Homebrew Concerns: When to Update Your PSP s Firmware

Homebrew Concerns: When to Update Your PSP's Firmware

If you skipped Chapter 1, you didn't find out that homebrew means games and applications brewed (written) at home (a place other than a professional software development company). The PSP is an incredibly versatile device; it's essentially a computer, and it can do a lot more stuff than Sony officially acknowledges. It can run games that aren't officially licensed for it, and it can crunch programs and utilities just like a PC, only smaller and without a mouse.

Unfortunately, Sony not only doesn't condone the use of homebrew, but also tries to prevent it through firmware updates.

Firmware is the accepted term for software that makes a device do the basic things it does. Sony calls its PSP firmware software in the instruction manual, but that can be confusing. The term software, in the computer world, usually refers to stuff that comes on CDs, DVDs, or UMDs or via the Internet and that runs on the computer.

The most totally workable firmware for PSP hacking and homebrew is version 1.5. Right now, as this chapter is being typed, the current version is 2.70. There are homebrew loaders for version 2.60, but the hackers haven't caught up with 2.70 yet.

If you like homebrew, be wary about upgrading your PSP's firmware.

There's a trade-off here: Firmware updates often contain new and exciting features, such as RSS, WPA compatibility, and the ability to run the newest and latest games. If you could care less about homebrew, upgrade it through the process outlined in the manual as often as you like.