M3i Zero release date confirmed

[Joe88]

It seems really awesome that you plug the M3i in to the PC while it flashes itself, plus the microSD adapter seems to be a re-labeled SanDisk MobileMate adapter (I have this adapter, it's high speed, and very reliable. Oh, and it's Memory Stick Micro compatible).

its not a relablaed official sandisk though

its a relabled knockoff that you can find on DX and such

 

[Clau46]

I did a pre order in the Netherlands and the send it next week

 

[blopez24]

how will you know if its a real or a fake. I want to order mine but now sure who to order it from. Dont want to get a fake one.

 

[shaunj66]

No one is selling fakes. The Gamezway team recently had the M3 Team visit them in their warehouse personally. Anyone that ordered from Gamezway and have pre-ordered will definietely be getting there's in the post soon.

 

[serrin]

M3i Zero will probably be dsi mode compatible when the dsi is hacked. Just use the usb flashing device, and the card will be dsi mode compatible

( i am not sure about this)

So what you're saying is, you're guessing. I take it you didn't take notice of the PCB board behind the DSi in the team twiizer's hack? If the M3i Zero can do DSi mode without a hardware revision, then it'd probably be possible to do play games without a flashcart and just use customised firmware and a SD card.

 

[DSGamer64]

No one is selling fakes. The Gamezway team recently had the M3 Team visit them in their warehouse personally. Anyone that ordered from Gamezway and have pre-ordered will definietely be getting there's in the post soon.

Yup, hopefully by next Friday for me, since I cheaped out on shipping.

 

[BoxShot]

I'm still waiting for GBG to get these. Anyways at least its confirmed after these .. around 3 months of confirmation of them making one.

 

[realboy]

Good News.

 

[nonnonnon]

NICE! The day after my birthday, I'm so getting one to replace my old *coughcrappyasfuckcough* R4!!!


edit: for that power supply cable, does the card itself need to be charged? o.O

It isn't a charger, it is a flashing device so that the card will surpass nintendos blocks (correct me i if am wrong)

To serrin: i don't say that the dsi has been hacked now. when/if dsi is hacked for use with dsi mode, then the usb device will (probably) flash the m3 so it suports it.

 

[serrin]

To serrin: i don't say that the dsi has been hacked now. when/if dsi is hacked for use with dsi mode, then the usb device will (probably) flash the m3 so it suports it.

So you're assuming that no further hardware is required beyond what is required in the standard flashcart which only does DS mode only or you're saying that the m3i zero contains extra hardware, which team m3/g6 doesn't need right now, just in case they might need it for a DSi mode hack which they have yet to make? This is a big assumption.
Flashing doesn't magically solder on extra ICs. Just because a flashcart is completely reprogrammable does not mean that is completely able to do new things, yet undiscovered by the creators without extra hardware. Your argument that the m3i zero can do DSi mode with new firmware is comparable to saying that the cycloDS is able to be used on DSi with a firmware flash. Software does not solve everything. At some point you need to change the hardware as well.
Regardless, I'm getting one of these because it has RTS and the UI doesn't look like a dog's breakfast. But telling people that one day this cart will support DSi mode is like telling people that one day stocks in Bear Stearns will return to their values 3 years ago. Actually the latter is more likely than the former.

 

[DSGamer64]

Considering what we have seen for the DSi Mode, it's going to take a newer chip in order to support it, unless the M3 Team has been working on it since the DSi came out and has yet to display anything while working on the M3i Zero.

 

[Placeholder]

That massive brick hanging out the DS game is only debugging stuff they used for ... debugging. It's not needed. I am clearly a newb but I should think that M3 have put the right hardware in there already, but heck what do I know. Only time will tell.

If the M3i isn't capable of going into DSi mode, I'll look into alternatives, but I won't be buying a new cart. Perhaps someone is able to get DSi games to work as DSiWare off of an SD card, that I could accept.

 

[serrin]

That massive brick hanging out the DS game is only debugging stuff they used for ... debugging. It's not needed. I am clearly a newb but I should think that M3 have put the right hardware in there already, but heck what do I know. Only time will tell.

That might be true, but you'll note that the PCB board is connected via USB to something. This indicates at this stage that a computer/some other device is required, which is far more hardware than you can fit into a DS cart. How can team M3/G6 put in the right hardware when they don't know what hardware they need to get DSi mode working? Only team twiizers have figured out how to do it so far, and their current method is far too bulky to cram into a little flash cart.
And don't try to suggest that the USB cable in the M3i can do the same thing because as discussed before, it's only good for power.
At some point it is probable someone will released hacked firmware that won't require a cart at all. Only time will tell.

