MAKE Magazine: PSP

Make a USB power/charger from a wall wart

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 20:00:00 -0800

A user on the Hacked Gadgets Forum posted this simple conversion of a common wall-wart into a USB power supply/device charger. He used the power adapter from an old Iomega drive and a few common components. I've seen several versions of these floating around. Easy to make. Nice to have around.

DIY Wall-Wart USB Power Supply - Link

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Downgrader for PSP v3.50 firmware

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 03:00:29 -0800

There hasn't been a lot to write about on the PSP homebrew and modding front for a bit, but this downgrader is pretty exciting. Now you can downgrade (which is like an upgrade) any PSP to play your own games and more...

This downgrader is for v3.50 firmware, and includes a port of the Homebrew ENabler (HEN) for firmware 3.50. It will automatically detect all known PSP motherboard types, and do the appropriate steps to ensure a safe downgrade.

To use this downgrader, you will need the following:

A PSP, upgraded to the official Sony v3.50 firmware. You should also set your language settings to "English".
A legal Lumines UMD, either the EU (ULES00043) or US (ULUS10002) version. The original, Platinum, or Greatest Hits versions are all fine. Support for the Japanese version will come soon.
Sufficient intelligence and english language skills to be able to carefully and throroughly read the instructions.
It would also help if you've previously run the Illuminati Hello World, so that you're familiar with how to run the Illuminati exploit.

N00bz! - Downgrader for PSP v3.50 firmware - Link.

uClinux on the PSP

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 09:25:51 -0800

Chris got linux on his PSP, here's the page with downloads and more--

Linux on the PSP! Currently supports the video hardware, the headphone jack serial port, the IR port, and has support for the Palm 3169WW infrared keyboard. Check it out for pretty pictures of it running.

uClinux on the PSP - Link.

Related:

PSP archives @ MAKE - Link.

uClinux on the PSP

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 05:40:42 -0800

Luke writes in with some linux action to tinker with for PSPs... -

"The guys on this project have managed to boot a version of uClinux on the PSP. Status, Source, instructions and a variety of information is on the page. " - Link.

From the site:
Depending on your perspective, maybe a lot, maybe nothing. It has minimal hardware support (the headphone jack serial port has a TTY driver, and, well, thats it really. Unless you count the CPU and the RAM.)

It boots. It mounts a root filesystem that is linked in with the kernel code. It loads an interactive shell and has a very minimal userland. At the moment, every binary is statically linked.

This is mainly a proof-of-concept. Hopefully now more people will help, and we can write device drivers for all the remaining hardware thats on this nifty little handheld.

Related:

PSP archives, hacks, mods and more @ MAKE - Link.

HOW TO - Make an analog control stick for your Sony PSP

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:55:52 -0800

Mod god Ben Heck has a great how-to on adding an analog joystick to a PSP, he writes - "History is littered with game systems using far-too-stubby of controller sticks. From the Intellivision's "disc of doom," to Coleco's "shaft of stiffness" (quiet, you!), and even now, in this high-tech age, the Sony PSP's "sliding nub of death." It's unfortunate that the PSP is saddled with that thing -- it's a pretty slick system otherwise, with a library of almost 5 games! (Please don't key our cars.) Well what if you could augment that sliding nub with something more useful, like an actual analog control stick? Well now you can!" - Link.

Related:

Interview with Ben Heck - Console Hacker Extraordinaire - Link.
nPod - Portable NES - Link.
Homemade Atari 800 XE Laptop... - Link.
Xbox 360 laptop - Link.
PSP projects @ MAKE - Link.

PSP Lunchbox

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:12:45 -0800

A soft and friendly psp lunchbox mod action.

Now I was a little worried about my PSP and game bouncing around inside my new ironic metal lunch box so I went and got a large padded shipping envelope and cut it down by tracing the sides into one big insert. I made a single piece in the shape of a cross and taped it all up with some white duct tape. I taped it to the tin first and made a nice and tight fit. My PSP and games in Minidisc cases fit just with some headphones about right without much bouncing around. - Link

GPS on a PSP

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 10:11:59 -0800

Here's how to use a GPS on your PSP (pre 2.0 firmware) by making a custom cable and using the included app - source code is included - Link.

Nintendo DS Tic Tac Toe - WiFi with PSP!

Sat, 06 May 2006 02:31:49 -0800

Here is some homebrew code that will allow you to play Tic Tac Toe on a DS (touchscreen) and also over WiFi -with-a-PSP! Excellent homebrewing! [via] - Link.

Stream iTunes to a PSP

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 17:33:19 -0800

Skatter Tech has a how to on streaming iTunes to a 2.6 firmware PSP using an iTunesPSP server app - "Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a very popular device and has sold a few million units, but when compared to Apple's iPod, the PSP lacks storage space. Luckily, the PSP has a built in WiFi card to make up for this disadvantage. With a few simple steps, all of which are included in this tutorial, anyone can stream any non-copyright music from their iTunes library to their PSP." [via] - Link.

