Hacking Extremely noob questions about the Acekards ;(

[Falkentyne]

Hi,
I want to get an acekard to replace my old G6 Lite, but I dont know anything about microsd cards (i don't even know what that is, and not ever having owned a cellphone (i heard cellphones use sd cards) doesn't help

) nor do I know what to buy.

I found these three on focalprice.com:
1) http://www.focalprice.com/Acekard_2i_Card_...N208X_6607.html
2) http://www.focalprice.com/DS_Lite_Ace_Acek...N102X_2309.html
3) http://www.focalprice.com/DS_Lite_8G_Pro_A...N098X_2305.html

The #3 one is $50 bucks, the others are a lot cheaper.

Can some kind soul please tell me what the difference is between these three, and which one I should buy?
Money is not a concern; I have enough.

I just want to be able to play NDS games, and maybe some other things, without hassles and compatibility issues of the G6L, but I may do more things with it later, like movies or homebrew.
Is the cheap one a flashcart just like the $50 one? Why the difference in price? And the super noob question: what exactly are sd cards?

Thanks for helping the noob

 

[skweezer]

one is acekard2i that is for the dsi
2.1 is the one most people have on here, and would reccommed
the 50 one is the acekard rpg.

go for the acekard2.1

 

[CoconutCake]

I also have a G6Lite.

I bought an Acekard 2 last week and it's fantastic. The i version is for the DSi, and isn't worth it IMO because it may no longer even work after the DSi gets updated firmware. If you have a DS already then just get the regular AK2 and you're set.

I also bought an 8GB Transcend Class 6 Micro SDHC from Newegg. They're only around $15 shipped. I've had a great experience with it. Runs every game perfectly, even the ones that some people have trouble with - i.e. CVOR doesn't freeze, TWEWY intro runs smooth and doesn't freeze, and CVOS video plays smooth and steady.

Aso you can still use your G6Lite with the AK2. If you click on the GBA icon and it will load the G6 GBA menu. Or if you want to run DS apps, hold L and click on the GBA icon and the AK2 will act as the passme and run the G6 DS menu.

TIP: use AKAIO instead of the Acekard firmware. It's so much better. You'll love it.

 

[ShaneC]

I grabbed the AceKard 2.1 from there along with a Sandisk SDHC 4gig micro card for under $23USD.

The only concern is that the FocalPrice AceKards are still teh old style 'clips n' springs' (at least mine is)

 

[Briankealing]

I would get it from Dealextreme. Very reliable.

Get the RPG if you seriously know NOTHING about MicroSD cards-and you don't want to. The RPG has onboard memory + microSD memory.

But I would get the 2.1 from Dealextreme.

Alright, about MicroSD cards.

First, you must know about normal SD cards. If you don't, well, ... (you are a very, very, very big noob, then) SD cards were then reduced in sizes to make the "MiniSD" card, not too popular. They reduced it even more and came out with *tada* the "MicroSD" card, the world's smallest flash card. They are usually more expensive than SD cards, but you can find really good deals every now and then. If a 2GB is selling for 30 bucks, they rip you off. If it sells for 10, grab it while it can.

My story? 2*2GB (4GB total, 2 cards) for $2.
Yes. Two dollars. On black friday.

 

[Ballistic]

I also bought an 8GB Transcend Class 6 Micro SDHC from Newegg. They're only around $15 shipped. I've had a great experience with it. Runs every game perfectly, even the ones that some people have trouble with - i.e. CVOR doesn't freeze, TWEWY intro runs smooth and doesn't freeze, and CVOS video plays smooth and steady.

About that 8GB, have you ever have any problem editting and saving TXT or INI files with DSOrganize? Especially the ones from the the UI skin folders. I have a crappy SanDisk 8 GB SDHC from DX, and I do a lot of my skinning with the DSOrganize but I couldn't save most of the time (it just freezes).

 

[sturmen]

Get the Acekard 2.1. DealExtreme is on holiday at the moment (Chinese new year), but I use them all the time and they have yet to fail me. Look, I even made links for you:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16142~r.76136188 ($11.50, without microSD reader)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11811~r.76136188 ($11.70, with microSD reader. Note: the one that came with mine did not work)

Free shipping for all orders, no matter how small.

Oh, and here are some "OEM" (no brand) cards, they're very cheap. The Acekard2 does support SDHC, so don't worry about buying cards above 2GB.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.19036~r.76136188 ($4.30 = 1GB)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.19037~r.76136188 ($4.99 = 2GB)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.19039~r.76136188 ($8.99 = 4GB, microSDHC)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.19040~r.76136188 ($16.90 = 8GB, microSDHC)

They are all referral links.

/shameless plug

 

[Another World]

I grabbed the AceKard 2.1 from there along with a Sandisk SDHC 4gig micro card for under $23USD.

