Hacking So this Flatmii thing...

[isaac52]

I'm completely retarded about the inner workings of my consoles.
Just recently i broke my DS lite by trying to "fix it". Found out i just need a $3 part, but i cant get inside it after putting it back together due to the screw on the battery having wore out and unscrewable... at least from when i tried to, and trust me, i tried. Still not sure how it got back on.

At any rate, i have a 3.2j Japanese wiikey modded(not modded myself) nintendo wii.
This flatmii thing looks perfect, I've always had one hell of a time getting games to work, still haven't gotten some to work(i.e brawl, de blob, call of duty WAW, etc) and never even got geckoOS or the twilight hack to work.

So this flatmii looks like just the thing i need/want. But i know nothing about going inside the wii, and doing what is needed.

I read the GBA temp review, and the installation segment, but it simply didn't tell me what i needed.
I'm sure i come across as the "know-nothing n00b" to people, but please, does anyone know how, and willing to tell me how to install flatmii?

On a scale of one to ten, how difficult is it?


Also, i have not ordered flatmii yet, and have already found at least 2 possibly fake flatmii sites.
flatmii-online.com
flatmiishop.com

I went to the sites listed from the review, but they are just so expensive... I'm not against spending money for a good product, I'd just like a little info on where to get them.

 

[david432111]

It's kinda hard to put on a scale, but if you can open your wii it's a piece of cake.

-Open the wii(There are a lot of tutorials)
-Take out the dvd drive
-Disconnect a few cables and plug it in and put the wii back together.

That's just a really basic summary, there's a detailed video guide on youtube somewhere.
But my point is that it's not really hard.

 

[SenorClean]

I doubt it will help you - The problems you seem to be having are cross-region video mode compatibility issues, which will still happen with flatmii. Loading an out of region iso over USB or from a DVD-R will result in the same thing!

You'd be better off getting GeckoOS to work - then I'd wager most (all?) of those games would work.

 

[isaac52]

I doubt it will help you - The problems you seem to be having are cross-region video mode compatibility issues, which will still happen with flatmii. Loading an out of region iso over USB or from a DVD-R will result in the same thing!

You'd be better off getting GeckoOS to work - then I'd wager most (all?) of those games would work.

i converted other ntsc-u games to ntsc-J and they worked. Why wont these?
And from what i read in the review, flatmii is region free. Also, i use DVD+RW(booktyped to DVD-ROM)


And I've really tried getting GeckoOS to work, but it didn't recognize brawl(a LEGIT brawl copy), which lead me to believe my DVD reader lens is faulty/dirty. And all other wii games i tried to load on it, which would load before with no problems(no more heroes, super mario galaxy, and even the twilight princess i used to boot it up) all got green screens

 

[theoperator288]

I think you are going a little to far to fix your problem. Your problem may be fixed by a simple solution.
Since you have a 3.2J Wii your first selection of games are limited to Japanese titles. (NTSC-J to be more precise) Looks like you have knowledge of the formats at least. You posted 2 mins after me...

Are you certain that you have a Wiikey in your Wii?
If you do, you shouldn't have much of a problem playing other region games. Don't convert them...

If you come to find out it *isn't* modded, or even if it is. I would go with SenorClean's suggestion. Either download GeckoOS or use WiiGator's Backup Player to play other region games. (I have a NTSC-U system and I use the backup player in order to play my imported Brawl or De Blob)

Just some suggestions before you spend your money. Also, only follow sites that the official Flatmii site recommends or any that a GBATemp reviewer may recommend. The two you provided do not seem suspicious but I would need a little more time to confirm. (They do list the good installation tutorials though )

Good luck, and if you have anymore suggestions, we are always here to help.

PS: I might look like a first time visitor, but I have been a lurker to this site for a long time....

 

[SenorClean]

Just because a chip is region free... (they more or less all are!) doesn't mean you won't have video mode issues, and games crashing with a black screen. Quite a few NTSC titles do this on my PAL wii - unless I launch using Gecko OS.

This behavior is identical with my D2C wii with wasabi as it is on my flatmate's PAL wii with wiikey. It is not a result of the chip - but of software incompatibility - hence will still happen using flatmii.

I find compatibility is much better when using component cables.

I take it the games which give you trouble are PAL?

 

[Sir VG]

FlatMii is honestly pretty easy to install. If 1 was uber easy and 10 was uber hard, I'd give it about a 3.

I used this video tutorial to help take apart the Wii:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8epujddQTc...re=channel_page

One thing to note, but cutter they mean an exacto knife. They're pretty cheap - I got mine for about $2.5 at my local Walmart.

As for legit sellers, you can find a list for your region here:
http://www.flatmii.com/resellers.html


One note on the video, you don't need to take everything apart - just up to where you can access the bottom of the DVD drive. The toughest part is the 4 screws holding down the drive to the Wii case - primarily the front 2. If it weren't for those, I'd push the rating down to a 2.

 

[isaac52]

I think you are going a little to far to fix your problem. Your problem may be fixed by a simple solution.
Since you have a 3.2J Wii your first selection of games are limited to Japanese titles. (NTSC-J to be more precise)

Are you certain that you have a Wiikey in your Wii?
If you do, you shouldn't have much of a problem playing other region games.

If you come to find out it *isn't* modded, or even if it is. I would go with SenorClean's suggestion. Either download GeckoOS or use WiiGator's Backup Player to play other region games. (I have a NTSC-U system and I use the backup player in order to play my imported Brawl or De Blob)

Just some suggestions before you spend your money. Also, only follow sites that the official Flatmii site recommends or any that a GBATemp reviewer may recommend. The two you provided do not seem suspicious but I would need a little more time to confirm. (They do list the good installation tutorials though )

Good luck, and if you have anymore suggestions, we are always here to help.

PS: I might look like a first time visitor, but I have been a lurker to this site for a long time....

Thanks for the help.
Well, I'm currently downloading a ntsc-J version of brawl(i dont have DL disks, but the file is 4.37 gb, so i should be able to burn it)
I'll try to see if that works, as well as trucha sign it to remove the 001 error(if it has one?)

But im rather certain the wiikey works.

Some notes to arouse suspicion might be that i got the wii for only $200 prehacked(which, being the noob i was at the time, bricked it within 5 minutes of owning it, and had to wait for a DVD burner to come before i could do anything with it)

But I've used wiikey configuration/updare disks on it, with no problems. Shouldn't this mean its fine?

 

[theoperator288]

Just because a chip is region free... (they more or less all are!) doesn't mean you won't have video mode issues, and games crashing with a black screen. Quite a few NTSC titles do this on my PAL wii - unless I launch using Gecko OS.

....

I take it the games which give you trouble are PAL?
I know, but he was going from NTSC-U to NTSC-J.... no video change at all....
SenorCleanI find compatibility is much better when using component cables.

My next question...

 

[isaac52]

Just because a chip is region free... (they more or less all are!) doesn't mean you won't have video mode issues, and games crashing with a black screen. Quite a few NTSC titles do this on my PAL wii - unless I launch using Gecko OS.

This behavior is identical with my D2C wii with wasabi as it is on my flatmate's PAL wii with wiikey. It is not a result of the chip - but of software incompatibility - hence will still happen using flatmii.

I find compatibility is much better when using component cables.

I take it the games which give you trouble are PAL?

PAL games have given me trouble, but since then i always made sure to get ntsc-U(or ntsc-J with the option for english language) games. And they still give me trouble at times.
Also, aren't their video patchers for wii games? (wiifrii is what i use for this usually, any better ones?)

 

[isaac52]

FlatMii is honestly pretty easy to install. If 1 was uber easy and 10 was uber hard, I'd give it about a 3.

I used this video tutorial to help take apart the Wii:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8epujddQTc...re=channel_page

One thing to note, but cutter they mean an exacto knife. They're pretty cheap - I got mine for about $2.5 at my local Walmart.

As for legit sellers, you can find a list for your region here:
http://www.flatmii.com/resellers.html


One note on the video, you don't need to take everything apart - just up to where you can access the bottom of the DVD drive. The toughest part is the 4 screws holding down the drive to the Wii case - primarily the front 2. If it weren't for those, I'd push the rating down to a 2.

Hah, watched that video about 10 mins before makin this thread xD

But thanks for the help, but i suppose if you make it sound so easy, i might be making more of a fuss than needed... of course, it may seem i might not need this flatmii afterall, so i suppose some good could come of this if i get the non-working games to work.(mainly brawl! can't tell you how much it taunts me to have a legit copy, and not be able to play it. And every single guest that comes over wants to play it @_@)

 

[theoperator288]

Like I said before, I would suggest not converting them and just using either GeckoOS or the Wiigator backup player...
Playing with an ISO can make things go all wonky... and more area for errors. I always try to keep my games from point A to point B, not point A to C then back to E then eventually to B. To much work

 

[isaac52]

Like I said before, I would suggest not converting them and just using either GeckoOS or the Wiigator backup player...
Playing with an ISO can make things go all wonky... and more area for errors. I always try to keep my games from point A to point B, not point A to C then back to E then eventually to B. To much work

I've tried not converting before, and it did no good for all the games i burned (sorry, put converted instead of burned before, not exactly got my head on straight currently)
Just a black screen.

