Welcome to the 1.50 World!

About a week ago, Hitchhikr and Team Neural unlocked the Kernel Mode of 2.50 and 2.60 Firmwares, paving the way for the release of the downgrader of the said firmwares, created by Dark_AleX, Mathieulh, and Yoshihiro. The once great barrier that separated 2.50/2.60 firmware owners from the loads of privileges 1.50’ers enjoy has now been humbled. All has been said and done, the faithful and nonbelievers both marveled at the feat that was once thought of as impossible. The downgrader has been released, the PSP community rejoiced, and the 1.50 population grew along with it.

It has been expected that a lot of owners aren’t very accustomed to the wonders of their newly downgraded PSP, and would flock various discussions in forums (our comments’ section being one of the fave spot), asking questions about this and that. While a lot have been patient enough and tried to address these queries, some got tired (and quite frankly got irritated), thus the 1.50 greenhorns (ok, “noobs”) were shunned away like a host of tze-tze flies.

As a testament that QJ is continously striving hard to make all parties happy, we’ve come up with this extra detailed article of almost everything noobies should know. Think of it as our own version of  “1.50 PSP Enjoyment For Dummies”.

Read full article after the jump!

About a week ago, Hitchhikr and Team Neural unlocked the Kernel Mode of 2.50 and 2.60 Firmwares, paving the way for the release of the downgrader of the said firmwares, created by Dark_AleX, Mathieulh, and Yoshihiro. The once great barrier that separated 2.50/2.60 firmware owners from the loads of privileges 1.50’ers enjoy has now been humbled. All has been said and done, the faithful and nonbelievers both marveled at the feat that was once thought of as impossible. The downgrader has been released, the PSP community rejoiced, and the 1.50 population grew along with it.

It has been expected that a lot of owners aren’t very accustomed to the wonders of their newly downgraded PSP, and would flock to various discussions in forums (our comments’ section being one of the fave spot), asking questions about this and that. While a lot have been patient enough and tried to address these queries, some got tired (and quite frankly got irritated), thus the 1.50 greenhorns (ok, “noobs”) were shunned away like a host of tze-tze flies.

As a testament that QJ is continuously striving hard to make all parties happy, we’ve come up with this extra detailed article of almost everything noobies should know. Think of it as our own version of  “1.50 PSP Enjoyment For Dummies”. Here goes:

Homebrew Games:

While Sony has been continuously parading its handheld as your “portable everything rolled in one”, let’s face it, most of us bought it mainly for the games. And while some have the Benjamins to splurge on any new game that come out, there are quite a good number of users that can only buy a couple of UMDs from time to time. With that we have to turn our focus on games that are labeled with the one word we all love: “free”.

There are tons of “homebrew” programs (meaning programmed by the community) hosted here at QJ which and are posted daily, right here, for you to download. There are mainly two type of compilations most developers program with: some programmers are extra industrious and use C or C++ languages, while others leave it to Lua, a scripting language.

Most programs you will download will need a file called EBOOT.PBP (think executable file for the PSP) to be able to launch the program (the other one’s use Lua, which we will get to later). Sometimes you will download a file with only one EBOOT.PBP in the archive, however PSP firmware 1.50 requires you to split EBOOTs to launch successfully, using a method called KXploit. Other time you have two folders containing two separate EBOOT.PBP inside each. There are different methods specifically designed for both.

Have your USB cables ready as we’re about to begin installing. For files that contain two folders titled something like “__SCE__GAMENAME” and “%__SCE__GAMENAME”, just copy and paste both folders to ms0:/PSP/GAME (where ms0 refers to the memory stick of your PSP). Click the thumbnails below to enlarge them. Notice that the two Callisto folders (%__SCE__callisto and __SCE__callisto) in the downloaded file (left image) was dumped to the ms0:/PSP/GAME directory (right image).

->

Note: In some older homebrew, the folder names are formatted like “GAMENAME” and “GAMENAME%” – treat it the same as the method above.

On the other hand, you will sometimes come across downloaded files having only one Eboot.PBP file. Fret not, there’s nothing wrong with the files you just extracted, you just need to run a program (we’ll use PSPBrew this time) that will split the Eboot.PBP into two executables to run it on your 1.50 PSP. This is because 1.00 firmware only required users to have one Eboot, and when 1.50 was cracked it required two Eboots (that were split from a 1.00 Eboot.)

