Hacking Ordered M3 Real, Any Problems I Should Worry About?

[Kitomaru]

As the shipment nears my home, I'm getting excited about just receiving it. I know, weird, huh?
Anyways, DealExtreme, as Skyline said, is probably the cheapest place you'll buy a M3. Not just the M3, too. There are other flashcarts available.
And yes, DealExtreme is pretty slow when it comes to shipping, since they ship it from Hong Kong.

Anyway, I was thinking about showing an unboxing video when I receive the M3. Just cause I'm bored and it's an excuse to get out of homework

Still unsure about the video.

So, yeah

 

[shadow999]

Only thing I can say about these things:

DON'T use the T-flash this thing comes with! It killed my micro SD card and my friends' did the same to his.

Also, you'll never use the rumble pack. Cancel that part of the order if you can and get the GBA RAM Expansion. Trust me, the GBA collection has a lot of gems you probably didn't know it had.

The T-Flash reader that came with my M3 Real works perfectly fine. Has since I got it a month ago. I currently use my Kingston SD adapter, but the USB adapter is a nice backup plan.

The rumble pack? It works nicely, especially if you play games like Space Invaders Extreme. I, myself, have purchased an EZ-Flash 3-in-1 from a fellow Temper and I'm awaiting its arrival in the mail.

Worry not, you won't be disappointed with what you get.

My T-Flash card reader is working fine after about 6 months now. However I do not trust it. If I use it for a while, the MicroSD card gets quite warm! Too warm for my liking. I use it for as short a time as possible.

I want to get a more reliable card reader but I want a small one that I can take along with me in my carry case. Something around the same size as the T-Flash card reader.
I have been to a few shops and they have nothing!

By the way I would use my Kingston SD card adapter, however my Multi-Card reader is a few years old now and doesn't support SDHC cards.

 

[Kitomaru]

So yeah, 2 weeks and a day, and I have finally received my M3 Real along with my 4GB Kingston MicroSD.

Here's a quick pic of it:

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So, yeah, M3 Real looks legitimate, and same with the MicroSD, it's made in Japan

So, yeah, sorry for the small pics because I only used my webcam. I still need to do my homework
until I can fiddle around with this device

I'm love my M3, even though I haven't opened it yet

 

[Skyline969]

That's the exact same M3 Real as mine, only a better version (is yours a side-loading card slot?). The card is the exact same, but good luck trying out Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow.

It'll probably freeze. However, if yours doesn't, then I know mine's defective.

All the same, enjoy! You will not be disappointed!

EDIT: The T-Flash card reader looks a little different than mine... can you take a pic of it for me please?

 

[Kitomaru]

To tell you the truth, it's the exact same T-Flash Card Reader I say in your video review.
So I have no idea why there is a different picture in the box...

And yes, mine is side loading

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Well, I'm off to install M3Sskura + TouchPod I found in the FAQ.
And, I'll see what I can do with Castlevania

 

[Kitomaru]

Before I forget, quick question...
How do you add themes? For both Sakura and TouchPod, I mean...
Sorry, new to the whole M3 Scene

 

[Skyline969]

Well, that's a very impressive card! If you try Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow and it works, let me know. If it does, it could be that my older M3 Real doesn't fully work with that Kingston. To get skins for Sakura, head to the Sakura FAQ and scroll down. There, you'll find plenty of skins. Just copy the .skn files to wherever on your card and slide one to the right or left in Sakura to apply it. As for TouchPod, it comes with two skins - default and Vista-ish. Still, you'll never use TouchPod, so don't worry about it.

And that reader IS the same as mine... why they would have a different reader on the box is beyond me. Oh well, to be safe, use the Kingston adapter that came with your card. It's very reliable.

 

[Tanas]

Certain games lag a lot more compared to most other flashcarts.

 

[shadow999]

I am not sure about TouchPod but for Sakura, you will just need to 'open' the skin file in Sakura and the skin will be applied.

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With regards to the card reader. I just got a new one to replace the one that came with my M3 Real.

Incidentally the one I got looks exactly like the one on the packet of the new M3.

How weird is that.

I got a "SanDisk MobileMate™ Micro Reader". Tiny little thing and hopefully more reliable than the card reader that currently comes with the M3.

EDIT: Skyline you beat me to it

 

[Kitomaru]

Hey, Skyline, I checked out Dawn of Sorrow, and I'm wondering if your DoS is playable...
I mean, mine is playable because it doesn't go to the video. It goes straight to the main menu, but if I leave it alone, it goes to the video, and freezes.
For me, it's playable, but video freezes.
Is yours playable?

 

[Tanas]

Hey, Skyline, I checked out Dawn of Sorrow, and I'm wondering if your DoS is playable...
I mean, mine is playable because it doesn't go to the video. It goes straight to the main menu, but if I leave it alone, it goes to the video, and freezes.
For me, it's playable, but video freezes.
Is yours playable?

The video lags quite bad for me but it doesn't freeze, I cant tell you if the game is playable because I haven't played.

 

[Skyline969]

The video freezes for me as well. Check the gameplay - do you freeze at all entering/exiting rooms?

 

[Kitomaru]

Yeah, gameplay is really smooth. I haven't experienced any lag or glitchy spots anywhere in the game, beside the video.
Entering/Exiting rooms are fine.

P.S. Sorry for the long response. Busy Friday

 

[Joe88]

I am not sure about TouchPod but for Sakura, you will just need to 'open' the skin file in Sakura and the skin will be applied.

---

With regards to the card reader. I just got a new one to replace the one that came with my M3 Real.

Incidentally the one I got looks exactly like the one on the packet of the new M3.

How weird is that.

I got a "SanDisk MobileMate™ Micro Reader". Tiny little thing and hopefully more reliable than the card reader that currently comes with the M3.

EDIT: Skyline you beat me to it

I got the same reader after the one that came with my m3real broke after a month
the sandisk one has been working since last may

 

[Skyline969]

Yeah, gameplay is really smooth. I haven't experienced any lag or glitchy spots anywhere in the game, beside the video.
Entering/Exiting rooms are fine.

P.S. Sorry for the long response. Busy Friday

That's messed up. It could be that my ROM dump is screwy, or maybe the new batches of M3 Reals are actually more compatible with the 4 gig Kingston. Now that I have a new source for ROMs, I'll try from them and post my results... tomorrow. I'm going to bed; I've been up since 7 AM (it's 1 AM now) and I've been busy all day.

So good night GBAtemp.