After much work over the past few days, we finally succeeded - we have an easy-to-use downgrader for v3.03 PSPs!

 

Some ground-rules:

 

* This downgrader is for v3.03 firmware only. But if you have v2.81 - v3.02, no problem - you can just upgrade to v3.03 to use the downgrader.

* You need a copy of the unpatched GTA:Liberty City Stories UMD. No ISOs, no patched UMDs, not Vice City Stories. See here for some info on how to check if your version is patched. The most reliable way : the unpatched disks have the v2.0 firmware update on them.

* This downgrader is intended to enable homebrew. Homebrew is NOT the same as piracy. Don't be a thieving loser - buy the games you play.

* The downgrader will work on all current PSP hardware (TA-079 - TA-086). Patching of TA-082+ is automatic in the downgrader.

* You downgrade at your own risk. There is always a chance of bricking, although we have done everything we can think of to make this process safe.

 

Full instructions for downgrading are included in the Downgrader_HOWTO.txt file in the ZIP file. Read them carefully! You will need:

 

* The 3.03 downgrader package

* Official v1.50 Firmware Update EBOOT

* Official v3.03 Firmware Update EBOOT (only if your PSP is not 3.03 already)

 

Enjoy! You can get support for any problems at the PSPUpdates forum.

 

Remember to check out the PSP Homebrew Database for information on homebrew that can be run on your newly-downgraded PSP!

 

Warning: After downgrading from 3.03 to 1.5, there are some remnants of 3.03 left in flash. If you later try to re-upgrade to 3.03 and repeat the downgrade, things will break. At some later point, we will work on a cleaner that will remove these extra files. Until then, enjoy! (Don't worry, upgrading to 3.03 OE firmwares still works fine).

If you're not keen on the risk of downgrading your PSP, you might prefer to use a homebrew loader instead. Well, we've thought of you - we give to you "HEN 303 - the Duff release" (named in the eLoader tradition!).

 

HEN 303 (short for Homebrew ENabler) works in the same way as Dark_AleX's HEN for 2.71 firmwares. By running HEN, it installs a patch in your PSP's memory, that allows you to run homebrew almost as if you had a v1.5 PSP. This patch remains in place until you fully turn off your PSP - it will survive the PSP being placed into sleep mode.

 

The requirements for HEN are the same as for the downgrader - you need the unpatched GTA:LCS, and a v3.03 firmware PSP.

 

You can view the readme.txt file in the archive for more details about how to use it. Remember that not as much homebrew works with HEN as it does with eLoader or v1.5 firmware. But we hope to release an eLoader plugin for HEN soon, that would improve that situation - and remember that the amount of homebrew that works with HEN is increasing all the time.

 

The important parts of HEN 303 are included in the downgrader release - but if you don't want to downgrade, you can download the full HEN release below.

 

Note: a pre-release version of this file was leaked on the internet. It is dangerous and could brick your PSP - do not run it or distribute it. The authentic version contains the text "This is the official final released version of 3.03 HEN" in the readme.txt file.

Download 3.03 Downgrader / Download HEN 3.03 / Source

Arcade emulator

Ooops! Here's a very quick bug fix release.

 

* Fixed bug in System 16 sound - won't test with volume down in future!

>> Get it HERE.

You remember that the only thing holding us back from a downgrader for v3.03 was the lack of a user-mode exploit?

 

Well, we don't like to be held back from anything, so we went back to basics and looked over some of the old exploits. And what do you know? We found one!

 

We did a little digging into the old GTA exploit, and discovered that it hadn't been properly patched after all. We'll leave it as an exercise for the interested reader to figure out exactly how we got past the patch (and to give Sony a little while longer before the head-slapping "Doh!" moment ).

 

But the short version is that we can now run code again via Grand Theft Auto : Liberty City Stories. You want some proof? Check out the Goofy Hello World download below.

Note: In order to run this, you need a UMD of the un-patched version of GTA:LCS.

Source / Download

Arcade emulator

3rd release of FBA in a week!

A new FBA with System 16A emulation. Not sure what's up with the FBA forums - if they're not back online in the next few days I'll open an FBA forum here.

 

Here's the what''s new;

 

* Added Sega System 16A driver supporting Action Fighter, Alex Kidd, Fantasy Zone, Quartet, Shinobi and Time Scanner

* Added various clones to the CPS-2 driver as the keys are now known

* Added driver for Street Fighter Alpha CPS-Changer

* Various renames and XOR removals to match MAME 0.111u5

* Improved save state support in numerous drivers

* Dropped the "(BH)" monikor from the App title.

>> Get it HERE