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by Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:37- Categories:
- Nintendo DS News,
- DCEmu Reviews
R4SDHC R4 SDHC Revolution DS SLOT-1
Manufacturer: R4 (awaiting confirmation)
Site: Buy from Colourful Zone
Price: $42.99
Overview : The R4DS is the current top-of-the-line in DS SLOT-1 flash carts. It is just an amazing little device like original DS cart size, it is a complete solution with no need to purchase any additional components or deal with any messy software and truly the easiest media enhancer you have ever done; To simply put it, this is a must have peripheral for any regular DS/DS lite owner.
However, does the R4SDHC work just as well? Is this the cart that everyone has been wanting?
Features :- 2nd Generation Storage Device (no booting tool required)
- Flush fitting Slot 1 Card
- Uses microSD/microSDHC Memory Card (supports memory size up to 32GB), FAT16 or FAT32 File System
- Supports any microSD/microSDHC Memory Card speed without lagging in game
- Supports Clean ROM, drag and drop. Works on any OS
- Built in NoPass
- Automatically detect save type
- Save directly to microSD Card, not to onboard chip
- Supports Moonshell and other homebrew. Open I/O interface
- User friendly skinnable interface. Touchscreen or button operation
- Supports rumble pak and memory pak
- Supports the WiFi game, DS Rumble Pak, DS Browser
- Supports changes of the background of Operation Interface
- Supports 4-scale-lightness adjustment (DS Lite only)
- Supports Soft Reset
- Supports Moonshell 1.6 Software Reset Function (press START key back to the R4 Menu)
So in my hands, I have a R4SDHC. Images have been floating on the web of this product along with a couple of different websites that seem to be fake. The URL on this packaging is http://www.r4sdhc.com. The site looks identical to R4's (www.r4ds.cn). There are some stuff that looks different between the two sites and the email on R4SDHC is a Gmail account. My contact at R4 has a "@r4ds.com" email. This makes me wonder if this truly is real or not. I know majority of people will probably call this a fake and I'm not denying it or agreeing with it. Coloruful Zone does state that this is the real deal.
In the mean time while people ponder whether this is real or not, we want to know if it works just like the original R4 but with SDHC support.
When it comes to the cards physical appearance, there is no difference with the exception of the sticker now containing a SDHC logo. The same stuff is included just like the original R4. However, this time its missing the installation CD. It still comes with USB microSD card reader, silicone DS cartridge keychain holder and a strap. Since no CD is included, you can download the latest firmware files at R4DSHC's website or here. As of this review, the latest version is 1.21.
The R4SDHC cartridge size is identical to that of the original R4DS cartridge. The microSD card is inserted through the top of the cartridge and fits flush with the cartridge. The microSD slot is not spring loaded so you will have to manually pull it out.
If you are familiar with R4 or any other flash cart, setting up the R4SDHC is the same. Simply downloaded the latest firmware, extract the file and transfer the files onto the microSD or microSDHC and thats it. Adding ROMs and Homebrew is simple. Once you have the microSD/SDHC card inserted into the card reader and the card reader connected to the computer, its a simple drag and drop. You'll need to setup two folders, one for your DS games and one for your Homebrew files.
The firmware or looks exactly the same. There is no difference in it. You'll still have the touch screen for selecting mode and folder. But when it comes to navigating through the list of games and files, you'll need to use the directional pad and "A" button to select. Upon loading of OS, you are given three options; GAMES, MULTIMEDIA and BOOT SLOT-2. When GAMES is selected, the file browser is located on the top screen. This is where all your selecting is done.
All it takes to change the look of the OS is four simple images and placing it into the "_system_" folder:- logo.bmp -- Background of the Top Screen of R4's startup.
- icons.bmp -- Background of the Bottom Screen of R4's Startup.
- bckgrd_1.bmp -- Background of the Top Screen of R4's Explorer.
- bckgrd_2.bmp -- Background of the Bottom Screen of R4's Explorer.
Do not change the picture's name;
Make sure the picture is .bmp format, 8-bit/24-bit;
Make sure the picture is 253*192 pixels.
Testing the R4SDHC with commercial ROMs that I own, it works the same as the R4. There was no difference in functionality at all except that I can now store more games and homebrew on a single microSDHC card. Here is a list of compatibility list, go here. Even though this is for the original R4, the same applies for the R4SDHC.
Testing of homebrew worked flawlessly for most programs. There were only a couple that I encountered that did not work for me. The compatibility list link above will also give you list of homebrew files that work and dont work.
R4SDHC includes Moonshell which allows you to play multimedia files on your DS. In order to watch movies, you must use DPG tools (PC Software) to convert the files to a format Moonshell will recognize. Playing a movies is a nice feature to the R4SDHC but the quality will not compare to that of the PSP. Playing MP3s is a nice addition as well and plays flawslessly.
Conclusion : Overall, the R4SDHC R4 SDHC Revolution DS SLOT-1 works just like the original R4DS. There is no cosmetic change to the cart itself. There is no longer a spring in the microSD slot so you will have to manually pull the microSD card out. Functionality and compatibility is the same and nothing has changed except that you can now use microSDHC. I only tested this with a 4GB microSDHC but it is stated to work up to 32GB microSDHC.
Whether this is real or a fake, the bottom line is that it works. It may or may not be from the R4 Team (confirmation pending) but there are many other flash carts that is a clone of the R4 and they work just as good. For the price of $43, I feel this is overpriced for an outdated product. Yes, it now has microSDHC support but the UI (user interface) is the same. Its bland looking and there is no true touch screen navigation. So if you swear by R4 and only want R4, you may want to take a look at this if you're looking for SDHC support.
