# New Japanese Wii Motherboard Blocks Modchips



## Opium (May 25, 2007)

*New Japanese Wii Motherboard Blocks Modchips*

New Motherboard, Three Pins Removed














A new Wii motherboard has shown up in Japan which blocks current modchips. The revised motherboard has three pins removed from one of the chips which renders modchips useless. There have been several reports of these motherboards appearing, however they are limited to only Japan for the time being.





			
				xanonwk said:
			
		

> Wii NTSC-J cut pins, you can't MOD it any more
> 
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> ...




If you're interested in modchips it might be wise to pick up a Wii now rather than later.






Source


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## chillyp (May 25, 2007)

I saw this coming when the first modchips were released. It wasn't going to take long for Nintendo to stop people from using the service pins from manufacturing to mod their Wiis. I was surprised that they haven't attempted to release firmware which detects them.


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## FAST6191 (May 25, 2007)

Interesting development, wonder if it is just pins moved or whether you will have to etch down and solder on chip (which is about as fun as it sounds).


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## chillyp (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(FAST6191 @ May 25 2007 said:


> Interesting development, wonder if it is just pins moved or whether you will have to etch down and solder on chip (which is about as fun as it sounds).



Looks like the pins have been sliced off the IC completely, judging by the soldering they probably did it just after programming it with initial firmware. Wouldn't this potentially make it harder to service bricked Wiis? I suppose Nintendo has weighed that up against the cost of losing software sales.


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## Da Foxx (May 25, 2007)

As I already own a Wii thats has a modchip installed this doesn't bother me right now. I just hope they find a way around this new mother board in case of something.


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## thegame07 (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE said:
			
		

> Looks like the pins have been sliced off the IC completely, judging by the soldering they probably did it just after programming it with initial firmware. Wouldn't this potentially make it harder to service bricked Wiis? I suppose Nintendo has weighed that up against the cost of losing software sales.



everything gets cracked 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 nintendo are just making teams like wiikey more money. The people who make modchips will be rubbing thier hands together because they will just make more money if they come up with a new modchip first... Nintendo will still lose.


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## Da Foxx (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(thegame07 @ May 25 2007 said:


> QUOTE said:
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Yep. All they are doing is buying them selfs time.


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## shtonkalot (May 25, 2007)

Finally some picture confirmation.
Maybe they can still be soldered to? It's not clear in the picture whether they are sheared off flush and still have the 'points' available to solder to.


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## leetdude_007 (May 25, 2007)

Interesting turn of events. I will be watching for the next couple of years before I get the Wii... possibly even the PS3... gasp! (hey, I have to fold my proteins)


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## Teun (May 25, 2007)

Hmm, how long untill somebody gives us a new modchip?


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## shtonkalot (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(Teun @ May 25 2007 said:


> Hmm, how long untill somebody gives us a new modchip?


I guess that's the big question. Hopefully we will see some progress on a proper modchip for the Wii that will allow homebrew code to be run.


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## kaoken (May 25, 2007)

cant you just re attach the pins?


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## Gestahl (May 25, 2007)

Is there something worth playing on Wii anyway?


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## Tomobobo (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(Gestahl @ May 25 2007 said:


> Is there something worth playing on Wii anyway?



Strikers.  And Gamecube.


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## Muskusrat (May 25, 2007)

Might have to get me a PAL Wii soon then, always wanted one but was waiting for a Wii with DVD playback or at least untill better modchip where released. O well we just wait and see what happens, there is bount to be a new modchip for the Wii anyway since there is a 'large' market for it I hope.


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## Harsky (May 25, 2007)

Out of curiousity, what is 188 and Golden anyways?


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## cory1492 (May 25, 2007)

Bah, I fixed such a cut IC in a radio shack calculator when I was 14, using a woodburning iron no less. I more recently did the language/firmware mod on a epoxy bumped R4... makes it harder to mod, but far from impossible, since they still leave the internal legs and plenty of room to get at the manually cut off connections.

kaoken: not quite so simply unless they were really sloppy in cutting them, you have to have something to re-attach them to first. You risk the chip "making" space to attach to if they left none, though with the right tools what is left in that picture I could solder to if I had to (wouldn't be very sturdy or reliable though).

