Unofficial Homebrew Channel For the Wii [Slashdot]

[DP ServBot]

marcan writes "The Homebrew Channel is a tool that can be installed on any Wii (no hardware mods required) that lets you run unsigned homebrew software from an SD card, or upload executables via WiFi or a USBGecko. We've tried to make it friendly for users with a simple GUI, and powerful for developers with direct upload features and reloading which we hope will make testing less painful. The channel can be installed using a DVD if you have a modchip, or using an exploit in Zelda: Twilight Princess which only requires an SD card (or any future hack or booting method). Once installed, it simply shows up as a Channel on the Wii Menu, just like any official channel. Hopefully, this and other recent developments (such as the upcoming devkitPPC r15 toolchain, much improved and with many bugs fixed) will help make the Wii an appealing platform for DIY software. And yes, it also runs Linux."
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[zektor]

Installed it yesterday afternoon...couldn't resist. I used the Twilight Princess hack. You need a Wii (obviously), the Twilight Princess game (again, obviously), an SD card formatted FAT (2GB or under), and the basic knowledge of copying files to an SD card & to the Wii.

Pretty easy actually, and I already have SNES9X and FCE Ultra running on the Wii. Both emulators are flawless and seem to have a very high level of compatibility (I haven't encountered a game that didn't work..even played Starfox 2). Great stuff. The channel is very professional. Looks and sounds as if it was professionally made by Nintendo. Very easy to use as well. Simply create a folder on the SD called "apps" and pop your homebrew in there. Boot the homebrew channel and you are greeted with a menu of the apps you stuck in there. Homebrew is going to explode on the Wii...and it has already started.

[Cobra Commander]

I'd do it right now except I'm afraid of what the next update will do. Like won't Nintendo see what you've done and go insane and shut you down?
Seriously, is it safe?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Nintendo actually seems to be pretty apathetic (in the grand scheme of things) towards system modifications, etc. not that they don't care, I'm sure they do ...

... they're just don't seem to have the "YOU'RE BANNED HAXXOR!!!" attitude that Microsoft has had with XBOX and 360 in recent years.

If anything Nintendo will just patch this up with firmware like Sony tries to with PSP firmware updates.

[Neil Koch]

The Twilight Princess/boot from a SD card "glitch" has been known for quite some time and there's been several firmware updates which have done nothing to stop it. But if it now allows people to fairly easily run emulators on the Wii, Nintendo might do something about it.

To zektor: can you use the classic controller with the emulators?

[zektor]

Well, this is what I can gather that Nintendo *could* do at the moment:

Press another revision of Zelda discs. The revision I have is actually a second revision, and it still works with the save hack. Actually, I'd expect Nintendo's next batch to fix the save bug and squash the ability to use the game to install the hack entirely.

When you install channels (and VC games, WiiWare) a "ticket" is created on the Wii that the said app was installed. If you install wads (I will not get into that further) you can use the wadinstaller app to uninstall these and it will remove those tickets. If you uninstall the Homebrew Channel itself, you still have the ticket for that. BUT, if you perform a system format, you are back to factory fresh without a sign that you ever installed a thing. Nintendo theoretically could catch you should you pop onto the Wii shopping channel with pirated goods installed (check your tickets), but there has yet to be a report of that happening.

A firmware update could eliminate the ability to install the homebrew channel. But, it is not known what will happen to people that already had it installed. It could be unaffected, or could simply stop working.

Finally, they can force update a system with the next *hot* game released (included on disc), and that update may "fix" the problem.

Personally, I just will not perform an update until I get word from the homebrew devs that it is safe to do so. You could go one step further and simply remove your internet connection from the Wii and have no worries at all. I did this (although I do occasionally re-add it to play online Mario Kart) and I have had no issues for the past two days. I also turned off Wiiconnect24. Actually, I turned that off way before all of this...the system just got too hot for my tastes with it on anyway. Again, a full format brings you back to square one, so I see no harm in it.

[zektor]

The Twilight Princess/boot from a SD card "glitch" has been known for quite some time and there's been several firmware updates which have done nothing to stop it. But if it now allows people to fairly easily run emulators on the Wii, Nintendo might do something about it.

To zektor: can you use the classic controller with the emulators?

The latest release of SNES9X supports the classic controller fortunately. I expect others to follow suit if they have not already (I have yet to try Genesis Plus and the others). FCE does not support it, but the Wiimote works fine for NES games of course.

It may also be noteworthy to add that the "glitch" has been known for awhile, but you previously had to use that save hack each time you wanted to run a homebrew application. With the Homebrew Channel however, once it is installed there is no need for the hack or the game. The channel itself allows booting of code. Just be cautious as to what you run however. Get your emulators and such from reliable sources (just like anything else..psp..etc) and you'll be fine.

[Oobgarm]

Tempting. Looks like this could be a weekend project.

The only thing I want to know-has it been made possible to store all of your saves on the SD? I know some games (Smash Bros in particular) locks itself to the Wii console.

If that was a reality, I'd feel safe about my saves' security and be willing to soft-mod the hell out of the system, just like the PSP.

[zektor]

Tempting. Looks like this could be a weekend project.

The only thing I want to know-has it been made possible to store all of your saves on the SD? I know some games (Smash Bros in particular) locks itself to the Wii console.

If that was a reality, I'd feel safe about my saves' security and be willing to soft-mod the hell out of the system, just like the PSP.

You can use a save extractor app to extract those pesky saves that want only to reside on the Wii. Look at this thread for the application:

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=87796

[Daria]

This is very tempting.... I've never done emulation on a console before. But I'd love to play some translated games on my TV.

