Hacking ...all my research has gone to crap, please advise

[Fondue]

Real quick before I start being flamed. I have researched the products, product reviews, product installation and procedures, flashing, shorting, all that good stuff and have used the Search function of the forums to the best of my ability. (It is difficult to do searches since many products are listed in each post, but I found useful information regardless.)

Hello, I am looking to make a few purchases in the near future.

1. A DSLite
2. Backup game/homebrew software/media player hardware(s?)

But I am confused as to what to purchase. I seem to be most confused when it comes to the actual function of the pieces of hardware.

(Note: Actual function does not equal "features". (Can play movies/whatever.) Actual function = "in the grand scheme of all that is playing something other than DS carts, what is the said hardware device actually doing? Is it flashing the memory? Is it tricking the unit into thinking a DS game is being played so that another piece of hardware can flash DS?

 

[Dirtie]

If you intend to go with a newer "Boot hardware" device (a so called "nopass") like the Passcard 3 you mentioned, you do not require a "DS cart to suppliment 'Boot hardware'".

Otherwise everything else you hit right on the nail.

 

[Lily]

1. DS Lite is definitely the way to go. It makes the original DS look like an old turd.

2. There are two solutions for the DS Lite on the way - the EZ-Flash IV Lite, which will use removable media and stick out 0.8mm from the unit. The other is the G6 Lite, which will not use removable media, and therefore will sit completely flush with the unit. However, as all things with technology, if you wait long enough, something will always superscede what you decide to purchase.

3. Using a PassCard to flash your DS Lite will be fine.

4. Buying a DS Cart isn't necessary if you buy a PassCard, but it will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

5. FlashMe is the most popular way to go. I don't use it myself, but it's certainly the most convenient. Make sure you have a tiny screwdriver or a foil-wrapped toothpick to complete the SL1 bridge.

 

[jon_jon]

You mentioned the M3 Perfect SD Lite. An alternative is the M3 Perfect mini-SD which is funtionally the same, but is slightly smaller in size and uses mini-SD instead of the regular SD.

 

[Fondue]

Awesome replies everyone, thank you very much.

Judging by my research, the EZ-Flash lines do not seem to be the way to go. I came across 3 people that swore by them, but everyone else said that they were not so great. (Namely compatibility was lacking, and many people claimed that support was poor. Not sure how valid those statements are.)

As for the G6 Lite, I had not heard about it, but I seem to recall reading about other G6 products, and they were very expensive. I also wonder if space will be an issue on their units. (Since they have to max out somewhere.) (I think I recall them having a 512 and 2GB version.) Anyway, I will look into that.

Again, thank you very much for the replies. If you have any other information to add, feel free to do so.

 

[knutjob]

I've seen the G6 in the 2G and 4G configs. If I'm not mistaken they are 2 and 4 gigabits not bytes. So they have 256 and 512 Megabytes capacity. I'd go with and m3 unit sd slim (have this works great) or minisd(waiting on delivery).

nds games could fill up one of those carts really quick. they'd be fine in a gba unit.

 

[Dirtie]

There's nothing wrong with the EZ-Flash series - the naysayers are just spreading rumours and uunsubstantiated claims. I couldn't be more happy with my EZ-Flash 4.

 

[kelvinate]

you might want to factor price in to it as well, the flashing option is often cheaper and at some countries (eg hong kong) they might be willing to do the flashing for you. so saving you on the price on a passme/original game.

 

[faceless]

the only thing wrong with the ez4 is most people don't own one, and people like to promote what card they own...

