Hacking ewin expansion pack

[powertex]

I was wondering, since the ewin expansion back is similar to that of the m3 ds real the only difference being is the software. so would it be a possibility to flash the cart with the m3 ds real software from its expansion pack?

 

[PizzaPasta]

You could try it out but I don't think it will work. I think they are only similar as far as specs are concerned not so much as if the EEP is a rebranded M3 expansion pack.

 

[Bri]

According to the review of the M3 DS Real, the M3 GBA loader will also work for the eWin: http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=68277

It was at this point in the review that I realized my Ewin Expansion Pack had been in my DS throughout this entire GBA section, not the M3DS Real GBA Expansion Pack. So I opened them both up.

From the front, they look completely different, but if you turn the PCB of the Ewin Expansion Pack over, you can see that now they both looks remarkably similar. There are two large chips, both the same size and similar location, and one of them is Altera Max II. They are from different moulds, and are made from a different type of plastic, but it's interesting to see how they can be used interchangably.

My guess is that GBA ExpLoader is probably better than either the M3 or the eWin loader.

-Bri

 

[Destructobot]

It should be noted that the eWin expansion only has 256KB of SRAM (128KB in the clone versions), so you won't be able to use the real time save feature even if it does work with the M3 Real.

 

[PizzaPasta]

It was at this point in the review that I realized my Ewin Expansion Pack had been in my DS throughout this entire GBA section, not the M3DS Real GBA Expansion Pack.


Man, I totally missed that. Sorry.

QUOTEIt should be noted that the eWin expansion only has 256KB of SRAM (128KB in the clone versions), so you won't be able to use the real time save feature even if it does work with the M3 Real

Is it the case that the 128kb version is a clone and not a downgrade by Ewin themselves? If so, is the 256kb version still available for purchase?

 

[Destructobot]

It should be noted that the eWin expansion only has 256KB of SRAM (128KB in the clone versions), so you won't be able to use the real time save feature even if it does work with the M3 Real

Is it the case that the 128kb version is a clone and not a downgrade by Ewin themselves? If so, is the 256kb version still available for purchase?

I was under the impression that the ones that say eWin on them have 256KB, and the rebranded clones (like the DSTT GBA expansion) only had 128KB. Are there 128KB EEPs sold under the eWin brand name?

 

[PizzaPasta]

It should be noted that the eWin expansion only has 256KB of SRAM (128KB in the clone versions), so you won't be able to use the real time save feature even if it does work with the M3 Real

Is it the case that the 128kb version is a clone and not a downgrade by Ewin themselves? If so, is the 256kb version still available for purchase?

I was under the impression that the ones that say eWin on them have 256KB, and the rebranded clones (like the DSTT GBA expansion) only had 128KB. Are there 128KB EEPs sold under the eWin brand name?

Yeah, I ordered an EEP and got a 128KB DSTT instead. The person from the shop said that they were the same thing and that they just had less memory now. I thought that Ewin made the DSTT expansion and that was why they were being rebranded which is why I didn't try to return it or get a new one but if you say it's a clone, I believe it.

I even opened it up and it looks the same as the EEP but without the labeing on the chip. I kind of want to get an actual EEP but I hesitated since I thought they were all made with 128KB which you can't do too much with outside of loading GBA ROMs.

 

[Bri]

Note that the 128K vs. 256K SRAM only has to do with the save files (both have the same amount of memory used to actually load GBA games). I'm not sure how only having 128K of SRAM affects saves, since either version seem to save fine with GBA ExpLoader.

Also, real-time saves aren't possible with a slot2 GBA expansion cart that doesn't have its own microSD slot regardless of the amount of SRAM. A save file can only be transferred from the slot2's SRAM to the slot1 microSD card after the NDS is rebooted.

-Bri

 

[Destructobot]

I'm not sure how only having 128K of SRAM affects saves, since either version seem to save fine with GBA ExpLoader.
The only real difference is that GBA ExpLoader has to store the info about which game the current save goes with in a file on the slot 1 cart, instead of an unused section of SRAM.


QUOTE(Bri @ Jun 4 2008, 08:08 AM) Also, real-time saves aren't possible with a slot2 GBA expansion cart that doesn't have its own microSD slot regardless of the amount of SRAM.

100% incorrect. Battery powered SRAM is non-volatile memory; if it is big enough, it can be used for any purpose that a memory card (also non-volatile memory) could be used for, including real time saves.

The M3 Real + M3 GBA expansion allows for real time saving by including 1MB of SRAM on the GBA cart (and patching the RTS code into the rom at runtime). the RTS stays in SRAM until it can be copied to the slot 1 cart, just like the regular in-game save.

