NDS flashing service idea...

[zektor]

I was thinking about this today. I am currently enjoying all sorts of homebrew stuff on my DS (Mp3 playback, homebrew games, applications and so on) due to the fact that I flashed my DS firmware.

I have the ability to flash any DS (new firmware and old) as I have the passme and passme2 devices and the software needed to do it. I flashed two units for myself (one for abuse, one for backup) and about 10 others for friends in the area.

I noticed some folks talking about how they want to get into the DS homebrew/emulation scene, but don't want to go the route to flash their DS. You would have to get ahold of a passme (or passme2) and then take the flashing risk. It is really not all that difficult, but I can see how some may not want to do it themselves. Not to mention a passme2 would run you $28 before even performing the task.

Now I am thinking of providing a service in which I will do this for people. Send your DS to me for a fee plus shipping, and you will have it returned flashed and ready to go.

How many people would be interested in something like this? I am not creating a business out of it, but I would really like to see more people in the scene so to speak. The homebrew scene is really moving along. Someone has just ported Dragon's Lair to the unit (first 4 levels) and it is pretty awesome. Not to mention the SNES and NES emulators. I'm sure mroe great homebrew is to come and I need more people to talk to about it!

[THATinkjar]

An interesting idea, zektor. Personally, I bought a Passkey (I didn't need Passkey2) and the M3 Adapter (have you heard of this?) for my emulation and homebrew needs. I had to double my expenses, though, by picking up a one gigabyte CF card and reader.

Perhaps we can also use this thread to suggest other methods of playing homebrew on the DS?

[poloplayr]

I have really wanted to run homebrew stuff on my DS amd looked at flashme/passme/carts/whatever for quite som time. But have been unable to do anything so far, mostly because of not enough time due to work (work up to 120 hours per week. No joke).

I would be interested...but I do live in the UK..

[THATinkjar]

I have really wanted to run homebrew stuff on my DS amd looked at flashme/passme/carts/whatever for quite som time. But have been unable to do anything so far, mostly because of not enough time due to work (work up to 120 hours per week. No joke).

I would be interested...but I do live in the UK..

Firstly, let me just say how insane I think you are. A 120-hour working week? That is just crazy. Is there even 120 hours in a week!? Something tells me you need to switch jobs before it kills you!

Anyway, I bought my M3 Adapter from Divineo.co.uk, and they actually shipped from the UK! (Pretty good service, too). For DS, there is nothing better in my opinion (though I am not that educated on the subject). I can elaborate if you're genuinely interesting... or I can point you to the official forums.

[Julio III]

I've heard the M3 adaptor is good. Unfortunately I bought myself the Movie Player 2 months before the M3 came out. It only runs stuff in GBA mode at the moment because I have to passme or anything. Would be nice to be able to use the DS mode though but I don't really want to buy a passme and don't quite get the whole wifi/flashme business

[unbroken]

I'd be interested in getting my DS flashed, but I'm not sure what I would be able to do with it after? Would I be able to run gba/ds roms? I don't really understand DS homebrew yet. I have heard of the m3 adapter and that looks pretty neat, can flashing do the same as the m3?

[stuffedmonkey]

Exactly. The PSP and Xbox hombrew/emu scenes ahve gotten a lot of press, but I don't really know what is out there in the DS world. I would love a good SNES emu (not that there arent' enough ports available)

What sort of stuff is out there?

[exit]

I tried reading up on some of this stuff, but I just ended up getting scared and confused. I'll wait for an idiots guide on this before I try jumping in.

[zektor]

Nah, it is easier than you think. After the DS is flashed, you can run .nds (NDS code) files from the GBA slot. That is all the flashme firmware really does. It is not a replacement firmware, but rather adds code to allow the DS to run DS games and software from the GBA slot. Of course the ordinary firmware that it comes with would never allow you to do such a thing

It took me some research as well before I got it all down, but now I look at it as being so darn easy...almost as easy as it was on the Dreamcast!

After the DS is flashed, it'll bootup like normal, and you can't tell any difference. BUT, if you put a DS rom for example on a compatible GBA flash cart, pop it in the DS, and hold a+b+x+y (default flashme bypass) it'll boot right into DS mode and you'll see the contents of your cart (as you would with GBA games)

From there you simply load a game or app or whatever. That's it. And not condoning piracy of course, but a little birdie told me that all of the NDS games released work

You should really buy your games, as I do mine because I like actually having a collection. It is just nice to try before you buy, and of course to try all of the neat homebrew goodies out there.

[Icarus Moonsight]

When I get a second DS unit and a flash cart I'd be up for it.

[zektor]

An interesting idea, zektor. Personally, I bought a Passkey (I didn't need Passkey2) and the M3 Adapter (have you heard of this?) for my emulation and homebrew needs. I had to double my expenses, though, by picking up a one gigabyte CF card and reader.

Perhaps we can also use this thread to suggest other methods of playing homebrew on the DS?

I have heard of the M3. I hear that it is pretty compatible when it comes to NDS stuff. I myself own a Supercard (actually a SD and a CF version) and it is great. Works like a champ with all that is DS.....aside from I think one title. For emulators and homebrew, I have not run into a problem yet. MP3 playback is very nice...it really is too bad that Nintendo didn't add some sort of sd card slot to allow the user to playback music and movies, since the DS does such a nice job of it.

There are not many other methods of running homebrew unfortunately. If you have an older DS and a compatible wi-fi card, you can use wifime, and send the apps via wifi, but I have absolutely no experience in this.

Since you have a passkey, you should see what the m3's compatibility is with flashme, and do the flash. I believe the M3 works with it if I am not mistaken. With the supercard and flashme you do not even need a DS game in the slot to boot DS stuff at all! Pretty nifty.

[zektor]

Exactly. The PSP and Xbox hombrew/emu scenes ahve gotten a lot of press, but I don't really know what is out there in the DS world. I would love a good SNES emu (not that there arent' enough ports available)

What sort of stuff is out there?

Well, I know for a fact that the PSP emulation scene is much more mature than the DS scene. Heck, that was pretty mature days after it was found that you can run homebrew code on it. With that said, if you are looking at the DS to be the super emulation portable, go back to the PSP. But, the DS does have some great things up and coming, and I personally think that it will be worth it to stick by the machine in the end:

The SNES emulator is very good. Runs at full speed with sound, and a few of the titles I tried run just fine. It is really hit and miss, so you have to test games and see what works....but when it does it runs nice. Some are glitchy tho, such as F-Zero unfortunately. The emulator is constantly being worked on, so I would guess that it'll only improve with age.

I am pretty excited about an upcoming C64 emulator. The top screen displays the C64 video out, while the bottom screen has a full c64 touch keyboard. The touchscreen is going to really give emulation an edge on the system. Lightgun emulation via touch anyone?

The NES emulator is good as well, but not that much different than the GBA NES emulator (which is also good)

Dragon's Lair (Arcade!) has been ported over (only 4 levels so far tho) and is smooth and good. I can;t wait to see progress on this and other LD games.

There are a slew of homebrew apps and games, as well as a web browser in the works among other things. It'll only get better. Any system that gets hacked usually has something of a cult following that love the system so much to invest time into it. This really is a good system for certain emulation, and the touchscreen really makes me happy. Just thinking of what now can be accomplished with it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy