One great way to get more out of your PlayStation Portable (PSP) is to transfer music onto it and use it as an MP3 player. The process is easy to follow and doesn't take very long to complete.

The Memory Stick Duo

It is important to understand that in order to listen to music, it must first be placed on a small memory stick that is inserted into the side of the PSP. Sony calls this a Memory Stick Duo. Make sure that there is a memory stick inserted into your PSP before you begin this process.

The Options

There are three ways to put music on your PSP:

• Using a PC that has a built-in memory stick slot
• Using an external memory stick reader connected to your computer
• Connecting your PSP to your computer using a Mini-B type USB cable

In the first two cases, remove the memory stick duo from your PSP (the opening is on the left side of the PSP) and insert it into the appropriate internal or external slot as mentioned above. Continue to "Transferring" below.

If you use a USB cable (available at any electronics store), plug the small end into the opening at the top of the PSP and the other end into your computer (as pictured above). Turn on the PSP and click on the left arrow until you get to the settings. Arrow down to "USB Connection" and click on the "X" button. Your PSP should show that it has entered "USB Mode".

Transferring Music

You should now see a drive on your computer labeled "Removable Disk". Usually, an E: drive or something later in the alphabet. Click on the removable disk and there should be a directory called "PSP". Double click on that directory and follow down to the "Music" directory. Copy your MP3s on your PSP by selecting and pasting them to this directory.

The total number of songs that you can copy is only limited by the size of the memory stick duo, so you can put quite a bit of music on your player if you have a large capacity memory stick.

Finishing up

Before you unplug the PSP, you should stop the device first. Click on the little green arrow icon in your system tray on your computer (usually bottom right hand corner of your screen) to stop the device. Then, hit the "circle" back button on your PSP.

You can now enjoy your music by scrolling to the music section of your PSP and selecting what you want to listen to. Enjoy!