Hacking Hey... will the EZ-Flash Junior work with Analogue Pocket?!?! :D

[coolbho3000]

Interesting and weird.

After our theoretical analysis, it should be that Analogue Pocket's logic timing is faster and reads the factory firmware.

There are two versions of firmware stored on EZ products, a factory firmware(older) and a working firmware(upgradable), the factory firmware is the failsafe in case of failure of the working firmware.

In-correct logic timing may trigger the factory firmware to be activated.

My Omega DE works fine on the Pocket, except... Mode B doesn't work at all and I can't boot directly from NOR flash either.

Hopefully you guys got a Pocket to play around with.

It seems like it's by far the most accurate GBA clone out there, with very few failing tests on the mGBA test suite and seemingly 100% official game compatibility, but there are a few issues to iron out with their firmware with flashcarts.

 

[ghjfdtg]

It likely has to overclock ever so slightly to match the 60 Hz for HDMI output via the dock.

 

[coolbho3000]

It likely has to overclock ever so slightly to match the 60 Hz for HDMI output via the dock.

It doesn't. It runs exactly at the same speed as the original system.

The dock currently runs with tearing.

 

[prodriguez32]

I can confirm that the EZ-Flash Junior works on the Analogue Pocket but, there is a little caveat, I needed to update my flashcard to the current beta firmware & kernel (FW5+K1.05e). Under the stable FW4+K1.04e, I was getting a MicroSD initialization error.

As flagged multiple times in the EZ FLASH Testflight topic. The beta firmware isn't ideal for everyone yet and there is a risk of bricking your flashcard.

Also the Analogue Pocket will recognize the ez-flash jnr as a Game Boy Color cartridge, so if you want a retro look you'll have to play with the option and force the cartridge as a standard GB in the system menu.

i have the EZ-Flash Junior as well as the Analogue Pocket- it still gives me SD error initialization even with 1.05e firmware. Any tips on getting it to work?

 

[tlilley]

I can confirm that the EZ-Flash Junior works on the Analogue Pocket but, there is a little caveat, I needed to update my flashcard to the current beta firmware & kernel (FW5+K1.05e). Under the stable FW4+K1.04e, I was getting a MicroSD initialization error.

As flagged multiple times in the EZ FLASH Testflight topic. The beta firmware isn't ideal for everyone yet and there is a risk of bricking your flashcard.

Also the Analogue Pocket will recognize the ez-flash jnr as a Game Boy Color cartridge, so if you want a retro look you'll have to play with the option and force the cartridge as a standard GB in the system menu.

Hmmm, my EZ-Flash Junior was failing in the same way with the pocket that arrived today - getting a MicroSD initialization error as well. Unfortunately after reading this I have updated my EZ-Flash Junior to FW5-K1.05e and it is still not working and giving that same error. I confirmed that it IS still working in other Gameboys, so it is definitely something with the interaction of the junior and the pocket... most unfortunate.

I'm happy to be a guinea pig if anyone has any suggestions they'd like me to try.

 

[EZ-Flash2]

i have the EZ-Flash Junior as well as the Analogue Pocket- it still gives me SD error initialization even with 1.05e firmware. Any tips on getting it to work?

Hmmm, my EZ-Flash Junior was failing in the same way with the pocket that arrived today - getting a MicroSD initialization error as well. Unfortunately after reading this I have updated my EZ-Flash Junior to FW5-K1.05e and it is still not working and giving that same error. I confirmed that it IS still working in other Gameboys, so it is definitely something with the interaction of the junior and the pocket... most unfortunate.

I'm happy to be a guinea pig if anyone has any suggestions they'd like me to try.

Which fw5 + 105e did you use? I saw somebody runs well.

 

[RAHelllord]

Got my Pocket today and also encountered my EZ-Flash Jr not working using the very last release from the testflight. After some testing the newest working firmware is the one from 7-31 (found here). The newer one (Update_FW5_forSGB.gb) does not work and just causes the "error" message.

This firmware works both with my SanDisk Ultra 16GB (Silver, Class 10, A1) and my older Lexar 4GB (Class 4, taken from a New 3DS XL).

 

[tlilley]

Which fw5 + 105e did you use? I saw somebody runs well.

The one I used is the one from July 31st, 2020. I got it from the same place that the above user linked in their message.

