Hacking the PSP Blog

New Version of PSP Video 9 On the Way, Plus a New Name - Videora IC2!

I'm not sure about you, but no matter how many PSP video converters I've used, I can't seem to find one that's just right for me. PSP Video 9 is probably the most popular conversion tool besides homebrew solutions such as the PMP Mod. It has a great interface, is easy to use, and has great customization. The problem is, it's a bit hit and miss.

Some videos I converted with version 1.74, currently the latest release, just wouldn't play on my PSP for no apparent reason, while others would. I wouldn't mind too much, but the last PSP Video 9 release was v1.74 in October last year. Well, the PSP Video 9 team have posted some news about an upcoming PSP Video 9 release. PSP Video 9 is not dead! Here's what they said:

"Unsatisfied with the current state of PSP Video 9, over the last couple months we have been slowly rewriting the application to make it more extensible and easier to maintain. Today we have come to the point where we are able to release something that is usable.

Until this new version is ready for general consumption, we will be referring to it as Videora IC2. This is alpha software and is intended for computer enthusiasts who wish to help us fix bugs. We DO NOT recommend using this version for your daily conversion needs as it has not been tested as thoroughly as 1.74 and has fewer features like no language support and no installer."

This is great news for PSP video conversion, and hopefully PSP Video 9 will become a much more stable program for everyday use. Despite the above warning for the PSP Video 9 development team, if you would still like to beta test the new version of PSP Video 9 (now referred to as "Videora IC2"), please tell us how it goes.

You can download the beta here. (note that Betas are NOT finished products and are prone to bugs... use at your own risk!)

Source: PSPUpdates

Undiluted Platinum - Preorders, Pro-Installs, Solder Info, and more on the way!

According to a friend of QJ, Undiluted Platinum (the world's first PSP modchip) could be here very soon, so its time to start thinking about placing your Pre-Orders! For those still in the dark, Undiluted Platinum was announced to a skeptical audience on May 26th, boasting features such as: bringing a bricked PSP back to life, open source development, button-press firmware selection, along with many more features.

Accompanying the good news of a near shipping date, joins the news of the soldering involved. Don't expect to install this without some work, as there will be "23-24 wires to install."  If you wish to do this install yourself, be sure you have (or know someone that has) advanced soldering experience. If you're a soldering pro, expect the project to take a good 45-60 minutes. With how small the space to work inside of the PSP is, it will likely be very tricky fitting that many wires inside of such a cramped area.

Word is starting to gather about various international stores where you can purchase Undiluted Platinum, but we're glad to bring you news of the first and only North American outlet for UP, ModChipStore, will not only be shipping Undiluted Platinum from the U.S., but will be offering several professionally installed packages:

• Buy the modchip and do-it-yourself (or have a friend help out)
• Have it professionally installed by ModChipStore.com
• Buy a pre-modified PSP with Undiluted Platinum

Although initial supplies may be limited, ModChipStore will be frequently restocked as the need arises. Additionally, they will begin shipping Undiluted Platinum the same day they receive their first batch. If you want to send in your PSP for a professional install and be first in line, they are already accepting shipments. While you're there, you might want to see what other PSP accessories you might need in anticipation of Undiluted Platinum - their prices for 1GB and 2GB Pro Duo memory sticks ain't too shabby, especially if they'll be shipping you Undiluted Platinum anyways!

Whatever you choose, please be aware that there is a chance of breaking your PSP in some fashion any time you open it up. Add a soldering iron, wires, and your open PSP, the chance that something could go wrong is very high. For your PSP's sake, it is best to have someone else install the Undiluted Platinum if you have limited or no soldering experience. We at QJ.net (and HackingPSP.com -Auri) take no responsibility for any damage done to your PSP while trying to install this modchip.

Source: PSPUpdates

Monthly US Sales (May) - PSP Outsells GBA and DS!

The numbers are in for May and some unthinkable things have happened. What are they? See if you can guess by the numbers before I explain!

