Nintendo DSi Region locked ???

[DjoeN]

Source: http://ds.kombo.com/article.php?artid=6601

First up came a question regarding region locks on the Nintendo DSi handhelds. And Reggie's answer? "To be honest I dont know for sure, I will look into it." He added that he thinks that the device will be region locked, purely on the fact that the downloads for the system are region based.

Another question was a simple one: The DSi can play music, so can it play MP3s? And the answer is "no, it plays the AAC format. It's an easy conversion."

 

[RupeeClock]

If flash carts are going to work, then wouldn't this bypass region locks?

We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Costello]

what? no MP3? this is ridiculous!

gee... what's next? camera doesn't save pictures as JPG ?

 

[Spikey]

what? no MP3? this is ridiculous!

gee... what's next? camera doesn't save pictures as JPG ?

no, it saves as the PNG format. It's an easy conversion.

EDIT: I also debated this same issue with Shinji yesterday when he was over. I believe the system will likely be region locked, if only by the stores themselves, while still allowing DS game region free. If not that then maybe it will determine the shop to use by location gained by IP address. Of course, it would suck if it was fully region locked... which would be a bummer...

 

[prince3r]

It is not to bad if it is not mp3 since as the quote says it is an easy conversion only around 10 seconds for me using any good converter.

 

[Orc]

The games on carts will most likely stay region free but the downloadables, DSiWare or whatever they're called would be region locked as there will be different offerings on the online store per region. Same with firmware updates I think.

As for the no MP3 playback, that's pretty bull and I hope a lot of people complain about this and hopefully Nintendo will listen, atleast in a firmware update.

 

[Fat D]

The games on carts will most likely stay region free but the downloadables, DSiWare or whatever they're called would be region locked as there will be different offerings on the online store per region. Same with firmware updates I think.

As for the no MP3 playback, that's pretty bull and I hope a lot of people complain about this and hopefully Nintendo will listen, atleast in a firmware update.

remember what happened on Wii?

 

[DjoeN]

told it already yesterday to, that i expect the DSiWare to be regio locked.

Still i will import one and later when it comes to europe buy an European model.

 

[HBK]

what? no MP3? this is ridiculous!

gee... what's next? camera doesn't save pictures as JPG ?

no, it saves as the PNG format. It's an easy conversion.

Well, if this is true it's great, since PNG > JPG by a mile in quality.

 

[Renegade_R]

They don't want to pay licensing fees to the MP3 license holders...its done on a per device or lifetime basis...

Obviously Nintendo doesn't want to pay either.

 

[ItsMetaKnight]

Why not use OGG then? >_>
i don't know anyone using AAC... heck, I don't even know that format.

 

[Psyfira]

AAC, I've heard of it... but the question is has your average DS user? If the conversion software isn't in the box then this one's going to be a pain for retailers.

 

[War]

All I can say on the matter is expected/10

 

[ackers]

They don't want to pay licensing fees to the MP3 license holders...its done on a per device or lifetime basis...

Obviously Nintendo doesn't want to pay either.

It's not like they don't have enough money or anything.

 

[RupeeClock]

Well, if this is true it's great, since PNG > JPG by a mile in quality.
You're missing the point of JPEGs then, the small artifacts created by the lossy compression aren't noticable in a photo.
PNG is ideal for imagery with fewer colours, like sprites, logo art, certainly not photos. That would just increase filesize too much.

QUOTE(ItsMetaKnight @ Oct 3 2008, 07:28 PM) Why not use OGG then? >_>
i don't know anyone using AAC... heck, I don't even know that format.

OGG sounds great.
AAC is what itunes uses.

We're all going to continue using homebrew like moonshell to play MP3s and SPCs anyway, right?

 

[ItsMetaKnight]

lol itunes... does anyone even use that? (except the ipod junkies)

yeah, homebrew ftw

 

[pasc]

or flac ?

 

[Maikel Steneker]

I hope normal DS-games won't be region locked on the DSi, because that would mean I can't play quite a few of my original games!

 

[playallday]

I hope normal DS-games won't be region locked on the DSi, because that would mean I can't play quite a few of my original games!

DS games AREN'T region locked so how'd they lock US games?

 

[Maikel Steneker]

I hope normal DS-games won't be region locked on the DSi, because that would mean I can't play quite a few of my original games!

DS games AREN'T region locked so how'd they lock US games?

Well, American games are not the same as Japanese games and European games, right? I guess it would be possible to disable US-games from booting on a Japanese or European console.

If it's not possible, just ignore my comment