How are NDS Screenshots taken?

[Jorpho]

Just a thought: Obviously amateurs who need NDS screenshots can just use an emulator, but how exactly do the professionals do it? They don't just use a camera in a darkened room, do they? Or is there some professional-grade video-out doodad distributed by Nintendo?

[CosmicMonkey]

Magazines usually have debug systems kicking around to play pre-release games on. Or you get a couple of beefy security guards show up with a Nintendo console sealed in an impenetrable box made of Adamantium.

I'd imagine they have something along the lines of an Intelligent Systems Nitro Emulator development box. Although it's probably a very much stripped down version of the box, just allowing for playing games with TV/VGA outputs or taking screenshots via PC software/USB link.

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/4056/gen001760xw8.jpg

[ProgrammingAce]

The nitro emulator is overkill, they use what's called the IS-Nitro-Capture, which looks similar, but only takes screenshots. It's what nintendo uses when they put DS screens on giant plasma TV's during promotions.

They're also fucking impossible to get your hands on, I have a friend offering me $2,000 if i can get him one.

[DreamTR]

There was one on Craig's List a little while ago with pics for $200. And the guy returned it to the developer.

[ProgrammingAce]

That's because nintendo has really upped their security trying to keep track of dev equipment in the last 2 years. They will seriously come after you if they think you've sold it on the grey market.

[Jorpho]

That's because nintendo has really upped their security trying to keep track of dev equipment in the last 2 years.A rather clever move, I must say.

[skaar]

Lots of NDS dev work is done on M3 cards and the like these days... they're so freaking expensive for dev kits!

And the Wii ones are just weird.

[CosmicMonkey]

I've done a little research and as well as the IS Nitro Capture box, there's also an IS Nitro Video box which is solely for displaying DS video out on one or two monitors. The Capture box still has the ability to link to a PC, it's just missing all the debug hardware from the full-on Emulator box.

So is there a similar stripped-down version on the PSP Tool/Debug unit that the press have for taking screen shots and running pre-release code?

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4876/dsc00486hf4.jpg

Is there any difference between the PSP boxes? I've seen ones with a black DVD drive in them.

[Jorpho]

So is there a similar stripped-down version on the PSP Tool/Debug unit that the press have for taking screen shots and running pre-release code? With the TV-Out on the PSP Slim, I would think that such a device would no longer be useful.

[ProgrammingAce]

So is there a similar stripped-down version on the PSP Tool/Debug unit that the press have for taking screen shots and running pre-release code?

For whatever reason, sony does not allow the press to have PSP kits of any kind. Pre-release games must be distributed on normal UMDs.