Forgotten Homebrews Part 1: iR Shell
The new Vita-only users may not be aware of one of PSP’s greatest homebrew softwares, the iR Shell. iR Shell was developed by AhMan. It’s a program that basically changes the whole PSP’s GUI(Graphical User Interface) to a whole new Windows Vista like interface. It supports firmware 1.5, all OE revisions except for 3.30 as well as Team M33’s custom firmwares up to 5.00 M33-6 and 5.50 GEN, and can also run under 1.5 & 2.71 emulation under DevHook on PSP Phats (1000s).This ancient homebrew is not only known for its looks, but also the nifty feature it offers. It is an alternative to a launcher as seen on androids. It allows you to access and manipulate files on your computer, including a music player, image viewer and lots more handy features. It also includes plethora of advanced features that may not be very friendly to a regular user.
Some of the pretty neat features it includes are as follows:
USB Host: With USBhostFS, you can browse your Computer’s hard disks or
CD/DVD ROM drives via a USB connection from your PSP. You’ll need to install the usbhostfs driver on the PC and then run the nethostfs.exe server application before you can use this feature. USBhostFS can also be used as a PSP keypad redirection to PC keyboard or Joypad. For this to work you’ll need to enable the option “Redirect Keypad to Host” under iR Shell Configurator.
Nethost: With NetHostFS, you can browse your computer’s hard disks or
CD/DVD ROM drives via WiFi on your PSP. This is a bit more complicated since it is wireless and involves working internet connection. Unlike USBhostFS, you’ll need to enable PSP keypad redirection with -s option. (This tells the NEThostFS to enable keypad redirection.) You’ll also need to enable the option “Redirect Keypad to Host” located under the iR Shell Configurator when using keypad redirection.
With these 2 features (USBhostFS and NetHostFS) you can launch your PSP homebrews or backups from your PC via USB or WiFi. This helps to give your PSP unlimited storage! There is no need to have everything stuffed into your PSP anymore. When using Infrastructure WiFi you can even access these files located on your home PC via a wireless hotspot through the internet. Also take note for these features to work you’ll have to install the USBhostFS and NEThostFS drivers on PC (available on both Linux and Windows).
File Management: Includes a basic file manager. This also allows you to browse files on your memory stick, UMD disc, PC hard disks or DVD Rom drives via USB or WiFi as I mentioned above. You can even open all these files directly from any of these devices. The supported files include Atrac3s, Bitmaps, ISO Backups, Jpegs, PMF movies, PNGs, PBPs (Homebrews games and apps) PDF files, PS1 games, Rar and Zip files and text files.
iR Commander: You can only use this feature with the PSP 1000 because it includes infrared. It allows you to control various home appliances and other infra-red based equipment. It has built-in IR codes (Pronto Hex Codes) for more than 2000 devices! In iR Shell there is an icon on the top bit, called iR View and it has some preset devices in there one is the original Xbox. You can download other configurations to control other things.
External Control: The ability to control your PSP via an external keyboard or an external joypad/game controller. Yes that’s right you can use your Xbox controller to control movement, in games or wherever its necessary.
Mutli-tasking: This is the iR Shell’s main feature. The ability to multi task, unlike the PSP’s XMB which is very limited. This feature allows you to multi task between a UMD, Homebrew Game/App, ISO backups and PS1 games. This is what makes the iRShell more like another OS for the PSP. I wouldn’t call the XMB as much of an OS, because there is absolutely no sort of multi-tasking feature at all. The only ‘multi-tasking’ seen on the XMB is viewing a picture while playing music. Thanks to a few plugins, we can now do some multitasking like playing music while playing games or apps.
PS1 Games Multiplayer Support: Last but not least, it also includes some black magic that allows you to play multiplayer on PSX games via adhoc! Although this feature isn’t perfect, it has only been seen on iR Shell (At least for the PSP). This is a feature that isn’t even included in Sony’s official firmware. This is done via USBhostFS or NEThost.
