Homebrew coder Weltall has dropped a new revision of CWCheat on the QJ.NET PSP Development Forums. CWCheat is a prx that lets PSP users enable cheats for Devhook-compatible games under firmware emulation.

According to the Weltall, this revision is geared mainly towards cheat searching. The memory editor is now more flexible and a new text searcher that allows the user to search for case or non-case sensitive text of up to 30 characters in ASCII/UNICODE/ASCII+UNICODE has been added.

As usual, please read the included readme file for installation and usage instructions. If you have any questions, bug reports, or suggestions, feel free to click on the Visit link below to discuss this release on the QJ.NET PSP Development Forums.

To view the full changelog, please click on the Full Article link below.

Download: CWCheat v0.1.8 Rev A
Visit: QJ.NET PSP Development Forums thread

Well as the title implies, within a ridiculously short time from from Sony's 3.00 Firmware release we were welcomed by 3.01 Firmware. Naturally everyone assumed that this was a small patch. Paired releases were somewhat common in the past, so it only made sense that they left a little hole that needed immediate patching. Really now Sony, is homebrew worth constantly wasting energy on this type of blockade?

Noobz must have our collective backs as they have whipped out a firmware dumper and decrypter for BOTH the new 3.00 and 3.01 PSP Firmwares. This handy application that was released only moments ago enables dumping of "all known firmware update PSARs" by a modified version of PSPPet's PSARDumper.

This amazing feat, achieved only a day after 3.01 was released, and two days after 3.00 hit the streets homebrew enthusiasts have to wonder, "Is Sony still trying...?". Now we have gained access to the new firmware files, one could guess that an updated version of Devhook supporting 3.00 / 3.01 Firmware emulation could be in our near future.

Download: [ 3.00 / 3.01 Dumper and Decrypter ]

So you're in the third playthrough of some random game. You check your stats, your ammo and your enemy. You duck to avoid an incoming projectile, and just when you're about to aim, your opponent lunges at you, sending your character to its imminent death: for the fifth time.

Now, I'm all for challenging games and all, but sometimes games can be so difficult, it's frustrating. After all, you just want to see what happens in the end, but you can't even go to the second level because of some boss that's making you repeat the first phase because he keeps killing you (okay, I can be a total newbie sometimes, but that's another story...).

So for people like me, weltall's homebrew app, CWCheat is a godsend. The name pretty much speaks for itself, but if you want the word by word description from the readme, here it is:

This is a prx which works under devhook and can cheat every devhook-compatible game under firmware emulation. This works through raw-relative cheat codes like action replay, codebreaker, gameshark, xploder, etc. Other than this, it has support to other function which are useful for cheat finder and normal users (like battery, cpu/bus clock, devhook version, ms free/total space information).

We got the latest version here, which was bumped up to v0.1.6. It also includes the latest version of screenshotbmp.prx, so better check that out as well. Anyway, the changelog's a bit long, and includes new cheat search functions and screenshot support among others.

Check out the full changelog by clicking "Full Article"!

Download: [CWCheat v0.1.6]

AhMan has stopped by our forums to inform us of a new iR Shell release. iR Shell is, without a doubt, the most functional PSP shell out, and is also one of the most impressive homebrew applications I have ever laid eyes on. iR Shell comes complete with a sinkable interface, IR remote, file browser, music player, picture viewer, launching of 1.0 eboots on 1.50 PSP's, taking important screenshots and many, many more features!

iR Shell, like many other "shells" only work properly on 1.50 PSP's (and some on 1.0 as well). I feel in love with this application as a simple snapshot program for the PSP, but seeing it evolve over the year to what it is now is definitely no easy feat to accomplish! This new version of iR Shell includes the following additions -

1. Support 1.0 Eboot format. (Note: The APP view will not list Eboots for 2.x Homebrews that are designed to be launched from Devhook firmware emulation.)
2. Support for __SCE__ naming convension.
3. Both 1.0 Eboot & SCE naming can be enabled or disabled under iR Configurator. If you don't use these naming convensions, you can turn them off for a faster APP view list.
4. Allow removal of startup splash screen (configurable under iR Configurator).
5. nethostfs server v1.5 is enhanced to allow read only access. This means you can open your PC server to the public without worrying files being deleted. Refer to the user guide for details.
6. File Manager has been enhanced to support mulitple files/directories selections similar to MP3. You can use CIRCLE key to hightlight multiple files or directories and then perform file manipulation on them. You can highlight maximum of 10 files or directories. The mulitple selection will only work under DIR & RDF View. It won't work for APP & SAV views.
7. The location of each view (DIR, APP, RDF & SAV) will be remembered after toggle. Example, switching from DIR View to APP View and back to DIR View. The directory & cursor location will return to its original location before you left. Pls note MP3 Shortcut & DIR Shortcut are also classified as DIR View.

Download: [iR Shell v2.1]

The PSP scene has been around and thriving for more than a year now, we have all been there to witness its dark genesis to our shores (PSP debuted to US with the then-dubbed "invincible firmware 1.50"), to its phoenix-like rebirth (when a group called PSP-DEV first come up with the swaploit and paved the way for the now "golden firmware 1.50"). After a few dark days of the dreaded updates, causing the scene to become somewhat a bit slow, the PSP is once again alive and kicking thanks to  the series of breakthroughs (discovery of kernel access, creation of downgraders, and firmware emulation) we've all been lovin'.

