Here's the thing: Sony releases a new firmware for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). The homebrew scene then cracks it open and comes up with its own custom firmware. It's a cycle, it's a battle, and we're not certain yet who will emerge victorious in the end.

Anyway, it looks like homebrew developer theaceoffire noticed the same and that's why he came up with this release. According to the coder, the aim of this application is to make the handheld future-proof.

It is actually an upgrade generator that should simplify the upgrade generating process as well as work with future custom firmware releases. By default, AutoUpgrade v1.0 is set up to build 3.30 OE-A. Build files for 2.71, 3.03, and 3.10 have also been included. They are inside the "CoreDataOtherBases" folder.

If there is more than one base file in CoreData, the program will make a list of available firmwares and prompt you to which one you'd like to use. After choosing the custom firmware you want to upgrade to, the application will search for the necessary files and tell you the files that are missing. Pretty nifty, we should say.

AutoUpgrade v1.0 comes with a Readme file that contains installation guideline as well as a usage manual. It also contains a step-by-step process on how to include a new firmware. In short, the readme file is very important so read that first, okie?

Download: AutoUpgrade v1.0

 

Homebrew developer TheAceOfFire said it very well: There are a lot of themes coming out lately for our dear PlayStation Portable (PSP) units that swapping back and forth has become a nuisance. That's why he came up with the application ThemeMagic! that makes theme swapping rather easily.

To be precise, ThemeMagic! makes a backup of your current theme and allows you to save it in a file format that the homebrew application can understand. This then will let users swap quickly between themes. ThemeMagic!, as you might have realized by now, is very useful especially when you're using a theme with an rco and you want to change it to another which doesn't have one, and vice versa.

Aside from that, the homebrew application has a "ThemesAddNew" folder that will let you make additions to your current theme instead of resetting to the original one. ThemeMagic! was tested on 3.0x OE and 3.10 OE-A. While homebrew developer TheAceOfFire believes that this application is safer than most flashing, the dev still recommends to be careful and have a fully charged battery before using it.

Lastly, a step-by-step installation for ThemeMagic! has been provided in the accompanying readme file so be sure to go over that first. Enjoy!

Download: ThemeMagic!
Visit: QJ PSP Development Forum

With the new 3.10 OE-A on the loose, you can expect lotsa apps catered for 3.03 OE-C to be updated to suit the new homebrew wonder. And TheAceOfFire may as well be one of the first developers to do just that.

He has now updated his AutoDowngrade Generator to v1.01 and it will allow you to upgrade to 3.10 OE-A from 3.03 and below. AceOfFire says he's also added an option 0 that allows users to acquire files needed for upgrade to 3.10 OE-A.

Here are other notes from the developer:

^_^ This needs the update eboots, so find:

1.50 Eboot, rename to 150.pbp, move to CoreData

2.80 Eboot, rename to 280.pbp, move to CoreData

3.03 Eboot, rename to 303.pbp, move to CoreData

3.10 Eboot, rename to 310.pbp, move to CoreData

One more thing, if your just downloading my file to update, you can create two fake files and call em 280.pbp and 303.pbp, and the continue like normal to speed up download time. My package is more like a tool to help others.

Just make sure you dig into the readme for more specifics on this app such as installation and usage instructions.

Download: [AutoDowngrade Generator v1.01]
Download: [Dark_Alex's 3.10 OE-A custom firmware]
Download: [PSP Firmware 3.10 (US) Update]

---

TheAceOfFire released a rather newbie-friendly new application based on the downgrader made by Noobz. It's called AutoDowngrade Generator v1.0 and it's meant to take care of the downgrading process for you, along with teaching you how to use the app itself in the process.

TheAceOfFire recommends that you have 75% battery life, or are plugged in. He also has two versions: the complete version, which is 56 MB, and a smaller version for those who already have specific Eboot updates. We've got them linked below. Just rename to [firmware number].pbp and transfer them to CoreData.

Best of all, he's got a running tutorial during the whole process of using the app. It includes instructions on figuring out what motherboard type you have. Just remember to check the readme before you try this, so you know what you're getting into. Enjoy it, and good luck!

