Micro SD on PSPgo

As some might know, the PSPgo only accepts Sony Memory Stick Micro M2 cards.
I found these to be extremely expensive so I modded my PSPgo to accept a 32GB Micro SD card instead, thought someone here might be interested.

All I did was solder a Micro SD to MS Pro Duo adapter via ribbon cable to the M2 connector inside the PSPgo.



I got the connection diagram for connecting M2 to MS Pro Duo from acidmods, http://www.acidmods.com/forum/index.php?topic=41247.0, pretty much a straight connection.

I inserted my SD card, powered on the PSPgo, formatted the card and now I have an extra 32GB of storage.

I know it's not the most clean looking mod, but it sits flat on the back, and it suits my purpose.

 

Would it be possible just to solder in a micro sd card slot.

 

No, Micro SD and MS M2 use different connections, and I think you would still need an adapter interface to convert the formats.

http://www.camerahacker.com/Forums/...nside_the_microSD_to_Memory_Stick_Duo_Adapter
As seen here, there is a chip inside the adapter.

 

Oh I see it has a chip, either way I might try this with my pspgo. I wonder if the dual micro sd card adapter works.

 

Can you show some pics of the motherboard?

 

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/PSP+Go+Teardown/1124
This has all the pics you need.
Step 9 shows the M2 card slot.

 

why would it need to be soldered in, if it takes a m2 card what stopping you from using the adapter normally. as in putting the sd card into the m2 card and then putting that into the psp go ?

edit: ohh the card slot must be inside the case, my bad. can these adapters be used on a normal psp too ?

 

Interesting. All one would need is a PSP go case and that's it.

 

Cool little trick and thanks for sharing. Would work well if you kept the Go in a case anyways, otherwise it looks kinda ugly tbh - but hey, if it works for you, to each their own. Those Sony cards are always ridiculously overpriced.

If you can find room inside the case/housing, another idea might be to directly solder a 32gb card inside the unit, having a permanent 32gb card.

 

Just checked mine, it has almost no extra room.

 

Can you share more photos, how did you make soldering inside card slot its not possible to reach unless you open it, actually even when you open PSP's back slot its still under a metal. And btw I saw another pro duo adapter mod which placed the adapter between back plate and battery, did you try to fit there or not ?

 

Finally did this mod to my psp go and it works well. A note for others you don't have to bridge pin 1 and 10 on the pro duo side.
Edit: meant to say you don't.

 

I've tried to internalize the mod by using a spare micro sd slot and the chip that translates signals and slapping them inside the go. I ripped out the old m2 reader, wired up the pro duo pads to the m2 pads on the go, and wired and wire an sd slot to the chip taken from a mSD to pro duo adapter but no matter what I do the the M2 light flashes orange and I have a black screen.

I'm kind of at my wits end with this internalized version of the mod I'm not sure what I did wrong and I'm certain there aren't any shorts. I'm ordering a micro sd slot that's almost a clone of the M2 slot i ripped out in terms of design and seeing if it fairs better than the one I'm currently using (it was extremely difficult to wire the 30 gauge wires to the mSD i'm using and I suspect something isn't soldered well or broke off but I'm to disheartened to pull it apart for the 100th time and try again tonight).

Photos of my attempt

 

You may have a bad translator chip.

 

I tested it prior to installing it and it worked fine.


EDIT: could've destroyed it by overheating with soldering iron, gonna play around with the ground and switch detection some more, will take the chip out and test with my SD reader after I finish

How exactly did you wire up your external adapter? did you rip off the shield and attach to the prongs?

 

I remove the entire m2 port and used kynar to wire it to the teeth of adapter like o.p. Did you skip the first pin on the adapter side?

 

I most certainly did.

I'm going to assume the board was ruined by overheating I did notice a wire had snapped between the pspgo and the chip but repairing that did nothing. While removing the chip from the PSPgo I was too rough and the wires were too stiff so just moving things in place to de-solder caused one of the traces to lift on the pspgo (6th one). Pretty upset about that but I got this pspgo for just 35$ and it's not like I broke anything I was using (aint gonna shell out the cash for an M2).

I see the exposed trace, getting the pad back on is like impossible and the pad got bent so I'm pretty sure my attempts wouldn't leave it connected to the trace. I did successfully get a wire attached to the trace but it's such a small dot that I swear if the system gets slightly jostled it'll snap the solder connection. Been looking up pad repair but conductive epoxy is a bit pricey for me (40$) at that point i might as well try picking up a pspgo with a busted screen.

Atm I'm looking at methods for PCB repair and looking for cheap busted PSPgos why this mod didn't work at the get-go will remain a mystery but I assume I killed the chip with heat.

 

I want to do too, but I have no experience how do you sugest I start??? I'm used to opening and tearing up electronices, but not with solderinng and wiring..... I really love my GO just hate the fact that it only takes M2s which are obviously overpriced...

 

No experience with precise soldering or no experience with the psp go? If you have no experience in solder contact ape, he will do the mod if he has the the time , because he is still in college If I recall correctly.

 

whose Ape? with soldering… i mean do i takethe m2 socket out n solder wires to the place if so what kind of wires shuld i use… btw i live in asia so i think impossible for Ape to help me, thx for the reply tho people almost never reply when i ask in forums