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→Overview: mentioned custom firmware its usually abberivation
'''Flashcarts'''- ''Flashcarts'' <sup>(FC)</sup> are specialized cartridges that uses flash memory rather than read-only memory, meaning that it's reprogrammable. These are only available for cartridge-based systems as newer disc-based systems have <abbr title="Digital Right Managment>DRM</abbr> protections installed to only allow the disc reader to accept certain disc formats (meaning you can't simply burn a game image to a CD and expect it to work).
'''Modding''' - Modding (sometimes referred as "homebrew-ing" or "hacking") usually exploits some flaw in the system in order to achieve things that were never intended, in most cases to allow to load games from an external device to the system or launch "homebrew" applications. Oftentimes this involves installing custom firmware (CFW) to help maintain full control over the system after being exploited. There are two types of modding:
* ''Softmod'' <sup>(SM)</sup> - Exploits a flaw found in a game or the systems software. Softmodding is usually safer and easier to perform in most cases, but there's still always that risk of bricking your console.
* ''Hardmod'' <sup>(HM)</sup> - Exploits a flaw found in the consoles hardware. Requires you to open up your console and perform some modification to the board itself. May involve some soldering, but isn't always the case. A popular form of hardmodding is the installation of [[wikipedia:Modchip|modchips]] in order to bypass DRM protections on disc-based consoles, or installing SD/USB readers to systems that lack them in order to load homebrew applications. These are normally more technical and have a higher chance of bricking/damaging your console.
