Cobra "UDE" Announced (Wii U)

[Tom Bombadildo]

The Cobra team, known for their Cobra ODE for the PS3, has announced a new ODE product for the Wii U. Calling it the "Ultimate Drive Emulator". According to the Cobra UDE site, features include: Support for all Wii U regions and motherboards, solderless installation, low-power consumption and more!

While this has indeed been announced, the team has no mention of when it'll be available in stores.

This is interesting news for the Wii U scene, a new competitor to the Wiikey U (which to my knowledge has yet to be released) means hopefully competitive prices.

Source
Wii U Hacking and Homebrew discussion

 

[Arras]

The nav menu on their site is Comic Sans. Lol.

 

[Taleweaver]

This is a joke site, right?
Features

• Ultra compact size (what size would that be?)
• Designed in Europe (how is THIS a plus?)
• Supports all WiiU regions and motherboards (good info, but why is only the third feature? And why do I have my doubts on this?)
• Upgradable high speed ARM MCU and FPGA engine (sounds techy, but I've got the impression this goes for nearly all chips)
• Solderless installation (okay...good info)
• Low power consumption (since when are drive emulators huge power mongers?)
• Assembled at a high tech facility (as opposed to a barn or a home office)
• High quality (yes...of course)
• World class tech support (tech support actually sucks throughout the world)
• High speed USB 2.0 support (I get that 2.0 will suffice, but calling it "high speed" at this point sort of raises eyebrows)

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

This is a joke site, right?
Features

• Ultra compact size (what size would that be?)
• Designed in Europe (how is THIS a plus?)
• Supports all WiiU regions and motherboards (good info, but why is only the third feature? And why do I have my doubts on this?)
• Upgradable high speed ARM MCU and FPGA engine (sounds techy, but I've got the impression this goes for nearly all chips)
• Solderless installation (okay...good info)
• Low power consumption (since when are drive emulators huge power mongers?)
• Assembled at a high tech facility (as opposed to a barn or a home office)
• High quality (yes...of course)
• World class tech support (tech support actually sucks throughout the world)
• High speed USB 2.0 support (I get that 2.0 will suffice, but calling it "high speed" at this point sort of raises eyebrows)

To be fair, the WiiKey U boasts just about the same things.

• Compatible with all WiiU models and regionsD
• User friendly intuitive interface
• No soldering required
• Multi-language support
• Supports most popular file systems, including EXT4/3/2, Max OS X, and NTFS
• Powerful embedded Linux system
• High-speed USB2 interface
• Firmware and FPGA fully in-system updatable from USB media
• Recovery mode - it is always possible to recover from a bad flash
• Stylish USB remote with powered USB hub and charger function
• Bulletproof high quality hardware (not manufactured in China!)

 

[Taleweaver]

I admit it's not that much better, but still...at least it's somewhat informative on the wiikey u. It gives the idea that they've got a product that's coming along in some way and has some features. On the cobra UDE, I think they have at best a prototype, but probably only a concept design. And truth be told...I think they're just waiting for someone to create a working chip they can clone. And that that site is just a placeholder. Something they can point at and say that they were "already working on it before <insert other chip> came out".

EDIT: okay, so they're a reputable team. I'll have to give them credit, but they better know how to build this thing better than they do know how to create even a basic website.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I admit it's not that much better, but still...at least it's somewhat informative on the wiikey u. It gives the idea that they've got a product that's coming along in some way and has some features. On the cobra UDE, I think they have at best a prototype, but probably only a concept design. And truth be told...I think they're just waiting for someone to create a working chip they can clone. And that that site is just a placeholder. Something they can point at and say that they were "already working on it before <insert other chip> came out".

Except this is coming from the Cobra team, not some random Chinese devs . The Cobra ODE is an "original" product for the PS3, and the Cobra team was one of the first to dick around with the previously "uncrackable" Super Slim PS3s (regarding ODEs, anyways). They're a reputable team with a lot of experience, so it's not that far-fetched that they could develop their own ODE for the Wii U.

 

[XDel]

Prolly plugs in between the drive and the mother board.

Anyhow, I just want some homebrew.... :/

 

[nine0nine]

This is a joke site, right?
Features

• Ultra compact size (what size would that be?)
• Designed in Europe (how is THIS a plus?)
• Supports all WiiU regions and motherboards (good info, but why is only the third feature? And why do I have my doubts on this?)
• Upgradable high speed ARM MCU and FPGA engine (sounds techy, but I've got the impression this goes for nearly all chips)
• Solderless installation (okay...good info)
• Low power consumption (since when are drive emulators huge power mongers?)
• Assembled at a high tech facility (as opposed to a barn or a home office)
• High quality (yes...of course)
• World class tech support (tech support actually sucks throughout the world)
• High speed USB 2.0 support (I get that 2.0 will suffice, but calling it "high speed" at this point sort of raises eyebrows)

If they were honest and direct it would only have one bullet point.

