If you’ve picked up PS Vita then you’ve probably been too busy plowing through the dense launch line-up to have spent much time browsing the Settings menu. Luckily, you don’t need to – we’ve spent plenty of time with PlayStation’s new crown jewel and we’ve put together a few favorite tips and tricks we wanted to share. Of course, this is just a start: We want your tips, too!
If you’ve discovered any favorite PS Vita functions, please share them in the comments for all to enjoy this weekend.
1. Order in the court! By now, you’ve probably figured out how to move your game and app bubbles around the Home Menu by pressing and holding one using the front touchscreen, enabling you to drag it around into different frame. You can even change the background color or image by tapping the theme icon in the bottom right of each frame. Get creative and design your own background images (which you can transfer to your PS Vita via PS3) like James Gallagher from the EU PlayStation Blog did here.
2. Let there be light. You can adjust your PS Vita’s OLED screen brightness mid-game without the hassle of jumping into the Settings menu. Just hold the PS button to bring up a quick-access menu that enables you to adjust brightness and your custom music options. Wanna listen to the soundtrack to Armageddon while carving through Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus? Don’t miss a thing, baby.
3. Call for backup. Let’s face it: electronic devices have an uncanny affinity for toilets. We can’t prevent that, but we can help ensure you don’t lose your precious saved game data. Simply connect your PS Vita to your PS3 via the USB cable, open up the Content Manager on your PS Vita, and select the the Back Up option to back up all your PS Vita’s game data and gain a little extra peace of mind.
4. Say cheese! PS Vita comes equipped with a simple but game-changing new feature: The ability to snap screenshots of your in-game exploits. Just press the PS button and Start at the same time: You’ll see a white flash and hear the snap of a camera shutter and the resulting image will be saved and neatly categorized in your Photos gallery. You’ll be able to take screenshots in the vast majority of games, though not every game.
5. Prettier PSP games. PS Vita currently supports more than 275 legacy digital PSP games and more are on the way. You can also improve the way those lower-resolution PSP games look on the PS Vita’s screen by pressing and holding the front touchscreen to bring up a Settings menu where you can activate several options. Checking “bilinear filtering” and “color space” seems to yield consistently smoother results, but experiment with your PSP games to find your favorite combination.
6. Slip into something more comfortable. PS Vita enables you to adopt a custom panel to add a little flair to your PSN presence. To change your PSN panel, navigate to Settings, PSN, Account Information, and Panel to choose from a wide assortment of artwork from first and third-party games.
7. Remote Play renaissance. Ever wish you could log into your PS3 remotely to access a video or initiate a PlayStation Store download? This handy feature isn’t technically new — it was supported on PSP — but thanks to PS Vita’s monstrous OLED screen and more powerful processors, it’s more useful than ever. Protip: Remote Play is compatible with any PSone games you may have on your hard drive, along with a handful of classic PSN games such as PixelJunk Monsters, PixelJunk Eden, and Peggle.
8. Bluetooth bliss. PS Vita supports high-quality stereo Bluetooth for audio output, so if you’ve got a nice pair of Bluetooth headphones (ahem), you can pipe in your game audio without restricting wires. In the Settings menu, touch Network and Bluetooth Settings and you’ll be able to pair your headphones to your new PS Vita. If you get stuck on the pairing code, try “0000.” If that doesn’t work, check the manual that came with your headphones (or look it up online) to find the proper four-digit code. Now enjoy a better life — a life without wires!
9. Silence is golden. Some people like soft jazz, others prefer silence. If you want to turn off PS Vita’s toe-tappin’ menu music, you’ll find the option in Settings > Sound & Display > System Music. While you’re there, you’ll notice an AVLS option. This limits the maximum volume when using headphones — perfect if you share your PS Vita with a little one.
Hey, I’m a college student. My school’s WiFi only allows devices with VPN support on their WiFi. Not even the PS3 has this support, but I thought maybe there would be a chance the Vita would.
