Hacking EZ4 Lite Initial Impression

[darkandlong]

Well I just got my hands on my EZ4 Lite.

This thing is definitly tiny, but I have a few reservations so far:

-Disassembling the cartridge (I have an Ice Blue DS) was a little tricky. There is a clip on one side of the housing that didn't want to seem to come off at first. Also, the screw didn't want to thread into the other half, so be careful when you put it together.
-Of the three housings I received, the Navy is the only one that seems to come together flush. The White and Ice separate a little on the one side of the cart. The flashcart makes a pretty loud clicking noise when I try to place it in the GBA slot.
-I'm using a 1GB Sandisk Micro SD card. It is fricken IMPOSSIBLE to get the TF card out. I had to take the housing off. I'll need to figure out a better way, as I'm worried I'll stress the plastic by screwing the pieces together too much.

I'll update as I go along.

Update, for those too lazy to read the thread

please note, these are my opinions after using the cart for a couple hours, your experiences may differ...

-OK, disassembling the cart is easier now. Just remember that the non-TF slot side has a small tab holding the cart together. This tab slides towards you and up, allowing you to take off the shell. You can also just pop it off with negligible force

-The shell does not join very well on the TF side, nearest the bottom of the cart (the part that slides into the GBA slot). It is only off a little bit.

-I could not remove my TF card without filing down the shell at the TF slot (after removing the PCB of the EZ4Lite of course). It is either simply sitting too high, or a plastic burr/crease from the manufacturing process may have been the culprit. The cart looks fine cosmetically after "modding" it.

-IMHO, the cart does not fit as well as the EZ4 regular. It takes a little more force, and makes a louder "click/snap" noise.

-The EZ4Lite does not seem as solid as the EZ4 regular. I do understand the limitations here, as the cart needed to have interchangeable shells. I don't think one screw is enough, but I'm sure more screws would have made it harder to take up so little space.

With that being said the only thing I found annoying was the problem with getting the TF card out. I still think the EZ4Lite is a better option then the G6 Lite, due to the option of adding your own TF/micro SD card, and therefore a larger storage capacity potential.

I'm not disappointed with the purchase, however I'm not floored either. I'd probably give it an 8 out of 10. It would get a perfect rating:

-If I didn't have to file it down (-1.0)
-Felt a little more solid in construction (-0.5)
-If the EZ team does as I expect and match M3/SC in DS compatibility. (-0.5)

 

[corbs132]

thanks for the info dark, i might not get one now. anyone else having probs?

 

[Elrinth]

UPDATE!!!!

 

[ultim]

how are you booting it? passkey? Datel Max Media Launcher?
i havent flashed my ds lite and i need to know which passkey works.

 

[meangreenie]

how are you booting it? passkey? Datel Max Media Launcher?
i havent flashed my ds lite and i need to know which passkey works.

As of today they all work thanks to new firmware (at last

)

 

[darkandlong]

Sorry all, PC rebooted when I added 2nd SD card reader.

Well it appears the problem with the TF card is the EZ4L's PCB is slightly lower then the plastic housing at the TF slot. By using my fingernail to catch the raised edge of the TF card, I'm basically pushing down on the TF card, and preventing myself from pulling it out. It needs a spacer or somehting. I might just put electrical tape underneath, still trying to figure it out.

My DSL is flashed, btw. No passkey used.

 

[meangreenie]

Maybe there is a pair of tweezers in the box ?

 

[darkandlong]

Nope. The space is so narrow that I had a hard time getting a small screwriver wedged in.

Still trying to figure out how to do this.

 

[Keva]

Doesnt sound good a I have really big hands and fingers and if I cant get the card out im stuffed

 

[Hanafuda]

i'm not going to comment any more than to say I haven't heard anything yet except that someone might be in a hurry.

 

[ZildjianKX]

i'm not going to comment any more than to say I haven't heard anything yet except that someone might be in a hurry.

Somone might be in a hurry? Who?

 

[darkandlong]

i'm not going to comment any more than to say I haven't heard anything yet except that someone might be in a hurry.

Actually, I'm not in any hurry whatsoever. So maybe you should hold off on the comments.

My EZ4 has the PCB flush with the housing. This is not the case with the EZ4 Lite. I've tried all 3 colours to see if maybe one was off, but they are all molded the same. I'm wary of putting my TF card back in until I can figure out a method that will assure me of being able to pull out the TF card without stressing the plastic housing by screwing/unscrewing it in over and over.

 

[darkandlong]

Figured it out... Grabbed a nail file from the manicure kit and slowly filed down the plastic edge where the TF SD goes. Seems to work fine now.

 

[litesaber]

Figured it out... Grabbed a nail file from the manicure kit and slowly filed down the plastic edge where the TF SD goes. Seems to work fine now.

you are one canadian psycho..awesome!

 

[mechanori]

Any pictures?

 

[darkandlong]

It definitely is not as smooth of a fit as my EZ4. The EZ4Lite needs more pressure to place it in the GBA slot., and makes a louder snapping noise.

Comparing the regular, lite and the GBA cover it appears that the contacts (or whatever they are called) stick out farther with the Lite then the regular and cover.

Also, the plastic lip underneath the contacts seems ever so slightly thicker. However the PCB on the regular seems a lot thicker, so I'm not sure what it is.

 

[ZildjianKX]

It definitely is not as smooth of a fit as my EZ4. The EZ4Lite needs more pressure to place it in the GBA slot., and makes a louder snapping noise.

Comparing the regular, lite and the GBA cover it appears that the contacts (or whatever they are called) stick out farther with the Lite then the regular and cover.

Also, the plastic lip underneath the contacts seems ever so slightly thicker. However the PCB on the regular seems a lot thicker, so I'm not sure what it is.

Like the case plastic of the cart makes a snapping noise? I don't think a normal GBA cart is supposed to make any noise when going in.

 

[teH XeRO]

when i put the slot holder/a gba game in my lite i hear a noise of the cartidge locking (or snapping..same difference) in...if u mean its not supposed to make any noise at all that wouldnt really seem to make any sense...all cartridges make some kind of locking in noise when u insert a game.

 

[darkandlong]

It definitely is not as smooth of a fit as my EZ4. The EZ4Lite needs more pressure to place it in the GBA slot., and makes a louder snapping noise.

Comparing the regular, lite and the GBA cover it appears that the contacts (or whatever they are called) stick out farther with the Lite then the regular and cover.

Also, the plastic lip underneath the contacts seems ever so slightly thicker. However the PCB on the regular seems a lot thicker, so I'm not sure what it is.


Like the case plastic of the cart makes a snapping noise? I don't think a normal GBA cart is supposed to make any noise when going in.

Its hard to describe. I suppose its more of a click then a snap... Its louder then the EZ4 regular, but only by a little bit. The GBA cover is quieter then the two. It does seem to fit OK though, and its working fine.

 

[kutis]

Its hard to describe. I suppose its more of a click then a snap... Its louder then the EZ4 regular, but only by a little bit. The GBA cover is quieter then the two. It does seem to fit OK though, and its working fine.

so? happy? rate ur satisfaction? i'm thinking u're having a 6.5-7?

im hoping mine's coming this afternoon, in the ups tracking it says >> PACKAGE DATA PROCESSED BY BROKERAGE. WAITING FOR CLEARANCE;RELEASED BY CLEARING AGENCY. NOW IN-TRANSIT FOR DELIVERY

then again, i dun have the micro sd yet

... coz local store here only got up to 512.. so yesterday, i decided to ebay it...