Related:
Other PSP projects, hacks and mods - Link.

PSP "Flash" (SWF) player source released

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 20:38:55 -0800

Pikoro on PSPhacks.net writes - "Just wanted to let everyone know that we have released the source code for the PSP Flash Player.The source is available at dev.psphacks.net. 71M is preparing a step by step on how to compile the player from source (it's pretty tricky), and it will be available in this forum." - Link.

Related:

"Flash" (SWF) player for PSP - Link.
PSP hacks, mods and more - Link.

PSP Homebrew Flash Player! (with photos!)

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 02:54:48 -0800

They weren't kidding! Here it is - a Flash / SWF render / player for the PSP, made for, and by, the PSP homebrew community! - "The current version supports most action script through version 7 and runs on 1.5 only. We are currently testing for 2.x PSPs and will announce when it is working on 2.x firmwares. If someone gets it working, be sure to let us know." - Link.

Pictured, here I tried it on my 1.5 PSP and it works.

Keep reading for more photos of what ran, for your old timers, I used the files from Flashenabled the book - and they worked...wild!

Flash player for PSP - February 28th?

Sun, 26 Feb 2006 08:17:47 -0800

A forum member named 71M seems to have created a Flash player / SWF renderer (clone) for the PSP and won the PSP SWF player coding contest on PSPHacks. This is pretty exciting, once the player is released we'll see tons of new games, applications and more. Details are a little skimpy, but the word is the player will be released on February 28th. [via] Link.

A little update: I edited this to make it clear it's not a Macromedia/Adobe Flash player (Thanks John!).

Pictured here, solar powering my PSP.

See past PSP how-tos and article here.

PSP eLoader "Brown Ale" released...

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 22:53:01 -0800

PSP 2.60 firmware users, get your homebrewin' on - "The beta release of eLoader showed us that homebrew was possible on 2.60 firmware, but Brown Ale brings it to the next level and is now on par with the 2.0 Firmware EBOOT Loader. That means that 2.60 users can enjoy all the homebrew that 2.0 users have been playing for quite some time. eLoader requires the 'Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories' UMD to be inserted in the PSP for 2.01 firmware and above to work." Link. Pictured here, homebrew chess on the PSP.

PSP LEGO charging dock

Tue, 21 Feb 2006 05:28:38 -0800

Tysonhy in the MAKE forums writes - "Here's a little project that I did today. The PSP lego charging dock. It took me about 1 hour 15 minutes to make this and if I had more of the same colors, I would've made a much better color design. Cost to make this charging dock was about $6.00 in lego pieces. Cheaper than purchasing those $25.00 ones. Let me know what you think." Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in LEGO | Digg this!

PSP controlled Helicopter

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 11:24:11 -0800

This looks like the start of an excellent project - using a Gumstix robostix and WiFi CF card the Maker controlled a RC helicopter with a PSP, but then it all crashed, so hopefully the project will start up again soon. [via] Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in PSP | Digg this!

Homemade portable, handheld Playstation 2

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:47:40 -0800

Forget the PSP, here's a video of a homemade, handheld portable Playstation 2! [via] Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gadgets | Digg this!

HOW TO - Make your own homebrew games for the PSP

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 13:21:23 -0800

"Make your own homebrew games for the PSP! A HOWTO that walks you through setting up the development environment, making your first program, and then some subsequent techniques for enhancing your games (adding images and audio for example)." Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in PSP | Digg this!

60 Day PSP Coding Competition..

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 03:15:47 -0800

"PSP News and the DCEmu Network are proud to announce the 3rd Coding Competition for the PSP and this time the Competition is for 60 Days instead of 30 and not only that but the top prize is a yummy GP2X Console which for any coder is a welcome addition to their collection, heres some details about the prize." [via] Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in PSP | Digg this!

Use a PSP as a Universal Remote

Fri, 03 Feb 2006 03:34:03 -0800

"One of the most requested applications for the PSP has finally become a reality! Thanks to Massa84 you can now turn your PSP into a universal remote capable of controlling thousands of devices!" Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this!

PSP Sequencer in Development...

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 13:07:15 -0800

"Soon, hackers will exceed Sony in developing cool stuff for the PSP: not only is the 2.60 firmware hacked, but there's a sequencer in development to go along with the PSP drum machine! Tracker style, much like the homebrew Game Boy creations. Who's up for starting a homebrew Game Boy / PSP orchestra?" Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this!

HOW TO - PSP 2.00-2.60 homebrew with eLoader

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 05:27:09 -0800

CK sample of PSP Hack the book fame has a great how-to on using the eLoader to run homebrew on the PSP - "The solution isn't in the form of a downgrader, but rather in the form of an eLoader (EBOOT loader) that lets you use Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories to run homebrew on a PSP with version 2.0, 2.01, 2.5, and 2.6 of the firmware. Not all homebrew will run via this method, but there is a rather easy to read compatibility chart and I'm sure more things will begin working in future releases of the eLoader." Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in PSP | Digg this!

