Codename Soyuz

Back in 2006 I completed my first mini-ITX project using a Via Epia MII10000 motherboard and a HP Apollo workstation case. Now I'm warming up for another similar project which I decided to name Soyuz. It'll be a miniature PC based on a Via Epia NL10000G nano-ITX motherboard. I still don't know what I'm going to use it for when it's finished, but building it is sure going to be fun! For those of you unfamiliar with the mentioned motherboard, it measures only 12x12 cm, features a 1 GHz low-power Eden CPU, one SO-DIMM slot (up to 1GB) and a lot of other goodies. Unfortunately onboard video is still seriously underpowered. The rest should do just fine for Linux or WinXP.

Sony PlayStation Portable

This post is a few months late but I'm writing it never the less.


After lenghty consideration I bought a PSP at the end of October last year. I bought it mainly to play LocoRoco which I paid 20€ for. Anyhow, it's a fat PSP, original firmware version 2.71, TA-82 motherboard. Turns out I was lucky as you don't need much to downgrade a 2.71 even if it's an infamous TA-82. With any new PSP, your first job will be to downgrade to firmware 1.50. I downgraded mine using TIFF exploit and it took me about half an hour to do it successfully. Afterwards you have to upgrade to a more current firmware which was 3.52 M33 in my case.

Follow these steps:
1. put your PSP to USB Mode
2. run the PSP Upgrader/Downgrader in Windows
3. exit USB Mode and go to the Game - Memory Stick menu
3. run KXploit permanent patcher
4. run 3.52 M33 CREATOR
5. run 3.52 M33 UPDATE
and that's it.

Watch the whole process in this YouTube video:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kBs8-fQJwtw

Link to PSP Downgrader/Upgrader:
http://community.hackingpsp.com/forums/7965/ShowPost.aspx