PS2 - 231,616
360 - 220,877
PSP - 159,659
GBA - 152,023
NDS - 145,930
GCN - 33,040
XBX - 26,353

Yes, you see that correctly. The PlayStation Portable outsold the Game Boy Advance. This has been the first time that either the PSP or DS outsold the GBA. Maybe America is starting to move on? Then again, maybe if they keep buying GBAs, Nintendo will get a clue and localize Mother 3. The numbers also show that there are 145,930 people who were too impatient to wait for a DS Lite, which launches on June 11th. After it launches, expect the DS to push ahead of both the PSP and GBA for a good little while. It's been shown in almost all the DS game commercials, including New Super Mario Bros. The GameCube beat the Xbox this month, but that's not saying much as both systems are essentially dead. The PS2 shows it has a lot of legs left by beating out the Xbox 360, which was actually in supply for the entire month of May. Like the PSX, the PS2 will likely outsell the PS3 this holiday season.

Now, how did the software fare?

01. (NDS, Nintendo) New Super Mario Bros. - 275 692 [NEW]
02. (PS2, Square-Enix) Kingdom Hearts 2 - 168 944 [1,318,967]
03. (NDS, Nintendo) Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day - 109 432 [199,749]
04. (PS2, Sony) God of War - 106 707 [1,144,513]
05. (360, UbiSoft) Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter - 84 431 [702,484]
06. (360, Take Two) Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - 83 507 [611,246]
07. (PS2, Sony) MLB 06: The Show - 81 895 [409,745]
08. (PS2, RedOctane) Guitar Hero - 67 871 [???]
09. (PS2, Take Two) GTA San Andreas - 64 520 [6,402,804]
10. (PS2, Square-Enix) Kingdom Hearts - 60 236 [2,742,017]

As you can see, even though the GBA and PSP outsold it, the DS still sold more software. The PS2 and Xbox 360 dominated the rest of the spots. Expect another burst of sales for New Super Mario Bros. when the DS Lite hits next month.Whether or not Brain Age has the same success it did in Japan remains to be seen. It's off to a better start than it was in Japan, but it received a marketing push and we don't have the books that Japan does so it might be different. Great to see games like Guitar Hero selling though.

For those wondering, Japanese Weekly Sales will now be posted monthly instead of weekly. Last week's top three consoles were the DS Lite (135,614), PSP (24,595), and PS2 (18,513). The best selling game was New Super Mario Bros. which sold 334,208 copies bringing it to a total of 1,233,726 in just two weeks while proving the Japanese do buy more than just Brain Training games.

Source: PSPUpdates

PSP Game Heist at Blockbuster (not BlockBUSTED, yet...)

Thursday night around 8:30 in the evening, a true gaming addict walked into a Blockbuster Video store in Myrtle Beach, Florida and managed to make off with sixty (!) PlayStation Portable games.  According to the  police report, the thief used his pants to aid in the theft.

A Blockbuster employee told police she observed a man selecting PlayStation Portable games and shoving them in his pants. "The guy's pants were bulging out because he had so many games," she said. The employee asked the man to stop as he left the store, but he fled in a silver Mercury LeSabre with a rental car tag.

The 60 games that were stolen had a value of $1,800, the report said. The store employee, who requested anonymity, did not speculate as to what the man in question would do with all of the games stolen.

Source: PSPUpdates

Neat Idea: All-in-one PSP charger, battery and cradle

Source: Hexus.net

Amacrox, the guys who specialize in handy add on bits such as replacement laptop power supplies, card readers and mice have come up with a very handy bit of kit for all you mobile gamers.

The all-in-one PSP battery, cradle and charger does exactly what it’s name suggests…. It’s a cradle to hold your PSP while its charging up, and then you have the option to either take just the PSP with you, or unplug the cradle, fold the stand away and use it as an extended battery.

The 4400 mAh Li-polymer battery is claimed to more than triple the playing time of the PSP, meaning you can now watch more than 1 UMD movie and not have to worry about not having enough power left for a bit of GTA afterwards.

The slim design of the all-in-one PSP charger means it adds a bit of thickness to the PSP but doesn’t make it overly bulky. Weight is still evenly balanced out too, the PSP is just as comfy as ever to hold.