Well, it doesn’t sadly. And now I’m stuck without access to the PSN store. With 3G, its useless and I can’t download any games like Escape Plan which I want REALLY badly. Is there any workaround or maybe some coming support for VPN?
well. from the looks of everyone’s comments, everyone is overly excited about the future firmware updates on ps vita. im holding off for now simply because i own 2 ps3’s. now if there is an offer for a trade up option via gamestop i may reconsider the wait for one.
my biggest question, because im still boggled by 3G or WIFI…
I noticed you can get the 250mb or the 3gb, obviously 3gb would be choice but if i can use the 250mb to get me through an entire month am i really in need of the 3GB? i guess my issue or question is i dont wanna run out of data usage too soon, im predominately around WIFI at home and a few other places i usually go, so i can rely on WIFI all the time if need be.
its just those days when im traveling or on a lunch break where i would really want to utilize 3G.
is gaming online that much better with 3G? anyone have any lag issues, i want to make the best, concrete decision possible about Vita.
my bday is also coming up, can i get a shout out on the blogcast Sid? 3/18/2012 :)
PS Vita will have abode flash player i want to see video on my ps vita internet browser ?
My favorie thing is my 500$ worth of vita and add ons locks up cant even turn it off and i cant do anything about it unless i hook it up to my playstation3.seems rediculas that you launch the vita and dont have the bugs fixed. basiclly steeling from the public that support your company. P.S probably bought a notebook
What about that awesome tip of the recovery menu? when off hold down L+R+ VOL UP+VOL DOWN and then press and hold in the power button until the recovery menu shows up. You’ll see a black screen that has 4 options; 1) reset to factory original state, 2) restore via PC, 3) rebuild your OS if damaged, 4) Format card. I think those are the options, mind you the wording is a little off since I am not in that mode at the moment, but have accessed it at least three times all on accident.
I have a pretty interesting remote play tip that I just found out.
When using remote play, you can assign buttons like L2, L3, R2, and R3 to the rear touch pad. To set this up click on remote play from your Vita. When the screen comes up asking you what type of connection you want to use, click on the little … bubble in the bottom right hand corner and click settings. From there click on Assign Buttons and choose Type 3. Now L2 will be assigned to the top left section of the rear touch pad, R2 on the top right, L3 on the bottom left, and R3 on the bottom right.
My one favorite tip: Dont buy this thing
The PS Vita sure sounds like it would make some one of the best smoothies I ever tasted.
why because there is going to be another model ohh there will be !
Any news on PSone classics coming to the vita? :)
I love the PSVita so far….
I love my Vita!!
Appreciate the tips, I did find a few I didn’t know about and they make using the Vita that much simpler. I do have a concern (ok, a jealous bone) about how PS3 owners can trasfer PSone games and even Peace Walker to the Vita to be played but this option isn’t available to PC owners. I suspect this has something to do with security but is the Media Go getting an update to allow this anytime soon? I’m a portable gamer first and a home console fan a distant second but having that extra joystick is the only thing from retiring my PSPgo since I can’t play Peace Walker yet!
I can log into the Playstation.com forums from the Vita but cant Log into the front page of the site from the vita, thus I cant comment on the blog from it or submit to the share site from it. Really Sony should be aware of these things before you release a brand new device and make grand statements about it’s functionality. I can accept waiting a week or two for remote play, but that right there kinda irked me.
While we’re on the subject of functionality; I can understand the lack of full on remote play right now but It’d be nice if Sony combined the Vita and PS3 devkits so that PSN games could be automatically compiled for the Vita as well, this way we’re not expected to have to buy two games or use the PSplus cloud that I and other people refuse to pay for. Like the PSOne games or the Minis they should just automatically be compatible, this isnt possible with the old games obviously but from here out it would make things easier and promote the PSN store content even more. it would have had loads of games to play at launch rather than the dozne or so that aren’t even to everyone’s taste. If I could download them to the vita rather than using remote play, it would be better for twitch games.
