Is it legal to hack my Sony PSP?

i need help.... is it possible to upload music and photos on a windows 98 computer

Hello, I am one of those "PSP Hackers", if that's what you want to call us. I am not a programmer, I just use the already-made homebrew that's out there, and I have to say, some of it is really fun! As long as you don't toy with the OS, the chances of bricking the PSP are slim to none. I have two PSPs, a version 1.5 and a version 2.6. The 1.5 is used to play old Super Nintendo games, like Final Fantasy III. There is now a version of a homebrew program called DevHook (Google it, make sure you get the latest version) that can emulate other firmwares, therefore enabling any UMD game, regardless of firmware requirements. This, in itself, has no chance of bricking your PSP. The risk comes when you modify or change firmwares. DenHook only emulates the firmware, instead of installing it permanently to the flash memory inside the PSP.
There is also homebrew for the 2.6, but it's severely limited because of something Sony patched, and the only way to run it is to buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, download and install a loader that takes advantage of a hole in the savegame interface. Kinda makes you wonder how much money Sony has made off of us Homebrew enthusiasts, yet they continue to (try) to patch the holes.

hey, just wantedtosay that sony will fix your psp if its bricked as this can happen in normal usage. Also you just use firmware emulators to play later games.

The benefits of free content vastly outway any negatives and makes me feel like a bit of a rebel too =) Chaos Zero's dev hook installer has saved my life!!

Hello.

It might be a good idea to add a date to the answers, so it would be easier to see if the information is likely to be outdated.

These days there is very little risk of damaging your PSP while enabling or running homebrew on the PSP, probably no more than running the official firmware upgrades from Sony. Most custom firmwares also include a recovery function, making it possible to recover from a brick or partial brick using the USB port. I would still urge anyone looking to upgrade/hack their PSP to read all available documentation before doing so.

Automatic downgraders and custom firmware installers make it very safe and simple to run homebrew aswell as the latest games. We have two PSP's in the house, both running Dark Alex's 3.10-OE firmware. This hack gives your PSP the ability to run the 1.50 and 3.10 firmwares simultaniosly.

If you consider the amount of freeware and abandonware available to a hacked PSP, it greatly incrases the value of the handheld. Also, the ability to run old PlayStation games you already have, should be worth quite a bit.

I would also like to add that software patents are only applicable in the US. As far as I know, no other part of the world respects these patents.

In most countries you may also reverse engineer or decompile software, though the laws vary and are often very complicated.

4-18-2007 - Just to let you know, if you are careful to follow the (incredibly easy) laid out instructions on changing your firmware, all versions of PSPs up to firmware 3.03 (currently) can be downgraded/upgraded to Open Edition (oe) versions of Sony's 1.50 through 3.30oe, allowing for "homebrew" applications to be run. A complete PSP newbie, it took me 2 days of research on a single website (which you can't help but find by googling) to get the software to do the work for me. The software that makes the firmware changes even has built-in safety checks to check your motherboard version, etc. Basically, you've got about as much risk of "bricking" as you would with a standard Sony supported upgrade. The perks: I can now use my PSP as a controller for my computer wirelessly, I can use my PSP to remote control my VCR/DVD/TV, I can use my PSP as an alarm clock, I can use my PSP to jot notes down, to play my favorite old NES, Atari 2600, SNES, N64, and PSX games, as a Calendar book, address book, and to entertain the kids on long drives with movies from home. I can carry all my PSP games on two tiny memory cards instead of a box of disks that can get scratched, I can use it to instant message, check E-Mail, or browse the internet while on the road. I can hook it up to my car and listen to thousands of MP3's instead of carrying my CD collection. Honestly, Sony should SUPPORT the homebrew market, and when people see the power of this VERY well rounded piece of hardware, they won't be able to keep PSPs on the shelf.

Javin, please tell me the name of this site you talk about! If you wont, what do i Google to get what you have?

I have a bunch of movies for my PSP. Is it possible to plug a cord into the psp and use it as VCR to play it on my big screen? It would be cool to take all those movies if I went on vacation and watch them on the TV instead of having to take a VCR. Thanks

Can't be done with the PSP, but the Creative Zen Vision:W, my new movie player of choice, does have this capability, along with a far more comprehensive set of video formats it can handle. Read my review here:

http://www.askdavetaylor.com/review_creative_zen_visionw_portable_media_player.html

hey if you want to run homebrew and play the latest gmes then just update yor firmwear to 3.52 m33 i is totally safe and there is abut a 1% chance of bricking your psp. if you follow the directions you CAN'T brick your psp. 3.52 m33 is made by a russian hack team. m33 it is the new version of OE firmwar.

I learnt about PSP hacking the hard way. I tried out these various downgeade/CFW upgrade teqniques, and it resulted in 4 bricks. I told sony a different story, and they fixed it free of charge (it was under warranty).

