Hacking Completely confused about slot-2 solutions

[j2011]

Currently, i have an original R4 that i've had for about 2 years now.

I want to buy a slot 2 expansion, mostly to play GBA games, but i've been having a little problem finding the right thing.

Basically, what i want is something that will play GBA roms/homebrew, and function as a RAM expansion pack for the DS.
Rumble support is not necessary, but if it is included, it would be a nice addition.

So far, the only 2 things i've come accross are the EZ Flash V 3 in 1 expansion and the M3 GBA expansion.

I have read up on the EZ Flash loads, and found that it does everything i want, and will work with my R4.
The only problem i have is that the only place i can find that sells the DS Phat version, and ships to UK at a decent price is Dealextreme: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.15778

I have ordered one from them, and tried to be patient, but after several weeks, it is still out of stock.

I have looked into the M3 GBA expansion, but i'm not entirely sure about it.

Does it do both GBA and extra RAM?
will it work with my R4?

if so, then my problem is solved.

if not, will i be able to open up an EZ Flash 3-in-1 DS Lite version, and put the insides into one of these M3 replacement shells ?

If anyone can answer any of these questions, or link me to somewhere that sells the EZ Flash 3-in-1 for DS Phat and ships to the UK at a decent price, help would be very much appreciated.

sorry for the long post.

 

[Kittymat]

I doubt the M3 version will work with the R4, they tend to make the items specific to their card.

The only thing I could offer is the Phat case from the M3 version (I didn't use it as I have a lite) you should be able to fit the EZ circuit board into the casing (with minor mods), as to work it only has to be into the slot but the casing is needed to make a tight fit so it stays in. Once into the slot it should be fine

 

[eSquire]

if not, will i be able to open up an EZ Flash 3-in-1 DS Lite version, and put the insides into one of these M3 replacement shells ?

Hell, I hear you can replace the insides of any regular GBA game if you wanted to.

 

[Vague Rant]

This is untrue; it's technically possible to put the guts of a 3-in-1 in another cart, but the casing is designed specifically for the 3-in-1, so putting it in anything else will probably involve a lot of electrical tape.

 

[j2011]

thanks for the replies.

how difficult would it be to put a lite EZ flash into the M3 Phat case do you think?

would i need any special tools, or would it be a simple matter of opening the EZ flash up, taping it into the spare case, with maybe a bit of cutting required on the case?

 

[Rayder]

An M3 Perfect will work fine with an R4. I know, I have an old R4 and used it with my M3 Perfect before. I use it with my CycloDS now. Just click the 3rd icon on your R4 and boom, you are in the M3's menu system. You'd probably have more trouble trying to use a 3in1 with the R4, what with all the flashing the game from slot1 to slot2 and external programs you need to make that happen using an R4, since the R4 doesn't directly support 3in1's. Besides, 3in1's make you store ALL the files for it on your slot1 card, further limiting you. An M3 Perfect has it's own SD slot and you can store 100's of games on it separate from your R4.

If you can still find an M3 Perfect (avoid the Pro series as they don't have the RAM for GBA games), you should snatch it up. The miniSD version will fit a DSphat or regular GBA. It's one of the BEST slot2 carts on the market for GBA gaming. Zero slowdown in GBA games. It has a real-time-clock for GBA games that required it and near perfect GBA compatibility. And yes, you can use it as RAM expansion too.

I've heard people mention an older EZFlash IV slot2 that is supposed to be good for GBA gaming too, but I don't know anything about that card.

Hope that helps you.

 

[j2011]

thanks for the advice.

how much do the M3s cost, roughly, and do they definately work as RAM as well?

 

[Skyline969]

The M3 GBA expansion pack costs around $18 on DealExtreme, and I can confirm that they work as a RAM pack if you properly patch your Opera Browser ROM. Or if you have extra cash, get the M3 Perfect Bundle for like $43. Keep in mind you'll have to get an extra SD card. M3 Reals can support up to 8 GB (or was it 16 GB?) memory cards, which is more than enough to keep you satisfied.

