Hacking DS Lite, which flash cart, inc. GBA support.

[Dead1nside]

Hi, sorry for yet another one of these threads. I'm getting a DS Lite and I've done quite a bit of research into the CycloDS and EZ Flash 3-in-1.

They CycloDS website is down though, and I'm not experienced in this scene at all. I was wondering if you can help me. I just want a flash cart that can run my backups and also run GBA backups (that's why I need the Slot 2 EZ Flash 3-1, right?). But I don't know who has the most active firmware development, or if there's a cheaper buy than the CycloDS.

Thanks so much in advance.

Also thinking about getting it from shoptemp.com, as they seem to have the cheapest GBP price for the Cyclo that I've found.

 

[Rydian]

You have three choices for carts that have proper support/updates.
[*]The original R4.
NOT "R4-III Upgrade", NOT "R4-SDHC", NOT "R4i", NOT "R4 Gold", NOT "R4 Red", NOT "R4 King"...
NOT ANYTHING ELSE WITH "R4" IN THE NAME! JUST "R4 Revolution".

• Price: $6 from shoptemp.com
• Advantages: Can use Wood R4, giving it compatibility with modern games.
• Disadvantages: No DSi support, limited to memory cards 2GB and lower, no special features.
• Rank: The cheap card for somebody that just wants to play some games on a DS/Lite.

[*]Acekard 2i

• Price: $15 from shoptemp.com
• Advantages: Can use AKAIO, giving it compatibility with modern games. Can update itself and cheats over wifi, supports the DSi/XL, and supports memory cards up to 32GB.
• Disadvantages: Can't do any of the special stuff the DSTwo can.
• Rank: Mid-range card for people that want to play lots of games on a DSi/XL with some extra features.

[*]Supercard DSTwo

• Price: $35 from shoptemp.com
• Advantages: Supports the DSi/XL, can update itself even if the DSi won't run it, supports memory cards up to 32GB, real-time save (save states), in-game guide (show text and images from walkthroughs without having to reset the game), "free cheat" which lets you modify memory while the game is running, GBA and SNES emulator, slow motion, and more.
• Disadvantages: The onboard processor and such means it eats into your battery life a bit.
• Rank: Pretty much the ultimate card right now.

Yes, you may have seen the Cyclo advertised a lot in the past, but it's more expensive than the DSTwo (which came out recently) for less features, and has had way less updates in the past few months.

 

[Dead1nside]

Thanks for the quick reply. Yeah, it seems the CycloDS is going out of vogue from my reading, and a lack of updates and their website going down doesn't give one much confidence.

So am I correct in saying that for GBA backups, the Acekard 2i needs something like the EZ Flash 3-in-1, whereas with the SupercardDSTwo, it doesn't because it can emulate to make up for the lack of a Slot 2 on newer models? Can one still use an EZ Flash 3-in-1 with the DSTwo on a NDS Lite to get hardware playback of GBA backups?

 

[windwakr]

Thanks for the quick reply. Yeah, it seems the CycloDS is going out of vogue from my reading, and a lack of updates and their website going down doesn't give one much confidence.

So am I correct in saying that for GBA backups, the Acekard 2i needs something like the EZ Flash 3-in-1, whereas with the SupercardDSTwo, it doesn't because it can emulate to make up for the lack of a Slot 2 on newer models? Can one still use an EZ Flash 3-in-1 with the DSTwo on a NDS Lite to get hardware playback of GBA backups?

Yeah, you can use a 3in1 with the DS2, but I don't think it has built-in support(in the OS). You probably have to use gba exploader or gbaldr to send games to it.

 

[shamiko_]

Thanks for the quick reply. Yeah, it seems the CycloDS is going out of vogue from my reading, and a lack of updates and their website going down doesn't give one much confidence.

So am I correct in saying that for GBA backups, the Acekard 2i needs something like the EZ Flash 3-in-1, whereas with the SupercardDSTwo, it doesn't because it can emulate to make up for the lack of a Slot 2 on newer models? Can one still use an EZ Flash 3-in-1 with the DSTwo on a NDS Lite to get hardware playback of GBA backups?

Yeah, you can use a 3in1 with the DS2, but I don't think it has built-in support(in the OS). You probably have to use gba exploader or gbaldr to send games to it.

then whats that thing when you go to system settings gba extend?

 

[ShadowSoldier]

The problem with the DSTWO, is it's GBA functionality, isn't 100%. Some games don't work, and some are buggy.

You'd probably be best to get an Acekard 2i for £10.17
Acekard 2i @ www.shoptemp.com

and bundle it with the EZ Flash for £13.93

EZ-3-in-1 @ www.shoptemp.com


That way, you're getting perfect gba compatibility for basically the same price as the DSTWO. And it's also a helluva lot cheaper than a CycloDS and EZ.

 

[Dead1nside]

The problem with the DSTWO, is it's GBA functionality, isn't 100%. Some games don't work, and some are buggy.

