Hacking How to tell which version of the 3in1 you have.

[caribou007]

Okay, thanks how_do_i_do_that. I reread the Q&A and I understand a bit more now. If I'm not mistaken, according to the Q&A, GBAExploader is not needed/used with an AK2i-3in1 (any version, including EZ5C11?) pairing because AK2i has integrated loaders. So, the integrated loaders of the AK2i are now the preferred method? Are the compatibility issues fixed? Is the AK2i able to use the 3in1 (EZ5C11) as a RAM expansion, for running the Opera web browser or homebrew designed to utilize RAM expansions such as SNEmulDS? What about auto-saving of GBA saves? I might have unknowingly bought a EZ5C11, but I won't know which version it is until I receive it in the mail. How is AK2i compatibility lately with the different versions of 3in1?

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

I don't use SNEmulDS, so I can't really say if it works or not with v4.

Using the integrated loader over an external loader is a user preference. Anybody that wants to say that using an integrated loader saves them space, really a whold half megabyte, is normally too cheap to get a decent sized microSD. I don't care what you use, as long as you pick a way and stick with it for whatever you want to do, it makes troubleshooting easier.

As for the "unknowingly bought a EZ5C11", not possible since it will be the only thing you will be able to get. You would have to have gotten a previous version at the time when they were on the market or from another user in the trading section to have one.

Autosaving for gba games is automatic on PSRAM mode games. For NOR mode saves, under AKAIO it is automatic for the first restart only, after that it is the user responsibility to back it up.

 

[caribou007]

So what's still broken on a 3in1v4-AK2i setup? Rumble, and possibly the RAM expansion? Since you never said otherwise, I take it the auto-save functionality you describe is the same on the other hardware versions.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

What's still broken in the 3in1v4-AK2i setup is an AKAIO problem, if there is one. You will have to ask the AKAIO team for that one. This is an advanced guide (as in self help) to the 3in1, not tech support.

AKAIO : The way I explained the automatic autosave is how it works under the AKAIO loader. Relying on the autosave to get your save is mostly an invitation to trouble after you had it for a few years and the battery starts to fail.
Exploader : PSRAM mode is automatic, NOR mode is manual. There are also a manual backup option for PSRAM as well.

If the browser can't detect the 3in1v4, you would immediately get a memory expansion error, it is not rocket science. Same thing for rumble mode under AKAIO. If your not going to try it with a rom that has those features, your wasting my time with what ifs.

 

[caribou007]

i'll be testing it when it arrives in the mail, by asking you these questions i'll know what to expect so i can test it for faults immediately. i'm going to email the AKAIO team today, i'll even update this post when and if i hear back from them, but maybe they'll never reply, that's why i asked here. this is auxiliary information that many people may find helpful and if they ever search for it they are likely to find this topic and the answers they need.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

It is better to ask in the AK section here first, you will get a nicely worded answer maybe, the AKAIO team in most cases as bad as I am. No problems means no answers. Our real lives come first.

 

[ribzer]

Can anyone tell me what the differences between 3in1+ and v4 are? The wiki on the 3in1 says that the 1st version was stopped due to supplier issues, and the second was stopped for the memory upgrade, but there is nothing about why the plus was stopped.

I have read that v4 does not work even as well as the plus, but have found nothing concrete on this. On the other hand, I saw the source code was released for the plus, but did not see any released for v4. So if there is no new code for v4, then it must use the same code as the plus, right? So why would the cart function worse?

Unless I am mistaken and I just missed the code release.

So if anyone knows, are the changes between plus and v4 hardware or software or both?

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

The 3in1+ was stopped because of 2 things, EOL (End Of Life) of the DSL and the firmware on the EZ-Flash Vi stopped supporting the multi-rom mode. v4 is a 32 MB NOR, not a 64MB like the v3.

This is what multi-rom mode looks like on the EZ-Flash Vi that still supported it:

Spoiler

 

[ribzer]

Thanks for the explanation.

So if the changes were purely hardware changes, and there were no software changes, then do you know why v4 has more problems, or was that mostly in people's heads?

