Hacking EZ 3-in-1 or EWIN expansion pack?

[FrozenOne23]

Hello,

I'm looking for a proper way to run the opera browser on my DS. Now there are two options: The EZ 3-in-1 and the EWIN expansion pack. I don't need the rumble so I could choose either. What do you suggest? Is it easy running the Opera browser using the R4 DS and the ez 3-in-1? I've read that running the browser with the ewin expansion pack is not that easy. Can someone give me a good answer to my questions to help me choose between these two?

Thanks!

Mark

 

[Eyedunno]

It's very easy to run the browser using the Ewin (start the Ewin GBA Loader, press L+R, press A to confirm, then run the browser as always from the R4 menu), but it doesn't work so well with patches (requires a hard reset if you use patches).

The EZV3-in-1 works well with either patches or the loader software. The problem with the 3-in-1 is that it's rather slow (and REALLY slow for big games, as you have to load them into NOR first) and it sticks out of the slot (only about a millimeter, but that bugs me personally).

I'll just list the pros and cons of each.

EZV3-in-1:
+ Very good software support, thanks to people like Rudolph and cory1492.
+ Supports the patched browser perfectly.
+ Near 100% compatibility.
+ Very good save support (with patched roms).
+ Includes rumble (albeit somewhat annoying rumble).
+ Functions as a RAM expansion for homebrew (up to 16MB)
+ Inclusion of NOR allows dumping of NDS games (it's EXTREMELY slow and complicated though - if you want to dump games, you're better off getting another slot-2 card, like the SuperCard)
- A little bit slow in loading small games, and has very long load times for games over 16MB.
- Sticks out a tiny bit.
- No realtime clock (but you can patch these roms to use them, minus realtime clock events).

Ewin Expansion Pak:
+ Near 100% compatibility.
+ Loader uses clean roms.
+ Wonderful build quality - doesn't stick out at all.
+ Functions as a RAM expansion for homebrew (up to 32MB).
+ Quite fast at loading all games.
- Pretty bad software support at the moment - all that's available is the official loader, since Rudolph et al haven't done anything for this yet.
- Saving currently broken in the official loader for 4kbit saves.
- Using the official loader is currently the best option for running the browser. Most patches work, but require a hard reset.
- Incomplete DLDI support in the current loader (1.4.0), so soft reset only works with R4, AceKard+, and N-Card (using different loader versions).
- No rumble.
- No realtime clock (but you can patch these roms to use them, minus realtime clock events).

To sum things up, the Ewin is technically superior to the 3-in-1 (rumble aside), but the software support is currently a bit disappointing, due to the lack of a third-party loader and a dedicated browser patch.

 

[FrozenOne23]

Well, I'm not looking to play GBA games (got normal GBA flashcarts myself), I'm only looking to proper run the Opera browser and that's all. What would you suggest then?

 

[Eyedunno]

Well, I would wonder if you've ever run the Opera browser on the DS before. Hopefully you're aware that it's very slow in general.

If you can accept that and don't mind the cart sticking out a tiny bit, then go for the EZV3-in-1, and patch the browser rom. If you care about looks, then get the Ewin, use a clean browser rom, and patch the RAM with the GBA Loader before running the browser.

 

[Maikel Steneker]

(got normal GBA flashcarts myself)

That's very important! Which one(s) do you have? You might be able to run the browser with it!

Otherwise you could choose an EZ 3in1 or Ewin Expansion Pack, or some kinda Slot-2 card with RAM. It doesn't matter really, they'll all run the browser just fine. Just take the cheapest one

 

[cutterjohn]

I own a 3in1 and have NOT noticed ANY slowdowns in either PSRAM or NOR FLASH, but I've only tried Madden, Riviera, and one Maze of Fate in FLASH. I've tried those, and all the final fantasy games, plus a few other in RAM and din't notice any difference in game speed other than it takes a helluvalot longer to erase then write FLASH than it does to download them to RAM, but you only have to re-FLASH when you want a different game in FLASH.

