Hacking Nintendo to block modchips

[WarmWoollySheep]

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20070327PD201.html

Nintendo attempts to block Wii modchips in newest console revision

Hot systems
Monica Chen, Taipei; Adam Hwang, DigiTimes.com [Tuesday 27 March 2007]

Nintendo has altered the circuit layout of its Wii games console in order to block the increasing use of modification chips (modchips). However, new-generation modchips capable of working with the revised Wii consoles may become available in less than a month, according to retail channels in Taiwan.

The new Wiis, which are part of new shipments of the console, have an altered circuit layout that makes modification more difficult than in earlier versions. Users attempting to mod the new consoles using current modchips are very likely to damage the system, the sources pointed out.

In view of past instances where Nintendo and other games console makers including Microsoft and Sony have revised the circuitry of their consoles in attempts to to disable modchips, it is a logical expectation that a more advanced modchip specifically for the new Wii revision will be available in less than a month, the sources indicated.

Some providers of Wii modification services in Taiwan think Nintendo could adopt BGA (ball grid array) IC packaging to prolong the time needed by hackers to develop new modchips to at least four months. The longer waiting time would likely reduce the willingness of some users to modify the consoles, the sources noted.

This is the source of the story, haven't heard it anywhere else yet. I assume nobody owns one of these Wii's yet (as of march 27th) so that means one of two things:

1) The story is bullshit
or
2) The new Wii's have just gone in to production

Any guesses?

 

[kristijan08]

saw the same thing on maxconsole... doesnt mean you still cant solder directly the the chip though.....

article: http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=15402
picture:

either way, go nintendo!

**edit** uploaded picture to tinypic, maxconsole didnt like hot linking!

 

[sekhu]

i can't remember if it was here or maxconsole, but the new wiis apparently make quick solder a problem but wire installs are still doable

 

[m|kk|]

April fools maybe?

Sounds possibly legit tho....

 

[WarmWoollySheep]

Ah ha! The pic is proof enough for me.

 

[Harsky]

April fool's or not, a circuit board revision would have to be imminent. The idea of Nintendo just leaving the board as it is for another year wouldn't be right.

 

[alexwryt]

I'm pretty sure they are just talking about a new version of the DVD drive (like how many different drives PS2 had? 5 or something like that?) So doesn't necessarily mean current modchips won't work but they might have different solder points.

 

[alexwryt]

That idea they had in the article about BGA chips probably would prevent modchips though. With those kind of chips there is no way to access the solder points at all because they are all on the bottom of the chip and flowed with a special machine. That is hella more expensive than a regular chip though so that's probably why they don't do that.

 

[sabinraijin]

So does this mean Nintendo has no way of simply adding a firmware fix to stop the modchips? I'd love to keep my Wiinja'd Wii updated, and by the looks of things, I'll be able to. Do you think Nintendo would have gone through the trouble of modifying the actual hardware if they could have just made a firmware update to stop the chips?

Edit: Now that I think of it, that sounds stupid. Obviously not everyone would get the update, so maybe Nintendo still plans on adding a firmware fix for unaware modders, in addition to this hardware change....

 

[EvoTroy]

This sucks! I'm on the hunt for a Wii but unfortunately I live in a really populated and sort of wealthy area that makes it almost impossible to find. I might not get one any time soon in which case I might end up with an unmoddable Wii. NOOOOOO this can't be happening!!!!

 

[5uck3rpunch]

I'm glad I got mine on the original release date! (soldering a WiiKey on in a few hours myself!)

 

[THeLL]

Sounds logical but It's almost the 1st of April so I won't believe until I see them in stores and get confirmation about this...

 

[Akotan]

Also found here http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=c...d=5029&Itemid=2

 

[bobrules]

nintendo is finally doing something about backups of their systems.

 

[drz]

Fear of this is exactly why I bought a Wii last week.

I remember the Xbox experience: Modding the early generations was really easy (and basically free); the later gens required buying a chip and doing lots of soldering.

 

[lenselijer]

thats not true, i can mod every xbox made without even opening it up!
latest version of xbox is 1.6 and it only had a new video chipset which the hacked bioses already support.

 

[directive0]

nintendo is finally doing something about backups of their systems.

Indeed, as much as we all lament it, this is a good thing for nintendo. Even if it merely is a token change that doesn't really help anything, it shows developers that they (appear to) care.

 

[Takrin]

i fear the day nintnedo wii will require 20 wires to mod like ps2,
ps2 games are unprotected but modding the system was a pain, they also kept revising so diagram also was hard to find at times. guess i should start taking care of my CDs... i usually get lazy and have them laying around and they collect dust and get scratched, not those retarded baby type scratches though, but still i'm worried of a game crapping out near the end like a ps2 game i had did.