With these newer developments, the PSP's life is quickly revitalizing. That's why we've been noticing more and more newbie beginner questions, which are actually a good thing because it shows the interest is growing. It is then not surprising to see T3, considered as every gadgeteer's bible, featuring the perks of having a PSP in its July 2006 ish'. They even covered a full-feature story that serves as a walkthrough for those who are new with PSP homebrew.

The T3 story, all graced with blurbs like "There are hundreds of homebrews (non-commercial home-made applications) out there for the PSP" and "The homebrew scene has created everything from universal remote controls, Wi-Fi signal sniffers, PDA applications and, of course, emulators" runs a step-by-step process on how to install emulators on a PSP.

DrNicket tipped us that there was an article in the latest T3 magazine with PSPUpdates in it, so we went to buy a copy and check it out for ourselves. Let me tell ya, we were all smiles, not because PSPUpdates was in it, but because homebrew is finally getting more exposure -- a sign that the technology we all love is getting the recognition it deserves from the public.

The appreciation just doesn't just go out to the developers who worked so hard to bring us all these homebrew games, applications, emulators, and expolits, to the sites that spread the word about every development, but instead to the whole community as well. Yep, that includes you, my friend. PSP homebrew being publicized to a bigger population means more opportunities and possibilities for everyone. It informs more people, and with more people the broader our horizons will be.

Those currently developing could add creating programs for PSP to their resume (hey, if more people starts to recognize it, it'll get more respect), prompting more outside coders to take interest providing us with fresh ideas and creations. It'll also attract more interest from even those who are beginners to all of this, giving us more opportunities to rear future Fanjita, Edison Carter, Ditlew, Nem, Booster, Dark_Alex's etc. Add all of that up, and what do the rest of us get? A whole lotta load of more homebrew!

We here at QJ.Net definitely welcome this trend, as much as we welcome those who are new to the world of PSP and its currently limitless ever expanding possibilities. We are ecstatic that the media are spreading the word about what was once considered taboo, meanwhile we have to ask what your thoughts on this subject are. Let us know in the comments!

Proof that once the great developers start, they simply keep rolling out amazing updates! And proof that Booster is one of the greatest developers to have graced the PSP hacking scene.

Just like the last update which offered 2.71 emulation, this one will rock your socks off too! It apparently supports homebrew launching right on 2.71 firmware. Couple it with harleyg's custom firmware mod which allows you to directly load DevHook on startup, and you're practically in PSP heaven. Together, these two mods offer almost all of the functionality of the $90 modchip, for free!

Here's a detailed changelog, translated by our very own Jeff Chen:

• Support for loading EBOOT.PBP on memory stick and EBOOT.BIN on UMD(ISO) in ELF format.
• Fixed problems that made 1.50 NoUMD not functioning.
• Added more exclusive controls added to flash emulation. As well as other memory stick breaking countermeasures.
• Memory map changed for rebooting.

To-Do

• FW2.71 registry initialization failure problem.
• Stabilize flash emulation (file access).
• NoUMD for FW 2.xx
• NAND driver level emulation

Now I don't know about you guys, but the To-Do section lists some pretty revolutionary things too! If you're new to the whole 'devhook' thing, don't worry. One of our dedicated forum members, chriscooke109, has written a great guide on how to make the magic work. Although it still reads as a Devhook 0.44 guide, the steps mentioned there will work just as well for the new version.

Isn't it great how the PSP scene is suddenly bursting out with great discoveries and creations everyday? And this just begs the question- "What next?". And I personally can't wait for the answer!

Download Link: [Devhook v0.45]

Digg it!

Man, once these developers get rolling, expect to see updates every week or so. And this time, it's Booster with his awesome loader Devhook. He has just updated it to v0.41b.

And there's a lot of new stuff this time! Our resident blogger Jeff Chen has translated the changelog for us.

• MSReboot patch exported, in order to reduce the resident memory size. Added the file "ms0:/dh/kd/msreboot.bin".
• Modded the launcher and attached the source code!
• Autorun waiting time changed from 1 sec to 3 sec.
• The stack expand size changed from 0x800 to 0x1000 when reading UMD.

There's still a few things that's left to be done:

• FW2.71 reboot
• NAND Driver emulation - "The test result is that it takes 80 seconds to start the OS. The time is too long to be a usable function, so I stopped."

That looks like some to-do list! NAND Driver emulation sounds delicious! Could that mean upgrading the firmware to the memory stick so that a dump can be obtained? Lets hope so... Thanks for the tip funtak!

Download Link : [Devhook 0.41b]

UPDATE: Booster really puts the DEVelopment seriously to his devhook program as he just finished updating it to version 0.41c. This is a very minor update though, as it only addresses a bug (CISO read sometimes read somewhere else) that was present in his previous release. The same improvements (mentioned above) are still in this one and he's still working on the necessary fixes for us.

Download: [Devhook 0.41c]