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2.80 downgrading made easy
There's always someone out there that updated their PSP, only to regret it moments later. Well, for those of you that have been patient enough not to upgrade past 2.80, an "easy" way of downgrading to homebrew-compatible 1.50 has been released. This guide from PSP Vault will help you every step of the way, but they warn: -If you have a TA-082 motherboard in your PSP, no [sic] not even attempt to downgrade. -If you are clueless and don't feel that you can follow this guide step-by-step, do not attempt to downgrade. -If you have a fear of bricking your PSP and are nervous, I will say this guide has been used several times over, but perhaps you should wait for some sort of "safe downgrader".If the scary red text doesn't change your mind about downgrading, then you're ready to go! First, you'll have to download eLoader and xLoader, PatchSFO and finally the downgrader program. Make sure you have a USB cable ready to connect your PSP to your PC. You'll run the downgrader, but watch out for the next few steps, indicated in the guide. You don't want to brick your system, do you? With 3.02 firmware emulation entirely possible, it appears that a whole new slew of people can now be introduced to homebrew.[Thanks, Joel!]
Metal Gear Solid's GPS demonstration
The folks at PSP Vault have combined the GPS accessory (now available in Japan) with the recently released Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. As explained earlier, you'll be able to recruit new soldiers through this weird and wacky feature that combines virtual espionage and real-world location hunting. Check after the cut to see more.
Full resolution videos possible on firmware 2.80! [m]
One of the biggest complaints about the PSP's video playback interface is how limited it is. There used to be a strict naming scheme involved, and videos were limited to 76800 pixels, only 59% of what the PSP is actually capable of (480x272 resolution). PSP-Vault has uncovered a long-unknown secret: you can play full resolution videos on the PSP, as long as they're encoded with the highly size-inefficient Motion JPEG codec, the same kind used by Chotto Shot. Sony never advertised this fact, but you can see for yourself! Download the following sample video and place it in your PSP's VIDEO folder:As you can see by this download, the Motion JPEG codec is not a very efficient one at all. One minute of video takes 29MB, which is highly restrictive for people with smaller memory sticks. It's an interesting find, and it shows that Sony's taking tiny steps towards fully unrestricted video on the PSP. If you'd like to encode your own motion JPEG videos, download 3GP Converter, and PSP-Vault's INI file. The INI file is placed in 3GP's "default_settings" folder. When you're done converting, simply place your video in PSP's VIDEO folder.
Famitsu releases details on new aerial-combat game
Our close friends at Famitsu (Actually, I don't think have any idea who we are) have just released some screens and info about M.A.C.H. (Modified Air Combat Heroes). The game, which will be published by Vivendi Games, combines aerial racing and combat that may be somewhat similar to Twisted Metal in the sky."M.A.C.H. is set in the year 2049, when manned jet fighters are no longer used. The main character of the game, a member of the final graduating class of the Air Force Academy, obtains the military's remaining stock of jet fighters. For one reason or another, he then decides to hold races with the fighters," according to PSP-Vault's translation.While there doesn't seem to be any additional information available for the game, IGN has the game scheduled to be released in the U.S. Dec. 19. [Via PSP-Vault]
TGS 06: Camera & GPS details revealed [Update 2]
The fine folks of PSP Vault appear to have discovered a few new screenshots and details of the upcoming PSP accessories: The camera uses Chotto Shot, a program that lets you edit your movies. Using AdHoc, you'll be able to transmit videos to other PSP owners. Hot Shots Golf will let you plan your golf shots on actual golf courses in Japan. The GPS functionality will help you locate other Metal Gear Solid players. Read - Camera details revealedRead - GPS details revealed[Update 1: IGN has revealed new pictures from the GPS interface.][Update 2: Vault reveals hints about MGS GPS functionality.]
Getting excited about GPS
PSP Vault has written an incredible article about the upcoming GPS accessory for the PSP. The 6000 Yen device will come out in December, and feature the following specs:Reception Frequency: 1575.42MHz (L1 ban, C/A code) Reception System: 20 Channel Reception Sensitivity: Following: -153dBm Captured: -140dBm Position Renew Interval: ~1 second Initial Position Acquisition Time: ~40 seconds Positioning Precision: 5m (2DRAMS, -130dBm) External Dimensions: 45 x 41 x 17mm (W x H x D) Weight: 16gAs you can see from the specifications, the device takes 40 seconds to initially locate your position, but will recalculate your position every second after that. It has some pretty impressive precision, meaning it'll know your precise location, give or take 5 meters. While Sony hasn't officially revealed what the navigation system will look like, the Vault has unearthed a few interesting tidbits. The software is in development at Edia, a company that's developed impressive GPS software in the past. Their "Pontus" line of products have offered voice commands, route searches, automatic scrolling/rotation of maps, and even multimedia functionality. Hopefully, Sony and Edia won't fail to recognize the great potential for synergy between the PSP's native multimedia support and the GPS software.
Blazing hot Ace Combat trailer & screens [Update 1]
Famitsu has beautiful new screens of Ace Combat X, an all-new continuation of the Ace Combat series. Famitsu also grabbed a trailer, which is voiced in English so you can fully appreciate the cheese. The graphics are sharp, and features some potentially awesome multiplayer. Makes me want to watch Top Gun again. Wait... I never want to watch that movie ever again. The game comes out September 17th.[Via PSP-Vault][Update 1: Trailer is now embedded after the cut, for your viewing pleasure.]