Please note that none of the "upgrade" products listed in this site are endorsed by Nintendo, Sony and/or Microsoft. DCEmu Reviews and DCEmu Network does not condone piracy. The primary functions of a "modchip" and/or "flashcart" are to allow you to play imported games and homebrew software that you legally own or simply just for experimenting with hardware. We in no way endorse piracy, and encourage all users to do the right thing and support the developers/manufacturers that support them. We do not take any responsibilities for any use outside of these parameters or where the use of such a device is illegal.
Images via commentsby Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:37- Categories:
- Nintendo DS News,
- DCEmu Reviews
R4DS R4 Revolution for DS SLOT-1
Manufacturer: R4
Site:
Replacement Shell Buy from DealExtreme (white) / Buy from DealExtreme (black)
R4DS Only: Buy from Homebrew Dev (R4i) / Buy from ConsoleSource / Buy from DealExtreme / Buy from Acekard.ca
Price: $31.00-$49.99
R4DS with microSD: Buy from ConsoleSource (1GB) / Buy from ConsoleSource (2GB) / Buy from DealExtreme (1GB) / Buy from Acekard.ca (2GB)
Price: $44.00-$124.99
Overview : The R4DS is the current top-of-the-line in DS SLOT-1 flash carts. It is just an amazing little device like original DS cart size, it is a complete solution with no need to purchase any additional components or deal with any messy software and truly the easiest media enhancer you have ever done; To simply put it, this is a must have peripheral for any regular DS/DS lite owner.
Features :
- 2nd generation storage device (no booting tool required)
- Flush fitting slot 1 card
- Uses MicroSD card, FAT16 or 32
- Supports any MicroSD card speed with no lag in game
- Supports Clean ROM, drag and drop. Works on any OS
- Built in NoPass
- Automatically detect save type
- Save directly to MicroSD card, not to onboard chip
- Supports Moonshell and other homebrew. Open I/O interface
- User friendly skinnable interface. Touchscreen or button operation
- Supports rumble pak and memory pak
- Supports the WiFi game, DS Rumble Pak, DS Browser
- Supports changes of the background of Operation Interface
- Supports 4-scale-lightness adjustment (DS Lite only)
- Supports the Soft Reset.
- Moonshell 1.6 support Software Reset function (Press START key back to the R4 menu)
Quality/Usability : There have been alot of SLOT-1 carts being released these days. What each card varies is the operating system and the support provided by the developers. The R4 and M3 Simply (review) are produced by the same manufacturer and have almost identical hardware and firmware (non-interchangable). There is no difference when it comes to functionality. The only difference is the sticker and packaging. The R4 (Revolution for DS) uses a MicroSD card to store all the necessary data, from ROMs and music to the operating system files. For this review, I tested it with a US Modular 1GB and PNY 1GB microSD. There are some online sites that sell the R4 with a microSD (usually 1GB) but price will be higher.
Originally, the R4 included two shells (white and black) but due to production costs, R4 has now included 1 shell (white) instead of two. Included in the latest packages are:
1 x USB microSD card reader
1 x White R4 SLOT-1 cartridge
1 x Mini installation CD
1 x Silicone DS cartridge keychain holder
The included installation CD has instructions and all the necessary files to set up the MicroSD card ready for the R4. I personally went to R4's website to download the latest files. The included USB microSD card reader allows the user to connect it to the computer and be able to transfer files/data easily. The DS cartridge keychain holder lets you hold the R4 cartridge on one side and another DS game on the other.
Setting up the R4DS is fairly simple. If you downloaded the latest OS from their website, all you simply do is download the file, extract is and transfer the files onto the microSD and thats it. You may also use the included CD but its best to get the latest files from the official website as the CD may be out of date. The CD also includes helpful files such as a save converter which lets you convert saves from other flash carts to the format that R4 uses. There is also a ROM trimming tool that you can download online.
The R4 cartridge size is identical to that of the original DS cartridge. The microSD card is inserted through the top of the cartridge and fits flush with the cartridge. The R4 microSD slot is spring loaded. Unfortunately, the spring mechanism isnt that good. When you press down on the microSD, the card is suppose to pop up. Although it does, it doesnt pop up much and feels like its stuck. Occasionally it does pop up completely. Luckily, there is a small groove on the R4 cartridge allowing easy removal of the microSD card.
Adding ROMs and Homebrew is simple. Once you have the microSD card inserted into the card reader and the card reader connected to the computer, its a simple drag and drop. You'll need to setup a folder called "ROM" and "HOMEBREW" with files going into its respective folder.
The operating sytem (OS) is easy to navigate and easily skinnable. Upon startup, user is greeted with three options; GAMES, MULTIMEDIA and BOOT SLOT-2. When GAMES is selected, the file browser is located on the top screen. This is where all your selecting is done. To navigate through files or to select a file, you use the directional pad to move up and down. Too bad that you cant use the touch pad.
All it takes to change the look of the OS is four simple images and placing it into the "_system_" folder:
- logo.bmp -- Background of the Top Screen of R4's startup.
- icons.bmp -- Background of the Bottom Screen of R4's Startup.
- bckgrd_1.bmp -- Background of the Top Screen of R4's Explorer.
- bckgrd_2.bmp
by Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:37- Categories:
- Nintendo DS News,
- DCEmu Reviews
WaterField Designs DSi Suede Jacket
Manufacturer: WaterField Designs
Site: Buy from Waterfield Designs
Price: $11.00 (no pocket) / $15 (with pocket)
Overview : As recommended by Mario and Zelda to revolutionize your DSi. From Yoshi's Island to Castlevania, our compact and protective Nintendo DSi Cases hold it all.
The DSi Suede Jacket is a minimalist form-fitting case made from soft, washable Ultrasuede® that protects the DSi from bumps and scratches. It can also double as a screen cleaner.