Download PSPBrew and run the executable file inside it to install it in your computer. Connect your PSP to your computer via USB cable, and go to the ms0:/PSP/GAME (where ms0 refers to the memory stick of your PSP) directory. After doing that, open your extracted files (the game) and click on the Eboot.PBP icon. PSPBrew should then run, and the interface will pop in your screen signifying you’ve loaded the Eboot.PBP to the PSP. Click Save to install it.

After that, go back to the extracted files, copy everything except the EBOOT.PBP file, transfer to your PSP window, open the /GAMENAME folder (the one without the percent sign), dump the remaining files inside, and you’re done!

Once you have done that correctly, you should be able to run the game in your PSPs by going to the Game – Memory Stick option. Here’s a list of games you could try:

Exciting space shooter Callisto: [here]
Fan Fave Doom-PSP: [here]
Bouncing Super Mini Mario: [here]
Street Fighting with Beats of Rage: [here]
Earth-shattering Quake for PSP: [here]
Notorious Bomberman Arena: [here]

That’s just like a tablespooned sample from our sea of available games. If you want more (I’m sure you do), just click here and savor the true meaning of the words “The best things in life are free!“

Emulators:

I really felt our emulators deserve a separate section. This is one of best things I hold dear in my ever-reliable 1.50 PSP, especially when I’m in one of those nostalgic moods, thinking of the years that have passed…. Enough of the melodrama, here they are:

[Amiga 500]
[Amstrad CPC]
[Apple II]
[Atari]
[BBC Micro]
[Capcom Play System 1]
[Chip 8]
[ColecoVision ]
[Commodore 64]
[Gameboy / Gameboy Color]
[Gameboy Advance]
[HP48]
[Intellivision]
[M.A.M.E.]
[Macintosh]
[MGT Sam Coupe]
[MSX]
[Neo Geo]
[Neo Geo Pocket]
[Nintendo 64]
[Nintendo NES]
[Odyssey]
[PC-9801]
[Playstation One]
[ScummVM]
[Sega Genesis/Megadrive]
[Sega Master System SMS]
[Super Nintendo SNES]
[TI-92 Calculator]
[Turbo Grafx 16/PCEngine]
[Vectrex]
[WonderSwan]
[X86]
[Yabasic]
[ZX Spectrum]

We’ve also decided to give you a brief background on two of the more popular emulators around, just as an extra treat (courtesy of Kyle M.). Although these emu’s should start watching their back with the current barrage of project updates from QJ resident  coder zx-81 (among many others), and the recent rumor about the latest N64 UltraHLE emulator. Anyway, here they are (drumroll): Snes9xTYL and DGEN.

DGEN will emulate pretty much all ROMS and give great frames per second at the same time. It also features Wi-Fi play, allowing you to link up with another PSP using DGEN and play against each other! It has savestates, a user-friendly GUI and pretty much every conceivable option for modifying the way it runs ROMs to make it just about perfect. The latest version is the most stable Sega Megadrive/Genesis emulator for the PSP ever, and this bundled with WiFi support firmly places it on the best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-PSP list. Know more about this program here.

Download: [DGEN For PSP]

SNES9xTYL also has amazing emulation qualities. It has played every single ROM that was thrown at it, SNES 9x TYL and again gives an amazing amount of frames per second, especially in 333Mhz mode. Snes9xTYL beat off the competition of earlier SNES emulators using its user-friendly system, savestate support and overall stability. It has never crashed on me, even when the PSP has been put into sleep mode and is up to the standard of a commercial emulator – I would pay for this! Again, SNES9xTYL has multiplayer support via 2-player Ad-Hoc mode so you can play against another PSP running the same ROM. For more info on this, click here.

Download: [SNESPSP]

Installation of these, as mentioned above, should be a breeze, but whenever you feel like you need to more about these (or any) programs, remember to search at QJ.net for your answer.

Programs written using Lua Script:

Before you can play anything lua-coded, you have to download and install a luaplayer. Lua Player was created specifically for developers to program apps or games using a scripting language. It’s a good way for beginners in programming to train and learn more about coding games for PSP.

First, you have to have a Lua Player installed in your PSP (installation is the same as above). To have the lua-coded game in your PSP running, move the whole program folder into /PSP/GAME/luaplayer/Applications/. Alternatively you can rename index.lua to script.lua for a standalone Lua program to be run (with the Luaplayer eboot in the same folder inside of /PSP/GAME). Here are some of the games written in lua:

Puzzling PSP Trix: [here]
Mind-boggling Sudoku: [here]
Fighting Little Fighter: [here]
Uber Cool PSPGolf: [here]
Sleek PSPmillionaire: [here]

And that’s just the tip from our iceberg-huge number Lua hoard of games, all of which you can get here.

