We said it would be done - although some people even said we couldn't - and lo... let there be a downgrader! Noobz are proud to present a downgrader for any PSP - even the one in the picture on the left .

This downgrader is for v3.50 firmware, and includes a port of the Homebrew ENabler (HEN) for firmware 3.50. It will automatically detect all known PSP motherboard types, and do the appropriate steps to ensure a safe downgrade.

Before we get started, let's have the obligatory warnings:

Any downgrader carries some risk of permanently damaging your PSP. We've done everything we can to remove as much danger as possible, but if you choose to use this downgrader, you are accepting all of the risk involved. Nobody else will be held responsible for any damage to your PSP, howsoever caused.

Recent Sony official firmwares (3.30 onwards) have included checks that block upgrade from previously-downgraded PSPs with TA-082 or later motherboards. If you use this downgrader on such a PSP, you will lock yourself out of official firmware updates - although you will still be able to use new OE firmwares when they are released. We intend to release a tool to allow a return to official firmwares in the future.

This software is provided free of charge, so that you can use legitimate homebrew on your PSP. You are explicitly prohibited from selling it, or using it to pirate commercial games or applications. If you want to play a commercial game, do the decent thing and support the developers by buying it. If you don't, then YOU are contributing to the death of the PSP software industry.

To use this downgrader, you will need the following:

1. A PSP, upgraded to the official Sony v3.50 firmware. You should also set your language settings to "English".
2. A legal Lumines UMD, either the EU (ULES00043) or US (ULUS10002) version. The original, Platinum, or Greatest Hits versions are all fine. Support for the Japanese version will come soon.
3. Sufficient intelligence and english language skills to be able to carefully and throroughly read the instructions.
4. It would also help if you've previously run the Illuminati Hello World, so that you're familiar with how to run the Illuminati exploit.

For instructions on how to run the downgrader, see the Downgrader_HOWTO.txt file in the ZIP.

Future plans? Firstly, we intend to provide a solution for people who are stuck on firmware 3.10 or 3.11, unable to upgrade to 3.50 due to the new Sony checks. The exact format of that solution is still to be decided. We also intend to develop an eLoader for v3.50 HEN, so that those who do not want to downgrade will still be able to run some homebrew.

As well as the work from the Noobz team, credit is due to the following people:

1. Everyone who has contributed to the ps2dev.org toolchain, without which none of the Noobz software would ever have been possible
2. Archaemic for his original input into the Illuminati exploit, and JoeK for work on the kernel exploit
3. Dark_AleX and Mathieulh, for their work on custom firmwares, HEN and the downgrader core
4. The various websites who continue to develop and support the homebrew community. You know who you are, and we're not going to stir up site politics by mentioning any specific sites. Wink

Yeah, to think Lumines has had the ability to launch homebrew all this time.