 

[kutis]

And just incase I screw up somewhere in my purchasing plan, here is my purchasing plan:

1. DSLite (Seems to be superior to old model.)
2. M3 Perfect SD-Lite (Relatively small, is compatible with DS and other platforms and has good media support.) (By the way, anything smaller coming up? Ideally, I would like to have everything flush with my DS Lite (Nothing sticking out.), but I do not know if that will be possible in the near future. (Or possible at all actually. I hear even regular GBA carts stick out.)
3. Passcard 3 (...simply because it is new and I plan to take "Branch B-Flash" and flash my DS Lite. Power saving and the "not having to carry around a lot of things" philosophy that I have.)
4. DS Cart (Probably brain age, because I like that stuff.)
5. FlashMe (Because of its malware protection and the other things I mentioned in number 3.)


1. correct
2. M3 mini-SD - and i think ones with micro-SD are coming up
3. passcard3 or max media launcher or something cheaper that works (i borrowed mine from a friend), whichever is cheaper, coz after u flash it, u wont use it anymore
4. get Big Brain Academy.. its way way better than brain age...

5. flashme v7 (ds lite)
CODE>md5.exe flashme.nds
FA220267EDB05F4386025D97E2168F3F Âflashme.nds

 

[Fondue]

One thing that kind of sucks is that I am in Japan right now, so I would need to purchase a Japanese DS Lite and hope that these companies can ship items to Japan. (And hope that everything is compatible with the Japanese DSLite)

Anyway, thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Fondue]

As I mentioned previously, I am in Japan. I have been looking around at stores, and cannot seem to find any DS Lites anywhere. Why is Japan still sold out? There are signs everywhere that say "We do not know when we will get the next shipments of DS Lites in." (But toys R Us Japan has a hopeful "Come by on August 5th to buy your DS Lite." They even posted the number of DS Lites they will have and how many of each different color they will have. 46 ice blues, 34 pinks, 120 whites, etc.)

Anyway, is there anyone who knows whether or not a Japanese DS Lite is compatible with the hardware/software I previously described in this post?

For example: If you have imported a Japanese light and have performed an action similar to what I described in my first post, please tell me.

And what is up with this cracking problem I have heard about?


(Sorry about the stupid questions. I have not had an internet connection for the past week, and I am currently running on a, ...get ready... *WIRELESS* DIALUP connection. So it cuts out AND is slow as hell. It seems like I use the wireless to attach to their network which uses dialup internet. It is free for me, so I cannot really complain, but my friend who owns this place actually has to PAY for this crap. *No offense to the local dialup users.* =p ) So anyway, it takes forever to load a page, if the page even loads. I am lucky that I am even able to write this message. But will it successfully submit? Let's find out... ...

 

[nintendofreak]

Anyway, is there anyone who knows whether or not a Japanese DS Lite is compatible with the hardware/software I previously described in this post?

AFAIK, DS'es dont have regions

so it shouldnt be a problem what you buy.

 

[Fondue]

So is flashing it with Flashme ok?

Here is my situation:

I have a Japanese DS Lite. I want to flash it and throw flashme on it.

Will the OS change to English?

(I am assuming that it will, but I do not want to assume anything.)

I might need to make a new topic for this question.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Fondue]

I just realized that I am a dumbass.

The DS Lite has a built in language toggle.

So it is completely irrelevent.

So, everything should work fine.

Anyway, I did manage to find some DS Light's. My friend got a pink one, and I got a navy blue one.

I am glad everything is working out.

Thanks for your help everyone, I really really appreciate it.

This is kind of off topic, but my friend picked up a "learn english" game. I hope those types of games come out in the U.S. (Learning other languages obviously. ...or perhaps an "improve your english" game...) That game prepares you for the official english test (TOELC, or something like that.) It looks pretty fun. (Beats the hell out of reading a book.) She also got a cooking game (Not so much a game) but it teaches you recipes. It calls things out like "Chop celery like in the picture above" then you voice out if you did it, then it moves on to the next step in the recipe. Pretty bad ass in my opinion. A cook book that does not require constant finding where you last were in the recipe, and requires no physical interaction. (For when your hands are covered in flaming pieces of bacon.) "Could you please repeat the last step?"

Again everyone, thanks for the input. I feel prepared.