PSP and Xbox 360 chatpad can work together

Check out this video and this forum post from LordNico at the AcidMod's forums.



This odd combination is possible on 4.01 M33-2, using a special version of piKey, and a custom flash on the chatpad. Jean at ps2dev.org made this possible with the Open Keyboard Project. Well done.

I have an IR keyboard that works very well with piKey. The problem is that the PSP slim doesn't have an IR port so this would allow all current PSP's a better text input experience.

Targus Wireless IR Keyboard PA87OU

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box containing my Targus Wireless IR Keyboard PA87ou. This thing is small. As you can see it is about the same size as the PSP and only a little thicker. This is a full Qwerty keyboard minus the F1-12 keys. There are some special PDA function keys on the right hand side that won't be used with the PSP. It is amazing how Targus packed a keyboard together in such a small package and still made it very comfortable to use. The keyboard itself is smaller than my laptop keyboard but the keys are larger. That doesn't sound possible does it? Targus was able to make the letter keys larger by making the less important keys like brackets, curly brackets, caps lock, tabs, etc. smaller. Obviously this makes it very easy to type on (if you are used to typing on a laptop keyboard). I am very pleased with this purchase (only $24 plus shipping).

I have a few complaints: The cradle that holds the PSP/PDA seems a little flimsy. The "loops" that the PSP sits on are plastic and could be stronger. Also, the infrared arm that swivels up and down could get snapped off if you aren't careful. There isn't much that could be changed about the arm since this keyboard is supposed to be generic enough to be used on almost any PDA with an ir port. My last complaint is the one that really bothers me. I wish there were arrow keys. There is a silver oval on the bottom right corner of the keyboard which is the arrow keys' replacement. This oval is functional but a poor substitute for the real thing. Often I found myself moving the cursor up when I meant to go right. The oval takes up less room than four more keys, I get it, but at least make it square so that it is easier to use. Don't get me wrong this is not a deal breaker, I love this keyboard. I use the arrow keys quite a bit and I just wish they were better implemented. I would recommend it to any PSP homebrew user that wants an easier way to input text. Now I need to find a homebrew browser or app that supports the ir keyboard, for the web, because Sony's text input is a joke.

UPDATE:

I had heard about πkey (pikey) before but didn't know exactly what is was. Well it is the holy grail of ir keyboard support. Fanjita has developed a standalone and plugin which will allow you to use an ir keyboard in the xmb, games, browser, etc. Here is Fanjita's site (Noobz) and info on pikey. I will do a review of pikey once I have enough experience with it.

PSPWrite v1.0.2 (and 1.0.3)

PSPWrite is a text editor created by zx-81. This app is very well done like all of zx-81's stuff. You can create, save, and load text files with PSPWrite. Customize your documents by changing the text color, background color/image, and use tab spacing. Write also has ir keyboard support (waiting on my keyboard to get here). You do not have to have your own ir keyboard because PSPWrite has its own virtual keyboard. I will update this post when I can evaluate the ir keyboard support. If it works well then this will be a candidate for Best Homebrew.

UPDATE:

Flawless. This app works as you want it to. All of the above features work without problem and the ir keyboard support couldn't be better. I will have a separate review of the targus ir keyboard but PSPWrite and keyboard are a match made in homebrew heaven. There are some keys on the keyboard that are PDA related, so you wouldn't expect them to work, but all other keys work like a regular keyboard. I wasn't going to give this app a rave review because I thought the font was too small and was difficult to see. Well, zx-81 just released an update (PSPWrite v1.0.3) which makes my complaint less relevant. V1.0.3 now has another font size. Choose between the original or bold. The actual "size" doesn't change but it does make the text bold which helps greatly with readability. Zx-81 has also given you the ability to choose what processor speed you want: 133, 222, 266, 300, and 333. You can also adjust whether the cursor is tied to your text or can move anywhere on the screen. This is definitely going on the list of Best Homebrew.

Best psp homebrews I've used

(1)IRShell 3.9: Think of IRShell like an alternative operating system for the psp. Listen to music from umd games, use infrared, run homebrew, and lots more. Version 3.90 is Ahman's last public release. It is compatible with CFW 3.80 M33. I will be staying on this CFW for a long time just because of this app/shell.
unofficial site; guide; download.