All of that said a 3in1 with 16MB RAM is about $20, and I've seen the ewin expansion packs with 32MB RAM for c. $14... so if you just want it for RAM I'd go with the ewin if you can find them. I plan to pick up one myself to try the GBA functionality and for the RAM, although I think that I read on the DSLinux forums (or wiki) that the DS could only address 20M or RAM or something like that...

 

[Eyedunno]

I own a 3in1 and have NOT noticed ANY slowdowns in either PSRAM or NOR FLASH, but I've only tried Madden, Riviera, and one Maze of Fate in FLASH. I've tried those, and all the final fantasy games, plus a few other in RAM and din't notice any difference in game speed other than it takes a helluvalot longer to erase then write FLASH than it does to download them to RAM, but you only have to re-FLASH when you want a different game in FLASH.

Yeah, sorry if I wasn't clear on that. I was talking about load times, not in-game slowdown. NOR takes forever for erasing/writing, which is not even an issue on the Ewin. But aside from that, even loading into RAM is faster on the Ewin (except for the very first time you load a game, as it gathers data about that game).

 

[FrozenOne23]

(got normal GBA flashcarts myself)

That's very important! Which one(s) do you have? You might be able to run the browser with it!

Otherwise you could choose an EZ 3in1 or Ewin Expansion Pack, or some kinda Slot-2 card with RAM. It doesn't matter really, they'll all run the browser just fine. Just take the cheapest one

Got XGFlash 256Mbit, Neoflash 512Mbit and a G6 lite. I know I should be able to using the G6 as ram and I patched the opera rom but somehow it just has random freezes (tried browsing gbatemp.net, fok.nl, geenstijl.nl and some others) it just seems the ram doesn't function as it should. Anyone with a g6 lite has this too, or is this normal using the opera browser (I don't think so right?

)

 

[Eyedunno]

(got normal GBA flashcarts myself)

That's very important! Which one(s) do you have? You might be able to run the browser with it!

Otherwise you could choose an EZ 3in1 or Ewin Expansion Pack, or some kinda Slot-2 card with RAM. It doesn't matter really, they'll all run the browser just fine. Just take the cheapest one

Got XGFlash 256Mbit, Neoflash 512Mbit and a G6 lite. I know I should be able to using the G6 as ram and I patched the opera rom but somehow it just has random freezes (tried browsing gbatemp.net, fok.nl, geenstijl.nl and some others) it just seems the ram doesn't function as it should. Anyone with a g6 lite has this too, or is this normal using the opera browser (I don't think so right?

)

Does it freeze permanently, or just for like a minute at a time? The latter is normal (due to the DS's slow processing speed). I usually run the browser with images off, which helps a good bit.

And if that is the nature of your problem, yes, sadly, it is normal. I have the original browser card and RAM expansion, and it's the same deal.

That's why I suggest against getting an Ewin or EZFlash just for browser RAM.

 

[DjoeN]

...

All of that said a 3in1 with 16MB RAM is about $20, and I've seen the ewin expansion packs with 32MB RAM for c. $14...

The ezflash 3in1 expansion pack has 16MB PSRAM and 32MB NOR
Games written to NOR stay there, turn off your DS, turn it on back later to play yourgame again, without reflashing
Games written to PSRAM disappear when you turn off your DS
Important: Saves must be manually backupped with rudolphs tool (or with your ezflash V) to your slot-1
Rumble and ram must be patched on the games if you have a slot-1 card that doesn't support those feutures on it's own
EZFlash V has the options build in / CycloDS auto patches on the fly rumble games and the browser
And Rudolphs tool brings support for R4/M3 Simply, SCDSOne i think and ?

