Hacking Can anyone help an oldtimer?

[Electric_Wizard]

Here's my predicament:

the other day, my cheap as chips MP3 player packed in. If I'm going to get a new one, I thought, I might as well get a GOOD one. I already have about 130gb of music & I don't want to have to leave half of it behind every time I go out. Then I found the answer: The Archos 160gb 605 WIFI. Perfect in every way... accept I don't have £300 to spend just yet.

So I've been unable to decide whether to buy another cheap MP3 player and save my pennies for a couple of months or just wait it out. But then a 3rd option hit me.

I've recently been considering an NDS. I currently have a GBA with a flashlinker that has served me very well, but I feel it's time to update. Also, I understand that it is possible to play MP3 files from a NDS so it could hold me over till I can buy a swanky new PMP. There's a dazzeling aray of DS flashing equipment out there, and frankly it's all a bit baffeling to my ageing withered brain

I'm after a flashing solution that will offer:

- mp3 support
- as high memory capactiy as possible
- as high rom compatability as possible
- GBA rom support if available
- as compact as possible, with as few bits as possible

Is there a dream flashing solution out there for me, or do I need to compramise? Also, what is the sound quality like for MP3 playback off an NDS?

Any help would be fantastic.
Thanks folks.

 

[jelbo]

I'd say get a real MP3 player for your music and leave the DS for just games. From what I've heard here and there MP3 playback on DS is far from perfect, and MP3 players have dedicated hardware for playing music way better than a DS can.

Moreover the storage capability is pretty limited for the DS right now, and will probably never meet 130+ GB.

 

[IainDS]

I have an 8 gb nano where I have about 20 gb of music.

I only want the music i'm feeling at the moment on my ipod so i'm updating it all the time.

Do you really need every song in your collection with you at all times?

I would never use my DS as an mp3 player because of the size issue.

 

[Electric_Wizard]

I don't think I made myself clear. I only want to use the DS short term for music while I save a few quid for the Archos. So it's primarily gonna be for games.

So long as it can hold a couple of albums and a few games thats fine.

 

[jelbo]

Ah sorry, I didn't read well enough. In that case the CycloDS Evolution offers the best compatibility and storage possibilities due to SDHC support. R4 DS has excellent compatibility as well, and promised SDHC support, but it's unlikely to happen due to hardware/firmware restrictions.

So R4 DS support 2GB max, CycloDS Evolution whatever the biggest SDHC MicroSD size is (8GB? Biggest I've seen around here are 6GB's).

For additional GBA support you'd best buy an EZ-Flash 3in1 or an eWin Expansion Pak, both cheap.

MP3 playback quality depends on the playing software you use. I think either MoonShell or DSOrganize are your best bets.

 

[FAST6191]

+1 to jelbo. although I will add that ogg, aac and several game formats (nsf) can also be played on the ds and I think a new mod player was also released the other day. lick's media player ng aka lmp-ng is also pretty good. Quality is more or less limited by the quality of your encodes.

Any of the major cards that have a DLDI patch in some form will work for you.

 

[Electric_Wizard]

Many thanks chaps. I'll give your comments carefull consideration.

 

[Sinkhead]

Mmm, the DS is a nice multimedia player, but it doesn't compare to a proper MP3 player... As far as I know it won't sort your music like an iPod would, and it will never have anywhere near the capacity needed...

- Sam