Linux based PSP

How would you like a PSP that would support not only games, pictures, music and video but also e-books and the ability to snag free emulators including MAME for most older gaming systems on the open source Linux OS? Oh yeah, all of the above for only $179?

The Gamepark GP2X is a new dual core (ARM920T Host Processor - ARM940T Video Coprocessor) gaming machine running on Linux and enecouraging anyone to develop emulators, games, applications, practically anything for this device.

The machine comes with dual cpu cores, 64mb ram, 64mb NAND flash memory, SD card compatible slot, USB 2.0 connection, 3.5″ TFT LCD screen and TV-out. Also, the devices supports playback of most codecs such as MPEG, MPEG4, DivX 3.11, 4x, 5x, XVID, WMV, MP3, OGG, WMA, JPG, BMP, PCX, GIF and others.

Why use PSP pandora battery

PANDORA'S BATTERY

REQUIREMENTS
- A spare PSP Battery. Any make will do. Using a spare is best, as it
will not be possible to boot the PSP in its normal state with the
modified battery.
- A spare Memory Stick Pro Duo of less than 4Gb. (256Mb should be
enough for all applications).
- A PSP with a Custom Firmware such as OE, M33 or WC, or a PSP with
the 1.5 original kernel.

INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
- Connect the PSP to the PC with the Memory Stick inside via the USB
Connection.
- Format the Memory Stick using any utility.
- Use mspformat to format the Memory Stick logically.
- Remove the Memory Stick and disable the USB connection.
- Connect the Memory Stick again via the USB connection of the PSP.
- Manually create the PSP/GAME (optionally PSP/GAME150) folders on the
Memory Stick.
- Copy the "battery" and "installer" programs to the PSP/GAME
(optionally PSP/GAME150) folder.
- Copy the 1.50 official updater as UPDATE.PBP to the root of the
Memory Stick.
- Remove the Memory Stick and disable the USB connection.
- Run "installer" through the firmware on the PSP. This application
will create the firmware files on the root of the Memory Stick, as
well as msipl.bin.
- Connect the Memory Stick again via the USB connection of the PSP.
- Execute "msipl" application on the PC with the msipl.bin to write
the IPL to memory stick.
- Remove the Memory Stick and disable the USB connection.
- Execute "battery" application on the PSP to modify the battery.
- Congratulation, you are now in posession of a "Magic Memory Stick"
and a "JigKick Battery".

USAGE
- Insert Memory Stick into the PSP
- Remove power cord and insert the JigKick Battery into the PSP.
- A menu appears when the PSP boots. Follow the onscreen information
and instructions.

NOTES AND RESTRICTIONS
- The firmware in the Memory Stick is not a full 1.50, but a minimal
subset. Therefore, not all applications (such as flashers, or
recovery apps) will load.
- Only Memory Stick Pro Duo are compatible. Memory Stick Duo
(e.g. 32MB sticks) are not supported.
- The IDStorage cannot be totally restored, as there is no known way
to regenerate it properly.
- It is strongly RECOMMENDED to make a flash dump of the PSP before
any downgrading operation.
- There might be a BSOD at the end of the downgrade. This is normal,
and happens on the standard downgraders.
- All hardware revisions known at this day are supported.
- This release contains no Sony-copyrighted material. All required
Sony data is generated from the v1.50 update files.

If you only have one battery and want to unbrick your PSP, you can.

1) Convert your battery into a jigkick one using "Pandora's Battery Creator", but before you press X, press TRIANGLE to backup your battery's EEPROM to ms0:/eeprom.bin
2) Unbrick your PSP as normal
3) When you are done unbricking, take out the battery and the magic memory stick. Start up the PSP using the AC adaptor (do not try to use a USB charger, it will not start up)
4) Insert the magic memory stick and the magic battery
5) Run "Pandora's Battery Creator" again
6) Press L+R to restore the ms0:/eeprom.bin to your battery

NOTE: You can also restore a battery without having made a backup, by pressing SQUARE at step 6. This will generate a fake serial for your battery (0x12345678) which allows it to work normally, but there could be side-effects.

Have fun, and thanks to everyone in the Prometheus/C+D team

Check out the updated PSP tutorial list

Sony Japan confirms Skype for PSP this month

Sony has announced that Japanese PSP users will be able to use Skype services from March 18.

The software will be included in the next system update scheduled for this month, with Sony releasing official microphones to coincide with the communications service.