* in all honesty, it looks like a stop-gap until a board redesign *


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## Harsky (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(cory1492 @ May 25 2007 said:


> Bah, I fixed such a cut IC in a radio shack calculator when I was 14, using a woodburning iron no less. I more recently did the language/firmware mod on a epoxy bumped R4... makes it harder to mod, but far from impossible, since they still leave the internal legs and plenty of room to get at the manually cut off connections.
> 
> kaoken: not quite so simply unless they were really sloppy in cutting them, you have to have something to re-attach them to first. You risk the chip "making" space to attach to if they left none, though with the right tools what is left in that picture I could solder to if I had to (wouldn't be very sturdy or reliable though).
> 
> * in all honesty, it looks like a stop-gap until a board redesign *


Strange. What is this mod you can perform on an epoxy bump on the R4 that you are talking about? I bought an R4 from Hong Kong and I noticed it was also just a blob of the black stuff but this was before the PCB revision and I could still mod it.


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## nephdj (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(thegame07 @ May 25 2007 said:


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Nintendo is stopping the mod chip people from going into a mass production, mod chip people proberly only make as much as they can sell, Because they know of revision
If nintendo didnt revise, they could be making unlimited ammount of chips at a fraction of the price and make a huge profit (proberly many times more then now)


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## adgloride (May 25, 2007)

Heard about this yesturday on the board.  Great to see a picture though.  Looks like it might be a good idea to buy a few wiis, then chip them.  Wait 6 months to make sure all the wiis have the new mobo, then charge loads for a chipped wii.


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## megatron_lives (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE said:
			
		

> adglorideÂ 	Posted Today, 11:06 AM
> Â 	Heard about this yesturday on the board. Great to see a picture though. Looks like it might be a good idea to buy a few wiis, then chip them. Wait 6 months to make sure all the wiis have the new mobo, then charge loads for a chipped wii.



Genius! 

Or be the first to come up with the next gen mod chip! Whoever does is gonna make a killing in Japan and everywhere else if this is a sign of change


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## shakirmoledina (May 25, 2007)

why don't Nintendo just stop companies from making the mod chip rather than preventing it (Cut them at the source). And why is Gbatemp talking about legit and illegitimate game on the site, aren't they against it or else not supporting it?


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## TLSpartan (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(shakirmoledina @ May 25 2007 said:


> why don't Nintendo just stop companies from making the mod chip rather than preventing it (Cut them at the source). And why is Gbatemp talking about legit and illegitimate game on the site, aren't they against it or else not supporting it?



Beacuse *those* companies always say they release the chips for the use of "backups".


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## thegame07 (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(shakirmoledina @ May 25 2007 said:


> why don't Nintendo just stop companies from making the mod chip rather than preventing it (Cut them at the source). And why is Gbatemp talking about legit and illegitimate game on the site, aren't they against it or else not supporting it?




No they are all for it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 why would they be against it when this site is about flash cards and rom releases.Also the reason nintendo cant get rid of modchips is because modchips are not illegal in every single country. Lets just say a modchip is made in china and then we buy it online. ITs not the company that make the modchips fault is it.


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## adgloride (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(shakirmoledina @ May 25 2007 said:


> why don't Nintendo just stop companies from making the mod chip rather than preventing it (Cut them at the source). And why is Gbatemp talking about legit and illegitimate game on the site, aren't they against it or else not supporting it?



They can't.  If they tried to the company would just shut down and open up somewhere else in china.  They could even change the company name.  Nintendo would just be wasting money trying to stop them.


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## Wishmaster (May 25, 2007)

Mod-Chips aren't illegal, Game Roms are.


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## Darkforce (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(Wishmaster @ May 25 2007 said:


> Mod-Chips aren't illegal, Game Roms are.


No, mod chips are in fact illegal in quite a few countries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modchip


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## Hadrian (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(thegame07 @ May 25 2007 said:


> The people who make modchips will be rubbing thier hands together because they will just make more money if they come up with a new modchip first... Nintendo will still lose.


