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June 4th, 2007, 03:14 Posted By: bandit
WiiD Modchip (DMS/D2A/D2B)
Manufacturer: WiiD
Site: Buy from Mod-Chip
Price: $34.95
Overview : The WiiD is a fully featured Nintendo Wii mod, easy to install, easy to upgrade, compatible with every single Wii console system.
Ideal for Wii advanced users. More features to be added in future with software upgrades.
Features- Non Swap/Direct Boot for Wii backups.
- Non Swap/Direct Boot for GC backups
- Non Swap/Direct Boot for Homebrew in GC mode
- Non Swap/Direct Boot for NTSC region Wii games/backups on US and JAP consoles
- Boots PAL Backups/Originals on NTSC WII consoles (partially without swapping)
- Boots NTSC Backups/Originals on PAL WII consoles (partially without swapping)
- Boots different region GC Games Original/Backups Imports (partially without swapping)
- EUROPE/USA/JAPAN Wii Console Supported
- Double soldering option, 6 wires or Quicksolder (No wires Required)!
- Compatible with all the WII Console Versions/Drive currently available
- Full D2B Drive Support
- Built-in audio fix
- Full support for DVD-R/DVD+R and DVD+RW/DVD-RW without Booktype
- Supports Multi-Disc/Multigames games for BOTH Wii and Gamecube
- Recovery Mode for incomplete/Bad Upgrades
- Stealth mode
- Firmware fully Upgradable by DVD!
Quality/Usability : I was able to get my hands on another North American Wii (NTSC-US). This new Wii has the newer board (D2B). All games tested during this review, we own the original games. WiiD comes in a plain unbranded ESD bag.
When I first heard that a WiiD modchip would be released for the Nintendo Wii, first thing that popped into my head was that it was a joke, a gimmick. Sure enough, its real and legit. The WiiD Modchip comes in a plain ESD bag but does not provide any protection during shipping (unless retailer protects it). Like all of other modchips, no wires were provided but thanks to Mod-Chip, they included wires (other resellers may not include wires). The WiiD is basically a chip on a small PCB board. The solder pads allows you to either quick soldering or wire installation. Wire installation is the best way to go because if for whatever reason you need to remove it, it is a lot easier and cleaner.
The features offered on the WiiD is what you would find on other modchips such as CycloWiz, WiiKey, Wiinja and open source modchips. The PCB board on the WiiD contains a PIC #12F683. The build of the WiiD modchip itself isnt the highest of quality due to the roughness of the cut of the PCB board but the board itself is thick and the solder points are big enough as well.
Unlike the other Wii modchips that allows quicksolder, the quicksolder pads are located on the front of the PCB board rather than on the inside. But as I said above, its best to use wires because its easier to install, safer, reliable and easier to remove when needed. Plus if you want to switch to a different modchip, all you would have to do is desolder the wires from the old modchip and resolder the wires onto the new modchip.
Installation : Before installing the WiiD, you must have at least some experience with soldering. As for me, I dont have any experience with soldering, so I had a friend install this for me. In order to install the CycloWiz onto your Wii, you must take it apart. Here is a tutorial on how to dismantle/disassemble your Wii. You can also find other tutorials or even videos on the web.
Once you have dismantled the Wii, you must locate the points outlined in their installation manual. These points are where you will connect the soldering between the Wii and the WiID. When soldering, you must remember to stay within the points and not to use too much solder or you may risk shorting out the chip as well as the Wii.
Wii Compatibility : Having tested only a handful of games I own such as Rayman, Wii Play, WarioWare and Legend of Zelda, I did not experience any problems. All games have been tested on DVD-R and DVD+R and worked perfectly without lag, slowdowns or any problems for that matter.
Upgrade Firmware : The WiiD modchip allows you to upgrade its firmware via DVD. In order to upgrade the firmware, you must first download the latest firmware and burn it on to a DVD. Pop in the DVD and the upgrade will begin. Unfortunately, once the upgrade is completed, there will be no screen saying that the upgrade is successful. Instead, you'll get a message saying "Unable to Read the Disc". Dont be alarmed, this is normal.
Conclusion : Overall, the WiiD Modchip worked as advertised. The main drawback is the quicksolder pads only being on the front of the PCB board and not on the inside. All games tested on the Wii with the WiiD installed worked perfectly without any problems. Hopefully, in future releases, the WiiD Team will improve the upgrade feature and the way the firmware is upgraded. WiiD also allowed you to solder a 6th wire that allows you to disable the modchip. This was not done as it wasnt really required.