While the ewin gba/ram expansion pak only holds 32MB RAM.
This means also that when you turn off your console you will lose the GBA game, you have to reflash the gba game every time you wanna play it. (you don't lose the saves as the get auto. written away to the slot-1)

If you want rumble, i would go for an Ewin rumble, the M3DS Rumlbe pack is very nice, but in some games to soft and so far i didn't find an option to set the rumble intensity on it. On the ezflash 3in1 you have 3 options, but the softest option is equal or a bit intenser then the ewin.
Games don't need to be patched to enable rumble (if the game support rumble)

BUT that's just my opinion

 

[FrozenOne23]

(got normal GBA flashcarts myself)

That's very important! Which one(s) do you have? You might be able to run the browser with it!

Otherwise you could choose an EZ 3in1 or Ewin Expansion Pack, or some kinda Slot-2 card with RAM. It doesn't matter really, they'll all run the browser just fine. Just take the cheapest one

Got XGFlash 256Mbit, Neoflash 512Mbit and a G6 lite. I know I should be able to using the G6 as ram and I patched the opera rom but somehow it just has random freezes (tried browsing gbatemp.net, fok.nl, geenstijl.nl and some others) it just seems the ram doesn't function as it should. Anyone with a g6 lite has this too, or is this normal using the opera browser (I don't think so right?

)

Does it freeze permanently, or just for like a minute at a time? The latter is normal (due to the DS's slow processing speed). I usually run the browser with images off, which helps a good bit.

And if that is the nature of your problem, yes, sadly, it is normal. I have the original browser card and RAM expansion, and it's the same deal.

That's why I suggest against getting an Ewin or EZFlash just for browser RAM.

It freezes completely, the upper right icon (with the 2 screens) is normally rotating but then it just stops or it stops in the middle of rotating. When I eg have a page that needs 54 images to load, it just stops at 11/54 and after a minute it's the same and it stays that way. That's not normal right? Also just when I boot Opera and go to gbatemp.net, it locks up after some time. I'ts not meant to be like that right? Does someone have the same problems?

Thanks

 

[Eyedunno]

Did you try it with no images?

It's still slow with images turned off, but at least it's usable.

 

[FrozenOne23]

Did you try it with no images?

It's still slow with images turned off, but at least it's usable.

Freezes too

 

[yuka001]

EZV3-in-1:

- A little bit slow for small games, and very slow for games over 16MB.

Mother 3, which is 32MB, runs at full speed on my EZV 3 in 1... Am I doing something wrong???

 

[Maikel Steneker]

Did you try it with no images?

It's still slow with images turned off, but at least it's usable.


Freezes too

Huh? Are you sure that it's not your G6 that causes the problem? For example, can you load 32 MB GBA games (try not to trim them and launch them)?

 

[FrozenOne23]

Did you try it with no images?

It's still slow with images turned off, but at least it's usable.


Freezes too

Huh? Are you sure that it's not your G6 that causes the problem? For example, can you load 32 MB GBA games (try not to trim them and launch them)?

Yea I'm already thinking the G6 actually IS the problem, but I just want to make sure, otherwise I'm buying an EZ flash 3-in-1 and still have the same problems, that would be pretty useless wouldn't it?

 

[MacGnG]

i like the 3in1 for the DS browser... only problem is that if u close the ds as u are browsing it turns off. thats the only problem ive had with the 3in1

[if there is a fix for this i must have missed that thread]

 

[myuusmeow]

Important: Saves must be manually backupped with rudolphs tool (or with your ezflash V) to your slot-1

Not true. I've flashed many a game without ever backing up the saves and never lost a single save.

 

[Eyedunno]

EZV3-in-1:

- A little bit slow for small games, and very slow for games over 16MB.


Mother 3, which is 32MB, runs at full speed on my EZV 3 in 1... Am I doing something wrong???

Ewe reed gud. Please check seven posts above yours, where I said:
QUOTE

Yeah, sorry if I wasn't clear on that. I was talking about load times, not in-game slowdown. NOR takes forever for erasing/writing, which is not even an issue on the Ewin. But aside from that, even loading into RAM is faster on the Ewin (except for the very first time you load a game, as it gathers data about that game).

I'm just gonna edit my original post, I think.

 

[The Immersion]

edited to withdraw question