Features:
- 5.5" x 2.95" x 0.75"
Quality/Usability : Having tried and reviewing the WaterField Designs Suede Jacket Cell Phone Case, I had to try out the DSi Suede Jacket.
Just like the cellphone jacket, the case was very smooth and soft to the touch. The DSi Suede Jacket leaves no room for movement but at the same time, its not too tight where its a pain to get the DSi into and out. The thin suede material is soft and also acts as a gentle screen cleaner. Don't expect the DSi Suede Jacket to protect your DSi from drops or anything. However, it will protect your DSi from your keys or loose change in your pants pocket or purse.
Like all Waterfield Designs products, it's extremely sturdy and well-built. You wont find any loose strings or anything coming apart. I have been using my WaterField Designs DS Lite Case (now available for DSi) for the past 3 years and it still looks new.
For an additional charge of $4, you can add a pocket. The pocket is sewed onto the suede and is made of neoprene/spandex type material. This pocket stretches and allows you to insert your games, memory cards, headset and spare stylus. You can even use this pocket to store your credit card, IDs, money and other items...pretty much anything you can think of that is small enough to fit.
Conclusion : Overall, the WaterField Designs DSi Suede Jacket. Unlike the suede made from animals, this suede is 100% spot and machine washable. It would be nice if WaterField Designs included a drawstring on the opening and can be used as a universal case for other cellphones, accessories or other electronics like MP3.
Images via comments ...by Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:37- Categories:
- Nintendo DS News,
- DCEmu Reviews
SuperCard DSTWO DSi XL SLOT-1 Card
Manufacturer: SuperCard
Site: Buy from ConsoleSource / Buy from VolumeRate / Buy from Acekard.ca / Buy from Acekard.ca (+2GB Combo) / Buy from Acekard.ca (+4GB Combo) / Buy from Acekard.ca (+8GB Combo) / Buy from LighTake / Buy from PriceAngels / Buy from NDSCardSale
Price: $44.95
Overview : The Supercard DSTWO Card for Nintendo DS, DS Lite, DSi & DSi XL is a high-end slot-1 flash cart solution that allows you to launch homebrews, run applications and play media directly from the device. Simply place your files onto either a micro SD or SDHC memory card (sold separately), insert the micro SD into your Supercard DSTWO, your cart into your DS, and turn the system on. Playing homebrews and media has never been easier!
The Supercard DSTWO, with its beautiful Evolution (EOS) operating system and a powerful on-board processor offers unique and exciting features that you won't find anywhere else. Features such as full GBA emulation, a powerful new GUI, a real-time guide, an integrated auto-patch database, as well as being one of the few flash carts that allows users to upgrade the core firmware. If you're in the market for a sleek and feature-rich flash cart for the Nintendo DS, DS Lite, DSi or DSi XL, the Supercard DSTWO is the one for you.
Features :
- RealTime Functions: RealTime Save, RealTime Game Guide (txt, bmp, jpg) & RealTime Cheat. (More stable, more easy to use, cheat code compatible with R4 and DSTT now)
- Multi Saves (Up to 4 slot), Easy to backup and restore saves.
- Unlimited MicroSD storage space support. SDHC support. FAT or FAT32.
- Multiple languages (English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish)
- Built-in GBA & SNES Emulator.
- Action Slow Motion (4 levels,).
- File Management System (Copy, Paste, Cut and Delete, long file name support).9. eBook (BMP, JPEG, JPG, PNG, TIF, GIF, TXT, PDF).
- Perfect support for long file names;
- Real-time save slot increase to 4 slots. (Exclusive built-in automatic detection of 3D game engine technology, stability, greatly enhanced);
- Give up cheat-code slow motion game play method, improved use of CPU to do operations, "precise control of CPU speed" Achieving the action slowed down, stability / compatibility and better.
- Real-Time Game Guide will support txt formats without conversion, beautify the font is more beautiful;
- New UI interface design. Easier-to-use.
- Advanced multimedia playback: native DivX/XviD playback as well as other major formats, similar to the iPlayer.
Quality/Usability : The SuperCard DSTWO (SCDS2) is a Slot-1 flashcard that supports both DS and GBA games out of the box as well as e-books and other media formats. DSTWO comes in a simple box with a tray that contains the DSTWO flashcard, a USB card reader for microSD cards and a simple start up guide to get you on your way. Getting the DSTWO is very simple. All you have to do is go to SuperCard's website and download the latest operating system, unzip the files onto your microSD card and your ready to start adding games, pictures, e-books, emulators and AVI and DivX video playback.
The quality of SuperCard flashcards have always amazed me. The quality of the carts are top notch and sturdy. Like all other flashcards on the market, you'll have that protruding chipset popping through the sticker. But they never get in the way or ever cause a problem. The microSD slot is spring loaded.
The part that truly catches my eyes is the user interface that these SuperCard flashcards have. The GUI of the menus are sleek, stylish, clean and crisp interface. Honestly, I thought the Acekard R.P.G.'s user interface was nice looking but the DSTWO's blows it out of the water. SuperCard team never dissappoints! As fancy as SCDS2 is, it does not skip the Health and Safety screen. You will either need to click on the screen or wait for it to timeout.
The SuperCard EOS software contains four main directories: “_dstwo”, “_dstwoplug”, “moonshl2” and “NDSGBA”. These four directories must be placed in the ROOT of your microSD card.
— “_dstwo” directory contains system related files, user interface theme files and language .TXT files.
— “_dstwoplug” directory contains EOS shortcut icons known as “plug-ins”. These shortcuts includes a .bmp image file and .ini file. The .ini file contains a path to the icon file and the name is displayed in the EOS software. The .nds file itself must also be located in this directory and named the same as the .bmp and .ini files.
— “moonshl2” directory contains files found in a normal Moonshell v2.10 installation.
— “NDSGBA” directory contains all required files for the Slot-1 based GBA emulator.
