PlayStation Broadband Navigator (also referred to as BB Navigator and PSBBN) was a

software program A computer program is a sequence or set of instructions in a programming language for a computer to execute. Computer programs are one component of software, which also includes documentation and other intangible components. A computer program i ...

for

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...

consoles that provides an interface for manipulating data on

HDD Unit.

History

* PSBBN version 0.10 - This prerelease version was released and bundled with Japanese PlayStation 2 BB Units (Network Adaptor and HDD bundle packs) in early 2002, replacing HDD Utility Disc 1.00. It lacked the ability to store and manage game saves on the HDD that HDD Utility Disc had. * PSBBN version 0.20 was released in late 2002. It added functions to the interface of the software, including the ability to update itself to new versions over a broadband internet connection and management for game saves. * PSBBN version 0.30 was released in mid-2003. It added access to Sony's feega service (which is used to bill the monthly fee for some online games) and an

e-mail Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is a method of exchanging messages ("mail") between people using electronic devices. Email was thus conceived as the electronic ( digital) version of, or counterpart to, mail, at a time when "mail" meant ...

program. Version 0.31 was released in late 2003, fixing an exploit. * PSBBN version 0.32 was released in early 2004 and is the most up-to-date version. The only change appears to be the removal of the Audio Player option inside the Music Channel, which allows to transfer music between the HDD and a MiniDisc player in earlier PSBBN versions. Online services pertaining to the software closed on March 31, 2016.

Restrictions

The PlayStation Broadband Navigator installation disc is reported to have a more strict

region lock A regional lockout (or region coding) is a class of digital rights management preventing the use of a certain product or service, such as multimedia or a hardware device, outside a certain region or territory. A regional lockout may be enforced ...

on it than normal PlayStation 2 software, as the software will only boot on

NTSC-J NTSC-J is the informal designation for the analogue television standard used in Japan. The system is based on the US NTSC (NTSC-M) standard with minor differences. While NTSC-M is an official CCIR and FCCNational Television System Committee (1 ...

systems with a model number ending in 0 (systems that are sold only in Japan), making the software unusable on

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

n and

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

PlayStation 2 consoles. Furthermore, the software will not operate if a non-Sony brand

network adapter A network interface controller (NIC, also known as a network interface card, network adapter, LAN adapter or physical network interface, and by similar terms) is a computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network. Ear ...

is installed in the console.

Features

PlayStation Broadband Navigator offers many features that are not available with the default PS2 Navigator. Some Japanese releases take advantage of these features and may even require a specific version (or higher) of the software. *The features of the software include: *# Game Channel *#* Access to online sites, similar to web pages, for various ISPs and software publishers (only in version 0.20 and higher) *#** Downloadable game demos or full games (ex. ''Pop'n Taisen Puzzle-dama'' Online demo, ''Star Soldier'' BB full game, ''Milon's Secret Castle'' full game) *#** Downloadable picture and movie files *#** Information pages on past, current, and future releases and services *#* A launching point for bootable games installed to the HDD *# NetFront 3.0, a

Linux Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, which ...

-based web browser *# Music Channel *#* Provides a tool to convert an audio CD to audio files on the HDD *#* Provides an organization system for audio files stored on the HDD and a means to play them *#* Provides a means to transfer audio files between a MiniDisc player and the HDD over a USB connection (only in versions 0.20 through 0.31) *# Photo Channel *#* Provides an organization system for picture files stored on the HDD and a means to view them *#* Provides a means to transfer picture files between most USB storage devices and the HDD *# Movie Channel *#* Provides an organization system for video files stored on the HDD and a means to view them *# feega account management (only in versions 0.30 and up; required for ''Net de Bomberman'' and ''Minna no Golf'' Online)

Non-Japanese Release

Sony Computer Entertainment America released the HDD on March 23, 2004 with HDD Utility Disc 1.01 and was bundled with ''

Final Fantasy XI also known as ''Final Fantasy XI Online'', is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), originally developed and published by Squaresoft and then published by Square Enix as the eleventh main installment of the ''Final Fantasy ...

.'' Consumers that were aware of the PlayStation Broadband Navigator were confused as to why it wasn't included with the HDD Utility Disc. SCEA's response was always that the PlayStation Broadband Navigator would be released in North America "at a later date." Ultimately, the Broadband Navigator was never released outside of Japan, as

Sony Computer Entertainment Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company wholly owned by multinational conglomerate Sony. The SIE Group is made up of two legal co ...

switched to only manufacturing the slim PlayStation 2 models, which never supported the HDD and furthermore and later ending the manufacturing of HDD units for the North American region. Furthermore, the HDD was never released in European regions by SCEE, with the exception of the Linux Kit. The Broadband Navigator can be used on any PS2 by using a fan created modified/cracked build.

Compatible Software

See

PlayStation 2 Expansion Bay The PlayStation 2 Expansion Bay is a 3.5" drive bay introduced with the model 30000 and 50000 PlayStation 2 (replacing the PCMCIA slot used in the models 10000, 15000 and 18000, and removed with the slimline model 70000) designed for the netwo ...

References

External links

Unofficial English Manual for PSBBN 0.20-0.32Official SCEA PlayStation 2 HDD Message Board (Closed as of June 14, 2005)
Broadband Navigator {{PlayStation-stub