Hacking [GBA] flash cart and device questions [Possibly wrong section]

[Online]

I couldn't find the GBA section so I thought this would be an ok place to post, mods please move if needed.

I am looking to buy a game boy advance or SP to use a flash cart.

I would like to know what the difference is between EZ-flash IV and EZ-flash V carts is and if there is any important thing I need to know.

As for the game boy itself, is one without a back-light really that bad?

If I am getting a backlit one..

Should I get a backlit GBA or a backlit SP. What one would you choose?

thanks :]

 

[LameNobody]

I couldn't find the GBA section so I thought this would be an ok place to post, mods please move if needed.

I am looking to buy a game boy advance or SP to use a flash cart.

I would like to know what the difference is between EZ-flash IV and EZ-flash V carts is and if there is any important thing I need to know.

As for the game boy itself, is one without a back-light really that bad?

If I am getting a backlit one..

Should I get a backlit GBA or a backlit SP. What one would you choose?

thanks :]

Here's the GBA section..
https://gbatemp.net/categories/nintendo-gba-discussions.32/

I went for the micro SD Ez Flash IV, also a GBA SP with backlight...

 

[Ronhero]

Get a DS / DS lite. You can pick up a 3 in 1 for pretty cheap now

 

[Sergey]

I couldn't find the GBA section so I thought this would be an ok place to post, mods please move if needed.

I am looking to buy a game boy advance or SP to use a flash cart.

I would like to know what the difference is between EZ-flash IV and EZ-flash V carts is and if there is any important thing I need to know.

As for the game boy itself, is one without a back-light really that bad?

If I am getting a backlit one..

Should I get a backlit GBA or a backlit SP. What one would you choose?

thanks :]

My current personal preference is GBA SP backlit + EZ Flash IV
I own a GBA too and in my opinion GBA SP is more enjoyable.
My GBA SP had frontlit originally and I had to order backlit screen separately and patch the motherboard to install it.
I never looked back. Backlit is just so much better. So don't repeat my mistake, get a backlit model at first place.
Hope that helps.

 

[donkeymilk]

Yes. Get the GBA SP but look for the last version. The last GBA SP version had a super bright screen. The original SP would switch off the back light when you hit the brightness button, later models had a low and high setting.
I second the EZ Flash IV latest version (black case).

Also, I wouldn't rule out a 3DS and a DSTwo to run GBA, etc, etc.

If you just need your GBA fix, you could also get a 8bitdo NES30 Pro. It's pretty awesome. Just a thought.

 

[Jiro2]

The EZ Flash V is a DS card, not a GBA card, and you can't buy it. The EZ Flash IV is the only GBA card you can actually still find for sale.

You asked whether you should get a backlit GBA or a backlit SP. The only one of these two which is backlit is the SP anyway. You want the GBA SP AG-101 model which is the backlit model. It has a "brighter screen" which actually means better colors as well as being brighter. Around half the Ebay auctions will tell you what model they are selling, but even if they don't, the AG-101 model came in pearl blue, pearl pink, and "graphite" (as well as a few special models), which are different colors than the regular models came in.

Ignore the recommendation for a DSTwo, which is a DS cart that allows you to run GBA in an emulator on a 3DS. You never want to do this, because a 3DS that is hackable can play GBA ROMs using hardware, which is better than software emulation.

 

[donkeymilk]

The EZ Flash V is a DS card, not a GBA card, and you can't buy it. The EZ Flash IV is the only GBA card you can actually still find for sale.

You asked whether you should get a backlit GBA or a backlit SP. The only one of these two which is backlit is the SP anyway. You want the GBA SP AG-101 model which is the backlit model. It has a "brighter screen" which actually means better colors as well as being brighter. Around half the Ebay auctions will tell you what model they are selling, but even if they don't, the AG-101 model came in pearl blue, pearl pink, and "graphite" (as well as a few special models), which are different colors than the regular models came in.

Ignore the recommendation for a DSTwo, which is a DS cart that allows you to run GBA in an emulator on a 3DS. You never want to do this, because a 3DS that is hackable can play GBA ROMs using hardware, which is better than software emulation.

I'm curious as to where you found the GBA ARM chip on your 3DS. Could you post a picture of it? I could have sworn Nintendo dropped support for it on the 3DS.

The DSTwo, actually contains the ARM chip to run GBA titles using the ARM hardware right on the cart. It's not, nor has it ever been on the 3DS platform.

 

[Jiro2]

I'm curious as to where you found the GBA ARM chip on your 3DS. Could you post a picture of it?

Why in the world would I be able to post a picture of it? The core is built into the silicon. It isn't a physically separate chip. And even if it was a physically separate chip, knowing it's there and being able to pick it out by sight are two different things. I don't repair cars and couldn't point you to the pistons in my cars engine, but I know that it has pistons.

I could have sworn Nintendo dropped support for it on the 3DS.

What ever gave you that idea? Just because they dropped the physical cartridge slot doesn't mean there's no GBA hardware in it.

 

[donkeymilk]

The ARM chip that emulates GBA is on the DSTwo cart, not in the 3DS. You'll notice that DSTwo cart is bubbled on top slightly, that's why.

Yes, your car might have pistons, and so do diesel engines, but I doubt your car will run very well on diesel.

 

[Deleted-236924]

3DS emulates GBA games, it doesn't run anything natively O.o Every Virtual Console game from the eShop is emulation.