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.
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June 3rd, 2007, 18:37 Posted By: bandit
XCM I-Case Black Knight
Manufacturer: XCM
Site: Buy from TotalConsole
Price: $37.99
Overview : Now the Wii can look fun as well as play fun! XCM are back and bring their years of replacement case development to the mighty popular Wii. I-Case is a complete, high quality and colourful replacement shell for the Wii console. It's perfect for those gamers who want to inject their Wii with further healthy does of fun and make their console stand out from the rest. Boasting a simple installation procedure, virtually anyone from young gamers to your Gran could install the I-Case! Includes tool kit to open Wii console. Initial colours available include Chrome, Crystal Blue and Black.
Quality/Usability : Like with any video game console on the market, there is always the need for some crazy gamers to modify their console. When I mean modify, I dont mean modchips. I meant aesthetically...looks wise. Gamers dont want the same boring color like any other person. They want to stand out...be cool and unique. Nintendo is known for releasing multiple colors for the video game systems. So far, only white is available for the Wii. There has been rumors of different colors being released but no official announcements and who knows how long before new colors are available.
The first to offer gamers and modders a chance to stand out from the crowd is XCM. They have been known for slick and unique faceplates, casings, controller mods, cables and other accessories. XCM announced the release of multiple colored casings for the Nintendo Wii ranging from chrome, red, yellow, blue, green, pink and even clear casings with LEDs built in!
The XCM I-Case Black Knight includes the console shell, doors, faceplate, buttons and even the rubber feets at the bottom of the Wii which makes up the whole exterior of the Wii. To match the black case, they also included a black stand and tools to help you dismantle the Wii! Not a single piece was left out.
The quality of the case is excellent and solid. Feels like it came out from Nintendo's factory. The case has a nice glossy feel to it, similar to that of the OEM case. Unfortunately the case isnt completely solid black like the black on the DS Lite, PSP or PS3. It has some type of sparkle to it (noticeable in the images below). Not in a feminine way though but it looks great.
I wont go much into detail regarding installation as you can find tutorials on how to dismantle or disassemble your Wii, here (.PDF) or here. The whole installation process took approximately 45 mins. This is not to say that is how long it will take you to assemble everything. I am a perfectionist and anal when it comes to things like this. For some who are pros or better at things like this can be a lot quicker while noobs, novices or perfectionists like me, may take longer. The whole process is just time consuming and tedious. It will require some patience.
Conclusion : Overall, the XCM I-Case Black Knight is an awesome product. Those looking to have their systems match with their home entertainment system or other consoles should definitely look into the Black Knight case. Each piece fit perfectly and even the screw holes aligned perfectly with one another which made installation a breeze. With the new mods for the Nintendo Wii such as the PulseVU, LED mods for both console and controllers, the Black Knight case would be a sweet looking console. Be sure to check out the other colors that XCM has to offer if you want to be even more wild and crazy with colors!
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June 2nd, 2007, 21:37 Posted By: bandit
N-Card 16Gbit SLOT-1 (2GB)
Manufacturer: N-Card (Chinese)
Site: Buy from SuperCardNDS
Price: $57.99
Overview : N-Card is a slot 1 device (no passcard required). It does not use any external storage cards such as microSD. There is a 1GB and 2GB versions.
Features :- Same size as the Original DS Card. Same Manufacturing technology. Colours of case to choose.
- No FlashMe, No PassMe, No conversion anymore.
- Support clean rom, no transfer software need.
- NAND chip inside,provides your same experience of Original DS Card. Internal memory and comes with 8Gbit/16Gbit memory card (16 Giga bit = 2048MB).
- Low power consuming and long sustaining time.
- Support Moonshell and lots of homebrew which could patched with DLDI.
- Firelinke exclusive, your DS could be a Mouse or a game controller.
Quality/Usability : There have been a lot NAND memory Slot-1 flash carts such as DS Linker, DS Fire, Express Card, Ultra Flash Pro EX, MK5 GIGA, etc., but each has its own limitation as the internal memory is not upgradeable.
The packaging is pretty much similar with a cardboard box and inner plastic tray. The tray holds the Slot-1 N-Card, Slot-2 N-Card Flash Linker, USB cable and manual underneath the tray. No software CD was included but you can download the latest files from their website. Another alternative download location would be here. The manual is in Chinese so if you cant read Chinese, it would do you no good. Whats also weird is that the images they used in the instructions, they are either backwards or upside down.
