"Life Plus" Aibo Life (1 or 2) Plus, Explorer Plus

New: be sure to use the latest 'A' version for a bug fix that makes audio capture much more reliable. It should work with all known cores (even original model ERS-210s that haven't had a firmware update). If you still have problems with your AIBO crashing, please send me an email. The "Life Plus" family supplements existing AiboWare to add interesting new features, most significantly LAN support. Through the Wireless LAN you can use AiboScope LIVE! to observe what your AIBO is doing, in real time.
There are some other functionality tweeks (especially for AiboLife 1 Plus).

NOTE: unlike other AiboPet personalities, these are not RCode based, so they will not work on a $34 RCODE/PMS stick.

Supported AIBOs

You must own the proper red memory stick to install the Plus additions Do not try to install these additions to another stick. The $34 PMS/RCODE stick will NOT work. Before installing the software, be sure your stick has the proper "ERF-" number on the stick's label.

- Aibo Recognition (requires Recognition ERF-210AW06 stick)
- Aibo Life 2 (requires AiboLife 2 ERF-220AW01 stick)
- Explorer (requires Explorer ERF-220AW02 stick)
- Aibo Life 1 (requires AiboLife ERF-210AW01 stick)
- other models not supported

NOTE: also be sure to check out Patch Central for additional patches you can apply.

New feature: Camera Settings!

After you install the latest version (2.52) of LifePlus, you can run the \CUSTOM\PLUSCON.EXE program on the stick to set various things. One of the most important is the camera settings.

The simple way to adjust for dark rooms, is to set "Gain" to 3 (high gain) and the shutter speed to 1 (slow speed).

The more elaborate way is to run the CamCheck RCodePlus program on a PMS/RCODE stick first. Aim your AIBO at a colored background and take a lot of photos. Then examine the photos in your PC, and pick the right camera settings and then use PLUSCON to set them on your LifePlus stick.

Recognition Plus

Recognition Plus is adds the following features to a Recognition stick (ERF-210AW06):

LAN support for AiboScope LIVE! and AiboCam
NEW: Camera Settings Adjustment (use PLUSCON.EXE)
BONUS: ERS-220 mode

NOTE: the volume settings (using PLUSCON) and the top 10 voice command matches in AiboScope are not supported in the current version of Recognition Plus.

Required Hardware:

An ERS-210 model AIBO OR
An ERS-220 model AIBO (see disclaimer)
An Aibo Recognition stick (ERF-210AW06) - $99
A memory stick reader to install the software (Sony brand recommended)
A charging station (for self-charging) is recommended

BONUS FEATURE: ERS-220 support

The ERS-210 is officially supported by the Recognition AiboWare. The ERS-220 is suppored as a hack on top of the 210 support.
It (like all AiboPet AiboWare) is not officially supported or endorsed by Sony. When run in your ERS-220, it will act very much like an ERS-210.
The extra hardware of the 220 (extra LEDs, switches) is not exploited. The personality is the same "Barbie"-like personality.

I recommend trying it (at least once) on the ERS-220 if you already have the appropriate hardware/software (ie. you have a 210 and 220 and already have the Recognition stick). Although possible to use if you only have an ERS-220, I can not recommend it because it is a very incomplete hack. When run on a 220, it will often hang and not react to inputs. The "find the charger" feature appears to work rather well.

Installation:

NOTE: Recognition Plus is only available as a "patch", you must have the Recognition software already running on your stick.

Backup your Recognition stick as a safety precaution.
Check the pink stick and make sure it says "ERF-210AW06". Recognition Plus will not work on any other stick.
Put the stick into your computer's stick reader
Download RecognitionPlus252 'A'.zip (about 1/2 MB)
Unzip this file to the root of the memory stick. WinZip will ask you to replace existing files. Answer "Yes to all".
Perform any of the optional installation steps described below.
Put the memory stick inside your AIBO and start it up.
Play with your AIBO.

