An Australian seller of Wii, PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 modchips has posted video showing the famously impregnable PlayStation 3 running "back-up" copies of disc games saved in the hacked console. It's the real deal, they tell Kotaku.

OzModChips.com has posted three videos to YouTube showing the alleged hack, marketed as PS Jailbreak, which purportedly is executed by plugging a $170 (Australian) USB stick into the PlayStation 3. The legality of console modchips differ by region. They are not legal in the U.S.

Such a hack would enable PS3 users to run back-up copies of games, homebrew and, of course, pirated games, something which Sony has long successfully blocked on its home console.

Kotaku has reached out to PlayStation's U.S. division for comment about this alleged hack and will update this story with anything we hear back.
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The narrator of the first video says the modchip arrived at their office in Australia this morning, August 19. A follow-up video shows what appears to be a PS3 that has its disc drive occupied with a copy of the game Uncharted while it runs a saved version of Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction. This is proof, the site maintains, that their new "PS Jailbreak" product will work. With the hack working, PS3 users would not need to possess a disc copy of a PS3 game to run it, a potential piracy nightmare for Sony.

Kotaku has no access to the USB stick and can't verify whether the stick works. But we have been talking to a representative of OzModChips.com who tells us that the stick "is not a hoax."

The rep, who would not provide his name and asked to be called "Mr. OzModChips", pointed Kotaku to a new video that, unlike the Ratchet clip, shows a TV and PS3 in full view for the entirety of a demonstration of the hack. The video was made to quiet skeptics who think that today's original clips were not proof of a working hack but simply hype and video editing trickery.
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In this newer video, a disc copy of God of War III is inserted into the console. Navigating to a "backup manager" on the PS3, the video's narrator flicks through a list of games saved to the system's hard-drive and loads PS3 game Infamous. (Infamous may not have been the best choice to defuse skepticism that games ripped from discs are running on the hack, since that game is available for full digital download through the PlayStation store. But the backup manger does list other games, including LittleBigPlanet and Ratchet & Clank Tools of Destruction, a sign that other games have been ripped and saved onto the console.)

Some skeptics have said that the videos show the hack running on a debug PS3, but Mr. OzModChips tells Kotaku he is using a retail system.

Mr. OzModChips told Kotaku that the chip stock originates from China or Hong Kong but declined to say who designed the chip or where they are based. His site reports that "apparently 150 games have been tested on" the chip, which he tells us is information gleaned from direct contact with the chip maker. As for how this hack works, given that Sony's machine has been essentially uncrackable for four years, he told us in an e-mail: "I think it tricks the ps3 into thinking its a dev unit, but I don't know to much technical info about it."

The OzModChips website indicates that this chip will be available by the end of the month and works with PlayStation 3s that run firmware 3.41, the current firmware for the console. It is possible that a future Sony firmware update could seal any cracks a modchip exploits in the machine.

Sony's PS3 has long been secure from modchips which are seen as a pathway to piracy. The PlayStation Portable, however, was cracked early in its existence. For several years, Sony and hackers have engaged in a war of firmware updates and new hacks: Sony regularly issues new PSP crack-sealing firmware that gamers are required to install in order to play new PSP games; hackers respond with new software exploits that re-open the device to backup copies, homebrew software and pirated games.

The Xbox 360 and Wii have been cracked for years, and publishers and developers alike complain that some owners of those consoles can and do run pirated copies of disc games on the machines illegally.

Some suppliers of console, such as OzModChips, publicly state that their services are intended only for legal backing-up of games and running homebrewed software.

Mr. OzModChips said that this PS3 hack USB device has been sent to other modchip sellers and that we can expect more video to be popping up about it online.

Source

this is y they removed the other os option on the ps, too afraid of hakers!
it was bound to happen.
im still running firmware 3.21 so i can run linux on the ps3

Funny thing is that while they had the other OS option nobody really bothered with hacking the PS3. The first thing to happen afterwards is a piracy hack.
Looks like they shot themselves in the foot with that one

Are they going to stop the use of a usb harddrive now like they did with other os.

well a while ago the Software Dev Kit for Firmware 1.92 was leaked onto torrents allowing anyone with their hands on it to create signed code and execute it. in this case the USB stick unlocks the developer settings built into each firmware and provides quick access to the backup utility developers use and allows games with eboot.bin files (the starting executable for PSP and PS3 Software) to be assigned to a virtual BD Drive. all these features exist on the PS3 TEST Models. Sony could probably block it by removing dev functions from firmware instead of disabling and leaving them.