Skype was originally due for Japanese release in January, but was delayed as Sony hardware failed to meet Skype specification

Check out the updated PSP tutorial list

How recover bricked slim psp

Brick means that your PSP cannot boot up even if you on the power switch, renders your PSP useless like a piece of brick.

So if your PSP cannot boot up, you can still recover.

1) When you choose USB Connection and discovered that there are 3 folders with weird names instead of your normal ISO folders and stuff, don't delete them. Once Deleted, you will encounter red screen and your PSP will not be able to boot up.

2) Once such incident happen, total reset your psp and hold R1 till the configuration page is up. Then from the menu, choose reset.

3) If you already bricked your PSP Slim,PSP slim can be recovered. However you need to buy with Pandora Battery and Pandora Memory Stick to recover back your PSP Slim.

4) One special point to note, when you use Pandora's battery and memory stick to recover, when your PSP boots up, no words will appear as display drivers different(words appear on Fat PSP) so you just press X and wait. Then the recovery starts and you will see the WiFi and Harddisk light flash. Once recovery finish it will off your PSP automatically. It will revert your version back to 1.50 though so you need to re up grade again.

5) PSP Slim's battery cannot be used as pandora. Only Fat PSP one's can. As for how to mod pandora battery and memory stick using Fat PSP, you need to do your own research as it is abit complicated. Bricking also happens if you do software upgrade or downgrade wrongly.

PSP on fire!!! Schoolboys burned by video game in pants

At the Warner Middle School in Farmington Hills Michigan this morning a
fire broke out in a young boy's pants.Police said the fire burned a hole in his pants and Harold Clay, 12,suffered minor burns.According to police, the PSP in the student's pocket overheated and exploded, burning a hole in his pocket and causing minor burns on his legs."He said it wasn't a gradual heat.

It really started heating up. He's always been taught,
burn- fire- smoke, you drop and you roll. So, he was in his band class and he dropped and rolled," said the victim's mother Sheila Clay.

A teacher at the school managed to separate the boy from his gaming system, after which a lockdown was instituted at the school to facilitate emergency personnel reaching the injured young man, whose burns were treated on school grounds before being transported to a local hospital.

The video game was a Sony PSP.

Police said the player overheated and exploded.The school was placed on lockdown so emergency personnel could get through the building to help the child.
The lockdown has been lifted.Harold was treated at the hospital for second-degree burns to the leg and was back in school later that afternoon.

Ironically, the name of the game that was inside the player was called Burn Out.

"It was unbelievable, because it wasn't on. It was just in his pocket," said the victim's father, Harold Clay.Harold's parents said they plan to contact Sony to see if any other cases have been reported.
Police are currently investigating the cause of the PSP's malfunction.

Visit the PSP tutorial list

Sony Blu-ray to PSP

Sony kicked off its CES conference today with some big news highlighting several planned BD-Live interactive features coming to Blu-ray in 2008. During an interactive demo on the show floor, Sony revealed a series of interactive features currently planned for the BD-Live networking capabilities.

The first feature previewed was one that would allow viewers to send ringtones to their personal mobile phones, including content from the movie itself. Viewers could extract lines of dialogue from the movie or other audio clips.

More excitingly revealed was that Sony is planning select Blu-ray titles that will include a version of the film encoded for the PSP, thus making the film portable. However, Sony didn't announce a planned release date or titles that will include this new feature.

Sony's attempt to create a new format with UMD never worked out, but their efforts with Blu-ray have been more than commendable. With the HD format wars looking clearly in their favor, it's great to see that even PSP owners will be able to benefit from Sony's next-gen disc medium. We can't wait to take advantage of BD Live.

Skype on PSP console

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp plans to add an Internet phone function to its PlayStation Portable (PSP) game player in cooperation with eBay unit Skype to stir up demand, the Nikkei business daily said on Saturday.

The PSP has trailed Nintendo Co Ltd's DS handheld gear in sales since their launches three years ago as DS's casual and innovative games proved a smashing success in gaming population expanding beyond young males to women and mature users.

By downloading Skype's software, which is expected to become available as early as this month, PSP users can make free Web-based phone calls with other PSP users and the users of PCs equipped with Skype software, the Nikkei said.

The new service is designed for the latest PSP model launched in September, the newspaper said.

Sony Computer Entertainment spokesman Satoshi Fukuoka declined to comment on the report, but said the game unit of the electronics and entertainment conglomerate is studying ways to add value to the PSP.

Read the Skype forums