The Playstation Portable is a jack of all trades. It plays music, videos, browses the Internet, and plays games. However, for an increasing number of people, this still isn’t enough. With its powerful dual-processor configuration and Memory Stick Pro Duo slot, the PSP is a pocket powerhouse, capable of much more than just gaming and multimedia.
This is where the homebrew community comes in. With some modifications to its system software, the PSP can run 3rd party software, just like an ordinary computer. A massive community has sprung up online that is dedicated to these modifications.
When Sony first released the PSP, it had no restrictions. It was possible to write 3rd party software and install it to a memory stick. The PS2dev community created a homebrew development kit for the new system, and the community of developers began to grow.
After a while, Sony started to realize this was a problem. Although 3rd party utilities and games were harmless, they realized it was possible to run commercial games from the memory stick as well, using homebrew ISO loaders. Sony knew that this could hurt their game sales, so they issued firmware version 2.0, which removed this functionality. In this version of the firmware, and every subsequent release, it is impossible to run anything but UMD disks and official game demos from Sony. While this makes piracy impossible, it also dealt a serious blow to the burgeoning homebrew community.
In late 2005, Homebrew developer Fanjita discovered a tantalizing hole in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. By copying a special hacked game save to the memory stick and loading it in GTA, it was possible to purposely crash the PSP, and load custom code! For the first time since the release of firmware 2.00, it was possible to run homebrew code again. At the time, PSPs with firmware 1.50 were in high demand, and supplies were dwindling. Using this software exploit, Fanjita and the Noobz team were able to create a “downgrader” for the current firmware, version 3.40. It became possible to downgrade any PSP, as long as it had nothing higher than 3.40, to the older 1.50 firmware, and thus use it for homebrew once again.
Sony was none too happy about this exploit. They issued a recall on GTA:LCS, and sent new, patched copies to stores. They also began releasing firmware updates in the game disks themselves. Newer games required newer firmwares, and so homebrew users had to choose between a fully functional PSP, or a crippled system that was compatible with newer games. As always, the scene found workarounds, specifically a program called Devhook, but it was confusing and complicated to set up.
Custom Firmware
Custom firmware replaces your PSPs official firmware but it is not a permanent upgrade.
You can easily uninstall the custom firmware and to back to official firmware if you
don’t like or don’t want to use custom firmware anymore.
Custom Firmware has all the features of the official sony firmware, but also adds the ability
to load homebrew PSP ISOs and PSX EBOOTs directly from the game menu in the XMB.
so you can still play your original UMD discs, Music and Videos using custom firmware.
Custom Firmware also has an option to use ‘No-UMD Mode’ so you can run your PSP ISOs without a UMD inserted.
The ‘Sony NP9660′ No-UMD mode has the highest compatibility rate and almost all ISO games work with it.
If you have any PSP ISOs in ‘DAX’ format, you need to convert them to ISO or CSO files using UMDGEN,
Custom Firmware doesn’t support the DAX format.
Your PSPs UMD Drive should be empty while upgrading / downgrading your PSP.
(except when downgrading from 3.03 & 3.50 you will need a UMD inserted to start the downgrader)
It is recommended to remove the UMD Disc from your PSP before you do anything in this guide.
If you don’t have a USB cable but you have a memory card reader, you can use that instead.
when you see ‘connect your PSP to your computer and make a USB connection’,
Turn off your PSP, take the memory stick out of your PSP and insert it into your memory card reader.
When you see ‘close the USB connection and disconnect your PSP from your computer’
Take the memory stick out of your computer and insert it into your PSP and turn your PSP on.
A hacker known as Dark Alex developed a compelling solution. He designed a software package which, when installed on a PSP running the 1.50 firmware, allowed the user to install a hybrid firmware of his own design. In other words, a PSP with Dark Alex’s custom firmware has all the features and functionality of the standard Sony firmware, in addition to support for firmware 1.50 based software. The firmware also came with something called “HEN”, short for Homebrew ENabler. Developers could create software for the familiar 1.50 firmware, or the newer 3.XX series this way.