Optional Installation Steps:

For LAN support: Copy a working WLANCONF.TXT to the memory stick.
Tweek the features of your AIBO: run the \CUSTOM\PLUSCON.EXE program on your memory stick. Only the camera and volume settings can be changed.
Run ACustomZ to customize the sounds and Barbie's voice.

AiboLife 2 Plus

AiboLife 2 Plus is adds the following features to an AiboLife 2 stick (ERF-220AW01):

LAN support for AiboScope LIVE! and AiboCam
Volume level adjustments (use PLUSCON.EXE)
NEW: Camera Settings Adjustment (use PLUSCON.EXE)
Includes motion training fix (version 1.1 of AiboLife 2)
Does not alter the existing personality of your AIBO

Required Hardware:

An ERS-210 model AIBO OR
An ERS-220 model AIBO
An AiboLife 2 stick (ERF-220AW01) - $90
A memory stick reader to install the software (Sony brand recommended)

Installation:

NOTE: AiboLife 2 Plus is only available as a "patch", you must have the AiboLife 2 software already running on your stick.

Backup your AiboLife 2 stick as a safety precaution.
Check the pink stick and make sure it says "ERF-220AW01" (AiboLife any language). AiboLife 2 Plus will not work on any other stick.
Put the stick into your computer's stick reader
Download Life2Plus252 'A'.zip (about 1/2 MB)
Unzip this file to the root of the memory stick. WinZip will ask you to replace existing files. Answer "Yes to all".
Perform any of the optional installation steps described below.
Put the memory stick inside your AIBO and start it up.
Play with your AIBO.

Optional Installation Steps:

For LAN support: Copy a working WLANCONF.TXT to the memory stick.
Tweek the features of your AIBO: run the \CUSTOM\PLUSCON.EXE program on your memory stick. Only the camera and volume settings can be changed.

Explorer Plus

NOTE: the Explorer personality shares a lot with the Gentle/NiceGuy personality of AiboLife 2. Despite the name, Explorer Plus is considered a "Life Plus" enhancement. Explorer Plus is adds the following features to an Explorer stick (ERF-220AW02):

LAN support for AiboScope LIVE! and AiboCam
NEW: Camera Settings Adjustment (use PLUSCON.EXE)
Volume level adjustments (use PLUSCON.EXE)

Required Hardware:

An ERS-210 model AIBO OR
An ERS-220 model AIBO
An Explorer stick (ERF-220AW02) - $90
A memory stick reader to install the software (Sony brand recommended)

Installation:

NOTE: Explorer Plus is only available as a "patch", you must have the Explorer software already running on your stick.

Backup your Explorer stick as a safety precaution.
Check the pink stick and make sure it says "ERF-220AW02" (Explorer any language). Explorer Plus will not work on any other stick.
Put the stick into your computer's stick reader
Download ExplorerPlus252 'A'.zip (about 1/2 MB)
Unzip this file to the root of the memory stick. WinZip will ask you to replace existing files. Answer "Yes to all".
Perform any of the optional installation steps described below.
Put the memory stick inside your AIBO and start it up.
Play with your AIBO.

Optional Installation Steps:

For LAN support: Copy a working WLANCONF.TXT to the memory stick.
Tweek the features of your AIBO: run the \CUSTOM\PLUSCON.EXE program on your memory stick. Only the camera and volume settings can be changed.

AiboLife 1 Plus

AiboLife 1 Plus is adds the following features to an AiboLife 1 stick (ERF-210AW01):

LAN support for AiboScope LIVE! and AiboCam
Volume level adjustments (use PLUSCON.EXE)
NEW: Camera Settings Adjustment (use PLUSCON.EXE)
Other PLUSCON.EXE features:
- Freeze evolution and Freeze personality changes
- Behavior options for freeze name-registration
- Behavior options for quick name-registration and quick photo

Required Hardware:

An ERS-210 model AIBO (other models not supported)
An AiboLife 1 stick (ERF-210AW01) - $50
A memory stick reader to install the software (Sony brand recommended)

Installation:

NOTE: AiboLife1 Plus is only available as a "patch", you must have the AiboLife or AiboLife1 Plus (2.50) software already running on your stick. It will not change any of the personality settings.
NOTE: if you have a very old (before 2002) release of AiboLife1 Plus, you should restore a "virgin" stick image before proceeding .

