Homebrew PlayStation Portable

The homebrew of the PSP or software unofficial, consists of applications and games created by amateur programmers and experts, and software programs developed to eliminate barriers to operation. This homebrew software is characterized by to be free and open.

Overview

The conglomerate of developers and users of computer products, developing and using applications (Homebrew) that do not have vendor support, are due to Internet, the Scene, user errors and vulnerabilities within the system or more recently, various security flaws, bugs, or exploits to get unsigned code running on them. These exploits appear in commercial video games appear or more commonly in promotional demos of Sony commonly distributed before launching a new video game.

The scene is important for fans of gadgets, not only for his work, but because it opened the door for other developers could continue to expand the possibilities of using this console to get is as versatile as the console GP32.

Apart from free software original, software developed for other devices and other electronic dictionaries, PDAs, GPS viewer, desktop computers 80 and 90, etc which is no longer for sale by the simplicity of its interface, new original software developed by amateurs in relatively unknown computer languages ​​(such as Lua, PAlib, etc), or for other reasons, is available on the PSP and has attracted to fans of such software, to the world of PSP.

The homebrew "recovery mode menu", developed by an anonymous Spaniard has given rise to what can be done with all the rest of the PSP homebrew.

Originally, when the console came out with its first firmware, 1.00, Sony allowed the execution of unsigned code on PSP console. A small group of fans achieved successfully carry some homebrew code PS2, and remove the software from some UMD optical discs using the wifi, being able to copy and run the software extracted from the Memory Stick. Sony was understandably feared by the reduction of the benefits in its investment. A few months later, with the release of Firmware 1.50, Sony changed its security and prevent any free access to its console, regardless of which software were use in the console, copyright or not. However, the hobby continues and thousands of programmers around the world are contributing to that. Every day there are more and more applications and games "homebrew" for the Sony PSP.

Although often questioned the legality of homebrew, in Japan these programs are called Dojin Soft which is the way to say that this software is not illegal. The Dojin Soft is widespread among users.

The use of the term piracy is totally incorrect, as most software is completely original and as high as this one paid by Sony. The criminalization of the creatives is an exaggeration to equate the act of sharing or innovate, with the violence of the pirate ships. The Free Software Foundation includes this meaning with others, in its list of expressions to avoid.

The scope of protection of copyright works at international level are governed by the "Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works", which establishes a minimum term of 50 years from the death of the author. The way to treat legislation these offenses is a topic of controversy in many countries of the world. However, most of the homebrew is free and of course, these measures do not affect them. The console owner has the right to use its console as like and do it.

Software types

• Downgrade In slang, is how to say down PSP to reach a version without the blocks implemented by newer versions of the official Sony firmware, to install an alternative firmware or custom firmware that is capable of running homebrew and backups and more. Another way even inappropriate, but common to call this method is to "hack". The accepted term is "to free".

To run homebrew on the PSP this must have firmware called alternative or custom firmware CFW.

The firmware console can be upgraded by downloading via Wi-Fi from the servers of Sony or by downloading the (EBOOT.PBP) update from computer and transferring it via USB to the \PSP\GAME\UPDATE of the PSP and then running it as if it were an application. In addition, most of the games contain the updates necessary to play if you have one prior to that required firmware. The firmwares are compatible system for a machine anywhere in the world, but Sony strongly recommended to use the upgrade of the region concerned.

Firmware updates must be digitally signed and to be superior to the console firmware for perform the update.

Firmware upgrades have included a web browser, an RSS reader, AVC video compression, ability to change the wallpaper, various audio codecs (WMA, AAC, etc). Firmware upgrades have numerous changes in system security trying to limit the use of homebrew. Currently, the official version of the newest firmware 6 .31, which has added the ability to group and view the games based on their format.

Out of the officially established by Sony, PSP can return to a previous firmware, uploading unofficial firmwares developed and distributed by independent programmers and internet fans. There are several programs that have achieved that psp return the console to a previous firmware, this applications Downgraders have been developed in numerous of this unofficial firmwares. The latest firmware from Sony that allowed homebrew and homebrew applications to load is the 1.50 firmware, one of the firmwares that was used in the PSP 1000, it allows to load any unsigned software from Sony, and a large variety of homebrew games and emulators for consoles like the Super Nintendo or Sega Mega Drive.

The work of amateur and independent developers of this console, called "scene", opens the door for other developers to continue expanding the usability of psp and make it as versatile as the console Korean GP32 or American Tapwave Zodiac. Individual work on internet common projects with open source libraries to build new homebrew. The most notable to date is the "Recovery Mode Menu" that has given rise to everything else.