The default SuperCard EOS software has five pre-installed icons: “DS_GAME”, “SLOT2 NDS”, “SLOT2 GBA”, “MoonShell” and “GBA Emulator”. The first three icons will boot .nds files, PassME mode and Slot-2 Expansion devices, respectively. The last two icons will boot MoonShell or DSTWO GBA EMU. cons are user created and stored in the “_dstwoplug” directory. You can rename or remove thes icons from the EOS software. The only one you can not remove and would require some hex editing is the "DS_GAME" icon. To rename, you'll need to hex edit the “dstwo.nds” file found in the “_dstwo” system directory.
Want to make a look good icon?
- Make a 16-bit 40X42 bmp picture,name with the same homemade software. Such as homebrew.nds need a picture file name homebrew.bmp.
- Create a *.txt text file and then enter the following text, save the txt file and then rename the *.txt file to *.ini. Such as homebrew.nds need a *.ini file name homebrew.ini.
[Plug setting]
Icon = fat1: / _dstwoplug /homebrew software name.bmp
Name = homebrew software name - Finally to copy the *.bmp file and *.ini files to the _dstwoplug folder, restart the "DSTWO Desktop" you can see the new icon added to the list
With newer Nintendo DSi's, the GBA Slot-2 were removed completely. If you wanted to play old GBA games, you were not able to. However, the SuperCard team has included a GBA emulator that is built into the SuperCard DSTWO's firmware. The emulator is not perfect and tweaking is needed as some games run fine and some may run slow or have graphical glitches. With each new system release (OS), the compatibility and progress of games have improved but its not 100%. As far as I know, SuperCard DSTWO is the only flashcard to offer GBA emulation through Slot-1 and has some nice features built-in such as frame skip, cheat code options and real-time saves. Unfortunately, there is no full screen mode. You'll be left with black borders around games played on DSi and DSi XL systems. I'm sure in future updates, this would be implemented.
Like all other flashcards, setting up games to run is as simple as dragging and dropping. Compatibility with NDS games these days are great. A new feature implemented is a new anti-piracy patch system that can bypass any current anti-piracy system. This means there is no need to patch clean ROMs anymore.
The same goes for homebrew applications. Compatibility these days are great and shouldn't cause any problems.
The nicest plug-in application available is none other than the SNES. NDSSFC is a SNES emulator only for DSTWO with Real-Time-Save(RTS), Cheats, Screen Snapshot and etc functions. Simply download and unzip, then copy the /NDSSFC/ and /_dstwoplug/ folder to the root of your MicroSD card. For better management of files/games, its suggested that you put your SNES roms in a separate folder under /NDSSFC. You can name the folder whatever you want. There are 4 display modes and because the resolution of the SNES is higher than the Nintendo DS, there is no perfect way. The images will look a little squished. You can look for and get the most updated plug-ins in their PLUG-IN section.
Conclusion : Overall, the SuperCard DSTWO DSi XL SLOT-1 Card is a well built Slot-1 flash card. The GUI menu is by far my favorite. The most interesting and unique feature is the GBA emulation but the compatibility has its flaws as it requires tweaking, running slow and may not work with all GBA roms. The anti-piracy patch system is a nice feature as well as you no longer have to patch roms anymore either. The nicest plug-in is SNES. Now, I'm able to play SNES games on the go! DSTWO has a lot of potential and as of this review, it was announced that there would be a DSTWO Video Player. The iPlayer, slot-1 flashcart dedicated to multimedia and homebrew only, is the Supercard's older sister. It was only a matter of time before the DSTWO's embedded CPU allowed the same video playback capabilities as the iPlayer: DivX, WMV and other formats, all natively played back on the Nintendo DS. I'm looking forward to what this has to offer when its released.
Please note that none of the "upgrade" products listed in this site are endorsed by Nintendo, Sony and/or Microsoft. DCEmu Reviews and DCEmu Network does not condone piracy. The primary functions of a "modchip" and/or "flashcart" are to allow you to play imported games and homebrew software that you legally own or simply just for experimenting with hardware. We in no way endorse piracy, and encourage all users to do the right thing and support the developers/manufacturers that support them. We do not take any responsibilities for any use outside of these parameters or where the use of such a device is illegal.
Images via commentsby Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:36- Categories:
- Nintendo DS News,
- DCEmu Reviews
NeoFlash Top Toy DS TTDS
Manufacturer: NeoFlash
Site: Buy from IC2005
Price: $59.00
Overview : NeoFlash Top Toy DS (TTDS), support SDHC 256Gbit, plug and play, support cheat code and soft reset!
Features :
- Slot-1 1:1 Original small size
- Build in passme function
- Not need patch, just need drag and drop, then plug and play
- Support all roms, compatibility = 100%
- Support homebrew app & game, auto DLDI patch in memory
- Support moonshell MP3/Movie player
- Support cheat code function, more fun now
- Support 4-class brightness adjust in menu (NDSL only)
- Pure hardware save, never lose data
- Automatically detect and generate save type
- TF menu core upgradeable
- Supports FAT/FAT32, works on any OS
- Supports any TF card speed without any lag in the game
- Built-in power-saving function
- User friendly skin able interface. Touch screen or button operation
- Supports skin DIY
- Support normal TF and SDHC, up to 4096GByte.
- Support soft reset in the game
- Support wireless multi-player (WIFI Game)
- The save data can use in NDS Emulator directly
Quality/Usability : The Top Toy DS (TTDS) is a new slot-1 flashcart released by NeoFlash. They're known for other DS flashcarts as well as memory adapters for the PSP. The TTDS comes in a blister pack included with TTDS Flashcart, microSD USB reader and a mini-CD.
