How to Play PSP Games on Your TV

Use your television as an external display

What to Know

  • Connect an AV cable to the video out port on the bottom of your PSP. Connect the other end to the ports on your TV.
  • Turn on your TV and select the required input, then turn on your PSP. 
  • Once it starts up, press and hold the Display button on the front of the PSP.

This article explains how to play PSP games on your TV. This guide specifically applies to the PSP-2000 and 3000 models (a.k.a. the PSP Slim and PSP Brite).

How to Play PSP Games on Your TV

If you want to play PSP games on your big screen TV, you need to connect your console to the television set via an AV cable.

  1. Plug your PSP in with its AC adapter, or make sure the battery has a sufficient charge for the amount of time you want to play.

  2. Connect the AV cable to the video out port on the bottom of your PSP.

    It's the only port that end of the cable fits in.

  3. Connect the other end of the AV cable to the appropriate ports on your TV. A component cable has five color-coded plugs to insert and a composite cable has three.

    If you plan to play a lot of games on your TV (or watch a lot of UMD movies), and your TV has multiple inputs, you can leave your AV cable attached and simply reconnect the PSP end when needed.

  4. Turn on your TV and select the required input. This varies depending on your TV model, so check your user manual if you're not sure (or you can select the input by trying the available ones once your PSP is on and set up for video out).

  5. Turn on your PSP. Once it starts up completely, press and hold the Display button on the front of the PSP. The handheld's screen should go black and its usual display should appear on your TV screen.

    The Display button is the one with the TV-screen shaped rectangle on it that is usually used to adjust screen brightness.

  6. Insert your UMD game into the PSP's UMD drive or insert your memory stick into the memory stick slot if you haven't already, then navigate to the Game menu using the PSP's buttons just as you would if you were going to play the game on your PSP screen.

  7. Find the game in the Game menu and press the X button to start playing. You can use your PSP's buttons to play just as you would if playing normally. Think of the PSP as console and controller in one, and the TV as an external display.

  8. When you're finished playing, save your game as usual. Press and hold the Display button again and the screen image disappears from your TV and reappears on your PSP. Disconnect the cables from your TV and PSP.

Can I Play PSP on My TV?

If you own a PlayStation Portable, you can play games using your television as an external display. This requires the video out jack on the handheld, along with an AV cable. Obviously, the graphics quality doesn't get better with a bigger TV (in fact, depending on how big your TV is, it may even look worse), but it can make some games with really small elements easier on the eyes. And it's just cool to play PSP games on a much bigger screen.

What You Need to Play PSP Games on Your TV

Playing PSP games on your TV screen requires the following equipment:

  • A PSP (either a 2000 or 3000 series model).
  • A PSP component or composite AV cable.
  • A TV with the appropriate AV-in ports (to match your PSP cables).
  • An AC adapter for your PSP is a good idea, but not essential.
  • A game on UMD or memory stick.
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