Homebrew Applications:

Now I’ve already mentioned that PSP is your “portable-everything rolled into one” handheld . They can’t expect us to buy apps right (not that there are many out there), so luckily, people are kind enough to make ’em free for the world. Thanks to  hardworking developers everywhere, the PSP can boast of applications better than any portable device around; yes, even those that are sold! Here’s a look at a few of them:

Ahman’s iR Shell: One of the best app around, especially if you’re the neaty freaky type that always want everything organized. This awesome piece of homebrew also boosts your PSP’s processor to run at 333Mhz. Now with its latest version having streaming capabilities via WiFi or USB connection, this has become an app any decent PSP 1.50 owner should have installed on their PSPs. For more information about this, just go here.

Download: [iR Shell 1.6]

Jonny’s PMP Mod: Make your PSPs a portable movie player with Jonny’s revolutionary full resolution video player. It has loads of viewing options, including one of the best video quality among the media players around. With numerous mods available, such as subtitles, you can keep on being a couch potato – minus the couch!. For more information about this, just click here.

Download: [PMP MOD]

Raf’s PSP Radio: You have videos streaming, why not have audio? Well that’s exactly what Raf’s PSPRadio is for. PSPRadio lets you sit back and relax out in the sun with Internet-streamed music whispering sweet nothings (or hardcore cussin’s) in your ears. And if you get fed up of music, start playing with the PSPRadio plugins such as the Links2 web browser and AFKIM. For more about this one, go here.

Download: [PSP Radio]

Now these are just sands in our shore of available applications. Honestly, I feel I didn’t do them enough justice by writing so few of them. But I could write ten more and still won’t have scratched it’s mile-thick surface. I guess that’s where the beauty of it lies, you have to discover the rest of them yourself. Here’s a headstart, click here.

Here’s one of the best parts of this post. A lot of you who just downgraded might be missing the features akin to 2.50/2.60 FW (Sony’s not releasing them randomly you know), it’s not very different from your first day of school where you’re so excited to meet new friends but still kept on looking for mom’s presence. Well Booster’s Devhook tool has provided us a way to enjoy both worlds.

I have here quite a brief rundown of how to setup this device. It might not be as detailed as you want, but if you follow it closely, backed with some research in our site (here’s a link where you can find anything devhook-related). Here you go:

Once you extract Device Hook onto your computer, copy both folders over to your PSP like any other homebrew. Then you are going to want to run it from the game menu on your PSP. The issue at hand here is running newer games and taking advantage of the full blown PSP web browser. In order to take full advantage of the PSP 2.5 Firmware’s features jog through the following steps:

   1. Go to the Boot Select Menu and choose “Reboot XMB”
   2. In the Firmware Menu and select “2.50 + 2.00”
   3. Next go to UMD Version and make sure it is on “2.xx -> 2.00”
   4. (optional) Overclock the PSP to “333mhz”
   5. Finally, in UMD Mount, select “UMD Disk”
   6. Return to the Device Hook Main Menu and click “Start”

Once your PSP reboots you will be in 2.50 mode. You are able to view the PSP Web Browser via this menu as well as play UMD’s that require up to version 2.50 Firmware. This application will allow you to jump between newer PSP games that require firmware updates, the web browser, AND great games and applications such as Callisto that require 1.5 firmware all without upgrading or downgrading. They say miracles dont come true…

You will need to add the firmware dump from the firmware(s) that you wish to emulate. Included with the application are folders/files that specify the exact location where the files from their respective firmwares should be placed. There are already a good number of devhook versions released. The one below is the latest one, but I suggest you take a quick review of the previous versions, just to be more familiar with all of its features and capabilities. And, like the old adage that applies to any venture electronic-related: “You’ll only learn by trying”.

Download: [Devhook v0.42a]

So there you have it. We hope this space answers much, if not all, of the concerns of 1.50 virgins. A few more reminders though: When searching for answers, make sure you know everything about the whole thing first before asking. Translation: Read. All the necessary information, tutorials, details are already on this site. Of course the site won’t magically rearrange to fit the queries inside your head, you have to take the few steps by researching in our forums, or QJ.net.

As for those seasoned 1.50 owners, I know some of you have been bugged by a lot of questions in the past days, but we still ask for your patience. Hey, we are a community after all, and when someone who’s new in our place asks for directions, we do the right thing by telling them the answers they need to know to the best of our knowledge. I hate to sound like I’m preaching, but a little helping hand goes a long way.

And now for the line I’ve been waiting to say: Welcome to the 1.50 world!