Wii Mod Chips

[Vectorman0]

I was wondering if anyone has experience with any of the Wii mod chips and would be kind enough to share how the installation went and how satisfied you are with it. I am in the market for one, and I would really appreciate some first hand experiences, since those are the best.

[backguard]

what would a mod chip get you? i'm not sure why you would want to mess with your machine....?

[agbulls]

We have a guy here in Chicago (near my house) who swears he's installing them like crazy. I think he has more info on his site: www.chicagogamewerks.com

[omnedon]

WiiKey is a good chip. The default install is NOT the way to go. Wires install is the best way. I've done a few, both ways, and the wired install is more reliable and easier to troubleshoot, while requiring less troubleshooting.

You really do want to get it right the first time, as some of the traces will lift easily if heated and reheated. A lifted trace is not the end of the world, but it likely means the install is about to get a LOT harder.

Once Wii-Key modded, you can:
Play NGC backups on full size DVDr's
Play Wii backups on DVDr's (thank God, my kids refuse to take proper disc handling care)
Play NGC and Wii imports
Will run unsigned code from the SD card (there is a little media player already).

If they can get the media player up to snuff, I could stream video wirelessly around the house!

[Vectorman0]

Thanks for the reply Omnedon. I was looking into that one, as Schenley had recommended it to me. The only thing holding me back at this point is the fact it is a first generation chip; I made that mistake with my Xbox, and I regretted it.

I'm not quite sure what the default install means, but I always go for full/wired installations. I'm not a fan of software or solderless modifications.


what would a mod chip get you? i'm not sure why you would want to mess with your machine....?

The biggest reason is probably to download games. But let it be known that even though I am "stealing," this has led me to buy more games than I would have had I not downloaded them in the first place. The other reason is that I have high hopes for Wii homebrew. And having a region free Wii/GC will be handy.

[jonjandran]

I put the Cyclowiz in mine.

It took me less than 20 minutes using the quick-solder points. I added a switch also so I could upgrade it by Dvd, which I did a few weeks ago and it was flawless.

It has played every Wii/Gamecube backup I've thrown at it.

But as Omnedon said be VERY careful as the traces can lift up easily.

[JoeB]

WiiKey is a good chip. The default install is NOT the way to go. Wires install is the best way. I've done a few, both ways, and the wired install is more reliable and easier to troubleshoot, while requiring less troubleshooting.

You really do want to get it right the first time, as some of the traces will lift easily if heated and reheated. A lifted trace is not the end of the world, but it likely means the install is about to get a LOT harder.

Once Wii-Key modded, you can:
Play NGC backups on full size DVDr's
Play Wii backups on DVDr's (thank God, my kids refuse to take proper disc handling care)
Play NGC and Wii imports
Will run unsigned code from the SD card (there is a little media player already).

If they can get the media player up to snuff, I could stream video wirelessly around the house!



Wiikey is great....though I did do the default install, and it worked great for me.

[XxHennersXx]

i heard if you have these chips some of the new games (super paper mario) will brick your system

[jonjandran]

i heard if you have these chips some of the new games (super paper mario) will brick your system

Yea Nintendo would like you to think that :)

But no it's not true.

[DogP]

I haven't done it yet, but AFAIK only games from other format (PAL/NTSC) will brick your system since they try to update the firmware with the wrong one. I don't think it was intentional, it definitely does happen though... just search any of the Wii mod chip forums. Unmodded systems won't play games from other regions, so just people w/ modded systems need to worry. Last time I checked there wasn't a fix for it, so just don't do it :P .

DogP

[XxHennersXx]

well i don't give a rats ass about pal imports, i don't have needs. but japanese imports are my reason for wanting a regionless wii. So thats fine though right?

[djh82uk]

at the moment as long as you make sure your updates are all done upto date via the wii menu, then the games do not try to update themselves. The problem with paper mario was that in the uk, it would try and download the US update as it was a US game, update first in wii menu and all was ok. but they may change things in the future I guess, I would.

Ive installed a few, winja V2 was ok to install, not too fussed on them myself as far as the chip goes tho, cheaper to buy a pic and prog the wiifree code if you have a programmer handy.

Also not too bad to solder if you have done other consoles, a little harder than an xbox (if you use alternate D0) but way easier than a PS2.

DJH

[ASSEMblerEX]

Here's a review I did of wiikey.

This review is based on executing homebrew and imports ,not pirated games. Please support developers.

http://www.wiikey.cn/images/rightTopMainImage.png
Wii Key - $36 + free triwing screwdriver.
(foundmy).


