shady586 said:
Maybe you guys stock up on systems for some odd reason but as far as my purchases with consoles go I either trade or sell the old system towards the new one. Isn't that what the whole concept of backwards compatibility was designed for? So you could ditch the earlier version?
The M3i is working GREAT for what I wanted to do so I really don't care. No matter how much you correct miniscule useless facts it doesn't make you right. Power wire... bootstrap wire... call it what you will. As for the build quality the DSTWO does not resemble a genuine cart at all. Go compare it to a cart and you'll see just how flimsy it is. The screw you are praising is only on ONE side so it doesn't even keep the thing together. Like I said it was already coming apart when I took it out of the box. You may also not realize that I have the newer M3i GMP-Z003 which is a way better design than the old one from what I can see from the photos.
Oh and if you actually read what I said I said myself that the DSTWO uses the power from the game slot to power the CPU and flash itself. My point when saying that "using the system to update" is I feel it's a bad idea to have to use the console to flash it whatsoever which is my OPINION. God forbid anyone has an opinion that differs from yours. Just because they claim it's safe doesn't mean it's safe. You do realize that Nintendo has programmers too that are probably way more sophisticated then some guys tossing together a flash cart. If they wanted to find a way to take advantage of the fact that one of the most popular game carts uses the game slot to power itself during updates then I'm sure they could. You can disagree if you'd like but that doesn't make you right.
All in all the M3i is working great so far and I don't see why anyone should be discouraged from using it. As for you making all these claims that it's been "abandoned" I'm pretty sure the latest updates to the Core and System were all within April 2011. The last update to the DSTWO firmware hasn't been since MARCH and the system's last update was towards the end of April. So you should really check into your information before you spread disinformation because it starts to credit the idea that you guys are DSTWO marks.
That's my 2 cents. I know what works and what doesn't. If the DSTWO works as easily as the M3i did when I receive the replacement then I will re-evaluate my opinion. Until then I'm pretty sure the word "defect" is just an easier way of covering up a general bad build quality. I've seen a ridiculous amount of threads where people are saying DSTWO is known for having issues with the contacts meeting the game slot. To where people suggest putting electrical tape on the card and shoving objects in with it just to make it work. So why all the cover ups guys? Is it because this forum has stake in DSTWO?
Now I really don't quite care which one you prefer or anyone else for that matter (hell I want an M3 just because the UI is a smexy MS2 derivative...and that is pretty much the ONLY derivative I don't have yet...so anyone reading this and want to give me one for free...), BUT because these posts are freakishly long, I felt like posting.
The concept of backwards compatibility isn't necessarily so you can ditch the older console. More like, it's not REQUIRED that you have a certain system to play a certain older game...though it can't really apply to those sort of changes like with the DSLite and DSi...they got rid of it completely with that one. Anyways, this part is irrelevant to what I was going to reply, but I thought I'd say my thoughts on this one while I was here.
Moving on, the DSTWO's build quality IS somewhat lame with it's single screw in the corner and I'm betting that the M3iZero has a better quality (probably fits nicer too, the DSTWO has a bulge to fit the extras), but all flashcarts resemble commercial carts in my opinion, though there may be slight differences about the teething, the fact that there is a microSD slot, there may or may not be a notch on the side, etc.
The SCTeam opted for the console flashing approach because the console is a lot more reliant and standard than the various computers and other viable options for plugging a usb into that may or may not be providing the correct voltage to the flashcart. Also, no other flashcart team follows the M3 teams way of flashing because the cable is extremely flimsy, excess parts are easier to lose, and IIRC the tip of the cable might actually snap since it's thin and doesn't exactly have a perfect fit. So, although there may not be a guarantee that Nintendo decides to do a check before anything, there also isn't a guarantee that the cable that comes with the M3 will have the expected results, and in fact there have been various reports about the cable not working as well, though admittedly the M3 also can flash the firmware while being in the console by some people.
Disregarding the GBA emulation, the DSTWO actually has a more stable way of handling RTS and Slow Motion that is much more reliable than any of the current flashcarts (not that I really care about them...I don't use them) and the current state of it's game compatibility is somewhat of a hit and miss. The official kernels have been fixing some games and breaking others (and not just breaking game compatibility, but also other system things such as cheats among other hindering things) as of late.
I would not say that people should be discouraged from using it, but I would definitely not recommend it to someone who doesn't care for eye candy since the team HAS been putting forth kernels that break as much as they fix and the game compatibility is notably less than flashcarts like the Acekard, DSTWO, iEvo, etc...I suppose among other things, the Acekard is a fair amount cheaper as well with higher game compatibility, and a much higher chance of working with newly dumped games. As for the rate of updates, the DSTWO doesn't require as many updates because it already works with the latest games and doesn't need any updates (what would they update if it already works?). It's not that we all have a preference towards an expensive flashcart, it's just that everyone in the M3 section realizes the flaws of their flashcart and various other users who have both an M3iZero and DSTWO can attest that the DSTWO is a better flashcart overall in terms of what they were for. Please be sure to actually research on what the other M3 users have to say about the various updates and their overall opinion of the flashcarts themselves before deciding that the speed of updates amounts to anything because it starts to credit the idea that you are a M3iZero mark.
As for the contact issues, I personally haven't had any with my DSTWO, though my Acekard does need it (the casing seems to be falling apart on that one)...There aren't very main complaints about it either from what I see in the section (where are you looking? Hopefully not the supercard forums...that place is nuts...you have people asking about R4 clones there and other random whatnot). The flashcart known for having connections problems is of course the Acekard so maybe you mixed the two?
In any case, whatever works for you...well I don't really care...whatever works for others...I don't really care either...BUT I know that the M3 team is declining with the quality of their updates and various other bits of information about the M3iZero (because I still want one) and really in terms of game compatibility, it's exceeded by others, in terms of pricing, it's exceeded by others (as in there are cheaper ones with better compatibility), in terms of extra feature stability, it's exceeded by others, in terms of the UI, I'd say it's exceeded by the iSmart Premium (fishshell2 kernel), and in terms of build quality, it's better than some of the popular flashcarts, but it's still not the best anyways...All in all, at least it works. It might be subpar in everything but the build (and smexy UI), but at least it works. Tons of current and former M3iZero GMP z003 users might voice out how it sucks and they don't like it, but at least it works. The bottom line, at least it works...just like the flashcart clones that also work, and the N5 that could possibly blow a fuse in your DS (yes, the N5 actually DOES work). All flashcarts work pretty easily. You dump the files provided on a flashcart, you provide power to the flashcart in some way to flash it (if it's a DSi one anyways), and provided there isn't something wrong with the flashcart, it works.
:/...as a side note...generally I don't see any perk to the DSTWO aside from the fact that it has mediocre gimmicks attached to it...which is usually why I don't argue for the DSTWO when there are other things available...but even comparing the M3 to a TTDS...I would say that the TTDS might last a little longer with RGF's updates than the M3 team will with the current updates they are tossing at people.