 

[j2011]

that would probably be the best solution.

but i've read somewhere that the M3 GBA expansion only works with the M3 card.

is this true?

or would i just have to patch the opera rom, and use a program such as GBAexploder to load gba roms, for it to work on my R4?

 

[eSquire]

That M3 GBA Expansion probably refers to the one that comes in certain M3 Real bundles. I don't think GBA ExpLoader will work on that, unfortunately.

This is untrue; it's technically possible to put the guts of a 3-in-1 in another cart, but the casing is designed specifically for the 3-in-1, so putting it in anything else will probably involve a lot of electrical tape.

Really? I thought that with a little filing you could get it in. Oh well =/

 

[Skyline969]

that would probably be the best solution.

but i've read somewhere that the M3 GBA expansion only works with the M3 card.

is this true?

or would i just have to patch the opera rom, and use a program such as GBAexploder to load gba roms, for it to work on my R4?

I think it works with cards other than a M3 Real, but I don't have another card to test that out. As for using GBA ExpLoader, I think that's only the the EZ-Flash 3-in-1.

 

[Kittymat]

Someone correct me if I am wrong on this!

M3 GBA expansion, is technically different from the EZ Flash unit, as such I know that the GBA Exploder program (required to put a GBA rom from slot 1 to slot 2 to be played) does not run on the M3 GBA unit. In fact the program has now been deliberately programmed to NOT work on the M3 unit.

So if you bought the M3 unit you would not have an exploder program to transfer the GBA rom - so it would not work.

However I believe the early version of exploder did work and I think I remember something about a hacked version of exploder that had been made to run.

The point is - it may - but it may not, the M3 Real does not need any exploder to run GBA roms, just select and away they go.

I would buy an ez flash unit, this will work, then you have a hardware issue to make it fit. One I have seen is cutting the back plate of the DS (drastic but it worked) or dismantle a GBA Rom and use the casing, it can be made to work as nothing has to be screwed (yes it is - but it does not have to be) I have modified a pink dust cover on a DS Lite to hold the M3 expansion card - Once in the right place I taped the unit together, this meant that it was tight in the slot but it has never moved and my daughter has a pink GBA expansion not the black white or grey option.

 

[j2011]

thanks again for all the fast replies, guys.

as people seem to be unclear about the M3 expansion, i think i'll just get the EZ flash lite version, and put the insides into a M3 phat shell.

does anyone have any experience witha anything remotely like this?
pictures of the inside of carts, circuit boards, etc.?

would i be able to tape or glue the circuit board to the inside of the phat cartridge, or would i just need to tape the phat cartridge itself really tightly around the circuit board?

 

[j2011]

right, i think the EZ flash with M3 shell will probably be my best bet then.

I'm not sure what type of putty you were thinking of, but would blu-tak work fine?

also, i've read that Version 0.53 of GBAexploder is compatible with the M3.

what are the differences between this version and the newest one, because if there isn't much difference i may just get the M3.

 

[Rayder]

To avoid confusion, there is an M3 expansion pak, and then there is the M3 Perfect which is a full-featured slot2 cart. I was talking about the M3 Perfect and not some crappy expansion pak/3in1 thingy. Yes, I call the 3in1's crappy. Full-featured slot2's are ALWAYS better.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

There is only one place left that sells it:
http://www.ishopvideogame.com/m3-perfect-lite-p-1610.html

 

[j2011]

those extra features with the M3 sound nice, but i don't really think they're worth buying an M3 real for, when i already have an R4.

since newer versions of GBAexploder don't work with the M3, i think i'll get the EZflash and put its guts into a spare M3 phat case.

anyone have any experience with gutting cartridges etc?

i'll post some pictures to show how it goes, and maybe a tutorial for others if it works.

 

[j2011]

There is only one place left that sells it:
http://www.ishopvideogame.com/m3-perfect-lite-p-1610.html

Thanks for the link, but $65 US is a bit more than i'm willing to spend.

I'll order an EZ Flash lite in the next couple of days, and post on how easy it is to put into an M3 case when i get it.