Buying Experience

I chose foundmy because of their reputation for fast service. I've heard a
lot of horror stories about other sites, and true to their reputation they
were fast and friendly.

When I placed my order there was a three day wait on stock.Foundmy
called me to notify me of this and confirm my order. (And probably to make
sure I wasn't some estonian hacker)

Foundmy gives good discounts when you buy, I bought a component cable
for $14, which is is normally $20. The gecko adapter is $14.

I highly recommend the gecko adapter because the wiikey can load emulation,
gamecube multi-images and homebrew off of it. Burning a dvd each time can
use up a lot of discs and wear on the laser.

Features:

I decided on wiikey because unlike earlier chips it is more flexible and
upgradable. The Wiikey uses an ATMEGA8L-8AU that has some
advantages over other PIC based methods that have a reputation
for disc read errors (DRE).

The modchip works on the DVD drive controller, not on the wii itself,
so there are problems with some import games. Japanese games like the
naruto series for gamecube and Wii do not work due to audio streaming
or region checking. Currently no chip works to change the region of
the mainboard, it acts upon the drive. While a problem game may load,
upon loading it will not work or will lock up.

Using a mod chip can inadvertently brick your Wii. Because the Wiikey or
any Wii mod chip defeats the DVD region encoding, it can load the wrong
firmware. Running a Japanese or US game on a not up to date PAL Wii is
trouble. If you see ANY Wii update prompt, do NOT CLICK YES. Turn the wii
off and double check. Better yet, log into the Wii and upgrade manually.

That said, the Wiikey offers a friendly, menu based system for operation
that is above anything else at the moment.

The wiikey offers the following features:
Direct boot of wii backups
Direct boot of GC backups
Direct boot of homebrew in GC mode
Supports all currently available console/drive versions
Supports D2B chipsets
Sophisticated (true) update mechanism via DVD (future proof, expect
cool features to come)
Direct boot of different NTSC region Wii games/backups on US and

JAP consoles
Partial support for NTSC region Wii games/backups on PAL consoles
Boots different region GC games/backups (partially without swapping)
Supports multi-disc games for BOTH Wii and Gamecube
Supports DVD-R / true DVD+R and +RW support (no bitsetting required!)
Improved readsettings for recordable media
Built-in audio fix
Supports fullsize 4GB discs for gamecube homebrew
Stealth mode
512 byte EEPROM to store configuration
Quicksolder interface - no wires required
Unique disc backup application via sdcard
Compact design, best quality components, rock solid high speed controller
Professional ESD packing
Recovery mode - Can recover from a bad flashThe key features to pay attention to are the D2B chipset compatibility,
the sdcard backup method and the recovery mode.

D2B chips in the DVD drives of newer Wiis aren't compatible with older
modchips.Many vendors are dumping older chips without telling people
about this "small" issue.

The Wiikey has a menu driven feature for backing up a Wii game.
The Wiikey dumps the game to the Gecko SD slot. The only issue is trying to
find a 4GB sdcard. Checking ebay, a 4GB card is hard to get, let alone in SD
card size.

If you are lucky enough to have/ afford a 4GB card, the Wiikey dumps
the data to a *.wii file. You'll need Rawdump2.0 or "Wii UI" by chossy to
convert the image to an ISO file.

The recovery mode feature is nice to have. Other chips claim to be
upgradable, but if there's a problem your chip is probably done for.

Installation:

The Wiikey came from Foundmy with no instructions.

ZERO, zip , nada. The packaged contained one chip, one cable.
No instructons.

I had to find the manufacturer's website, and the PDF on the web (http://www.wiikey.cn/images/installWiiKey.pdf)
site is a complete joke. (http://www.wiikey.cn/images/installWiiKey.pdf) You'll find no help on taking the wii apart,
so I have filled in some of the details.

>Disassembly

Taking the Wii apart will requires a small triwing driver, and a small philips
driver. There are more than four kinds of screws on the Wii. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHERE THE SCREWS GO. I will say this is very
crucial, as some of the screws are similar in size, but the lengths will vary
and can damage the Wii if put in the wrong hole.

Step 1.

Remove the plastic feet and small thin plastic screw covers on the wii.
(Use a hair dryer to soften the small plastic decals over the screws if you
are anal about things like that. I just threw mine away.)

Step 2.

Remove the screws on the top by the gamecube ports. Slowly remove
the panel. underneath are more screws.

Step 3.

Remove the screws on the side, and bottom. SLOWLY pull the face off and
using a pair of needlenose pliers, remove the front assembly wire from it's
connector. Using your fingers will result in tearing the wires, and a painful
repair. Remove at the socket. Slowly and evenly remove the top half of the
Wii to prevent hangups on the sides. If it catches or won't give, you might
have forgotten a screw.