Dark Alex has continued refining his custom firmwares, and has managed to keep up with every major release from Sony. His latest stable firmware, M33 3.80, is the most advanced version yet. It boasts tons of new features including a custom devkit, support for a 1.50 kernel plugin, and most importantly, a hacked network update system. In the past, running network update would upgrade to the vanilla Sony firmware, removing homebrew functionality. However, in M33 3.80, it because possible to update to newer custom firmwares with Sony’s own tool.
So what are the new features of this custom firmware? This new custom firmware has all the features the 4.01 official firmware has plus a few extras. Many people are asking me if it’s worth installing it and my answer is a YES. I have 4.01 M33-2 custom firmware installed already on my phat PSP and I haven’t encountered any bugs yet. But don’t take my word for it. Try it yourself. You can always revert back to your old 3.90 M33-3 if you want.
So much for the rambling. Here are the instructions on how to install the new custom firmware on your PSP.
Requirements
As always, please do check that you pass all the requirements before you can do the installation.
* A Fat PSP or Slim PSP already installed with a custom firmware. At least 3.52 M33-4 custom firmware must be installed on your Fat PSP and 3.60 M33 for the slim.
* A fully charged battery. I know it will run on 70% battery but 100% battery with the AC adapter plugged is the safest setup.
* A USB cable to transfer files from your computer to your PSP.
* The 4.01 M33-2 installer pack that I created for easy install. Download the 4.01 M33-2 installer pack and unzip on your computer.
The Steps
The steps are divided into 3. Please follow the directions carefully. I will not be held responsible for any bricks. Do this at your own risk! But I’m 100% sure you won’t brick your precious PSP if you follow the instructions carefully.
Step A – Installing the 4.01 M33 custom firmware
1. Connect your PSP to your computer using the USB cable. Open the Step A folder and copy the UPDATE folder to ms0:/PSP/GAME/. After copying, disconnect the PSP from your computer.
2. On the XMB menu on your computer, navigate to GAME > Memory Stick and run the 4.01 M33 update. When you run the update, the screen turns black. Follow the text instructions. It will take you to the Official Sony Update screen. That is normal. Continue with the process following the instructions.
3. The Sony Updater will run. Don’t turn off your PSP or interrupt the update. After the Update, you will be asked to press a certain button to restart your PSP. Do so.
4. Congratulations, your PSP is installed with 4.01 M33 custom firmware now. On to Step B.
Step B – Installation of the 4.01 M33 update
1. You can only do this if you are successful with Step A. Connect your PSP to your computer. On your memory stick, navigate to PSP/GAME and delete the UPDATE folder.
2. Now open STEP 2 folder to your computer and copy the UPDATE folder to ms0:/PSP/GAME/. Disconnect your PSP from the computer once you are done.
3. On the XMB menu, scroll to GAME > Memory Stick and run the 4.01 M33-2 update. Just follow the onscreen instructions and you’ll be safe.
4. After the installation, you will be returned to the XMB screen.
5. Congratulations on your 4.01 M33-2 PSP.
Step C – 1.50 Kernel Add-on Installation Guide
1. This last set of steps is optional. You may do this or not. The next set of steps will be instructions on how to install the 1.50 Kernel Add on for the Fat PSP. Sorry slim owners.
2. Connect your PSP to your computer. Open Step C folder and then copy 150.PBP file from your computer to the root directory of your memory stick. And then copy 4XX folder from your computer to ms0:/PSP/.
3. Exit the USB mode and on your XMB, navigate to GAME > Memory Stick and then run the 1.50 Kernel Add-on program. Follow the onscreen instructions.
4. After the installation is successful, you will be taken back to the XMB.
5. Congratulations. Your PSP is now the same as mine, a full battle gear handheld. Place your 1.50 homebrews on the PSP/GAME150 folder.
ProVFX Visual Effects and Editing School has been written by Pranay Rupani who is a Freelance Writer
You are at the present a proud owner of a PSP at home and enjoy using it for all sorts of things, varying from internet browsing to games.
