Homebrew Web Browsing

[Crimson Cuttlefish]

What do I need to get the best web-browsing experience on the Nintendo DSi? The stock browser is so bad.
Now, I'm not gonna ask for full YouTube support and Unity games, but I feel like I should at least be able to somewhat browse places like Funnyjunk. So far, the only sites that work for me are Google and 4Chan.

Why do I want to browse the Internet on my DS in the first place? I dunno, novelty I guess.
Don't judge me

 

[FAST6191]

Not really going to happen. The DS/DSi is too weak for anything much and I don't think the DSi itself ever saw a dedicated homebrew browser so you will be back on DS code.

Furthermore since the DS was big websites have leant heavily into javascript and css far more so than they did at the time.

Still the "best" way for you would probably be one of those VNC type web browsers -- they did all the rendering on your PC and streamed the images back and took input in. Costello made one actually https://www.gamebrew.org/wiki/DSHobro

As that is probably not what you had in mind then
https://www.gamebrew.org/wiki/Bunjalloo
https://www.gamebrew.org/wiki/Okiwi_DS
https://www.gamebrew.org/wiki/DSLinux (text only but hey)
https://www.gamebrew.org/wiki/DSOrganize

 

[SCOTT0852]

There are 2 DS web browsers: the DS Internet Browser and the DSi Internet Browser. The DS Internet Browser requires the DS Expansion Pack or some 3 in 1 cart, so it won't work on a DSi. The DSi Internet Browser is just a port of the DS Internet Browser that harnesses the DSi's full potential, which can be seen when you compare loading times across both versions. However, you can't get any better than the DSi's browser on the same hardware. Even the 3DS's browser isn't that great.

 

[banjo2]

Really, the only useful things you can do on DSi Browser are Googling things and hoping to get what you were looking for without clicking any links (because 80% of the time they either don't work on the browser for whatever reason, the site is too new and big), and DSi-formatted websites.

I myself use the DSi Browser for many hours of the day.

 

[MaxiBash]

I would recommend a homebrew browser over the DSi browser, because the DSi browser keeps prompting you with “Information may be sent to this link”, so you have to click on the “OK” button a TRIZILLION TIMES for the page to actually load.

 

[Crimson Cuttlefish]

I would recommend a homebrew browser over the DSi browser, because the DSi browser keeps prompting you with “Information may be sent to this link”, so you have to click on the “OK” button a TRIZILLION TIMES for the page to actually load.

what's the best homebrew browser out there?

 

[FAST6191]

what's the best homebrew browser out there?

I listed them all earlier if you want to try them. It won't take that long.
As far as best goes then different strokes for different folks really, though DSOrganize is probably going to be the worst overall but when it worked it was fairly solid for me. For some the DSHobro approach will be completely untenable, though as far as best chance to complete/score high a acid3 test goes it will be the head and shoulders winner. For pure text based stuff then I would not discount dslinux but it is purely text so might not be enough.
As mentioned earlier the web has changed massively since such things were current -- CSS becoming dominant, vectors becoming commonplace, complicated javascript being the default for basically every site (certainly almost every CMS). If your browsing is mostly 90s era text sites with the odd small static gif then so be it, however even a basic current wordpress theme will probably make the browsers fall over even if they are loading essentially the same content. I have occasionally powered up machines not updated since around then and full fledged firefox installs will choke on some "basic" modern websites.

 

[tbb043]

Don't judge me

too late

seriously, browsing on your phone is 1000x better than any vidja gaem system browsing experience, but like PSP IIRC was far better than trying on a DS or 3DS (I don't have a DSi to compare to directly)

 

[Crimson Cuttlefish]

I listed them all earlier if you want to try them. It won't take that long.
As far as best goes then different strokes for different folks really, though DSOrganize is probably going to be the worst overall but when it worked it was fairly solid for me. For some the DSHobro approach will be completely untenable, though as far as best chance to complete/score high a acid3 test goes it will be the head and shoulders winner. For pure text based stuff then I would not discount dslinux but it is purely text so might not be enough.
As mentioned earlier the web has changed massively since such things were current -- CSS becoming dominant, vectors becoming commonplace, complicated javascript being the default for basically every site (certainly almost every CMS). If your browsing is mostly 90s era text sites with the odd small static gif then so be it, however even a basic current wordpress theme will probably make the browsers fall over even if they are loading essentially the same content. I have occasionally powered up machines not updated since around then and full fledged firefox installs will choke on some "basic" modern websites.

thanks for the info! I'll look into the ones you've listed.

(I don't have a DSi to compare to directly)

why... are you here

edit: nevermind i forgot the DS existed because am rart

 

[banjo2]

I would recommend a homebrew browser over the DSi browser, because the DSi browser keeps prompting you with “Information may be sent to this link”, so you have to click on the “OK” button a TRIZILLION TIMES for the page to actually load.

I've gotten so used to that tbh