PSP

General frequently asked questions about PSP

1. What is a PSP?
2. How To Transfer Photos to a PSP Memory Stick ?
3. How To Transfer Files to a PSP Memory Stick?
4. How To Transfer Music to a PSP Memory Stick?
5. What's in the Box?

1. Q : What is a PSP?

A : As its name suggests, the PSP -- or PlayStation Portable -- is a smaller, lighter version of Sony's PlayStation. It's not as powerful as the PS2, but more powerful than the original PlayStation, and it has a built-in screen and speakers so you don't have to plug it in to anything to use it.

As with the full-size PlayStation2, which can play DVDs and audio CDs as well as PlayStation game discs, the PSP is more than just a gaming handheld. The PSP plays games in UMD (or Universal Media Disc) format, but UMD format is also used for movies and other audio-visual content, and the PSP can pay those, too. And if that isn't enough, the PSP can also play audio, video, and still image content off of Memory Sticks (Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick Pro Duo are the compatible formats).

Unlike the PlayStation or PlayStation2, the PSP comes equipped with Wi-Fi, so you can connect with other players wirelessly and, if your firmware is version 2.00 or higher, get online to browse the internet.(Return to Top)

2. Q : How To Transfer Photos to a PSP Memory Stick?

A : One of the great things about the PSP is that you can store photos on your memory card and then use your PSP to look at them later, or show them off to friends. I've even used mine to create an ultra-portable art portfolio. Once you know how to do it, transferring files is a snap, and will take you no time at all to get a portable slideshow set up on your PlayStation Portable.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 2 minutes

Here's How:

1. Insert a Memory Stick into the Memory Stick slot in the left side of the PSP. Depending on how many photos you want it to hold, you may need to get a larger one than the stick that came with your system.
2. Turn on the PSP.
3. Plug a USB cable into the back of the PSP and into your PC or Mac. The USB cable needs to have a Mini-B connector on one end (this plugs into the PSP), and a standard USB connector on the other (this plugs into the computer).
4. Scroll to the "Settings" icon on the home menu of your PSP.
• Find the "USB Connection" icon in the "Settings" menu. Press the X button. Your PSP will display the words "USB Mode" and your PC or Mac will recognize it as a USB storage device.
• Create a folder called "PSP" on the PSP Memory Stick (if there isn't one already) -- it shows up as "Portable Storage Device" or something similar -- (you can use Windows Explorer on a PC, or Finder on a Mac).
• Create a folder called "PHOTO" inside the "PSP" folder.
• Drag and drop image files into the "PHOTO" folder just as you would save files in another folder on your computer.
• Disconnect your PSP by first clicking on "Safely Remove Hardware" on the bottom menu bar of a PC, or by "ejecting" the drive on the Mac (drag the icon into the trash). Then unplug the USB cable and press the circle button to return to the home menu.

  Tips:

  1. You can view jpeg, tiff, gif, png and bmp files on a PSP with firmware version 2.00 or higher. If your machine has firmware version 1.5, you can only view jpeg files. (To find out what version your PSP has, follow the tutorial linked below.)
  2. What You Need:
  • a PSP
  • a computer
  • a Memory Stick Duo or Pro Duo
  • a USB cable with a Mini-B connector on one end

3. Q : How To Transfer Files to a PSP Memory Stick

A : Even if you mostly use your PSP for gaming, why ignore its potential for other things? Transferring audio, image, and video files to your PSP's memory stick using a USB cable is a snap, and will let you listen to music or podcasts on the go, show your vacation snapshots to your coworkers, or watch the latest movie trailers downloaded from the web.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 2 minutes or more, depending on the number of files

Here's How:

1. Insert a Memory Stick into the Memory Stick slot in the left side of the PSP. Depending on how many files you want it to hold, you may need to get a larger one than the stick that came with your system.
2. Turn on the PSP.
3. Plug a USB cable into the back of the PSP and into your PC or Mac. The USB cable needs to have a Mini-B connector on one end (this plugs into the PSP), and a standard USB connector on the other (this plugs into the computer).
4. Scroll to the "Settings" icon on the home menu of your PSP.
5. Find the "USB Connection" icon in the "Settings" menu. Press the X button. Your PSP will display the words "USB Mode" and your PC or Mac will recognize it as a USB storage device.
6. Create a folder called "PSP" on the PSP Memory Stick (if there isn't one already) -- it shows up as "Portable Storage Device" or something similar -- (you can use Windows Explorer on a PC, or Finder on a Mac). There should also be a folder called "MP_ROOT" (not inside the "PSP" folder).
7. Create folders called "PHOTO" and "MUSIC" inside the "PSP" folder. There should also be a folder called "100MNV01" inside the "MP_ROOT" folder.
8. Drag and drop files into the folders just as you would save files in another folder on your computer. Image files go in the "PHOTO" folder, audio files go in the "MUSIC" folder, and video files go in the "100MNV01" folder.
9. Disconnect your PSP by first clicking on "Safely Remove Hardware" on the bottom menu bar of a PC, or by "ejecting" the drive on the Mac (drag the icon into the trash). Then unplug the USB cable and press the circle button to return to the home menu.

