Make: Online : HOW-TO: Run homebrew apps on your PSP!

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Here's how-to run emulators, games and homebrew applications on your USA PlayStation Portable PSP. I cooked up a quick how-to, pictures, screenshots as well as video to watch on how to do all this. This is really a big deal, we're all going to be able to play thousands of games, run hundreds of cool applications all for free and all from the community of tinkerers out there looking to do more with their PSP and here's how....

Editors note: this has been republished as a special MAKE Extra How-To

Psp Mov
For the multimedia folks- here's a video (QuickTime MOV) of how to do all this.

And of course, here's a PSP version (MP4) to download and watch on your PSP.

Now on to the how-to, text and images.

You'll need 2 memory stick for this how-to and a PSP with USA firmware 1.50 (Settings > System Settings System Information). A little tip, never update any device ever again, really. If you just got a Sony PSP or never updated, you're set. I won't buy a UMD game until there's a 1.51, 1.52 patch to run homebrew games. If Sony let people develop applications from the start there wouldn't be the army of tinkerers figuring all this out, but hey- it's a lot of fun and now we have homebrew games.
First thing you'll need to do is download the wonderful tool MSwapTool from here. There's a readme/PDF included, or keep reading on how to get homebrew applications on the PSP. The application is Spanish, but it doesn't matter- it's really simple.

Now, download a PSP game, I downloaded PSP chess from here- it's a neat app, now my wife and I can play chess against each other. What else is there out there? tons- Gameboy, MAM, MSX, Neo Geo, NES, PC Engine, Sega, SNES and Wonderswan emulators. That's right, you can now play thousands of games on your PSP (there are tons of freeware / homebrew ROMs). Homebrew games- Doom, PSP chess, Pong, Pocothin, Higher or lower, HTML game, PSP GO, Maze, Arkanoid and Puyo. The emulators can run at a full 333Mhz, just be careful- it could damage your PSP.

If you want to make your own, here's what Clayton from PSPHacker.com told me (this was before PSP Launcher was released, but is likely still applicable). "there are programs like Yamasan's ELF to PBP converter which convert ELF files to PSP readable PBP files. You then copy the file to PSP/GAME on your memory stick. Currently for 1.0 PSPs, this is one of the ways homebrew programs can be created."

Back to the installing of the homebrew.
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Once you unzip the file and install, run MSwapTool (Start > Program Files > MSwapTool). Click the first dotted box and choose a EBOOT.PBP file to "convert". The form area is called "Fichero PBP".

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Now, click "Directorio" this is the directory of the output of the MSwapTool.

Flicke Generar ficheros (Generate files). It will give you a message in Spanish once it is complete.

Outputted files

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Once converted you'll need to put the files on 2 memory sticks. Make a new folder called PSP-DEV on the memory stick (PSP > GAME > PSP-DEV). Make sure you keep track of which one is #1 and #2.

Pop the #1 memory stick go games > memory stick and you should now see a lovely new icon PSP Launcher (and the name of the game/app you made).

Get the 2nd stick ready, then select PSP Launcher, quickly swap out memory stick #1 with memory stick #2 and viola! You're now running an application someone made. Most of the applications and games come with source code, so expect some amazing new things to do with your PSP. Just don't update the PSP, ever, ever again.

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: Tracii on June 15, 2005 at 3:31 PM

I would really just like a fully functional web browser,,,,, anybody gotone ??????

Reply to this comment

Posted by: philliptorrone on June 15, 2005 at 3:41 PM

homebrew snes games here: http://xbox-emulation.dcemu.co.uk/snes-roms.shtml the snes emulator works fine. as far as web browsing goes tracii-- try this: http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2005/03/using_the_psp_a.html

Posted by: Tracii on June 15, 2005 at 4:18 PM

Thanx Phillip I am gonna check it out right now

Posted by: Tracii on June 15, 2005 at 6:07 PM

hey using Wipe Out pure as a browser worked really good,,,, at least it is a great start,,,,,,

thanx again Phillip

Posted by: evilchimp on June 15, 2005 at 7:35 PM

is there any way to get the MSswap tool for mac?

Posted by: DeltaZ113 on June 15, 2005 at 8:02 PM

if you go into MSwapTool.cfg, in the folder where you installed MSwap, and change the lang=0 parameter to lang=1,the program is in english.

Posted by: borderlinecool on June 16, 2005 at 5:21 AM

Does anybody have any web/wireless apps, like IM?

Posted by: borderlinecool on June 16, 2005 at 5:37 AM

What language is used for PSP hacks? I saw some C code in one of the sources. Is there any limits, or can anything that generates an EXE work?

Posted by: sarla1596 on June 25, 2005 at 12:07 PM

before i go and try to do this procedure to my psp, do u have to do this swap method to ALL homebrew emulators and apps EVERYTIME you wanna run them???

thanks
Eric

Posted by: 1magus on July 10, 2005 at 4:46 PM

HI I got the emultor for Snes to work but Question about the rom I have its Chrono Trigger rom am I supose to do the Ms Swap tool thingy for it and put it on both cards or what cause I cant get Snes Emulator to read it correctly?

Posted by: 1magus on July 10, 2005 at 5:40 PM

The Psp Snes Emulator does not work fine I get it to say psp luancher Snes9x BUT how am I supose to get it to see my rom to read it I dont get ti what do I need to name my rom do I need to use ms swap tool and do the same thing but if I do then how do I put it in the same folder without reaplcing the file as the same name SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE

Posted by: viruzez on July 13, 2005 at 7:52 AM

DOES ANY ONE KNOW WHERE TO GET MSswapTool?

Posted by: Nataly on August 8, 2005 at 3:28 AM

I think you excuse me if I it's topic discuss it's topic on http://www.webinfonet.info

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Posted by: psp_racer on March 11, 2006 at 10:17 PM

hi i would like to know i if thare is a chat site for the psp browser. if N/Eone know N/E info email me at psp_racer81@yahoo.com

Posted by: Zombie Kangaroo on December 13, 2007 at 10:07 AM

hey, umm, i just got my psp a few days ago and JUST NOW found out about homebrew, i wanna start using homebrew but, i have no idea wat anything is, and i have a 3.60 firmware, can i still use homebrew?