[zektor]

Here's an easy 7 step process that I actually wrote for myself (since I am getting old, forgetting alot, and just in case I need to remind myself how to do it down the road..haha):

1. Start Zelda - Twilight Princess game and create a save game on the Wii.

2. Exit game, go to the Wii data manager, and copy the Zelda save to an inserted SD card.

3. Put SD card in the PC, navigate to the folder with the data.bin (save file) for the game, delete this file, and copy over the twilight hack file that matches the name of the folder (ie: RZDE, copy rzde2.bin). Then, rename the rzde2.bin file to "data.bin"

4. Re-insert the sd card into the Wii. Go to data management and DELETE the current Zelda savegame from the Wii's memory. Next, copy the save from the memory card to the Wii memory.

5. Take the card out, and format it on the PC in FAT16 (FAT) format. Unzip the homebrew channel files to the SD card.

6. Re-insert the SD card into the Wii and run Zelda. Select the save game entitled "Twilight Hack" and start the game. Walk backward when the game starts, and the hack should begin, followed by the initial install of the homebrew channel. If the hack freezes, go back to step 3 and try another rzde*.bin file from the twilight hack package.

7. After homebrew channel is installed, format the memory card and create the folders "apps" and "wad" in the root directory. Put the WADManager in the apps folder under it's own folder name. Wad files go in the wad folder, and can be installed using the WADManager when booting the homebrew channel. Apps (emulators, etc) go inside of their own folder, and then into the apps folder (ie: apps/snes/boot.elf) All apps "elf" files *must* be renamed to "boot.elf" for the Homebrew Channel to see them.


Hope that helps!

<Edited to reflect the fact that apps must be named "boot.elf" for the channel to see them. This may change in the future however.>

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

That's a GREAT walkthrough.

I'm very tempted to do this, but I have a feeling that at some point I'll be sending my Wii in for repairs (I have a noisy disc drive, and all my research points to that being an eventuality) and while I have no fear of Nintendo taking action against me, I do think that they'll likely swap my console and I'll lose my friend code if I "create a channel ticket" via making the Homebrew Channel.

If I ever get a SECOND Wii (also a likely eventuality) THAT ONE will stay offline, be update free, and get the homebrew channel treatment big-time.

Thanks for the walkthrough!!

[Oobgarm]

Thanks for the walkthrough. It was extremely helpful.

Got it all up and running on the system this afternoon, and I'm very pleased with how it all turned out. Everything works like expected with minimal to no problems or errors.

[zektor]

Glad the walkthrough helped. I write a whole lot of these for myself...hah

I ran some tests today. I did a full system format and everything was back to factory settings. I believe that when you do a full system format everything (tickets and all) are destroyed....as everything I had installed including the homebrew channel was gone, and I had to go throughthe Wii initial setup again. I also used the excellent Mii Extractor beforehand, and after re-installing the homebrew channel was able to restore all of my Mii's

I do not see any adverse effects and believe that if I needed to send it off to Nintendo I would be fine, providing of course the system was bootable enough to be able to do that format. Even still, there is a homemade disc that recovers bricked Wii's on the net as well. Again, the only way you could ever brick would be to run some malicious code...which brings us back to just being careful and downloading from reliable sources.

I tried Genesis Plus and ScummVM today. Genesis Plus supports the classic controller as well, and the emulation is spot on perfect. ScummVM is by far my favorite. Playing Monkey Island with the Wiimote is a treat, and imho the best control method for these games I have ever encountered. Amazing how far homebrew has already gotten on this system in such a short time period...it is only going to get better.

[-^Cro§Bow^-]

snes9x and ScummVM work the best for me so far on the Homebrew channel. I've not trid Genesis Plus, but it sounds really good.

The only emu I've not had a whole lot of luck with is the VBA emu. Half the time the colors are off. (I've found out it was done in Pal 60 mode). So I don't know how to change that. In addition, once a game it loaded it frequently locks up the Wii when try to exit out of that particular emu. This requires having to manually hold down the power button on the Wii until it turns off. Then power back on via remote or pressing the button to do something else.

But again, for such a short amount of time I expect someone will pick back up with the VBA emu and improve upon it.

[nickerous]

I've been running emulators for a while now, but don't see the need to install the channel. It doesn't take long at all to load through Zelda. When more updates are released, I may install it, but not right now.

Now, if a custom firmware is released, I'd be very tempted to install that.

[Muscelli]

The SNES emu runs flawlessly. I like the homebrew channel.

The genesis emu runs full speed, though I find it locks up a lot. I can only hope there is a neo-geo CD/AES emu or a Sega CD emulator. That would pretty much complete me.

[Poofta!]

amazing. thanks so much. my psp is a custom powerhouse w/ emulators and apps galore, now it seens my wii will too. time to take my launch wii from out of the closet, out of the box and connect the thing together again! i still have a launch version of zelda too. yay! thanks so much for the walkthrough and info!


quick question regarding SCUMM: does the wiimote work as a mouse emulator? that would be AMAZING!

[zektor]

quick question regarding SCUMM: does the wiimote work as a mouse emulator? that would be AMAZING!

YES, it does, which is why I think it is just superb

I would love to see some Commodore emulators (Vice, Frodo, UAE) personally....with on screen Wiimote keyboard of course. When that happens I will be an extremely happy camper.

[zektor]

The SNES emu runs flawlessly. I like the homebrew channel.

The genesis emu runs full speed, though I find it locks up a lot. I can only hope there is a neo-geo CD/AES emu or a Sega CD emulator. That would pretty much complete me.

I have had misc freezes and such too...not too often but it does happen. The Channel is beta still of course (and the Wii ports of most of these emulators pretty new with the Wiimote code), but I think things will round out after the devs get a stronger grasp on things. As for now it is still some incredible work. I agree that Sega CD support to the Genesis emulator would be awesome.