Sony Playstation SKU14

Sony Playstation SKU14.  PlayStation (プレイステーション officially abbreviated PS) is a series of video game consoles created and developed by Sony Computer Entertainment . This particular unit has been professionaly treated with chemicals to remove  the “retro yellow” discolouration.  This leaves the console with its near original colour.  To compare take a look at the gallery pic with the lid open.  We have deliberately not treated the inside of the CD bay and you’ll notice the retro yellow.  Also the last pic in the gallery is the before pic (you’ll notice the lid has a square discoloured area where a sticker has been in place throughout the consoles life).

The PlayStation control pad was the first controller made for the original PlayStation. It featured a basic design of a D-pad, 4 main select buttons Green Triangle, Red Circle/Red O, Blue Cross/Blue X and Pink Square, and start and select buttons on the face. ‘Shoulder buttons’ are also featured on the top [L1, L2, R1, R2] (named by the side [L=Left, R=Right] and 1 and 2 [top and bottom]). The original digital controller was then replaced by the Dual Analog in 1997, which added two analog sticks based on the same potentiometer technology as the Analog Joystick. This controller was then also succeeded by the DualShock controller.

In addition to playing games, some select PlayStation has the ability to play audio CDs (Asian model SCPH-5903 can also play Video CDs). The CD player has the ability to shuffle the playback order, play the songs in a programmed order, and repeat one song or the entire disc. Later PlayStation models can utilise a music visualisation function called SoundScope. This function, as well as a memory card manager, can be accessed by starting the console either without inserting a game or keeping the CD tray open, thereby accessing a GUI for the PlayStation BIOS.

Regional variants

The OK and Cancel buttons on most of the Japanese PlayStation games are reversed in their North American and European releases. In Japan, the O button (maru, right) is used as the OK button, while the X button (batsu, wrong) is used as Cancel. North American and European releases have the X button or the O buttons as the OK button, while either the square or the triangle button is used as Cancel (some titles like Xenogears used the O button for cancelling actions and selections, along with the PlayStation 2 system browser and the XrossMedia Bar on the PlayStation 3 and the PSP). However, a few games, such as Square’s Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy VII (which used the X button as cancel) and Final Fantasy Tactics, Namco’s Ridge Racer Type 4, and Konami’s Metal Gear Solid, use the Japanese button layout worldwide. Some other games, like the Japanese version of Gran Turismo, had used different controls that are similar to North American games. These Japanese button layouts still apply to other PlayStation consoles. This is because in the early years Sony America (SCEA), Sony Europe (SCEE), and Sony Japan (SCEJ) had different development and testing documents (TRCs) for their respective territories.

Copy protection

Prior to the PlayStation, the reproduction of copyrighted material for gaming consoles was restricted to either enthusiasts with exceptional technical ability, or others that had access to CD manufacturers. However, the increased availability of cheap CD burners at this time led Sony to introduce a special wobble pressed into PlayStation formatted discs. As a result, any discs that did not contain the wobble such as CD-R copies or standard pirated discs could not boot on the console.

The installation of a unofficial modchip allowed the PlayStation to play games recorded on a regular CD-R. It also allowed the console’s capabilities to be expanded in other ways, such as playing games from other regions. By the end of the system’s life cycle almost anyone with minimal soldering experience was able to perform these modifications. This created a wave of games developed without official approval using free, unofficial tools, as well as the reproduction of original discs.  With the introduction of such devices the console became very attractive to programmers and illegal copiers alike, as well as those who merely wished to protect the lifespan of their lawful, original discs.

Actual item pictured