PSP Receives Raspberry Pi Upgrade

The Sony PSP (PlayStation Portable) was a fantastic handheld console that never quite received the attention it deserved. It was capable of displaying high-quality 3D graphics and had a pretty decent catalog of video games. But the PSP is pretty outdated, as it is now about 18 years old. Unless you want to replay the same old games, there isn't much reason to pull your PSP out of that box in the attic. But what if it could play any game released before the new millennium? That's what othermod enabled with his PSPi 6 Raspberry Pi upgrade.

This project replaces the PSP's internal electronics with either a Raspberry Pi Zero (or Zero 2) or a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4. There are many benefits to this upgrade, because a Raspberry Pi can handle a lot of different emulators. If you install RetroPie, you emulate any computer or console up until the fourth generation — and even the fifth generation, in some cases. That gives you access to an absolutely massive catalog of games. If, for example, you never played Alchemist on the ZX Spectrum, you can finally experience that classic game.

To make this happen, othermod had to design a custom PCB that replaces the PSP's original mainboard. The cool thing about this is that it supports both the Raspberry Pi Zero form factor and the Raspberry Pi Compute Module form factor. Both are SBCs (single-board computers), but the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 has all of the power of the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B in a card-like package. But those are harder to find and more expensive, so othermod made sure that this PCB also supports the more common Raspberry Pi Zero/Zero 2.

Even better, othermod's PCB contains all of the hardware necessary to support the PSP's controls. It hosts a Microchip ATmega8A microcontroller, which acts as an intermediary between the PSP controls and the Raspberry Pi. The PCB even supports LCD backlit adjustment and speaker output.

PSPi 6 is still a work in progress and othermod is continuing development to improve the design. But if you want to get in on the action now, you can use the files on GitHub to have a PCB made. Completing the build isn't for the faint of heart, but the end result may be worthwhile for those of you who love the PSP layout and want to take advantage of it for retro gaming.