Homebrew Games and Emulation for ALL PSP's!

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 13:06:22 -0800

"That's right, the day we've all been waiting for has finally arrived! Thanks to the fantastic work by our forum moderator Fanjita and his coding companion Ditlew, it is now possible to play vast amounts of homebrew programs and emulators on every PSP in the world, including those with 2.60 Firmware! Thanks to their monumental achievement, every PSP in the world is capable of playing homebrew!" [via] Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gaming | Digg this!

Homebrew games and Emulation on PSP 2.50

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 10:02:21 -0800

"PSP Updates forum moderator and hacker guru Fanjita has completed his first release of a new loader for 2.01+ PSP's called eLoader. While 2.60 is not currently supported, this is a major accomplishment in unleashing homebrew on all systems. This amazing feat shows how frightfully resourceful developers can be when put against certain system restraints. This leap has indisputably opened the door to homebrew for PSP gamers who play on newer firmware." Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in PSP | Digg this!

DIY PSP Stand

Wed, 25 Jan 2006 08:01:50 -0800

"I decided to make a simple little stand for the PSP. Handy when watching videos, and it lets me have it connected to external speakers and the charger - while on the stand. It is very simple to make, and only cost me about 20 minutes and 25 cents worth of plastic." [via] Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this!

Use your PSP as a serious portable drum machine...

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 16:22:12 -0800

Peter writes - "The free homebrew software PSP Rhythm continues to advance. With the 3.0 upgrade, announced today, it'll even output WAV files -- meaning you can output high-quality drum loops you built on the road, and add them to your home computer's song project in Ableton Live, Sony's own ACID, whatever. There's also a cool-sounding reverse drum feature." Link.

Hacking Your PSP Audio

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 10:45:49 -0800

"The PSP's audio capabilities are second to none among portable gaming platforms on the market today. In this feature you will learn the audio formats supported by your particular PSP, the right formats to use when encoding audio, how to access your iTunes library with your PSP, and much more." [via] Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in Gaming | Digg this!

Lessig in virtual world (photos and transcript)...

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:21:06 -0800

Alan Martin reports from last night's virtual world event - "On January 18, 2006, Stanford Law Professor Lawrence Lessig, known for his work on Creative Commons and intellectual property rights in general, joined Lindens and residents alike in the world of Second Life for a discussion on what turned out to be a very wide range of topics. Professor Lessig talked about the future of SL, and how we must be careful not to take the path of overly restrictive IP rights. He even offered to consult with Linden Lab in the future on these matters, and said he would look into getting some members of congress to speak in SL as well. The event proceeded into a long string of questions from the audience, during which many interesting topics were brought up, many relating to SL and RL IP rights (and what distinction we can make between the two). Finally, the event ended with a Free Culture book signing featuring lines of patient residents waiting to get their autographed copies from virtual Lessig himself."

PSP Devkit for GTA homebrew released

Sun, 15 Jan 2006 04:39:30 -0800

"Following on from Tetris for GTA, I've put together a small package of source and useful tools for developing homebrew to run with the GTA loader. This package will allow you to replace tetris.bin with your own binary, and makes it easy to deal with some of the issues in the GTA environment. I'm hoping that developers (especially v2.6 owners) will use this package to develop simple homebrew to keep v2.6 users entertained while they wait for their firmware to be fully exploited." Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in PSP | Digg this!

HOW TO - Add 20GB of external storage to the PSP

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 08:40:09 -0800

"While I love my Playstation Portable as a both a game machine and portable media device, one of the biggest limiations is the fact you're limited to the storage on the memory stick. Even with a 1GB stick, after you drop on a movie or two, you're really limited in what you can store on it compared to an iPod." This how-to shows how to use custom firmware on the WL-HDD 802.11g drive enclosure to add a built in webserver. By using RSS feeds, you can stream content directly from the drive to the PSP. Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in DIY Projects | Digg this!

First homebrew game for PSP v2.5! Tetris...

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 19:08:03 -0800

"Just a small thing, really, but I've ported my Tetris game to the GTA exploit, and have it running on a v2.50 PSP. There's a small technical glitch that means it doesn't run yet on v2.60, I hope to sort that out ASAP, before I release a version that will run on any firmware that can run GTA. So - no release yet, but it's imminent. As well as being the first homebrew game for v2.5 and v2.6, it will also be a good test of the improved GTA loader that will be used to launch the EBOOT loader. Sadly at the moment this is still for US and EU versions of GTA only, my attempts so far with the German version haven't worked correctly, but I hope to change that soon." [via] Link.]]> Read more | Permalink | Comments | Read more articles in PSP | Digg this!