Hacking DSTWO - Discostew's review

DiscostewSM

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tl;dr

Score of 'B'. Everything available works fine if not great. Card may not be sturdy, but isn't a problem when handled gently. A few problems, but nothing that can't be fixed via updates and such. Will wait patiently for upcoming features.




Received the item in the mail May 27, 5 days after it left Hong Kong under Registered Air Mail. It was a rainy day, and I didn't even think about it until a knock at the door got my attention. Was expecting 2-6 weeks, not 5 days. The item was shipped in one piece.


The Package:


As far as getting the card out of the packaging, I guess I was lucky, as the card wasn't completely sitting in it. The top of it was sticking slightly out, so with a little push from the back, it popped right out, no problems with the sticker or casing coming off. The sticker on the top-left corner looked like it was slightly coming off, but a good press on it put it back.

When inserting it into my DSphat, it was quite tight, insomuch that I wasn't sure about pushing it even further since the chips were sticking a little out. It was nothing like handling my M3DS Simply. The device is quite snug when inserted, perhaps a little too snug than I'm used to. It's even harder to get out because for some reason, I have to push it even further (to the point of it touching the back end inside) for it to click so I could get it out.

Inserting and taking out the MicroSD card I had was easier than inserting and taking out the entire card of my DS, though like most people have said, it gets caught when trying to get it out. It just takes a little wiggling to get mine out, so safe there. No problem with the spring mechanism (yet, if it ever happens).

After backing up my card to a folder on my computer, I formatted it, downloaded and installed the OS software as the booklet said for me to do, and gave it it's first go.


Onto the Main Event(s):


Unlike my M3DS Simply, the DSTWO requires that I load it up like any regular game. Even though I have my DSphat set up to do this already and not load up an NDS game if detected, I like the automatic feature my M3 had. Now, if they could just change the icon and description of the "NDS game" to something other than Fish Tycoon.
tongue.gif



NDS test:

My first test was a game I wanted to play, but couldn't because the M3 couldn't (at least unless it was patchable); Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. From what I could tell, the game plays just fine. However, for the little time I played it, the only time I couldn't enter the DSTWO's game menu (L+R+Start) was during any point where I was on the map area walking around. The title screen, save screen, and battle screen allow me to enter the menu just fine. I'm thinking it depends on what buttons are enabled in each section, and the map area doesn't have one of the buttons enabled.
My second test was an older game I was already playing, but wanted to see if my SAV file transferred over, and it did, so no worries there.

GBA test:


Onto GBA games. Since I loved the Final Fantasy games, I tested both IV and VI. IV began lagging at the beginning when showing the pseudo-Mode7 clouds and sky, but a quick change to CPU freq 4 fixed that, though that has since been the more CPU intensive portion played during this test. Fast Forwarding worked fine, as well as saving/loading states. VI seemed to work just fine as well, though requires a little more juice (via CPU freq). It seems that at any time there is lag, the audio has a small chance of causing odd sounds.


Houston, we have a (minor) problem:


There was at least one problem I detected after my testing. First off is if you put the DS into sleep mode when in the DSTWO's main menu. Upon resuming, the sound doesn't seem to work at all, neither in the GBA emulator nor DS games. It's completely turned off. Doing a hard shutdown and booting it back up fixes it. This is only during the main menu, not in-game.


The Scoreboard:

As far as the overall score I give this, it would be a 'B'. I know this isn't an intensive review, as I have only tried a few things, but so far, I'm impressed with it.

It is missing features promised like SNES emulation, divx/xvid video playback, etc, but all those can be added in later, and current features can be improved upon. People seem to have a problem with the sturdiness of the card, that it might break, but considering that it isn't something you are throwing around, if you are rough with it, then it will probably break.


PS:


I got the white strap, woot!
 

Boozie

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Nice writeup. In the way of additional features can they just be added in with software/firmware updates?
If I have no Flash Cart and am looking to buy one are there any benefits of waiting outside of saving myself update time?
 

arielp

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Houston, we have a (minor) problem:

There was at least one problem I detected after my testing. First off is if you put the DS into sleep mode when in the DSTWO's main menu. Upon resuming, the sound doesn't seem to work at all, neither in the GBA emulator nor DS games. It's completely turned off. Doing a hard shutdown and booting it back up fixes it. This is only during the main menu, not in-game.[/qoute]

i cannot reproduce it on my DSTWO. sound still works
 

DiscostewSM

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arielp said:
QUOTE said:
Houston, we have a (minor) problem:

There was at least one problem I detected after my testing. First off is if you put the DS into sleep mode when in the DSTWO's main menu. Upon resuming, the sound doesn't seem to work at all, neither in the GBA emulator nor DS games. It's completely turned off. Doing a hard shutdown and booting it back up fixes it. This is only during the main menu, not in-game.

i cannot reproduce it on my DSTWO. sound still works

I am using a DSphat. You using the same thing?
 

Overlord Nadrian

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I suggest you flash your DS with the no-bootsplash thingy, that way the DSTWO can load faster!
biggrin.gif


Also, the reason it doesn't automatically boot is because that causes problems with the DSi.
 

DiscostewSM

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tk_saturn said:
You need to add some photo's of your cart to your review, makes any review look much better.

Yeah, unfortunately, the battery in my digital camera is depleted, and for the life of me, I can't find the power cord for it (it plugs straight into the camera, and charges the battery that way). If and when I find it, I'll be sure to get some pics.
 

arielp

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DiscostewSM said:
arielp said:
QUOTE said:
Houston, we have a (minor) problem:

There was at least one problem I detected after my testing. First off is if you put the DS into sleep mode when in the DSTWO's main menu. Upon resuming, the sound doesn't seem to work at all, neither in the GBA emulator nor DS games. It's completely turned off. Doing a hard shutdown and booting it back up fixes it. This is only during the main menu, not in-game.

i cannot reproduce it on my DSTWO. sound still works

I am using a DSphat. You using the same thing?

i'm using DSi
 

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