64w ago - Today PlayStation 3 developer
deroad has released a PS3 HIP2HIS PARAM.HIP to PARAM.HIS changelog file converter application and related documentation below.
Download:
PS3 HIP2HIS - PARAM.HIP to PARAM.HIS Changelog File Converter
To quote: This is a new software to convert a PARAM.HIP file to a PARAM.HIS (HIS are used by the PS3 as a change-log file).
It can be viewed by going Game -> Triangle -> Update History
This file needs to be located in the same folder as the PARAM.SFO ( /dev_hdd0/game/TITLE_ID/PARAM.HIS ).
Finally, from ps3devwiki.com/wiki/PARAM.HIP:
This file is used to display the changelog texts of a HDD game (category HG), game patches (category GD with APP_VER), and gamedata (category GD without APP_VER). Texts are displayed under the option "Update History" when pressing triangle over his icon.
PARAM.HIP files are the "source" file, contained in the root of a Install_Package.pkg. When the package is installed the system adds at the beggining of the "source" file 10 bytes containing his timestamp (date and time when is installed), and copyes it in the install folder as PARAM.HIS.
PARAM.HIS files can be updated by consecutive installations of more .HIP files over the same old .HIS file, this adds the same structure severall times separated by his timestamps and a blank row when displayed in XMB.
Severall PARAM_xx.HIP files can be included in a .pkg for different languages by adding a number to the end of the filename (e.g. PARAM_16.HIP for polish language), the system will install only the one that matches the language settings of the user, or the default PARAM.HIP if no other is applicable.
Game examples
- HATSUNE MIKU Project Diva (NPJB00047) - patch 1.01
- Catherine (BLJM60215) - patch 1.01
Internal Structures
PARAM.HIP
This structure is repeated several times inside the file, one time for each text row, the controll byte "0A" displaces text to the next row.
Description Length Example Conversion Example Converted Notes
Text Line variable 52 6F 77 20 31 utf-8 Row 1
Line Feed 1 byte 0A Control byte to break the text line
PARAM.HIS
This structure is repeated severall times inside the file, one time for each PARAM.HIP included in the file.
Description Length Example Conversion Example Converted Notes
Timestamp Mark 1 byte 01 Marks the start point of a Timestamp
Timestamp 8 bytes 00 00 00 00 4E F6 59 70 Decimal ---> Unix time 1324767600 ---> 2011/12/25 00:00
PARAM.HIP Mark 1 byte 02 Marks the start point of a PARAM.HIP
PARAM.HIP variable Raw PARAM.HIP
Hexadecimal to Decimal online: http://www.disfrutalasmatematicas.com/numeros/binario-decimal-hexadecimal-conversor.html
Decimal to Unix Timestamp online: http://www.timestampconvert.com/
Example of a "hand made" [PARAM.HIS] (http://www.sendspace.com/file/chvymx) that simulates 3 patches with 3 text rows each, installed in 3 different years, usefull to copy-paste it inside an installed patch folder (GD category) or a game (HG category) to understand how the .HIP's are cummulated inside a .HIS
ASCII art
Because there are a lot of text rows availables it can be made ASCII pictures and logos, the trick here is to first use some online ASCII converter like [this one] (network-science.de/ascii/). The output text of this conversors will not be displayed correctly in PS3 XMB
There is needed to represent this text in the PC using the official fonts from the firmware (US/Europe fonts are in the path dev_flash\data\font\SCE-PS3-RD-R-LATIN.TTF).
Install this font in the PC, open some image or text editor (like photoshop or gimp), paste the text and correct the widths by adding spaces to display it properly.
Example of a "hand made" [PARAM.HIS] (http://www.sendspace.com/file/dbze2k) with the PS3DEV logo and a strange guy under it o0.
woow so cheap....
i guess its a day1 buy for me 
...
e.g. any PS3 homebrew could list all of the changes in each version so if you're interested in what's changed you can see wthout having to visit a website.
But i guess i could have got the wrong end of the stick
but I would also like to know the practical use of what ever this thing is.
As per the original post...
Change-log see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changelog
PSPSwampy