Here is a video (not mine) of the process. Horrid music , you might want
to mute it.

[/URL]<object height="350" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yRowSobFSFA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></object>

Once inside is the tricky part.

You will have to remove four large screws on the DVD drive. Remove them
without letting them fall into the drive. SLOWLY lift the drive and you will
see two connectors.

#1.

White cable. Slowly work it from the connector. WHEN PUTTING THIS BACK
IT GOES INTO A SMALL NICHE BELOW IT IN THE WII. IGNORE REPLACING
THIS IN THE NICHE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

#2. Ribbon cable. LIFT UP the brown edge, do not pull up or out.
This connector has a flappy edge that holds it in place, it is not an insertion
socket.

Remove the drive and flip it over, and there is the the DVD chip.

http://www.assemblergames.com/images/reviews/wiikey.jpg
(alternate ground indicated above)

Now, for those who are timid modders, this ranks a 8/10 for difficulty. If
you have older eyes , or eyes that stain easily like mine, you might want to
use a magnifying headset. (http://www.youtube.com/v/yRowSobFSFA) The Wiikey is TINY.

Here we encounter the first real problem of the Wiikey. The PCB thickness.

The PCB is so thick an amateur attempt to make a solder bridge could
result in error. What happens is solder fills the two holes for VCC and
ground resulting in a "mushroom" of solder underneath the PCB. This can in
extreme cases make a short. What it usually does is make the board wobble
and the install much harder due to the proximity of the remaining solder
points.

That said, I preferred to tape down the PCB somewhere and use wires to
make the connections. I used kynar wire for the four small points and
thicker wires off the 5v line of an old power supply for the VCC and ground.

I also used a different ground point. I picked a ground point that did not
need to pass through a small eyelet in the board. The alternative ground
shown above is nice and wide and safer in my opinion.

That having been said, this install is not for the novice with a 20,000 watt
solder iron. You can lift off and destroy the pads on the Wii if you are not
careful. As a comparison, this is no harder than a PSONE modchip install.

The key is to use wires and not the solder bridge as shown on the maker's
web site. One mistake that way, and you have a real mess to fix. Foundmy
did include a small kynar kit with solder. However small gauge Kynar is not
suitable for voltage or ground. Do yourself a favor and take the few
seconds more to use wires.

For the novice, you can try filing a small "u" in the tip of your iron to
cradle a small ball of solder. You can also try cutting tiny pieces of solder.
Soldering is easier if you tin the wires (coat the ends with solder first).
Using solder, or tiny pieces, mound up the points on the PCB. Then go in
with the iron and touch solder, wire and iron at the same time.
There is no need for extended, prolonged application of heat. This is what
makes the traces lift off the PCB.

Reassembly:

Carefully secure the Wiikey to the underside of the board. Reattach cables.
[U]The ribbon cable must go all the way to the bottom of the connector
before you latch it. Doing this incorrectly will result in it falling out.The
ribbon cable folds up under the Wiikey, so there is no need to go crazy with
the electrical tape.

Make sure you don't forget the white cable must go into a small recess in
the black plastic for a level fit.

Here's the hard part, the two silver screws in the front of the drive.
Save yourself some time by using needlenose to place them into the holes.
If you screw up, they will fall backwards into the drive, which is a BAD
thing. I lowered them in with the pliers, then stood them up through the
front and placed them into the holes.

Operation:

The Wiikey runs in a stealthy fashion and does not have any kind of menu
like some people are used to on an XBOX. This is because the chip is a DVD
drive mod, not a system bios mod. You have to burn a setup DVD from
this page (http://www.wiikey.cn/resources.html) to access the chip's features.

http://www.wiikey.com.cn/images/wk1.jpg

Wiikey Configuration:
- Region Override: (on/off)
- Audiofix: (on/off) - (use audiofix for GC games?)
- Drivespeed: (3X/6X) - (select dvd drive read speed)

For some reason my chip came with "no region" set on off. This was semi
annoying while I waited for the DVD to burn. The setup disc is padded to
4gb, so this took some time.

Disc Backup - The disc backup takes some time, and does require a 4gb sd
card or a sd card adapter (gacko) with 4gb micro sd. If you use a small card,
expect a ton of file chunks.

SDload - Loads files off the SD card. This is the same as the gamecube
gameshark exploit.

SNES9X - The SNES emulator is the same. However no annoying gameshark
tricks are needed this time around. This is where the gecko adapter comes
in handy for files.

