GBAtemp.net EXCLUSIVE: DS-Xtreme *Update*

[ghostavel]

if u can run ds games from the gba slot,i cant see why you cant run gba games from the ds slot,plus teamxodus is a well known team.

 

[Dirtie]

I'm a tad annoyed at the haters who are bashing this product before anyone can see what it's capable of.

Of course it won't be able to play GBA games, but I'll say it again, you guys have been lucky. Just because the encryption on the DS slot wasn't broken straight away means almost all devices up until now have used the GBA slot allowing you to play GBA games - it doesn't mean that a PROPER (if the claims are true) NDS flash cart is inferior, it means that there were some quirks when it came to GBA slot that gave GBA slot devices some extra functionality. To be honest I still consider any sort of passthrough method a bit of a "dirty hack", because NDS software was never meant to run from the GBA slot. I'm sure many of you are bitching just because you bought the 'latest thing', and now you're jealous because you don't want to buy or can't afford the new 'latest thing'. Remember, there's many of us who have been around since before the DS (read the name of the site) who have GBA flash carts from a long time back anyway - just because you joined up recently after you got a DS doesn't mean you can whinge and whine that this device doesn't play GBA games.

 

[richardfong]

I'm a tad annoyed at the haters who are bashing this product before anyone can see what it's capable of.

Of course it won't be able to play GBA games, but I'll say it again, you guys have been lucky. Just because the encryption on the DS slot wasn't broken straight away means almost all devices up until now have used the GBA slot allowing you to play GBA games - it doesn't mean that a PROPER (if the claims are true) NDS flash cart is inferior, it means that there were some quirks when it came to GBA slot that gave GBA slot devices some extra functionality. To be honest I still consider any sort of passthrough method a bit of a "dirty hack", because NDS software was never meant to run from the GBA slot. I'm sure many of you are bitching just because you bought the 'latest thing', and now you're jealous because you don't want to buy or can't afford the new 'latest thing'. Remember, there's many of us who have been around since before the DS (read the name of the site) who have GBA flash carts from a long time back anyway - just because you joined up recently after you got a DS doesn't mean you can whinge and whine that this device doesn't play GBA games.

I completely agree Dirtie, and also, to those who think the menu interface is "cheesy", the website says it will have a "Custom Operating System". Hopefully this means we can modify the menu. If not, im sure people will find ways to skin the menus, im guessing basic image files will be used like other cards..

 

[Lily]

Does anyone think there's a possibility that you could use one of these at the same time as the G6? e.g. have this thing in the DS slot and the G6 Lite in the GBA slot? Everything would still fit flush, we'd have a gig instead of 512, and we could maybe even have Opera working.

The NinjaPass DS Flash & Ultra FlashPass already allow this to a certain extent, so yes, the possibility is there - whether or not the DS Extreme people allow that functionality remains to be seen.

A bigger picture view is they might be able to add GBA support in the future by reconfiguring the hardware to run in some sort of GBA mode.

It has been reiterated over and over and over and over again that the DS slot does not have the same bandwidth capability of the GBA port. Even if someone made it possible to play GBA games that way, you'd be begging even for a SuperCard - because the GBA slowdowns you'd experience with it would be nothing in comparison.

DS games can run from the higher-bandwidth GBA port, but not vice versa. To continue to be able to play GBA games, a GBA flashcart or an NDS kit with a GBA cart will be required. It's just that simple.

QUOTE(kalibar @ Aug 10 2006, 09:15 PM)

Although to be fair to the EZ team, they apparently just created the best NoPass on the market, but that's neither here nor there.

The best NoPass on the market is the Neo MK4-Mini, not the EZ-Pass. Followed closely (IMO) by the Ultra PassKey. The EZ team has fallen from grace I think, and they certainly won't be redeemed by a Pass device that every team/company down to DATEL have created.

 

[Knolly]

Hm...

Just a thought...

Will this boot from the main menu of the DS, appearing as a game in the DS slot? If so, this can easily be used in conjunction with at least the G6 Lite (only one I know for sure) for quite a good gaming experience.

At least with the G6 Lite, if you don't have a NoPass inserted, it boots up to the main menu and if you can launch the G6 Lite from the GBA slot and go right to GBA mode. So basically, if you had the DS-Xtreme too, you'd have 512 MB for DS games, and 512 MB for GBA games.

 

[beedog19]

Some of the hate is re-goddamn-diculous. It looks like a very promising cart and this in concert with my newly aquired g6l for gba games would be great. Let's see if they can deliver.

Hm...

Just a thought...

Will this boot from the main menu of the DS, appearing as a game in the DS slot? If so, this can easily be used in conjunction with at least the G6 Lite (only one I know for sure) for quite a good gaming experience.

At least with the G6 Lite, if you don't have a NoPass inserted, it boots up to the main menu and if you can launch the G6 Lite from the GBA slot and go right to GBA mode. So basically, if you had the DS-Xtreme too, you'd have 512 MB for DS games, and 512 MB for GBA games.

That's exactly what I was thinkin since your ds would need a passdevice/flashme to boot the g6lite in ds mode.

 

[inter4ever]

Well it would be great if they allowed their flashcart to act like a nopass so that people can have multiple flashcarts at the same time(and double the storage)

 

[richardfong]

any projected release date as yet?

