The last time we heard from PSP homebrew developer joek2100 was for the release of 2.71 SEB" MP3, otherwise known as the irsmp3 module, last January. Now the dev's back and has released a modified version of irsmp3, called Music prx v0.50.

Why the name change? According to joek2100, Music prx 0.50 has ATRAC3 support. For those who don't know what ATRAC3 is, it's a type of audio compression algorithm format used mostly by Sony-branded players.

In case you missed all the irsmp3 releases last year (or have forgotten), Music prx v0.50 is a "custom firmware plugin that allows you to play music while playing a game or using the vsh". There are a number of changes included in the readme file (PLEASE_READ_ME.txt) and the dev listed the important stuff on the release thread on the QJ Forums:

• This has new hardware decoder will work with all umd games/the vsh/ and most homebrew. (Thanks to cooleyes)
• It will not work with homebrew that uses the ME (SnesTYL ME, dosbox .71, etc)
• It will not work with copy protected atrac3's
• In the next release I'll have it switch back to the software decoder (mp3 only) when the ME is in use, but until then you'll have to use the non-ME version
• Also when playing an mp3 that has a samplerate different from 44.1kHz, you need to pause the song before the vsh's video/music player will work

• Added In Game mute
• Added a HW decoder (thanks to cooleyes), which should make playback faster
• Fixed various bugs, overclocking the vsh browser now works
• Added wave atrac3 (*.at3) and sonic stage atrac3 (*.oma/*.omg/*.aa3) support (only with non copy protected files, but you should be able to remove copy protection with the newer sonic stage)
• Added support for music copied to the psp using sonic stage (in OMGAUDIO)
• Changed how the cpu is changed, it is now based on the current speed, even if some other program changed it
• CPU + Mode settings are now saved, (if a game changes the cpu speed, it isn't saved, but if you change the speed it will be saved, also nothing
• prevents a game from changing the speed after its set)
• Added support for mp3's at samplerates != 44.1kHz
• Added a loop current song button

• auto enable the software decoder when the ME is in use, so playing mp3 can work with any homebrew that uses the me
• improve the on screen display
• add some sort of playlist in folder support (each subdir would be a seperate playlist and you can switch between them, something like DJEK was talking about in the old thread)
• add more formats
• figure out how to get pops mode working
• have button inputs that are used in the prx ignored by everything else