PSBBN in 2024

Showing my English translation of the PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) software on PlayStation 2 and what can be accomplished with it in 2024.
Unfortunately KZbin still won't let me post links in the description. My PSBBN English patch can be found on the Internet Archive both in patch form and a complete disc image. Other software used in the video can be found on my GitHub @ CosmicScale. The rest can be found around the internet.
Download links are now in the comments!
Software used:
PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) Definitive English Patch by CosmicScale - Internet Archive
Open-PS2-Loader-Retro-GEM by CosmicScale - GitHub
OPL-Launcher by ps2homebrew - GitHub
POPStarter by krHACKen - PSX-Place
Retro-GEM-POPStarter-Starter by CosmicScale - GitHub
Retro-GEM-GameId-Resetter by CosmicScale - GitHub
Retro-GEM-PS2-Disc-Launcher by CosmicScale - GitHub
wLaunchELF by ps2homebrew - GitHub
PS2 DVD Player modifications by krHACKen - PSX-Place
Stunnel - stunnel dot org
Akmem by VA008536
Official Linux for PlayStation 2 Relesae 1.0
PrBoom
Music: Metal Gear Solid Main Theme (MGS3 version)

[@eyesvisionsight]

I honestly feel like with the right support and patience, this can and will replace the current mod offerings such as fmcb. so excited to try this.

[@phillvapez8285]

Love the look of this, so much smoother than standard, would love a walkthrough on the installation process

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

For starters, go to the Internet Archive and search for "PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) Definitive English Patch". I've written detailed instruction on how to get PSBBN up and running.

[@phillvapez8285]

@@CosmicScaleFactor thanks muchly

[@lain328]

The ending: And yes, it can play DOOM.

[@poptheweasel100]

This is my dream UI for the PS2. OPL works, but I've always been a big fan of fancy and unique UI design, and this one delivers in spades. The only thing stopping me from installing this right now are the HDD size limit and the lack of easy to use tools for installing games and art. If and when those aren't problems anymore, I'll be gladly installing this and running it as my main driver. Amazing work, and super happy to see it still being worked on in the modern day! Maybe in the future too, we can get even more functionality back online. I'd certainly love to try Nobunaga's Ambition Online someday... And of course I'm still hoping for an FFXI PS2 private server too lol

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

I haven't tried it myself yet but it looks like "PFS-BatchKit-Manager" has gone some way to make installing games easier. If things come together then support for larger drives might be possible in the near future. I'm currently working towards this.

[@JulianQuinn]

@@CosmicScaleFactor would you be open to making any tutorials for this? I'm very curious what the process is for installing games using PSBBN.

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

@@JulianQuinn I will definitely be making some PSBBN related tutorials in the future. Right now I'm working on a new way to install games that will make the whole process a lot easier.

[@PringoOrSomething]

Can you swap O and X

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

Unfortunately not. It's Japanese software and the buttons are hard coded.

[@JulianQuinn]

This is amazing dude =D

[@TheMrDeeJay]

Heya, wanna ask how you managed to setup a dualboot instance of PS2Linux alongside PSBBN, assuming this has to be installed separately and isn't included in the english patch

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

Yep, the patch is a translation of the stock Japanese PSBBN. All the extras like games and Linux need to be installed separately. Explaining how could take a whole video alone... but because PSBBN is a flashy interface running on top of Linux, you can modify the startup script to load a different kernel and point to a new root location. It's the best way to boot Linux on PS2 since the kernel loader that comes with PSBBN is practically identical to the one that comes with the official Linux kit. The only other alternative is the homebrew kernelloader app that lacks DMA support.

