Hack40.Run Homebrewed Software


Hack 40. Run Homebrewed Software

One of the great things about the PSP as a gaming system is the large number of developers and hackers who flocked together to figure out ways to really trick out the system with their own homebrew applications.

If you have a PSP running Version 1.0 or 1.5 of the firmware, don't update to Version 2.0 of the firmware.

If you have a PSP running 1.51 or 1.52 of the firmware, then you might as well go ahead and upgrade to 2.0. Why? Well, all the dutiful hackers have figured out ways of running their own code on PSPs running Versions 1.0 and 1.5 of the firmware. They haven't figured out how to get around the clamps Sony slapped on Versions 1.51, 1.52, or 2.0…at least, not as of this writing.

If you buy a game that requires you to update to 1.51, 1.52, or 2.0, try grabbing WAB Version Changer (http://www.psphacks.net/content/view/344), which will trick the game into thinking you are running a newer version of the firmware and do so without ruining your homebrew. Keep your eyes on the WAB team too, as they are working on a downgrader to help everyone who has already updated their PSPs.


So, if you're running Version 1.0 or 1.5 of the firmware, an entire world of programs and emulators are available to you. If you're running Version 2.0, then you can still run browser-based JavaScript homebrew, but no native code and no emulators. Again, I think this will prove to be a "yet" situation. There are people working right now on breaking the locks Sony has put in the way of all the homebrew. If you're daring, you can try downgrading your firmware [Hack #11].

Feel free to skip ahead to the section that covers your firmware. Not sure what you have? Have you already bought a PSP running Version 2.0, but want to sell it on eBay to buy one running Version 1.5 of the firmware? Read on to find out how to spot a 1.5 PSP among a stack of 2.0s.

4.6.1. Spot Your Firmware

Here's how to make sure you're getting the PSP you really need.

4.6.1.1. Out of the box

If you have your PSP in your hands, it's pretty easy to find out which firmware you are running. Simply navigate to Settings System Settings, hit the X button, then scroll down to System Information and hit the X button again. An informational screen will pop up listing your PSPs MAC address, the System Software, and your PSP's nickname. Whatever number follows Version in the System Software row is the version of the firmware you are running.

4.6.1.2. In the box

If you don't have your PSP yet, or you're in the market for a second one, here's what you need to know to try to avoid grabbing another Version 2.0. The UPC sticker on one end of the box indicates the firmware version. In Figure 4-13, there are two boxes, one without an A under 120V, indicating Version 1.5 boxed with the Spider-Man 2 UMD, and one with an A, indicating Version 1.5 of the firmware without the free UMD. If the box says something other than PSP-1001 K along the top, or it has a B or any other letter than an A underneath the 120V, then you're dealing with 1.51, 1.52, or 2.0 firmware, and you won't be able to run the homebrew.

Figure 4-13. Checking the box for Version 1.5 firmware


4.6.2. Homebrew and Emulators

If you were one of the fortunate few who grabbed a Japanese PSP running Version 1.0 of the firmware, then you have a very nice homebrew machine at your fingertips. There are multiple sites online that serve as repositories for these homebrew applications, where you can download them and then transfer them to the GAMES folder inside the PSP folder on your Memory Stick. After you copy the homebrew applications and games to this folder, navigate to Games Memory Stick on your PSP, hit the X button, and then select the homebrew game or application you want to play from the list and hit the X button again to launch it.

Keep in mind that all these homebrew apps take up space on your Memory Stick. Make sure you watch sites such as dealnews (http://www.dealnews.com) to try to get a 1GB or larger Memory Stick Duo card on the cheap.


If you, like most people who purchased their PSP in North America, have Version 1.5 of the firmware on your PSP, then things are only slightly trickier. Originally, the first workaround for running homebrew on Version 1.50 of the firmware involved something called a swaploit. For the swaploit, the EBOOT.PBP file that contains the main code for each homebrew program had to be split into two parts, placed into two identical folders inside /PSP/GAMES/ on two different Memory Sticks. You would navigate to the game on the first Memory Stick and hit the X button, then immediately after the PSP flash screen appeared, indicating that the game was launching, you had to quickly eject that first Memory Stick and replace it with the second one. If you timed everything just right, the game or homebrew application would successfully launch.

