Hacking Best Cheapie Flash Cart Available

[Sportsmaniac1322]

I'm going to get a flash cart for one of my friends for Christmas. He's not too tech-savvy, so I just want to give him a flash cart with an easy to learn interface in the low-to-mid $20 range. So far I've come across the iTouch DS and the DSTT.

1) Which cart's GUI is easier to grasp for a novice?
2) Which cart's firmware is updated more regularly?
3) Are there any other choices that may be more suitable?

 

[idunnoilikends]

acekard 2.1 is 11.50 on DX

 

[xalphax]

acekard2 gets my vote too!

 

[Sportsmaniac1322]

The more I look at the AceKard2 the more I like it. If I buy it off DealExtreme, will it work in a US NDS (since DealExtreme is based in Asia). Also, my friend is real big on cheats, and for me to have to compile all the cheats for every game seems like a hassle. Do any of the cheat formats in GBATemp's cheat database work with the Acekard2? Thanks!

EDIT: Also, keep in mind that I'm not looking for features (the Acekard2 wins hands down). I'm looking for ease of use. On that note, here's another question: Which flash cart is easier to perform basic functions (ex. starting a nds game) that a novice will be able to learn easily: DSTT or Acekard2?

 

[idunnoilikends]

yeah all flashcards and ds games are region free

and yes the cheat.dat works

 

[Sstew]

All those are fine, but I recommend the AceKard 2 from Dealextreme, Cheap good cart.

 

[Sportsmaniac1322]

yeah all flashcards and ds games are region free

and yes the cheat.dat works

Thanks for your answer. You must have posted before I got the edit up though, so here's my question. Which cart is easier to to perform basic functions, the DSTT or the Acekard2 (the card is for an extreme noob!)

 

[idunnoilikends]

dstt has a very basic menu with like no features
and I'm not sure how its cheat menu is.

the acekard is pretty easy to learn

 

[Toni Plutonij]

Both cart are "user friendly", you must be really really "special" to not understand how to run a game..
But from what I have read, DSTT has a bit simple interface in comparison with the (prettier and nicer but more complex) Acekard 2 interface..

MOVED TO APPROPRIATE SECTION..

 

[xalphax]

at that price im about to say get both and choose one for him and keep the other

dstt + acekard2 that is

 

[Sportsmaniac1322]

So far it seems that most people like the Acekard2 over the DSTT, so I'm leaning towards that as of now (I assume the iTouch DS isn't as good as these 2). Another little question. Which is better for GBA expansions? I don't think either has it built into the OS, so I'd think they'd be about the same, but it's worth asking.

EDIT: I just thought of an important (potentially deciding factor) question. Do both carts auto DLDI patch? It'd be too much to expect him to figure out DLDI patching as well.

EDIT 2: After a bit of research, I've found they both auto DLDI patch. Which brings me back to my first question. Which is better for GBA add-ons?

 

[Askepios]

I'll throw in another vote for the Acekard. I haven't actually used either one yet, but I've done a lot of reading lately, and everything points to the Acekard putting the DSTT to shame. The DSTT wins the award for current cheapest card, but it seems to be a sure case of "you get what you pay for". Where the Acekard actually seems to be one of the better cards available, and it's still very cheap.

As for GBA expansions, I believe the AKAIO firmware for the Acekard has native EZ-Flash 3in1 support, but if you're trying to avoid making things any more complicated than necessary, you may choose to use the official firmware over AKAIO. I'm not sure about the DSTT for GBA expansions.

And yes, both cards have auto-DLDI patching. Most cards do now.

It's also worth noting that you've got a fair chance of getting a fake with the DSTT. I'm not sure what places are selling them, but Dealextreme seems to be well known for that at the moment. They claim to check all their cards now, but people are still complaining about fakes. That doesn't seem to be a problem with the Acekard.

It's up to you in the end, but I don't think it's worth sacrificing all the benefits of the Acekard for a bit more simplicity. Even if your friend doesn't really understand any of this stuff, he's sure to learn after some time, and by then, he might want some of those more advanced features.

