**This is not written by me and I have permission to use it on PSPMOD from jx233** **Also like to thank jx233 for his hard work on this FAQ** Original post
Motherboard FAQ/Guide written by jx233.
Here is a list of PSPs and their motherboards.
Go
here for more information.
If you want to use this guide on another
forum/website, send me a
private message.
If you know nothing about the PSP and are new to PSP, then click here before reading this FAQ / Guide.
I'll update this thread from time to time.
PSP-1000 / PSP 01g / PSP Phat / PSP Fat: Motherboard: TA-079 V1
Information: Found in the first launch PSPs. Ships with Version 1.00.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00140000, Baryon: 0x00306000, Pommel: 0x00000103
Runs Custom Firmware? Of course, this is the PSP that shipped with Version 1.00 in which unsigned code could be run from! If it is updated to Version 1.51 or
higher, custom firmware cannot be installed unless through the Pandora's Battery method.
Makes a Pandora Battery? Yes, it does.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 1.00.
Motherboard: TA-079 V2
Information: Found in launch PSPs. Ships with Version 1.00/1.50.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00200000, Baryon: 0x00306000, Pommel: 0x00000103
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes, all PSPs with a TA-079 motherboard can unless updated to Version 1.51 or
higher. Up to Version 3.50, a downgrader can be used. Afterwards, the Pandora's Battery method must be used.
Makes a Pandora Battery? Yes, it does.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 1.00.
Motherboard: TA-079 V3
Information: Found in launch PSPs. Ships with Version 1.00/1.50/1.51/1.52/2.00.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00200000, Baryon: 0x00040600, Pommel: 0x00000103
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes, all PSPs with a TA-079 motherboard can unless updated to Version 1.51 or
higher. Up to Version 3.50, a downgrader can be used. Afterwards, the Pandora's Battery method must be used.
Makes a Pandora Battery? Yes, it does.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 1.00.
Motherboard: TA-081
Information: This came out later after launch. It can natively run Version 1.50 like the previous PSPs. It most likely shipped with Version 2.00 or higher.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00300000, Baryon: 0x00040600, Pommel: 0x00000103
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes it can be installed, through a downgrader running on to Version 3.50 or lower. Once downgraded, it can be updated to custom firmware. The other method to get to custom firmware is through the Pandora's Battery method.
Makes a Pandora Battery? Yes, it does.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 1.00.
Motherboard: TA-082
Information: This one had a
ClockGen change in the hardware. As a result of that, TA-082 models were bricking when downgraded to Version 1.50. Patching the the TA-082's key 0x05 in its
idstorage will allow Version 1.50 to boot. Through the Pandora's Battery method, everything was patched
properly to
allow this PSP to be downgraded safely to Version 1.50. This model originally shipped with Version 2.60. It then shipped with Version 2.71 and then Version 2.80.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00400000, Baryon: 0x00114000, Pommel: 0x00000112
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes, when downgraded to Version 1.50, and through that version it can be updated to custom firmware. The other way to get custom firmware is through the Pandora's Battery method.
Makes a Pandora Battery? Yes, it does.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 2.60. Lower versions can be run, but
idstorage key 0x05 must be patched to run Version 2.50 and lower.
Motherboard: TA-086
Information: This has everything that a TA-082 motherboard has. The difference between this and the TA-082 is that this one had a LCD change. s0nY added new LCD modules to this PSP. When safely downgraded to 1.50, it presents the user with a white screen, that is result of the LCD module change. Pressing the brightness button on this PSP fixes the problem when running Version 1.50 on this PSP. This was s0nY's last PSP-1000 motherboard before the release of the PSP-2000. PSPs with a TA-086 motherboard initially shipped with Version 2.71, then Version 2.81, and later came with Version 3.51.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00400000, Baryon: 0x00121000, Pommel: 0x00000112
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes, after being downgraded to Version 1.50 using whatever method possible; this PSP then can be updated to custom firmware from Version 1.50. It can have custom firmware installed through the Pandora's Battery method.
Makes a Pandora Battery? Yes, it does.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 2.60. Older versions can be run , but the
idstorage key 0x05 must patched before reverting to an older version lower than Version 2.60.
PSP-2000 / PSP 02g / PSP Slim and Lite: 
Motherboard: TA-085
Information: It was found in the first PSP Slim models. It shipped with Version 3.60. It could not be downgraded to Version 1.50 because it would brick on that version and the hardware on this model was specifically made for later versions. Its
idstorage was unlike of a PSP-1000, the PSP-2000
idstorage was encrypted.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00500000, Baryon: 0x0022B200, Pommel: 0x00000123
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes, but it can have custom firmware installed only through the Pandora's Battery method which unlocked service mode on the PSP. Through the Pandora's Battery method, any firmware version can be installed, and that includes custom firmware.
Makes a Pandora Battery? Its the only PSP-2000 motherboard capable of doing so.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 3.60.
Motherboard: TA-085 V2
Information: This one is nearly identical to the TA-085 motherboard, but this one takes away the ability to make a Pandora Battery (battery EEPROM writing functions removed). This type of PSP shipped with Version 3.72, then Version 3.73, and finally Version 3.80.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00500000, Baryon: 0x00234000, Pommel: 0x00000123
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes, but it can have custom firmware installed only through the Pandora's Battery method.
Makes a Pandora Battery? No, battery writing functions were removed from this motherboard and
all PSP motherboards afterwards.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 3.60.