But quick question, when you say "don't convert" is this to imply that geckoOS cannot read converted formats?

Edit: And thanks for the speedy, and helpful replies, to everyone as well. Especially at this ungodly hour. (5: 30 am for me, couldn't sleep with the recent craving to play brawl, and got sucked into the idea of flatmii when i logged into gbatemp)

 

[redact]

what firmware do you have on your wiikey? only the latest (1.9s) works with a retail dual layer game like brawl

 

[theoperator288]

I've tried not converting before, and it did no good for all the games i converted.
Just a black screen.

But quick question, when you say "don't convert" is this to imply that geckoOS cannot read converted formats?

Edit: And thanks for the speedy, and helpful replies, to everyone as well. Especially at this ungodly hour. (5: 30 am for me, couldn't sleep with the recent craving to play brawl, and got sucked into the idea of flatmii when i logged into gbatemp)

What I meant was don't make a NTSC-J into a NTSC-U. (or vice versa)

Also, are you using a standard cable or a composite cable (red green blue)?


Side note....
QUOTEflatmii-online.com
flatmiishop.com

Both of those websites were registered under the same person, and I assume to be the same person who owns the official website.
(Unless the person who owns the official website has a cousin with the same name

)

 

[isaac52]

I've tried not converting before, and it did no good for all the games i converted.
Just a black screen.

But quick question, when you say "don't convert" is this to imply that geckoOS cannot read converted formats?

Edit: And thanks for the speedy, and helpful replies, to everyone as well. Especially at this ungodly hour. (5: 30 am for me, couldn't sleep with the recent craving to play brawl, and got sucked into the idea of flatmii when i logged into gbatemp)

What I meant was don't make a NTSC-J into a NTSC-U. (or vice versa)

Also, are you using a standard cable or a composite cable (red green blue)?

But why not? It's the only way I've gotten any of my games to work on my wii

And i have a red/yellow/white cord.

 

[theoperator288]

But why not? It's the only way I've gotten any of my games to work on my wii

And i have a red/yellow/white cord.

That's weird, you shouldn't have to convert ISO's in order to play them in a modded wii...
Also, I suggest, if your TV can do it, upgrading to component cables (red green blue).
www.dealextreme.com sells a cheap set for around $5 with free shipping. I can direct link it if you want...

Do you know what version your wiikey is on now, Luke had a good idea about making sure it was up to date...

PS: It's early for me also, been up watching movies and surfing the net... boring day of work ahead....

 

[Jdbye]

Offtopic, but you can use to drill a hole in screws that can't be unscrewed anymore, then unscrew them with a special tool. At least that's what dad said. Might not work on the DS, the battery cover screw is very small.

Anyway.
Flatmii should be really easy to install, I got dad to install my D2A modchip a while ago, I watched him throughout the whole process and opening the Wii is really just a matter of unscrewing a ton of screws (remember which screws go where!) and when you get that far, be careful not to pull the DVD drive and break the ribbon cable connecting the DVD drive to the Wii. Then you just need to disconnect that ribbon cable from the Wii, plug it into one side of the Flatmii, then take the ribbon cable included with the Flatmii and connect that to the other side of the flatmii and where the ribbon cable from the DVD drive used to be. Of course, don't forget the small ribbon cable, you need that to transfer your ISOs

Since you already have a modchip, make sure it's not placed in such a way that the ribbon cable gets crushed when you close up the Wii after plugging in the flatmii, like lilsypha managed to in the review.

EDIT: I prefer pictures over video guides, you don't have to pause all the time. Just find a good picture guide which shows what screws you need to unscrew.

 

[isaac52]

Well, brawl IS BEING READ now, but still won't play...

When i try to run it from the home screen's disk channel, it asks me to update, and thats a no-no.

And in geckoOS, it gets a green screen.

three times, one with nothing changed, one with NTSC forced, and one with NTSC, and vid patching forced.

Note: This is a legit brawl copy bought from a local gamestop here in MD, USA

 

[isaac52]

okay, burned onto single layer DVD-R. and it has the same exact problems as the DVD+RW version does.

GeckoOS gets green screen when NTSC-forced.
staticy screen when pal50 forced, and gray screen when pal60 forced.