PSP Firmware Update 2.71 is now available to download. Currently, the firmware update is only available in Japan and Europe. The North American version should be available soon. Only update your firmware version with the correct version. Please also note that homebrew does not work with this firmware. Firmware 2.71 corrects a few minor bugs, here is the change log:

• Demo Games can now be download to Memory Stick via [Internet Browser]. Available demo games are:
  • Loco Roco
  • Kazuo
• [LocationFree Player] now plays videos correctly when an external tuner is selected.
  This affects users using LocationFree base station model LF-B1 (sold in North America/Taiwan/Korea model) and LF-X11 (sold in North America). Check user manual to find model number. LocationFree base station models for Japan/Europe are not affected.
• The icon “Goto Network Service” has been added into the “Network” Menu.

UPDATE:

Firmware 2.71 is now available in North America. Download Here.

We have updated the XTREME PSP LiTE site with some new features. You can now access the complete wallpaper collection from your PSP and also view the XTREME PSP Magazine directly from your PSP, without the need to download it.

You can access XTREME PSP LiTE by going to http://www.xtremepsp.com/ using your PSP Internet Browser. If you don’t have a PSP, you can access the LiTE site via http://www.xtremepsp.com/psp/.

DK Jr. has released Issue 3 of PSP M4M: Magazine 4 Men. Issue 3 is dedicated to the World Cup, with facts and figures on the German Stadiums, match fixtures and some red hot photos of Football babes and Car models. At 99 pages, it makes for a brief read, but the photos will sure keep you entertained!

Download Here

Issue 12 of the Xtreme PSP Magazine is now available for download. Issue 12 is packed with over 110 pages of great content including Previews of Field Commander, Tekken and Astonishia Story, reviews of Daxter, Ape Escape P and Talkman. And all the regular content including tips and cheats, the latest news, a new competition and more… Download it now!

Download Here

The U.P. (Undiluted Platinum) is a flash replacement system for the PSP which allows the use of previous flash updates or custom firmware builds, opening up the possibility to run unsigned homebrew code on even the latest PSP systems. The U.P. contains 32MB NAND flash which is programmable from the PC via a high speed USB connection, using our user friendly software. You may boot the PSP from either its onboard flash or the flash contained on the U.P; the flash which is used is determined by a button press as the PSP is powered on (U.P. flash is used by default, hold L1 to use the PSP onboard flash). Since U.P. provides a secondary flash which the PSP can boot from, it can even be used to restore a PSP which has been “bricked”. Every effort has been made to make our flash updater software, which will be freely available for download, both as easy to use and reliable as possible. The software also contains diagnostics which can be used by installers to determine if an installation has been successful or not.

The U.P. has been designed to minimize installation difficulty and effort. A FPC (flexible printed circuit) cable is included which routes the essential signals from the PSP motherboard to the U.P. main board and U.P. USB connector. Copper enamel wire is included, which will provide the connection between the FPC cable and the motherboard signal traces. The FPC cable also helps by reducing the mechanical stress placed on the solder points, making a U.P. modified PSP shock resistant which is important for handheld systems. Installation aids are included, and installation diagrams for all PSP hardware revisions will be available for download, together with flasher software application, from our reseller’s websites. More about installation together with install pictures closer to release.

The FPC cable end to which the USB connector board attaches is routed into the battery compartment and sits above the battery. The battery cover can be replaced after flash updating and the cable remains safely in the compartment until the next update is required, whereupon the USB connector can be clipped in place within a few seconds. This means that the U.P. is completely contained within the PSP under normal usage and avoids any unsightly external modifications to your PSP. PSP is after all portable, let?s keep it that way!

In order to maximise the benefits that U.P. can provide its users, we have decided to take an open source approach with U.P and will be releasing source code for any software we release as well as full documentation for the U.P. hardware interface – including information on how to control U.P. from within PSP programs. This will allow anybody to create software which can take advantage of what U.P. has to offer. We have also sent a few prototype units away to some of the scene’s best software hackers in order to give them a headstart at working on custom flash replacements – cant wait to see what people will come up with!

Features Announced:

• Ultra reliable and feature rich Actel ProASIC Plus FPGA
• Full Speed USB 1.1 ASIC onboard
• Branded 32MB NAND flash onboard (same flash as used in PSP)
• Stable and reliable flashing software freely available for download
• Installation verification using flashing software
• Ultra compact four layer PCB
• High quality Japanese connectors
• USB cable included
• FPC cable included, reducing installation effort and improving shock resistance
• Copper enamel wire included
• Open platform development system for software developers
• Installation has been optimized to fit entirely inside PSP
• All PSP hardware versions/regions supported
• User updatable flash
• Low power consumption
• Flash select via button press
• Ultra compact PCB has been designed to avoid signal bounce

Bundled Stuff:

• U.P. MAIN MODULE x1
• U.P. USB BOARD x1
• USB CABLE x1
• INSTALLATION AIDS 1 SET
• COPPER ENAMEL WIRE 1 SPOOL
• FPC CABLE x1

It will be priced at around 75 Euros, or $90. A bit high, if you ask me. But completely worth it. I guess this is enough to silence the skeptics. And making the PSP ‘brick-proof’? Wow, that’s something which will excite everyone. This would obviously lead to more hacks since the hackers can experiment without fearing bricking their PSP.

Recently, we encountered some website downtime as we moved the site to a larger server. The downtime occured between 10:00AM and 12:00PM today. The website is now fully up and running with some minor changes.

If you link to our downloads through your website, please update all the links now. We no longer use the server anymore, this needs to be changed to http://www.xtremepsp.com/. The file names for the downloads have not changed.

Neuros is now compatible with PSP Firmware 2.7. An firmware update for the device can be downloaded from the Neuros 2 Update Page. Remember to download the correct version for your region.

Aside from the Firmware 2.7 compatibility issue, the device is now compatible with Seagate 4GB and 8GB micro drives, Hitachi drives up to 6GB and IBM 1GB drives as well. The audio is now 30% louder, and new recording options for smart phone, mobilephone and PDA have been added.

Following our review of the Neuros MPEG4 Recorder, we have learned that it is not compatible with PSP Firmware Version 2.7. Recorded shows need to be converted in order for playback on a Firmware 2.7 PSP.

The Neuros team is currently working on a firmware update for the device which should correct the problem, which will be available for free download. It is not clear wether Sony did this on purpose in order to prevent copyright infringement of digital content.

The mini version of XTREME PSP is now live. Head over to http://www.xtremepsp.com on your PSP Internet Browser and experience our “mini” web site. The web site will be able to detect wether you are using a normal web browser or if you are using the PSP.

Don’t have a PSP? You can still access the “mini” site by going to http://www.xtremepsp.com/psp/.