PS Vita hack: Yifan Lu talks about psvd (SD Card adapter for 3G motherboard), auctions the remaining adapters
PS Vita hacker Yifan Lu recently published a writeup about his experience creating an SD Card adapter for the PS Vita. This is not SD2Vita, but another approach that Yifan actually disclosed before SD2Vita became a thing.
What is psvd?
Psvd is Yifan’s hardware mod for the PS Vita 3G models, that replaces the modem with a Micro SD card adapter. Using this hardware mod requires some basic soldering skills (and of course opening the console). Also, similarly to SD2Vita, it requires a hacked PS Vita, as a regular Vita will not have the necessary driver to use the SD Card.
When Yifanlu initially announced the plan to produce 500 of these, his indegogo campaign got funded within 24h.
Experiments in hardware hacking
I’m always stupidly excited when I read Yifan’s blog posts because he is one of the few console hackers out there who’s done the leap into hardware hacking, and describes the experience. This is not a given. Many hackers already know so much about their craft that they will forget that what they’re doing is magic from the eyes of 99% of their audience.
Yifan’s very precise about his process and train of thoughts, which I feel is a great resource for those of us who want one day to get into hardware mods. Among other things, his post describes what all the “unknown” USB ports of the Vita actually do, as well as how he designed his microSD adapter and got it manufactured.
But to me, possibly the most interesting part is how he found out about a big flaw in his early prototype by thoroughly testing it: the thing was draining the battery. I can instantly picture how any “seasoned” hardware hack company would have simply overlooked that defect, and start manufacturing the device without thinking about it. Instead, the hacker did not accept this, and found ways to fix the defect.
I won’t get into the details here and I strongly suggest you read the full writeup on his blog.
Auction and the future of the adapter
Yifan lu mentions that he still has 50 of these adapters lying around that he is putting up for auction/lottery. If you have a hacked 3G vita and want to use this adapter, or want bragging rights that you own a piece of PS Vita’s hacking history, feel free to join the auction here.
Additional details on psvd can be found on the official page here.
In his writeup, Yifanlu mentions that he expects some people will manufacture and sell the adapters. I’m wondering how much of that will actually happen: With SD2Vita offering an easier alternative for those wanting to use MicroSD in their Vita, it seems unlikely to me that there is huge interest for psvd at a commercial level. Unless I’m missing something obvious. Thoughts?
Source: Yifan.Lu
1 st ..:)
Cool.
The only benefit to this (aside from not taking up the gamecard slot) that I can see is possibly faster speeds? but im pretty sure the vita has a cap of around 8mbps give or take…from what I hear anyway, so maybe not, but really I think itll just be a cool collectible and bit of history, though not using the gamecard slot imo is a big plus for those who collect for vita
Yeah I agree! Its a pain to have remove SD2VITA card to dump games.
its easy to remove if you glue a tiny ribbon to it. Don’t make it hard on yourself
Does any micro SD to mini PCI e adapter work with the vita? Found a few on eBay
of course not, why would he even have to design it if it already existed?
IIRC it’s actually a USB connection, they just reused the mini PCI-E connector.
The 3G card isn’t a real mPCIe card. Sony is just reusing the connector/form-factor. The pinout is completely different, it only provides USB and ~4 V for power.
Yeah all of them work, just plug it.
“Using this hardware mod requires some basic soldering skills” Umm i don’t think you have any clue how this actually works as no soldering is required at all…
Sorry don’t mean to come off as an *** just that if you read into it properly all that is required is some basic skills such as replacing a battery and taking off screws.
Soldering should only be necessary if you’re making your own.
Why don’t you get your facts straight first, see the pads on either side of the card, that means it needs more than just the pins of the slot for something, if it was that easy to just plug and play im sure yifan would’ve had it done much sooner
Looks like my second reply was removed.. i didn’t mean to come off rude so i apologise but if you read up on the adapter anyone would know the only skills needed is the basics like pulling out screws and unplugging cables, anyway the way it was written made it look like soldering was one of the required things for installation and not actually assembling it, which even then if you have the source you can do it without any soldering at all the only reason why yifan had to do it in his last update was because of a minor error he made in the final assembly.
It doesn’t need soldering, the pads were for testing the boards. i just recieved and installed mine today, it was really easy and took maybe 10 minutes. I even removed all the 3G parts to make it lighter.