Excellent form Sony! The vita is an amazing piece of kit. The more I get to know the machine more the more I love it. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for this devices capabilities.
Peace out!
PSYCHOBOY
I hear you #1,for me that would be a really good selling point.And what # 11 said is the reason I didn’t buy a vita yet. I’m playing crono cross on the psp and really enjoying it.why would I buy something more expensive that doesn’t play what I already have does.If it did play ps1 games I would be playing Crono Cross on a new Vita right now. O well I can wait I hope Sony can;t.
Hey Sid!
Loving my PS Vita infact i was so excited to get it launch day i only had a few hours sleep after i got it all set
Up and booted up uncharted golden abyss i passed out for several hours…lol
(I have a list of fixes and suggestions for the PS Vita.)
First my suggestions:
1. A patch to allow the Sony Stereo 7.1 Headset to work on the PS Vita through the PS3 similar to how
Ps3 controller can be linked to the psp go?
2. Remote Play for all PS3 titles is a must but for now can you just Enable SKYRIM? Pretty Plz! :)
3. Xmb like the ps3 and psp backround would be nice to be able to use the touch screen to navigate.
I have no idea why you guys picked the vita to have a more xbox 360 Wii look???
4. Visualization options for music.
5.(this is for ps3) i didnt know about the banner card backround for ps vita i would like to see ps3 get these different backrounds.
6. Skype , Youtube and also is it possiable to video chat on ps vita with other ps vita/ps3 owners?
Hey Sid!
Continued..
Now for fixes.
1. Bluetooth defaults to on when powered down,(even after being switched to off)
2. Bluetooth headset has the sound of the system through the headset(i didnt even think that was possiable without a stereo blutooth headset) makes it hard to hear anyone it chat playing a game.
3. The blue PS light stays on while using the device when there are no notifactions or anything.
4. The ablity to use the web browser without having to exit the game.
5. An option to beable to sign in into other accounts? Not differnet regions just so another family member can play
On their account i seen something to do with sub account management in the psn setting, so i think the potentional is in there somewhere.
i wish the internet browser had a “remember password” setting so i wouldn’t have to login to a site after i close and reopen the browser. also, the browser isn’t bad like a lot of people are saying. it’s actually quite fast.
Hey Sid!
More fixes continued!
6. Better use for the browser? Not much options in there? I can’t even sign into my ps blog to post this i’m on my phone.
7. Why do i have to download the same game for psp that is already on my ps3 and is in the ps vita store
Instead of just tranfering in it (god of war) also when will my other psp games work on the vita Motorstorm arctic edge, Jak and daxter lost frontier,LBP, Socom(Bravo squad) wonder if i can map the camera control to the right stick instead of ps button, i thought in g.o.w. i would be able to do that for kratos to make him roll.. no just make me have to movement joysticks.
That is all i can think of so far.. great machine though it has sooo much potentional!
And for those of you wanting to put videos onto the vita download Handle Converter.
Set res to 960 x 544 i havent quite figured out what to set the res for extra widescreen movies without having them squished or just not working at all.
A lot of things people wont to be fixed on the vita.Of course if it sells well they don’t have to worry so much about it.I wonder if things would get done any faster if it didn’t sell so well.
Really can’t wait to get mine!
Tip: To access the PS Vita recovery menu:
While the Vita is powered off (not sleep or standby), press and hold buttons R1, Home, then Power simultaneously for 5 to 7 seconds.
Menu Options:
1. Restart the PS Vita System
2. Rebulid Database
3. Format Memory Card
4. Restore the PS Vita System
5. Update System Software
* You must use the PS Vita system’s buttons to operate this menu.
I haven’t needed to use it yet, so experiment at your own risk.
Thanks.
I have the PSP and the Sony Location.. Was pretty upset to find out the Vita did not include that.. is their any plan to include that.. that was one reason i got the VITA… :(
Sony LocationFree that is…
I would like to play some of my PS1 games on my vita… kinda strange that I can stream them but not save them on my vita… unless I’m missing something.