Like all Slot-1 flash cards, it is identical is size to the original Nintendo game cards. It fits flush in the DS. Whats awkward is that the Slot-2 says NDS/NDS Lite but the design of the cartridge will only fit on a NDS Lite. But when placed in to Slot-2 of a NDS Lite, it fits flush with with the DS. The included USB cable is short. So if you have a USB port that is not close to you, you may either have to stretch or walk back and forth.
To transfer files to the N-Card, you will need to connect the USB cable to the flash linker. Once connected, turn on your DS. Your PC will not recognize it and you will be able to drag and drop files.
The GUI isnt the prettiest of things. The top screen displays the games information such as file name, file save, etc. The bottom screen displays icons of the games you have loaded onto the N-Card. If you dont like the background images, you can simply change them just like all other Slot-1 flash carts.
Every game loaded has worked fine. I did not notice any slowdowns or lags. I did however have problems with some homebrew. Hopefully the DLDI support would be better when new updates are released.
Conclusion : Overall, the N-Card 16Gbit SLOT-1 (2GB) is a decent product but falls short in some areas. The short length of the USB cable can be a turn off for some. Although it says NDS, the Slot-2 flash linker will only work with NDS Lites. Would of been nice if they included the GBA flash linker size but this would probably raise the price due to manufacturing costs. Transferring of files takes a little longer than any of the other flash carts. The upside is that it works with all if not most of the games available on the market. Considering this is a 2GB version, I would think this is enough space...for me that is. But for some, it may be too small and would prefer a flash cart with removable memory. But for the price of a N-Card, its fairly reasonable in price.
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.
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June 2nd, 2007, 06:36 Posted By: bandit
PEGA HK is the first 3rd party peripheral manufacturer to release a portable monitor for the Nintendo Wii. Considering the small size of the Wii compared to the Xbox360 and the behemoth known as the PlayStation3, this truly will make the Nintendo Wii portable. There is a 7" and 8.5". Hopefully the black bar at the top of the monitor is a sensor bar. If it is, that would be awesome.
We'll have more information when it becomes available. Hopefully, we can get our hands on one to bring you a full review.
Wii Display with 7-inch Screen Size and Adjustable Visual Angle
Wii Display with 8.5-inch Screen Size and Adjustable Volume Control
Source: PEGA (7") / PEGA (8.5")
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June 1st, 2007, 22:45 Posted By: bandit
Nintendo has released a handful of different DS Lite colors around the world, but all of them ship with the standard black AC adapter. If you want to be chic and carry an ice blue DS Lite with a matching AC adapter ToyTech has a solution for you. They are selling third party “powerful charger” AC adapters in five colors: pink, light blue, white, black and navy blue. Each one costs 2,079 yen ($17) and I guess Nintendo didn’t tip them off about the two new colors because there is no Gloss Silver AC adapter for sale.
Source: Siliconera
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June 1st, 2007, 03:46 Posted By: bandit
Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar
Manufacturer: Nyko
Site: Buy from Divineo China
Price: $21.95
Overview : Simplify and enhance your Wii set up with Nyko’s Wireless Sensor Bar for Nintendo Wii. The Wireless Sensor Bar allows full Wii Remote functionality without the hassle or mess of any wired connection to the console. The infrared field created by the Wireless Sensor Bar allows for play up to 25 feet away, perfect for larger or wall-mounted TVs. Compatible with Nintendo's official Sensor Bar stand, the Wireless Sensor Bar is easy to set up, requiring no software or hardware installation on the Wii. Featuring 30 hours of battery life off 4 AA batteries (included) and a unique power saver mode with audible alarm, the Wireless Sensor Bar is designed for ultimate convenience.
Features :- Design: Sleek design blends in with TV and is compatible with standard sensor bar stand
- Power Saver Mode: Audible alarm warns when powered for too long and will even automatically shut off the device
- Superior IR Field: The IR field created by the Wireless Sensor Bar allows for play up to 25 feet away
- Battery Powered: 4 AA batteries (included) provide up 30 hours of use; No cords needed
- Compatible with the Nintendo Wii sensor bar stand
- Ideal for wall-mounted flat screens
Quality/Usability : When the Nintendo Wii was released, gamers started to tinker with ways of making their own sensor whether it be from PVS tubing with LEDs, candles, remotes or even Christmas lights. Nyko has entered the market with their own that is better looking on the eyes and isnt so cheesy.
