After using the downgrader, some people have had problems with their screen brightness.  This article explains why, and what you can do about it.

The problem seems to occur only for recent TA-082 / TA-086 PSPs, that came originally with firmware 2.71 or later.

The problem is that Sony changed the display hardware in some of the recent PSPs, and the firmware needs to be aware of how to handle that.

This means that if you run a lower firmware than v2.71, then the display isn't given the right brightness signals.  Where normally you would see a bright screen, and it would go dark after a while of not pressing any keys, now it is normally dark, and goes bright if you don't press anything for a couple of minutes.

The best fix is obviously to install a firmware that can control the display correctly.  Fortunately the OE firmwares, e.g. 3.10 OE, will do this.  The only drawback is that, when running homebrew in the 1.5 kernel mode, you will get the old screen behaviour.  But you should be able to work around this by pressing the 'screen' button a few times. 

It's also possible, for advanced users, to make a hybrid firmware that will use the later screenhandling code in the 1.50 kernel mode of OE. 

For lots more technical information, there's an excellent thread in the lan.st forums, here . 

Comments (33)

Kaonic said:

Hii, I'm braziliam psp user, i dont have ta-082, ta-086. But when ??? When ? The 3.03 no gta, or 3.10 no gta !!!! Im cry now !!

February 27, 2007

alx said:

which downgrader?

February 27, 2007

sdgdfhsrth said:

im confused because i finished doing everything it tells me to do to downgrade 3.03 and update 1.5 but it still doesnt work i did the GTA thing but my psp doesnt reset or ne thing so wat should i do caz idk wat else i need to do for it to work

February 27, 2007

paulwall said:

is this adressable in future Dark Alex firmwares... can he fix this?

February 27, 2007

Lewis Wundenberg said:

Awesome! thanks!

February 27, 2007

paulwall2 said:

Oops, silly me. It IS addressed in latest firmwares. Its in 1.5 Kernel that the problem lies and as TA-082s never had a 1.5 kernel, there is no easy way to change the code by using their kernel. Guess I'll leave the brightness on the middle setting, so it's always on, whatever and change it when I need to and stop compplaing then.

February 27, 2007

Thames said:

That I had also, as I mean psp with 2,81 and ta-082, on 3.03 made and then on 1.50. I only a black screen there had, bit I then on 3.10 OE made Good luck from Germany

February 27, 2007

White_Hawk_UK said:

Aha! I noticed this odd behaviour (obviously only when loading under 1.5) only with my newer PSP (TA-082, previously FW 2.81) and considered this might be the case. Until/unless somebody releases an easy fix for this (or the OE firmware incorporates a fix) I think I can live with it. Thanks for the heads-up Noobz.

February 27, 2007

Bon Scott said:

no matter the downgrader is used, the brightness issue will occur? I mean, there are 3.03 downgrader (the one that needs the GTA:LCS unpatched) and 2.71 downgrader (TIFF exploit), the problem may happen with both? Thanx in advance

February 27, 2007

Vergil productions said:

Plz A 3.10 downgrader

February 27, 2007

Hmm said:

D_A should be able to do this, he managed to add in the 4th brightness setting, after all.

February 27, 2007

FUDGE said:

IM SCREWed i have FW 3.11

February 27, 2007

Kaonic said:

Downgrade please. We are your fans, plz 1

February 27, 2007

John Dillenger said:

I have gotten a lot of 1.5 apps to work in the 3.03 kernel. Most of the 1.5 apps that don't work in the "game150" folder have needed the "game" folder (rather than the game150 folder)to operate due to the progaming. With 1.5 apps they generally have 2 folders. Example: {UR and UR%} are the required folders for the universal remote program. So to get 1.5 apps to work in the 3.03 kernel, I made a copy of the UR% folder in the "game150" folder and pasted it into the "game folder". and if that doesn't work try the other folder and delete the %folder. It does leave a corrput data icon and takes up some additional space but I just use an oraginze program and shove the corrput icon to the bottom of my memory stick. I have gotten 5 out of 6 of my 1.5 apps to work using this simple method. Don't know if this will help anyone with the brightness problem, as I don't have a TA-82, but I hope it may help. P.S. UR is just the shortest example I could think of. UR doesn't need the game folder it works great in the game150 folder.

March 01, 2007

nerd said:

******************************************************* ********************************************* * Is it posible to downgrade with Metal Gear AC!D as that has version 1.5 on it, just wondering? * ******************************************************* *********************************************

March 01, 2007

shaer said:

hey im having another problem with my 3.10 oe-a, when i play a game and press the "HOME" button to return to the system, the d pad doesnt work, so the only way i can exit games is to remove the batter, which usually sends me to recovery mode. also my "r" button doesnt work when im playing music, if anyone is having this problem can u make a post for this for all users to see, in hopes for more feedback.