 

[noj86]

On my side, I've got it working with this firmware :

ezjunior-fw5-0918.zip

which is the latest one available (on the 18th of December) from what I can see on the Testflight topic.

 

[Snowekim]

it's not working for me (Ez flash omega), I get the prompt to update the firmware every time, which I can cancel by pressing B but then any game I try to boot doesn't work (it works perfectly fine on original hardware)

 

[Jayro]

Yes, but the EZ-Flash Jr is kinda crap compared to the EDGB from AliExpress. The EDGB loads faster, flashes games faster, and the navigation menu isn't a sluggish turd.

 

[AndreStarTrek]

With the latest beta firmware for the junior is works as it should. But i now have a problem with the omega DE. It had worked perfectly but now it stop working on the pocket. Update the firmware to the latest still noting. In any other gba it work perfectly but pocket I get the link message.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Got my Pocket today and also encountered my EZ-Flash Jr not working using the very last release from the testflight. After some testing the newest working firmware is the one from 7-31 (found here). The newer one (Update_FW5_forSGB.gb) does not work and just causes the "error" message.

This firmware works both with my SanDisk Ultra 16GB (Silver, Class 10, A1) and my older Lexar 4GB (Class 4, taken from a New 3DS XL).

This one is newer: https://gbatemp.net/threads/ez-flash-junior-testflight.558875/post-9638149

 

[tlilley]

This one is newer: https://gbatemp.net/threads/ez-flash-junior-testflight.558875/post-9638149

Oh, nice! Thanks for this. I installed this one and it seems to be working on my pocket now. Thanks again for the help!

EDIT: I guess I spoke too soon. I don't know if the latest firmware is what did it, but it DOES seem to work... Like 1 in 20 times I boot it up. Other times it hangs at Loading... Or gives the microsd card error. This only happens in the analogue pocket; it boots up just fine on an actual gameboy even with this latest update.

 

[RAHelllord]

This one is newer: https://gbatemp.net/threads/ez-flash-junior-testflight.558875/post-9638149

That one doesn't work for me at all. If I allow GBA enhancements it loads into the rom list but doesn't accept any inputs, if I start it without GBA enhancements it freezes at "loading...", same if I start it in DMG mode.

The one I linked still appears to be the most reliable right now.

Still thanks for pointing out that one exists, I've completely missed it when digging through versions to try.

 

[EZ-Flash2]

We have tried to contact Analogue by email, if they can adjust the shipping priority, we can buy a sample to participate in the debugging, but I can not find a valid contact email on their website, only a [email protected], yesterday I sent a mail to this email, as of now no response.

 

[tlilley]

After struggling with it some more, I believe I have found a correlation. The EZ Flash Jr seems to work on the first try as long as the Analogue Pocket is near fully charged - like 98-100% battery. Any less than that and it starts to become really hit or miss on whether it boots up or just gets stuck on the LOADING... screen. The lower the battery the less likely it is to even work at all. So far since discovering this this workaround has been a consistently successful way to get to use the EZ Flash Jr on my Analogue Pocket, so I wanted to post back here and share this in case it is able to help anyone else!

 

[Bonny]

The EZ Flash Jr seems to work on the first try as long as the Analogue Pocket is near fully charged - like 98-100% battery. Any less than that and it starts to become really hit or miss on whether it boots up or just gets stuck on the LOADING... screen.

I don't own an Analogue Pocket, but this is typical. The Junior is a card with high power conumption. - https://gbatemp.net/threads/battery-question-game-boy-etc-please-read.602424/#post-9648276

I can boot my Junior with some of my modded GameBoy Systems if i use high power batteries - if they are fully charged. Interesing, that a system with an internal battery has the same issue. Maybe you could simply say: The Analogue Pocket is compatible with the Junior - as long as the battery is fully loaded.

 

[RAHelllord]

My Pocket has no issues booting up my Jr at 50% power with the firmware I listed above. I haven't tried any lower than that, though.

Edit: Tried it at 30% charge today and the Omega still loads and plays fine but the Jr does not.

 

[epistaxis]

There are two versions of firmware stored on EZ products, a factory firmware(older) and a working firmware(upgradable), the factory firmware is the failsafe in case of failure of the working firmware.

Realizing the risks involved, is it possible to update the factory firmware side?