[@michaszymanski]

Amazing! How to setup DNS on PSSBN? Auto Config not working

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

There is not 'Auto Config'. Try setting the DNS to 8.8.8.8

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

My mistake, there is an auto setting for networking. I've just always used the manual setting. I've tried auto on my disk image and it works without issues. If you are having problems connecting to the PSBBN online channels then I suggest you check which PSBBN English version you have downloaded. You might have downloaded an old hack not developed by me, as somebody else in the comments did. Make sure to download from here archive.org/details/playstation-broadband-navigator-psbbn-definitive-english-patch-v1.0

[@michaszymanski]

@@CosmicScaleFactor Thanks for your answer. I definitely downloaded your version of PSBBN. I haven't solved the network problem yet when the new one from OPL Luncher appeared. I will show it on the example of SSX Tricky, maybe you can point out where I am making a mistake I installed the game on HDD, changed the partition name from "PP.SLES-50545.HDL.SSX_Tricky" to "__.SLES-50545.HDL.SSX_Tricky" I created a new partition "PP.SLES-50545.HDL.SSX_Tricky" . I prepared the EXECUTE.KELF file using kelftool. I sent the EXECUTE.KELF & system.cnf file to "PP.SLES-50545.HDL.SSX_Tricky" using HDL_Dump. In " PP.SLES-50545.HDL.SSX_Tricky" I created "res" where I placed info.sys & jkt_001.png and jkt_002.png. In Game Channel I see SSX Tricky but the game does not work.

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

@@michaszymanski did you also inject list.ico and icon.sys into the PP partition's header? It won't work without them. In any case, I'd recommend using PFS-BatchKit-Manager. It has an option to "Convert HDL Partition for PSBBN". As for the network issue, have you tried manual setup? Have you tried the "Change router settings" option and accessing google in the web browser? If all the settings are correct on PSBBN then it seems to me it's an issue with your router blocking access. The online channels are hosted on "psbbn.ru". Can you access this website on other devices that are connected to your network? Make sure you try http and not https when testing other devices. PS2 does not support secure websites.

[@michaszymanski]

@@CosmicScaleFactor Thank you very much ❤❤❤❤❤Thanks to PFS-BatchKit-Manager I installed several PS1 & PS2 games and they all work perfectly. Unfortunately, uLE & OPL installed with PFS-BatchKit-Manager do not work from BBN. ​​I will try to connect PS2 with PSBBN again in the week. EDIT: Ok, Network issues gone. Auto Config works.

[@pantsuteam]

Hello is this possible to transfer music/video via usb drive?

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

Unfortunately not. Movies need to be downloaded from an online game channel. Music can also be downloaded in the same way but nobody has figured out how yet. It's just ripping CD's for now.

[@PsihoRetrik]

If all this beauty worked with a 1 TB hard drive and 255 games installed on it😢

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

@@PsihoRetrik might be possible. Currently working on it

[@PsihoRetrik]

@@CosmicScaleFactor Thank you so much for your work! I hope everything works out...

[@EclipseBladeStudio]

Nice

[@lennon4710]

I've been trying to get this working. For whatever reason it just won't connect to the internet through PSBBN. Like, when I do the router setup, it kicks me out into Linux and I can load webpages there just fine, but trying to load the channels in PSBBN gives errors...

[@lennon4710]

Oh rather it's the PC Channel.

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

You have installed an old hack and not the PSBBN Definitive English Patch. Go to the Internet Archive and search for "PlayStation Broadband Navigator (PSBBN) Definitive English Patch" and make sure the download is by CosmicScale

[@waoooooooooooooo]

how would one go about having ps2 games in the game menu? (using OPL)

[@CosmicScaleFactor]

Search for "OPL-Launcher". You'll find it on GitHub. Follow the instruction set out in "Detailed guide for installing on PSX DESR / BB Navigator". You could also try "PFS-BatchKit-Manager" to install games, it will be a bit more automated but I haven't tried it that way myself. If you want Retro GEM Game ID support then use my custom build of OPL "Open-PS2-Loader-Retro-GEM", also on GitHub.

[@waoooooooooooooo]

@@CosmicScaleFactor thank you so much!!!