PSP (PlayStation Portable) is fast becoming one of the most sought after gaming items. Of course, a PSP offers much more than games, movies, Internet, music, etc. The graphics, sound and ease are attractive to many users. However, because the firmware is constantly being updated, there are often compatibility issues.

See, when you decide to upgrade or buy a new PSP, you’ll get the current features and tools. Great right? Well, not always. The downside is that you will also get security and authentication features. Many of these added features are not consistent with older games and movies. If it is not supported by the current operating system, the movie or game will not play correctly or at all.

Also, some PlayStation Portable users may want to be able to run homebrew programs like they did with earlier versions. If you’re not familiar with homebrew, it’s a broad term to describe programs created by individuals. Store-bought programs are made by technology companies. Many homebrew programs have unique features not found in commercial programs. For example, the first PSP messaging program was created by a home programmer.

Incompatibility and crashes in homebrew programs can be resolved by restoring the PSP firmware to an earlier version. This process is called “degradation.” There are step-by-step “downgrade” instructions for each software version. Some require additional steps, such as an upgrade before downgrading. Most people wonder if they can upgrade again after downgrading. You can upgrade, downgrade, upgrade, downgrade, etc. to meet your current needs.

Of course, every time you downgrade you are risking your PSP. Only you can decide if the benefits to you outweigh the risk. Before you consider downgrading, you should consider the following risks:

1. Degradation will void the warranty. In other words, if you downgrade your PSP and then have another problem with it in the future, the manufacturer will not honor the warranty. It doesn’t matter if the problem has something to do with the downgrade or not.

2. Downgrading your PlayStation Portable can be dangerous for the hardware.

3. You are downgrading at your own risk. It will be up to you to follow the instructions on downgrading. If done correctly, an older version can set you up to enjoy most programs, games, movies, etc. But one wrong move and your PSP will end up in the trash.

Determine Your Firmware There are several different versions of PSP firmware. To see what type of firmware you have, simply go to the main menu and find settings > system settings > then system information. There you will see: “System Software Version ____. This is your firmware version. Use your firmware version to dictate if an older version is available and what type of older version to use.