To execute homebrew in the PSP you need to have a firmware custom firmware. Due to the variety of firmwares and hardwares in the console Sony, many homebrews work on a console and not in other psp. Some backups are executed in the "M33" and others in the "Sony 9660".

This has led to several firmwares, like the 5 .00 M33-6 or PRO-B7 LCFW Many have been developed trying to make them compatible with applications developed for all models and kernels, and the other firmwares.

The backups loaded must be compatible with the firmware in question, we must select properly the parameters of the program and we must put the files into the appropriate folder, which can be GAME,ISO, etc. depending from the OS in psp.

• Application: players (MIDI, PMP...), displays images and files, browsers, information programs, plugins with different features, such as the display screen PSP on PC, etc, but also provides, among other things, complete Command Line or shells that have a variety of functions. In media players, one of the applications play files from audio MIDI and WAV. There are Web browsers, language dictionaries, drawing tools, viewers for formats CBR, PDF, TXT ... adaptations of games from other platforms etc ...as the application Irshell, which have a variety of functions. bookr for example, is widely used for its high quality as PDF format file reader. Some people find it more stability in the original version and others do better with that of NCT2K, depending on CFW to have the console and the PSP model, for which will do best by example, bookr original version, which displays files fully photo as comics, the PSP 1000, the new versions designed for PSP Slim bookr not get it and vice versa. Currently, many homebrews are "signed" which allows them to be run on any PSP with the official software. For example, the reader bookr signed, used to read books and comics in pdf format on any PSP, and monitor them even in a TV screen, if desired.

• Emulators:The emulators for Java and others. The existence of a large number of gadgets, such as mobile phones and other consoles like the free software GP2X, allows a wider range of adaptations of free software such as MAME4ALL, a emulator software from different companies, grouped under the name Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator or MAME, that was created for GP2X and has been ported to PSP directly from the GP2X version and then to Nintendo DS. The most important are emulators for Java, Game Boy Advance, Play Station, Super Nintendo|SNES, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator|Mame, Mega Drive, or Nintendo DS among others. One of the most notable is the creation of several programs VJM, virtual java machine, that allow run virtual java programs such as dictionaries, sound files MIDI, e-Books Viewer format ePub and all kind of commercial software created for mobile phones. Use of emulators and wireless, PDA, keyboards, through the infrared port, with drivers developed by members of the scene, etc., have turned the psp on a computer completely portable and very sturdy. It is capable of emulating scientific calculators, 1980 computers as the Commodore Amiga, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and 1980 Personal computer with the operating system MS-DOS. Applications have been developed MS office such as word processors, spreadsheets, calendars, etc.. Its use is limited, although some applications use an external keyboard or connected to the computer via the infrared port or by wireless.

• Plugins: Plugins are small applications with a specific function in the PSP running through Recovery Mode. His role on this platform is quite interesting, some plugins can, for example, allow code execution gameshark, make screenshots or extend the functionality of the firmware in general. It is computer application for a new function and usually very specific. In the PSP will run through the Recovery Mode. the pluggin need had to put them in a folder called SEPLUGINS, and modify the txts GAME, GAME150, and so on. Some plugins may, for example, allow code execution gameshark, make screenshots or extend the functionality of the firmware in general, as a flashlight, go into USB mode when connecting the cable, calculator, download PlayStation games directly play files MIDI or to listen to music while reading a text, a pdf viewer book or playing a backup, remotely control a PC and vice versa psp control with keyboard or mouse from the computer to play in it, movies, music, games and comics. You try to do the same with other intelligent devices such as touch screens, mobile phones and PDAs, etc.. Plug-ins are loaded when you start the console will not have to load them manually.

• Game: There are both games made specifically for the PSP, as ports from other platforms. They are often called backup.

How to install homebrew programs

Comics viewer described is for firmware 3.80 M33-5, but fits most. Epubs viewer psp fits all. The format CBR to read comics part of an archive in rar or cso as compressed folders, that must be copied to the folder ISO without decompressing, if you want the backup to work.

Programs like bookr, come in their own folder and just need to copy the bookr aplicattion to GAME folder, the bookr program can open all folders in the console until it find the one that contains PDF files.

PSPComic being easy to install can be confusing and discourage their installation.

Installing the comic viewer cbr and cbz format, PSPComic.

Normally the people try to put the program on "/ISO" folder, but that folder is for Image ISOs for normal programs is the folder "/PSP/GAME".

PSPCOMICS folder is copied, it have two files containing PNG and the EBOOT.PBP in "/PSP/GAME".

So looks like this:

• /PSP/GAME/PSPCOMICS/about.png.

• /PSP/GAME/PSPCOMICS/EBOOT.PBP.

• / PSP/GAME/PSPCOMICS/notheme.png.

