Fake Memory Stick

'Note: This article is highly inspire by aussierams guide FAKE Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo MagicGate Cards Exposed. I've actually only changed some words or adapt it to fit your screen.

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File:4gbhighspeedsony.jpg

Here is the perfect example of a Fake Memory Stick, the High Speed Pro DUO is limited only to 2GB

Fake's Memory Sticks are counterfeit memory card made by an non-autorized manufacturer. They are generally manufactured in China and South-East Asia. Fake Memory Stick usually encounter many problem such as extreme lag, unknown in PSP, can't read ISO or MP3.

How to detect Fake Memory Stick

False SONY Part Number or False UPC / EAN Part Number

Genuine SONY Memory Sticks have exactly the following Sony Part Numbers and UPC Part Numbers on the retail paper insert and all MUST includes "Sony IC Recording Media Memory Stick PRO Duo - Operating instructions" sheet(s) in 14 languages, folded 20 times. It is a special 70% or more recycled paper using VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) - free vegetable oil based ink:-

• PRO series: 1GB (MSX-1GS), 2GB (MSX-2GS).
• PRO Duo Hi-Speed series:

- 1GB (MSX-M1GN), 4-901780-942947 or 0-27242-64714-5.

- 2GB (MSX-M2GN), 4-901780-892532 or 0-27242-64715-2.

- 4GB (MSX-M4GN), 4-905524-319217.

• PRO Duo series (with 2 hidden Security UPC Tags):

- 1GB (MSX-M1GST), 0-27242-66543-9.

- 2GB (MSX-M2GS), 0-27242-67114-0.

- 4GB (MSX-M4GS), 0-27242-69239-8.

- 8GB (MSX-M8GS). 0-27242-69240-4.

• PRO Duo series (with separate Sony Warranty sheet in 14 languages):

- 2GB (MSX-M2GS/X), 4-905524-387889.

- 4GB (MSX-M4GS/X), 4-905524-333688.

- 8GB (MSX-M8GS/X), 4-905524-333695.

FAKE Sony have easily identifiable FALSE Sony part numbers with extra letter T and also mixed/incorrect UPC Part Number on the retail paper insert.

• PRO Duo:

- 2GB (MSX-M2GST/X), ?-??????-??????.

- 4GB (MSX-M4GST/X), ?-??????-??????.

- 8GB (MSX-M8GST/X), ?-??????-??????.

Newer FAKE may have correct Sony Part Number but the UPC Part Number may still be incorrect on the retail insert! Fake has none of the Operating Instructions sheet(s) and none of the separate Sony Warranty sheet.

Using the PSP

Most fakes have HALF or less than half of the usable capacity from the stated capacity. The only bullet-proof way to find out its real capacity is to try transferring as much data as possible to your card and then READ BACK data from the card to see if it will actually hold close to the stated capacity with no sign of missing files or data corruption.

Genuine card has high transfer speed at about 80Mbps while Fake has painfully much slower transfer speed.

MagicGate™ Unknown

If you have newer firmware (3.XX) go to your PSP Menu screen, go to Memory Stick, press the Triangle button, then select Information. Genuine SONY will display as MagicGate Supported. If you see Unknown or Unsupported then you know you have a FAKE Sony!

Incorrect User Capacity

• Genuine Memory Stick displayed User Capacity:

8GB as 7687MB or 7763MB;

4GB as 3839MB;

2GB as 1909MB or 1910MB;

1GB as 956MB or 949MB;

512MB as 488MB;

32MB as 30MB;

• Fake Memory Sticks displayed User Capacity:

8GB as 7727MB or 7839MB;

4GB as 3876MB;

2GB as 1937MB or 1949MB or 1956MB or 1959MB;

1GB as 969MB

Incorrect Retail Packaging

File:8gbfake.JPG

This is the details to watch when buying a Memory Stick you are not sure about.

