Where are all the PS3 hackers?

[F9zDark]

As the title eloquently states... Where are all the PS3 hackers? Granted the PS3 is pretty solid, but nonetheless.

What we do know about the PS3 hacking scene:

- An individual named HanSooloo is working on some various HDD analyses. He may be able to find a way to decrypt the data, but this may never happen, or may not happen for a long time.

- Paradox team has supposedly gotten Blu-Ray ISOs to load on 1.31 and under PS3s. "When its done" has been the slated 'release date'.

- The Ferrox loader was supposedly being worked on by naoneo (if my memory serves me). Considering how this person has shafted the PSP scene with PSix, its no surprise to me if this was an elaborate hoax.

What is involved with hacking the PS3?

Well from my understanding, first and foremost would be gaining access to the PS3 partition of the HDD. That is, at least, the bare minimum requirement for anything XMB related (ie copying PSP PSOne games to the HDD. Whether they work or not depends on how much DA changed Sony's original emulator for the PSP)

Secondly, knowledge of how to write Cell programs. IBM is not withholding any information in this department, as they have released many tutorials and primers for writing for the Cell.

Thirdly, what of the bootloader? Sony has given us the option of using Linux on our PS3s (or any PPE capable OS). As is evident, writing 'homebrew' that loads through the bootloader is possible. This would be, perhaps, the easiest way to exploit the system, depending on how much of the original PS3 system is accessible through the bootloader.

But nonetheless, where are the hackers? The PSP was hacked within a few months of its launch. The PS3 is significantly more advanced than the PSP and costs alot more money, thus Sony would be willing to pump more money into protecting it. But then one must consider how PSP was Sony's first venture into handhelds. Something worth more to protect (and well, we all know how 'tight' the PSP was).

[Cap'n 1time]

I think priority number 1 right now amongst PS3 "Hackers" Is accessing and using the GPU in linux. That would really push the hombrew scene for the ps3. As for iso loading and what not... well as interesting to some as that might be, NOTHING is more important than full gpu support.

[F9zDark]

True, and if hackers can find a way to unlock the GPU through Linux, they may find ways of unlocking other aspects of the PS3 hardware through Linux (perhaps flash memory access?).

I am willing to bet though that Sony may, eventually, unlock this feature for us. That is whats really holding the PS3 back in Linux right now. If I remember correctly, Sony wanted TerraSoft to make a developer environment for Linux; perhaps then the GPU may be unlocked (what good is knowing how program for the PS3 without understanding the workings of the GPU?)

Such a day will be a grand one indeed.

[KageNoKaze]

If I can ever get my hands on a Blu-Ray burner and disc, I'm going to try letting the PS3 recognize a PS3 game and swapping it for a burned one, then starting it. Works fine for PS2 games.

[JKKDARK]

If I can ever get my hands on a Blu-Ray burner and disc, I'm going to try letting the PS3 recognize a PS3 game and swapping it for a burned one, then starting it. Works fine for PS2 games.

but you should know a blue-ray burner is not cheap

[potatoman]

Saw one for 400 pounds on dabs i think, or expansys, i dunno