Was just thinking the same. Also someone else who would benefit if would be anyone who has a modded Wii right now, they could sell it for a lot more to future Wii owners until the new boards get cracked.


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## kelvinate (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(Harsky @ May 25 2007 said:


> Out of curiousity, what is 188 and Golden anyways?




golden and 188 are names of shopping mall for game console and games in hong kong. they are both infamous for being able to get any type of game (read pirate/hentai) and also any type of modding done. 

but noone told you that *shhh*


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## iamwhoiam (May 25, 2007)

just use *acid*


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## taggart6 (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(Darkforce @ May 25 2007 said:


> QUOTE(Wishmaster @ May 25 2007 said:
> 
> 
> > Mod-Chips aren't illegal, Game Roms are.
> ...




Wikipedia != Justification


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## thegame07 (May 25, 2007)

i dont understand why your allowed to mod any console except the xbox 360 in australia. Does anyone know why?


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## adgloride (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(thegame07 @ May 25 2007 said:


> i dont understand why your allowed to mod any console except the xbox 360 in australia. Does anyone know why?
> 
> 
> Just reading this line
> ...



My guess is when you mod the xbox 360 you can't bypass the games region code, so its illegal.  With the wii you can bypass the region code with a modchip though its limited.


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## Scorpin200 (May 25, 2007)

LOl I've seen this news elsewhere, and it's made to make it seem like it's the end of mods chip on the wii by saying it can't be done anymore. Gee how many minutes will it take before we see some other news stating that there is now i new workaround for the new boards that came out in japan that were recently unmodable.


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## arctic_flame (May 25, 2007)

Actually, the points are still there. It'll be pretty difficult to get reliable connections though.


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## dohclude (May 25, 2007)

there's no way that they can remove ALL of the metal from the pins. There has to be even the tiniest peice of metal contact left for each pin... that's where some flux and solder come in to play.


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## iamwhoiam (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(Scorpin200 @ May 25 2007 said:


> LOl I've seen this news elsewhere, and it's made to make it seem like it's the end of mods chip on the wii by saying it can't be done anymore. Gee how many minutes will it take before we see some other news stating that there is now i new workaround for the new boards that came out in japan that were recently unmodable.


You make it sound like this has prevented the current mod chips to work. No. You can still solder to the points, if you can see metal you can solder. If you can't see enough metal for your skill level (pah, amateurs), you can just get a pair of wire clippers and cut away at the plastic to expose more of the pins.


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## arctic_flame (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(dohclude @ May 25 2007 said:


> there's no way that they can remove ALL of the metal from the pins. There has to be even the tiniest peice of metal contact left for each pin... that's where some flux and solder come in to play.



See my post above yours.


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## cory1492 (May 25, 2007)

QUOTE(Harsky @ May 25 2007 said:


> Strange. What is this mod you can perform on an epoxy bump on the R4 that you are talking about? I bought an R4 from Hong Kong and I noticed it was also just a blob of the black stuff but this was before the PCB revision and I could still mod it.


Strange? How so? Mine does not have the handy pads yours has, nor any PCB leads external to the bump on the region/firmware. Dig around I'm pretty sure I posted pictures of it, chinese R4 converted simply (for me at any rate) to an english M3.

An epoxy bumped chip with the internal legs on the PCB is very similar to a cased IC, in that the die is somewhere in the center and connected to legs with really tiny connections. Not sure I'd want to use acid on it without removing it from the PCB, probably be simpler to use a dremel, drill press or other mechanical means to access 50mils of the embedded leg.


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## spankachu (May 25, 2007)

This seems like good news to me though.... I mean if they could have shut down the current chips via software update, they probably would have done that instead of the pricey hardware modification.  I mean, doesn't that make sense?

So for all you currently installed mod chip owners....


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## nephdj (May 26, 2007)

QUOTE(thegame07 @ May 26 2007 said:


> i dont understand why your allowed to mod any console except the xbox 360 in australia. Does anyone know why?


