GCN Is the SD Media Launcher the easiest way to play backups and roms?

[vault412]

I haven't modded a console since the PS1. All I had to do was plug this Game Enhancer mod in the port in the back, put some spring in, swap discs with the burned disc, was easy.

I bought all the retro consoles for my son son and buying the physical copies are just to expensive anymore. Im trying to play backup on my DC, GC & SS.

Is the SD Media Launcher the easiest method for playing GC backup docs and roms files? I have no soldering skills. I tried to Google it and I got this: https://imgur.com/a/6lhUE

It's from the UK. The website if is legit, offers both regions. I don't know how long it would take to get to the States but it would cost me $35 for everything.

 

[DinohScene]

If you got a modded Wii, you should consider looking into this.

But yes, a SD Media launcher (the card adapter) is required.
That or an SD Gecko/Wii Key SD.

 

[Lumstar]

SD Media Launcher includes an SD adapter and the boot disc to activate it.
Datel still sells them for US and PAL regions. As far as I'm aware their Japan edition appears discontinued, but I don't read Japanese to be very helpful.

On a standard Gamecube, you first need a commercial disc that your console can read.
Modchips can skip this step in different ways (like direct DVD-R loading or their own homebrew support).

 

[Monty Kensicle]

SD Media Launcher includes an SD adapter and the boot disc to activate it.
Datel still sells them for US and PAL regions. As far as I'm aware their Japan edition appears discontinued, but I don't read Japanese to be very helpful.

On a standard Gamecube, you first need a commercial disc that your console can read.
Modchips can skip this step in different ways (like direct DVD-R loading or their own homebrew support).

Your Disc drive's laser will also need to be re-calibrated to read the darker DVD-R media.

 

[aea]

On a standard Gamecube, you first need a commercial disc that your console can read.
Modchips can skip this step in different ways (like direct DVD-R loading or their own homebrew support).

I have a standard gamecube (DOL-001) and the only thing that I used to run homebrew was the SDML, no commercial disc needed. However I'm currently using a commercial disc (007: Agent under fire), but because it's one of the gamecube exploitable games that we can use to run homebrew, not to use it in order to load the SDML.

Your Disc drive's laser will also need to be re-calibrated to read the darker DVD-R media.

In the many years that I have using the SDML I haven't had to touch my gamecube's hardware, because since SDML is a softmode, you don't have to hardmode your console: I have loaded .dol/.iso from SD, dvd and HDD without a problem. Of course, I try to avoid the dvd option because it's the main purpose of using Swiss: to extend the dvd laser life.

 

[Lumstar]

I have a standard gamecube (DOL-001) and the only thing that I used to run homebrew was the SDML, no commercial disc needed. However I'm currently using a commercial disc (007: Agent under fire), but because it's one of the gamecube exploitable games that we can use to run homebrew, not to use it in order to load the SDML.

In the many years that I have using the SDML I haven't had to touch my gamecube's hardware, because since SDML is a softmode, you don't have to hardmode your console: I have loaded .dol/.iso from SD, dvd and HDD without a problem. Of course, I try to avoid the dvd option because it's the main purpose of using Swiss: to extend the dvd laser life.

Apologies for the confusion. I was referring to discs recognized by gamecubes without homebrew or any other prerequisite. (this includes Datel discs)

Swiss enables burnt DVDs, but it's hit or miss how well it'll work out of the box. My understanding is Nintendo didn't configure the laser to reliably read them.

 

[master801]

Apologies for the confusion. I was referring to discs recognized by gamecubes without homebrew or any other prerequisite. (this includes Datel discs)

Swiss enables burnt DVDs, but it's hit or miss how well it'll work out of the box. My understanding is Nintendo didn't configure the laser to reliably read them.

I don't see why they would need to. It's not in their best interest nor a priority since the GameCube doesn't (directly) read DVDs anyway.

 

[Captain_N]

Its hit or miss with a gamecube reading minidvd-r. I have 4 cubes and only 2 read them. I use the sd media launcher to boot GC OS 1.5. You can also boot all the action replay dols

 

[GarlicWario]

I have a question when using the hacked saves metod + swiss as an entrypoint.
I have SSBM/ZWW, a Nintendo WiiKey SD card adapter and a 4 GB SD card. Is this enough for me to perform the exploit?
Can I boot the hacked save files with swiss from the WiiKey SD card adapter or is it also necessary for me to import them to a real memory card and then boot the exploit from there?
In case I need to import to a real memory card, then I probably need an already hacked Wii or Gamecube in order to do it with GCMM, am I correct?

 

[CMDreamer]

Sorry if I get a bit out of topic.

Considering that you intend to play NGC backups and emulators, should be more convenient to get a backwards compatible Wii (already hacked, or not, and hack it yourself -pretty easy-), and use Nintendont, to load NGC game backups and emulators for those oldie glories?

I've got a Red Wii (4.3U version) I hacked it myself (really easy) and can enjoy NGC, Wii games and emulators on it, and considering its backward compatibility, I can use my NGC gamepads to enjoy.

That'd be the best option IMO.

More over, you need not to buy anything beside an SD Card to hack the Wii and a HDD to get your games running.

 

[GarlicWario]

Sorry if I get a bit out of topic.

Considering that you intend to play NGC backups and emulators, should be more convenient to get a backwards compatible Wii (already hacked, or not, and hack it yourself -pretty easy-), and use Nintendont, to load NGC game backups and emulators for those oldie glories?

I've got a Red Wii (4.3U version) I hacked it myself (really easy) and can enjoy NGC, Wii games and emulators on it, and considering its backward compatibility, I can use my NGC gamepads to enjoy.

That'd be the best option IMO.

More over, you need not to buy anything beside an SD Card to hack the Wii and a HDD to get your games running.

I agree that hacking the Wii is a very easy way, but unfortunately I don't have one. That's why I am wondering if the method I wrote above is possible?

 

[tech3475]

I agree that hacking the Wii is a very easy way, but unfortunately I don't have one. That's why I am wondering if the method I wrote above is possible?

Wiis may be be dirt cheap though, in the UK I've seen them for £20-30.

 

[WACOMalt]

Sorry to revive a dead thread. But I've just added HDMI output to my Gamecube and am wanting an easy way to load backups. Modding for full size disks is not something I want to do. I'm wondering if the SD Media Launcher would be the best bet? Not sure if anyone has ever used USB drives with any setup or if that's impossible. If SD is the only way, is there a maximum SD card size?

I was hoping to be able to fit all my favorites on one card, but the only info I can really find is that these sort of loaders are limited to around 2GB cards at max? So like one game at a time...

 

[RMZK]

Sorry to revive a dead thread. But I've just added HDMI output to my Gamecube and am wanting an easy way to load backups. Modding for full size disks is not something I want to do. I'm wondering if the SD Media Launcher would be the best bet? Not sure if anyone has ever used USB drives with any setup or if that's impossible.

Most people already have original copies of Melee and WindWaker, the action replay is not needed unless you are annoyed by a couple of extra steps every time you want to boot to swiss. For easier installation I recommend setting up the memcard on a Wii.

If SD is the only way, is there a maximum SD card size?

I was hoping to be able to fit all my favorites on one card, but the only info I can really find is that these sort of loaders are limited to around 2GB cards at max? So like one game at a time...

This applies only to the Action replay boot disc, if you use a memory card exploit you can use any SD card to load ISOs, and even if your only method of booting Swiss is the Action replay disc, Swiss allows to hot swap SD cards.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

[...]I'm wondering if the SD Media Launcher would be the best bet? Not sure if anyone has ever used USB drives with any setup or if that's impossible. If SD is the only way, is there a maximum SD card size?

I was hoping to be able to fit all my favorites on one card, but the only info I can really find is that these sort of loaders are limited to around 2GB cards at max? So like one game at a time...

In principle there is no reason why big SDXC cards should not work. I have successfully used 64GB. The 2GB limit comes from the Datel software.
Start Datel disc → load Swiss from small SD → switch to big SD → load game
Works, just takes a while. The Windwaker exploit is actually a bit easier.

Keep in mind that the memory card (EXI-)bus is relatively slow: Cutscenes may stutter/skip and loading time is worse than from DVD.

If you happen to have a WODE or similar this would probaby give the best results.

Far more detailed information:

https://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=Booting_Homebrew
https://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=Swiss

 

[Zonark]

Honestly right now the cloned xeno chips would be the easiest way to mod it mainly because of its abilities to play region free without having to buy multiple items that are hard to find now. plus the chip I believe only has 6 or 7 points to solder