Hacking M3 Lite or G6 Lite

[rkenshin]

So you're saying that from tama_mog's M3 Lite impression where he compared a 1gb ultra2 vs a 2gb regular microsd and both came out working the same to be false?

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=36791

 

[FifthE1ement]

I am only talking about SanDisk microSD's as that's all I have tested. Almost all M3 users report a tad bit of slowdown in the Castlevania intro movie using the Ultra II or the regular just the same as the SCL and the regular microSD. Its all in the hardware and performance can be improved slightly in an update but it will never be able to compare with the SuperCard Lite's memory bandwidth. The SuperCard team is also working on a total update that will speed up all models a bit just like M3 did. The Lite model doesn't need it but hey the extra memory bandwidth is always a plus.

FifthE1ement

 

[kobewan]

I am only talking about SanDisk microSD's as that's all I have tested. Almost all M3 users report a tad bit of slowdown in the Castlevania intro movie using the Ultra II or the regular just the same as the SCL and the regular microSD. Its all in the hardware and performance can be improved slightly in an update but it will never be able to compare with the SuperCard Lite's memory bandwidth. The SuperCard team is also working on a total update that will speed up all models a bit just like M3 did. The Lite model doesn't need it but hey the extra memory bandwidth is always a plus.

FifthE1ementÂ

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. I havn't yet seen anybody who has complained of slowdown after v27a with any SanDisk microSD cards. While I'm not saying that they don't exist, it seems seems to be that the majority report a 5/5 on the card and/or say that it looks the same as a G6.

Just for clarification, you used the same card in both carts without any change? As in, you swapped out of the M3 and stuck it into the SCL and had a speed issue? Because I suppose that it might be a problem of fragmenation/cluster size, or even that you didn't rewrite it using V27a

.

 

[SpaceJump]

I am only talking about SanDisk microSD's as that's all I have tested. Almost all M3 users report a tad bit of slowdown in the Castlevania intro movie using the Ultra II or the regular just the same as the SCL and the regular microSD. Its all in the hardware and performance can be improved slightly in an update but it will never be able to compare with the SuperCard Lite's memory bandwidth. The SuperCard team is also working on a total update that will speed up all models a bit just like M3 did. The Lite model doesn't need it but hey the extra memory bandwidth is always a plus.

FifthE1ement Â

Source?

How come all M3L users report a 5/5 in the Castlevania intro in the 27a thread, with many different MicroSD? And before claiming the SCL is so perfect in performance, why don't you test it with other MicroSD brands as other users may have different brands than you have

And you said SCL is better than G6L in DS games performance. The G6L is already perfect in performance. So how can SCL be better than perfect?

I'm not saying SCL is bad or something, in fact it's great value for your money, but your claims, I don't know, sound a bit fanboyish...

 

[tama_mog]

hmmmm, I'll tell you how I came upon my conclusions.....do I sit there and video capture the movies and compare fps? No I don't. I go by naked eye back to back and since I own all these cards you guys are speaking of, I give an honest comparison according to what I see, which if you're talking about castlavania on supercard lite vs m3 lite, 0 difference except supercard boots the game faster because of the simpler interface. (Yes on the full intro). However, I have not tried a regular 2 gig sandisk card on the supercard lite, I've only used a 1 gig ultra II, the regular 2 gig sandisk is only tried in my m3 lite of which gives identical performance from my point of view. And if anyone is wondering, yes I am extremely picky and anal about stuff like this and I'll only report the truth, not by what I read. I just happen to know how it all really is because I own one or more of each flashcart. Sure, let's say the truth is that the supercard lite is faster, it wouldn't make any difference to me because I cannot tell....and once again I emphasize I am very detail oriented when it comes to my tech toys.....so if you somehow proved it's faster by 1fps that the human eye cannot see.....then by all means buy the product that makes sense to you....I just report what I see.

And maybe the real issue is that fifthelement may of had the wrong format on whatever m3 he was using. The fat16 with 64k cluster formatting 100% honestly works and the only difference between playing games on the m3 vs the g6 is that the m3 is filled with more games, prettier menus (skins), and the fact I can just use extend mode to listen to some mp3s (dun care for new version of moonshell, the one included with m3 firmware plays mp3s fine and I'm ok with that in my book).

 

[kobewan]

Just wanted to quickly clear up a point. Do GBA games work fine with 'fat16 with 64k cluster formatting'? Because I have heard some reports that they don't...