Backup your AiboLife 1 stick as a safety precaution.
Check the pink stick and make sure it says "ERF-210AW01" (AiboLife any language). AiboLife 1 Plus will not work on any other stick.
Put the stick into your computer's stick reader
Download Life1Plus252 'A'.zip (about 1/2 MB)
Unzip this file to the root of the memory stick. WinZip will ask you to replace existing files. Answer "Yes to all".
Perform any of the optional installation steps described below.
Put the memory stick inside your AIBO and start it up.
Play with your AIBO.

Optional Installation Steps:

For LAN support: Copy a working WLANCONF.TXT to the memory stick.
Tweek the features of your AIBO: run the \CUSTOM\PLUSCON.EXE program on your memory stick. See below for details.
For a different personality: Use the Browser's Brain Surgery feature to change the stage/personality if you don't want a Gentle/NiceGuy adult.
For a different language: download the proper language addon and unzip it on top of the existing stick:

AiboLife 1 Plus - PLUSCON.EXE

These features impact the functionality of the AIBO software by selectively turning off things you may not like. If you turn off all the features (and set the Volume levels to Default), the AiboLifePlus personality will function just like a normal AiboLife personality.

Camera Settings

See instructions at the top of the page.

Evolution Control

Freeze Evolution - will prevent AIBO from evolving to a new stage
Freeze Personality Changes - will prevent AIBO from changing personality
These are normally used together (either both on or both off)

Volume Control

Use the four sliders to adjust the volume of the four preset volume levels. After adjusting the levels, you can use the AIBO recharging station to pick which of the four levels you wish.
The buttons "Loud", "Quiet" and "Default" will set good initial values. You can adjust the levels from there.
NOTE: Using the "Loud" setting for a long time may be bad for your AIBO's speaker and your nerves (it is very loud).

Behavior Control

Quick Pictures - just say "Take a Picture". AIBO will take a picture and give the snapshot sound (no head bopping or head pressing required).
Quick Name Registration - just say "Name Registration" - wait for a single gesture (instead of three) and start recording the new name (no head pressing required).
Freeze Name Registration - will disable the "Name Registration" command (even if the dog is unnamed).

NOTE: turning on "Quick Name Registration" will make it easier for AIBO to be accidentally renamed. If this is a problem, use the "Freeze Name Registration" option.

Customized Sounds

If you have customized your boot sound, you should copy the BOOT.WAV file from your backup. This file is found in the "\OPEN-R\MW\DATA\P" folder.
If you have system sound ("SysODA") customization of the very old AiboLife Plus (1.1 or 1.3), please use the ACustomZ tool instead.

FunPack owners

If you update the software on your AiboLife stick, the AIBO Fun Pack may complain about corrupt files.

The Fun Pack will warn you with a "File check" alert, and ask you whether to "Restore Files" or "Cancel". Do not Restore Files. Select Cancel instead. Follow the instructions below to update the backup copy on your hard drive. You will only have to do this once.

To update the backup copy

Steps:

Put the AiboLife memory stick in the stick reader

Run the Fun Pack

In the Fun Pack main screen, pick the "Tools" button

Select "Export AIBO Data" and save the AIBO's data to a file (saves diary data and photos)
NOTE: if you have multiple personalities, you will have to pick the right one

Now select, "Erase AIBO Data". This will erase the AIBO's diary as well as the memory stick backup

Select "Import AIBO Data" and pick the file you saved earlier. This will restore the diary info

Next time you insert the memory stick, it will backup what is on there now (eg: AiboLife Plus)

If the AIBO diary information is not important to you, skip steps saving and restoring and just Erase AIBO Data.