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Help turn USB Pen Drives into PSP Memory

Posted Dec 6, 2006 at 1:41PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: How-To, Mods Tags: psp tips and tricks, Sony
Ó

Schematics? Perhaps...


How would you like to supercharge a Sony PSP with an 80 GB drive? Slythfox is currently trying to figure out a way to do so, but he might need some assistance from homebrewers or people with electrical engineering expertise.

What Slythfox is currently thinking of is an adapter to attach USB drives to the PSP using a Pro Duo connection. To do this, you'd need two Pro Duo to Duo adapters, a Pro Duo to USB adapter, and some skill at molding stuff:

You only need to take apart one of them completely (take off metal cover, then find and take off the plastic weld), attach a thin ribbon cable or wires. As the Duo Adapter case will not fit in your PSP, you need to create a mold: mold it with plastic. The mold itself could just be a clay mold of an actual Pro Duo card. You need to mold it so that the fake pro duo card is strong enough for you to be inserting and taking out of your PSP by pressing on the top (is there any other way?)


You'd then need to solder some wires to connect the two of them together, and then connect those modded Pro Duo adapters into the Pro Duo to USB adapter to convert the appropriate information across the connection into the USB drive.

The idea is simple and rather exciting, but doing it definitely seems a lot harder than it looks. The current problem he foresees is in getting enough power to make any of the transfers from PSP to USB, since those Pro Duo to USB adapters usually get power from the USB side. While it's currently more like theorycraft than anything else, if anyone's got any ideas, check out the forum link below and let's see if we can make the idea a reality, eh?

Discuss: [Forum Release Thread]



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Comments 


 
# keedierGuest 2006-12-06 15:55
you need to get this working... damn its sweet! just to have an 80 gig + DH 3.02 damn.. sony.. merry christmas!

Reply
 

 
# hurry pleaseGuest 2006-12-06 15:57
plewae hurry

Reply
 

 
# WHat?Guest 2006-12-06 15:58
Um...

"What Slythfox is currently thinking of is an adapter to attach USB drives to the PSP using a Pro Duo connection. To do this, you'd need two Pro Duo to Duo adapters, a Pro Duo to USB adapter, and some skill at molding stuff"



Molding stuff? Like clay? Don't you mean welding? Do you even know what you're talking about? Was this written by a 5 yr old again?



Oh, and all this effort just for 80 gigs is NOT worth it. Then you have this huge box hanging off your psp. Bull*****. No thanks.

Reply
 

 
# Alternative DriveGuest 2006-12-06 16:15
ok so everyone knows the usb port on the psp sends and receives data like the duo card....although there would be less space why not use a micro drive, compact flash, etc. and plug it directly into the usb port. Then to load up the drive all you will need is a .prx to autostart(custo m firmware of your choice) when you power up your psp. In theory it works, but being applied is a different story.

Reply
 

 
# Surprised...Guest 2006-12-06 16:17
I'm surprised people forget that the PSP has a memory limit of 2 or 4gb on it at the moment. More recent ones may allow 8gb. So attaching anything above that limit is pretty pointless.

Reply
 

 
# @Insane 1minus5252 2006-12-06 16:20
I think the point of this is so that devs like Dark_Alex could write a custom firmware that can utilize the extra space.

Reply
 

 
# noobsGuest 2006-12-06 16:24
Ipod. Duh.

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# sighGuest 2006-12-06 16:26
ipods cant play psp games can they? no didnt think so stfu

Reply
 

 
# .Guest 2006-12-06 16:40
I'm surprised that you're so mis-informed.

Reply
 

 
# pointlessGuest 2006-12-06 16:40
I've read somewhere that psp only supports up to 4G of memory, but I don't know if newer PSPs can support more than that. what I want to say is, this is pointless! psp is a portable device and I think it should stays that way. attaching it to another storing device will make it less portable. taking a 2.5" HDD for example, it still need a power source and that should be from the device it is stuck to like laptops. so, even if you manage to stick it to the psp, it will use the psp battery as well and this sure will shorten the battery's life - shorter time to play before the battery runs out! maybe somebody who is interested will figure out ways to realize this, so we'll see...

