Mar 26 2005 PSP Web Browser experience
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PSP Web Browser experience for Sony PSP


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Submitted by captain
While most gamers were content to spend their first few hours of time with the PSP gaming, one crafty person going by the handle 'roto' figured out a way to unlock the web browser present in Wipeout Pure's downloadable content area.

Info

It was recently reported that Wipeout Pure would take advantage of the PSP's WiFi capabilities to give gamers 1-2 new race tracks and other downloadable content each month. With a bit of packet sniffing and a bit of networking know-how, one keen user figured out a way to load webpages using this downloadable content access area, which it turns out is basically a HTML/JS capable web browser. Roto's account of how he went about it follows:

First-hand account and general method

roto said: "As far as I can figure out, its NOT part of the firmware...But this can be made into a general purpose browser if you create a portal-like site to jumps to links. When you select "Go to home page" it returns you to the portal site (index.html). So thats an easy way out.

Yes you can use input (we googled stuff), when you enter a textbox and press X the PSP pops up the Keyboard API (remember there's alot of API to be taken advantage of with the PSP). After that its as simple as any other input on the PSP.

The way I loaded up my own "page" is by setting up my FreeBSD machine with some DNS entries that point ingame.scea.com and webcluster.scea.com and all NS's for scea.com to my internal LAN machine. So then I changed the PSP's NameServer settings to point to the server on my local LAN (FreeBSD machine). When the Wipeout client accesses link it gets my LOCAL file because of the DNS mapping.

It's all pretty simple after that. I made a static page with a bunch of spring-board (or portal-like I guess) links to access from the PSP.

Browsing is simple enough, up and down to move from link to link. D-Pad only though. Also there is no cursor anywhere, and no title-bars. If there is no link in the nearest vicinity, the PSP just scrolls the page (awesome). Entering links is X, refresh page is []. Again entering text into boxes pops up the API.

JavaScript works (Again API for Alert boxes, NEAT feature), Java is yet to be tested. Frames don't work. Large pictures are to be tested too. Uhm I think thats it for now. Most of HTML works (no H1's and stuff). Background colors and pics etc work fine. I know I'm forgetting something so if you have questions, please ask."


It will be interesting to see how Sony and Wipeout Pure developer, SCEE, respond to this finding. While it's doubtful that this would spur Sony to release the web browser earlier than planned, it certainly brings the reality much closer when someone from the public has managed to figure out a way to do it. If SCEE doesn't close this access off in some way, it's bound to be a matter of time before others are web-browsing on their PSP's.

Photos





Credits

Slashdot on PSP web browser

More self-congrats



Video

This video shows the PSP / Wipeout Pure's web-browser in action. Although heavy on the self-congratulatory introductions and shoddy camera-work, it does actually show the user moving around the page and focusing on links.

View the video here - Requires X-Vid codec to view. Use Windows Media Player (not Winamp) for best results.

Sources

Information first posted on PS2Dev and PSINext.


Comments

1 | 2
03/30/05 sequoia
it is SOOOOOO slow. took like 5 minutes to load a web page that was picture intensive. but it's not optimized yet i'm assuming. And as far as going back to the previous page, they were supposed to place a url address input at the top of the page you go to, but i've yet to see it. i just quit back to wipeout, go back to download, and start over again. It's more of a "wow! look what i can do!" rather that a browser i'd use on a regular basis. but i'm sure that's coming.(/drooling)

just get a treo 650 for your anywhere browsing. (that's what i'm using right now as i type this to you... lol)
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03/30/05 phildo
treo 650 and a psp. talk about expendable resources!
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03/30/05 sequoia
talk about debt. LOL jk
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03/31/05 sephiroth138
Has anyone (please tell me if they have or are going to) made a program so that I can connect my PSP to my Windows ME computer, drivers and all?.......Yea I know my computer sux. But I can still use my Motorola m25 MP3 player with it.
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03/31/05 sephiroth138
Oh yea, I meant to tell y'all that I'm using the USB port........I don't have a wireless LAN yet.
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03/31/05 sequoia
ipsp works with windows doesn't it? and i hear that pspware is coming out with a windows version.
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04/03/05 watsgowinon
this method is so far the EASIEST : link

it's soooo coool! glad i picked up my PSP today
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04/13/05 thedude
if you turn OFF the wireless power save option then your browsing speed is about twice as fast. sweet.
also the issue i had earlier about the x button popping up the connections dialog seemed to go away. not sure what it was...
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04/26/05 RLYankeefan
i have this game but i can only go to the page that says book marks
what do u do from there?
wat websites can u go to?
hhhhheeeeeeellllllllllppppppppp
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06/18/05 glorykilla
watsgowinon is rite that is by far the easiest way when i get my psp iam gettin wipeout and doin that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RLYankeefan go to the homepage and then go to downloads!!!!(i dont even got a psp and i no more about it then does)
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06/18/05 glorykilla
WHEN 1 OF U GUYS/GIRLS FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET PSP's INTERNET TO BE FASTER DONT BE SHY TELL US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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