Genuine retail blister packaging has 9+6+9 (some has 3+2+3) long-staple-shape heat-pressed seals along the Left, Top & Right edges of the pack indicated by the positions of the yellow arrows while fake always only has 3+0+3 round dimple or long glue seals along the Left, Top & Right edges with NO seals at the Top edge indicated by the encircled red arrows. This applies to all 1GB/2GB/4GB/8GB retail packaging products. Newer fake may also have 9+6+9 staple seals but the TOP vertical staple seal is misaligned with the 6 horizontal seals. It may also have old 3+0+3 dimple seals pattern left on the packaging.

Genuine has COLOR CODED round label:

1GB/GO is Light Blue,

2GB/GO is Light Green,

4GB/GO is Purple Blue,

8GB/GO is Red.

File:Gue8.JPG

Here is what you should be retrieve on an authentic Memory Stick packaging.

Fake Sony has similar color codes for 1GB, 2GB and 4GB so not as easy to differentiate, older FAKE 8GB/GO is Light Blue which can be easily identified, newer FAKE 8GB/GO is also Red which makes it hard to identify.

Genuine retail blister packaging will have a golden metallic 'SONY hologram sticker' at the front as pictured. Fakes also have similar hologram sticker, however on the fake the SONY wordings does not go on and off, become black and light up in alternate pattern when viewing from various angles, fake's SONY wordings will be ALL ON or ALL OFF easy to differentiate.

Bring the packaging to your nearest SONY retail outlet and ask for a SONY Anti-counterfeit Handy Viewer to tell if your item is genuine. The viewer has 2 see through Lens. Genuine hologram will appear as complete BLACK when see through the Left lens and Normal on the Right lens. Counterfeit hologram will appear as Normal through both Left and Right lens.

Card's outside checkout

Front

File:Msfrontview.JPG

You can clearly see the color difference.

1. Genuine uses print ready/control vector art technique to print all the letterings. Fake uses inferior hi-res bitmap to copy the genuine, so zoom in a bit to see the printing flaw. The font on the fake usually is bolder, messy and can be rub off.
2. Genuine black plastic casing background has 2 distinct textures, a much darker texture on the inside enclosed by rectangular frame comparing with its outer casing. The 2 distinct textures apply to both front and back of the card. The casing texture of the Fake card is uniform throughout, hence lower cost for manufacturing.
3. There is no OEM version of SONY memory stick pro duo being produced, all genuine SONY are produced in sealed retail blister pack. Hence if you discover an unidentified sticker at the back of the card after opening the sealed pack, like the one shown in the picture below, then it is fake! (I guess fakers are attempting to mark their own products)

Back

File:Backfake.JPG

Here it is the left which is counterfeit.

1. The font face, font size and printing technique are the main criteria to differentiate the genuine from the fake, please take notice!
2. Genuine has the letter 'S' in 'MSX-4GS' as Italic than the 'S' used in other writings such as 'BBSC1000000'. Also notice the OPEN top letter '4' for both 2GB and 4GB cards. Old fake is using identical normal font face throughout but newer fake now has italic 'S'.
3. Genuine uses print ready/control vector art technique and has all golden letterings engraved by laser-etched into the plastic shell of the card, the letterings are metallic reflective quality against light source and is EASY to read. Fake uses inferior hi-res bitmap to copy the genuine, hard to read via naked eye, so zoom in a bit to see the printing flaw, and is not reflective against light source. The font on the fake usually is messy, out of focus and can be rub off. To know if it is printed, just use your finger to feel the surface as the letterings are a bit raised.
4. On the 10 gold metal stripes/contact, genuine is covered fully by the black plastic housing from the top to the bottom end. Fakes may have small black holes on the some metal stripes, some have its gold metal stripe not fully covered by the black plastic housing. Some fakes have internal green color PCB board exposed as pictured displaying its inferior manufacturing defect.

Exposing internals

File:Insidems1.JPG

Left is a fake.

1. On the inside, genuine has Sony-marked PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and usually use Samsung flash memory chip wheares the fake does not use the same Sony-marked PCB and is unmarked with unmarked/unknown brand flash memory chip.

File:Insidems2.JPG

Left is a fake.

1. Genuine uses BGA (Ball Grid Array) memory chip where the pin connections are beneath the chip whereas the fake uses TSOP (Thin Small Outline Package) chips where its pin connections are on the edge. Fake always perform unreliably.