Hacking DS Lite, Build & Sound Quality

[x_comp]

I just bought myself a Crystal White version to replace my original and it just arrived this morning. I'm impressed by the difference in screens. The colours are definitely much more pronounced and the backlights are brighter. You can read my mini review on my blog. Right now, I'm just sticking to level 2 brightness

I've read all these rumours about the black version having a better build and with my one, it might seem to be true. I don't have both to compare but, the volume slider and the D-Pad seems just a little bit loose. They're not so loose as to move around when you're walking about but, when you touch them you can feel them wobble about very slightly. Anyone else have loose buttons on their white DSL?

Also, I noticed the surround sound effect has been increased. I was testing both my DSes with Mario Kart and while playing on the DSL, I could feel like I was actually in the race whereas on the original, it's not as immersive. However, the sound quality seems to have degraded slightly on the DSL speakers. It sounds slightly fuzzy whereas the original DS sounds very sharp. Anyone notice this?

Thought I'd ask those two questions here to check if I have one with a bad build or not

 

[Darkspark]

Ok,
I think the sound is exactly the same, but simply quieter. Whoever said that the DS and the DS Lite use the same speakers is mad from just listenining.
However dont get me wrong; they may use the same speakers, but simply have a limit placed upon them, since with the old DS, the sound at its max was all crackly and I think actually damaged my speakers, giving it a slight hiss after a while.

I think they have stopped the sound going as high, so at its max volume it still sounds clear on my ds lite, and no crackly hiss.

About the build quality, I do not understand why the black would have a better one. Assuming they are manufactured the same until having the paint put onto different physical aspects of the hardware, why would for example, the ds fit together differently with black paint as opposed to white paint.

Theoretically, they would actually want to rush the black ds lites out the factory faster, since they are in greater demand, and should suffer slightly more build quality defects.

The volume slider is a bit loose, so is the stylus in its underside, so when I shake it, you can hear them rattling. However even when I have taken everything out the ds and held the sliders down, there is still something rattling in the ds which I cannot pin point the source of.

 

[Darkforce]

I have a white UK DS lite and yes the volume slider and to a lesser extent power slider are slightly wobbly like you mentioned x_comp but I don't see it being a problem in any way. My buttons and D-Pad are fine. No dead/stuck pixels and no rattling etc... 0_o. I think the sound is an improvement on the old DS, especially with earphones which sound a bit louder and clearer IMO. BTW I've heard flashme has a bug that lowers the volume on DS lites by about 40%, so if you have flashme installed then that will be the cause.

I have 2 tiny bits of dust under the top screen, but they're not very noticable and don't really bother me, aside from that I'm very happy with the DS lite. Gotta love the screens... absolutely mental brightness. It also seems like Nintendo have improved the touch screen protection layer... I've been playing Metroid Hunters for a few days and I can't see any scratches or marks whatsoever. Who needs screen protectors 'ey?

 

[x_comp]

Ah, that's good then. The buttons don't really bother me but, the sound isn't as clear and sharp as the original DS I think. I spent time playing through a few GPs in Mario Kart and the original DS really sounds sharper. My new DSL has better surround sound effects, though.

I have no problems with the volume, just the quality of the sound so, I want to clear up if it's my DSL or not before I decide I should return it

Edit:

I'm getting screen protectors for my DS because I play Osu Tatakae Ouendan a lot. When you get to the cheerleader difficulty level or even just the one before that, you'll be trying to draw circles so fast that you're bound to end up with scratches eventually. Or even when you're just cleaning an accidental smudge off your screens. I'd rather they were on the silicon protectors than the original layer of plastic. It means I don't have to take apart my DS to replace it when it gets bad

 

[thieves like us]

with regards to both the power and audio slider buttons, I took a ds lite apart last night. the reason that they feel a bit loose is because the switches are actually a two piece construction.
the plastic portions of both switches that you make contact with, fit onto the posts of the actual electronic switch components within.

on the original ds and the gba sp, the slider switch for the audio level was actually fixed onto its electronic component.

on the back side of the plastic portions of the switches, the slot which the post of the actual switches fits into is slightly larger, allowing a bit of play. however, this should not be viewed a quality deficiency, but rather a choice to make assembly easier (because the plastic portions of the switches "float" in their respective areas of the case until they slide over the posts of the ectronic switches.

sorry, if I was a bit verbose, but it's hard to explain without having accompanying pictures.

