PSP Glossary

Glossary
A quick explanation of frequently used terms. More entries will be added in the future.

Allegrex
The codename for the main custom MIPS32 core of the PSP CPU. Resides inside the TACHYON chip.

BARYON (another Star Trek term)
The codename for the SYSCON microcontroller IC (refer to SYSCON for more information).

GLUON (another Star Trek term)
The codename for the UMD Laser RF-Amplifier IC.

HIBARI
The codename for the PSP Slim LCD Controller IC. Means “Skylark” in Japanese (bird name also used for the codename of the PSP Fat’s WLAN firmware: Magpie).

IdStorage
A low-level storage area that holds specific configuration data and id’s for each individual PSP. A basic mapping format is used where a single NAND page is used to store a “leaf”. Each leaf is assigned a 16-bit leaf id and mapped to an index. Located in the first MB non-mapped area of the NAND Flash. 256KB is reserved on the flash to hold the IdStorage area.

IPL (Initial Program Load)
The bootstrap program that loads the firmware. Located in the first MB non-mapped area of the NAND Flash. 512KB is reserved on the flash to hold the IPL.

KIRK (another Star Trek term)
The hardware crypto engine responsible for almost all aspects of the PSP’s security, including decryption of eboots & prx’s, savefile and adhoc encryption, and idstorage verification. Named after Captain Kirk of Star Trek.

LEPTON (another Star Trek term)
The codename for the Mechacon UMD Controller IC. A Sony custom-made LSI which holds the optical media DSP & CPU, the ATAPI interface, 480KB DRAM read buffer, and (at least) 384KB Flash ROM for firmware.

Magpie
The codename for the PSP Fat’s WLAN firmware (bird name also used for the codename of the PSP Slim’s LCD Controller IC: “Hibari” – means Skylark).

NAND
Refers to NAND Flash. A type of non-volatile memory similar to an EEPROM which uses NAND Gate cells (as opposed to NOR Flash which uses NOR Gates). On the PSP, a single MCP IC holds both the NAND Flash and DDR SDRAM both of which are 32MB in size (on the slim PSP both are doubled to 64MB and embedded into the TACHYON main CPU IC). The NAND Flash holds the entire PSP Firmware as well as the IPL and IdStorage.

POMMEL (another Star Trek term)
The codename for the Power Control IC. A DC-DC converter controlled by SYSCON.

PBP (PSP Boot Package)
The file extension for eboots used to launch programs under the VSH. Holds the ELF executable file as well as optional icon/background/sound files to visually display under the VSH.

PRX (PSP Relocatable Executable)
A custom relocatable ELF file used as the executable file format for PSP programs. Typically used as library modules in the PSP firmware. Similar to the IRX (IOP Relocatable Executable) or ERX (EE Relocatable Executable) of the PS2 executable formats.

PSAR (Playstation Archive)
An archiving file format used to store an image of the PSP’s firmware. Used by firmware updaters to update the PSP’s firmware.

Psjs (Playstation Javascript)
A javascript-like scripting language used to drive the XMB and its resources.

SPOCK (another Star Trek term)
The hardware crypto engine responsible for the raw sector level decryption of UMD’s. Named after Captain Spock of Star Trek.

SYSCON
The System Control microcontroller which handles everything from, controlling power to all devices (including the LCD, UMD drive, memstick, wlan, even the main cpu), keeping the date/time, sleep mode control, controls all external switches including all buttons & the analog nub as well as the headphone remote buttons/switches, LED control, main power & battery control, and even access to the PSP’s Service Mode (SYSCON is the chip responsible for detecting the 0xFFFFFFFF serial of the battery to enable service mode).

TACHYON (another Star Trek term)
The codename for the main CPU SoC IC. A Sony custom-made LSI which holds the main CPU (Allegrex), the VFPU coprocessor, the Media Engine CPU & its embedded DRAM, the Graphics Engine & its embedded DRAM, the AVC decoder, the Virtual Mobile Engine DSP, the KIRK & SPOCK crypto engines, and the 4KB embedded mask ROM which holds the PreIPL and routines to boot into service mode.

Voyager (another Star Trek term)
The codename for the PSP Slim’s WLAN firmware. Named after the Starfleet vessel of Star Trek.

VSH (Visual Shell)
The main interface of the PSP, a user interface shell which provides the access to the kernel. Uses Sony’s XMB (Cross Media Bar) for its GUI.

XMB (Cross Media Bar)
The graphical component of the VSH. A script driven GUI first developed for the Sony Japanese PSX DVR (Digital Video Recorder) and also used on Sony WEGA & Bravia TV’s as well as the Sony PS3.