Motherboard: TA-088 V1
Information: This one had a new feature addded to it. It had heatsink shielding added which would protect vital parts of the PSP if it overheated. This was once referred to as the "TA-085 V3". The PSP with a TA-088 motherboard shipped with Version 3.71, and then Version 3.80, then Version 3.90, and finally Version 3.95.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00500000, Baryon: 0x00243000, Pommel: 0x00000123
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes, but custom firmware only can be installed through the Pandora's Battery method.
Makes a Pandora Battery? No.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 3.60.
Motherboard: TA-088 V2
Information: This one was a surprise from s0nY. It fails to boot the Pandora's Battery application Despertar del Cementerio (Universal Unbricker) that uses the 1.50 + 3.40 kernel subset. Despertar del Cementerio v1-v5 used the 1.50 + 3.40 kernel subset. The older PSP-2000 motherboards could run Version 1.50, but only with 3.40 hardware modules. This motherboard used a new CPU designed for higher firmwares so even Version 1.50 with 3.40 hardware modules could not load. This presented a problem as custom firmware installation on PSP-2000 models used the 1.50 + 3.40 kernel subset. Esteemed developer Dark_Alex released Despertar del Cementerio v6 to enable installation of custom firmware on the PSP with this motherboard. PSPs that shipped to stores with this motherboard came with either Version 3.90 or Version 3.95.
Technical Information: Tachyon: 0x00500000, Baryon: 0x00243000, Pommel: 0x00000123
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes, but custom firmware can only can be installed through the Pandora's Battery method.
Makes a Pandora Battery? No.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 3.60.
Motherboard: TA-088 V3
Information: Known as the "unhackable PSP". It ships to stores with Version 4.01 or Version 4.05. It patched the exploit that the Pandora's Battery method used. It also added a new CPU and new motherboard layout. Not only were there hardware changes, but this motherboard received a software change in its IPL (Initial Program Loader) layout for its firmware (operating system/ system software).
Runs Custom Firmware? No, so please don't ask if it does.
Makes a Pandora Battery? No.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 4.00.
Motherboard: TA-090 V1
Information: The TA-090 V1 is found in refurbished PSPs. People began finding them when they got their after they sent their bricked/broken PSP-2000 models to get fixed by s0nY. The version it probably came with/returned to was Version 4.05. Very little is known about its Version. s0nY just updates the fixed PSPs to the latest version.
Runs Custom Firmware? Yes, it is nearly identical to the TA-088 V2 motherboard, so custom firmware can be installed through the Pandora's Battery method. Just like the TA-088 V2, it fails to boot Despertar del Cementerio V5 and
lower.
Makes a Pandora Battery? No.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 3.60.
PSP-3000 / PSP 03g / PSP Brite: 
Motherboard: TA-090 V2
Information: This is the motherboard found in retail/store bought PSP-3000 units. It patched the hardware exploit which the Pandora's Battery method used. This motherboard has a new layout just like the TA-088 V3 motherboard found in the PSP-2000. The new layout was s0nY's anticipatory move against people who
hard-mod their PSPs. This motherboard also has a new IC (Internal Control) microchip which no longer allows a
soft-modded and
hard-modded Pandora Battery to autostart service mode on the PSP. This motherboard treats a Pandora Battery as either a regular or unknown battery. Considering that this motherboard blocks a Pandora Battery from starting the PSP, and it blocking the loading of the MagicStick IPL (Initial Program Loader); this is currently most secure motherboard known. And concering its firmware version, it shipped with Version 4.20 or Version 4.21 depending on the region and date created.
Runs Custom Firmware? No, it is secure and blocks the Pandora's Battery method; which is the
only way to get custom firmware installed on the PSP-3000 units. Even if custom firmware is
successfully installed (only possible through a Homebrew Enabler loaded via an exploit), it will still brick the PSP with this motherboard, because the Custom IPL (Initial Program Loader) used in custom firmware is not compatible with its CPU (Central Processing Unit). Also, the Pre-IPL (it starts the IPL) in the PSP-3000 was patched, so Custom IPL could no longer work with this motherboard. Further study
must be done on this motherboard before custom firmware can be installed on it.
Makes a Pandora Battery? No.
What lowest Version can it run? Version 4.20.
Credits:
Thanks to erland for providing tachyon + baryon + pommel information.
Thanks to angelsniper45 for stickying my thread.
Thanks to every member in the PSP Scene that obtained tachyon + baryon + pommel information.
Thanks to anyone else I did not mention.
Some things that I've read and thought would be useful:
Daxter Silver PSP Slim and Lite (Motherboards: TA-085, TA-085 V2, TA-088 V1, TA-088 V2)
Star Wars White PSP Slim and Lite (Motherboards: TA-085, TA-085 V2, TA-088 V1)
God-of War Red PSP Slim and Lite (Motherboards: TA-085 V2, TA-088 V1, TA-088 V2)
TA-079
TA-081
TA-082
TA-085
TA-086
TA-088
TA-090
- Tachyon - Possibly the version of the chip which contains the CPU, ME and GPU.
- Baryon - Version number of the PSP's System Control chip.
- Pommel - The PSP's GPIO/watchdog which handles system events and shuts down in the event of a crash.
- Kirk - The PSP's main decryption/verification chip.
- Spock - The secondary decryption chip, only used to decrypt data from the UMD discs.
Getting to know your PSP Motherboards.
Linear Mode