1.5

3.9


(2)Cave Story: Deep game, good story, game mechanics and controls are flawless. Ported from PC. Homebrew game you MUST have.
site/download; walkthroughs and more.



(3)Lua Player: This app allows you to play lua scripts on your psp. If you are interested in creating your own games/apps then lua is a good choice, especially for beginner coders. Many developers have written games and apps in lua that you can download is you aren't interested in doing your own.
site/info/downloads



(4)Halo Genocide: Side scrolling 2D clone of Halo. Not bad for killing some time.
download



(5)Quake PSP: Very good version of Quake for the PSP.
site; download



(6)Pimp Streamer: Excellent way to stream video from your computer to PSP. Can be a little tough to get set up, but once it's done, it's great.
site; download



(7)Xadrez Chess: Well done 3D chess. Plays the way it should. AI's not bad.
site; download



(8)PSP Dungeons: 3D alternative to doom or quake. A very impressive game.
site; download



(9)Triple Triad PSP: The card game from Final Fantasy VIII comes to your PSP. Just like the original in all it's frustrating glory. Online multiplayer mode also.
site; download



(10)Hexaxis: Challenging 3D puzzle game with dice. Move and flip the dice until the number on the dice matches the number of dice adjacent to each other. Tough and addictive. Avoid ones (snake eyes).
site/download; update



(11)Galactic Breakout: Good breakout clone. They have created a story to go along with the game which is interesting. The game mechanics are good and the graphics are decent. Two versions available: Firmware 1.0 and 1.5. Won the xtreme-lua coding competition. Congrats.
site/download



(12) PSP Wifile Transfer: by Luis Pestana, This app turns your psp into a ftp server. This allows you to add, delete, and change files on your memory stick over wifi. What surprised me was that Wifile is pretty fast. It only took a little longer than through usb. Wifile supports WPA encryption.
site/download, my review.



(13)Freesh: Realtech VR has made evolution difficult. In Freesh you must feed your molecule so it will grow/evolve while repelling other molecules that want to eat yours. This game is addictive and fun.
site/download; my review



(14)No Gravity: Also from Realtech VR, comes a demo including 5 of the levels. Let's call this a space flight simulator shooter. Fly around collecting boxes, shooting enemies, and destroying mines. Flight controls and game mechanics are flawless. There are several types of weapons to choose from.
site/download; my review




(15) PSPWrite v1.0.3: Text editor created by zx-81. This app is very well done like all of zx-81's stuff. You can create, save, and load text files with PSPWrite. Customize your documents by changing the text color, background color/image, and use tab spacing. PSPWrite also has ir keyboard support, adjustable processor speed and cursor mode. You do not have to have your own ir keyboard because PSPWrite has its own virtual keyboard.
Site/Download; my review



(16) OpenTyrian: Ported to the PSP by Deniska. This is an excellent port of an excellent vertical scrolling shooter. Fast and furious fun. Tons of enemies, good graphics and sound, and game save ability. Deniska updates regularly. Put this on your memory stick, you won't regret it.
site; my review



(17) Squarez: Action game where you control a blue square. Collect green squares while avoiding/destroying various types of red squares. Many power-ups and game modes. Very addictive and frustrating. If you start playing you won't stop. Graphics and controls are good; music could be better. You will want to try this game, it is one of the best. Squarez 0.8.1 required a fix and KXploit to be playable on 1.5 kernel. You will want to use my download below because the download on Globware's site is from 2005 and is unplayable.
site; my review; download



(18) Breakthrough: An Inventors Tale: Breakout clone with very nice art, graphics, and sound. Break blocks and defeat "the bad guy" by bouncing the ball off your paddle. Unique control of the ball in flight. Also unique story which goes along with the game. Mini-games are a bonus. Difficult but very fun.
site; download; my review



(19) PSP-Maps: If you have wifi access and need to find out where you are, where you have been, where you are going, or where you will never be able to go then get PSP-Maps. This is your one stop shop for road, terrain, satellite, and aerial maps on your PSP. Increase the size of your cache and take a large map with you on the road as an alternative to GPS. Very impressive app.
site/download; my review;



When I find homebrew that I think is good I will add it to the list so check back often.