 

[ssj4android]

Is the RAM expansion cart sold seperately? If so, it should be possible to use Opera. It should work with games that use the rumble pack and communicate with GBA games as well.

 

[Renegade_R]

You know there are two things that they never really mentioned here in the features list and they are by far the most important but everyone missed it because they based everything on assumptions?

1) How ROMs are handled (remember, 'clean' roms have been stripped of encryption)
2) How saving works (remember, you need a special file to save the games too...wouldn't that require patching?)

 

[Noobix]

Aye carumba...can't wait for the reviews!

I am extremely happy with my EZ4Lite and EZpass 3, but this thing sounds like perfect a partner. (Can use the EZ4lite for DS+GBA games, video etc, and this for any "problem" DS games. )

We sure do live in interesting times!!!

 

[kelvinate]

You know there are two things that they never really mentioned here in the features list and they are by far the most important but everyone missed it because they based everything on assumptions?

1) How ROMs are handled (remember, 'clean' roms have been stripped of encryption)
2) How saving works (remember, you need a special file to save the games too...wouldn't that require patching?)

1) I have always though that all ROMs released have encryption. thats why flashme doesnt ask for RSA key. and the passme require a full game chipset to run.

2) They said the cart will have EEprom, but also I hope they have a save manager.

This definitly looks on the way to be a good NDS flash card.

 

[Madrigal]

Looks like a nice product, but I'm going to wait on it. It's new tech and I think I'll wait a few months or so until it's perfected and the SC and M3 teams make theirs. I'd rather have one from them than these teams I've never heard of.

 

[cory1492]

Just a couple of things to point out:
speed -If they use a flash chip like what is currently used on removable media, writing speed wont be an issue and it should also work like removeable media (format, FAT etc). Remains to be seen, judging by the pic on their site though it could very well be a high speed chip like what is found inside a MS Duo or SD card. Perhaps some of you have even seen those SD cards with the built in USB connection so they work as jump drives?

Encryption -of the ROM isnt as big of an issue as some seem to think, once you get the menu running/crypted so it will run, you have conrol of the DS and could fuddle the encryption engine so "clean" ROMS can work... if anything one may have to decrypt the secure area of existing dumps (though that really could/should be taken care of by the loader).

DS cart file system -You all probably have an idea about bankswitching already, how GBA flashcarts use bank switching to make multiple ROMs appear to the GBA as if they are at the 0 mark on the data bus and run properly... well, the same could be done with the memory chip on the DS - I really dont see why it couldnt be done also with a TF card or an onboard flash.

To me those are the obstacles that would need to be overcome to satisfy the most picky buyers... not too many, hey?

What it will really come down to is quality. The hardware build quality (which IMHO seems pretty decent by the flash pics). Also, the quality of the software/updates being the biggest flaw that can cause any of these types of products to suffer in opinion and thus sales - NeoFlash comes to mind here to me, for "warez users" (commercial ROM users) software complaints are the biggest thing I see day to day, rarely are peoples problems related ONLY to the hardware itself (though their flasher can be a real pain, normally its problem is still software related).

If it (software AND hardware) is quality, the biggest benefit I can see from this is commercial software dev studios having a much cheaper option than the official Big-N writing hardware (the carts arent too pricey, I gather, the writer is though...) to put out in-development projects to 3rd parties for beta testing at a low cost, which, in my mind equals far better quality games to the DS users

Amy rate, if you read this far thanks for listening to me prattle on. I look forward to a "staff review" to see how this one turns out (and have to say too thanks for the warnings about the NinjaDS flashcart - looks can indeed be deceiving)

 

[FifthE1ement]

I think the best thing about this product is that it can run clean roms. This means we don't have to wait for updates from the devs of the company to play the newest games. It basically makes this product hassle free!

FifthE1ement

 

[shadow1w2]

I think I can wait for a bigger card to come out.
512 megs is a big step from my 32meg EZFA cart.
However it'll be great to just have my EZFA and a nice little card like this.
Though my EZFA is getting a little old already. Still love the thing though :3

Some more waiting time and we should see some more options to choose from.
A nice MicroSD version would be nice too.

I want to use a card like this for something like Moonshell rather than just games. So Im gonna wait for bigger versions and other options to arise first.
Though if this one is inexpensive, then Id probly get one anyway :3

Oh ya, it better run homebrew well >.<
Im getting tired of worrying about what cart I need to use just to try out aa nice homebrew prog. Plus the lack of GBA cart support alt of homebrews seem to lack now.

This card might be a dream come true. Cant wait to see some reviews.

 

[.TakaM]

man, this looks so fucking extreeeme!!!!!!!!

 

[tshu]

Xtreme, with a capital X, so you just KNOW it has to be good!!!

 

[TheStump]

i think these new DS slot based cards are great, cause now you guys can run games from GBA cart and DS, what are you worrying about size when you have media in both slots. If you have already bought a new GBA Lite cart. Flash you DS and buy a DSslot cart if you are complaining about size, now you have double, thats pretty simple. and maybe you could also put the pass device roms on these carts and then not worry about getting a passme device too. Win win i say. im planning on prolly getting both.

maybe M3lite and DSlink, thats seems good. Now i just have find a way to get money...

 

[inter4ever]

shaunj66 do you have a beta unit,have you tired it or is that the info that the developrs give you?