These features are what makes iR Shell so fantastic! We do have separate plugins that allow us to do certain things that iRShell offers, for example Remote Joy Lite lets you stream your PSP’s screen on your PC. You can simply enable that plugin, and it allows you to do just that, whether you’re in GAME or VSH. One thing that no one has gotten their hands on is the Multiplayer Support for PS1 games. No one’s heard from AhMan for a while now, and unfortunately the source isn’t available either, but that doesn’t stop this homebrew from gaining its honor. There are lots more other things about this shell that I can discuss, but If I were to do that I could probably go on forever. Some of the features can be seen on Custom firmwares or as separate plugins today.
So what do you guys think? Do you think there should be another iR Shell? Not exactly the same, but with a different look or some sort. Do you think the Vita deserves one, when or if, it gains a Native hack?
If you’re willing to give it a shot, you can have a look at this tutorial by Ruyor.
Take note that some things don’t work on PSP Slim and Phats that are on 6.20 and over.
Of course Vita deserves such a great homebrew. Problam is Vita is locked to heck and back. And with it’s amazing popularity (NOT) it will probably be hacked in 6years from now, when it will be a discontinued piece of metal.
Oh well. Cant wait for Shield tablet.
Shield ftw!
Nvidia shield is handsdown the best thing ever created ever!
yeah too bad it only took 3 years for the poor shield series to finally get popular, I’ve been porting Gamemaker games to it lately and it’s really a quite fantastic device for testing and developing games on. now if only the “D4S” movement had caught on…
ummmm 6? Try 2, buddy from the past! ;D
iR Shell was a revolutionary UI interface back in the day. I remember discovering it at 14 and the first game I ever streamed on it using NethostFS was Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, because I only had a 1gb memory stick at the time. It had so many useful features. Could even play your own music over, while playing a game at the same time.
I couldn’t have been Peace Walker, it was released for 6.20 (where iR Shell didn’t work). It was either Portable Ops or Portable Ops Plus.
I read your username, and suddenly i wanna play Metal Gear Acid (2) again.
you don’t remember fw spoofing do you?
You’d be wasting more money spending it on a shield than you would buying a PS Vita (if you already own a high-end android smartphone). Plus, the “smartphone” you already have is 99% most likely to be able to send/receive phone calls, more portable, and its not too difficult to hook a PS3 or Wii controller up to it either.
Don’t know what anyone would think about the PS3 and the Vita though. I feel like a fool; because I recently purchased a PS3 super slim (which isn’t even exploitable) sometime after purchasing a PS Vita, and they’re practically one in the same, right? They’re capable of literally the exact same but in-fact, the vita does everything a lot more efficiently. When I bought the PS3, I already had a flashed Xbox360 slim I did 2 years ago, and an RGH unit I did last year. Really impacting my paycheck, considering I’ve only got a part-time job, but was it worth getting the 8-9 year old PS3?
What? There’s no PS3 exclusives on Vita.
of course there are. availability of games, vita is incomparable to the ps3.
Alright, first half of your argument self-defeats, most if not all of the games on the Vita could have just as easily been developed for and released on the shield just as easy if not easier than on the Vita. People like having a dedicated device (which is what the Vita and shield are) especially with physical controls, much more than 1 device that does it all. your smartphone does not have the battery life for long term use and most high end smartphones are “wall hugger” phones regardless of their manufacturer due to keeping their form factor small with so much power as it is, so extended batteries aren’t helping and a battery pack only defeats the purpose of carrying only 1 device.
And no, the Vita is vastly inferior to the PS3 in regards to both power and library, as stated before time and again the Vita is comparable to the PS2 power wise. buying a PS3 now is NOT a bad idea, in fact buying the super slim was a rather good idea (so long as you don’t mind missing PS2 and Hax) if you still want to play the latest releases on a budget or simply missed out on being there and want to go back and see what you missed.
