The PS1 LCD: the history of the PlayStation screen

In 2000, the focus of Sony I was in the Playstation 2, which established the Japanese giant’s new generation of consoles. Overcoming the sales number of the PS1 over the years.

However, the first PlayStation still had gas. It was not in the plans to abandon the beloved PS1 at that time And, in fact, it was renewed on July 7, 2000, with the launch of PS Oneaffectionately known by many as PS1 Baby.

This version was more compact, cheaper to produce, and intended to offer an entirely new gameplay experience. Sony’s focus in terms of product communication has also changed. The PS1 began to be promoted as an ideal device for those who wanted to have fun and spend less than with the PS2. Reinforcing this positioning, the company took the console to other markets, such as India.

In terms of renewed gameplay – a proposal that could attract more consumers – the PS1 ended up becoming a platform that allowed more portable gameplay, without being constantly tied to a TV. What made this possible was an accessory for the console. A compact 5-inch LCD screen.

In this article, we will remember some curious facts about this accessory, the PlayStation screen.

Sony’s delay and copies

According to Sony’s official announcement, the LCD screen for the PS1 should hit the market in July 2000, in parallel with the new version of the console.

However, amid issues surrounding the PS2, Sony ended up having to delay the launch. And what a delay, huh? The screen officially arrived on the Japanese market on October 12, 2001. In the following months it was the United States’ turn. In Europe the screen only arrived in April 2002.

The delay did not prevent gamers from having access to a product of the same type. Companies like Logic3, InterAct and BigBen Interactive launched their LCD screen versions for the PS1 even before Sony. In one of them, the screen was attached to a bay, in which the console was accommodated. You can see this model in the post below from a Reddit user:

Aftermarket PSONE lcd screen. Anyone have one of these?? Any good?
byu/Sweetblu77 inpsx

Some had a very bizarre design, like the model below from CCL:

Therefore, Sony already had a setback to manage: a saturation of screens for the PS1 before the official project even hit the market. All this wrapped up at a time when the spotlight was focused on the PlayStation 2.

They also decided to launch a screen for the PS2. The only one I know is this model below the Pelican, a 7-inch screen.

What was the PlayStation screen like?

Play without needing to connect the console to the TV. That was Sony’s proposal with this accessory for the PS1.

The PlayStation screen, praised for its quality, was a 5-inch TFT LCD panel measuring 10.2 x 7.6 cm, in the same color as the console. When connected, the accessory looked like a kind of flap for the video game.

On the right and left sides of the screen housing there are small 4×2.85cm speakers, while on the bottom there are four buttons for adjusting volume and brightness.

Two plugs located in the lower internal part were responsible for power and image. On the outside, the same connections. A headphone connection was also available.

Through the external AV connection, it was possible to connect another image source, such as a camera (or even another console), so that the image can be viewed on the screen. Sony even launched an official cable for this type of connection. In the image below official product manualSony shows this mode of use.

It was also possible to adjust the angle by 165 degrees, allowing you to get the best out of the game depending on the condition.

How was the screen connected to the PS1?

The screen was fitted to the back of the PS1. Then, it was necessary to use some special screws to secure the screen to the structure, matching perfectly with the design of the console. When placed back on the base, the screen didn’t even look like it was an external accessory.

In fact, the screen was sold together with the console. A package called PSOne combo. The launch took place on November 22, 2001 and cost US$200.

Sony even announced an external battery that would allow games to be played without being tied to a power source. However, this battery did not reach the market, not by Sony, but other companies put their alternatives in stores.

Poor timing killed the product

The clamor for the PS2, the delay in its launch, and the price considered high for the time (around US$149.99) contributed to the PS1 screen becoming much more of an object worshiped by collectors than something that many actually had. access or even interest.

In Europe, the sales failure of the PlayStation screen was even more significant, and the European branch of the Japanese giant made a curious decision: selling the screens that were in stock to the i-Joywhich used them in DVD Players.

DVD Player with PS1 look

i-Joy produced televisions, monitors, computer accessories, MP3 players, and even DVD players. Do you remember the huge portable DVD player craze?

The countless LCD screens that were originally an accessory for the PS1 became, in the hands of i-Joy, a complement for a DVD Player model.

Sold in 2009, this portable DVD player was called the i-vision Pocket Portable Multiformat DVD. Does the design remind you of anything?

And i-joy wasn’t the only one that received a batch of PlayStation screens and used them as a panel for a portable DVD player. A brand called Smiley also launched a DVD player looking like the PS1 and using the console’s external screen.

Did you already know all these facts about this PlayStation screen? Tell us below, and take the opportunity to read other special articles about Sony’s first console here on Hardware.com.br.