What it does:

• Detects if you put the 150.pbp, 280.pbp, 303.pbp in the wrong place
• Quits if you are missing one of the above
• You tell it what firmware you have, program changes based on that.
• It will tell you if you need to upgrade, and provide files to do so.
• Shows a picture of a TA~XX psp and the unpatched GTA for convenience.
• It will give you files to downgrade to 1.50
• Gives a mini tutorial, based on the firmware you are on
• It gives you the choice to upgrade to 3.03 OEC by Dark_AleX
• If you do choose to go to 3.03 OEC, it gives another mini tutorial
• Warns people who are above 3.03 Not to downgrade until we get there

Download: [Complete AutoDowngrade Generator v1.0]
Download: [AutoDowngrade Generator v1.0]
Download: [1.50 Eboot Update]
Download: [2.80 Eboot Update]
Download: [3.03 Eboot Update]
Discuss: [Forum Release Thread]

You know, I could easily answer this question by saying Dark_Alex and Booster, pack up, and head on out the door. But that, boys and girls, would be cheating. Besides, custom firmware and DevHook are but gateways to a world of bedroom developers, underground coders, and otherwise small fry in an ocean of big boys, all worth exploring, demoing, playing, encouraging, and at times critiquing. And "only" 4GB of space on the Memory Stick. "Only" indeed. Hoo-hah.

3.03 Downgrader and HEN is yet another key to the kingdom. More PSPs able to enjoy homebrew (but please, no piracy, I have a conscience to keep), but still up-to-date in terms of loaded features. What follows is a short list of the homebrew I've run across in QJ that I've found interesting, attention-grabbing, useful, and otherwise fun.

This isn't one of those Top Five or something lists; this is too personal a perspective for that. It's possible, however, that some of these are on your Top Whatever lists, too. Hey, you've got to have your perfectly good reasons to keep HEN lying around in that Memory Stick...

And for 3.10? Eh, give it a bit of time (maybe even less...).

gpSP (Exophase). The moment this hit first the forums, then the download site, people were left glass-eyed, stupefied, and speaking in tongues at its ability to run GBA games at full speed, a weakness of prior GBA emulators. gpSP had its own weakness, too, one being compatibility through the GBA library, but updates kept up to improve on that.

Download: [gpSP v0.9 for TA-082/HEN-D users]

Pimpstreamer (Dickydick1969). It IS a cheaper alternative to purchasing LocationFree. Sure, it doesn't beat watching it on a wide-screen TV, but you can't take a widescreen TV with me to the can... or the dinner table... ot the kitchen... or the study... (I wonder if all of that Wi-Fi flying around the house will fry one's brain...)

Download: [PimpStreamer v0.77]

48-Hour Pong. Not because it's Pong, but because it's 48 hours from scratch. That's dedication for you. And lately, it seems that everyone's interested in breaking speed records. I actually still have the game in some old MemStick somewhere...

Download: [48-Hour Pong Rev D FW1.0]
Download: [48-Hour Pong Rev D FW1.5]

Callisto (Weak, Pimpot, rmedtx, Markospex, and Klesk). Old-school shooter. Looks good, plays good. Please. Need I say more? (The only thing missing are atrociously gut-busting dialogue and I don't care how many bases I have, all of them ARE belong to them.)

Download: [Callisto v0.2]

OE-B+ Popstation. I will say the following sentence, you might probably agree, and it might actually be true. "You have rediscovered the value of your extensive PSOne library." *Cue Final Fantasy victory theme* And connected to that: Autopopstation (TheAceOfFire). Yeah, I've read all the comments that mention I could do things straight off Popstation, but hey, I grew up with a GUI.

Download: [Autopopstation 4]

TheAceOfFire, the mind behind Autopopstation (here's the latest version), returns to submit... a couple of tips for QJ readers in the UK. See, he saw the Frys SanDisk 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo deal, and the only sad part about it is that it was available on only one side of the Atlantic. Now because we are one big happy global PSP family, he decided to look up on some 4GB MemStick prices and deals, this time conveniently priced in pounds rather than dollars.

Okay, here's what he found, and if you're interested, click on the relevant link to go to the order page. Here's one deal for the SanDisk 4GB Stick from Scan.co.uk, selling for £ 64.69 excluding VAT, or £ 76.01 VAT-inclusive. The second find comes from MemoryCardZoo.co.uk, for £ 79.99, but the 4GB comes packaged with a MicroMate SD card reader, USB 2.0-compatible, and which works with the MS Pro Duo.