Each time a manufacturer releases a flashcart, it seems like these USB microSD readers get smaller and smaller each time. Not to mention, if you buy flashcarts regularly for whatever reason whether its for collecting, you'll have lots of them.
The mini-CD contains some drivers but to download the latest TTDS menu, you can download it here. Once downloaded, copy over the files to the root of the microSD. You can copy over your hombrew and games into any folder on the root of your microSD as well.
Upon booting up your Nintendo DS, TTDS automatically skips the Nintendo DS logo and brings you to the main menu of TTDS which displays all of your hombrew and games that you copied over to your microSD.
On the top left corner is a OPTIONS button. Here, you can choose the following options:
- Enable Soft Reset: lets you enable or disable
- Passme Mode: boot slot-2 device into NDS mode
- GBA Mode: boot slot-2 device into GBA mode or boot inserted GBA game
- Power Off: turn off NDS
- Adjust Light: adjust brightness with four different settings
Back on the main menu, each game will show icon (if available), file name and size. Under each file name are additional icons.
- Image of CD with green arrow - Enables cheats and soft reset
- Image of key - Cheat codes have been selected
- Image of WiFi - WiFi/Download play game
- Image of power button - Soft reset has been enabled
- Image of [+] under File Size - Brings you back to options menu
For those who dont know, soft reset allows you to exit your game and it brings you to your file list of games. In order for soft reset to work, you must enable it and once its been enabled, simply push the following buttons simultaneously..."L+R+A+B+X+Y". If done correctly, you'll be take to your game list.
Cheat tab will take you to another menu where you can select which games you want to enable cheats for. Cheats will be listed for those you've selected and it will list cheats for all regions. Choose the correct region of your game.
These flashcart manufacturers pretty much has NDS games performance down pact. All the NDS games I have loaded, booted up perfectly without a problem. Load time was quick as well. Download play was iffy a couple months back but now, these manufacturers have no problem and games run perfectly.
Whats great about these flashcarts is the ability to play homebrew games. Homebrew games are applications made by amateur developers. There are applications such as games, PDF applications, calculators, music/video players and many more. These are stuff that normal developers/publishers wouldnt release but are useful to average gamers.
TTDS supports automatic DLDI patching. DLDI allows people to patch homebrew files in order for it to work on a flashcart. It is pretty much found on all newly released flashcarts as it is a standard feature. Without DLDI patching, homebrew would not work on certain cards and developers would need to release different versions of their app to work specifically with that flashcart. DLDI will do all the work.
Conclusion : Overall, the NeoFlash Top Toy DS TTDS is another flashcart on the market. It supports the new microSD SDHC flawlessly. What is nice about the TTDS is that it can also load R4DS game saves and cheats. TTDS works great but like all other NeoFlash flashcarts, the menu and OS isnt the prettiest of them all. But so as long it does the job well...who cares?
Please note that none of the "upgrade" products listed in this site are endorsed by Nintendo, Sony and/or Microsoft. DCEmu Reviews and DCEmu Network does not condone piracy. The primary functions of a "modchip" and/or "flashcart" are to allow you to play imported games and homebrew software that you legally own or simply just for experimenting with hardware. We in no way endorse piracy, and encourage all users to do the right thing and support the developers/manufacturers that support them. We do not take any responsibilities for any use outside of these parameters or where the use of such a device is illegal.
Images via commentsby Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:36- Categories:
- Nintendo DS News,
- DCEmu Reviews
M3 DS Simply Cartridge SLOT-1
Manufacturer: M3
Site:
M3 Simply Only: Buy from Divineo US / Buy from Divineo China / Buy from ConsoleSource / Buy from DealExtreme / Buy from VolumeRate
Price: $34.00-$49.99
M3 Simply with microSD: Buy from ConsoleSource (1GB) / Buy from ConsoleSource (2GB)
Price: $74.99-$124.99
Overview : M3 DS Simply is a slot 1 device (no passcard required) from the famous producer M3 Adapter. It uses Micro SD card for cheap and high capacity while fitting nicely in your DS/DS Lite. Its low price and strong built offers a great value!
Features :
- The same size as an original DS cart
- Build in PassMe (No need for boot card or anything else to boot )
- Using Micro SD card (Trans Flash) as external storage . Cheap & variety usage.
- Boot clean dump images
- Super simple to use , drag and files over to the micro SD card.
- No drivers required
- Standard FAT system support.
- Support different speed of micro SD card even the low speed SD card .Run games without any lag or slow down.
- Upgradeable Firmware ( OS / Bios / Kernel )
- Touch screen control & robust skinning support.
- No need battery , back up the save file into the micro SD card directly .Never lose your save.
- Auto detect the save type & automatic generate saver file.
- Homebrew support , IO lib will release on launch.
- Direct watch movie , listen MP3 & read TXT on the DS via the use of Moonshell.
- Support WiFi , DS rumble pack & DS browser.
Quality/Usability : Alot of DS owners have been wondering what is the difference between the M3 Simply and R4DS (review). The M3 DS Simply and R4 are produced by the same manufacturer and have almost identical hardware and firmware (non-interchangable). There is no difference when it comes to functionality. The only difference is the sticker and packaging. The M3 Simply uses a MicroSD card to store all the necessary data, from ROMs and music to the operating system files. For this review, I tested it with a US Modular 1GB and PNY 1GB microSD. There are some online sites that sell the M3 with a microSD (usually 1GB) but price will be higher.
The M3 Simply includes two shells (white and black) but due to production costs, the M3 now includes only 1 shell (black) instead of two. The old packaging that included two cartridges was a bigger package in a blister pack (plastic). Now, the latest packaging just comes in a cardboard box. Included in the latest packaging are:
1 x USB microSD card reader
1 x White R4 SLOT-1 shell
1 x Mini installation CD
1 x Silicone DS cartridge keychain holder
The included installation CD has instructions and all the necessary files to set up the MicroSD card ready for the M3. I personally went to their forums to download the latest files. The included USB microSD card reader allows the user to connect it to the computer and be able to transfer files/data easily. The DS cartridge keychain holder lets you hold the M3 Simply shell on one side and another DS game on the other.
