By: Therev29

Oct 11, 2010

Index:

● Introduction
○ P.S. (intro) - Please Read!
● About PSX4Droid
○ Notes about Recent updates
○ Compatibility Guides
● Beginners Guide to Emulators
○ Emulators
○ Bios - (Good Stuff for all Users)
○ Roms/ ISOs
● How to Set up PSX4Droid Start to Finish
○ Set Up - Step by Step
○ Compressed ECM files (Step 6)
○ How to Put a Rom on your Phone (Step 8)
● Settings
● Performance Increases
● ISO Compression
● FAQ’s
● Credits
○ Contact Me
○ Donate
Intro: (Return to Index)
I’ve seen a few short guides out there on different forums, and
also saw a large amount of users still overwhelmingly frustrated, and
unable to get this emulator working. I figured a detailed guide, with
screenshots, step by steps, and tips, would be the best route in
helping anyone, who hasn’t already, in getting PSX4Droid up and
running to it’s full potential.
This guide also includes some basics about emulation so even a
beginner should be able to understand and get get this to work for
them. Unfortunately to some, it is geared towards that group, so you
may only want to scan through if you already understand PSX4Droid.
You will see that some aspects can take a lot of steps or trial and
error before you get the outcome you want. If you don’t want to spend
a little time to learn this, then this app may not be for you.
It would also be nice to have a center point for everyone to meet
and post their problems, tips, info, and fixes, in one place. There are
posts all over the place, under general forums, game forums,
device specific forums. There is one already set up at,
http://psx4droid.webs.com/. I can’t say anything about the upkeep, or
owner, as I don’t know him, but it at least provides a place where we
can combined our efforts, and get some progress in certain areas. All
gamers, in 1 place, enjoying what we do, gaming!!
I’ve had a few years of experience with PSX Emulators on the
mobile platform and PC, and wanted to help out the mobile community
that has helped me out for so long, and get more users to enjoy this
great app / emulator!

P.S. (intro) (Return to Index)

PSX emulation is very difficult to produce and update, even more
so to master. Remember even the original PlayStation had its flaws,
troubles with some games loading and lagging during heavy action
scenes or full screens. Don’t hate on the developer for A) Giving us this
experience, and B) For updates that may not increase performance in
the way you would like it to. Updates are slow for this style emulator
and difficult to please everyone’s expectations.
My advice, back up every version of PSX4Droid, with whatever
program you use ( I use TitaniumBackup ) So you can revert back to a
 previous version if you do not like the performance changes of the
upgrade. I may say this again for reinforcement!
Compatibility is still a long ways away from playing every game
that's out there all the way through. Most of the more popular titles
work at full or close to full speed, some with minor bugs or menu
flashes, but are still playable. Here is a link to what I think is the most
updated Compatibility guide: (Thanks to Trev186 @ android forums)
The emulator is still pretty new, only being a few months old,
there is still a lot of testing that can be done to increase compatibility,
some ideas are included in this guide. Again, seeing it has only been
out for a few months, it has had a couple updates. (Yes, I am a aware
of what most felt about 1.2 and 1.3, that’s why I said a couple not 5)
But, I don’t understand why so many people are complaining and
screaming at Zodttd about lack of updates and support. That is not the
way to encourage a developer to continue support for this emulator!!
Thanks for reading my rant!

About PSX4Droid: (Market Information) (Return to Index)

PSX4Droid is a Sony Playstation Emulator for High-End Android phones.

(****emphasis on the High-End****)

Changelog v1.7: http://tl.gd/6ba83a

Fast and feature packed including:
- Uses formats BIN,ISO,IMG,PBP,Z,ZNX, and Eboot
- WiiMote controller
- Trackball dpad
- Memory card & save states
- Virtual control overlay
- Scaling modes
AND MORE!
Thanks!

Contact Developer: Zodttd

http://www.zodttd.com
http://twitter.com/zodttd
zodttd@zodttd.com

Notes about Recent updates:(Return to Index)

 Many are not thrilled with the recent updates (1.2-1.5) Speed is down,
Sound is choppy, and has overall made some games unplayable.
However, compatibility, overall, is up. Yes, updates can be good and bad at
the same time. This is why I recommend backing up each version of
PSX4Droid. If the game you like slowed down in update 1.5, then restore the
previous version 1.1. If you run into a glitch, restore 1.5, play past the glitch
and revert back to 1.1. Also if you updated to 1.5, loading from a previous
versions save state can make the game less stable and slower. Always load
from a memory card save when switching versions.

Compatibility Guides:(Return to Index)

Phone Compatibility:
http://psx4droid.wikkii.com/wiki/Main_Page

If your device is not listed, it does not mean it doesn’t work, only that it has
not been tested.

