[Guide] PSP Lingo!

[QueenB]

For all PSP users, here's a guide to all common PSP terms:

Atrac3 - An audio codec made by sony that is comparable to mp3.

AVC MP4 (Advanced Video Coding Mpeg-4) - superior codec that allows for a better quality video with a smaller file size. Requires at least 2.00 firmware or higher.

Bière d'Alsace - eLoader 0.96, was mainly bugfixes.

Bock - eLoader 0.97 It supports WiFi access, both ad-hoc and infrastructure, on all PSP Firmwares - without the hassle of a "WiFi hack" as was done in earlier versions.

Brick - To render a Playstation Portable unit "useless as a brick" by corrupting it's "firmware." Bricking can be prevented by avoiding firmware altering applications such as PSPSet and any homebrew eboots from untrustworthy sources. There is no way to unbrick a PSP.

Brown Ale - Eboot Loader 0.95 that allows homebrew to be run on 2.0 and above.

Cache - A temporary storage area in memory or on disk that holds the most recently downloaded web pages. If the web page has not changed, the cached page is displayed immediately.

Cheat device - A program made by Edison Carter to use cheats in Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories. It was the first homebrew on 2.0+ and exploit it used was the basis for the eloader.

Decrypt - To restore information to its original, unprotected state.

Digital Signature - Information that is encrypted with an entity private key and is appended to a message to assure the recipient of the authenticity and integrity of the message.

Downgrade - A way do downgrade your firmware stored in the flash. At this moment only from 2.0 to 1.5 (or 1.51 and 1.52).

DRAM - Stands for dynamic random access memory, a type of memory used in most personal computers.

Eboot - The eboot file is a program (like a windows exe), there can be many types such as games, emulators and applications.

Eloader - The eLoader is a program written by Fanjita and Ditlew to run hombrew software on 2.0 and above.

Emulator - An program that is built to run another systems software or games. Psp emulators are made to execute software that was written to run on the system being emulated.The program allows the PSP to interpret functions native to the original system that a game (or ROM) might call.

Encrypt - To encode (scramble) information in such a way that it is unreadable to all but those individuals possessing the key to the code.

Exploit - An exploit is a piece of software/code that takes advantage of a bug, glitch or vulnerability in the firmware to run a script or a program. Every known exploit of the psp is used to run homebrew applications (like eLoader or the 2.0 eboot loader).

Firmware - Firmware is the a collection of files that the psp uses to run.It is the PSP's Operating System (like Windows on a computer).

Firmware emulation - Emulating a psp firmware through software. Basically making the psp think that a totally different firmware is actually being used right now. Its done by first unloading the current firmware's modules and then loading their newer versions from a memory stick.

Flash - The Psp's flash is where all its firmware files are stored, messing with this can result in a bricked psp.

Flash 0 - The major peice of the psp's flash. This contains the firmware and all of the vital parts. If this is corrupt your psp is a brick. (See brick)

Flash 1 - The part of the psp's flash that contains the web browsers cookies, settings, wallpapers (2.0), and other non vital things.

Flash dump - A copy of the psp's flash files. Dumping is the 1337 word for copying. It is generally used for firmware emulation.

GTA Exploit - The GTA exploit is a vulnerability in the Gta Game that allows homebrew to be run.

GUI - Graphical User Interface.

Homebrew - A general term that describes programs made by enthusiests in the psp scene.

Ide - Integrated development environment. A single program bundling together many useful things like an editor (for typing out code), debugger (for debugging), compiler (for compiling apps)..few more things. If the ide is for another platform than the pc, then possibly, an emulator is bundled. The official sony psp dev kit is a ide. And yes, it does have a fully functional psp emulator. It is very very expensive and has not been leaked yet.

IRDA - Infrared, used for programs such as the universal remote.

Iso - A rom is a dump of a game file from a cd, eg a neogeo game on psp would be an iso.

Iso Loader - An application that loads backed up ISO images.

Kernel mode - some memory locations can only be modified by the kernel itself. You can call it a kind of a lock. So kernel mode basically is the "power" to modify those memory locations. when people say kernel mode is not available on fw 1.5x and above, it means you dont have the power to change the values of those memory locations.

Kxploit - An exploit which allows homebrew to be run on 1.5 psps, it involves using 2 folders and edited eboots.

LocationFree - A program included in firmware 2.5+ to stream video files from your LocationFree Base station to your psp via wifi.

Lua - An easy(ier) to learn coding language for the psp.

Lua Player - The psp application that allows excecution of lua scripts.

Memory Stick (MS) - A memory device similar to the hard drive in your pc in the way that its where you keep all you files, music, movies homebrew. (A memory stick duo is required for the psp).