Ohmygod Ohmygod Ohmygod I need to get a Vita now!
Only a few more days until I get paid… :)
Then I’ll finally have all the current-gen systems: Wii, PS3, 3DS, Vita (sans Xbox 360).
Needs YouTube, PS2 classics, PSOne support, and EVERY PSP game as advertised. Come on Sony, STEP YOUR GAME UP!
Spend some of that 50 million on keeping your promises instead of Taco Bell commercials where the company scams winners out of their prize.
Just keeping it real.
We need the option to increase chat volume and decrease game volume independently. I have noticed that the chat option does decrease the games volume but it is still overly difficult to hear people talking.
Also why dont my $200 Beats with inline mic work with this system??? I can use them to listen to the system but no chat…
Hi,
I bought DJ Max 3 from the US store and put it on my Vita, however.. I cannot play the game on my Asia account because it says ‘the owner of this application is another player’
Since Sony made the ridiculous decision of not allowing Vita owners to access content manager on different PSN accounts, the only way I can play this game is on the US account, which I don’t want to do (the only reason I use the US account is because Sony are too lazy to update PS stores with the same content as everywhere else)
Is there any solution around this? My $20 purchase should be able to carry across PSN accounts..Thanks in advance.
Vita is overrated!
Go Dale Jr in the Daytona 500 today on Fox! Oh and again the vita is overrated and the PS3 rocks. Enough said and I’m out!
Hey Sony if you want me to buy a vita! Put Nascar 2011 or 2012 on it in a vita version and I’m sold. HANDS DOWN!
PS2 Classics via Remote Play would be a killer feature. It would increase the value of the PS2 Classics program ten-fold, even if eventual native support on the PlayStation Vita isn’t a long-term plan at the moment.
Honestly, I have every North American PS2 Classic re-release downloaded to my PS3.
I saw Sony showing Killzone 3 on the Vita with cross play believing it was a day 1 launch that you can actually play your PS3 games at work then I tried it with my Vita and it said it doesn’t work. I guess Sony was just showing us that it is able to do it but doesn’t mean they will do it for us. God waste of money, for a reason I wanted this handheld to continue where I left off on at work and not go back home and play on my PS3. (Disappointed Sigh*)
Loving the VITA. I want more “buy one, get two” games (PS3 & VITA) like Motorstorm RC.
Just throwing this out there…
I often have to give up the TV, and PS3 games in HD along with it, when someone else wants the TV. I would buy a Vita the day I find out that all PS3 games can be played lag-free over a private network.
I’ll buy one eventually for Vita games, but knowing I could somehow use the Vita as a screen for my PS3, even if I have to connect them with a cable, is a surefire way to get me to part with my money.
I am an apple user and I have discovered that I can access video’s stored on my apple’s hard drive. The app on the apple is called MediaLink. What’s great is that this app allows unsupported video formats to be played. MKV’s, divx, whatever you like. So via remote play, I can wirelessly access videos from my mac’s hard drive. Can also access my iTunes and iPhoto/aperture stuff. Really cool. Just can’t wait to try it remotely from someone else’s network.
hi im havin same problem that the near some times dont reconise mi location data and other thing teh conection always at nat type 3 y just check every thing my psp 3000 conect at type 2 and my ps3 the vita always at 3 hope there an update soon to fix those problems
Please beg Squeenix to bring Kingdom Hearts on PSP to digital download. That way I can play on my Vita. Please hurry up making all digital PSP games compatible w Vita.
Is there an update planned to enable us to create folders to organize apps, such as a demo folder, utilities folder, etc.?
I have to say the Vita is fantastic. I have some problems with the integration of some of the applications. Why have the party application if not all games are going to support it? If I’m playing Uncharted, it disables all network connectivity. Same thing happens when I play Hot Shots Golf. I can’t not use party and some games at all.
The other problem I have is with messaging. Do I need to have the messaging app open in order to receive new messages?