GCOS - Load gamecube files from a DVD, great for multi game dvds.

MFE Player - If you so decide to, you can play media files on your Wii. Why
you would go through all the trouble of converting media to the Wii format
is beyond me, as we all have about 15 dvd players by now thanks to
PS2, PS3, XBOX and the 360. Let's just say it's nice to know it's there.

Summary:

>The Good

*The Wiikey loaded homebrew, backups, and imports without problems.
*It's a high quality chip with great features. For the experienced modder,
it offers a good solution to your needs.
*Easy and safe upgrades

>The Bad

*The Wiikey install is not for the amateur or faint of heart. It is unforgiving
if a mistake is made. Yes a no wire mod is sexy, but using wires lowers the
degree of difficulty substantially, to that of a PSONE job.
* Instructions: What instructions? Oh, you must mean this one page PDF. (http://www.wiikey.cn/images/installWiiKey.pdf)
* Not set for imports - I had to burn a 4GB dvd just to change one
software toggle.
* Foundmy included wires with the chip, but the small gauge Kynar wire is
not appropriate for use with VCC or Ground.
* Uses a ground point I feel is unreliable.

Overall, there are far more plus points than minuses to the Wiikey. Most of
the detractions are over the tricky installation, not the product's features. I
would highly recommend the Wiikey based on it's excellent features. Once
the installation hurdle is crossed, it's an excellent product.

I give it a 8/10 : minus one point for the instructions, and another for the
tricky install.

[Vectorman0]

I just installed my Wiikey, and it works very well. I can't imagine trying to install that without wires.

Now lets just hope it actually is upgradeable, as it looks like they may have been pulling everyone's leg on that one...

[Muscelli]

don't you need special DVD burners to actually burn the games? I remember seeing this on maxconsole.

[srabelpawz]

don't you need special DVD burners to actually burn the games? I remember seeing this on maxconsole.

you may only need a certain inexpensive drive to read and dump the wii disk's.
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16827136088
this drive is for reading the disk's and does not do burns
i don't think it matters what burner you use.(this is just an opinion)

[Vectorman0]

Backing up your own games from the disc requires a certain model of burner, if you do the backing up from a PC. However burning images you or anyone else has made, can be done with any DVD burner.

The Wiikey has a nice utility on the setup disc to dump the disc image to an SD card so you wouldn't need a specific drive.

[omnedon]

OSG is awash in botched Wii-Key installs. Wow.

I just saw one today with the 4 solder pads *gone*, and a SMR missing as well. The 'install' attempt was done with what looks like speaker wire.

The parade of these has been growing for a while, and they are getting worse and worse.

[MonoTekETeA]

Well hopefully I am not adding to the pile of mods gone bad, but there is a chance since this is my first modchip install.

I am currently trying to mod my friends Wii so that the chip is connected externally, being so that we could add other chips if wanted at a later date. We are doing this by serial port as seen here: http://forums.maxconsole.net/showthread.php?t=50533

I need to know if it is ok to secure the wires down by hot glue now that I have them soldered to the correct locations. A bad photo:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y98/MonoTekETeA/DSCF0843.jpg


Lol, please don't tell me to resolder the connections to make sure they are strong enough since I don't trust them as they are now, because I am just not that good. Plus we have been giving this board a good beat down with the oodles of weak solder attempts till we finally got them down.

You only see four wires because those are the only ones that I worry about, the two other that need to be laid down have bigger pads and are spaced out more, I have no fears with them.

State my question one more time for clarity: "Can I hot glue those points down so that the don't come loose?"

[DogP]

You can put hot glue down to give the wires some stress relief, but I wouldn't put the hot glue over the solder joint since if the joints are weak, it'll come loose whether the wires are hot glued down or not, and then you'll have to remove the hot glue to resolder it. I'd put the hot glue just to the side of the joint so if the wire gets moved it is stopped by the glue and doesn't move the joint.

DogP

[MonoTekETeA]

First attempt, totally failure, I think I decked the board seeing as one of the pads, is just black, the old solder point came up when I was trying to clean up the one next to it, and ::shrugs:: bleh. Lessoned learned, I'll get another one and try again.

[MonoTekETeA]

Second attempt, SUCCESS! I did everything right this time, lol. I went out, got some flux, thinner solder, thinner wire then 22 gauge, bought a 15W soldering iron over a 40W (I know, didn't really dawn on me, my first time, remember!) And I think that is it...but yeah looks great, keep you updated:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y98/MonoTekETeA/DSCF0848.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y98/MonoTekETeA/DSCF0851.jpg