Setting up the M3 Simply is fairly simple. If you downloaded the latest OS from their forums, all you simply do is download the file, extract is and transfer the files onto the microSD and thats it. You may also use the included CD but its best to get the latest files from their forum as the CD may be out of date. The CD also includes helpful files such as a save converter which lets you convert saves from other flash carts to the format that M3 Simply uses. In their forums you may also download a ROM trimming tool.
The M3 Simply cartridge size is identical to that of the original DS cartridge. The microSD card is inserted through the top of the cartridge and fits flush with the cartridge. The M3 Simply microSD slot is spring loaded. Unfortunately, the spring mechanism isnt that good. When you press down on the microSD, the card is suppose to pop up. Although it does, it doesnt pop up much and feels like its stuck. Occasionally it does pop up completely. Luckily, there is a small groove on the M3 Simply cartridge allowing easy removal of the microSD card.
Adding ROMs and Homebrew is simple. Once you have the microSD card inserted into the card reader and the card reader connected to the computer, its a simple drag and drop. You'll need to setup a folder called "ROM" and "HOMEBREW" with files going into its respective folder.
The operating sytem (OS) is easy to navigate and easily skinnable. Upon startup, user is greeted with three options; GAMES, MULTIMEDIA and BOOT SLOT-2. When GAMES is selected, the file browser is located on the top screen. This is where all your selecting is done. To navigate through files or to select a file, you use the directional pad to move up and down. Too bad that you cant use the touch pad.
All it takes to change the look of the OS is four simple images and placing it into the "_system_" folder:
- logo.bmp -- Background of the Top Screen of M3 Simply's startup.
- icons.bmp -- Background of the Bottom Screen of M3 Simply's Startup.
- bckgrd_1.bmp -- Background of the Top Screen of M3 Simply's Explorer.
- bckgrd_2.bmp -- Background of the Bottom
by Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:36- Categories:
- Nintendo Wii News,
- DCEmu Reviews
Loud Speaker Dock
Manufacturer: PantherLord
Site: Buy from Brando
Price: $17.00
Overview : Do you feel the sound from your NDS Lite is too Quiet? You always can't listen very clear. This Speaker Dock can help you.
This speaker dock comes with 2 loud speakers which can improve the sound volume and quality, and it include a NDS Lite Li-ion, that can be charged with your NDS Lite AC adapter.
Features :
- Specify design to NDS Lite
- Improve your NDS Lite sound quality
- Included NDS Lite Li-ion 3.7V 1000mAh battery
- It can be charged with your NDS Lite adapter * The AC adapter is not included
- Available in white, enamel navy, light blue, pink and black
Quality/Usability : When I bought the original Nintendo DS, I thought it couldnt get any better than that with the dual screen and great sound. Then Nintendo goes and releases a Nintendo DS Lite with a better brighter screen but theres a problem, the sound didnt sound so great. It was lower even at full volume. The original DS trumped the DS Lite in sound and I was disappointed.
The Loud Speaker Dock runs on a rechargeable battery (included). It goes on the underside, between the two speakers. On the underside, there is also a plug that connects to the headphone jack of the DS Lite. When the plug is not in use, it is hidden in a groove next to one of the speakers.
The front of the dock has a switch. If the switch is on the left, it is the speaker. If the switch is on the right, it is OFF. If an AC adapter is plugged in while the switch is on the right, it will charge the battery. To the right of the dock are two LEDs (power and charge).
There is nothing to clip the DS to the dock. It is held in place by the tightness of the dock when the DS is placed. When the DS is placed onto the dock, accessing SLOT-2, volume switch and headphone jack can be reached easily. Accessing SLOT-1 is also easily accessible as well. There is an opening on the right side of the dock for the power switch. Unfortunately, in order to get access to the stylus, you will have to remove and DS from the dock.
The volume on the dock is very very loud. I was impressed by the loudness of the dock. The sound is clear even at the highest level. Adjusting the volume is done on the DS. There is no volume adjuster on the dock. The dock lasted a good 2-3 hours with on and off play.
Conclusion : Overall, the Loud Speaker Dock is a pretty good alternative for those who want a louder DS Lite. With the added thickness, it feels good in the hands. It would of been nice if it was able to charge your DS as well. Having to gain access or putting the stylus away can be a pain in the butt sometimes. Battery life is decent as well.
Images via comments ...by Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:36- Categories:
- Nintendo DS News,
- DCEmu Reviews
Ewin DS Lite Rumble Pack
Manufacturer: Ewin
Site: Buy from Brando
Price: $12.00
Overview : This NDS Lite Rumble Pak (3rd Party) deliver smooth rumble experience to you. Make you have better experiences when you play the game that support Rumble.
Features :
- Built-in RUMBLE system
- Deliver smooth rumble experience
- 2 colors available, Black or White
- This is not an official Nintendo Product
Quality/Usability : The Rumble Pak was first introduced on the GameBoy Advance (GBA). Since then, Nintendo has released it for the Nintendo DS as well. The first game to receive this was Metroid Prime Pinball for the DS. With the release of the DS Lite which features a smaller design and brighter screen, Nintendo released a new updated Rumble Pak that is more flush with the DS Lite rather then a protruding cart.
Unfortunately, Nintendo only released the Rumble Pak in Japan. Seeing as Nintendo failed to provide a Rumble Pak for other countries gamers outside of Japan were left high and dry. Thats where Ewin steps in. They are well known for their flash carts and their quality of products.