Mips - a kind of a processor. eg x86 for pentiums, cell for ps3, etc.) .

Mp3 - An audio codec that most music is formated in. It may not be the best but it is the most common.

Mp4 - A codec that the psp uses for audio and video.

NAND - Used in memory cards such as the CompactFlash cards. It is also used in Sony PSP for the firmware. NAND is best suited to flash devices requiring high capacity data storage.

Pak - See wad

PARAM.SFO - Similar to a .ini file, this is the part of an EBOOT.PBP package which contains the "instructions" for running the code ([Only registered users can see links. ]), as well as supplying other information on the program, such as region and program title.

PBP - the main executable file for the psp's operating system. something like .exe files in windows.

PMF - Format: A media file format for PSP, it is a proprietary format of Sony and is not easily created or encoded. Video splash screens (at PSP startup and when loading a game) are in pmf format.

PMP - A video format that allows full resolution video to be played using pmp homebrew.

Port - A modified version of an app or game that allows it to run on a different system that it was not originaly designed for.

Portal - Like a shell only designed to run in the webbrowser.

PSPVideo9 - GUI for ffmpeg used to convert videos into PSP friendly formats.

PRX - Files that are stored in flash and in UMD games. They contains certain functions e.g. game-saving or media codecs.

Resolution - A screen resolution of 480x272 means 480 pixels (dots) horizontally across each of 272 lines, which run vertically from top to bottom.

Ripkit - A small program that takes uneeded files such as music and videos out of isos in order to make them fit on smaller memory sticks.

Root - The root refers the drive itself eg x:\ would be the root if your psp drive letter is x .

Rom - A rom is a dump of a game file from a cartridge, eg a snes game on
psp would be a rom.

Sdk: A software development kit. Basically a bunch of apps which together make it easy to develop for any platform. Developing for psp was possible before the pspsdk (by ps2dev) came out but it was alot harder. After it came out, homebrew came out by the bucketloads. (Not to be confused with IDE).

Shareware - Copyrighted software that is available free of charge on a trial basis, usually with the condition that users pay a fee for continued use and support.

Shell - A program which offers an alternative user interface to the PSPs XMB. Usually containing applets designed to play music, view pics etc. It is not its own OS, but rather a program running on top, masking the true OS. eg Psix, Mbshell, Psp-Oss.

Sircs: Sony's own proprietary ir protocol. Used in most, if not all sony tv's and the Playstation 2. Native ir format for sony psp, therefore, making a sircs based remote for psp is cakewalk.

Sleep Mode - This is a mode where the psp is effectivly turned off, but when you turn it back on it resumes from the same spot.

SP MP4 (Simple Profile Mpeg-4) - Video that is playable on any firmware PSP.

Swaploit - This was an early version of the kxploit which only works on 1.5 psps. The exploit worked in a way that you first loaded an eboot from the dashboard and when the psp splash screen appeared you quickly swiched memory stick to one with the game/application on.

Tiff Exploit - The tiff exploit was a vunrability in the psps firmware that allows homebrew to be run on firmware 2.0. It was patched in 2.01.

UMD - Universal Media Disc, a format made by sony to store games, music and movies.

USB CABLE - The PSP features a mini usb port, it requires a mini b usb cable.

User Mode - Used in the gta exploit, prevents us from using certain functions e.g. UMD emulation and irda. No Flash Access within this mode.

Video RAM (VRAM) - VRAM is a term generally used in computers to describe RAM dedicated to the purpose of displaying graphics.

Vsh Mode - The tiff exploit runs in this mode. This is a combination between kernel mode and user mode which gives us a few extra functions like access to the flash.

WEP - A form of encryption used for wifi.

WMA - Windows Media Audio, the default CD rip format in Windows Media Player. Only playable in firmware version 2.6, enable in the Settings, System Settings on the main menu.

Wad - container file. something like zip files. Contains all the game files.

Wifi - WiFi is a wireless network protocol.WiFi. It can also create a connection between your pc or router and psp. It can be used to share files and internet connections.

WPA - A form of encryption used for wifi.

XMB - The main menu on the psp. This is the menu you will get to when you reboot your psp completly.


Courtesy of psp-programming.com

[Bex]

Excellent list. Great find.
I even learnt some new stuff

[Momma Bear]

Oh there is so much I didn't know.

Thanks!

[donniedarko]

Very helpful. That's a nice one to bookmark!

[kazicon]

Thanks, Queen B. There's been a couple of things I've read in forums and I'm like, "Say wha?" Now I know what was specifically being talked about!! A huge thanks!!

[valledor03]

this really fill me up.

thanks with this one.

[Alpha-01]

Coool, i didnt know some of these things before

[jadehawk]

Good source of info on all those terms.. thank you