Reply
 

 
# QuestionGuest 2006-12-06 16:42
Will the psp be able of recorginizing the type of partition of USB? Wasn't 4GB the Top of a FAT partition?

Reply
 

 
# Ah...Guest 2006-12-06 16:45
Yeah, that could be the point of this. Thanks for pointing out that to me, instead of just saying I'm wrong without explaining like "Snarg" did.

Reply
 

 
# yepGuest 2006-12-06 16:46
4GB is the limit

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# IdeaGuest 2006-12-06 16:48
Firmwares 2.8 and up support >4 gigs, while 1.0-2.71 only support 4 gigs.



But anyways, the Datel hard drive is just a MSDuo-CompactFlash adaptor, and CompactFlash-IDE adaptors are simple. It wouldn't be that hard to use an IDE drive...

Reply
 

 
# This may not work...Guest 2006-12-06 17:03
We do not know how to make the psp into a host. The IPOD definately cannot become a host. This is due to hardware restrictions and not software (linux or driver mods won't help). So, in theory, it is actually NOT possible through usb.



Now, with a duo adapter.... maybe. But I think the new limit is 8 gb as 2.81 I hear is the first to support more than 4. I definately don't know about 80 gbs. This sounds a little nuts to even make in the first place. Whats wrong with wireless or usb redirection anyways?

Reply
 

 
# well...Guest 2006-12-06 17:07
80 gigs huh? That's sounds like a great idea. Good luck getting past the 39 GB hardware limit...

Reply
 

 
# +5vGuest 2006-12-06 17:08
Well, you make it sound easy, but with all this discussion of powering the device, I have to chime in.



OK. USB draws 5v at a very low amerage.



Remove LEDs and crap you bring it down more.



Not much battery consuming, but some.



You could just attach like a 7805 to a nine volt and use that.



And all this IDE bologna...



IDEs take alot of power.



Well, on a PSP scale



I think they draw 3.3v (correct if wrong) at a fairly high amperage.



So, unless you want to tote around an EXTRA powersupply



Or drain you battery in a matter of minutes.



I think you are better of spending 60 dollars on a 4gb MemStickDuo.



Comments?



Peace

Reply
 

 
# About this ideaGuest 2006-12-06 17:11
I tried it about 7 months ago with no success, got the power to the usb, conected it to a usb to MS duo adapter, and connected it to the psp, and it didnt work.

The research I did half a year ago I found that apparently it(usb drive) needs something about slave or something of the sort(like when you change the amount of hard drive memory on your computer), so although who knows you migth get it to work somehow, I really doubt it.

just in case you are wondering im a electric engineer student at UPRB.

Reply
 

 
# DriversGuest 2006-12-06 17:13
You gotta have drivers.



Windows has a huge library of drives, thats why you just plug it in and it works.



Actually if you buy a new USB thing and plug it in



if you look at the bottom right corner of your screen, you can see Windows looking for drivers and installing them.



Yes yes, not only do you need an adapter + power supply



You need a controller that can essentially "drive" the USB device

Reply
 

 
# ghey!1!111Guest 2006-12-06 17:23
This is *****ing retarded.



this was done (yes, done, not thought of, but done) just when the psp came out.



and i am also working on an identical project



only everything will be wired inside of the psp and the HDD will be in the UMD slot. (since you really wouldnt need the umd's with 100 gigs + )





and if you try to flame me for some "Pirating" ad; ***** you.

Reply
 

 
# WellGuest 2006-12-06 17:41
Well..If this ever works i'm going to test my 320 GB HD LOL

Reply
 

 
# problems?Guest 2006-12-06 17:50
u may encounter problems because even with the 4 GB, Sony says that u have to have a 2.80 for it to be compatible, because the system is not used to anything above 2GB for PSPs that have below 2.80. the data may be corrupted if the files go pass the carrying capacity because the system doesnt know it.

