Jazz Up Your PSP with GPS

Deniska has cooked up a fine way to connect a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver to your PSP. Neat huh? Not only can you play with your PSP, you could also use it as stalking device! (Clears throat) What we meant was “navigational tool”, not “stalking device”.

So, are you itching to know how to add a GPS receiver to your PSP? Here’s how:

First off, you got to get your hands on these things:

• Holux GPSlim236 ($100)
• Intec G6704 PSP Remote Control ($11). Alternatively you can rip the connector of your original remote control.
• USB (Mini B) cable ($5-10) (NOT the included USB power cable, buy another one)
• 1K 1/4watt resistor ($1)
• Electric tape ($2 roll)
• Multimeter (for checking the connector pins, alternatively you can use just a circuit made out of a low voltage bulb and a battery)
• Soldering iron
• Razor blade (for cutting and cleaning)

Remember, if you guys are not that good with the soldering iron and the razor blade, ASK HELP from someone who is in-the-know with these things. After all, these tools are quite dangerous if not handled properly.

But if you consider yourself a pro with soldering irons and blades (or already found someone willing to handle those for you), and have everything you need in front of you, all you have to do is cut the USB cable and PSP remote plug and well, connect those into places that are needed to be plugged in.

To see if you did things correctly, Deniska thoughtfully included a GPS program viewer to check if you installed it the right way, which could also be downloaded here (link below). Nice as he is, he also included words of advice/caution for those who want to try this project out:

The source code is included in the zip…
Note, the program is written to work in kernel mode, so I doubt that it will work on 2+ fw..
Perhaps someone can look in to how to adjust it…

Use caution when connecting the wires, make sure all of them are carefully insulated. You don’t want to short any of them, since this may brick your PSP or GPS device.
Also, GPSlim 236 spec says that the TXD voltage may range from 3.2 to 5 V, so 1K resistor may not be enough to lower the voltage in some cases. So buy a few resistors: 5k,3k,2k,1k and see if your circuit works with a bigger value resistor first..

So, what’s the point you ask? I am planning to plug this in to the upcoming map viewer application, which, of course will be able to point your gps location on a google-like map in real time… and scroll the map as you move along…

Special thanks to Art and futaris for helpping me out with serial port comm problems…

Almost forgot a disclaimer: As always, I am not responsible for any damages.

Download: [GPS Viewer Program for PSP]

Here are some images of the set up, and a screenshot of Deniska’s program:

Via Deniska

Deniska has cooked up a fine way to connect a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver to your PSP. Neat huh? Not only can you play with your PSP, you could also use it as stalking device! (Clears throat) What we meant was “navigational tool”, not “stalking device”.

So, are you itching to know how to add a GPS receiver to your PSP? Here’s how:

First off, you got to get your hands on these things:

• Holux GPSlim236 ($100)
• Intec G6704 PSP Remote Control ($11). Alternatively you can rip the connector of your original remote control.
• USB (Mini B) cable ($5-10) (NOT the included USB power cable, buy another one)
• 1K 1/4watt resistor ($1)
• Electric tape ($2 roll)
• Multimeter (for checking the connector pins, alternatively you can use just a circuit made out of a low voltage bulb and a battery)
• Soldering iron
• Razor blade (for cutting and cleaning)

Remember, if you guys are not that good with the soldering iron and the razor blade, ASK HELP from someone who is in-the-know with these things. After all, these tools are quite dangerous if not handled properly.

But if you consider yourself a pro with soldering irons and blades (or already found someone willing to handle those for you), and have everything you need in front of you, all you have to do is cut the USB cable and PSP remote plug and well, connect those into places that are needed to be plugged in.

To see if you did things correctly, Deniska thoughtfully included a GPS program viewer to check if you installed it the right way, which could also be downloaded here (link below). Nice as he is, he also included words of advice/caution for those who want to try this project out:

The source code is included in the zip…
Note, the program is written to work in kernel mode, so I doubt that it will work on 2+ fw..
Perhaps someone can look in to how to adjust it…

Use caution when connecting the wires, make sure all of them are carefully insulated. You don’t want to short any of them, since this may brick your PSP or GPS device.
Also, GPSlim 236 spec says that the TXD voltage may range from 3.2 to 5 V, so 1K resistor may not be enough to lower the voltage in some cases. So buy a few resistors: 5k,3k,2k,1k and see if your circuit works with a bigger value resistor first..

So, what’s the point you ask? I am planning to plug this in to the upcoming map viewer application, which, of course will be able to point your gps location on a google-like map in real time… and scroll the map as you move along…

Special thanks to Art and futaris for helpping me out with serial port comm problems…

Almost forgot a disclaimer: As always, I am not responsible for any damages.

Download: [GPS Viewer Program for PSP]

Here are some images of the set up, and a screenshot of Deniska’s program:

Via Deniska