Hey i have bricked my psp atleast ten timnes but "panadoras battery" and the "Magic Memorystick".
But Homebrew is a Program of Games, applactions and other devices that are enabled through a ctf (coustom firmware)
but if you have any questions e mail me Drewman123@hotmail.com

what is cso?I play online fifa 08 and a lot of them say cso how and where can i download it¿¿(")_(")

hi i want free psp games how can i download free psp games to my psp and i have memory card stick and i want to download it to my psp how can i do that thanks plzzz send me a messege from this email address thanks its ala_alrekaby@yahoo.com.au thanks

This information is inaccurate. It is in fact Illegal to hack a PSP, Because, they assume it is being used for downloaded Retail games since the PSP in fact has the ability once it has a custom Firmware.

You are a idiot. You have no idea of what you're talking about. Think twice when you say something you jackass. No offence.

Okay, M&M, you can have your opinion and I can have mine. On the other hand, I have also gotten letters from Sony lawyers about hacking PSPs too, so I can speak with a bit more authority about what Sony thinks is and isn't illegal regarding their PSP and similar devices. It's really not about what we think or what we want, it's all about copyright, patent and other laws.

Oh, and learn to communicate with a bit more respect. You'll do better in life. :-)

I've heard you can relatively easily recover a PSP once its bricked, so bricking isn't a total end-of-the-line death of your PSP, just a minor setback.

The only way you can unbrick your system with my knowledge is throw the pandora battery and the magic memorystick, for either fimwares cfw or ofw.
You realy dont have to worrie about bricking psp slim or fat that both have ofw, because the only way you can do that is if you upgrade to a higher firmware and as the upgrade is going on the battery falls out, which leaves you with 2 option, either you pay sony 89 dollars to get a sreferbised one in 2 weeks or fix your battery and creat a magic memortstick to unbrick it.

email me at tj-platinum@hotmail.com if you need help unbricking you PSP

Is there anyway that i can use a wireless aircard (one that you would use for a laptop) with my psp?

Well, with Pandora's battery there is a 0% chance of perminantely screwing up your psp. Pandora's battery recovers the psp to official firmware 1.5 so you can upgrade it again.

Pandora's Battery works great but dose anyone know if there is a way to add computer hardware into a psp. Like ram to actully to some cool stuff with it? I'm thinking is would be impossible but knowing some of the stuff people do in this world why not find out.

i am not good with computers if any1 can help i would apriciate it i just want 2 cheat on medal of honor heroes fo psp i kno how 2 make pandora battery but like i said i suck with computers and i need help making a magic memory stik so plz reply i live in connecticut

Hacking your PSP is different than loading custom firmware. Hacking it usually includes taking it apart/physically modifying it, to changing the entire system to something that isn't even close to the original. Putting any custom firmware on it is not hacking it, it will not brick your PSP if done by the directions of the programmers and it will let you play games that you downloaded or made yourself. However, SONY want you to pay for games that they sell, so if you are making your own games, you won't be pouring you money into their pockets, making them very unhappy. So, they started this thing where "CFW will brick your PSP", "CFW is illegal and you shouldn't use it". I use CFW, and I have never been bricked even once.

I another one of those PSP "hackers', which is quite derogatory to our title. A "hacker" is some one who finds a glitch in a set of programming code and exploitts it for the bad. "hacktavist" would better desribe the majority of us. I am a PSP developer, and i make free games/enumulators/IRshell for all to use. The good part of having CFW is so that $0ny doesnt have the Corporate ankle weight around you. $0ny does the same thing as us. wel technically, we do the same as them because the Pandora battery is a reverse engineered battery made to boot into service mode because the PSP recognizes x0fffffff as service mode.

mmmmmmmmmmmLETS SEE SO HACKING IS NOT ILLEGAL SINCE IS MY PSP RIGHT WHY PEOPLE DONT UNDERTAND WHAT WE HACKER DO TO THE WORLD WE ARE NOT TRYING TO RUIN NO ONE WE JUST TRYING TO HELP OTHERS I TINK THAT HACKERS ARE THE BEST AFTER ALL THAT HOW I LIKE MANY PEOPLE CAN PLAY SUPER MARIO BROS3 ON THEIR PSP.!!!

Ok .. now after reading all comments im kinda confused that Psp hacks are harmfull beacuase im getting psp slim after a month n i cant think to buy games in $ ( UMD games) .. soo i want just buy the psp for games (latest or old ones) , some music and thats it .

soo tell me where i can find the Free PSP games that have free of virus , spyware , adware .

next , is the antivirus in the desktop pc have latest uptodate virus defination can detect the virusus or malware in PSP games that is downloaded ?

