Sony PSP V1.5 Guide what it is and what it does.

Hello all, I am writing this guide in response to the very minimal informational guides about the PSP V1.5 out there today.As you must already know about, the 1.5 Firmware is one of the most hardest to find in a PSP, especilay if it's brand new. What makes this firmware so special is the ability to play homebrew.Now what is homebrew you ask? Well, its very simple to explain, technically it means software that is created by a user of the console (e.g. software not created by the creator of the console, in this case Sony or SCEA (Sony geputer Entertainment of America for us in the America's) Now in order to run homebrew the console has to be able to run un-signed code, usually this is acgeplished in previous consoles thru the means of a mod chip, but in the PSP, SCEA made the mistake of releasing the 1.5 firmware without fully testing it gepletley, and so some people were eager to see if it will lanuch self made programs, and It did 100%. So the popularity of the 1.5 firmware grew to a large enough extent, which made Sony to release the 1.51 firmware, a firmware closing the ever popular exploit in the 1.5 firmware. Now there are many ways to have a 1.5 firmware PSP, even if you have firmware 1.51 to 2.71. The way is called a "Downgrade". What this means is that if you have a PSP, but wish to enable homebrew content on it you have the change the firmware to a lower level. There are many ways to do it, but I doubt I can explain it here since it involves many Copyright Infrigments on Sony's Firmware. One of the most popular ways to downgrade the firmware if you firmware was 2.6 or under was to use the "Grand Theft Auto: Liberity City Stories" Exploit, basically what this did was, It ran a piece of code from the memory stick during the loading of GTA:LCS, This here is called a exploit since it was something Rockstar (Creator of the GTA game series and GTA:LCS game itself) did not orginally intend that the game be used for. After the exploit has be executed, it will downgrade the PSP to the ever popular 1.5 firmware. Now, the way mentioned above has long begee extinct, since with newer firmware's released, it patched this way up, as well as Rockstar Games updating their game to not allow this exploit as well. Thus came the 2.71 exploit, which is today's mainstream exploit as there is not a way to acgeplish a downgrade on 2.8+ firmware's as of yet. Now, what is unique about the 2.71 exploit, is that it uses a older way of downgrading Psp's which was gemon back in the 2.0 and under firmware days. It involved the use of a Picture (TIFF explot) which has some code interpreted inside it, so when the PSP photo viewer tried to view the picture, it will immedley start the downgrade process. Now what this means is that it makes the GTA:LCS exploit nearly obselete since it does not require a game in order for the downgrade process to work.The ways posted above are how the 1.5 firmware is usually attained, there are more methods for other firmwares, but as since 2.71 and 2.6 are the most newest firmwares which allow the downgrade process, as well as they are the easiest to downgrade--I believe this should be enough information to explain what 1.5 is and how it is attained. Now, for the fun part you have been waiting for! You are most likley thinking "Okay, So I know how to get a 1.5, but what can I do with it after I have one?" Well, what can be done with the 1.5 firmware can be a programmers dream as well as a gamer's paradise. For a programer- it allows you to make your own programs, So technically you can call yourself a PSP devloper, though you are not employed by Sony. As for the gamer, Some of the popular things you can do with the 1.5 firmware--Is the ability to launch programs called "Emulators". Basically what a Emulator is, its a program which basically allows the applications launched within it to think it is running on its native hardware/software. Like for example--There is a emulator on the PSP which emulates the Super Nintendo hardware, what this acgeplishes is the ability to launch any game on the Super Nintendo Platform. There are many more emulators for more consoles, so it is not limited to only the Super Nintendo, There are emulators for Gameboy Advance, Nintendo 64, Playstation, NES, Gameboy Color, Atari and alot more consoles as well as geputers such Apple OS!Now, for the legitamacy of emulators--Basically, Emulators are legal to a extent, some emulators use copyright code which is owned either by the devlopers or the gepany itself. Making it illegal to own a emulator if you do not orginally own the console itself, or do not have proof like a recipit to see that you have purchased it. And this applies for the games as well--Games are only legal to have if you own the orginal game as well. Now, Emulators are a big part of the PSP homebrew, another part is self made games. As you know, Homebrew Devlopers lack in resources to make a game as extravagent as a offical PSP released one since they usualy work alone, and very seldomly work in groups. There are some notable releases such as one first piece of homebrew was a Chess game, which further opened the possibilities of homebrew. There are many more home made games which can be easily found using a search engine ( I perfer Google :) ).Another important piece of homebrew for the PSP, is self made applications. These are made entirely from scratch and are very useful if you have knowledge minor knowledge of the geputer industry as well if your in a IT career. Some of them range from Word Processors, to Wireless Network Sniffers to GPS. They all have their usefullness, and are continously being updated to support new standards. Piracy and the PSP. With the inner workings of the firmware 1.5 known, it was little to no time that piracy would spread to the PSP platform--now by Piracy Im not referring to the days of Black Beard and Hiding Treasure on Remote Islands (Though we have to admit, those were fun years). By Piracy I meaning the Theft of Copyrighted Games (By games, I mean geerical PSP games on the Retail market). By Theft Im not referring walking into a store and hiding a game under your shirt and walking out, I mean the illegal downloading of games and playing games which you do not own (Piracy also affects Emulators as well). There are many applications devloped on the psp for the sole need of allowing games which people do not own. The applications also allow you to play backup's of games you legally own--as well as emulating newer firmware which allows newer features inplanted in newer firmwares allowed to be ran on the PSP 1.5 without the need to update--loosing your ability to launch homebrew. Well, I believe after you read all that, you should have a nice understanding of the homebrew and the PSP. If you have any questions, you are free to contact me and I will help you to the best of my ability or if you perfer a faster answer, you can use Google and find the answer's you need. :)