This swaploit was far from ideal, as the swapping required speed and skill and wasn't very good for the Memory Sticks involved, whichover timewould develop scratches on their contacts (and could also at times be damaged or possibly lost from accidentally shooting them across the room while ejecting them to make way for the second Memory Stick).

Fortunately, another workaround was discovered that eliminated the need to swap the Memory Sticks. Again, the EBOOT.PBP file was split in two, but this time, both files were placed on the same Memory Stick inside two different folders. Each folder had the same name, with the first ending with an additional % at the end of the name. When navigating through the Memory Stick via the PSP's Game menu, each homebrew game or application would show up next to another file called Corrupted Data. This file was merely the second folder that didn't appear launchable to the PSP.

4.6.2.1. Split your EBOOT.PBP files

Most newer homebrew apps come in both Version 1.0 EBOOT.PBP format and in split 1.50 format, but in case you run across a homebrew application that is only ready to run on Version 1.0 firmware, there are a few tools available to help you properly prepare the file for running on your PSP.

If you are running Mac OS X, you will want to grab HomebrewPSP Converter (http://ipsp.kaisakura.com/homebrew.php), which is available for free from RnSKSoftronics, the makers of iPSP. This easy-to-use application will let you select a recently downloaded EBOOT.PBP file, split the file into the necessary two parts, and automatically copy these files to a mounted PSP when you click the Transfer To PSP button (see Figure 4-14).

Figure 4-14. HomebrewPSP Converter


If you're running Windows XP, there are several programs that will do the same thing that HomebrewPSP Converter does on OS X. PSP Homebrew 9 (http://www.pspvideo9.com/homebrew/), from the makers of PSP Video 9, is a free (although donations are welcomed by the developer, Sajeeth Cherian) Windows solution for converting and moving your homebrew applications to your PSP on a Windows box.

In most cases, you won't need to worry about this. Most homebrew applications out there come preprepared in both firmware 1.0- and 1.5-savvy versions, so there is really not much need for converting the files anymore. I only supply the information here for the rare file that isn't pre-prepared, and to provide some of the history behind the scene.


4.6.2.2. Where to find homebrew and emulation applications

So, now that you know how to both prepare the homebrew applications and get them onto your PSP, all you need to do is to find some homebrew to play. A comprehensive list of the ever-changing landscape of homebrew for the PSP is beyond the scope of this hack. Such an endeavor would be an entire book of its own, and a book that probably shouldn't be written for a while longer, as the scene keeps popping up with new apps and sometimes daily improvements of existing applications.

In the meantime, let's spend some time looking at some online sites where you can grab some of the latest homebrew.

At the risk of being self-promotional, I'll first direct you to the PSP category of my blog, Sample the Web (http://www.sampletheweb.com/categories/media/psp/), where I keep track of a lot of the little PSP bits that interest me. You should also check out PSP Fanboy, a PSP blog that I write for, and PSP Hacks: The Book (http://www.psphacksthebook.com/), a site thatas I write thisis nothing but a placeholder online, but which I intend to populate with lots of useful links and information to enhance this book. Also, make sure you check O'Reilly's web site page for this book (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/psphks), as we'll be providing corrections to the book from time to time.

None of these sites, however, are hosting the various homebrew applications that you want to get your hands on. There are two places that I've found to be the best repositories for PSP homebrew. One is PSP Updates (http://www.pspupdates.com/).

Unfortunately, for the most part, PSP Updates is hidden behind multiple pop-up- and pop-over-plagued pages that can be more than a bit frustrating at times. The content is both great and free, but if you don't like sites that continually bombard you with advertisements, you may want to consider signing up for a paid account with PSP Updates so that you can browse their files ad-free.