Im another one of these "PSP hackers" While bricking your psp is a possibility it most likely wont happen. and with a mms "Magic memory stick" and a pandora battery you can unbrick your psp so there really no worry. I have bricked my psp before and fixed it. It was really fun modding my first psp and is still fun today when i mod my friends psp (for money of course :P)

eh... i offered to 'mod' somebodys psp for $$$ ... he sold his instead when i told him he'd need a higher capacity memory stick... nobody i know atall has a psp... hell the 1000 [phat] one i have w/ custom firmware was given to me free after i complained to a friend that i wont be able to mod my slim.. (didnt feel upto making a pandora battery). The phat being mentioned had 2.? firmware at the time... downgrading was really easy, also custom firmware installation and emulator installation... no brick, although i did alot of research first and was really cautious, as i respected the bricking potential... ALSO (worth a mention) i cracked the screen on the phat and replaced that easily aswell in a half hour or so... no need to fear anything regarding messing with your psp aslong as you respect the directions :-p

is this 'thread' dead yet? lol

Is hacking your psp good

for my opinion no..........................
why?
because when i hack my psp 2000 it started to delete some saved file from my old psp 2000 the piano black one
but my father allows me to buy new one psp 1000 oh i wish psp 3000 but my father said its to expensive

i understand my father but now my psp 1000 is okay because i think it will break again my old psp 2000 is still their its now in repair shop 3 days to need to get my psp2000

its not good if you or someone who downgrades your psp is brain dead downright lost at directions. Mine was converted to cfw 5.0, downgraded to 4.01, upgraded again to 5.0 and now settled at 4.01 and it never encountered any brick. All you need is pandora and the magic stick.

If you are attempting to modify your psp without doing your homework, then read the post above me.

I also played alot of games and my save games were never deleted/tampered when the upgrade/downgrade event happened.

Whats good about the hack? Well, try this, you have 10 games you wanna play, wanna buy a stack for that?:) I could mention more, but im too tired of typing.

Well, I have 3 days with my new PSP 3000 and I wanted to know if there's a way of hacking it. I have a 1gb memory stick would that support the hacking process or do i need a greater capacity one? My cousin's friend hacked my cousins psp (the oldest one) and it was perfectly done, he had a 1gb memory stick but he decided to buy a 16gb one. Now he has all this nintendo 64 and gba stuff. I want to hack mine but is there any risk on doing it? I have my warranty for one year!,but would the warranty be blowed off if i hack the psp?

all i want to now is i want to hack my psp slim to play ISO's is it legal or not is it legal to play iso's (internet downloaded games) in my PSP please answer send an e-mail to sebastianq28@hotmail.com

pleasepleasepleaseplease
pleasepleasepleaseplease
pleasepleasepleaseplease
pleasepleasepleaseplease
pleasepleasepleaseplease
pleasepleasepleaseplease answer

Well Honestly Most or acctually all psp in our country (slim or phat) are running in custom firmware, most have a 4G memory or more since most game are in iso. or cso. format download from the internet.

Pls i need your help on how i can hack my PSP without any problem. Pls i am waiting for your reply or send details to my E-mail address: kennygeesilver@yahoo.co.uk. Thanks for ur concern. KENNY GEE SILVER.

Er1ck

it is perfectly legle if you
1. dont sell it(PSP) or give it away.
2. You dont sell or give away the actual software or firmware in the PSP this includes cloning it and giving it out/selling.
I recommend foar any one who is going to download games to
1. dont use Psp 2000+ as they are harder to hack and are worth more if they break i recommend buyin a second hand PSP1000
and lastly 2+ GB memory card to have 2 games as they normally take between 600MB-1.2GB in space

I am going to buy the PSP 3000 in 5 days or so ... i have seen tons of UMD ISO Games that can be downloaded through torrents! can these ISOs be copied onto the Memory Stick and played with the help of Emulators without "BRICKING" the PSP!

does the emulators work properly for the PSP 3000?!

the PSP 3000 is pretty costly in my country and the UMD games too...(Rs.1000) , so would it be a usefull gatdegt , considering downloadable ISO games and having funn!?!?

im one of those psp hackers and i just want to say that i have 2 psps and one i use for trying out new hacks and one for bricking it on purpose.
the one i brick is the one where i find new ways to unbrick and so far i've never fully bricked it.
There are many 2 ways to brick a psp. one way is to mess with the flash files wich is bad so dont likley hood of bricking is 75% of the time. Second way is to simply hack it the wrong way by doing something not insructed by the hack your trying to do. hope this was helpfull

Just got a psp3000 and was given a lot of psp games.iso but cannot find them on the psp? Is there something I need to d/l for the psp to recognize the file...I'll keep searching for ansers.holla.

is their a site out their that can do this automaticly and how do i make a pandora battery with my 1gig memmory card.

is it possible in the near future for the psp 3000 to be hacked?

What does hacking a psp do.

Hacking the PSP is legal but not legit. it is illegit to hack the PSP (sony don't like it). but it's not illegal to hack the PSP, it is what you do after words. for example playing sony games and Nintendo games and other copyrighted games is illegal unless you bought it. I partialy hacked my 3000 with chickHEN. I download games I paid for and ones I didn't I don't care because I hate Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, apple and all the other rich greedy companys but I like there consoles. so I don't care.