PS3 Blu-ray Drive Project Begins to Run Game Backups via HDD

[PS3 News]

This weekend SKFU shared news of a research project that himself, iQD and a few others have began work on with the PS3 Blu-ray drive in order to, among other goals, run PlayStation 3 game backups from the PS3 HDD.

Getting Sony's PlayStation 3 entertainment system to function without a BDD was not a difficult challenge for them, however, many may recall previous attempts by MysticHades among others to examine PS3 hacks which allow running game backups from the hard disk drive.

Earlier this year, knightsolidus detailed the Blu-ray drive PS3 CXD4302GB Chip Test Points, and Spanish site Elotrolado reported on a PS3 exploit found to run PlayStation 3 backups along with a leaked Sony Disc Boot Game Patch Programming Guide.

Prior to that, PS3 developers examined several PS3 Blu-ray Flash Dumps and utilized http://home.comcast.net/~plavarre/plscsi/ via PS3 Linux to command the PlayStation 3 drives to return their respective Firmware revisions for comparison.

Finally, pictured below is a PS3 Test (DECH) unit with a PlayStation 3 HDD connected to USB port 4 (which actually registers as USB0) in order to utilize the PS3 Debug BD Emulator with Final Fantasy XIII on the screen. More details will be posted as they become available, and to quote from SKFU:

"The project started as one to let PS3 work without the BDD. That's easy by ripping the drive hardware but the firmware board. This was just a fun project.

While I sniffed all ports used by the BDD I started thinking about an emulation of the drive. At the moment iQD, me and a few more friends collect the correct hardware which is needed to realize a decent analyze of the Blu-Ray drive. We'll keep you updated "


More PlayStation 3 News...

[imperatorviken]

Hi,

There's an update on skfu website: http://streetskaterfu.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-post.html

do you have any idea what's that about ?

The project started as one to let PS3 work without the BDD. That's easy by ripping the drive hardware but the firmware board. This was just a fun project.

While I sniffed all ports used by the BDD I started thinking about an emulation of the drive. At the moment iQD, me and a few more friends collect the correct hardware which is needed to realize a decent analyze of the Blu-Ray drive. We'll keep you updated

[TUHTA]

so maybe we could run only one game? than we have rename other on HDD to run everytime?

[PS3 News]

do you have any idea what's that about ?

I have now moved your reply (with the rest) from the PS3 CFW thread into this new one.

[tjay17]

Very refreshing news, if this works it will be great!

[CodeKiller]

Yes... on debug units...

If it's legit, then it may be the first step to play "backups". (until a better sys-hack arrives)
And to add that: it has/will have/would have the benefit of being totally undetectable and should work on every fw. (and would maybe easy to adapt it to slim too)

/and if it is really a media-emulation and not based on highly modified drives -- like in xboxes/

[red8316]

Any progress is good progress. Nice to see people working on another attack vector. Keep up the awesome work SKFU & Team. :-)

[Frogman7]

Well I'm sure emulating the hardware of the PS3 Blu-ray drive has been discussed among the devs I wouldn't call it "easy" hence the reason it hasn't been done thus far. I'm a bit disappointed by this news while it's interesting to hear what skilled hackers are doing with PS3 I would be much more excited to hear about Custom Firmware and homebrew software.

[Pcsx2006]

If this is legit then it will be great news ever heard.

[dante489]

nice progress! i want to see this console get hacked, but are there any updates from geohot?