Looks like there's a new PSP custom firmware in town! Here's the latest release of _HellDashX_: Custom Firmware 3.72 HX-1. It's built off of Dark AleX's 3.71 M33-2 custom firmware, and though DAX himself might be "retired", at least CFWs are still very much alive!

The maker of Anti Update for the PSP Slim plugin clues in reverse engineering feats and future interface changes., but perhaps you'd be more interested to head on over to the links for the download and the release forums at QJ.NET. Read on to find them.

 

Homebrew mainstay Coolj dropped by our forums to release Anti Update for the PSP Slim & Lite. This prx plugin allows you to hide the UMD update icon. Which is cool for those guys with fidgety fingers that might accidentally push buttons away without intending to update their PSP firmware. Oh, the hassle.

Coolj gives credit to Team tOc and _HellDashX_. This plugin from Coolj actually comes from the original code from Team tOc, which _HellDashX_ reverse engineered. For those asking, Coolj says that _HellDashX_'s reversed source isn't made available to the public. Now, Coolj's made it available to work on the Slim.

If you guys need help or have any questions, you may visit the forum release thread linked below.

Download: Anti Update for the PSP Slim
Visit: PSP Development Forum

  

If you're fed up of seeing those useless update icons in the XMB when you pop a UMD into your PSP then Team tOc have come to your rescue with their latest homebrew addition for the PSP - AntiUpdate v1.0. Rather than changing the UMD update icon to something else which just takes up more space, this plugin patches the PSP RAM so that the dreaded update icon isn't there at all.

Don't worry - this has been extensively tested by Team tOc and they confirm that UMD games and homebrew all function correctly after running this - it's like nothing ever happened to your PSP. If you have firmware 3.03OE-C, 3.10OE-A and A' or 2.71SE-C, then you can use this plugin as all have been tested and confirmed to function correctly in them.

If you have another version of a custom firmware, it is advised that you do not attempt to use this just in case, but the authors are confident that as it searches the memory for the specific bytes instead of relying in pure memory addresses it should work with all firmwares.

Remember, there's no risk of bricking this as it does not access the PSP's flash memory. Let's get rid of those nasty updates once and for all, what do you say?!

Download: AntiUpdate v1.0

A few days back, we brought to you hallo07's Battery PRX. This time around, homebrew developer EvilSeph informed us that his group, Team tOc, has released Battery InfO V.1. By simply looking at the screenshot below, you'll have an idea what this app does.

 

This nifty tool is an OE PRX that provides you with a detailed information about your PSP's battery. The devs mentioned that you need not go through your XMB and go to Battery Information since every info you need about your PSP's juice is displayed on the right hand side. Team tOC also said that this is just a small part of a larger project that they're thinking of (or working on already).

As always, if you're planning on using this, please read and understand the readme file that comes with the download. The file holds the installation and usage, plus the known bugs for this release. It would also be best if you guys will also browse through the configuration text as it also holds vital tidbits about this app.

Team tOc is made up of EvilSeph, Moca, TUW (The Unique Warrior), MaTiAz, Ahadiel, and kando. We hope to hear more from them in the coming weeks.

We give our props to Jordan Black for the heads up!

Download: [Battery InfO v1]
Discuss: [Forum Release Thread]

 

We found this through our forums, and we definitely like where this is going. Since some of us here are quite scatterbrained as regards file types and folder types during app installs, we're definitely going to give this a try when something new comes around. Team tOc's released a new app that can help you rename your folders into something you can easily memorize, especially if you're the type that loves putting all sorts of apps and games on your PSP.

According to Team tOc's release, WebX v1 employs the PSP's web browser hack to enable the renaming of those directory folders you use for downloading purposes. For instance, /DCIM becomes /ISO when uploading to or browsing through your directory, and /PSP/MUSIC becomes /MUSIC when downloading and saving files.

