forums.ps2dev.org

laichung · Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 123

After take a fast look on the file list in the firmware , I have a question.
If those library files already existed in the firmware , why game developer include thost files (such as libhttp.prx) again on the umd disk??

What a stupid way , especially when we know true that , reading the umd disk is much slower than reading the firmware.

or flash0/flash1 isnt the real firmware , may be that's just a store area for the game loading??

netwerx · Joined: 08 May 2005 Posts: 11

laichung · Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 123

konfig · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 68

cheriff · Regular Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Posts: 262 Location: Sydney.au

How do you use flash memory to speed up loading time?
Either way an app has to load from the disk, why should loading to flash be any faster than regular ram? i'd say its slower, but possibly the speed of the umd is slower still, so theres no advantage one way or the other..
Dunno about modern flash, but do they still have a fixed number of writes? I hate to have by psp edge a bit closer to death every time it booted if it has to write to flash...
Or would you rather the game force you to upgrade firmware instead of loading newer versions off the umd... seems some people will complain whatever happens.

laichung · Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 123

the point is , if I loading the library in the flash memory , It dont need to copy it back to ram , or just flash -> ram transfer. The reading speed must be much faster than you copy a file from umd to the main ram. Even memory stick is faster than the umd , since the lens need time when it access to other area of the disk , but ms doesnt.

And if sony overwrite the whole firmware , of course it need some time(just like when you run the 1.5 update firmware file) , but if they just rewrite some part of library , for example , updating the key , it just need a few second , you may not notice the booting process time is different.

pixel · Joined: 30 Jan 2004 Posts: 791

PS2 is acting the same way. The bios has lots of irxes inside, but each game comes with its own set of irxes and even rom images. The irxes in the rom0: and rom1: are used by sony embedded applications such as the dvd player and stuff.
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pixel: A mischievous magical spirit associated with screen displays. The computer industry has frequently borrowed from mythology. Witness the sprites in computer graphics, the demons in artificial intelligence and the trolls in the marketing department.

blackdroid · Joined: 17 Jan 2004 Posts: 564 Location: Sweden

wich is sane since dev companies doesnt want to support x amount of irx versions for a game. most of this discussion is just pointless. move along.
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Kung VU

Pikoro · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 56

The reason that the files are on the UMD as well is because the game itself is linked against those particular versions of the prx files that are on the UMD.

If sony goes and updates the firmware, the prx files in flash are likley to change. If that happens, and you're linking to the onboard libraries, then you risk breaking a game.

I think that they're probablly there 1. for the OS itself to access. 2. For memory card games since they'll probablly not be as complex.

blackdroid · Joined: 17 Jan 2004 Posts: 564 Location: Sweden

pikoro, ehm yes and pixel already stated that. echo -n
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Kung VU

RATiX · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 48

Perhaps there is a bit of code on the UMD that says when the game requires those specific modules it searches the firmware first; then the UMD if the firmware is lacking the neccessary components.

Also - GT4 is rumored to 'unlock' the PSP's CPU to the full 333MHz. If the game doesn't/can't do this with some key/code due to the firmware locking the clockspeed, then Sony may do one of three things: Have a new 333MHz- enabling firmware on the GT4 disc that will autoinstall; have new firmware on a separate disc; require that is be downloaded via WiFi or transferred from PC to MS duo and executed.

laichung · Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 123

May be or may be not , and if game developer can include their own library , I think sony dont need to have those file in firmware.

As I said in other post , now I think those file existed because it is use for the XMB. and XMB is just a apps , not a OS of PSP. PSP game can load without XMB in PSP. So that's why game developer need to include their library files on UMD.

Thanks for your opinion.

Skye · Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 19

The 222 mhz cap isnt set in the firmware.
Its in the game code. If a developer tried to publish a game that went over 222, then sony wont let them release the game.