Then create a folder called comics at the root of the Memory Stick and then copy the folder "pspcomic" which is the one with the themes, language ...

• /Comics/pspcomics.

If you are having the folder "src", set in, in the Themes folder.

• /PSP/THEME/src.

Installing a viewer program on the psp for epubs through an emulator java

To read e-books in epub format, PSP need a EPUB viewer in format Java, since there is even an psp application that read directly epub format. Then PSP must use an emulator java. First you must install for example, the version of PSPKVM (0.5.5) to emulate the Java platform and to use for example, the java epubs viewer open source Albite Reader 2.1 (version not Touch).

To read e-books in epub format, you need a viewer format Java, since there is not yet an application that read directly epubs on PSP because you must use an emulator java. You install the version of PSPKVM (0.5.5) to emulate the Java platform and then is used epubs viewer open source Albite Reader 2.1 (version not Touch).

Starts PSPKVM program, once inside, to install the application "Albite Reader". You must create a root folder on the Memory Stick with the name "pspkvm" and copy in, the books in EPUB format, this can be done from the Windows file explorer, having connected the PSP to the computer.

When the program Albite Reader starts, opening a location request, select the root, where are the books epub. Albite is a very complete ebook reader with an English menu that allows regular changes in ePubs. readers.

Homebrew

The work of amateur and independent developers of this console, called "scene", opens the door for other developers to continue expanding the usability of psp and make it as versatile as the console Korean GP32 or American Tapwave Zodiac. Individual work on internet common projects with open source libraries build new homebrew. The most notable to date is the "Recovery Mode Menu" that has given rise to everything else.

To execute homebrew in the PSP you need to have a firmware custom firmware. Due to the variety of firmwares and hardwares in the console Sony, many homebrews work on a console and not in other psp. Some backups are executed in the "M33" and others in the "Sony 9660".

This has led to several firmwares, like the 5 .00 M33-6 or PRO-B7 LCFW Many have been developed trying to make them compatible with applications developed for all models and kernels, and the other firmwares.

The backups loaded are compatible with the firmware in question, if we select properly the parameters of the program and if we put the files into the appropriate folder, which can be GAME,ISO, etc. depending from the psp official software.

• Application: media players, one of the applications play files from audio MIDI and WAV. There are Web browsers, language dictionaries, drawing tools, viewers for formats CBR, PDF, TXT... adaptations of games for other platforms etc ... It has among other things, complete shell s, as the application Irshell, which have a variety of functions. It is widely used for high quality, for example, the format file reader PDFbookr. Some people find it more stability in the original version and others do better with that of NCT2K, depending on your CFW to have the console and the PSP model, for which will do best by example, bookr original version, which displays files fully photo as comics, the PSP 1000, the new versions designed for PSP Slim bookr not get it and vice versa. Currently, many homebrews are "signed" which allows them to be run on any PSP with the official software. For example, the reader bookr signed, used to read books and comics in pdf format on any PSP, and monitor them even in a TV screen, if desired.

• Emulators: The most important are emulators for Java, Game Boy Advance, Play Station, Super Nintendo (SNES) or Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, or Nintendo 64, Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator (Mame), Mega Drive, Nintendo DS among others. One of the most notable is the creation of several programs VJM, virtual java machine, or mechanisms that allow virtual java run programs such as dictionaries, sound files MIDI e-Book Viewer format ePub and all kinds of commercial software created for mobile phones. Use of emulators and wireless, PDA, keyboards, through the infrared port, with drivers developed by members of the scene, etc., have turned the psp on a computer completely portable and very sturdy. It is capable of emulating scientific calculators, 1980 computers as the Commodore Amiga, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and 1980 Personal computer with the operating system MS-DOS. Applications have been developed MS office such as word processors, spreadsheets, calendars, etc.. Its use is limited, although some applications use an external keyboard or connected to the computer via the infrared port or by wireless.

• Plugins: is computer application for a new function and usually very specific. In the PSP will run through the Recovery Mode. the pluggin need had to put them in a folder called SEPLUGINS, and modify the txts GAME, GAME150, and so on. Some plugins may, for example, allow code execution gameshark, make screenshots or extend the functionality of the firmware in general, as a flashlight, go into USB mode when connecting the cable, calculator, download PlayStation games directly play files MIDI or to listen to music while reading a text, a pdf viewer book or playing a backup, remotely control a PC and vice versa psp control with keyboard or mouse from the computer to play in it, movies, music, games and comics. You try to do the same with other intelligent devices such as touch screens, mobile phones and PDAs, etc.. Plug-ins are loaded when you start the console will not have to load them manually.

• Game: There are both games made specifically for the PSP, as ports from other platforms. They are often called backup.