Hacking Replacement flash card: DSTT, Acekard, M3? (prices included)

[sunyee]

Hi people.. I have a 3.5 year-old Nintendo DS Lite, and I'm looking to buy a flash card to replace my spoilt DSTT. While I was disappointed, I do understand from store vendors that the average life of ANY flash card is about 1.5 years, which is the life of my own card. However I am now faced with 3 choices:

DSTT: $30
Acekard 2i: $40
M3i zero: $50

Would like to know that given these prices, which should i be getting? My experience with DSTT was okay.. Not fantastic but definitely better than my 1st fake supercard which really belongs to the dump. I wouldn't mind getting back the DSTT (if my store vendors are right about the lifespan), but just want to hear alternative opinions. Things that I mind are in order of ranking:

1. Compatibility (games + microSD)
2. Stability (don't crash on me while i'm 6 hours through a game)
3. Savegame corruption (my old DSTT has a habit of corrupting savegames every 10-20 plays of a game, could do frequent backups but would rather not)
4. Build quality (no squeezing into the slot)
5. Frequency of update of firmware

Other stuff such as good OS, consistent soft-resetting are welcome but not entirely required especially when price is concerned. Thanks for the help people.

 

[Gariscus]

I know you didn't mention CycloDS in your post but I recommend CycloDS Evolution.

1. CycloDS has good comatibility with both games and microSD
2. CycloDS is very stable
3. CycloDS doesn't corrupt saves
4. CycloDS has good build quality
5. The updates are pretty frequent

It has a good OS and consistent soft-resetting. It also has Real time save and other features.

You posted this thread in the wrong section by the way.

 

[jmido]

Fyi, you can find Acekard 2i's for under 20$'s. I bought mine off 0shippingzone for 16$ (free shipping).

However, I just purchased myself an Acekard 2i the other day so I can't offer any real advice since it'll be my first flashcard.

 

[CannonFoddr]

I've had all these (I had a DSTTi instead of the DSTT though)

Of the 3 this is my preference in order: AK2i / M3i0 / DSTTi

The reason(s)
AK2i - Mainly because of AKAIO is regulaly updated (except recently while AKAIO 1.6 is being redeveloped)
- I also use Moonshell 2 as my main 'file selector' (I get AKAIO to autoboot into MS on startup), which by using 'plugins' it allows me to run other file types as well
e.g I can get MS to run an Emulator if I happen to select a Gameboy ROM or - Start TunaVideo if I select a AVI file
- With a 'fix' MS can also run Commercial ROMS (no Cheats avaliable though - but you can prevent the Autoboot so that you can use AKAIO if you want them)

OK it doesn't have RTS/RTG etc - but these features are things I can do without

M3i0 - Also regularly updated (in fact more recently than AKAIO @ the moment), but disappointed that despite Sakura is 'based on Moonshell2' it is not as versatile
- When 'updating' there always seems to be a delay between them updating 'Touchpod' & then 'Sakura'
- You CAN'T add new file selection to it (So no 'select GBC game & emulator start up automatically' allowed)
- You can't customise Sakura as much (I REALLY hate the pink animated 'leaf' startup screen - if I had a pink DS then OK, but I have a black one & the pink doesn't quite 'fit-in' with the 'black/white thems I go for)
- It has 'trouble' with playback of DPG/DSM files (In fact I've never managed to get a DSM file to work in Sakura despite using their own encoder)

DSTTi - Unfortunately I found this was not updated as regularly as any of the others
- It was also 'limited' in features (No Media playing for e.g. - you had to start up Moonshell before you could do any films/music/picture etc).
Also it got 'bricked' when trying to upgrade the firmware so that it could work on a DSi with 1.4 firmware

As for the Cyclods - never had one of them so can't really comment on that, but I had a M3 Simply that had a similar 'menu' system where you had 3 icons to choose from Games/Media/Slot 2 on bootup - not 100% sure if it's the same on Cyclods (what's the 3rd icon on that ??), I've never liked the idea of choosing what you wanted to do first then browsing - preffering a 'all-in-one' browser that will start the appropriate software depending on the file you select

 

[Gariscus]

(what's the 3rd icon on that ??)

The 3rd icon is Settings.

 

[CannonFoddr]

(what's the 3rd icon on that ??)

The 3rd icon is Settings.

Thanks for that info - wasn't sure as I never used the 'Slot-2' when I had the M3 Simply & I thought it was the same

 

[Raynar]

I have Acekard2i for DSi and for under $20 from ishopvideogame.com you different options for shopping I roommate paid the 24 add-on for DHL shipping to come from overseas in under a week. Good xmas gift. I've the R4ultra is meh to me. I roll with AKAIO 1.5.1 and every roms with it no issues I've seen with it. Plus Works with all DS models (With minor update for DSi 1.4U), collection skins are awesome.