Giving Sony's legendary handheld a second life with modern storage, custom firmware, and a fresh setup

A few weeks ago I wrote about taking a chance on a cheap “junk” PSP-2000 from Japan, replacing its faulty charging port, and ending up with one of the nicest handhelds I own.. One of many PSP’s I’ve bought though.

Quite a few people here on Lemmy reached out afterwards asking about jailbreaking, or just sharing that they planned to buy UMDs for it. I guess this article is my answer (or maybe just yet another thinly veiled excuse to write about my favorite old handheld…the PSP) to that.

Rather than another super technical wiki, I wanted to write a bit of step-by-step with just pictures of all of it. I cover installing ARK-4 custom firmware, setting up a microSD card, loading games, movies and music, a handful of homebrew recommendations. I really, really love Sony’s PSP. I think as far as industrial design language goes, you just can’t beat it.

So if you’ve recently picked up a PSP, are thinking about picking one up, or have one sitting in a drawer gathering dust, I hope this helps you give it a second life!

And if you don’t want to read through, then ask me here and I’m more than happy to recommend things to you.

  • Cybersteel@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    vor 2 Minuten

    Is it worth the hassle? I did or at least still have my psp and vita but the psp is completely dead and my vita is somehow kicking but has mobo problems which makes it crash all the time. Weirdly enough, my switch lite is also dead, can’t charge. Compared to say virtual emulation.

  • I Cast Fist@programming.devEnglish
    1·
    vor 3 Stunden

    I think my PSP3000 is still good to go, though either the microsd or the memorystick adapter for microsd might be getting busted

    Jailbreaking it was one of the easiest things, if memory serves it was just “copy all this stuff to the card, execute this program, you’re done”

    • PerfectDark@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      1·
      vor 2 Stunden

      Time for you to get it back out, maybe get a new adapter card for that micro SD, and then enjoy some games again!

      (And yes, dead easy. Just copying two files over, not even ‘all the stuff’!)

  • taiyang@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    vor 21 Stunden

    Still holds up as one of the best handhelds. I’ve still got my PSP-2000 and as a teen I played so many various things on it (many pirated as a teen, but it got me into franchises like Monster Hunter and they’ve made more than enough money back lol).

    I’d like it more than my steam deck due to less weight and bulk, except I still need the modern hardware for modern things.

  • Toes♀@ani.socialEnglish
    1·
    vor 21 Stunden

    Is there a place to buy these all setup and ready to go?

    I wish i never sold my vita q.q

    • PerfectDark@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      2·
      vor 17 Stunden

      Yes, there’s a bunch on Aliexpress (I’d probably recommend there over anywhere else, since their prices are the most reasonable and you get the same thing everyone does)

      Etsy also has a bunch, as does Instagram. But again…you’ll be paying slightly more there

      • Toes♀@ani.socialEnglish
        2·
        vor 17 Stunden

        Oh cool! I had no idea Aliexpress would be the go to for something like that. They’ve always been my last resort option.

        I thought Instagram was just for sharing photos and video? I didn’t know you could buy stuff on it, neat. Thanks :)

        • PerfectDark@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          2·
          vor 16 Stunden

          Technically it is, but there’s a huge scene of influencers who have set up shop on there and run their own businesses. There’s a bunch who run ads, but you pay a crazy bit of money on top of what you’d pay on Aliexpress, just because they hope to rope in people who don’t know any better!

          And like I said, if Etsy is more your scene, there’s a bunch there last time I looked!