 

[tama_mog]

I don't know, haven't used gba with m3 lite, but I've heard similar things while some say it's a rumor that's been dispelled....I'd say just try it.

 

[kobewan]

I don't know, haven't used gba with m3 lite, but I've heard similar things while some say it's a rumor that's been dispelled....I'd say just try it.

Tried it and it works perfectly fine.

 

[Topsy]

This is kinda interesting. I video'd my two DSLs together. One with the G6 Lite and the other with M3 Lite and a 2 gig normal Sandisk micro. I loaded on Castelvania on both DSLs - both soft reset, trim, dofat. Here's the results:



Looks like the G6 Lite is actually slower - it lags behind the M3 Lite when the Castelvania video intro is finished and it also loaded the ROM slower.

Edit: Just thought I should add that both DSLs are unflashed (white is Passcard 3 & black is EZpass 3), both flashcards are using their current loaders available (4.3a & 27a).

 

[tama_mog]

Thanks topsy, I don't think there's any doubt left now for those doubting the validity of the truth.

 

[al-ds]

Great thread guys.

Answered lots of questions i had in my mind (newbie) .

 

[dethnite]

I use a normal Sandisk 1GB microSD card on my M3 lite and the Castlevania runs 5/5 for me as well.

The important thing is to use the correct formatting and the 27a GM/Firmware

To format your card:
Click Start -> Run...
Enter "cmd"
Then type: "format j: /FS:FAT /A:64K" (where j: is the drive letter of your SD)

 

[tama_mog]

or go under disk manager in admin tools if you like guis.

 

[kobewan]

An important follow up to my question a few posts back:-

I was mistaken. GBA games do NOT work perfectly in fat16 with 64k cluster size. It's not the cluster size that stops them, it formatting in FAT16. If you try to load any GBA game using 'A' with FAT16, the M3 will give you an error saying that the SD card is not formatted properly. If you load them with "Start", they seem to work fine but take a lot longer to load.

I apologize for my mistake. I played the game before formatting, but seemed to remember that it was after formatting.

As a side note, formatting with FAT16 and 64k cluster size gives a nice improvement in speed for DS games. My Castlevania test went from a 4 to a 5.

 

[Vidikron]

An important follow up to my question a few posts back:-

I was mistaken. GBA games do NOT work perfectly in fat16 with 64k cluster size. It's not the cluster size that stops them, it formatting in FAT16. If you try to load any GBA game using 'A' with FAT16, the M3 will give you an error saying that the SD card is not formatted properly. If you load them with "Start", they seem to work fine but take a lot longer to load.

I apologize for my mistake. I played the game before formatting, but seemed to remember that it was after formatting.

As a side note, formatting with FAT16 and 64k cluster size gives a nice improvement in speed for DS games. My Castlevania test went from a 4 to a 5.

Hmmm... so they still work, you just have to hit "Start" to load them?

 

[kobewan]

.......


Hmmm... so they still work, you just have to hit "Start" to load them?

Right, they work after loading with the Start button. However, running with 'Start' increases the loading time when starting the rom, otherwise it seemed to work the same.

 

[Xeronage]

I don't mind increased load time... Thanks for the info btw!

 

[mikesnickname]

Well, just wanted to say a big thank you to all of you who posted here in this thread. I never anticipated such a response when i first started it. Your information and opinions has been greatly appreciated. After long diliberation I decided to go with the M3 Lite along with a Kingmax Transflash card (recommended by the way to whoever is in the market for a mini sd card, its the fastest and best value).

Kudos to you all.

 

[Kosaka]

I've been reading this topic since I have the same doubt as micksnickname. Wich one is better. I'm thinking of grabbing g6 since it's cheaper and I don't ahve SD card reader/writer... But I still have one great doubt about both the M3 and G6. Is is possible to make backup of the savegames? I mean, for example: I need to remove New Super Mario Brothers because the FC is full, and then I can copy the saves to the PC and later when I put it back on the FC I also copy the savegame so that I don't have to play the game again.
Is this kind of stuff possible (bot only on NDS games but also GBA and homebrew)?

I wanna know because I think it's a huge issue, specially on G6 where we have less space for stuff.

Btw, guy, thanks for the very insightiful posts on this topic, it really helped me also.

 

[tama_mog]

easily possible for both g6 and m3.