FAQ: What is VHBL (and what it is not)
As you probably know by now, we’ll be releasing Qwikrazor87’s port of VHBL to the latest Vita firmware (currently 2.12) sometime soon. I can’t give you a precise date, or hints at the price of the game. If you don’t know why that is the case, please check this article where I explained the concept of Ninja releases.
As with each VHBL release, I am getting a huge amount of questions, and they are always the same. So let’s go with the obligatory FAQ.
What is VHBL?
VHBL is a user mode Homebrew loader for the Vita, running inside of the PSP emulator on the Vita. It can run a variety of PSP homebrews on your Vita, and you can find an early compatibility list for the upcoming exploit here.
Will this run PSP isos?
No
Can this run Vita backups, or commercial games for free?
No
How about PSP plugins?
No, basically, anything that requires PSP Kernel mode is out of the picture for VHBL. This means isos but also plugins
So what does it run?
You can find a small compatibility list for the 2.12 VHBL here
So, this only runs PSP homebrews, it’s useless
Some people say that. Personally, I really enjoy playing GBA or Master system games on that vibrant OLED screen
Does VHBL benefit from the Vita hardware, or is it limited by the PSP emulator constraints?
It is limited by the PSP emulator, and for most purposes, behaves the same as it would on a PSP. Of course, the screen looks better, you can assign the second nub controller, you can activate bilinear filtering, and in general file loading is much faster than with a PSP memory stick. But your emulators won’t run faster, or have more compatibility than on a PSP, for example
Will using VHBL get me banned from Sony?
VHBL has been around for more than a year, and we have never heard of anyone getting banned for using VHBL
Does VHBL restrict/impact my use of the Vita in any way?
Not directly: VHBL is a user mode exploit that lives in ram, it goes away as soon as you quit it or reboot your console. It does not impact your vita in anyway and is deleted as soon as you delete the exploited savedata. However after the VHBL release, Sony will patch the exploit in their next firmware. This means you should not update your Vita if you want to keep using VHBL, but that will restrict your access to the PSN, and that could eventually prevent you from playing some commercial games or running official applications, until you update (at which point, as I said, you will lose VHBL)
Where can I download VHBL?
The files are not available yet, we will publish them on this blog after the public announcement of the exploited game
How do I install and run VHBL?
VHBL requires to run through an exploited game. You will need to purchase that game from the US PSN and install it on your Vita. For this release, sadly, the exploited game is only available on the US PSN. I explain here how you can purchase US PSN Credit directly from amazon even if you don’t live in the us.
VHBL is an exploited savedata for that specific game, that will load a menu, letting you run homebrews. Details on installation for homebrews can be found on our forums, /talk
When will you upload the files and announce the name of the exploited game?
Check here and here for the concepts of Ninja releases. Public announcement will come after the ninja release, I can’t reveal any date.
i wish i were wealthy enough to support all of the contributors’ habits. deep down i want you all to quit your jobs 😀 On a serious note, what if Sony announced a new firmware between now and the NR? how likely would it be that they could patch the exploit before it even gets in the wild? also, do you have to be an ace programmer to find these exploits? i need a new hobby.
– finding the exploits is relatively easy if you have a hacked PSP (which can be found for roughly $50 nowadays). See our tutorial here: http://wololo.net/2009/03/11/finding-gamesaves-exploits-on-the-psp/ , or here if you don’t have a psp: http://wololo.net/2013/04/05/tutorial-finding-vhbl-exploits-without-a-psp/
– Sony usually don’t patch the exploits before knowing about them. The probability of them patching the exploit with a new firmware is very low, unless somebody who knows about the exploit tips them about it (this has happened in the past)
Wololo, have I missed the ninja release or have you not started yet?
I’ve got this OCD and I check like every page every few minutes, thinking I’ve missed it.
Well damn. I could’ve sworn VHBL was around the corner. Flat tire, perhaps?