I like free, however, so I'll just continually close the ad windows and click the Skip This Ad links to get to the goods, and diligently empty my browser's cache files after I'm done.


The other, less ad-laden site is PSP-Hacks (http://www.psp-hacks.com/), which has an easily accessible Homebrew Download section (http://www.psp-hacks.com/downloads.php#homebrew), although not as comprehensive as PSP Updates' selection.

Here's a short list of other useful PSP- and homebrew-related links:

PSPworld (http://www.pspworld.com/)
PSP-vault (http://www.psp-vault.com/)
PSP Garden (http://www.pspgarden.com/)
PSP Spot (http://www.psp-spot.com/)
PSP Hacks (http://www.psphacks.net/)

If I don't have direct links to any of the homebrew applications I list in this hack, it's because the developer doesn't have a web site of his own, and the file is found regularly updated on one of these sites. Wherever possible, however, I will link directly to the developer's site.

4.6.2.3. PSP Chess

Christopher Bowron is one of the first and most diligent homebrew developers, releasing PSP Chess (http://bace.bowron.us/) and continuing to improve and update the program over time. It's a really nifty and well-designed chess program that I play regularly on my PSP (see Figure 4-15).

Figure 4-15. PSP Chess


4.6.2.4. PSP Rhythm Composer and DJSP

The musically inclined amongst you will like PSP Rhythm Composer (http://www.iturzaeta.com/PSPRhythm/). This homebrew drum machine for your PSP features a 16-step sequencer, 16 drum instruments with 32 total samples, 16 drum patterns, and a song mode.

If you enjoy listening more than creating, you might prefer DJSP (visit http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=1&platformId=14&N=4294925759&productId=175143&R=175143) over the MP3 player that comes preloaded in your PSP (see Figure 4-16).

This Audio Visual MP3 player for the PSP features 10 different visual patterns that play along with your music, a 10-band equalizer that will allow you to increase the volume beyond the loudest volume allowed by the PSP's default MP3 player, and the ability to play tracks of any file length (according to the web site, up to 2 GB, if necessary).

Figure 4-16. DJSP


4.6.2.5. Games and emulators

In addition to the homebrew games such as PSP Chess and PSP Go, there are various programs copied from other games, in particular a Bejeweled clone and games such as Dr. Mario (see Figure 4-17). Perhaps one of the most popular forms of homebrew that has the largest following and has persuaded many PSP owners to diligently avoid upgrading their firmware can be found in the form of homebrew emulators that emulate the behavior of other gaming systems.

Figure 4-17. Dr. Mario


Since its initial release, the PSP has become one of the best and most versatile emulation platforms available. There are PSP emulators for the Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, Atari Lynx, and a variety of other platforms. There's even a MAME emulator for the PSP. Many of these are available bundled together in packs, such as the Kxsploit Homebrew Pack (pictured in Figure 4-18).

Figure 4-18. Snes9X as part of the Kxsploit Homebrew Pack


All of these emulators need ROMs to run. You can obtain many excellent homebrew ROMs for a variety of systems at http://www.pdroms.de/.

4.6.3. Browser-Based Homebrew

While Version 2.0 of the firmware prevents regular homebrew from running on the PSP, you do at least have an additional web browser (without having to do the Wipeout Pure trick) that is capable of running various JavaScript apps and web-based games, such as PSP Tetris (http://webtopsp.com) and those found at PSP Web Browser.com (http://www.pspwebbrowser.com/). Also, most of these games can be downloaded locally to your Memory Stick, so that you don't need a live Internet connection to play them.

4.6.4. Hacking the Hack

If you really want to hack this hack, you're either going to want to learn to develop your own homebrew for the PSP [Hack #47] or spend some time scouring the Net for all your favorite JavaScript games that you can port to the PSP.




PSP Hacks
PSP Hacks: Tips & Tools for Your Mobile Gaming and Entertainment Handheld
ISBN: 0596101430
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 108

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