List of Compatible Games:

Here or Here. They are both great lists.

Again, the game is not listed, it means it hasn’t been tested.

Beginners Guide to Emulators:(Return to Index)

Mostly, for those new to emulators, here are some key points you will need
to know or have an little understanding of, if you have any hopes of having a
good experience with an emulator.

The information about BIOS is Especially Informative!!!

What is a emulator?:

Video game console emulators are programs that allow a computer, mobile
phone, or modern console to emulate an, or another, video game console.
Another words this is the Console, I.E. Nintendo, Playstation, Super Nintendo,
Gameboy etc...

What is a Bios?:

The bios is the software which makes the basic hardware work
(basic input/output system (BIOS). Primary function of the BIOS is to load and
start an operating system. This is the system files of the emulator.

SCPH1001 is the one, most have chosen, to be the standard BIOS used with
emulators.
can be found here http://psx4droid.webs.com/downloads.htm

SCPH1001, SCPH7001 are the BIOS for the original NTSC PlayStation
SCPH1000, SCPH7000 are for Japan’s version
SCPH1002, SCPH7002 are for the PAL version.

SCPH7001 or SCPH7502, were for the later released PlayStation models. I

believe we use SCPH1001, since it was one of the earliest versions and it’s
easily found. It also, apparently has the most compatibility with games. I
haven’t noticed a huge difference but it can vary device to device.

Not needed for getting PSX4Droid set up, but at some point, I really
recommend visiting this link to understand about the different PSX Bios and
to find which one will work best for you or your specific game!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_(console)

What is a ROM / ISO?: (Return to Index)

A Rom, is a computer file which contains a copy of data from a “read-only

memory chip”, usually from video game cartridges. An ISO image or file is
that, from a disc.
Rom= Cartridge Game
ISO= Disc Game

These are the “games” for emulators

These terms are used interchangeably in some instances.

The legality of obtaining these games varies from country to country. If you
are concerned about it i suggest you look up your area’s laws about digital
image backups.

.bin, .iso, .img, .php, .z, .znx, and .eboot; are formats that are
supported by PSX4Droid and are what you should be looking for in your
backups / downloads. .EMC files can also be used but require some extra
work.

How to Set up PSX4Droid Start to Finish: (Return to Index)

Now for what everyone is looking for!! The first few steps are going to entail
downloading everything you would need in order to get PSX4Droid up and
running. Later on, we will get into the settings, and how to increase
performance .

Step 1) First and foremost, Download PSX4droid from the android market.
(search “psx”, “psx4droid”, or “pub:Zodttd”, or under Games / Arcade
& Action)

Step 2) Download SCPH1001.BIN file. Google this, it is very easy to find. If

you still cannot find it then look at the sites in the credits. Its on at
least 1 of them.

Step 3) Next you will need to find a rom / iso / game. There is a feature right
in PSX4Droid to search for roms, or you can use “ROM Buddy PSX”
app on the market, which will also automatically unzip the file. I
have never had any luck downloading PSX ISO’s directly to my
phone. They can run anywhere from 150mb to 700mb per disc, give or
take. I always download them on my computer and transfer them to
my phone.

Due to the legality issues with them I will not provide a direct link.
There are tons of sites out there that offer them, just do a google
search for “PSX roms” or “PSX ISO”, trust me, you’ll find them.

Step 4) Once you have the rom downloaded, you will usually need to do a
couple things before you put them on your phone and before they
are playable. If you have the correct file type ending in .bin, .iso,
.img, .php, .z, .znx, and .eboot; you can skip to step 7.

Step 5) Most of the time you will be downloading a compressed file

formatted as; .zip, .7z, .rar etc... You will need to “unzip” them.
You can use a few different programs for this: Winzip, 7-zip, Unrar, and
Winrar, to name a few. If you downloaded the rom direct to your
phone you can use Astro, Androzip, Unzip, Unrar. If you used ROm
Buddy, it should ahve unzipped it for you. When unzipping, keep
opening up the main file folders to check to see if somewhere in the
zipped rom you have a file called “data.bin.ecm”, if you do see step
6, if not go to step 7.

