Hacking D2C chips overview

[OzModChips]

You can add to the list of Argon negatives that the chip will be pretty damn expensive for the first 2 months

The official price is 1 euro higher then d2ckey....which isnt much. But....
D2ckey is available. I can buy 100, 500, or 5,000 if i had the money.

Argon has a limit of around 100 per reseller right now, so the price for 100 is pretty shit. So expect it to be about 10 USD+ above the D2ckey.

 

[lenselijer]

you forget that you can also buy infectus and flash it with argon code.
d2ckey is too much trouble, i really hope the argon/infectus will be more reliable, and also easier to install for 'normal' people

Infectus and argon use same installation diagrams.
first picture of infectus install was edited so you could not see exactly where the wires were going, just to prevent the chinese from copying the chip before its release date.

 

[OzModChips]

I employee robots that do these installs, so d2ckey is fine for now - http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1402/installd2ckpa3.jpg

 

[coolbho3000]

I employee robots that do these installs, so d2ckey is fine for now - http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1402/installd2ckpa3.jpg

Are you serious? You can program a robot to install a modchip?

 

[OzModChips]

Yeah
I still have to pay them $50 an hour though

 

[cracker]

I employee robots that do these installs, so d2ckey is fine for now - http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1402/installd2ckpa3.jpg

Nice install. Wish I had soldering skillz like that. Just looking at the diagram made my nads tingle...

 

[Sc4rFac3d]

you forget that you can also buy infectus and flash it with argon code.
d2ckey is too much trouble, i really hope the argon/infectus will be more reliable, and also easier to install for 'normal' people

Infectus and argon use same installation diagrams.
first picture of infectus install was edited so you could not see exactly where the wires were going, just to prevent the chinese from copying the chip before its release date.

So you are getting the "blank" Infectus chip and flashing it yourself with the Argon code? How do you do that, do they include the necessary stuff? Also, this is exactly the same as the pre-flashed Argon right?

 

[Frankdj]

Yes Sc4rfac3d, you are right. The Infectus uses the same software as the Argon, and is placed exactly the same way into your Wii. The only difference is that the Infectus chip comes blank without firmware, and the Argon comes with software on it. Another difference is that the Infectus has a build-in programmer, and the Argon has an eternal programmer that comes out january 2008.


Use Infectus:
- Buy it
- Solder it into your Wii (13 wires, same as Argon)
- Download the programmer software and firmware from the Infectus website
- Use build-in USB programmer on the Infectus board to upload the right firmware
- Play your Wii!

Update Infectus
- Just use the build-in USB programmer to upload new firmware

Use Argon:
- Buy it
- Solder it into your Wii (13 wires)
- Play your Wii!

Update Argon
- Buy the special JTAG/USB programmer from Infectus (coming januari, about 20 euro)
- Download the programmer software and firmware from the Infectus website
- Upload new software to your Argon chip, and play!

 

[Sc4rFac3d]

Yes Sc4rfac3d, you are right. The Infectus uses the same software as the Argon, and is placed exactly the same way into your Wii. The only difference is that the Infectus chip comes blank without firmware, and the Argon comes with software on it. Another difference is that the Infectus has a build-in programmer, and the Argon has an eternal programmer that comes out january 2008.


Use Infectus:
- Buy it
- Solder it into your Wii (13 wires, same as Argon)
- Download the programmer software and firmware from the Infectus website
- Use build-in USB programmer on the Infectus board to upload the right firmware
- Play your Wii!

Update Infectus
- Just use the build-in USB programmer to upload new firmware

Use Argon:
- Buy it
- Solder it into your Wii (13 wires)
- Play your Wii!

Update Argon
- Buy the special JTAG/USB programmer from Infectus (coming januari, about 20 euro)
- Download the programmer software and firmware from the Infectus website
- Upload new software to your Argon chip, and play!

So by that logic, infectus wins right? Cause of the build in programmer, I mean.

 

[Frankdj]

Yep, but that also makes it more expensive and makes it almost twice the size of an Argon chip.

 

[Sc4rFac3d]

I don't mind the size, and the price doesn't seem too high. So I'm cool with that I guess.

 

[lenselijer]

I receive my first shipment of the infectus tomorrow

I hope it works as advertised.

 

[Sc4rFac3d]

I receive my first shipment of the infectus tomorrow

I hope it works as advertised.