Ewin Rumble Pak's are available in white and black. The Rumble Pak fits flush with the system and does not protrude out of the DS Lite. Its technically the same size as the Slot-2 dust cover that came with the DS Lite. The Rumble Pak does not require any batteries to power it. This however, will not fit on the original DS (phat).
Inserting and removing the Rumble Pak doesnt require much force. As mentioned above, the Rumble Pak doesnt any extra batteries or any special attention. Just insert into Slot-2 of the DS Lite and load a game that supports the rumble feature.
At the time of this review, this is the list of games that are compatible with the Rumble Pak:
- 42 All-Time Classics (aka Clubhouse Games)
- Diddy Kong Racing DS
- Elite Beat Agents
- Hotel Dusk: Room 215
- The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
- Magnetica
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
- Metroid Prime Pinball
- Metroid Prime: Hunters
- Picross DS
- Star Fox Command
- Star Trek: Tactical Assault
- Super Princess Peach
I have tested the Rumble Pak with majority of the games listed and they all work perfectly. With each hit or move, you can feel the vibration of the Rumble Pak. Although not as strong as what you would find on console controllers, you'll still feel the vibration. As it vibrates, you'll hear the sound of the motor but the sound it produces isnt loud at all. If you're in a quite area with the sound turned off, you'll notice it. But if you're in a noisy area or with the sound on, you wont hear it at all.
During the test of the Rumble Pak, I didnt notice much of a battery drain on my DS Lite. Mind you, I didnt play with my DS Lite in consecutive hours nor did I have a timer. This was going by my estimation of time.
Conclusion : Overall, the Ewin DS Lite Rumble Pak is a well built product. There arent a lot of games that utilizes the rumble feature. Those who use flash carts that uses Slot-2, will not be able to use this. Is it needed for gameplay? Not really but for the price of $12, thats really cheap. Hopefully there will be more games that will support rumble such as Mario Hoops 3-on-3. I would of like the rumble of each swipe of the ball I take or each dunk I make! I guess I can only dream for now.
Images via comments ...by Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:36- Categories:
- Nintendo DS News,
- DCEmu Reviews
NeoFlash MK6 Save Cart & NEO3 TF
Manufacturer: NeoFlash
Site: Buy from IC2005
Price: $59.00
Overview : Store your save game data on internal RAM. Make and play backups of your original games.
Features:
- 1:1 Original small size
- Support all version of NDS & Lite
- NDS Brightness adjustable
- Support auto-sleep mode
- Simple plug and play
- Build in 4M Game Save
- Come with 4K/64K/256K/512K/2M/4M EEPROM hardware save mode
- Don't need battery, game save data can keep over 50 years
- Support NEO2/3 full serial, can backup your original NDS card by one click
- Universal boot, support almost third-party Slot-2 cart
Quality/Usability : Let me start of by stating that even though this is MK6 (MagicKey 6), this is not a successor of the MK5 that we reviewed a couple months back. This is just a Slot-1 PassMe device which allows you to store your save game data on to its internal RAM. The NEO3 (Slot-2; for SD or TF) allows you to make and play backups of your original games. We also want to note that we do NOT condone piracy.
The MK6 is just a simple cart design. The top has a groove as if there was a slot for a microSD but was blocked. The NEO3 looks weird. The top half has a plastic shell while the contacts is gutted and left out naked. Also, the top of the NEO3 sticks out slight from the cart as this is where the microSD is inserted. What I like about this, is that the slot is spring loaded. What I also noticed on the NEO3 cart is that on the bottom of the casing, where it begins to show the contacts, there is an opening on the plastic casing with the bottom part of the microSD slot sticking out. Couldnt they have added a millimeter or two, to the plastic to cover that up?
Included is a MK6 Save Cart, NEO3 TF and a miniCD. The miniCD contains all the required files needed but its best to get the latest files from NeoFlash as the files on the CD may be outdated. As for the NEO3, there are two versions. There is a TF which accepts microSD and SD version, which well...accepts SD cards.
The NEO3 will need to be setup in order for things to work. To setup the NEO3, you'll need to insert a microSD into the NEO3 and copy the latest version of "_boot_ds.nds" to the root of the microSD. As mentioned above, you can get this from the miniCD provided with the MK6/NEO3 or you can get the latest files from NeoFlash.
NEO3 wouldnt be a good choice to play backups even though it can backup your original games. Yes, it sounds contradicting but its the truth. It lacks and fails in the compatibility field. Homebrew files itself didnt work well either as there was no DLDI patcher. Even using NeoFlash's Homebrew Patcher & Burner Maker, I couldnt get majority of the homebrew to work.
Once the NEO3 is setup and you insert the MK6 into the DS and boot it up, this is where things get confusing. You are brought to a menu with options to select a save type (Boot GBA with 4K Save - Button Y; Boot GBA with 512K Save - Button X and Boot GBA with 2M/4M/8M Save - Button A), What do you choose?! No instructions are given. This should of been auto-detected and chosen for you automatically. The menu scrolling is backwards. If you press UP, the menu scrolls down. If you press DOWN, the menu scrolls up. The menu also seems a bit sluggish.
In order for the DS games to save, you have to set the save type by pushing the Lor R trigger at the start of the game screen. Once you choose the proper save type, the game will save to the MK6 but will run from the NEO3.
To backup your original NDS game, press the X button in the NEO menu. The system will then ask you to insert the original NDS cart and press the A button (OK) to continue. It will then start to dump your DS game onto the NEO3. Depending on game size, it takes about 5-8mins. Once completely dumped, swap the original DS game and place in the MK6. Press A and the game will begin to load. Having tested a couple of my games, I had no problems with any of the dumps.