Reply
 

 
# ...Guest 2006-12-06 18:07
@Kyle, Perhaps I read what you said wrong, but doesn't the PSP give power through the Pro Duo.



Anyway, this isn't intended for portability. I wouldn't want to carry around an 80gb hard drive attached to a USB to Pro Duo adapter attached to a Pro Duo to Pro Duo bridge attached to my PSP... Such a mess.

Reply
 

 
# .Guest 2006-12-06 18:10

Reply
 

 
# .Guest 2006-12-06 18:15
I use a 4 gig stick on my 2.71SE-C and never have any problems.

Reply
 

 
# We could...TheCheat 2006-12-06 18:27
Always rig up a battery that hangs from the hard drive as well by modding that, giving it power, and a couple of bricks just hanging randomly from the psp so we can work out at the same time as playing...20 lbs later, and we're ready to play on the go :P

Reply
 

 
# ditto here 2Guest 2006-12-06 18:30
I'm currently using a 4gb stick, have been since 1.5



What about a host system, like the iaudio devices? they are self powered, and designed to sync /w cameras and other devices

Reply
 

 
# uhGuest 2006-12-06 18:32
well if u dont care about portability then shouldnt u just use the usbhost function in irshell to get 80gb of extra space?

Reply
 

 
# the answers to all?Larson 2006-12-06 18:33
So there is a Double memstick expander for the psp. So if you put 2x4gb wouldnt it be a 8gb?



http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-jd-49-en-70-1lz3.html



then the next question is, what if you plugged 2 memstick expanders into a memstick expander, wouldnt it be 16gb?



The next thing is if you really wanted to hook up a extra harddrive, what about taking a HP Jornada 720, adding drivers to windows ce to support usb hd, then usb cabling to the psp to make as much space as you possibly want with usbhostf?



There is alot of ways of doing this, such as using a datel 4gb hd,compactflash to pcmcia type 2 converter, using a pcmcia usb and hooking the hd into that.

http://www.semsons.com/comflastopcc.html



I have a million ideas, just lack of funds.

Reply
 

 
# ...Guest 2006-12-06 18:37
I guess you could try using custom firmware to recognize for example a 40Gb HD by having 10 4Gb partitions :3

Reply
 

 
# Yeah.Guest 2006-12-06 19:36
I dont even know where to start to tear this idea apart.

So I just dont. Enjoy wasting your time. This is dumb.

Reply
 

 
# ..Guest 2006-12-06 20:18
cant u just mold a fake memory card the size of a pro duo and attach wires to it and connect it to the memory of a flash drive? sounds much easier. would it work?

Reply
 

 
# Re: WHat?Guest 2006-12-06 20:21
@um, You need to mold a structure for a fake MS Pro Duo card. Read the forum thread.

Reply
 

 
# ...Guest 2006-12-06 20:23
That extender looks interesting. Certainly makes the job easier.

Reply
 

 
# moronGuest 2006-12-06 20:24
umm... he meant as a storage device. think about it... it acts as external storage, has its own power supply, and its small... if they could find a way to interface that with a psp it'd be *PERFECT*



so, on that note, to quote yourself.... STFU

Reply
 

 
# Stupid and pointlessJaSo PsP 2006-12-06 20:33
He said we need to use a 'female' connector with it even though the USB Pen drive is clearly a MALE Connector.



Also...



Can you imagine playing you PSP with some piece of crap like that sticking out of the side. You think we are going to make this ourselves? How are we supposed to make 'fake memory sticks'. How can WE make informarion travel through a device that we made at speed.



The only way for this to work if it was put into mass production, that will never happen...

Reply
 

 
# my iriver h340+my psp it works :}Guest 2006-12-06 20:41
he he

Reply
 

 
# ......Guest 2006-12-06 21:08
Fools! theres already a way to do this...



Buy a USB Enclosure, its like a USB connector of a harddrive to a PC without opening up the PC to do it.

And instead of the Double AA ended USB cable, replace it with the PSP one then connect the USB enclosure with harddrive connected inside with the PSP.



