Skip to content

Hidden Button Combos

  • R1 to boot the cart
  • Square to toggle fast/slow serial comms. (115200 vs 518400)
  • L1 + Square to enable Debug Mode Placeholder.

PC-Side serial tools

The serial tool to connect to PC is called NOTPSXSerial, or "nops" for short. nops (aka "NotPSXSerial").

  • It's included with the boot disc by default.
  • You'll need a standard USB to UART dongle. They're like 4 dollars on Amazon.
  • It's included with the boot disc by default.
  • Works fine on Mac and Linux using mono.

Can I use the parallel port?

Nah, unlikely. It's clunky, awkward, most carts need a voltage level adapter and it's 2021.

Supported functions:

  • Upload + Run an .exe
  • Upload arbitrary binaries
  • Flash .ROM files to your carts
  • Write memcards (including FreePSXBoot FreePSXBoot)
  • Dump memcards
  • Dump RAM
  • Watch RAM
  • Poke RAM
  • Read, Write, Access Breakpoints
  • Call/Jump to addresses
  • Enter/Exit kernel debug mode

This is not an exhaustive list. See the nops docu for more info.

Hex Editor

  • L1 / R1 = back and forward 1 page
  • L1 / R1 + Triangle = back and forward a bit further
  • L1 / R1 + Square = back and forward even further

  • R2 = cycle beteween RAM, EEPROM, BIOS, etc

  • X = edit byte

  • L2 = Enter an address manually (hint: get somewhere close via R2 first to save time)

  • Start / Sel = Execute the code starting at the cursor

  • Circle = Exit