So in response to some noob
D) who PMed me wanting to know more about current PSP hacking, I've decided to make this thread as sort of a resource for those of you who are interested.
Current market prices for PSPs (from my experience in the past month in my area):
1000 (Phat) - Obviously no longer sold in retail stores. Sold at GameStop used for $89.99. You could probably find one for $50-80 on eBay or CL. Fully hackable up to OFW 6.35.
2000 (Slim) - No longer sold in retail stores. Sold at GameStop used for $99.99. Since this is the newest PSP that is fully hackable, you usually see them listed on CL for about $100-150 depending on the color and version. Ex. Star Wars Darth Vader White version usually sells for a bit more. Fully hackable up to OFW 6.35
3000 (Bright) - Price dropped recently to $129.99 in all retail stores. Sold at GameStop used for $119.99. Since this is the most current model, you can find them on CL in new condition for $120 or less. Partially hackable up to OFW 6.35.
1000n (Go) - Sold for $199.99 at retail stores but no longer in production. Sold at GameStop used for $109.99. Doubtful you'll find one used in store, but I notice they have them for sale on the website currently. I found my white one on CL complete in box and it included the dock for $130. Partially hackable up to OFW 6.35.
Why choose CL?
I chose to go through CL for the same reasons many of you would: eBay and GameStop suck and retail stores don't normally put consoles on clearance.
There's always parents/kids trying to sell these things for whatever reason (kids don't play them, kid would rather have a PS3/X360/iPod/etc., person got it as a gift and didn't want it, etc.). Most of the time they just want cash quickly so don't mind taking a loss or selling way below retail.
Custom Firmware - Which PSPs can be hacked?
Custom Firmware enables you to play PSP game backups (ISO/CSO), PSX backups, and homebrew programs and emulators. Ultimately, it turns your PSP into a magical and extraordinary handheld gaming device.
The Phat and Slim are fully hackable up to OFW 6.35 (requires downgrading via "magic memory stick" and Pandora Battery).
The 3000 and PSP Go can be partially hacked with CFW all the up to OFW 6.35. In other words, it's a tethered hack that is not permanent. If you hard shutoff or remove the battery, it will revert back to OFW.
Here is a great guide that explains all of this.
www.pspslimhacks.com is a great resource for tutorials, files, updates, etc. The site is a bit difficult to understand and navigate so be prepared to do a lot of clicking and reading. The forum is a great place to pinpoint answers to any questions that you may have.
www.qj.net is also a great gaming resource. Despite the online ads and videos that slow down the site, it's up to date on current console hacking and news. They have a huge homebrew file server as well though it's somewhat tedious to navigate.
Video of CFW 5.50 GEN-D3 running on PSP Phat
What is Half Byte Loader (HBL)?
Currently, no PSP with OFW 6.37 or higher can be hacked with CFW. However, there is an exploit that was developed called Half Byte Loader (HBL) that can be installed onto any PSP up to OFW 6.37. It serves as a loader to be able to run homebrew programs and emulators.
It's as simple as installing the files to your memory stick, placing your emulation files in the GAME folder and loading the program through your PSP XMB. You just have to make sure you install the correct homebrew that is compatible with the version of HBL that you have installed.
So essentially, you're not flashing or hacking your firmware on your PSP, but accessing homebrew via an exploit. Think of it as sort of a bridge between OFW and homebrew. To be clear, HBL does not run PSP ISO/CSO backups or PSX backups.
The HBL developers have been pretty good about updating it with every OFW that's come out so I wouldn't worry about it getting outdated.
Video of HBL on my PSP Go running OFW 6.37
So there you have it. PSP hacking in a nutshell. Happy gaming!
Current market prices for PSPs (from my experience in the past month in my area):
1000 (Phat) - Obviously no longer sold in retail stores. Sold at GameStop used for $89.99. You could probably find one for $50-80 on eBay or CL. Fully hackable up to OFW 6.35.
2000 (Slim) - No longer sold in retail stores. Sold at GameStop used for $99.99. Since this is the newest PSP that is fully hackable, you usually see them listed on CL for about $100-150 depending on the color and version. Ex. Star Wars Darth Vader White version usually sells for a bit more. Fully hackable up to OFW 6.35
3000 (Bright) - Price dropped recently to $129.99 in all retail stores. Sold at GameStop used for $119.99. Since this is the most current model, you can find them on CL in new condition for $120 or less. Partially hackable up to OFW 6.35.
1000n (Go) - Sold for $199.99 at retail stores but no longer in production. Sold at GameStop used for $109.99. Doubtful you'll find one used in store, but I notice they have them for sale on the website currently. I found my white one on CL complete in box and it included the dock for $130. Partially hackable up to OFW 6.35.
Why choose CL?
I chose to go through CL for the same reasons many of you would: eBay and GameStop suck and retail stores don't normally put consoles on clearance.
There's always parents/kids trying to sell these things for whatever reason (kids don't play them, kid would rather have a PS3/X360/iPod/etc., person got it as a gift and didn't want it, etc.). Most of the time they just want cash quickly so don't mind taking a loss or selling way below retail.
Custom Firmware - Which PSPs can be hacked?
Custom Firmware enables you to play PSP game backups (ISO/CSO), PSX backups, and homebrew programs and emulators. Ultimately, it turns your PSP into a magical and extraordinary handheld gaming device.
The Phat and Slim are fully hackable up to OFW 6.35 (requires downgrading via "magic memory stick" and Pandora Battery).
The 3000 and PSP Go can be partially hacked with CFW all the up to OFW 6.35. In other words, it's a tethered hack that is not permanent. If you hard shutoff or remove the battery, it will revert back to OFW.
Here is a great guide that explains all of this.
www.pspslimhacks.com is a great resource for tutorials, files, updates, etc. The site is a bit difficult to understand and navigate so be prepared to do a lot of clicking and reading. The forum is a great place to pinpoint answers to any questions that you may have.
www.qj.net is also a great gaming resource. Despite the online ads and videos that slow down the site, it's up to date on current console hacking and news. They have a huge homebrew file server as well though it's somewhat tedious to navigate.
Video of CFW 5.50 GEN-D3 running on PSP Phat
What is Half Byte Loader (HBL)?
Currently, no PSP with OFW 6.37 or higher can be hacked with CFW. However, there is an exploit that was developed called Half Byte Loader (HBL) that can be installed onto any PSP up to OFW 6.37. It serves as a loader to be able to run homebrew programs and emulators.
It's as simple as installing the files to your memory stick, placing your emulation files in the GAME folder and loading the program through your PSP XMB. You just have to make sure you install the correct homebrew that is compatible with the version of HBL that you have installed.
So essentially, you're not flashing or hacking your firmware on your PSP, but accessing homebrew via an exploit. Think of it as sort of a bridge between OFW and homebrew. To be clear, HBL does not run PSP ISO/CSO backups or PSX backups.
The HBL developers have been pretty good about updating it with every OFW that's come out so I wouldn't worry about it getting outdated.
Video of HBL on my PSP Go running OFW 6.37
So there you have it. PSP hacking in a nutshell. Happy gaming!
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