Hacking Which Card to get, and how to install it?

[Haloman800]

I have a DSi with Firmware 1.4. I have NO knowledge of cards, only that I am suppose to be able to "Get games for free". After spending nearly $500 on DS games, I got pretty excited. I'm not sure how I even updated, but it is 1.4.

Which card should I get? I've been told Acekard 2i, but how do I set it up? Do I just download the game I want, put it on the SD card, and I will be able to load it up? If not, please tell me how to set it up, if you'd like to contact me through AIM, mine is [email protected] .

Whichever one you suggest, please link me to the direct site where I can buy it, please.

I had posted this in the GBA section by mistake, so I figured I'd just post it here.

I heard that some of the Acekards 2i need to be updated by borrowing a ds phat or ds lite, my nephew has a ds lite, if the one I get is not updated, how do I update it?

For the future, how do I update the DSi, so I can avoid doing so unless I hear it's safe.

Thank you so much.

 

[luigirulze]

I would reccomend either the AceKard 2i or the M3i Zero, it really is just a matter of preference.

The M3 (provided you use the Sakura firmware, available in the downloads section) has an incredibly nice GUI, based off the popular homebrew Moonshell. (A multimedia player) So it is essentially the same control scheme as an iPod touch or iPhone, and can play Music and (DPG encoded) videos right off the bat.

The AceKard, however, seems to get game fixes a lot earlier, and has far better support for homebrew.

However one thing you should consider:

The M3i updates by using an external USB cable, you just drop the f_core.dat (also available on this site) onto the root (base) of the memory card, plug the M3i into the computer and you're good to go.

AceKards rely on using a DS Lite/Phat, or a DSi that hasn't already been updated. Seeing as you can borrow a DS lite, you should have no trouble updating. Just drop the AceKard DS lite specified update file (I believe you can get it here, if not just go to the AceKard official website) on you're memory card, and run it through the AceKard and it will update.

Starting up a card may seem a bit daunting, but it really is easy. Just grab the cart's firmware files, and drop them on the root of you're memory card, and there you go.

So, to help you choose, I'll weigh the pros of each cart.

M3i Zero:
Much nicer GUI (Using M3 Sakura, the alternate, and more popular firmware)
More features (slow-motion, and real time save being the prominent ones)
Easier to update (through USB cable)

Acekard 2i:
Slightly cheaper
Games fixes are often worked out faster
Better homebrew support
AKAIO (alternate firmware, recommended) also has some pretty nice features, but not as useful or significant as the M3's.

So all in all,it's a matter of preference. If you have any troubles or more questions, just let me know. Hope I helped!

EDIT: d'oh! forgot to list where you can buy them!

www.0shippingzone.com (very cheap, free shipping.)
www.dealextreme.com (even cheaper, also free shipping but it takes ages to arrive. Also had reports of faulty batches, buy here at you're own risk.)

 

[Rising_Dragon]

Just an FYI but deal extreme recently pulled all (most all of them anyways) from the website so you can't order them anymore.
Not that it really matters anyways, as by the time you get it, you'd most likely have forgotten ordering it.

 

[wiilovewii]

To install homebrew, games, music etc, MOST OF THE TIME all you have to do is download the ROM or file, with the .nds extention and drag and drop it to directory of your choice on the card. However, to install the firmware (main menu sytem) for the acekard, all you need to do is download either AKAIO firware or the Official firware and put the AKMENU2.NDS (i think thats what its called) and put it on the root (base menu, not in any files) of your SD card along with the _AIO (again i think thats what its called) file.

to install the sakura firware (best firmware ever) on a M3, im guessing you just download the firware pack and put the SYSTEM folder at the root of your card. (this is how i suppose you do it, this is how i did it for my sisters itouch, which is made by the same company as the M3)

now, just to confuse you further, here are the links to the official GBATEMP reviews of both theM3i Zero and the Acekard 2i flash carts.


anyway, hope this helps and i didn't overload you with information

yours sincerely

WiiLoveWii

btw the AKAIO firware linked comes with Moonshell, which as luigirulze (no he doesn't) mentioned, is a media player and plays .mp3 and quite a few other formats.