PSP Control Problems (Is this normal?)

Krooze L-Roy · Post by **Krooze L-Roy** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:38 pm

I purchased a used psp online recently and it just arrived after a week of intense anticipation. However my initial happiness turned into a deep well of infinite sorrow as I popped Gradius Colection in and realised that either:

a) the PSP is a completely unplayable systems due to horrible awful broken controls,
or
b) I bought a defective system.

Here's what's going on: basically, the d-pad, and to a lesser extent the analog nub, seem to have demented minds of their own. When pressing right on the d-pad, my ship just sort of sputters to the right, sometimes fairly smoothly, but usually quite sporadically. It's as if there is some sort of resistance.
The problem becomes most apparent when I'm trying to imput my high score initials. Even if I don't press anything at all, the system will usually think I'm pressing to the left, and in mere moments, it'll have moved by itself out of the alphabetical characters and well into the numerals, like some twisted digital ouija board. Try as I might, this male taurus named DAN ends up becoming a female gemini named C2M (much to my dismay). The actual d-pad itself seems to be very loose in it's little cut out area, and can slide around (at least a couple milimeters) without me even pressing a directional button.

So what should I do? I know that people complain about the shoddy controls of the PSP, but this seems a bit excessive. Should I demand a refund from the seller or send an envelope of antrax to Kaz Hirai (j/k)? Any imput would be very much appreciated.

Krooze L-Roy · Post by **Krooze L-Roy** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:55 pm

Thanks for the reply. I'm considering just buying a new system and sending the defective used one back. The only thing holding me back from going that route is that I'm afraid that if I buy a new machine, the firmware will be up to date and all hope of playing emus will be gone. Do you, or anyone, know what version of FW a brand new system will use (or if there's a way to figure that out from the box)?

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:07 am

The safest thing is probably to return it.

If you want to open up your system for a mod, you may want to clean up any grime you find around the pad. What you're describing is not normal.

play-asia also sells some D-pad covers. I'm using one and I am quite happy with it.

I believe new units ship with 2.81....

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:40 am

Well...that's definitely not normal. It actually sounds like the analog nub has come unseated. Open it up and make sure the nub base is sitting secure and is screwed down completely. ...a cleaning probably wouldn't hurt either...

Krooze L-Roy · Post by **Krooze L-Roy** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:46 am

Thanks all. I went ahead and bought a new one ( a new used one, that is), and it works just fine (and it even came with more goodies, to boot). So I guess I'll just send the evil one back from whence it came.

I'd be afraid that if I started tinkering with it, I'd muck it all up and the seller would cry foul when he got his product back duct taped together.

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