Hacking NDSi arrived

[Project_Zero]

Maybe the american version of the DSi wont be as ba d...i mean honestly what are the odds?

 

[TrolleyDave]

Maybe the american version of the DSi wont be as ba d...i mean honestly what are the odds?

Uhm, what makes you think that the American version won't be as bad? If anything it will be worse because they will have had however long to fix any problems found with the Japanese version.

As for everyone who's mentioned that you'll be able to copy roms onto the SD card and run them from there do you really think Nintendo has put code in their firmware that would allow that? The firmware will probably filter out all files that aren't audio and pictures.

I'm not too hopeful about custom firmwares either. Nintendo have probably spent alot of R&D time this time round making sure that it's locked down nice and tight. Not only will they have learnt from their mistakes but they've probably learnt from Sonys as well. I know the firmware is now updatable from the DSi shop and what not but remember, you still need a way of booting the code that flashes the firmware. No working flashcarts = no way of installing custom firmwares.

I'm guessing that it would be possible to create a passthrough device similar to the original ones like the DS had, but again Nintendos R&D team have most likely thought of that as well.

No doubt some flashcart maker will be able to figure a way around it eventually, but with automatic firmware updates via the net by Nintendo it won't be hard for them to put a block in it. I think for the DSi we'll be looking at a case of mod-chips and flashcarts.

Personally, like many others on here, I think the whole going after flashcarts thing was a PR exercise so Nintendo could show they were battling piracy but the DSi was their actual strategy.

 

[leinad]

Hm, I tought abit about the problem, are flashcards editing some stuff in memory directly ? if so, did nintendo maybe changed the memory map o_o ?

I dont think they got a check for flashcards ... they just added something Real DS cardridges had but no flashcard =/ Or protected something only flashcards are accessing

 

[elfsander]

Or they just closed off a bug that the older DS-es had which allowed people to hack it. Good job Nintendo! (Not being sarcastic)

 

[chuckstudios]

My theory as stated in IRC last night:

(chuckstudios) there will be a whitelist built into the flash memory for all existing games
(chuckstudios) something like MD5, which could hold about 3000 games in under 50KB
(chuckstudios) all games from now on will be digitally signed in such a way that the DSi recognizes but the old DS models ignore
(chuckstudios) effectively killing piracy and homebrew

It feels good to be right.

Edit: This could also explain the Kotaku article if their game isn't properly signed

 

[luccax]

Does it have WAP support or only WEP like DS/DSL?

 

[soratheultima]

yes the Dsi has WPA support see here http://exophase.com/ds/nintendo-dsi-has-wp...upport-8039.htm

i am happy now

 

[cutterjohn]

So, any idea whether or not they did anything other than add the camera(s), larger screen, and more memory? e.g. faster ARM9 maybe?


Also, I think that it's somewhat promising that some of the flash carts actually show icons and info, it'll probably just be a matter of finding a new hook into booting them at least in ds lite mode, then DSi mode IF they treat the two modes separately like they did with GBA/DS mode all. Pretty much speculation until someone takes the DSi apart and dumps the fw...

 

[UltraMagnus]

urg, some of you guys need to stop acting like hysterical old fishwives, yes they have obviously found a way to close the current exploits that flashcards use, but new ones will be found.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

The only thing left now is to gut one and see the insides for what it got. That way you can either rule out mod chipping or some other hardware hack.

 

[ackers]

can it butter my toast?

 

[Moots]

I just gt this crazy idea, why don't we all just save money and stick with the DS Lite most of us currently have *GASP* We'd save a couple hundred bucks, and guess what my flash card works flawlessly!


I know it sounds outrageous.


Also think about the ipod/iphone syndrome that nintendo seems to use with their handhelds, they release a handheld thats decent then 6 months later realease another one upgraded slightly, then a year later another, its been happening since the gameboy. Continuing to buy slightly and often gimmickly upgraded handhelds just gives nintendo further reason to release handhelds that aren't complete or dont have all the features they should/could have.

The same thing is happening with console games, companies are releasing games incomplete, where you have to dload some features/multiplayer options in a week or so after release. Jesus just finish the game.

 

[padawan]

Thank you for the information ahtin

 

[Gerinych]

I don't know if this has been suggested yet, but we should test the DSi for homebrew-only flash cards, like Games 'n' Music.

 

[Gore]

I don't know if this has been suggested yet, but we should test the DSi for homebrew-only flash cards, like Games 'n' Music.

Tip-Top idea. I agree.

 

[jalaneme]

I just gt this crazy idea, why don't we all just save money and stick with the DS Lite most of us currently have *GASP* We'd save a couple hundred bucks, and guess what my flash card works flawlessly!


I know it sounds outrageous.


Also think about the ipod/iphone syndrome that nintendo seems to use with their handhelds, they release a handheld thats decent then 6 months later realease another one upgraded slightly, then a year later another, its been happening since the gameboy. Continuing to buy slightly and often gimmickly upgraded handhelds just gives nintendo further reason to release handhelds that aren't complete or dont have all the features they should/could have.

The same thing is happening with console games, companies are releasing games incomplete, where you have to dload some features/multiplayer options in a week or so after release. Jesus just finish the game.

+1 i have no interest in the DSi i don't even play my current DS lite enough.

 

[RupeeClock]

I have an idea of what the problem here is.

I think that maybe, the booting protocols or the code used for the Flash Carts is simply not to specification with the DSi, we have a developer complaining of DSi incompatibility to back this.

Basically, it's not a block so much as the software doesn't work, all we need is new flash carts to be printed with the right code to run.

Chances are a lot of things like homebrew could not work on the DSi, these are just some assumptions I have though.

 

[Gerinych]

Maybe it's because of DSi's region lock. I don't think there is any flashcards with a specific region, so that might be the solution.

 

[Penguin]

Even though the flash carts may not work, what about the external memory? Surely someone can come up with some firmware or something to enable to continue HomeBrew!

 

[Moots]

Oh my god, whats wrong with you people.

Here a way to get homebrew and flashcarts to work. DON'T FALL INTO THE MONEY GRAB THAT IS THE DSi. Do not buy one. Just use the Lite, or phat or whatever you use. Or buy one, they are cheaper and who needs some gimmicky camera