Are you sure about the power of the vita?… i really don’t know well but if you ask me the vita it’s on a mid term between a PS2 and a PS3 (tending more to ps3, after all it has a quadcore).
Just look killzone mercenaries and tell me a game in ps2 that have close graphic quality… no one as I remember and i was (and will be) a big fan of the ps2 but saying that way is almost say that a famicom it’s equall in power as a psx… not even close.
ahh i remember how i used to mess with everyone and use irshell to turn off tv’s and my cousins houses 😛
Loved using the IR Shell to turn off TV’s in the shops when people were hogging the systems
Does iR commander still work w/ 6.60?
not sure if phat PSPs can run 6.60. can they?
of course?
Probably. The problem is, I’m not sure if iR Shell is even compatible with any of 6.60 CFW’s.
You may need to search it up for separate patch or sth to be able to run iR Shell.
I did not know the 1k model had a IR thing inside >.> im picking up one next month! i have the 2k model for the tv hook up stuff
IRshell is not forgotten, everybody would still use it if it was ported to newest firmwares 😀 its features are just awesome
It still have the best RemoteJoy version.
I’ve been using ir remote function heavily ever since my cat managed to pee on my tv remote… IR shell sure has a lot to offer. Basically the only reasin i still got my psp1000 is irshell for my remite obviously and the good old djmax games 😀
sorry for typos btw… phone and drunk but must comment post!
wait what camel rape? dibs on third. how do i edit post?
Wish another dev could write a newer version of IR Shell compatible with the latest PSP and Vita CFW.
I miss usbhost on my pc for backups.
I used irshell and it’s great, a lot of good time with it… Thinking about daowngrade my psp to get it back with all is features! Irshell and psp display!
I was one of the loyal followers and users of iRshell. it truly revealed and maximized what can actually be done with the psp hardware. multitasking was indispensable for me, being able to jot down notes then switch back to the game with a simple button combination, having a book and a game running at the same time.
irShell was an ambitious project and it hit its marks. the only limitation was the interface. it’s not exactly user friendly, but if someone would make something like this for the vita, a TRUE MULTITASKING OS FOR THE VITA instead of the dumbed-down XMB we always get with our consoles, i’d commit myself to it in a heartbeat. I still don’t understand why they won’t make an above-mediocre interface for powerusers nowadays…
and i almost forgot the crazy ability to run games directly from your hard drive. no more game copying!
The best thing for me in iR Shell was disabling the disable magic gate feature that was pretty useful for those who has a fake memory stick or a photofast memory stick. It loads faster than before.
i remember back then, there was this homebrew tool to check the actual speed of your memory stick. you’d know if it was sucky before you buy it. forgot the name, though…
It was called black speed. The results are not promising either.
My psp1k was my fav remote control. . Switching off tvs at restaurants and bars was my fav pastime…..now I use mynote 3 and smart remote… soooooo much more fun to kill restaurant tvs with.. i love the servers reactions
On the PSP: the XMB sucks, let’s create custom UIs.
On the Vita: custom UIs suck let’s have the XMB.
What a bunch of hypocrisy.
It was definitely Peace Walker that I played using iR Shell all those years ago. My PSP has been on 5.50 prom-4 ever since I even discovered that iR Shell existed.
Well it could be, PW was playable with Prome.
I bought and offer many psp’s, cause this little machine can do lot! I was waiting for “the last guardian” in order to buy a PS3, frind of mine offered one to me. So disappointed $ony that I have no intention for psvita or ps4…wii u will be my 2014 present
Wololo why not change comment section provider to Disqus
Because I want the comment section to be reasonably anonymous and not require a stupid login.
One of my favorite homebrews. I remember it has limited functionality on v3 mother boards. Then someone made a patch to make it work
I still use ir shell on my PSP for a very long time. I love it 🙂
what about reversing latest irshell and make a vita-psp-emulator only version ?
or 660 psp plus vita psp …
If IRShell is so awesome, why not make a CFW with IRShell as defailt OS instead of a OS with XMB?