 

[sage_inferno]

hmm the eu white dsl here.
my top screen has a small crack in the upper left 2x2mm
the glass seems of lesser quality..
dpad doesnt respond as the phat one

aleast there are no dead pixel ,the brightness and colors outways the small flaws.

 

[x_comp]

Indeed but, doesn't anyone else notice the downgraded audio quality? I done a little lookup on Google and it seems there are random responses. Some says it's better, some says it's degraded a bit. Earphones are fine however.

I still like it over all though so, I guess I'll be keeping it XD

 

[Darkspark]

Could they have made the sound quieter to make the battery last longer?

Just tried it with headphones and it is LOUD, even on the lowest volum slider setting. I use the earphones attached with sandisk sansa mp3 players. They are white earphones that look yellow compared to the ds lite.

 

[XeNoGeaR]

sound quality from games like Ouendan could be better too.
hehe anyway wioth earphones is the best sound option you will hear everythjing clear..........

in ouendan its better couse you can concentrate on the sound and the ritm

 

[SkuiD87]

I can confirm that the build Quality in the Black DS Lites is indeed better than those of the whites (at least here in Europe...havnt seen any US/JAP DSL's).

I've looked at 3 different black DSL's and 3 different white DSL's. ALL of the black DSL's have a superior build quality. As for sound, I havn't had a chance to check this out yet.

Someone mentioned the materials used...if you look closely at the Black DSL, you'll notice that there is NOT an extra layer of clear plastic on top. They actually used a different material...it's all one shiny black piece of plastic. I think this makes for the tighter fit of the stylus. The volume control is also more sturdy and not so loose. The Buttons and D-Pad feel perfect. 2 out of 3 of the white DS's had a funny shoulder button too.

It's difficult to find faults in the black DSL when it comes to build quality. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the white. (Though the black one still smudges and shows fingerprints without mercy!!! Personally, I like the aesthetic look of the white)

I dunno if there'll be differences in sound quality...I doubt it very much. I'll check it out when I get a chance.

 

[Darkspark]

Someone mentioned the materials used...if you look closely at the Black DSL, you'll notice that there is NOT an extra layer of clear plastic on top. They actually used a different material...it's all one shiny black piece of plastic. I think this makes for the tighter fit of the stylus. The volume control is also more sturdy and not so loose. The Buttons and D-Pad feel perfect. 2 out of 3 of the white DS's had a funny shoulder button too.

Doesnt that mean they used less materials? That means one less protection layer, if it is just one piece of plastic. Ive got to have a look at that. Hopefully they have some on display at my local game shop.

* oh I see what you mean. Its set just like the plastic on black mobile phones. Such as the T610 shell.

 

[x_comp]

if you look closely at the Black DSL, you'll notice that there is NOT an extra layer of clear plastic on top...

I dunno if there'll be differences in sound quality...I doubt it very much. I'll check it out when I get a chance.

Yeah, I was wondering about that... You know those silicon cases they're selling that covers the whole DSL to protect it? I was thinking who needs them (joking) when I saw that extra layer of plastic around the white DSL

As I mentioned earlier, I spent time playing through Mario Kart, racing through the same GPs on both my DSL and original DS. The DSL really has a slightly fuzzier sound through the speakers while the original is really sharp. Volume is fine and as with the original, earphones give the best sound still. Again, surround sound effect seems better on the DSL.

Maybe I have defect speakers but, since I don't know anyone else with a DSL, I can't really compare. If it is defect, I can still send it back. It doesn't bother me too much but it'll be good to know if it's a general thing.

 

[Darkspark]

Is this viable.
The DS Original has a ton of speaker holes, which is why is comes out loud.
For asthetic reasons, they put fewer speaker holes on the ds lite so that it would look nicer, but leads to the ds lite frame just absorbing the sound, or blocking the the actual speaker components.

I have compared it to a friends ice blue ds and they both sound "tinny" compared to the DS original.