Cerridwyn--
I agree with lilac_jive--
The older Sonys will NOT charge via a USB/AC adapter. In fact, several people have reported that this actually drains the battery even further. To charge via AC, you need to get a PSP charger that'll plug into the round "DC-In" port on the reader. If the battery is really dead (which it sounds like yours is) it could take several hours to get a decent charge via AC.
Good luck!
dordale