In addition you like to use it for storage of wall papers and pictures. All this makes your highly mobile PSP a versatile little gadget. Or you just been thinking, what type of portal device would fit my needs?
What is possible to do with this high tech gadget from SONY?
Get some free PSP tools to use with your PSP or you could find some fantastic games, photos or even some useful tools for your PSP.
As the popularity of PSP has increased despite the introduction of the WII from Nintendo, it still holds the fort.
The price of the gadget also makes it affordable to a large range of potential users, ranging from the game freak to the more traditional use within portal tools.
In addition you can convert your favorite movies to work on your PSP, or you could emulate other portable play consols.
The Japanese homebrew developer SofiyaCat has ported the Nintendo DS emulator DeSmuME to PSP. It’s extremely slow, so don’t expect it to run anything well, but it does prove DS emulation is possible on the PSP.
PSP Video 9 is a free PSP video conversion and management application. It can convert regular PC video files (avi, mpeg, etc) into PSP video files, as well as manage/copy these PSP video files between your PC and PSP.
When combined with another application, Videora the PSP Video 9 form the first PSPcasting solution, allowing you to download, convert and copy video to your PSP, automatically using BitTorrent and RSS technology.
99bytes DVD to PSP / iPod video converter makes it possible to quickly convert any DVD movie to iPod Video or PSP compatible format. Enables you to enjoy your favorite videos wherever you go!
If you own an Apple iPod, or a Sony PSP, then you might wish to upload on your portable device more than just the movies that you can buy from the Apple or Sony stores. This converter allows you to rip and transfer your favorite movies from any Video DVD to iPod or PSP.
You can take any of your favorite DVD movies and, with a few clicks, convert it to PSP or iPod Video compatible format. Upload the movie on iTunes (ready to transfer to iPod), or simply copy on the PSP. The software is fully compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 2000.
Xilisoft Download YouTube Video software is a powerful, universal AVI MPEG video converter which can convert video file between all popular video formats such as converting WMV to AVI, WMV to MPEG, AVI to 3GP, converting H.264 video. It supports convert video files between DVD, VCD, SVCD, MOV, RM, AVI, MPEG, WMV, 3GP, h264, MP4, ASF, etc. In addition, the Video Converter provides a powerful way to convert video files to popular audio files, including MP2, MP3, AC3, RA, M4A, OGG, AAC etc. It supports APE, CUE decoding and audio CD ripping. All conversion processes are very easy and fast with excellent quality.
Augart Video Converter is the program that supports almost all known video formats from extremely popular DVD, XviD, DivX, WMV, MOV, MPEG2, MPEG4, RM to new progressive H264, FLV, 3GP. The program allows users an assortment of Video Tools directed on a concrete problem. For example, you need to take a tab ?VD players?(to creat a DVD movie) and the program will automatically prepair for creating DVD, you just need to add the video you want. By the way, if you don’t want to have some scenes (for example, advertisement) in your result video, you can cut them using Video Editor. Moreover, you can rewrite any DVD film from disk to your computer after converting it into a computer format, at that, if you use AVI (H264), the size of the result DVD can be reduced 5 times!!! almost without loss of quality. If you have Apple Video iPod or Sony PSP you can easy convert and load DVD films or your favorite Music Clips there! At that, you just need Augart Video Converter.
Besides Apple iPod and Sony PSP Augart Video Converter supports Archos portable players, Creative iPod, Epson, Sony portable players, LG, TOSHIBA, SAMSUNG, Pioneer auto dvd portable systems and many others. Except PC, Home DVD Players, iPod and portable players, Augart Video Converter works with mobile telephone .3gp. video. If you choose a tab ?obile phone? the program will prepair for conversion video for your mobile in 3gp. format. Thanks to that fact, you can easily have your favourite video clips at the mobile phone. At that, the program will load the video to the phone itself with the help of bluetooth, infrared or a telephone cable.