Step 6) Now If you have the lovely ECM file type, you will need to follow a
few more steps in order for them to be in a playable format. If
you downloaded the game direct to your phone than you can use
“un-ECM for Droid” for this part if not then this has to be done on the
PC (I have never had to do this so I had to locate the
information. If anyone would like to send me some screenshots of the
different steps, I’ll update to include)
(Thanks kobecamp2009 & ap3604 for this)

A) Download a ECM program from: http://www.underground-

gamer.com/wiki/index.php/ECM or http://www.neillcorlett.com/ecm/
(Mac users will need to download the Mac GUI Port in this link)
A.1) FOR MAC USERS:
MAC Users will also need to download the expander for the
above program to work. Free download @
http://www.stuffit.com/mac-expander.html
After you download the expander drag the ECM
program (.sit) into that expander, you will get a new folder
with the correct file in it.
C) Browse the zipped rom’s main folders until you locate the .ecm file
(mentioned above “data.bin.ecm”)
D) Extract or move the .ecm to your desktop
E) Open the downloaded ecm program and select un-ecm
F) Locate your .ecm file from the zipped rom.
G) Click begin
H) Wait a few minutes, after it has completed, save the new .bin file
Step 7) Create a folder on your PC called “PSX4Droid” or whatever you
wish, this is just how I organized it. In that folder, create a folder
called “Bios” and a folder called “Games” Put the Bios in the
bios folder and the Rom in the games folder.
For each game you will want to create it’s own Game Specific Folder.
Save-states are saved in the same folder as the rom, this way you can keep
everything together.

Step 8) Plug your phone into the computer via the USB cable. or, another
easier way, is to remove your sd card from the phone and plug it into
your computer’s card slot or into a card reader then into the usb
drive of your computer . If your phone gives you the option, select
Mount or Disc Drive. Copy the PSX4Droid folder to your phone,
preferable the sdcard. (Games can take up a lot of space, 4 disc game
= 2gb+ of memory!!). Once copied, un-mount and unplug your phone
from the computer, or remove your card from your PC and put it back
into your phone.

Step 9) Now we can load up PSX4Droid!!!

Step 10) Selecting the Bios

You will see this pop-up once you open PSX4Droid.

If not there already, go into Menu - Settings - Select “PSX BIOS file”
Select the Bios you just put on the phone. SCPH1001.bin

Step 11) Once the bios is selected, go back to the ROM selection page.
Navigate to where you put your folder and select the game you
want to play.
Step 12) Play your game already!!!!

Congratulations!!!! You now have a Playstation Emulator up and

running on your
Android Phone!!!

Settings: (Return to Index)

Most of the setting are pretty self-explanatory. This is just a quick overview
and what they look like and a brief explanation of some.

Menu: What it looks like when you hit the menu button ;)
Most everything else in settings is, like I said, self-explanatory. Just mess
around with different settings or sizes to see what you like most.
Only use SPU IRQ and Divid Counters and other tweaks only if the game
doesn’t run or if sound is off.

Performance Increases:(Return to Index)

I’m referencing this part loosely. Individual experience will vary device to
device, game to
game. Overall, these tips should bring a performance increase to the table.
 ● Turning off sound in settings: Yes it lessens the experience, but it will
help increase speed a little.

● Most games have the option in options/config/settings to change sound

from Stereo to Mono. This will make the sound a better quality. If you
have two external speakers on your phone, stereo should be ok to use.

● If you updated to 1.5, loading from a previous versions save state can
make the game less stable and slower. Always load from a memory
card save when switching versions.

● Overclocking your CPU: If you are comfortable and understand

overclocking, this is the quickest way to see a decent increase in
speed.

● Set Scaling to Original: Its smaller and may be harder to look at for
long periods of time but less lines of graphics means faster processing.

● Compressing: Read the next section for more on this. With a smaller
file size our phones can read the files faster therefore easier.

● Setting the Screen Refers Rate to a lower number.

● Use PAL version games. ???? Whats the difference???? NTSC games
play at full speed at 60fps, PAL games play at full speed at 50fps. So if
the emulator is running at 50fps, the PAL version will be at full speed
but the NTSC will be a little slow. This has been debated, saying they
run equally, but many users have noticed an increase in speed.

● (Not confirmed) Having a SD card with a higher class - read/write

speed, can increase overall speed.

ISO Compression:(Return to Index)

This can be a be a double bladed sword. It can increase speed and

compatibility or it can decrease compatibility. It all depends on the ROM, and
what tool you use for compression. Some tools allow you to rip the videos
and audios out which can help games or hurt them.

I have had no problems with Ice Tea v.1.3. Some of my Roms that were
unplayable, worked after compressing them.

This is also highly recommended because of the amount of space it will

reduce the file size by. It can easily shave off 100-300mb per disc!!!!.

Thank you to acidarmitage @ android forums for posting it.

Here is the link to the program you’ll need:
http://www.qj.net/psp/homebrew-applications/icetea-v13.html

Here is a quick walk-through on compressing with IceTea 1.3

Once downloaded and installed, It will look like this when opened.We’ll stay
on the basic tab for now.
1) Under PSX Image hit select and locate your game file.

