Hacking Black CycloDS Evolution Images

MadBob

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be!
OP
Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
1,555
Trophies
2
Website
Visit site
XP
731
Country
Hi

Just in case anyone who is waiting for delivery hasn't actually seen what one looks like yet
biggrin.gif


Original Cart PCB images from HERE









Images are courtesy of Ostermann.

Here is the post of the opened CycloDS from the TC forum by alejo

QUOTE said:
overall view







slimmer design



TQFP
biggrin.gif
. No more fat and shitty-soldering BGA (the major problem of v2 cyclo)







1mb flash is now tsop, also better
smile.gif
. 16mb is macronix and not SST.



new shell.



Now we can say cyclods is bomb-proof
biggrin.gif


the only bad thing ive found is that the microsd hole in the shell is not 100% aligned with the microsd reader, but nothing important.

QUOTE said:
cyclo vs nintendo original


completely integrated


the sd card hole is not aligned, tested in different carts..
frown.gif



cart into the console



measuring carts

-cyclo


-nintendo original


0.26mm difference.. its nothing, its like a hair


Here are the old CycloDS design images for comparison.

QUOTE






 

MadBob

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be!
OP
Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
1,555
Trophies
2
Website
Visit site
XP
731
Country
Must admit that I tend to remove labels from flash carts.

The main thing for me is that they have replaced the BGA chip (follow the link in the OP to see PCB shots)
 

diglett

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Messages
174
Trophies
0
Website
Visit site
XP
167
Country
United States
Good idea to ditch the BGA package. I also notice that the chip went from 250K gates to 60K gates. I guess us early buyers have a bunch of unnecessary gates.
 

jalaneme

Female Gamer
Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Messages
6,262
Trophies
1
Location
London
Website
www.youtube.com
XP
650
Country
Must admit that I tend to remove labels from flash carts.

The main thing for me is that they have replaced the BGA chip (follow the link in the OP to see PCB shots)


why remove the label? and what is the purpose of the BGA chip? i'm not that technical.

Good idea to ditch the BGA package. I also notice that the chip went from 250K gates to 60K gates. I guess us early buyers have a bunch of unnecessary gates.


again what is the BGA chip and gate thingy?

QUOTE(Ackers @ Dec 29 2007, 11:43 PM)So are these easier to slip in and out of the DS and is it now more durable? The plastic does look cheap tho...

i would have to agree, the label spoils it completely, does the front part stick out still?
 

cutterjohn

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
663
Trophies
1
XP
791
Country
United States
Yeah, the new design SHOULD help alleviate the awful failure rate of the Evolutions, with the added bonus that the new re-design results in a thinner cart. According to someone who received one you can neither see or feel the protruding chip any longer, and a photo side shot looks flat.

It also looks like the sticker is a bit thicker/heavier than the old one as well, just hope that I can get them to send me a black one as a replacement AND that it's a batch 4 Evolution.
 

gh0ul

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2007
Messages
128
Trophies
0
Location
bleh
XP
290
Country
United States
man, i am SO tempted to get one right now... i already have 2 R4s but seeing this...i want to get another cart.

..must resist...
 

MadBob

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be!
OP
Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
1,555
Trophies
2
Website
Visit site
XP
731
Country
For those who don't know what a BGA is check the Wiki look at Disadvantages and you will understand why this is happening.


i still don't know what it means but i presume it's a good thing for the cyclo ds that it has been removed.


BGA (Ball Grid Array) is a way of sticking a chip to the PCB, the CycloDS (old model) had this. The drawback is that it doesn't take much to fracture the solder meaning your cart dies. The new QFP type is a lot stronger and less prone to damage, add to this that the chip seems flatter and is less likely to press against the DS and you have a much more robust cart.
 

benchma®k

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
114
Trophies
0
XP
26
Country
Ooh ace.. i ordered my cyclo yesterday. The site only had pictures of the old white cart, have they been replaced or is there a choice of the two? I didnt get that choice anyway
frown.gif
think i'll request a black one tomorrow.

I had a question about this:

just hope that I can get them to send me a black one as a replacement AND that it's a batch 4 Evolution.

How will i be able to tell if the cart is a batch 4 when i receive it? Where do i look? Im guessing the other batches had the 'awful failure rate' you spoke about
unsure.gif
 

Salamantis

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
1,942
Trophies
0
XP
397
Country
Canada
They could've at least darkened the label, cause it looks ugly on the Black Cyclo. Well I hope that at least this batch will not have those horrid failure problems!
 

jalaneme

Female Gamer
Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2006
Messages
6,262
Trophies
1
Location
London
Website
www.youtube.com
XP
650
Country
man, i am SO tempted to get one right now... i already have 2 R4s but seeing this...i want to get another cart.

..must resist...


why resist? you are better off with a cyclo DS anyway.

BGA (Ball Grid Array) is a way of sticking a chip to the PCB, the CycloDS (old model) had this. The drawback is that it doesn't take much to fracture the solder meaning your cart dies. The new QFP type is a lot stronger and less prone to damage, add to this that the chip seems flatter and is less likely to press against the DS and you have a much more robust cart.

so with this BGA thats on the current models there is more risk of damaging the cyclo ds when taking it out of the DS lite?
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
    S @ salazarcosplay: Good morning everyone