A-Hackers-Guide
PlayStation Portable

Media playback

Music, Video, and Photos

The PSP was always a capable media player, and custom firmware plus homebrew widens what it can handle. With the right tools, the handheld becomes a pocket player for your own media library.

Built-in Playback

Out of the box, the XMB plays music, video, and photos from the Memory Stick. Files go in the MUSIC, VIDEO, and PICTURE folders, and the menu lists them automatically.

Expanding Format Support

Stock firmware supports only a limited set of formats. Homebrew media players fill the gaps, adding playback for video and audio types the official software ignores, so you can avoid converting everything in advance.

Convert for Best Results

For smooth, battery-friendly video, encoding files to a PSP-friendly resolution and bitrate still gives the best results, even with homebrew players.

FolderMedia
MUSICAudio files
VIDEOVideo files
PICTUREImages

Tips

  • Keep video at the screen's native resolution to save processing power.
  • Organize files in subfolders for easy browsing.
  • Use a homebrew player for unusual formats.

High-bitrate or unconverted video can stutter and drain the battery quickly. Re-encode large files for comfortable playback.