Why can’t all games take a picture? Sony should not leave it up to the developers to enable and disable these features. It should be a feature that is available across all ps vita games.
Finally, no where does it say how to access the game manuals, or how to update a game. I think Sony should include this tutorial as well. I figured it out but I don’t know if other users know how to access these items.
“This limits the maximum volume when using headphones — perfect if you share your PS Vita with a little one.”
I won’t be sharing my Vita with a little one, only because my little one, my wife, or anyone else can’t have their own account on the device. I hope this is remedied with a firmware update (official or unofficial), because I can’t go broke purchasing multiple Vita’s, and then spending additional money downloading games we already own for all the different accounts.
It’s a silly and dumbfounding fence Sony put up around their borders. I hope the lighten up a bit so everyone can enjoy this $300 device.
* Wanna listen to the soundtrack to Armageddon while carving through Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus?*
No, no I don’t.
And the person who wants both of these things in combination is nothing less than a monster and a horrible excuse for a human being.
Top 12 Improvements I’d like to see for the PS Vita (not necessarily in order of importance)
1) The ability to create CUSTOM PLAYLISTS in the music Player.
2) The ability to take a photo or start/stop a video with the Camera by pressing a TACTILE BUTTON (e.g. one of the volume buttons).
3) HDR (High Dynamic Range) and digital zoom for both front and rear camera.
4) Skype with video (It IS coming, right?)
5) The ability to switch Bluetooth on or off via the PS Button shortcut menu.
6) A camera shortcut via the PS button shortcut (It takes too much time to find and open the camera the normal way and by the time you’ve opened it, the shot is lost).
7) REMOTE PLAY FOR PS3 GAMES.
8) A faster web browser that supports Flash and file downloading, at least on par with that of the PS3.
9) The ability to “throw” content to a Sony TV (like the Sony S Tablet) or even better, the ability to reverse Remote Play to a PS3. One or both of these solutions could address the problem of the PS Vita lacking video out.
10) An RSS/Podcast downloader.
11) A YouTube app.
12) Much better video codec support!
Thanks for reading.
I have Love-Hate with my Vita right now.
I can’t play ANY of the downloaded games I own on it. NONE OF THEM. I hope this is remedied very soon, because I’d like to actually play games on my Vita rather than leave it sit in my desk drawer at home. It’s stupid.
Second… I can’t believe I had to buy a memory card separate from my device. You couldn’t just supply a small card? Then I could buy a bigger one when I needed it?
Again… because it’s obviously not said enough, I want to play the games I already own. Seriously.
The functionality of the device and all of its new features (built-in cameras, microphone, touchpads) is awesome. When the game compatability is fixed, I’ll actually consider buying a new game that uses these features. For now though… forget it. I feel like I’ve wasted money AND time on a bundle of lies. I freakin’ want to play Phantasy Star Portable 2 and inFamous! And PSOne games! ESPECIALLY APE ESCAPE!!
All I can think is that Sony announced the Remote Play as a feature of the Vita as a quick response to the Wii U’s functionality of play across the tablet and the console, but now they’re playing catch up trying to get it to work.
I am having trouble with “Near”. Every time I launch it, it says that ‘You are not sharing your online id’. I checked the settings obviously and it seems like a bug to me. Looking at other forums also there is no good solution yet for this. Any plan for a patch for this?
it’s great that i can get psp games on the ps vita, but i think that the playstation network needs an ad hoc library.
see, I just got FF tactics, (the 4th time buying it) and to go on the bonus adventures in taverns, you need to have another player in ad hoc range.
it seems silly that i should still need to be within 15 feet of someone to enjoy this game feature when there is a much greater likelihood that i could hop online and find someone interested.
perhaps there could be some way to set up an ad hoc app that redirects you to game lobbies on the playstation network, so that people who support sony through older titles that are you are less likely to run into someone who owns it and is progressed to a similar level.
just a thought about the future of your continuing quest for portable awesomeness.
@Sid Shuman
can we ever expect to see apps made from other people asides sony and like major companies