But for the PSP to recognize it, u gotta run WINHIIP in windows and format the harddrive into a PS2/PSP format. then the PSP will recongnize it as a external harddrive in usb mode.

Reply
 

 
# hope this helpsCoolvibes 2006-12-06 23:15
Just a thought the ribben cable for the datel harddrive is made buy a company called (rs) so with a little detective work you could aquire part number and order as many as you like (this definitly solves the connection problem).



As for the power problem that comes in the form of some trust rumble gaming headphones that has a seperate io jack batt pack in case you want to portable rumble sessions on the move (this to has a part number)

but i be dambed if i can find the manufacture



hope this helps (in case you need it i have spare pen drives and pro addapters you can have for this project free ) (tech6927@gmail .com)

Reply
 

 
# ???Guest 2006-12-07 00:25
Wouldn't 80GB fry the psp? I mean...can a PSP handle 80 gigs of memory?? It's like a mobile phone crashing at 2 gigs of memory, unless it's just my phone that sux =,= >

Reply
 

 
# ThanksGuest 2006-12-07 01:41
Thanks for the correction,



but I didn't mean to imply that the PSP gave power throught the MS port.



The only way to get power from the PSP is hardware from the battery



or the USB port at the top.

Reply
 

 
# Clearly...Guest 2006-12-07 01:45
Clearly you have no imagitation



or faith



I built things for my gaming systems all the time



All you need is knowledge.



On my PS2 I changed the LEDs in the from for the power button



Also, I upgraded the hard drive in it.



All that is basic and simple.



You dont have to rely on brand names for quality.



Mmmm...



Just like Goodwill and their Geogre Foreman grills :DD

Reply
 

 
# AwesomeGuest 2006-12-07 03:10
That is a *****ing awesome idea! Where can I find more about this project!?!? I'd love to replace the UMD drive!

Reply
 

 
# not soCoolvibes 2006-12-07 04:14
memory issues are software not hardware

Reply
 

 
# How dumb can you be!Guest 2006-12-07 04:25
OMFG. How dumb is everybody!

This CAN'T work. I've explained it before, and I'll explain it again.

First off, you've got USB hosts and USB clients. Your PC is a USB host, and your memorycard reader is a client. A USB pendrive is also a client. A host can only connect to a client, and a client can only connect to a host (with the exception of a PSP as it can internally switch between host and client mode, thus allowing you to either connect it to a pc, or connect a camera or other accessoire to it).

The USB port on a USB sony memorystick reader is a client port, and is only meant to connect to a computer. You can't connect a USB pendrive (also a client) to your memorystick reader (also a client).

But there's more!

The memorystick port on your PSP, and the memorystick port on the USB memorystick reader are both hosts! They also can't connect with each other.



Oh and thumbs up for PSPupdates for blindly posting such a piece of crap on your site. I'd expect you to be smarter than this.

Reply
 

 
# Molding probably unnecesaryGuest 2006-12-07 06:03
You could probably use your old 32 MB card as the "fake"-duo card. Just take out the memory chip, solder some cables and glue it togheter again. But I haven't opened mine so I might be wrong.

Reply
 

 
# at >R1c47Guest 2006-12-07 06:19
what were you a freshmen when you tried, that was the most nontechnical explanation ever for a "electrical engineer student" if you would have said you tried connecting the devices with a programmable micro controller got power to the usb device connected it to the psp and got no communication then i might have believed you, i have a degree in electrical engineering and say this is possible, it is going to take a lot of effort(R&D)

Reply
 

 
# badz149.........PEOPLEGuest 2006-12-07 07:11
Like u shouldnt be here or at least on the comments section. psp supports 8 gigs.... why would i use a 2.5 hdd..are you stupid? a thumb drive...compact flash.... or something small.

Reply
 

 
# E-vixGuest 2006-12-07 07:32
your argument is correct but a programmable microcontroller can act as a host, educate yourself!!!!