Aimersoft DVD to AVI Converter helps you rip and convert DVD to AVI video file formats or extract audio from DVD to MP3 audio file formats, you just need a few clicks to convert DVD to AVI, MP3 which fit for devices like Archos AV500, Archos AV700.
Are you a film fanatic? If so, have you ever thought about some dvd rippers to back up your DVD disc? A-one DVD Ripper can convert DVD to DivX , XviD , AVI , iPod , PSP , 3GP , Pocket PC , VCD , SVCD. It is simple and easy to use. With a few clicks , you can watch the movies on your iPod / PSP / mobile phone /laptop/PDAanytime and anywhere without carrying those discs inconveniently.
As you see, it is not needed to use the Official Sony PSP site in order to get your favorite tools for your PSP. The list could be longer, and I will present more tools in my next article about PSP and the versatility of this gadget.
In the next article I will cover some of the official communities around PSP and their work. I will cover some of the hot new features with PSP and the upgrade opportunities, but also the pitfall associated with this.
I will give you tips on some forums and newsgroups as well in my next article. This tips alone can be a useful resource, because sometimes members of these forums gives you some fantastic tips.
Your PSP will be personalized and become unique and therefore increase its value not only for you, but if you decide to sell it in the second hand market. Let your creativity loose and unleash the power in your PSP, either by downloading freeware, shareware or commercial software to use on your PSP, or you can use your PC or Mac to create wall papers or photos to use on your PSP.
Only your imagination is the limit.
Best of all, share your experience with others on the forums you will learn more about in the next article. Or you can start your own PSP dedicated blog to share your PSP experience and let people see what you have achieved with your PSP.
How To Play PSP Download Games
Like many others who had purchased original PSP games from the retail outlets, you will realize that as the games is completed, buying new games seem to be getting expensive and unaffordable. What else can I do if I want to continue to play new or old fashioned games on my PSP console? I start search and looking for website that offers
free PSP download games.
Once I had downloaded the PSP games onto my console, how to play PSP download games was my next question. I’m not sure exactly how PSP works when I download new PSP games onto the unit, but I sure have found some
answers while I was looking for it. Since I’m facing and struggling with this problem on how to play PSP download games on my unit, lots of other people must be also getting the same problem.
Hope that I get this right for everyone to play PSP download games because I used the same method here to play on my console. Before we get started, I’m using a PSP unit with firmware of 1.5 and having a Sony PSP
compatible memory stick pro duo.
Since you are going to download the PSP games, you must download the games for the correct version of firmware, if not it will not work. Newer version of the firmware is available to anyone from the PSP official website. Most homebrew PSP games works with firmware 1.5 and below because the newer firmware upgrade is trying to block people from using homebrew games. Make sure the games you are downloading ends with PSP because only PSP files are compatible with Sony PSP unit.
And for firmware upgrade at anytime, you may need to download a newer version of the games to be compatible with the firmware. Otherwise error messages like “The data is corrupted” or “The game would not be started” will display on your PSP screen.
Once the PSP games are downloaded, connect the PSP to your computer by using the USB cable that comes with the PSP console. Change your PSP console into PSP mode by pressing the “Home” button. Next scroll left to
the “Setting” column and scroll down until “USB Connection”. Press “X” button to enter PSP into USB mode.
To download the PSP games into your console, the games must be copied and downloaded onto the correct folder in order for the games to work. And the correct path is PSP > GAME in order for the any PSP games to work correctly. If the “PSP” and “GAME” folder does not exist on your PSP memory stick, you need to manually create the folder with folder name in ALL CAPS.
Once you have finished downloading or transferring the games onto the PSP memory stick, you can disconnect your PSP from the computer. From the PSP console main menu, scroll over to the “GAME” column on your Sony
PSP and continue to scroll down on the memory stick. Press “X” and a list of game files will be displayed. Scroll downward and you will be able to see the games you have just installed.
Press “X” again to confirm your selection and play the PSP games. I had tried to practice the steps above many times in my PSP and it worked all the time. Hopefully it will also work for your PSP console too.