 

[Bri]

Oh, I see what you're saying. I guess I assumed that "real time save" implied that it gets written to a microSD card immediately, but I suppose the dump could get saved to the SRAM (or some other non-volatile memory) if it's big enough and then stored to the microSD card on reboot. I stand corrected!

Theoretically the EZ 3in1 could use the NOR for real-time saves except that it would be dreadfully slow.

-Bri

 

[powertex]

wtf!?! i bought the ewin expansion from sky2k and they sent me the dstt insead. it doesn't even work with the ds real. i'm pretty pissed off right now.

nvm it works with gba exploder

 

[powertex]

yea loading it directly from the ds real won't work like mentioned in hte review. i guess i can't cheat. lol

 

[Bri]

The DSTT's expansion pack is the same as the eWin expansion pack (i.e. it's made by eWin).

Can I ask how much it cost you including shipping? I assume psxboy.com is less expensive, but they're apparently out of stock.

Also, when you run GBA ExpLoader, what does it say at the top? It should say "EXP128K" or "EXP256K". Just curious which one yours is.

-Bri

 

[powertex]

it was 18 total. and it says exp128k. i don't think you're gonna be able to find the 256k. it seems that most people are getting the 128k. i was about to buy it on psxboy but it was $22 after shipping. for that much i would just go on redhotstuff and get the ds real expansion. you spend a little more $10 but you get more features. and i noticed with this cart i got, gba loads really really slow. it froze at one point and after resetting the ds my microsd was corrupted. i had to format, losing a bunch of saved games. good thing i backed them up in the game cartridge. rein finally came in handy.

the only reason why i got this expansion pack was to try out super robot war. but they're not even that good. oh how i wish someone would translate the ds super robot war.

 

[Bri]

When I got one from psxboy a few months ago, it was $12 + $2 shipping = $14. They have $2 shipping on everything (see the big sign on the homepage that says "Worldwide airmail shipping only $2").

But $18 isn't bad considering that psxboy.com is out of stock.

I don't think they make the 256K anymore, but really it's not a big deal (I was just curious which one you'd get) because both work just fine (the lack of memory doesn't affect anything -- it just saves the info to the microSD card instead).

What cart do you have that loads GBA so slowly? Are you using GBA ExpLoader?

One other question, did you get a black shell for your eWin or was it another color? Black ones are hard to find, and I have a Crimson/black NDS so my white eWin 2in1 looks pretty bad!

-Bri

 

[PizzaPasta]

yea loading it directly from the ds real won't work like mentioned in hte review. i guess i can't cheat. lol

Yeah, the same thing happened to me. Sky2K is selling clones it seems.

QUOTEThe DSTT's expansion pack is the same as the eWin expansion pack (i.e. it's made by eWin).

Can I ask how much it cost you including shipping? I assume psxboy.com is less expensive, but they're apparently out of stock.

Also, when you run GBA ExpLoader, what does it say at the top? It should say "EXP128K" or "EXP256K". Just curious which one yours is.

-Bri

Isn't the DSTT 2 in 1 an Ewin clone?

 

[noONE]

Apparently the DSTT Ewin Clone hasn't always had 128K, as i got 256K, so when did they switch to 128K from 256K?

 

[Bri]

I don't believe the DSTT 2in1 is considered a clone as it's actually made by eWin (and is in fact identical to the eWin 2in1 other than the sticker on it). Technically, it's probably "rebranded".

I believe both the eWin and the DSTT one came in 256K and later 128K. My guess is that all new ones are going to be 128K.

-Bri

 

[PizzaPasta]

I believe both the eWin and the DSTT one came in 256K and later 128K. My guess is that all new ones are going to be 128K.

-Bri

Bah, either way it still sucks. You can't do too much with only 128KB, I can't wait until my 3 in 1 arrives.

Oh, I also have a white DSTT and it looks gross in both my black and ice blue DS. When I get my 3 in 1 I'm going to put the guts in a GBA cartridge and print out a label to make it look like one of the old unlicensed Tengen games for NES.

 

[Bri]

You misunderstand. The 128K is only the amount of SRAM memory (which holds the save data). 128K is perfectly fine for save files for GBA. The 256K version does allow the SRAM to be used to hold information about which game the save file goes to in addition to the save data itself, but it's not necessary to have 256K since the game information can also be saved to a file on the slot1 microSD card. So in reality, having only 128K of SRAM doesn't affect its performance at all.

Both versions of the eWin 2in1 have twice as much fast volatile memory (in addition to the aforementioned SRAM) compared to the EZ 3in1. That means that you can load large GBA games into the fast volatile memory on the eWin whereas the EZ 3in1 must use the slow NOR memory for large GBA games. It also means that the eWin has twice the memory available for the Opera browser and homebrew to use.

-Bri