Saving Xbox to your PSP

This is a funny hack, considering how Sony and Microsoft are bitter rivals in the game console
market. Using the PSP’s USB connectivity, and the Xbox’s ability to recognize USB storage
devices, you can use the Memory Stick in your PSP as a game-saving tool.
Don’t worry; even though this hack formats your Memory Stick, it won’t affect your PSP’s
internals at all. You’re not risking your PSP by plugging it into an Xbox.
Here’s what you need:

Microsoft Phantasy Star Online Keyboard Adapter or Xbox Controller USB Adapter

The Phantasy Star Online Keyboard Adapter

The Xbox Controller USB Adapter

A Memory Stick you don’t care about, like the 32MB one that shipped with the PSP
Value Pack (it will be erased by this operation, but you can still use it again by formatting
it on the PSP)

An appropriate USB cable (mini-USB to full-size USB)

An Xbox and games you want to save data for
You may also need a USB gender-bender, taking the PSP connector from male to female,
which is shown in Figure 3-16. This depends on what the adapter’s USB connection looks like.
Most likely you won’t need it, but if you do you can pick it up at any CompUSA, Fry’s, Best
Buy, or other computer store.
The Phantasy Star Online Keyboard Adapter has been discontinued by Microsoft. However, if
you cannot find one online, you can still get a USB adapter that plugs into the front of your
Xbox. The only drawback to this is you have to sacrifice a controller port, so no 4-player games
if you want to save on the PSP. The Phantasy Star Online Keyboard Adapter, on the other hand,
plugs into any Xbox controller. You’re likely not saving 4-player games on your PSP, of course, so
this shouldn’t be a problem. When you’re done with the save, simply unplug the PSP. When you
need it again, just plug it back in.

A USB gender-bender

Using the PSP as an Xbox game saving device makes the Memory Stick unusable in the PSP. To
use the Memory Stick in your PSP again, you have to format it with the PSP’s format utility.

Step 1: Get to the Save Game Point in an Xbox Game
The first step is to find an Xbox game and get to the point where it will let you save a game. I
chose Halo, but you can choose whatever you want. You actually don’t have to have a game in
there—you can just use the Xbox’s configuration menu’s storage devices

Step 2: Plug Your PSP into the Xbox USB Adapter
Now that you’re ready to save your game, plug your PSP into the Xbox USB adapter using the
adapter and the USB cable.
Microsoft’s Xbox runs a modified version of the Windows 2000 operating system, and the
Xbox’s controller ports are all USB-based, so that’s why this hack works.

Connecting the Xbox adapter

Step 3: Put Your PSP in USB Connection Mode
Place your PSP in USB Connection Mode by using the PSP Navigator to open Settings, then
USB Connection. Your Xbox should detect the PSP as a memory card and display an error
message, as shown below.

The Xbox informing you it has formatted your Memory Stick for use

Step 4: Save
Press A on your Xbox controller to continue and you see your hard disk and the new Memory
Stick, ready for game saving action! below shows you what this should look like. Now,
simply save your game and you’re all set. This is quite convenient if you want to take game
saves between your friends’ houses and don’t want to plunk down the money for the Xbox
Memory Units.

The PSP shows up as a storage device on the Xbox