP emulator as well. RetroArch just doesn't run them well and since I have EBOOTs anyway it's not that big an issue. But still disappointing.
The battery doesn't seem to last as long as my PSP but it IS running a larger, more vibrant screen so that might be the trade-off there.
I hope that these things improve over time. Maybe it's because there's less and less people out there that want to do this stuff for free (I wish I had money to donate to the developers but I'm (seriously) lucky I'm still in my house!). Maybe the Vita is just an inhospitable environment. Maybe the developers are just waiting for the console to officially die next year so they won't have to keep fighting updates. I don't know. I haven't programmed anything since I was in college in 1994.
All that said I will be keeping my PSP. At this point there's no way I am going all in on the Vita. Now I'm having fun with it - don't get me wrong - but there's no way it is ready to replace my favorite handheld - and most trusted gaming device - for the last 11 years. I still remember how ecstatic I was the first time I hacked my PSP with 3.03 OE-C. Ah the good old days of discovery. :)
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If you want GBA emulation on Vita, then mGBA Vita is the best.
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