Conclusion : Overall, the NeoFlash MK6 Save Cart & NEO3 TF to me is a waste of cash. I honestly do see a need for this except for dumping your original games, transferring the .nds and placing it onto any other Slot-1 flash carts such as M3 Simply, R4DS, EZ-Flash V or G6DS Real. There was no support for homebrew files as well as lack of instructions. The lack of auto-detecting the type of game saves is a disappointment as well. NeoFlash makes some great products for both the DS and PSP, but this is one product that they should of not released.
Please note that none of the "upgrade" products listed in this site are endorsed by Nintendo, Sony and/or Microsoft. DCEmu Reviews and DCEmu Network does not condone piracy. The primary functions of a "modchip" and/or "flashcart" are to allow you to play imported games and homebrew software that you legally own or simply just for experimenting with hardware. We in no way endorse piracy, and encourage all users to do the right thing and support the developers/manufacturers ...by Published on February 2nd, 2011 12:36- Categories:
- Nintendo DS News,
- DCEmu Reviews
M3 DS Real Cartridge SDHC SLOT-1
Manufacturer: M3
Site: Buy from DealExtreme (w/rumble - Chinese) / Buy from DealExtreme (Chinese) / Buy from VolumeRate (Rumble Bundle) / Buy from VolumeRate (Rumble+Card Reader+Shell / Buy from ConsoleSource / Buy from Homebrew Dev (Rumble Bundle)
Price: $49.95-$54.99
Overview : The M3 DS Real is a Slot 1 all-in-one backup unit for the Nintendo DS and DS Lite. The M3 DS Real does not require any additional Passcard or Passme devices to operate. Simply copy your ROMs or multimedia files onto a low cost, high capacity MicroSD card, insert the card into the the M3 DS Real and now insert the M3 DS Simply into your DS or DS Lite and enjoy!
You can play MP3's, read TXT books, and run your homebrew applications with ease. The M3 team has made functionality their number one priority with this new generation of DS development. This simply is the best product currently available for the Nintendo DS.
The M3 DS Real supports MicroSD HC media which will allow massive storage capacity.
Features :
- 100% Game compatibility, supports clean ROM's - works on any DS.
- Extreme simple to use: just drag and drop files to the M3 Cart .. ..Standard FAT system.
- Supports the Micro SDHC specification, allowing for high capacity memory cards 4GB, 8GB
- Fully AR Cheat Code compatible engine
- A Ready-Made Cheat Code database file is available for download (English, Chinese, Japanese)
- Support reading individual cheat code file too. (xml, cht, dht)
- Special Game features can be enabled during game playing: (such as: SlowMotion mode)
- Software reset function
- Automatically detect game save type. (No need to provide save type database file.)
- Excellent homebrew support. DLDI auto-patcher.
- Upgradeable system. No size limitation of Flash rom.
- Robust and skinnable GUI.
- Built in PassMe (NO need to use with any boot cart/passcard etc. Support booting Slot1-NDS, Slot2-GBA, Slot2-NDS etc…)
- DirectBoot: Support directly booting games or applications.
- Supports Slot-2 expansions card. (Rumble, Ram , Browser memory and GBA Game card etc.)
- Includes a fully touch screen and button control operating system /GUI Menu.
- NDS-GBA Linkage works fine.
- Build-in “Media-Ex” application + “Moonshell “ media player.
- Support playing MP3 ,OGG music and DPG /DSM / GBM movies
- Super E-book function , support Word/ Txt file directly .
- Super picture viewer function , support *.BMP, *.JPG, *.GIF, *.PNG directly.
- Built in PDA (Worldwide Time ,Memo , Note ,Phone book ,Calculator.)
- Supports Multi-Language France, Germany, Italian, Netherlands, Portuguese, Spanish
- Supports DS sleep mode.
- Brightness adjustment within GUI.
Quality/Usability : The M3 DS Real comes with everything you'll need such as DS Real Slot-1 cartridge, GBA Expansion Pack, Rumble Pack, card reader and miniCD with files. You may want to download the latest from M3's website or from here as the CD may be outdated.
Setting up the microSD is similar to that of all other slot-1 cartridges. Simply download the latest files and copy them to the root of your microSD. Once files are copied over, homebrew and games will need to be copied over. NDS games would go into /NDS in /SYSTEM. GBA games would go into /GBA in /SYSTEM. If you want to use cheats, they would go in the /SYSTEM directory.
When you boot up the M3 DS Real it automatically skips the Nintendo DS firmware's selection menu and brings you to M3's GM menu. The GM menu allows you to select from seven differenct animated icons such as Game, MyCard, PassCard, Media, PDA, Setting, GBA.
The Nintendo DS game selection screen is accessible by tapping on the Game icon. This will display a list of your Nintendo DS games located in the NDS directory on your microSD. The list shows the icon, name and size of the game. By pressing on "select" a menu pops up that allows you to restore your game save or back it up.
After selecting the game you want to play, a new menu will pop up. This menu will give allow you to choose your cheats, select soft-reset, slow motion and slow motion level. The next tab allows you to choose what cheats you want to enable and disable cheats.
The GBA game screen is similar to that of the NDS but the GBA screen shows the name of the game and file size but no icon is displayed. Pressing "select" also allows you to backup or restore your game save. After selecting your game, you will be given a menu to choose your cheats and enable Real Time Save (RTS). In order to play GBA games, you'll need to have the GBA Expansion Pack since the M3 DS Real will flash the game to the Expansion Pack. If you shut off the Nintendo DS and turn it back on and want to play that same game, you'll have to flash the game again to the GBA Expansion Pack. If you dont, the game will not be recognized.
MyCard allows you to choose NDS and GBA homebrew files and will launch from Slot-1 or flash to GBA expansion pack on Slot-2 respectively. Unlike your NDS/GBA games, they can not be in a folder. They have to be in the root of the microSD. The M3 ...
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Catherine: Full Body’s English translation for the Vita