March 01, 2007

John Dillenger said:

nerd--Currently, it seems, most downgraders require the unpatched GTA LCS. This is needed to be able to load the downgrader program through the eMenu loader (or various other beer loaders i.e. brown ale) using the game save exploit. I have heard of a TIFF exploit downgrader, for 2.71(I believe) but I have never used it and know very little about it. However, I can personally vouge for the 3.03 downgrader and the 2.5/2.6 downgraders as I have used both of them with 100% sucess on 6 different PSPs including a dreaded TA-82. So to anwser your question NERD Sorry but NO. GET A COPY OF GTA LCS, DOWNGRADE, and the join the rest of us in the wonderful world of homebrew. There are 100's off nifty applications constantly pushing the psp to its limits. I love to make this thing do new stuff! P.S. the unpatched GTA will have a ver 2.00 update on it.

March 01, 2007

Summer said:

How do I find out whether my PSP is a TA-082 / TA-086 PSPs or not? I've never downgraded before & bought the PSP last March. I've checked on the box & on the unit itself but I cant see anything.

March 02, 2007

tonytony1534 said:

i got 3.03 OE-C and i know how to fix brightness problem if you got this problem just send an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

March 03, 2007

GamefreQ said:

@John Dillenger: Yes, I have done the same, but I think this is just a glitch that is accessing the 1.5 kernal, NOT actual 3.10 kernal @tonytony1534: Post some proof because we think you are lying.

March 03, 2007

John Dillenger said:

SUMMER- The code locations for the TA-082 PSP motherboard, seen through the UMD door. Here is a picture explaining how to tell: http://psp.about.com/od/homebrew/ig/TA-082-Motherboard-Tutorial/TA-082-code-photo.htm

March 03, 2007

tonytony1534 said:

there is two way to fix the brightness problem get the display.prx form devhook 0.52 or devhook 0.51 any firmware (am usin display.prx form firmware 3.11) go to RECOVERY in the psp THEM advanced them toggle usb (FLASH0)and kd folder move display.prx to this folder you will get the same brightness in the XBM and low brightness in the 1.50 kernel mode ----------this way is 0.k i tested the other way is go to RECOVERY in the psp THEM advanced them toggle usb (FLASH0) and kd move display.prx to this folder and delete impuse.prx from this folder you will get the same brightness in the XBM and bright screen in the 1.50 kernel mode --------but this way got a problem this option don't work----RUN PROGRAM AT /PSP/GAME/EBOOT.PBP--all the other option work o.k ---- if you want to use RUN PROGRAM AT /PSP/GAME/EBOOT.PBP you will need to put the impuse.prx to kd folder in the flash0 MOD NOTE: Don't do this unless you know what you are doing, you could brick your PSP. Probably you can recover it via recovery mode, but make sure you know how to do that before beginning.

March 04, 2007

Nik3sH said:

The Downgrader works SUPER .Thanks alot for all ur hardwork in making this possible i have downgraded about 25 psp all worked great . Cheers NiK

March 07, 2007

GTA said:

Im going to sell my GTA game the one needed for the downgrades nO NEED FOR IT i got 3 psps one black one silver one pink aka girls not mine

March 09, 2007

Vadd said:

@tonytony1534: That will 100% brick your psp for way too many reasons to list.

March 10, 2007

varian said:

hi i'm writting in regards to bricking of psp. i was recently upgrading my psp to 310 oe'a but while in that process, i dropped my psp and the memory stick popped out. after so, the whole screen went blank and could not be turned on again. is there any way to flash reset the system or write it back to 1.5???anyone who can help pls email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it thanks

March 11, 2007

Tide said:

ah... I still stuck with my 3.03... people are asking an absurd price for non-patched GTA UMDs...

March 12, 2007

Jordy said:

i have one psp only and am thinking of 3.10 OE what are chances of bricking?

March 12, 2007

Kaonic said:

Please, wher'd you go DAX and Noobz ? And downgrade ?

March 12, 2007

ish420ism said:

is there any to find out by looking at the box, if the psp is T-82 or T-86?

March 15, 2007

RE: ish420ism said:

ish420ism said: _ is there any to find out by looking at the box, if the psp is T-82 or T-86? March 15, 2007 No but this picture shows you how to find out. http://www.modchipstore.com/support/images/ta82spot.jpg

March 17, 2007

Apollocre said:

This might help too. http://forums.qj.net/f-psp-firmware-discussion-253/t-how-to-determining-psp-firmware-using-box-codes-jan-3-2007-28717.html

March 21, 2007

k4m4kz1 said:

i have downed several psp's and the brightness issues are ONLY present in psp's with the TA-086 motherboard....... not TA-082's!! (thats out of 10 that i have downgraded and 4 were TA-086's and all had brightness issues) 2 of the TA-082 mobos were shipped with FW 2.81 and had no problems.

March 22, 2007

Name

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment