-->

The PSP, Homebrew, and the Firmware Updating Wars

No, I can’t get OPL running on the Sony PSP – but it would be nice. In any case I’m finding the whole struggle of the homebrew coders against Sony to be fascinating. A little back story – the majority of people buy their PSP so they can play games on it. Some are attracted to the MP3 and Video player (and truth be told that was my initial attraction – I wanted to watch my choice of movies on trans-atlantic airline flights). And there are some people who want o do whatever they want on something that is their property.

Yes it’s the legal minefield of the Maker – when you want to do something the manufactuer does not want to do. And the key to this in the Sony PSP is the firmware – essentially the operating system of this portable computer. Sony have provided users the ability to update the firmware over Wi-Fi, or through a single file download from their website. These add more functionality to the device. Since the first 1.0 launch of the PSP, features added include MP3 playback, a Web Browser. An RSS podcast streaming applicant, then the ability to save podcasts and video casts, adding a Camera/EyeToy like attachemnt, a GPS unit, etc.

What these firmware updates also do is prevent programs running that have not been pre-approved (electonically signed) by Sony. Naturally this goes against the Maker/Hacker ethic, and an not inconsiderable amount of effort has been made to get around the locks in the firmware – and of course whenever an exploit is doscovered, Sony release a new firmware that blocks it, and the arms race begins again.

Last week saw a massive breakthrough. The homebrew scene (which admittedly is small, I reckon maybe 25,000 legitimate homebrew users) has always been a long way behind the firmware numbers – Sony was on 3.03 and the homebrew exploits were still working on (at highest) 2.71. Well last week saw an exploit that opened up firmware 3.03 -e fectivly every PSP ont he planet was provided a key that would let them run homebrew (by downgrading back to version 1.5, or install a customised homebrew firmware that emulates 3.03). Sony rapily released firmware 3.10 with ‘a faster web browser’ to try and close the hole.

Let’s let The PSP Show take up the story…

Show Notes – MP3 File – RSS Feed

The most annoying thing? While Sony expend all this effort to close the PSP, you can install and run an official Linux distro on the PS3 with Sony’s blessing.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

February 4, 2007; Daily Links;