 

[Placeholder]

The USB connection is just to program the chip, it's not "needed", only used for debugging/developing. The only thing that would need changing in the M3i would be how their chip works, and with their cable that can be done. I don't know if they are able to change it enough to work like twiizers hack, but like I say - I'm a noob. If they can't use the chip already in the M3i, then they just need to add another!

(If this were the case, I'd rather buy the separate chip online, open up my M3 and solder it in place myself. It's cheaper)

I just hope that if we can't get DSi games onto a flashcart we can get DSi games on an SD card to play them from the main menu.

 

[dilav]

the chips aren't gonna be easy to solder...lol. the build quality of carts are the best, the pads will probably lift off easier than other boards. Plus I doubt we are gonna know what chip, and if its programmed differently.
I hope most of these programmable flashcarts will support the DSi mode through a update, but who knows... i guess we have to wait and see. Im not sure if i want to see a software hack though... there will just be probably easier/cheaper ways for people to hack and pirate games.

 

[serrin]

The USB connection is just to program the chip, it's not "needed", only used for debugging/developing.
Right, you would know this why? Also, why is it still plugged in during the demo if it's not 'needed'? Because the team twiizer video didn't look like a debug to me, that looked like a demonstration.

The only thing that would need changing in the M3i would be how their chip works, and with their cable that can be done.
It has been mentioned previously that the cable only supplies power, not information. This is in case someone buys a brand new DSi which has preloaded firmware which doesn't work with the M3i that is being sold, you can still flash your M3i without plugging it into the DSi. It will not magically add hardware to your M3i. If team M3/G6 release a DSi mode firmware for their cart, you would be able to flash your M3i with your DSi cart and not need the USB cable.

QUOTE(Placeholder @ Jul 12 2009, 06:45 PM)

(If this were the case, I'd rather buy the separate chip online, open up my M3 and solder it in place myself. It's cheaper)

Just like how they're selling chips for the AK1/2 and EZ-flash V to make them DSi compatible? And you think soldering a wii is easy, have you ever seen the PCBs inside a flashcart?

It's not going to happen. Let it go. When DSi mode hackery becomes common, team M3/G6 will release a new flashcart, unless custom firmware becomes common.

 

[nonnonnon]

To serrin: i don't say that the dsi has been hacked now. when/if dsi is hacked for use with dsi mode, then the usb device will (probably) flash the m3 so it suports it.

So you're assuming that no further hardware is required beyond what is required in the standard flashcart which only does DS mode only or you're saying that the m3i zero contains extra hardware, which team m3/g6 doesn't need right now, just in case they might need it for a DSi mode hack which they have yet to make? This is a big assumption.
Flashing doesn't magically solder on extra ICs. Just because a flashcart is completely reprogrammable does not mean that is completely able to do new things, yet undiscovered by the creators without extra hardware. Your argument that the m3i zero can do DSi mode with new firmware is comparable to saying that the cycloDS is able to be used on DSi with a firmware flash. Software does not solve everything. At some point you need to change the hardware as well.
Regardless, I'm getting one of these because it has RTS and the UI doesn't look like a dog's breakfast. But telling people that one day this cart will support DSi mode is like telling people that one day stocks in Bear Stearns will return to their values 3 years ago. Actually the latter is more likely than the former.

Meh, i am sure you are right. i heard this from a guy here at gbatemp a while ago.

Anyone know whenn digimartz will ship out pre-orders?

 

[Placeholder]

Right, you would know this why? Also, why is it still plugged in during the demo if it's not 'needed'? Because the team twiizer video didn't look like a debug to me, that looked like a demonstration.
It's an arduino, you only use the USB cable to program the chip. I know this since I read it in several places in the past, and recognised the hardware Twiizers were using.

It has been mentioned previously that the cable only supplies power, not information. This is in case someone buys a brand new DSi which has preloaded firmware which doesn't work with the M3i that is being sold, you can still flash your M3i without plugging it into the DSi. It will not magically add hardware to your M3i. If team M3/G6 release a DSi mode firmware for their cart, you would be able to flash your M3i with your DSi cart and not need the USB cable.
I know it only supplies power. What do you think the card does with the power? It reprograms the chips - or so I'm told. If you remember, one of the major selling points of the M3i is the fact EVERY part of it is reprogrammable.
QUOTE

Just like how they're selling chips for the AK1/2 and EZ-flash V to make them DSi compatible? And you think soldering a wii is easy, have you ever seen the PCBs inside a flashcart?