• Plays pirate games from USB HDD.

doesnt quite fit in with marketing strategies though

 

[Sterling]

Except this is coming from the Cobra team, not some random Chinese devs . The Cobra ODE is an "original" product for the PS3, and the Cobra team was one of the first to dick around with the previously "uncrackable" Super Slim PS3s (regarding ODEs, anyways). They're a reputable team with a lot of experience, so it's not that far-fetched that they could develop their own ODE for the Wii U.

Having a reputable team means nothing in the world of copyright bypasses. Case in point Team Cyclops for the CycloDS/i who almost completely dropped the ball and off the map.

EDIT: What I mean is that they aren't free from scrutiny just because they happened to deliver reliable hardware.

 

[Taleweaver]

Except this is coming from the Cobra team, not some random Chinese devs . The Cobra ODE is an "original" product for the PS3, and the Cobra team was one of the first to dick around with the previously "uncrackable" Super Slim PS3s (regarding ODEs, anyways). They're a reputable team with a lot of experience, so it's not that far-fetched that they could develop their own ODE for the Wii U.

Hmm...good point. I don't follow the PS3 scene much, so I had no idea if this was a team that actually does things themselves rather than take other's work.

nine0nine: if it wasn't for legality reasons, that would actually be the best summary of the description. It still wouldn't be the same as the features, though.

 

[Vahnyyz]

If you look at their other website for their Cobra ODE the site is a lot more "put together" this one isn't just a "placeholder" it almost looks fake, I don't mind if Cobra is branching out because they've always had really good products, but it kinda looks like its a ploy to push wiikey to do something as opposed to giving competition. Even when ODE was first announced they had full working links and a well put together background that didn't look choppy

if you go to the "Forum" it doesn't direct to ODE at all, it's a broken link, just another reason I think its fake

I LOVE Cobra, don't get me wrong, I'm just saying their work is A LOT better than this

 

[Deleted User]

I am confused what is a ude?

 

[Steena]

I am confused what is a ude?

An ultimate drive emulator.

 

[Deleted User]

As in ode in general?

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I am confused what is a ude?

UDE is what the Cobra team are calling their ODE (or Optical Drive Emulator). Essentially, it's a device that emulates the disc drive of a console (in this case, the Wii U) that allows you to play game backups via a HDD.

 

[Deleted User]

UDE is what the Cobra team are calling their ODE (or Optical Drive Emulator). Essentially, it's a device that emulates the disc drive of a console (in this case, the Wii U) that allows you to play game backups via a HDD.

thanks i have kinda been confused for a while xD

 

[Sakitoshi]

This is a joke site, right?
Features

• Ultra compact size (what size would that be?)
• Designed in Europe (how is THIS a plus?)
• Supports all WiiU regions and motherboards (good info, but why is only the third feature? And why do I have my doubts on this?)
• Upgradable high speed ARM MCU and FPGA engine (sounds techy, but I've got the impression this goes for nearly all chips)
• Solderless installation (okay...good info)
• Low power consumption (since when are drive emulators huge power mongers?)
• Assembled at a high tech facility (as opposed to a barn or a home office)
• High quality (yes...of course)
• World class tech support (tech support actually sucks throughout the world)
• High speed USB 2.0 support (I get that 2.0 will suffice, but calling it "high speed" at this point sort of raises eyebrows)

on the USB 2.0 part I can say that USB 2.0 IS called "High Speed" in the same manner that USB 3.0 is called "Super Speed". is just the name to designate USB 2.0 ports, yes is vague but is the official name.
every DS flashcard state the same ridiculous things, is the standard of marketing to make your product look better than the others. don't pay attention to those details.

and as no one has said it yet
NINTENDO IS DOOMED!!!!!!

but I'll continue buying their games until a infallible/undetectable/unbaneable method appear.

 

[elmoemo]

Can't wait to see it in action

 

[Apache Thunder]

Not too surprised. Sales for the Wii-U are starting to pick up so interest in it will follow. This can only help to accelerate the homebrew scene.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Not too surprised. Sales for the Wii-U are starting to pick up so interest in it will follow. This can only help to accelerate the homebrew scene.

No they haven't. Mario Kart increased Wii U sales for like a couple weeks, and then they stabilized back to it's sub-par state.