There's definitely a lot more to it than that, and you should really check their readme for additional information. That being said, you'll also need a decrypted htmlviewer_plugin.prx in the root of your memory stick for the app to work, and the readme also provides a guide to getting that from PSP Filer or Dark_Alex's 3.03 OE-C.

For now, enjoy the screenshots, and check out the download.

Download: [WebX v1]
Discuss: [Forum Release Thread]

   
  

Over at the QJ forums, EvilSeph of Team tOc dropped us a line recently and gave us word that Team tOc is proud to announce the release of version to of their Flash1 Formatter for the PSP.

If in case you haven't been following the development of this application, the Flash1 Formatter is a program for the PSP that allows you to recover from a corrupted falsh1 and (new in version 2) allows you to back up flash1.

Here's the changelog for this version:

Jan, 19-20 2007

• Changed exit button from Square to R + L.
• Added function to fully dump f1 to ms0:/dump/.
• Made backup function dump to ms0:/dump/.
• General aesthetics fixes... (EvilSeph is picky).
• Cleaned up code...
• Revised readme.txt.
• Included FAQ.html automatically generated by a PHP script coded by Ahadiel.
• Added two exit screens (one for unlocked, one for locked).
• Added new readme reading check, since v1 readme.txt was posted on news sites. Read readme.txt for more information.
• Added checks for missing files from the user dump.
• Made dump folder and user's supplied dump folder different, to allow for backup of flash1 when choosing option 2.
• Modified delay until user can press a button after unlocking program from 5s to 3s.
• Removed automatic removal of dump from flash after formatting.

Jan, 20-26 2007:

• Made all options that format flash1 backup flash1 first.
• Completed GUI (if you can call it that...)
• Modified user's supplied dump format to include two types (to support PSP Filer's dump).
• Modified delay until program exits from 10s to 5s
• Modified program colours from black background with red text to blue background with white text

The team would like to note that development of version two took longer than the they thought it would, but hey, at least it's here. Oh, and before you folks start trying to install the thing, team tOc would also like to remind all of you to please, please read thereadme and FAQ files. That way you not only ensure your own PSP's safety, but you don't end up bothering the folks who know better.

Great work Team tOc! We look forward to more updates from you folks.

Download: [Flash1 Formatter v2 for the PSP]
Discuss: [Forum release thread]

We don't have to remind you how big the risk is when we deal with the PSP's flash memory. No matter how good you get, there's always that danger of damaging or bricking your beloved handheld.

Well, here's something to make you smile all day long: a group of homebrew developers who refer to themselves as Team tOc (The Oblivious Coders) dropped by our forums today and released the first version of their Flash1 Formatter. This one is quite complicated, but in simple terms, the program lets you recover from a corrupted flash1 ("Woot! Woot!" as the commenters say).

Before you use this application, please take note that it only works through recovery. If you try to run it through the XMB, you will witness your PSP freeze. So beware.

Also, Team tOc added that Flash1 Formatter will only work if "lflash_fatfmt.prx" is located in flash0:/kd. In the event that it is not, the program looks in ms0:/lflash_fatfmt.prx.

There are still a few important details to take note of, so be sure to READ through the README before you do anything. (You do that anyway for EVERY piece of software before you use it, don't you?)

Furthermore, installation and usage is quite easy. After placing the folder in the root of your memory stick, all you have to do is follow the simple steps below. By the way, Team tOc is composed of well known developers EvilSeph, Moca, TUW, Ahadiel and kando.

1. Turn off your PSP
2. Turn on your PSP while holding down R to boot into Recovery Mode.
3. Scroll to "Run program at /PSP/GAME/RECOVERY/EBOOT.PBP" and press Cross.
4. Press tOc (Triangle + Circle + Cross) to unlock the program [this is to force people to read this readme.txt]
5. Read the on-screen instructions (can be found in the readme file).

Download: [Flash1 Formatter v1]
Discuss: [Forum Release Thread]