It's not going to happen. Let it go. When DSi mode hackery becomes common, team M3/G6 will release a new flashcart, unless custom firmware becomes common.

First of all, I said "I would rather" - not "They will", it's my opinion, you can't say my opinion is wrong. I never said it would work like this anywhere, it's just wishful thinking because I've just spent the last of my money on this and I'll be pissed off if it's useless after a few weeks.

Who mentioned soldering a Wii?

There's the PCB inside 2 types of AK2i. Not easy, sure. But I could at least try.


Why do you not think it is possible for current flashcarts to ever work in DSi mode? I think there will be software hacks that only need firmware updates - be it DSi firmware - or flashcart firmware. No new hardware. Again, this is only my opinion.

 

[disgaea fan]

finally i've been waiting forever for this

 

[serrin]

It's an arduino, you only use the USB cable to program the chip. I know this since I read it in several places in the past, and recognised the hardware Twiizers were using.
And just because it looks superficially like an arduino doesn't make it an arduino board. The only people who know for sure are team twiizers.

I know it only supplies power. What do you think the card does with the power? It reprograms the chips - or so I'm told. If you remember, one of the major selling points of the M3i is the fact EVERY part of it is reprogrammable.
It makes it possible to flash your M3i without the need for a DSi to normally supply the power. This is in case your DSi has firmware which blocks the M3i from even loading. You can upload a new bootloader onto your SD card, plug your M3i to USB power and let it flash itself.
Just because EVERY part is programmable doesn't mean it can do things it was not designed to do, such as enter GBA mode or DSi mode.

First of all, I said "I would rather" - not "They will", it's my opinion, you can't say my opinion is wrong. I never said it would work like this anywhere, it's just wishful thinking because I've just spent the last of my money on this and I'll be pissed off if it's useless after a few weeks.

Who mentioned soldering a Wii?
Yes I can say your opinion is wrong. Doesn't make me right, but I can say your opinion is wrong. It won't be useless, it will (unless you update your DSi to some super-disabling firmware Nintendo release to block the M3i in the future, which is unlikely) continue to play DS games on the DSi until the end of time, unless something breaks down. Just because the ability to play homebrew/pirated DSi games comes out doesn't make it 'useless'. They still play DS games just fine and there's always fleabay if you want to hock it off for the latest and greatest flashcart out there.
Also I was the one who mentioned soldering a Wii. I was comparing how difficult soldering something onto a flashcart is even compared to something that already considered quite difficult, that is soldering a drivechip on one of the newer Wiis.
QUOTEThere's the PCB inside 2 types of AK2i. Not easy, sure. But I could at least try.

I'm not talking about the AK2i, I'm talking about the AK2. You could, in theory convert it into a AK2i. Communism works, in theory.
Team M3/G6 could release some sort of kit to upgrade their flashcarts, but they'd be inundated with hundreds of people who've stuffed up the highly delicate job of soldering tiny chips onto tiny pcb's. They'll release a new cart, unless of course, custom firmware comes out and shrinks the flashcart market. You're talking about tangential things here. I'm saying it's highly unlikely to happen.
QUOTE

Why do you not think it is possible for current flashcarts to ever work in DSi mode? I think there will be software hacks that only need firmware updates - be it DSi firmware - or flashcart firmware. No new hardware. Again, this is only my opinion.

Yes again my opinion is that your opinion is wrong. Perhaps we will one day see DSi custom firmware which lets us play games off the SD card slot, but a flashcart is far more limited in its applications. Sure you might be able to flash a cart so it has ability to play DSi games, but what if the wiring of the pins need to be changed? Or it turns out that the current hardware arrangement doesn't allow for access to the camera and mic? Or a billion other hardware related issues? There are plenty of hardware level changes that come between your dream and reality. In the off chance that it doesn't, then yes it might be possible. But I used the comparison of that happening and Bear Stearns stocks to show how likely I think that's going to happen.
Also, for reference, I'm talking about DSi games as in DSiware. I am not talking about DSi enabled DS games which have extra content for DSi owners.
The M3i is not like the T-1000, it doesn't have the ability to change its hardware around at the drop of a hat. Bootloaders, firmware, kernels, they're only half the equation. If the hardware can't be changed (and frankly any flashcart with changeable hardware is a bit of a gimmick in my opinion, the upgrade costs would probably be comparable to getting a new cart altogether) then there will always be limitations to what it can and can't do.

P.S. this is all my opinion and you are free to agree or disagree; call them right or wrong. I'm not imposing my opinions on you like you seem to be

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