PS3 rear USB port mod by "MacSolidWorks"

[gudrun]

"MacSolidWorks" over on Youtube contacted me about his recent video so I registered here to share it.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/BLriIg3aJxg&amp;rel=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/BLriIg3aJxg&amp;rel=1</a>

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BLriIg3aJxg

I modified my PS3 to have a rear USB port for my Playstation EYE. I looked all over the web for instructions on how to do this but couldn't find anything. So I just did it myself.

Here are the results:

1. It works.

2. As long as you don't plug anything into the front USB port you've "borrowed" for the rear port, everything is fine.

3. If you plug something into the "borrowed" port, both peripherals stop working and you'll need to restart the PS3.

4. This setup cannot act like a true USB hub as it's just a pass-thru for one of the front ports.

Since this setup is not optimal and I'd like at least 2 USB ports on the back of my PS3, I'm currently working on a new mod that will allow a true hub on the back eliminating the aforementioned limitations.

- MacSolidWorks

Visist my Playstation 3 HDD Mod MySpace page if you have not seen it already.
http://www.myspace.com/playstaion3hddmod

[ProperBritish]

The most pointless mod ever

[Reaper]

The most pointless mod ever

Not to me, I have the PS3 Eye and I would love to not have the cord go around the fron of the PS3, also the ability to have an external HDD that would be hidden from view is another thing this could be used for...

I really wich I had the guts to tear open my PS3, had it since launch...

[*FuFa]

That's hell of a nice idea, personally I don't got a PS3 and I'm not a fan of it, but that was some really clean work, it looks like Sony shipped it like that.

[MattZani]

I'll probably be getting another PS3 to mod, and this would be one of my main things to do, but i'd try and make it so that all the USB Ports work.

[pinoyballa]

This mod would be pretty cool, but hell no. I'm not ripping apart my ps3 lol, I'd probably break it.

[robin1989]

nice mod. i was just thinking if ps3 supports a usb bus then you could maybe still use the front port by taking of the old port and replacing it with a usb bus with one port going to the front where the old port was and another port (or more) going to the back of the ps3

[ProperBritish]

It such a hell of a lot of work for practically nothing. Take apart a PS3 fully to move a USB port. Why not just get a hub?

[Azie139]

It such a hell of a lot of work for practically nothing. Take apart a PS3 fully to move a USB port. Why not just get a hub?

this mod is usefull think about not having any wires hanging out lets say if u have a device plug in

[ProperBritish]

My point is you could just move a hub behind a PS3 no problems. And have more ports at the back without sacrificing front ones

[gudrun]

"MacSolidWorks" has completed an updated mod with all four front USB as well as two in the rear all functioning.  He is now working on a new video for it.

[gudrun]

The new mod is done and the video is up.

PS3 six USB port mod
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/3CmYYFcnxno&amp;rel=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/3CmYYFcnxno&amp;rel=1</a>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CmYYFcnxno

My PS3 now boasts six (6) fully functional USB ports, the original four in front, and two (2) in the rear. We used the facilities of Dominion Lasercom's R&D lab for our work location as this is a seriously complex (and frightening) mod.

Since their are no schematics or plans anywhere on the net to do this, we had a-lot of head scratching and hurdles to deal with, but in the end it worked out very well as you can see.

Basically what we've done is cut the data path from the internal USB controller chip on the PS3 to the #4 USB port (the one closest to the center).

We then wired the upstream connection on the "external" hub to the PS3's data output on those traces, thus tricking the PS3 into thinking there's a regular four port hub plugged into the front.

After that, we wired a downstream cable from the "external" hub back to the PS3's front USB port.

To activate the two rear USB ports we simply ran 2 pairs of data lines from the "external" hub.

All power to and from the "external" hub was handled with and old IDE HDD ribbon cable trimmed down to three wires: power, negative, and ground.

The results:

1. It works with no limitations

2. Anything can be plugged into the front and rear USB ports. This includes charging your Sixaxis controller, more hubs, Playstation Eye, external HDD, etc.

4. This setup is a true USB hub and I absolutely love it!

I am fully aware I could just plug in a hub, or get a USB extension cable and run it to the back...don't post these kinds of obvious solutions. If you ask me why I did it, my answer is..."why not?"

[MattZani]

Now this i like, its functional, keeps all the ports working, and looks cleaner than before.

[robin1989]

yeh much better even though i liked the origional

[ryan0]

god i cant w8 til i go to college to have access to r&d labs in between partying of course!sick mod!if u plugged in a usb hub it would look real ugly and make a mess of wires,and modding isnt just about making something look cool or do something else,its about learning and being able to apply it to things around us,before i got into modding i knew sweet f/ck all about elecronics and now i can say i'm quite proficient for a 14 year old!