Only a few weeks after its first official release, Rinnegatamante‘s VitaDB Downloader is poised to become one of the first things you’ll want to install on your PS Vita. With version 1.7, this tool acts more and more like an official appstore. VitaDB Downloader will now be able to let you know when your favorite Vita or PSP homebrew just got an update (and let you install it), through notifications.

This new release also adds an (optional) auto-installer for kubridge.skprx, a plugin that is required by many homebrew games. And more!

Once you’ve installed VitaDB Downloader, you’ll definitely want to give a try to some of the 30 awesome PS Vita unofficial ports we’ve highlighted recently.

What is VitaDB Downloader

VitaDB is the most used Vita app repository for owners of homebrew-enabled PS Vita consoles. The database hosts thousands of utility software and games, with a website where people can manually download the homebrew themselves for manual installation on their console. It also provides an API, allowing developers to access the database programmatically. This means in particular that there are several Vita app “homebrew stores” that let you install games directly from your Vita, leveraging this repository.

Multiple “homebrew installers” exist that leverage VitaDB, such as Vita Homebrew Browser (VHBB), Easy VPK, Better homebrew Browser, and more. Which one you’ll use depends on your personal preferences, but VitaDB Downloader is quickly proving to be the most up-to-date and feature complete one. (Which isn’t entirely surprising considering Rinnegatamante’s track record and the fact that he created VitaDB in the first place).

VitaDB Downloader Features

• Searching by author/homebrew name.
• Filtering apps by category.
• Viewing of all available screenshots for apps.
• Sorting apps by different criteria (Most Recent, Oldest, Most Downloaded, Least Downloaded, Alphabetical, etc…)
• Showing of several metadata for apps.
• Download and installation of vpk+data files or vpk only at user discretion. (No more need to redownload data files everytime you want to update an homebrew for which data files are unchanged)
• GUI based on dear ImGui, providing a very robust user experience without sacrificing on fancyness and with high customizability.
• Fast boot time (Only the very first boot will take a bit more due to app icons download. Successive boots will be basically instant)
• Low storage usage (Screenshots are served on demand, the only data that are kept on storage are app icons with a complessive storage usage lower than 10 MBs).
• Tracking of installed apps and of their state (outdated/updated) even when not installed through VitaDB Downloader.
• Background music (You can customize it by changing ux0:data/VitaDB/bg.ogg with your own preferred track).
• Background image/video (You can customize it by changing ux0:data/VitaDB/bg.mp4 or ux0:data/VitaDB/bg.png).
• Support for themes (Customization of GUI elements via ux0:data/VitaDB/themes.ini) with built-in downloader and manager.
• Support for PSP homebrews.
• Daemon support for homebrews update check in background during normal console usage.

In our experience, VitaDB Downloader has proven to be extremely reliable, packed with useful features, and blazingly fast.

Controls

• Left Analog or Up/Down Arrows = Move selection
• Circle = Cancel selection
• Left Arrow (When selection canceled) = Return to Search textbox (Top of the list)
• Start = Show/Hide screenshots for selected homebrew
• L/R = Change homebrews sorting
• X = Install homebrew

VitaDB Downloader 1.7 – what’s new

• Added an optional auto-updater daemon for installed Vita homebrews. It will check for any homebrew update every hour and at console boot even with VitaDB Downloader closed and send a notification to quickly perform the update.
• Added an auto-downloader and extractor of libshacccg.suprx if this is missing.
• Added proper support for PSP homebrews over different locations based on Adrenaline settings.
• Fixed a bug causing all PSP homebrews to be categorized as Original Games.
• Now requirements popup won’t show up for homebrews requiring only libshacccg.suprx since already present if VitaDB Downloader is being used.
• Added an optional kubridge.skprx updater/installer when attempting to install an homebrew requiring it.

Download VitaDB Downloader

• You can Download VitaDB Downloader here.
• Themes can be downloaded here

NoteThe Auto Installer for libshacccg.suprx can also be downloaded separately here (nickname ShaRKBR33D), if you need that file but don’t want to use VitaDB Downloader. Although to be honest, at this point given the benefits you’re getting with VitaDB Downloader, I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to install it 🙂

Install like any other VPK (reminder, you need a hacked PS Vita!). Once installed, you should be able to install any other homebrew (that is, those present on VitaDB) from the VitaDB Downloader interface!

source: VitaDB