I think you may have just sorted that one behalf of sony !!!

will this let you play ps2 games? eg I've got the 40gb ps3

Ps2 Software will not run on 3rd Gen PS3's and any of the Silm Models. only the 60gb (CECH03 Models) have the ability to play PS2 software although all models retain the ability to play PSX And PSP Software. This device would not allow you to run ps2 on the 40gb since present models lack the Emotion Engine And Graphics Sythesizer. Although all models do contain the PS2_Emu built into firmware it looks for the hardware (EE+GS enable 100% Hradware Mode, GS Enables Sofware Mode) and then loads up the PS2 BIOS to boot the game up. Last Year though Sega had a press conference with Sony and the foot notes were acidenally put on their public servers detailing that Sony plan to release an entirely new Emulator for the PS3 to run PS2 games that would be up for sale on the PSN. Although another method they are doing is porting a Series of PS2 Games (i.e. God Of War & Sly Cooper) onto the ps3 with enhanced textures and HD support. Backwards compatability has also been discontinued on the 360 with only 486 games (they stopped adding titles nearly a year ago) able to run on it either via a patch with the original disc or from the XBL Marketplace in DLC form and even then many of the popular games on the list have trouble running and finally requiring a Proprietry Xbox HDD. the only console with true backwards compatability this gen is the wii being able to run Gamecube Software using a hybrid Soft/Hardware method by halfing the clock speeds of the CPU and GPU, half the RAM, deactivate wii specific features like wi-fi and bluetooth and then loads the GC IPL patching titles on the fly to fix problematic games.

also to do with access to the rsx chip inside the ps3, altho they allowed access to install the other os onto the machine they denied the full capability of the processer, restricting things like blu ray play back through the linux side of the ps3. there were ppl how where close to hakking this chip hense y it the other os option was removed, with access to the full potential of the ps3 then it would of been easy to play back up games. loads of info about running linux on the ps3 @ yellow dog linx forum

if i remember Linux had access to 6 of the 8 cores for the cell (one disabled for increased chip yields and the other for the hypervisor) and no access to the RSX. although they managed to get some basic instructions to work on the RSX it was patched a long time ago prior to the OS removal.

shame they didnt leave the other os on it, i just use the ps3 as a pc now, an wont bother gaming on the ps3 untill there is a way round the firmware.
could of had real potential as a really good pc with access to the lot

I got an email about this mod chip, considering to buy it. Anyone interested? Buy more, cheaper. http://www.gadget-asia.com/en/home/world-s-first-ps3-modchip-ps-jailbreak-plug-and-play.html

My friends told me that he found another website -www.buyps3jailbreak.co.uk, offering a PS3 Break with good quality and better price. Hmmm…… this seems more attractive.

I got the email from Gadget Asia today. They have begun to dispatch the original PS Jailbreak. Cheers!!!!!!!!

Dear Customer,

The psjailbreak has arrived! First, we would like to apologize for the delay. We would like to thank for your understanding that it was the distributor who keep delay us.

We are sending this email to make sure you will receive it as soon as possible, please read the following carefully.

1. For all customers who tell us you are willing to wait for this device, or not yet reply our previous email, you are the first batch of customer who will receive your order. Once you receive your tracking number, please wait 1-2 days until it works as the courier needs time to update. Please try NOT to send us email as our email has been overloaded.

2. For customers chosen refund but now change your mind, please DO reply this email and quote your order ID, we will also arrange shipment immediately.

3. For those customers who stays with a refund decision, please DO reply this email and quote your order ID for a refund. We will do that but please allow sometime.

www.gadget-asia.com

I received the original PS Jaiblreak ordered from www.gadget-asia.com. It works very well with my PS3, whose firmware stays as 3.41. I have backed up several favorite games to the HDD. We also received emails from them saying the producers had been working to upgrade the mod chip. It seems to be compatible with 3.42 and 3.5, but I'm worried to try it, so I keep the firmware as 3.41". Hope it will be upgraded soon.

none currently work with firmware 3.42 or 3.50 , there is a FAKE cfw file out there but its a virus and doesnt work , they are working on 3.42 and 3.50 but as of yet none of them work with jailbreaking

What benefits do u get tampering with a ps3.