I'm hearing the compatibility isn't so good. Hope they're wrong, can't wait to hear from you!

 

[Armadillo]

Where you hear that? , I didn't think anywhere even had samples yet as I've not seen any reviews , in fact I haven't seen much past the install pics.

 

[Sc4rFac3d]

Where you hear that? , I didn't think anywhere even had samples yet as I've not seen any reviews , in fact I haven't seen much past the install pics.

This one. click


Also, whats the difference between Infectus and Infectus2?

 

[Frankdj]

Infectus is the 'old' chip used for xbox, PS2 and xbox360 and the new Infectus2 can also be used for Wii (and PS3 in the future). I don't know if I am totally right about that, but that's what I can remember.

 

[Armadillo]

Where you hear that? , I didn't think anywhere even had samples yet as I've not seen any reviews , in fact I haven't seen much past the install pics.


This one. click


Also, whats the difference between Infectus and Infectus2?

Hmm doesn't sound good , but on the other hand , there are people saying no probs. Maybe it will be like the ps2 mods , can't have too long wires , can't have wires crossing. Guess we will just have to wait for more to get out there , get a bigger picture of what's going on.

Gotta laugh at some things though , like someone saying freezing after booting , then saying they use Dr hank media.

dr hank.

 

[arctic_flame]

If originals don't boot, he dislodged the drive ribbon cable (easily done) or bridged some solder points.

Sc4rFac3d: Once you've done a few installs, you can tell what's gone wrong from the symptoms

 

[Frankdj]

From the maker of Infectus and Argon:

Hi guys,

only to be 100% clear with customers...

GENERAL INFORMATION
ARGON is a modchip studied to work only on WII and because it hasn't usb IC, connector, flash on board is more cheaper than INFECTUS2

INFECTUS2 is expencive, because is study to work on many consoles, to be expandible (downgrade addon, XD CARD adaptor will came soon to support many dashboards in X360 application, and more and more...), to be 100% flexible and is ready to accept new features like probably PS3!!!

Well, the people can see that the price right now is not so difference between both products, about 5 eur... this is caused from the unbelivable DEMAND of WII D2C modchips... in a world where PRICES are done to meet OFFER and DEMAND right now ARGON quotation is VERY HIGH... we have only 4k argon production for a demand worldwide that is 10 times more, and with second batch of 5k we can cover only a few % of requests...

OF course in this situation if you can buy INFECTUS2 is better, because with only 5 eur difference you have a modchip that is more complete, BUT the problem is that there isn't stock, first batch ETA is 27th dec, but not 100% sure, we have some problems with deliveries of one component necessary for USB comunication...

ARGON PRICE is now setup to 39 eur, INFECTUS2 to 45, I think in february ARGON price cut allow to find it from 30 to 35 eur... and than there will be about 10-15 eur difference from INFECTUS2!

So argon exists only because:
1- is cheaper than infectus
2- because is more smaller (so you can fit it more easy in wii)
3- because is improbably that will be necessary an update on WII... but we study it reprogrammable like INFECTUS2 trought a FLAT CABLE (jtag) that is included in the modchip

WHAT'S ABOUT ARGON PROGRAMMER?
In the next week we will post a preview of INFECTUS JTAG PROGRAMMER, the price for final users will be from 15 to 20 eur.. this programmer NOW is necessary only for ARGON update, but we want to create a JTAG MODCHIP standard for the future.
This allow us to release many differents modchips like ARGON for each console, and update them with JTAG INFECTUS PROGRAMMER...
Think about a PS3 modchip, we will have every time INFECTUS2 with complete features... but for who want to save money, there will be like an ARGON PS3, that can be updated if is necessary trought JTAG..

Finally remember that JTAG is a standard of industry and programmer can work like an ACTEL PROGRAMMER, so good for developers too..

We tought that the principal customer that use programmer is an installer, he sell ARGON on WIIs and when is necessary an update the customer take back consoles and in 2 min he update them if necessary.. this I think is the best scenario for ARGON + PROGRAMMER KIT..

THe final user that install hisself the modchip and don't care about 10 eur more, probably will choose INFECTUS2..

Wow sorry for my bad english.. I hope now all understand situation..

BYE FOR NOW
OSCAR RSM

 

[OzModChips]

February is long way away.
Nice post