   Tips:

   1. Image files compatible with firmware version 2.00 or higher are jpeg, tiff, gif, png and bmp.
   2. Audio files compatible with firmware version 2.60 or higher are MP3, ATRAC3plus, MP4, WAV and WMA.
   3. Video files compatible with firmware version 1.50 or higher are MPEG-4 (MP4/AVC).
   4. PSPs with older firmware versions won't recognize all file types. Use the tutorial linked below to find out which firmware version you have, and check the firmware profiles to see what file formats it can use.

   What You Need:

   • a PSP
   • a computer
   • a Memory Stick Duo or Pro Duo
   • a USB cable with a Mini-B connector on one end
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4. Q : How To Transfer Music to a PSP Memory Stick?

A : Even though the PSP is mainly a gaming machine, it also makes a great portable music player. You won't be able to fit your whole music collection on a single Memory Stick (though they get bigger and cheaper every day), but you can easily switch to new music once you know how to transfer the files.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 2 minutes

Here's How:

1. Insert a Memory Stick into the Memory Stick slot in the left side of the PSP. Depending on how much music you want it to hold, you may need to get a larger one than the stick that came with your system.
2. Turn on the PSP.
3. Plug a USB cable into the back of the PSP and into your PC or Mac. The USB cable needs to have a Mini-B connector on one end (this plugs into the PSP), and a standard USB connector on the other (this plugs into the computer).
4. Scroll to the "Settings" icon on the home menu of your PSP.

 

• Find the "USB Connection" icon in the "Settings" menu. Press the X button. Your PSP will display the words "USB Mode" and your PC or Mac will recognize it as a USB storage device.
• Create a folder called "PSP" on the PSP Memory Stick (if there isn't one already) -- it shows up as "Portable Storage Device" or something similar -- (you can use Windows Explorer on a PC, or Finder on a Mac).
• Create a folder called "MUSIC" inside the "PSP" folder.
• Drag and drop image files into the "MUSIC" folder just as you would save files in another folder on your computer.
• Disconnect your PSP by first clicking on "Safely Remove Hardware" on the bottom menu bar of a PC, or by "ejecting" the drive on the Mac (drag the icon into the trash). Then unplug the USB cable and press the circle button to return to the home menu.

Tips:

1. You can listen to MP3, ATRAC3plus, MP4, WAV and WMA files on a PSP with firmware version 2.60 or higher. If your machine has an older firmware version, you can't play all formats. (To find out what version your PSP has, follow the tutorial linked below, then check the firmware profiles to see what formats your PSP can play.)

2. Memory Stick Duo is a better type of stick than Memory Stick Pro Duo for music files. Memory Stick Pro Duos may not recognize all music files.

What You Need:

• a PSP
• a computer
• a Memory Stick Duo or Pro Duo
• a USB cable with a Mini-B connector on one end

5. Q : What's in the Box?

A : If you're in the market for a PSP, you might want to know what comes in the box before you get to the store, so you don't accidentally come home with a bunch of things you don't really need. Here's a rundown of the different "packs" the PlayStation Portable comes in.

Core System (aka Standard Pack)

This is the basic, no-frills package, without even a set of headphones, but if all you want is a PSP, this might be the way to go.

• PSP hardware
• AC adapter and plug
• battery pack

Giga Pack

This is probably the best deal, though if you aren't going to play music or video on your PSP, you could get by with the smaller Memory Stick that comes with the Value Pack, instead.

• PSP Hardware
• AC adapter and plug
• battery pack
• 1 GB Memory Stick Duo
• headphones with remote control
• soft case
• PSP stand
• USB cable
• cleaning cloth

Value Pack

This package has everything you need to get started, though if you want to do more on your Memory Stick than save games, you may want to buy a second, larger stick.

• PSP hardware
• AC adapter and plug
• battery pack
• 32 MB Memory Stick Duo
• headphones with remote control
• soft case
• wrist strap

Bonus Pack

Cheaper than the Giga Pack, but with not quite as much stuff, the Bonus Pack is so far only available in Japan.

• PSP Hardware
• AC adapter and plug
• battery pack
• 1 GB Memory Stick Duo
• soft case
• PSP stand
• USB cable
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