 

[Jiro2]

3DS emulates GBA games, it doesn't run anything natively O.o Every Virtual Console game from the eShop is emulation.

GBA games aren't on the eshop. The only GBA games are the Ambassador games and those do use the GBA hardware in the 3DS.

The 3DS contains a separate ARM7 core which is specifically there as a Gameboy Advance hardware core.

http://3dbrew.org/wiki/ARM7

Also, http://wololo.net/2015/06/09/gba-rom-injection-now-possible-3ds/ (although it calls it a "hardware emulator", which is another way of saying it uses hardware).

 

[donkeymilk]

GBA games aren't on the eshop. The only GBA games are the Ambassador games and those do use the GBA hardware in the 3DS.

The 3DS contains a separate ARM7 core which is specifically there as a Gameboy Advance hardware core.

http://3dbrew.org/wiki/ARM7

Also, http://wololo.net/2015/06/09/gba-rom-injection-now-possible-3ds/ (although it calls it a "hardware emulator", which is another way of saying it uses hardware).

Um.. no. The Ambassador games use the ARM9 chip set which is under-clocked to behave like the ARM7. The only ARM chips on the 3DS are the ARM9 and the ARM11.

Per your own source, there is no ARM7 in the 3DS. Only 9 and 11 - http://3dbrew.org/wiki/Hardware
Here's another source with the same information - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_3DS

There's no ARM7 in the 3DS and there's certainly no sex in the champagne room.

 

[calebsw]

Ignore the recommendation for a DSTwo, which is a DS cart that allows you to run GBA in an emulator on a 3DS. You never want to do this, because a 3DS that is hackable can play GBA ROMs using hardware, which is better than software emulation.

Isn't the DSTwo using the onboard processor in the cart to emulate games? And from what I've seen on 3ds, gba emulation is nothing to write home about. Maybe in the future there'll be better compatibility with better access to its hardware, but right now, the DSTwo is totally a better solution.

 

[Deleted-236924]

GBA games aren't on the eshop. The only GBA games are the Ambassador games and those do use the GBA hardware in the 3DS.

The 3DS contains a separate ARM7 core which is specifically there as a Gameboy Advance hardware core.

http://3dbrew.org/wiki/ARM7

Also, http://wololo.net/2015/06/09/gba-rom-injection-now-possible-3ds/ (although it calls it a "hardware emulator", which is another way of saying it uses hardware).

It doesn't actually matter if they come from the eShop or not. They don't yet, and if/once they add them there, they would behave the same way.
'sides aren't they re-downloaded from the eShop if you deleted them?

 

[Jiro2]

Per your own source, there is no ARM7 in the 3DS.

It's a wiki. People have to edit it to put new information in and it wasn't known at the time that page was written.

I think "utilizes an onboard ARM7 core" is pretty clear and is not "there is no ARM7".

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Isn't the DSTwo using the onboard processor in the cart to emulate games?

Yes.

And from what I've seen on 3ds, gba emulation is nothing to write home about.

That depends on how you ran it. If you used an emulator such as CitrAGB, it's nothing to write home about. If you use AGB_FIRM, it is much better.

 

[rainparadesamurai]

WAIT FOR EVERDRIVE GBA https://twitter.com/krikzz/status/515682206577348608 http://krikzz.com/forum/index.php?topic=90.555 Krikzz is probably going to announce an update on the progress/possible release date soon. Don't waste $40 on outdated, deficient tech, just be a bit more patient for Everdrive GBA. Also get an AGS-101 gba sp (backlit). I had bought an AGS-001 (only frontlit) when I was a kid, but then I learned the difference between frontlit and backlit and I got a backlit one from Ebay - it's amazing and totally worth it, get that one. ALSO if you like the original GBA (fat version) form factor, then I recommend just getting this http://www.k1gbasp.com/pre-sell-crystal-black-revo-k101-plus-p-82.html You can play roms on this without a flash cart natively apparently. It's backlit and it has an inbuilt RTC function.

 

[donkeymilk]

Everdrive for GBA would be sweet. Definitely getting that.
Not sure about the k101 though. There is something about running games on the original hardware that just feels right. Hard to explain.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Everdrive for GBA would be sweet. Definitely getting that.
Not sure about the k101 though. There is something about running games on the original hardware that just feels right. Hard to explain.

Then you could get the K1 GBA. It has the SP form factor and looks almost identical to a SP. It's hardware based too, so it's functionally identical to a GBA SP, just with a higher resolution screen and faster CPU allowing emulation.

 

[rainparadesamurai]

Then you could get the K1 GBA. It has the SP form factor and looks almost identical to a SP. It's hardware based too, so it's functionally identical to a GBA SP, just with a higher resolution screen and faster CPU allowing emulation.

that doesn't have rtc though, the revo k101+ has rtc and other updated features, so it makes it a better option other than the fat form factor (imo is what makes it unbuyable). I'm going to wait till Krikzz releases Everdrive GBA, hopefully with RTC, but if not I feel it would still be better to play on his flashcart on my original gba sp AGS-101 than the k1 gba sp.

 

[Online]

ok I dont know which one I should get now.

I searched for days and gameboy SP is not cheap, especially the backlit ones but even I think I will be okay with frontlit because my eyes are very sensitive and i play on low brightnes always.

I will wait for Everdrive if I get a SP but if the other models like K1 can have emulation and offer better performance then its far less expensive and perhaps better

i never imagined wit would be difficult to choose a gameboy + flash cart but it is. plus addtionally I really want an orange colored one lol