Judge found that people have the right to be region free, sony lost the case 1year ago
Now sony are region free, mod chips are as good as illegal if it goes back to court

Its been in and out of court, and that was the only time the court ever was pro modchip, and now reasons gone


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## Wishmaster (May 26, 2007)

Let's say if I have an alarm clock. If I decide to install a chip to make the clock louder, is it illegal?

Seems like the methods that are illegal involved redistribution of copyrighted BIOS code.

Am I right to say:

Hardware Mod = Legal
Software Mod = Illegal?

yo-ho-yo-ho a pirate's life for me.


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## FAST6191 (May 26, 2007)

@dohclude simple maybe but it precludes a fairly large number of people: how many threads, presumably resulting for some business for yourself, have been along the lines of "I lifted pads/burned stuff/accidentally summoned Cthulhu when soldering my Wii"?.

Edit: with regard to mod chips take a look at various tech websites, http://www.theregister.co.uk/ has a lot on the issue stretching back many years (many = more than 5).

@Wishmaster you hit the nail on the head about the alarm clock, most modern chips have their own BIOS/code though. Also remember MS went after DOA volleyball modders for sharing their work and the reason no gameshark/codebreaker exists (officially anyhow).


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## imgod22222 (May 26, 2007)

...hey, that brings up a good point. Are action replays illegal? They perform some things that are impossible to do 'in game', but are possible 'within the game's programming'. Ex) Mario Kart DS Beta tracks, you usually can't get to them, but action replay lets you. And then all the other stuff.


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## corbs132 (May 26, 2007)

they wont cut the companies @ source bc there are already homebrew chips out.


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## pduin (May 26, 2007)

I think it's weird, you buy a console so it is yours. Why cant you do what you like with it? Taking it to bed, smashing it with a hammer,  paint it gold, install a modchip... what's the difference exactly?


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## Hooya (May 26, 2007)

QUOTE(pduin @ May 26 2007 said:


> I think it's weird, you buy a console so it is yours. Why cant you do what you like with it? Taking it to bed, smashing it with a hammer,Â paint it gold, install a modchip... what's the difference exactly?



They want to protect their property (software sales).  It doesn't really have anything to do with the modding the system itself...

Besides, it's against the stupid DMCA in the USA...


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## pduin (May 26, 2007)

So you can do what you like with the console as long as you avoid changing the copy-protection?


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## Scorpin200 (May 28, 2007)

You make it sound like this has prevented the current mod chips to work. No. You can still solder to the points, if you can see metal you can solder. If you can't see enough metal for your skill level (pah, amateurs), you can just get a pair of wire clippers and cut away at the plastic to expose more of the pins. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






What?


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## Rocco Savadgie (May 28, 2007)

I usually never do this kind of thing for anyone else, however I did fix a botched wiikey install with damaged pins like this for a friend. His first mistake was to use speaker cable that was way too big. Next mistake was to use a 30watt iron that was far to hot and lifted the pads. His final mistake was to take the decision to bend up the chip legs to assist in soldering to the legs with the fat speaker cable. Needless to say, all three legs snapped off. 

To fix it for him I used a fine (1mm thick) Stanley blade and scrapped back 3mm from the casing above the damaged pins. Once the pins were exposed, I soldered using thinned 1 mm thick wire. Overall took about 30 minutes to fix it up for him and he bought me a pitcher of cider for my troubles (yar!).

This pin removal by Nintendo will in no way hinder modding.


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## Hooya (May 30, 2007)

Have you guys been following this thread over at WiiNewz?

http://psx-scene.com/forums/wii-modchips/5...y-hard-mod.html

These things have hit North American retail shelves.  Somewhere between serial numbers starting with LU51519 and LU51549 Nintendo has started cutting the pins on the drive chip that mods connect to.


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## Jeda (May 30, 2007)

QUOTE(pduin @ May 26 2007 said:


> I think it's weird, you buy a console so it is yours. Why cant you do what you like with it? Taking it to bed, smashing it with a hammer,Â paint it gold, install a modchip... what's the difference exactly?