If you find the prices here to your liking, don't forget to give your props to TheAceOfFire for the tip!

Now that Dark_Alex has unveiled the 3.03 OE-C, it wouldn't be surprising to see other apps connected to it to be updated. One of those apps that were recently updated is the AutoPopstation by TheAceofFire. Now known as Autopostation4, but wait, before we sink into the really good stuff, a good dev knows to give credit to fellow devs who have done a lot for their application. With that said, TheAceofFire gives his props to the following:

• Popstation, created by Dark_Alex
• docmaker, created by Dark_Alex
• PSP DocMaker (GUI), created by TheNameless
• ISO Producer, created by Jens Duttke
• ISO Producer, created by Aldo Vargas
• popstrip, created by flatwhatson
• Pete's PSX CDR Plugin, created by... umm... Pete.
• Legal, stripped KEYS.BIN and BASE.PBP by ZiNgABuRgA
• Popstation GameID database, with authors permission, by SeattleMan
• iOpus File Downloader, Freeware, by iOpus

Now that the worthy were given credit, we'll jump to the changelog.

• I am borrowing from Simple Popstation GUI, v2.21 Beta, by ZiNgABuRgA.
• Changed Output to what is needed for Dark_AleX's new Popstation.exe.
• I am using Dark_AleX's new popstation.exe, so happyness!  This means you no longer need KEYS.BIN with your game to run it.
• I am working with Popstation Game ID database (Got his permission), so you can now search a database for your PSX came key. However, there are a LOT of entries...
• You have more options when no ISO's or BIN's are present:
• Launch PSP Docmaker (GUI)
• Search Database for GameID
• Some other, smaller changes in code, plus a few odd's and ends.

A few reminders from the dev and from us, please use this with 3.03 OE-C. Also, the dev mentioned that PAL games give various graphics problems such as graphics glitches and screen displacement so it's better to use NTSC games only. Now a reminder from us: please, please thoroughly read the readme file that comes with the download. It contains really important stuff like the instructions for using it.

We give our props to TheAceofFire for this release and for the tip!

Download: [AutoPopstation4]

TheAceOfFire's got a new - well, really new - version of AutoPopstation out now, really new because it's now version 3... (yeah, we'll be honest, we might have skipped a number there). Well, anyway, latest versions are always appreciated. Before we get on to the changelogs, TheAceOfFire would like to kindly thank the following people whose work has been instrumental in the creation of AutoPopstation. Credit, after all, where credit is due.

• Popstation, created by Dark_Alex
• docmaker, created by Dark_Alex
• PSP DocMaker (GUI), created by TheNameless
• ISO Producer, created by Jens Duttke
• ISO Producer, created by Aldo Vargas
• popstrip, created by flatwhatson
• Pete's PSX CDR Plugin, created by... umm... Pete.

Done with the end credits? Okay, refill that bucket of popcorn, as here comes the Changelog...

Comes after the jump. We have our own buckets of popcorn to refill.

Download: [AutoPopstation3]

Dark_Alex's new 3.03 OE-A's Popstation will now handle compressed ISOs. TheAceOfFire's AutoPopstation puts the "Auto" in the name of the program by handling a few tasks for you in the process of compressing what is on your CD into something that will be (a) on your PSP and (b) hopefully smaller. Here's how AutoPopstation holds your hand and tells you that everything is going to be okay:

• Checks to make sure you have all the dll's installed, installs them if you don't have them.
• Checks to make sure you have the Hot Shot 2 files correctly named and placed.
• Displays all ISO's and BIN's, and asks you which one to choose.
• You can view all inputs before running the program, and redo them if there is a problem.
• After running, it creates a folder based on the ISO name inside Results, which you can simply move to your (/psp/game) folder.

When compressed, results will run ONLY on 3.03 OE-A. Results, even when uncompressed, may not run on 3.02 OE-B due to some changes - on the other hand, everyone and their brother must have scrambled to upgrade custom firmware by now. Finally, PAL PSX disc owners, sorry, but you may experience some graphical glitches. Everything else, read the Readme.

Thanks to TheAceOfFire for sending this in!

Download: [AutoPopstation]