First look at an unseen Nintendo DSi development console

Edit: This post now has an article on RGDWiki.

While I was looking online, I came across a user on NintendoAge by the name of ProtonX. He showed in a post 2 debugging DSi's (aka Panda DSi's) that had some debug applications on them, like TwlNmenu. I asked if he still had those, but unfortunatly, he sold them off. However, he did had another thing to show me:

A development Nintendo DSi that was never seen before!

This is what ProtonX has to say:
"Pretty much like a DSi. It boots to this weird menu, with no cart. However with a DS cart, it boots games regularly. I haven't yet opened it up to see what board revision it has. I picked it up with some different color prototype Game Boy Pocket's (already sold)."

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These are some general differences:
-The console has a glossy finish, rather than the plastic you find on a regular DSi. This was probably done to make costs for these development kits easier.
-The button prints are darker than the ones on a regular DSi. They're now black instead of grey.
-There are no prints for POWER, START, SELECT or any of the icons for connections, power or charging.
-There are no prints on the back, only a big yellow sticker that translates to 'Only for development.'
-The console boots to a different kind of menu rather than a system menu, which I'll explain now.

This menu is all in Japanese, there might be an English language, but I'm not sure. When you turn on the console without a cart, it just boots to this. After doing some minor translations and watching a video he sent me, this is really just a development version of the System Settings. These are the options:

-Language - Changes the language, but there might just be only 1 language for this console.
-Set Time & Date - Changes the time and date of the system.
-Change User Data - Allows you to change user data (name, message, nickname, birthday, ect).
-Calibrate Touchscreen - Calibrates the touchscreen, but it doesn't let you test it afterwards.
-Wireless Connections - Allows you to turn on or off wireless connections, like Wifi or Download Play features.

Later on, he sent me images of the motherboard as well.

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The only noticable difference that I could find is instead of a writing on the board saying CPU-01, it says CPU-X4. This makes me speculate this was used during the DSi's lifespan, rather before the release. (Note that the battery may not be the original, as all of his 1st-gen batteries died.)

On top of that, he sent me a video to check out (as promised). It basicly showcases everything it has to offer.

(If the video does not play, then click here to download or watch it via MEGA.nz)​

Aaaaaand..... That's it for now! That was basicly everything he told me so far (beside a NAND dump). What do you think about this unit?
-Trash_Bandatcoot

 

There is an SD Card slot.

 

Maybe, but why would you want to do that?
What we need is a NAND dump, then stick it on a retail console.

 

Aww man, that model was just weird.

Not sure, lets ask.

 

It has been a while since I made a post about it, and in these 6 months, nothing happend.
A guy named Norrmatt was about to buy the unit for $750, but someone else was first.

To this day, nobody knows who owns this system now. I looked around on NintendoAge, but nobody replied. But whoever owns this unit now, a NAND dump will be very unlikely.

It’s important to bring this back to the table and to figure out who owns this unit now.
The only one who knows it is ProtonX, but he said he will only show who owns it “if the buyer wants to be known”. He never said yes or no. I sent another PM, and never got anything back from him, which sucks penile nuts.

 

ProtonX doesn't own the unit anymore, so I can't ask.

 

The link is gone, from the description it sounds like a DSi XL Panda with TwlNmenu installed. Probably nothing special.

 

Oh, idk why it doesn't work for me then. Send me a screenshot.