Hacking Switch Cartridge - Reverse Engineering

[lefthandsword]

If Nintendo has the ability to ban people using shared headers on the 3DS, they could block shared headers from being used at all with firmware updates. You could update and lose the ability to play ROMs unless new headers become available or keep your "free" games and miss out on new releases and online play.

 

[Fotonick]

I agree with what Isaac and GaM3r2Xtreme said. I think using another PCB to extend the pins out of the console would be the easiest way to get a scope in there.

Easier if you don't want to void the warranty of the console, otherwise to me seems better soldering wires directly on cartridge socket inside the switch.

 

[smiba]

Easier if you don't want to void the warranty of the console, otherwise to me seems better soldering wires directly on cartridge socket inside the switch.

That would require to find out the pins of the cartridge socket. Not impossible but using a second PCB would be the easiest indeed.

 

[Jhynjhiruu]

Is that seriously just a flash memory with contacts? Or a custom chip?

This is completely unrelated to the topic, but how do you do the 'Nintendo systems I own' thing?!?!

 

[Dekirai]

This is completely unrelated to the topic, but how do you do the 'Nintendo systems I own' thing?!?!

are you serious?
Just get an image, resize it to a small image and put it into your signature and write "Nintendo Systems I own".

 

[elishatech]

I posted this on /r/emulation

sorry

 

[Fotonick]

That would require to find out the pins of the cartridge socket. Not impossible but using a second PCB would be the easiest indeed.

I was just considering that using a custom pcb with the form size of a cartridge would not only require a pcb with the same height and pad footprint of the real cartridge, but also some sort of socket for connecting the original cart and letting you swap them to test more games/transfers and improve data collecting.
Soldering wires on the internal pcb permits to use the existing socket, that's what makes it easier imho but it involves opening the console and that's may be the limit.
Depends of you, I can only wish you good work and good luck.

 

[Haloman800]

You're doing God's work, anon. Imagine how cool it will be when we get a flashcart on this console (Which I'm certain will happen, even if it takes a couple years).

 

[linuxares]

Hello Reddit people!

Anyway, OP how you gain some more success on the contacts?

 

[LurkerA]

Interesting! I will keep an eye on this thread.

 

[JimmyZ]

Of course.
Nothing, just a random leecher

I'm gonna return in a few months and remind all you "enthusiastic supporters" how stupid you were.

 

[PhyChris]

Reminds me of an N64 cart.

 

[LurkerA]

I don't know how to say this in English, but in Chinese culture this is like 第三次华山论剑.

It's so funny! guess "杨过" was the winner of "第三次华山论剑", right?

 

[GaM3r2Xtreme]

Soldering wires on the internal pcb permits to use the existing socket, that's what makes it easier imho but it involves opening the console and that's may be the limit.

Yeah, that was the only issue I can see when designing a custom PCB. I'm sure the card reader is proprietary too, meaning we cant just buy one off the market. I could be wrong though. Has anyone checked to see if a part number is available?

 

[dubbz82]

If Nintendo has the ability to ban people using shared headers on the 3DS, they could block shared headers from being used at all with firmware updates. You could update and lose the ability to play ROMs unless new headers become available or keep your "free" games and miss out on new releases and online play.

This is presuming the structure is at all the same as 3ds carts. They very well might have ditched that idea entirely on grounds that it was bypassed pretty easily.

 

[JimmyZ]

It's so funny! guess "杨过" was the winner of "第三次华山论剑", right?

You can say that, you can read Chinese?

 

[smf]

This is presuming the structure is at all the same as 3ds carts. They very well might have ditched that idea entirely on grounds that it was bypassed pretty easily.

You're assuming they will throw out the old system because it was bypassed and then replace it with something inferior. I think this is unlikely.

It's possible that every cartridge is uniquely encrypted and they can revoke the keys for any game that they find is pirated.

 

[Duo8]

You're assuming they will throw out the old system because it was bypassed and then replace it with something inferior. I think this is unlikely.

It's possible that every console is uniquely encrypted and they can revoke the keys for any game that they find is pirated.

You mean superior.

 

[smf]

You mean superior.

No, I meant it's unlikely they'll have replaced it with something inferior.
It is possible, I just wouldn't risk money betting on it.

 

[adrifcastr]

@smiba would be cool if there would be a discord for this project