Reply
 

 
# realistic solutionGuest 2006-12-07 07:42
use the datel 4gb hd and the grip connector to store a ipod hd within it and all you need to do is create a apaptor for the micro drive that datel uses to fit the ide drive that the ipod uses. and bingo the capability to store 80gb.

Reply
 

 
# USB host on MP3playersGuest 2006-12-07 08:13
How about a Cowon Iaudio X5 mp3player.

Has a 2nd usb connector for host..

use to get pictures of your cams..



if someone could hack the firmware of the x5.. to support usb host for psp.



or other players with usb host like:

Archos 604 WiFi 30 GB

Archos 504 80 GB

Archos 404 30 GB

Apple iPod 80 GB (5.5G)

Creative Zen Vision:M 60 GB



if anyone can make the firmware i can test it on these players at work.

Reply
 

 
# So..Guest 2006-12-07 09:45
Actually, i'm flaming you for calling other people retards, while you mention that you are also doing an identical project. Doesn't that make you a ******* retard aswell? ;)

Reply
 

 
# at > darkfactGuest 2006-12-07 12:58
I guess i could have been more technical about my explanation but since I suppose most people that would read what I was about to post wouldnt have undestood a word i said, so I wrote it as raw as I could.

Reply
 

 
# 4GBGuest 2006-12-07 13:05
Can I please put this to rest? 4 Gigs is all that the PSP will recognize. Nothng more. Thats the reason there are NO pro duo's over 4GB.Yu would have to hack the firmware to recognize the larger partition.Who remembers HDLoader? Same thing apllies. For christs sake 4GB is more than enough for one card. Just get another 4GB pro duo and add the rest of your ISO's to that one. (I guess that's the reason why so many people want more than 4 GB's)

Reply
 

 
# modGuest 2006-12-07 13:06
well if this does work, I'll be making a mod to take off the UMD drive and replace it with an Ipod instead, of course we would have to charge both of the things but it would be much more cool anyaws.

Reply
 

 
# GoodGuest 2006-12-07 13:19
Cant we just work on something like this Ipod Full of Isos and connect it to the usb port at top of psp and use the usbhost thing to load the iso off it. I think this would be a more worthwhile project and also more asthertically pleasing.

Reply
 

 
# 4GBGuest 2006-12-07 13:24
Can I please put this to rest? 4 Gigs is all that the PSP will recognize. Nothng more. Thats the reason there are NO pro duo's over 4GB.Yu would have to hack the firmware to recognize the larger partition.Who remembers HDLoader? Same thing apllies. For christs sake 4GB is more than enough for one card. Just get another 4GB pro duo and add the rest of your ISO's to that one. (I guess that's the reason why so many people want more than 4 GB's)

Reply
 

 
# IF...Guest 2006-12-07 13:53
Well, IF this works (saying "IF"), If it works, I am gonna spend mad money and just buy a 1 TB hard drive! lol. I know it would be expensive, but can you say "UNLIMITED HOMEBREW!!"

Reply
 

 
# well if you think about it that would be coolGuest 2006-12-07 14:14
true but thats just adding more bulk to an already mostly confising to the naked eye product for most newbies your talking about making a connection through the ms slot but what if you rewroute (horrible spelling) the ms reader wires to a sub connection and into a computer the wiring would get annoying but if you have a laptop the amount of space would be unlimitless, i know nothing to do with this and before you start bashing me if i could i would i mean a laptop can sit to the side and i have my mini connector connected most the time when im home plus it would just be about setting up a fake memory stick connection on your computer. just an idea sony can have the ps3 if we can have microsoft. bash away now

Reply
 

 
# NiceGuest 2006-12-07 14:25
hahahahahahha niiiice

Reply
 

 
# ...no one check this link?Guest 2006-12-07 15:16
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-jd-49-en-70-1lz3.html



this allows for 2 memsticks, no matter what the size. So if you have 2 4gb memsticks then it will send out that it is 8gb. Well if you hook 2 of these into a 3rd one then you can have 16gb.



psp already plans on allowing http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/06/sonys-memory-stick-pro-duo-pushing-8gb-in-2006/



thats why 2.71 and above allows it.