It is more like the other way around. It is their product, they can change it anyway they want. You can still still smash it with a hammer. You might not be able to install that modchip, but they never offered that as a feature in the first place


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## chronjohnson (Jun 1, 2007)

Spent all week trying to buy a Wii, while I do mutilated Wiis start coming out...who's buying them?  Jerks, that's who.  Putting them up online for 400 apiece.  Who wants to pay 400 bucks from a middleman.  You have to line up at store opening Sunday morning an hour before they open just for a ticket to attempt to get a single Wii, and now it's mutilated, and you can't get it anyway.  Stupid console.  400 bucks buys a fat XBox 360 and it has more than 4 games I'd care to play.


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## thegame07 (Jun 1, 2007)

im buying a wii in 3 weeks time so can this type of wii solderd. :'(


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## jaxxster (Jun 1, 2007)

At the end of the day, We cant complain, Nintendo are just doing what we'd all do in thier position.


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## chronjohnson (Jun 2, 2007)

The new mutilated revision can still be modded.  You need skills filing away the protective outer coating of a microchip.  Mad skills.  Then they'll roll out a true non-mutilated revision that no amount of filing will correct.  This will eventually lead to a more complete mod solution ala Viper/Qoob, not a drive chip; or a new form of drive exploit.  It's all moot because Nintendo doesn't want to sell any Wiis to anyone, mod-proof or otherwise.  You'd think it was still launch.


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## Vater Unser (Jun 2, 2007)

QUOTE(chronjohnson @ Jun 1 2007 said:


> Spent all week trying to buy a Wii
> [...]
> Stupid console.Â 400 bucks buys a fat XBox 360 and it has more than 4 games I'd care to play.


Then why did you spent all week trying to buy one?
I agree that the X360 has more interesting games than the Wii at the moment, but that's going to change by the end of the year, so I don't regret to have bought one (although it's pretty much a dust collecting paperweight at the moment)


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## chronjohnson (Jun 4, 2007)

Do you really think you've outwitted me.  You admit my point is valid even while questioning my original statement.  Then contribute some worthwhile information and inform us as to how you managed to purchase a nonexistant console.


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## thegame07 (Jun 7, 2007)

Can someone provide a list of the serial numbers that cant be chipped or if the legs have been cut. Im going to buy one in 2 weeks time but if it turns out i have one it cant be chipped im going to swap my uncle his for mines since he doesnt want his chipped


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## shaffaaf27 (Jun 7, 2007)

QUOTE(thegame07 @ Jun 7 2007 said:


> Can someone provide a list of the serial numbers that cant be chipped or if the legs have been cut. Im going to buy one in 2 weeks time but if it turns out i have one it cant be chipped im going to swap my uncle his for mines since he doesnt want his chipped




why dont you just buy a pre modded WII from respectable online UK sellers?

itll be liek £250....and professeianlly soldered and everything


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## dsbomb (Jun 7, 2007)

The Wiki knows all.


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## thegame07 (Jun 7, 2007)

QUOTE(dsbomb @ Jun 7 2007 said:


> The Wiki knows all.



thanks very much 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 im getting it modded for free 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 thats why im just buying a wii for £180 and then thats me set. My friends is a "pro"


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## Strag0 (Jun 19, 2007)

Okay, I don't fully understand how this is stopping modchips. So far, it looks like all of the modchips out there solder onto the board itself and not onto the chip. Could anyone explain?

Thanks!


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## lenselijer (Jun 19, 2007)

the points where you solder the modchip onto the board are connected to the black chip by traces. so if the pins are cut the modchip wont make contact.


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## Strag0 (Jun 19, 2007)

QUOTE(lenselijer @ Jun 19 2007 said:


> the points where you solder the modchip onto the board are connected to the black chip by traces. so if the pins are cut the modchip wont make contact.



Okay, Thats what I thought. Well, thought as in right when I pressed "Submit" I figured it out.

Well, luckily the points still exist and even though it'll be a pain in the ass to re solder some pins to it it's not completely screwed... 

I wish more modchip companies used what the DMS4 team used in their EZ install chips.  I think then this wouldn't be an issue.


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