The Wireless Sensor Bar doesnt come in your ordinary plastic blister pack or box. It actually comes in a plastic tubing. Inside the tube is the wireless sensor bar, 4 AA batteries and instruction booklet.
On the front is a black shiny face and the housing is gray similar to that of the original Nintendo Wii sensor bar that came with the system. The difference is that it is slightly bigger in height, width and depth as well it being wireless. Although slightly bigger, the wireless sensor bar can still fit on the sensor bar stand that came with the Wii. There are blue LEDs on both sides of the sensor bar. The top of the sensor bar has a power button as well as a small speaker. When turned on, a blue LED is lit up on the front of the sensor bar. To turn off the bar, simply hold the power button for 3 seconds. On the back is a timer switch. You can set it to OFF, 1 HR or 2 HRS. What this does is alert the gamer how long the wireless sensor bar has been on for. Hence the little speaker near the power button. The batteries are hidden underneath. What is also a great feature is that if no interaction with the wireless sensor bar after the audible sound has gone off, the sensor bar will automatically turn off which will help save the battery from draining.
Nyko claims that on a full set of AA batteries (included), the wireless sensor bar can last 30 hours. I was able to get a little more than 30 hours when used on and off. But if played for longer periods of time and consecutively, it lasted about 25-26 hours. It is best to invest in some rechargeable batteries rather than alkaline.
Nyko also claims the wireless sensor bar has a range of 25 feet. During testing of the product, we did get to about 25 feet. But at the same distance, the response wasnt as strong as if you were standing 15 feet-20 feet.
Conclusion : Overall, the Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar is a must get for those who do not want to deal with the long cord on the original sensor bar from Nintendo. Its a lot safer than using a candle as your sensor bar and looks a lot better than homemade sensor bars. It was a great idea for Nyko to include a timer to let you know how long the sensor bar has been on. I know there have been times when I have left other wireless sensor bars on, only to come back to a dead set of batteries. Its also great that we are still able to use the original sensor bar stand. When powered on, the blue LED can get a bit distracting if its near the monitor.
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June 1st, 2007, 01:58 Posted By: bandit
Wii Multi-Functional Carry Bag
Manufacturer: Dragon
Site: Buy from Goldenshop
Price: $13.00
Overview : Carry your Nintendo Wii, controllers, cables, etc. in a multi-functional carry bag. You can also play your Wii without having to remove it from the bag.
Features :- Prevent any shock and scratch
- Compact size design with shoulder strap for carrying
- Super strong protect function with console and accessories
- Fully compatible with different version and model of Wii console
- No need take-out console can direct connect with home set TV system
- Storage function with Wii console, game card, AV cable, AC adapter/adaptor, remote controller, nunchuk pad, sensor bar, stand and other accessories
Quality/Usability : The Wii Multi-Functional Carry Bag lets you carry your Nintendo Wii, controllers, cables, sensor bar and whatever else is needed for the Nintendo Wii. The bag comes only in gray with white zippers and a black trip. It also comes with a black shoulder strap.
Lets start with the front compartment. The front flap of the compartment has a hard plastic to prevent any accidental bumps to the case. This protects whatever accessories you have in the small front compartment. Upon opening the compartment, you have three dividers. This allows you to separate your accessories. Each section seems equally spaced. You can hold your AC adapter, AV cables, Wiimote and Nunchuk. Adding an extra Wiimote and/or Nunchuk can be a tight fit.
The main compartment houses the Wii console stand and of course, the Wii console. Before we get to that, on the underside of the flap are a couple of small compartments. First are three mesh compartments. This allows you to hold 3 SD cards or memory cards. Above the mesh compartment is a flap. When pulled off its velcro, it reveals 6 game pouches to store your Wii or GameCube games. Like the front compartment, the main compartment also has a divider for the stand and the console. A white velcro strap runs across the compartment to hold the Wii, sensor bar and stand in place during transportation as well as when system is in use while it is inside the bag. I noticed that when the sensor bar is placed inside with the Wii, its a little hard to zipper up the carry bag. There are two white straps on both sides of the case. These straps prevent the flap from falling over. But if you have something in the front compartment, the flap will fall due to the weight. To prevent the flap from falling when it is opened, there are clips on both straps. This allows you to completely open the flap.
