Hacking Chiip Opensource Modchip

[mikeosoft]

just placed my order with digitech. i just gotta buy a triwing screw driva

 

[fiver]

Beta.5.kicks.ass.

eom

 

[hazamatic]

Curse the tri-wing screws...I'm still waiting for the screw driver I ordered from ebay.

I've got everything else and I already built the chiip and programmer....just can't open the Wii!

 

[Pikachu025]

Whoa, Beta 5 is indeed awesome. This seems to be the best choice for a modchip at the moment: Cheap to get, reprogramable and runs RWs too. Awesome!

 

[fiver]

Actually my tri-wing just came in the mail today -- even though I've already modded my Wii.

If you use a tiny (like 2mm) flathead screwdriver and apply pressure just right, the tri-wings will back right out with no problems.

Curse the tri-wing screws...I'm still waiting for the screw driver I ordered from ebay.

I've got everything else and I already built the chiip and programmer....just can't open the Wii!

 

[blueskies]

I would love to see a close up picture of the programmer, with the capacitor in there. If someone has built this, want to share?

 

[RobertsD]

I would love to see a close up picture of the programmer, with the capacitor in there. If someone has built this, want to share?

I built one. It's a mess right now. Functional, but a mess. Once I get it clean up, I'll post a picture of it.

 

[RobertsD]

Well the parts for this finally came this morning from futurlec, so after I got home from work I built the programmer and chip, then flashed and installed. I am happy to say it is working perfectly

I have beta 5 flashed, and everything is working as it should. Wii originals and burned, gamecube original and burned(mini DVD), and GC homebrew. Wii burned games are on DVD-R/DVD+R/DVD-RW. Played about 5 games for over 15 minutes each, and not a single DRE(although I do have a great NEC burner that helps).

I am very happy with the chiip

 

[blueskies]

AAHH great news! I can't wait to put mine together.

 

[nloding]

My Futurlec order is going on 12 business days and no arrival, and they obviously don't care. So I'm a little pissed right now. And I'm not ordering from them again.

It's great to hear beta 5 works though, that means it's one less time I'll have to flash to the chip!

 

[lebrand]

I would love to see a close up picture of the programmer, with the capacitor in there. If someone has built this, want to share?

Ugly as sin but it's flashed all Chiip updates and works great.

 

[platylover]

My Futurlec order is going on 12 business days and no arrival, and they obviously don't care. So I'm a little pissed right now. And I'm not ordering from them again.

It's great to hear beta 5 works though, that means it's one less time I'll have to flash to the chip!

You might want to email them regarding your order. I placed an order on 2/28 and and asked for an update on 3/5. They responded same day and apparently, they are backordered on the atmega microchip and ic socket and were holding my order until re-stock. On 3/6 I asked them to cancel my order, which they did on 3/8. They are located in Thailand so there is a delay in responding to emails.

I ended up buying some 12F629 PIC microprocessers and a PIC programmer off ebay. I'm planning to go with WiiFree or the PIC version of Chiip if/when it comes out. I've already installed an external socket on my Wii (those solder points are tiny) and all I need to do when i get the PIC is program and snap into the socket.

 

[nloding]

You might want to email them regarding your order. I placed an order on 2/28 and and asked for an update on 3/5. They responded same day and apparently, they are backordered on the atmega microchip and ic socket and were holding my order until re-stock. On 3/6 I asked them to cancel my order, which they did on 3/8. They are located in Thailand so there is a delay in responding to emails.

I ended up buying some 12F629 PIC microprocessers and a PIC programmer off ebay. I'm planning to go with WiiFree or the PIC version of Chiip if/when it comes out. I've already installed an external socket on my Wii (those solder points are tiny) and all I need to do when i get the PIC is program and snap into the socket.

I'm trying WiiFree too ... programmer parts on the way from Jameco, PICs from somewhere else. Futurlec mailed my order, so it's not backordered. But no tracking number. It should have been here already. If it's not here today/tomorrow, I'm gonna be super upset.

 

[Perplexer]

I'm very impressed with the Chiip. Built a programmer today, programming beta5 with win32 AVRDude went without a hitch. Chip works great. I'll put up some photos when I get off work.

 

[gingi]

I finally got around to building the Chiip, and I have a noobish question: Inside the Wii, do you solder an IC Socket to the dvd drive or the chip itself? Soldering an IC Socket seems like it will make removing the Chiip for updating much easier, but maybe it won't be very stable?

 

[Takrin]

solder the socket to the drive, then plug and unplug the chiip, be careful when unplugging the avr pins get bent easily.

 

[nloding]

To elaborate -- you solder the wires to the points on the drive, and corresponding pins on the socket. Then you drop the Chiip into the socket when you want to use it, and take it out when you want to update it.

 

[fiver]

Here are some pics of my install.

I did the external "top secret serial port" so that I can easily reprogram the Chiip or switch to any other 1st generation chip solution without opening the Wii again.

There are pictures of the Chiip in action, the chiip module, the top secret serial port, and the programmer including the internals. Enjoy!

 

[imgod22222]

Yeah, if you look at the new Chiip site, you'd see how they used Scorpei's method to make an external port. The guy who posted above me did it. I'll do it as soon as someone tells me what they used to cut their wii. whenever i cut stuff the cuts look like s***.

 

[fiver]

Dremel tool with cuter for the straight lines, then rough diamond tip to remove addl material and shape.

Yeah, if you look at the new Chiip site, you'd see how they used Scorpei's method to make an external port. The guy who posted above me did it. I'll do it as soon as someone tells me what they used to cut their wii. whenever i cut stuff the cuts look like s***.