Will recieve my board this week. Are you going to run a sd2vita with a psvsd? So one sd reader can be used as uma0:
I was a funder of the second batch. It is a bit unfortunate that the easier and extremely cheap/diy game card adapter came out while the 3G card was still in production — stealing its wind. However, I’m glad that Yifan Lu has excess funds to use on some other PSV r&d.
I funded the sample prototype boards– I wasn’t fortunate enough to stumble upon the indiegogo page when there were orders for the first or second batch still up. But I agree with you completely. I think the psvsd is the adapter that deserves the spotlight out of the two, but I’m still glad to have both options (especially since I have a PSTV and a PSV Slim in addition to my 3G Vita).
This would still be useful for hardcore collectors that want their entire portable Sony experience available without constant shuffling of games.
A 512GB card can’t hold all the GOOD games from PS1, PSP and Vita. Even when CSO’s and etc. So, one card for Vita and another for PSP/PS1 would be the ultimate setup until we get 750GB cards or maybe even 1TB if you’re more forgiving of content.
As it stands, it’s taking forever to even get a 512GB microsd.
Microsd cards will get cheaper over time and more capacity just hold onto your Vita. maybe a replacement battery someday but I’m glad I never gave any of my Vitas to Vita Relocation Program
there is a site provided by Yifan with the instructions, and the install is easy as plug and play. It says to insert psvsd at a 45 degree angle and push down. The instructions also advise about the screws holding the 3g board to be very tight and you can easily strip them out. very detailed steps and will work with a microsd card that is formated for a ps2vita reader.
Bid placed. 🙂
Thanks for the heads up.
@Wololo: IMHO, a huge benefit to PSVSD versus SD2Vita is the ability to retain a free game card slot for creating legal backups of physical copies of our games. Definitely not pointing fingers at ANYONE, but simply stating the fact: Not all of us are pirates!
I imagine I will set my 3G Vita up with a PSVSD, fix it with a 256GB MicroSD and call it “done”. It’s more than enough storage for my physical games and my PSN purchases to live in harmony. It’ll be my portable gaming jukebox of sorts.
(Which btw, now that we have MicroSD support in Henkaku, I think the last time I was this excited about console hacking was the original Xbox days… These two hardware mods really set the Vita scene on fire!)
Maybe he should offer it to ” one of the people who donated $20 but did not choose to actually receive an item.” (his words), the people who somehow *** up the indiegogo donation. Seems like they should be offered to those people first.
I’m wondering if it would work on a non 3g fat model if it was soldered to the existing pads along with the firmware hack.
Just got my today in the mail
I think PSVD is the only solution for me to get a SD card on the vita. No being able to play my physical games would be a waist. Lucky i purchased 3 boards when they were being sold. Have 2 3g motherboards ready to be installed when my 200GB SD card and PSVD arrive.
i was one of the lucky ones to get one………….but one of the unlucky ones to get stuck screws that are now stripped and trying many ways to get them out
SUCCESS!!!!!!!! I was able to drill out stripped screws now to install this bad boy and hope I didnt bork the screen
Is there any specific way to format the sd card once installed? And do i need to install specific software or is it preinstalled with enso?
exfat or fat32 and yes you need the usbmc vpk. he put a link up top for everyone to go to for directions on how to install/use but here it is again
http://psvsd.henkaku.xyz/
Much appreciated. Everything works fine for me except adrenaline for some reason
i just won that fight my friend you need to put the adrenaline folder in ur0 and then in the tai config file switch anything from ux0 to ur0 and you should be golden. if you want to make bootable bubbles for psp games and ps1 games thats a bit trickier need to find a new modded version of adrenaline as well as move over the bubble maker folder to ur0 and switch that in the config file as well
can both be used at the same time?
both what? if you mean your current memory card and the vita memory card they can not be mounted to the same drive (ie ux0) one has to be ux0 and the other uma0 if im right
When are you planning on figuring out who won the auctions/lottery? I’m hoping to get one I didn’t know about the funding campaign till a couple of weeks after they ended.
my mod psvita microsd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6TICED_WYQ
Me, I think it would be even better to have this. Can use the MotherBoard Adapter AND use the SD2Vita for much more Storage Options.