As mentioned above, you can play your Wii while it is in the bag. No need to remove the Wii and having to set it up. On the bottom of the bag (when stood up), there is a cover. This cover has rubber "spiked teeths" for when you place the Wii Multi-Functional Carry Bag on the floor but at the same time, allows easy access to the ports on the back of the Wii console as well as USB ports. This cover is held in place with velcro.
To the left of the carry bag is a mesh grill. This is the ventilation for the bottom of the Nintendo Wii console when the Wii is placed inside the bag. Unfortunately, the vent does not lineup exactly with the mesh grill.
Conclusion : Overall, the Wii Multi-Functional Carry Bag is definitely multi-functional. Its great that you are able to play with the Wii while it is in the bag rather than having to remove it to set it up. It would have been nice if the mesh grill was aligned better with the Wii's bottom vent. I also noticed that the main compartment is a little cramped when zippering it up. Not to mention, the quality feels a little cheap. Sometimes, I'm scared of zippering the main compartment because the zipper feels a bit flimsy. The excess zipper is hidden under the gray material which looks tacky.
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May 31st, 2007, 22:55 Posted By: bandit
The DS Motion Card and DS Motion Pak are revolutionary motion sensors for the DS and DS Lite handheld gaming systems. They each contain a 3-axis accelerometer and a single-axis gyroscope, and plug into the DS to enable full motion sensing on the DS and the DS lite.
They are the first tri-axis accelerometers that can be used for homebrew DS development, and the first accelerometer/gyroscope combinations available for handheld gaming.
How They Work
The DS Motion Card fits in the DS card slot (slot-1), and contains a tri-axis accelerometer and single-axis gyroscope that communicate with the DS using SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) on the DS card.
The DS Motion Pak fits in the GBA card slot (slot-2), and contains a tri-axis accelerometer and a single-axis gyroscope that communicate with the DS using the SRAM bus of the GBA slot.
The accelerometer measures acceleration in all directions (both gravitational acceleration and acceleration caused by a change in velocity). The gyroscope measures angular rotation rate (speed of rotation) around an axis perpendicular to the bottom screen of the DS.
Custom software turns the sensors on, reads the accelerations and angular rate, and controls the display based on the sensor readings. Functions to communicate with the sensors have already been written and are simple to integrate into any existing or new projects.
By using the latest ndsmotion functions in libnds (new functions are in devkitpro CVS), developers can create software that is compatible with both the DS Motion Card and the DS Motion Pak, as well as the Neoflash MK6 Motion.
For more information and source code, download the DS Motion Card QuickStart Guide (zip).
For instructions on updating your programs from the old (before May 22, 2007) ndsmotion functions to the new ndsmotion functions, download the readme (txt).
What they can be used for
There are many uses for the DS Motion Card and DS Motion Pak- Tilt Sensing
- Motion Sensing
- Twist Sensing
- Gesture Recognition
- Possibilities are endless
Games or applications can easily be written or modified to work with DS Motion Card and DS Motion Pak, using the C code that is available from this website.
DS Motion Card: If you are using FlashMe, just plug the DS Motion Card into the DS card slot (slot-1) and plug your media cartidge in the GBA slot (slot-2). If you are using a Passthrough device, boot the DS with the Passthrough device, then remove the Passthrough device and insert the DS Motion Card.
DS Motion Pak: Plug the DS Motion Pak into the GBA card slot (slot-2) and plug your DS flash card into the DS card slot (slot-1).
There are currently no emulators that support the DS Motion Sensors.
Source: NDSMotion
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May 31st, 2007, 21:50 Posted By: bandit
WiiFree is an open source Wii modchip. It required you to load your own code onto a PIC 12F629/675/683. In order to load the code, you would need to purchase a programmer as well as the PIC chip. Now there is an easier way to install and upgrade WiiFree.
This is a clean and very cheap solution, which makes the installation of PIC 12F629/675/683 in your Wii console extremely fast and easy; allowing the upgrade of the WiiFree code without any problem.
*Every PCB comes with a brand new PIC12F629 bundled.
For more information regarding WiiFree, you can visit the homepage as well as other alternatives for modchips at our CycloWiz / WiiKey / Wiinja / WiiD Seller/Installer List and Open Source Wii Modchip.
Source: WiiFree EasyConnect
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