Reply
 

 
# asdfadsGuest 2006-12-07 16:48
this'll be *****ing awesome1!!

Reply
 

 
# DUDE WHERE YA bEENGuest 2006-12-07 17:22
8 gig sticks are out now mang

Reply
 

 
# lolGuest 2006-12-07 17:46
k cool cause i am planning on getting one too. probably it was a way to make us upgrade to a higher FW

Reply
 

 
# yeah i know they're outGuest 2006-12-07 18:53
but like I said b4, it can only SUPPORT 4GB sticks.

Reply
 

 
# Too much work...Guest 2006-12-07 18:59
While the idea is all good, there is little thinkin on how to wire it up... only problem is just for a minute listen to me and have a little think....



When you plug ur psp into ur computer for the first time...what happens?



A driver loads...



What happens when u plug a card reader into a usb port?



A driver loads....



Then how is a psp going to know what to do with a ms reader? especially when its running backwards?



You will need to create an update module that contains the driver for the specific card reader...But then even the driver will have to be changed...



Then every memory stick has a different driver too...they are all constructed differently...A viable prototype would have to be constructed and exactly the same parts be used if there is any way this is going to work...Personally...its alot more than cut and paste...a little more work than this inferier SE firmwares...No offence to Dark_Alex and the rest of his supporters...hey i love 2.71 SE and even the new 3.01 SE though it is lacking vital features...

Reply
 

 
# wowGuest 2006-12-07 22:04
guy, are you absolutely stupid?

Reply
 

 
# the 8gb memstickLarson 2006-12-08 04:49
http://www.provantage.com/sony-msxm8gs~7SNYH00Y.htm



the 8gb memstick is already out but its costs.

Reply
 

 
# how long is this f****** question will be?Guest 2006-12-08 05:06
well try this maybe this is the answer

http://www.gadgetgreats.com/index.asp?PageAction+VIEWPROD+ProdID+550



jst generate your ideas from there coz this already has an advantage for u simple

Reply
 

 
# 10 seconds on google.Guest 2006-12-11 10:50
http://www.memorystick.org/eng/aboutms/hi_speed_large_capacity.html



Capacity: 32GB (Specified maximum)



Nuff said?

Reply
 

 
# hdd partitionGuest 2006-12-12 10:24
why dont you partition the hdd to loads of 4gb chunks then somehow wite a new piece of code in a new custom firmware to adress the different partitions.

Reply
 

 
# This is stupid.Guest 2006-12-16 15:24
I love all of the idiots that took the time to read this whole post and still have the balls to call this stupid. If you have read this far and aren't interested then stop butting in. Now on to my idea. I want an external memory device that communicates with the psp through WiFi. It could be as big as I want. Anyone who says this won't work take a look at pimp streamer. Same general idea. Now all of you electrical engineers get cracking.

Reply
 

 
# 32GbGuest 2006-12-19 02:10
is on it's way, check out anywhere the legit Sony and Sandesk comments that this is aimed at the PSP.



http://psp.consolenewsblog.com/525-sony-and-sandisks-32gb-hg-duo/

Reply
 

 
# XDGuest 2006-12-19 18:29
IF Sony PSP dont allow "memory stick" 4gb and 8Gb, how about a 120gb "portable harddisk"?XD.They didnt mention about harddisk.XD.Just kidding.Just a Joke.

Reply
 

 
# xp~hope this helpsGuest 2006-12-29 11:11
i havent done any research on this wat so ever but ive heard you can make your psp work as a windows xp so why dont you just hook then usb cable for psp and hook the other end with an external hardrive (small ehd run on pcs power)so if the psp is emulating one u can just drag games when ever you want without going to a pc

Reply
 

 
# Chiense PendriveGuest 2010-05-14 02:44
Whats is the actual storage of 32 GB Pen drive? I want to know 32gb pen drive price

Reply
 

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