 

[Sportsmaniac1322]

I'll throw in another vote for the Acekard. I haven't actually used either one yet, but I've done a lot of reading lately, and everything points to the Acekard putting the DSTT to shame. The DSTT wins the award for current cheapest card, but it seems to be a sure case of "you get what you pay for". Where the Acekard actually seems to be one of the better cards available, and it's still very cheap.

As for GBA expansions, I believe the AKAIO firmware for the Acekard has native EZ-Flash 3in1 support, but if you're trying to avoid making things any more complicated than necessary, you may choose to use the official firmware over AKAIO. I'm not sure about the DSTT for GBA expansions.

And yes, both cards have auto-DLDI patching. Most cards do now.

It's also worth noting that you've got a fair chance of getting a fake with the DSTT. I'm not sure what places are selling them, but Dealextreme seems to be well known for that at the moment. They claim to check all their cards now, but people are still complaining about fakes. That doesn't seem to be a problem with the Acekard.

It's up to you in the end, but I don't think it's worth sacrificing all the benefits of the Acekard for a bit more simplicity. Even if your friend doesn't really understand any of this stuff, he's sure to learn after some time, and by then, he might want some of those more advanced features.

After reading up on AKAIO firmware, it looks pretty cool actually. I would definitely use it for myself, but it may be too complicated for my friend. I love that if he ever does decide to get a 3 in 1 that it supports it, which basically means the Acekard2 is better than the DSTT in every way. Acekard2 it is!

 

[Joey90]

BUT also know that the AceKard 2.1's build is kind of flimsy, so if your friend is a bit of a klutz...

I don't know how you could possibly break a flashcard by literally snapping the card in two... It's in your DS 99% of the time anyway.

The TT is built and works like a brick. The AK is bit more sophisticated.

+1 for Acekard

 

[AeroHex]

don't get dstt too many fakes around and if you get fake + new update = dead

acekard 2.1 is the way to go

edit:sorry if this is old i got linked to here o.O

 

[Sportsmaniac1322]

BUT also know that the AceKard 2.1's build is kind of flimsy, so if your friend is a bit of a klutz...
Once he gets it, it'll be in his DS for probably 100% of the time. It'll stay in there until I see him next, and if I need to update anything or give him new ROMs, I normally just take the MicroSD out and leave the card in. So unless he decides to drop his whole DS in water or throw it off the Empire State building, it should be fine.
QUOTE(AeroHex @ Dec 1 2008, 02:34 AM) don't get dstt too many fakes around and if you get fake + new update = dead

acekard 2.1 is the way to go

edit:sorry if this is old i got linked to here o.O

Too my knowledge flash card companies keep threatening to brick DS's with firmware updates that won't work on fakes, but none have actually done it. Am I right on this?

 

[Hehe Moo]

Mate, i recommend AceKard. ==" I have a DSTT... and it corrupts quite often. Also lags on the menu screen when I have more than a few games.

 

[golden]

+1 for acekard. it's really good with AKAIO firmware. make sure to put that on the cart and it's a great little piece of kit!

 

[Toni Plutonij]

Too my knowledge flash card companies keep threatening to brick DS's with firmware updates that won't work on fakes, but none have actually done it. Am I right on this?

You're right, any of the "bricking" firmwares still hasn't been released..But the DSTT team has video that demonstrates their program, and it works..

(It won't brick your NDS, but it'll destroy the flashcart! also, they are planning to implement that in their normal firmware updates)

 

[Bri]

There is some question as to whether the newest DSTT firmware includes "fake-killer" code. There have actually been 2 different versions of the 1.16 firmware on the official DSTT website (ndstt.com site). I have confirmed that there are two different versions by doing a binary compare on the firmware that was available the first day with the one available several days later (the filename was exactly the same -- only a binary compare would reveal that they were different). Apparently, after several weeks, recently it was quietly changed back to the original version that was released the first day. Several people have claimed that the version that is currently on the official DSTT website contains the fake-killer code.

If you don't know if you have a fake or not, read through some of the threads on the DSTT forum. In the meantime, use version 1.15 of the firmware (there's only 1 game that was fixed for 1.16 anyway) or use one of the clone firmwares available.

-Bri