The only concern is that the FocalPrice AceKards are still teh old style 'clips n' springs' (at least mine is)

acekard told me the other day that the old FAT error chips are in trash bins. they don't know what to do with them yet and right now none are shipping. the black and forest green pcb on the old shell with the spring used a new chip and fixes the FAT error. the blue pcb has less onboard mem for saves (1k i think?), uses the same controller chip as the 2.1 (black and forest green pcb) but removes the spring. the 2.1 old is also shipping in the new shell, it has the old mem specs but also has no spring. i write compatibility lists for many emus and take my msd in and out of my 2.1 all the time. the last few days i've stress tested it more than 100 times. you have nothing to worry about in regards to the spring.

-another world

 

[Falkentyne]

Ok then it's either acekard 2.1 or the acekard RPG.

And no, i dont know what a regular SD card is, either. I've never used one--i've never even SEEN one or had a device that had one.
but I guess i'm learning the hard way now.....

The only flash/USB device ive EVER used in my life, was the G6 lite. And no I don't have a cell phone.
Yes, I'm a very very big noob. Sorry.

You still recommend I get the 2.1 over the RPG?

What does the RPG give you that the 2.1 doesn't? Just the storage? or does it come with anything else?
From what you guys are saying, the RPG is just an 8G SD card+ the acekard?

I tend to get confused easily over things I don't know about, but eventually i'm able to learn it. That's just how I am.

If I chose to go with the RPG, does that mean I don't need anything else? What does the RPG give me that the 2.1 doesn't, besides as you said, the 8gig storage?

Can I still get other sd micro cards even with the RPG?

And I'm correct by stating that the acekard does NOT support GBA games natively right?

Sorry for being totally clueless.

And thanks for everyone's help.

 

[doyama]

At this point I don't really think you should be going with the RPG. The onboard NAND is 'fussy' sometimes. Also that's 8Gbit not GByte of storage (basically 8Gb = 1GB). So you'd be better off and have an overall cheaper solution, by going with an Acekard 2 and buying whatever size of SD card suits your playing needs. Also from a support perspective, both AceKard and to a lesser extent AKAIO are concentrating on supporting the AK2/2.1/2i platforms. So you're better off going with something that's going to be not only cheaper, but will be well supported into the future.

The NAND made semi-sense when the SD storage was fairly slow. However these days almost any SD card is fast enough, and with the new DMA mode on the AKAIO, speed issues on SD is even less of an issue.

 

[Ballistic]

You sure can use MicroSD with the AKRPG, but you're basically -wasting- about 40 more dollars on something that's just slightly 1 GB (8 G[sometimes Gb] = 1 GB; notice the G and non-capitalized b). Sure onboard memory sounds nice, but it's just 1 GB for the price of 2 possible 8 GBs MicroSD you could be getting along with the Acekard 2.1. My recommendation is the Acekard 2i at most, especially if you want a slight chance of it working with the DSi in the future.

And no, no slot-1 flashcarts has the compatibility to support GBA games unless one has a slot-2 cart that'll make it work.

 

[zidane_genome]

8GB Kingston microSDHC with standard SD adapter - $19.99

4GB Kingston microSDHC card with 2 standard SD adapters - $12.93

2GB SanDisk microSD card - $10.41

but $20 for an 8gig card... that's a good deal... sturman's link to DX was for an OEM card... yea, it'll work, but name brand is def better for this stuff...

 

[owmyballs]

Get the AceKard 2.1 - clipped or glued case they are functionally the same.

You can get them here or wait for DealExtreme.
http://www.focalprice.com/DS_Lite_Ace_Acek...N102X_2309.html

Best deal going on Micro SDHC - (Free shipping).
These are Transcend class 6 (higher class = faster memory)
4 GB - $6.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820208408
8 GB - $13.49
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820208453

Be sure to use AKAIO that's a nobrainer!

 

[Another World]

both AceKard and to a lesser extent AKAIO are concentrating on supporting the AK2/2.1/2i platforms. So you're better off going with something that's going to be not only cheaper, but will be well supported into the future.

gelu's firmware is updated all the time and he supports only the rpg. it has many fixes and features that akaio does not. norm is still supporting the rpg but dislikes it due to the slow nand. also he is bias since he bricked his nand =P -- sorry norm!. the recent akaio update fixed a bunch of issues for the rpg loader.

what i will agree on is that 65$ is alot to pay to have the 1gig of onboard mem. with dma patching the only plus the nand has is for developers who don't want to take a msd in/out/in of their flash kit all day long.

i own an rpg and a few acekards. i love them all. but if money is a problem just go for the ak2.1.

-another world

 

[ShAdOwFuRi]

Acekard 2 will be more value for money, especially seeing as though flash memory is getting cheaper and cheaper.

 

[Falkentyne]

Thanks guys.
2.1 it is then

I'll do some more research into those sd links you guys posted.

 

[iKevinftw]

i bought mine on leetmod, 23 dollars with the express shipping, and it arrived IN 2 DAYS. not bad, huh

 

[Skid00dshi]

i bought mine on leetmod, 23 dollars with the express shipping, and it arrived IN 2 DAYS. not bad, huh

Damn that's a lot of money. I got mine for $13 at dealextreme but have to wait 2 weeks which isn't bad. I wasn't in a rush to use it or anything.