You'd probably be best to get an Acekard 2i for £10.17
Acekard 2i @ www.shoptemp.com

and bundle it with the EZ Flash for £13.93

EZ-3-in-1 @ www.shoptemp.com


That way, you're getting perfect gba compatibility for basically the same price as the DSTWO. And it's also a helluva lot cheaper than a CycloDS and EZ.

I think that's what I'll do. I'm glad I came on here now, before I'd been on here I think I'd only heard all the great reports of the CycloDS and nothing counter to that.

Is there anything I should know about the Acekard to get the most out of it, or is it all on the wiki?

Thanks a lot to everyone who replied.

 

[ShadowSoldier]

It's probably all on the Wiki. Just install AKAIO and you're all set. No idea if you have MicroSD, but you'd need one of those [2 gigs is more than enough], and you'd just have to put GBAExploder on your MicroSD.

 

[Dead1nside]

It's probably all on the Wiki. Just install AKAIO and you're all set. No idea if you have MicroSD, but you'd need one of those [2 gigs is more than enough], and you'd just have to put GBAExploder on your MicroSD.

Thanks. Yeah, I've just been reading the guide on the wiki. So is the only real advantage of having a CycloDS for GBA backups, is that you don't need to use GBAExploder? I saw a video on YouTube where a guy said something like that.

Cheers for the help. Acekard2i and EZ 3-in-1 ordered from shoptemp and I've got a 16GB microSD on the way from somewhere else too.

 

[ShadowSoldier]

I'm not sure. As far as I know, CycloDS you needed to have the 3-in-1. Only the iPlayer and DSTWO don't need it... there might be another card that doesn't but I'm not sure. But the iPlayer doesn't play DS games.

 

[RoMee]

I'm not sure. As far as I know, CycloDS you needed to have the 3-in-1. Only the iPlayer and DSTWO don't need it... there might be another card that doesn't but I'm not sure. But the iPlayer doesn't play DS games.

EX4i

 

[Schizoanalysis]

I use M3 Real (well, actually M3i) + M3 GBA exp pack


I can recommend this. Sakura is great.

 

[ShadowSoldier]

I'm not sure. As far as I know, CycloDS you needed to have the 3-in-1. Only the iPlayer and DSTWO don't need it... there might be another card that doesn't but I'm not sure. But the iPlayer doesn't play DS games.

EX4i

That's the one, I knew I was forgetting something.

 

[Schizoanalysis]

Don't get EX4i

I had one. I broke on me after 1-2 uses.

 

[ShadowSoldier]

I use M3 Real (well, actually M3i) + M3 GBA exp pack


I can recommend this. Sakura is great.

But M3 doesn't have the greatest support... that I can attest to. It's good, but it fails in comparison. That, and it also doesn't sell on ShopTemp...

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

I use M3 Real (well, actually M3i) + M3 GBA exp pack


I can recommend this. Sakura is great.

But M3 doesn't have the greatest support... that I can attest to. It's good, but it fails in comparison. That, and it also doesn't sell on ShopTemp...

So he can't make money off of posting one of his referral codes.

The M3Real is an adequate flashcart, even if Shoptemp doesn't carry it.
Just be sure that if you get one, it's website is www.m3adapter.com Anything else is a fake.

http://www.m3adapter.com/News_Events.htm

 

[SixtySixHundred]

Thanks for the quick reply. Yeah, it seems the CycloDS is going out of vogue from my reading, and a lack of updates and their website going down doesn't give one much confidence.

So am I correct in saying that for GBA backups, the Acekard 2i needs something like the EZ Flash 3-in-1, whereas with the SupercardDSTwo, it doesn't because it can emulate to make up for the lack of a Slot 2 on newer models? Can one still use an EZ Flash 3-in-1 with the DSTwo on a NDS Lite to get hardware playback of GBA backups?

Yeah, you can use a 3in1 with the DS2, but I don't think it has built-in support(in the OS). You probably have to use gba exploader or gbaldr to send games to it.

then whats that thing when you go to system settings gba extend?

That's for setting the 3in1 or whatever to be used as a rumble pack or memory expansion. It has nothing to do with loading GBA games.

 

[ShadowSoldier]

So he can't make money off of posting one of his referral codes.

Excuse me?

 

[Dead1nside]

That's for setting the 3in1 or whatever to be used as a rumble pack or memory expansion. It has nothing to do with loading GBA games.

That's what I was after. Really excited now. I just hope I don't regret only going for the China Registered Air Mail, with the wait time.
I'm getting the DS to tide me over until the Open Pandora console is released.

Thank you all for your help. Spent all day trawling these forums, really useful.

 

[Schizoanalysis]

I use M3 Real (well, actually M3i) + M3 GBA exp pack


I can recommend this. Sakura is great.

But M3 doesn't have the greatest support... that I can attest to. It's good, but it fails in comparison. That, and it also doesn't sell on ShopTemp...

True. I also have an AK2i & SCDSTWO to play the newer games that don't work on it.

But, oddly enough, my M3 is still my card of choice, ie. it is my #1 card (with my 16GB microSD in it). I love Sakura, this is why. And you can't fault the GBA compatibility.