2) Once Selected the Game ID should populate automatically. If it does not

populate, simply google search the “game name” “Game ID” i.e. “Final
Fantasy 9 Game ID” you should be able to find a number that looks like the
one in this picture.
3) Change Compression to Best for the maximum compressed size.

4) Game Title will be the file name of the compressed game. You may run
into problems with long intricate names, try to name the file as basic as
possible FinalFantasy9. Same for when you first select the rom, it should
have a basic file name.
(File names are shown incorrectly in the screenshot, they need to be
shortened)

5) Select the Output Directory, where you want the compressed file saved.

6) Hit “Let’s Go”....... and wait....still waiting..., this can take some time
maybe 5-10min.

7) Once finished compressing, transfer the file to your phone. Its ready to be
played.
FAQ’s:(Return to Index)

Q: How do I get Roms on my Phone?

A: See: Step 8

Q: Does Game Shark or Code Breaker work?

A: Yes and no. They run and can be obtained from the same places you get
your games from but until there is a Change Disc option they will not work.

Q: I have the original PSX disc. How do I convert it so can play it?
A: There are a quite a few programs out there, try this one:
http://www.imgburn.com/

Q: I have followed every step on this guide and cannot get my game to run.
A: It may be a few things, the game is not compatible at this time, sorry, I
know this sucks, hopefully it will be fixed in an update. Or you could have a
bad rom image, Try a different source if you downloaded, or program
if you made your own backup. Try a not compressing or
compressing the image, lastly you can try a different bios.

Q: There is a glitch in the game I can’t play past, but still want to play. What
do I do?
A: As a gamer, nothing is worse than getting into a game then getting to a
part that glitches out and can’t play past. Now that you have an
understanding of emulators, you can download a emulator for your
PC and use this to help.
1. Find a PC emulator, PCSX seems to work great for a lot of people, and
has a Windows and Mac Port. Get this up and running, there are guides
out there for most of the emulators.
2. Transfer your memory card “mcd001.mcr”, from the .psx4droid folder
on your phones SD card, to your PC.
3. You may need to reformat the memory card so the PC emulator reads
it, then use this program: http://www.aldostools.org/memcards.html.
4. Play through the glitched part. Save. Then transfer it back to your
phone’s sd card - .psx4droid folder.
5. You may need to reformat the memory card back to its original format.
(.MCR)
Q: How Do I Change Discs on Multi Disc Games?
A: Read the above question. Unless the game allows you to make an ingame
save at the change disc screen. you will need to transfer your memory card
save to your computer. Play through on your PC and change disc using the
PC emulator. Hopefully this will be the next update :)

Q: I have a PSP, with homebrew, playing PSX games. Can I use those games?
A: Yes, these are already in .eboot or .php format which I find works best. If
you have a multi
disc game that is a 1 file eboot it more than likely won’t work.

Q: How do I play PSX4Droid using a Wii-mote?

A: There are a few apps on the market that allow your phone to recognize a
wii-mote.
Download 1 and follow the instructions for set up. Then configure the keypad
mappings in PSX4Droid settings to the wii-mote. I have a HTC sense based
phone, so i cannot get this to work. It may have some problems on newer
Samsung phones too.

Credits:(Return to Index)

Mentioned in the Intro, there are already a few great, easy, and quick guides out there
that have helped a bunch of people get this emulator working, and me writing this guide.
I didn’t want to re-invent the wheel as they have done a nice base job, and they have
already posted direct links to what is needed. I would like to give them proper credit
and due respect for posting these in the first place!

A Big Thank You Goes Out To:

First and foremost:

Zodttd for creating PSX4Droid
& youngzh

kobecamp2009 @ xda
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=736160

ap3604 @ xda
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=734919
Trev186 @ Android forums
http://androidforums.com/android-games/132588-compatibility-games-psx4droid-
5.html#post1711551

SEGA @ droidforums
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-games/63329-psx4droid-game-compatibility-list.html

acidarmitage @ Android forums

http://androidforums.com/android-games/136081-psx4droid-iso-compression.html

hew @
http://psx4droid.webs.com/
http://psx4droid.webs.com/downloads.htm

and Wikipedia for being wikipedia!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_console_emulator
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_(console)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROM_image
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_image
http://psx4droid.wikkii.com/wiki/Main_Page

Sincerely,

Therev29
therev29@gmail.com

If this guide has helped you out, please consider a small donation for the time and effort this
took me to write up. Thank you!

Donate --- Click Here

I am in no way claiming to be an expert on emulators, but I’ve been using them for over 10
years and had a decent enough understanding to put this guide together.
Please email me or PM me in the forums for any (constructive) Tips / Changes/ Suggestions, I
should make/add to this guide. Thank you again, everyone, for your help, support, and reading
this.
I hope you enjoy your PSX4Droid experience!