On another note, if the only hardware change was the reduction in memory, couldn't they have just gone back to making new3in1? (I'm guessing it would have caused them a lot of work to reprogram whatever current firmware they had on their own carts to go back to the old version.)

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

It is based on a v1 but has some v3 hardware, giving to a mess of issues.

Things like, in gba exploader, with a v4 you can't access the rumble and ram mode because it is not the same as a v1 on a hardware level; so the addresses are not the same.

 

[ribzer]

So, just to clarify, it is v1/v2 firmware, with v3 hardware (except less memory?)

Does this even work with their own products? Beause it doesn't seem like it would.

I also heard that they've stopped making the 3in1 altogether. Is there any truth in this?

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

So, just to clarify, it is v1/v2 firmware, with v3 hardware (except less memory?) There is no firmware, it is all hardware. Code written to use the 3in1 is done in C and ASM. The EZ-Team gave out code for anyone to be able to use it besides them. It is the implementation others have chosen that makes for it work or not work.

Does this even work with their own products? Beause it doesn't seem like it would. Of course it does.

I also heard that they've stopped making the 3in1 altogether. Is there any truth in this? They will continue to make the 3in1 as long as it is still profitable for them to do so. That is like saying Apple will stop making ipads because all android makers stopped making tablets. Example of that not being true, I can still get a GBA flashcart that usese all NOR even though the GBA is a EoL product.

 

[ribzer]

So basically they did not release software after they stopped making the 3in1+?

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

Without going into actual code example, I will try and explain things non-technically before I go into the actual answer.
(DO NOT SPEED READ, OR YOUR GOING TO MISS THE ANSWER)

If you want to understand how it sort of works and/or not work, it goes something like this:

3in1:
A1-info/hardware on PSRAM
A2-info/hardware on NOR
A3-info/hardware on rumble/RAM mode

new3in1:
B1-info/hardware on PSRAM
B2-info/hardware on NOR
B3-info/hardware on rumble/RAM mode

3in1+:
C1-info/hardware on PSRAM
C2-info/hardware on NOR
C3-info/hardware on rumble/RAM mode

EZ5C11:
A1-info/hardware on PSRAM
A2-info/hardware on NOR
C3-info/hardware on rumble/RAM mode

From a black box perspective, gba exploader is using the info on PSRAM to identify what 3in1 you got; what it really uses to ID it is anybody's guess. Once gba exploader identifies what 3in1 you got, it loads ahead of time what registry offsets to use. For the EZ-Flash Vi, it checks what you got when you change modes and loads the correct registry offset addresses as needed. If you notice the implementations between the two is different. Any changes in hardware makes how gba exploader IDs a 3in1 useless until it can be profiled correctly. Like how the EZ5C11 works with the gba exploader, no ram/rumble. gba exploader is basically expecting to use A3 instead of C3 because it thinks the EZ5C11 is a EZ5C10.

The EZ-Team didn't release any new version of the 3in1 source code to account for the EZ5C11, meaning all the information is still valid and all offsets for soft switches still work and is already defined in the code. This is based on what I know of all the versions. If you don't like this answer, you can always ask the EZ-Team directly, you might not like their answer any better than mine assuming they give you one.

If an app loads the registry offsets like gba exploader, you have to update the app with a new info on the hardware changes. If the app is no longer in dev, you have to rely on ram/rumble patches you apply to the rom to use any new hardware. gba exploader had partial support for C2 and only place holder functions for C3, that is why a IPS patch was made to fix the C2 info in the code. The majority of the apps are closed source so updating them is impossible without the source code.

Cory moved on, so I don't see any updates coming from him. Every other project like gba exploader has stopped. That leaves pretty much Wood/AKAIO and EZ-Flash Vi, assuming they still work on any of that code in the code base.
Everybody is stuck with partial or no support depending on what they got for a slot1 and how they use it. That is the state we are in with the 3in1. If you got an older 3in1, you got full support for all features regardless of what your slot1 is. For the newer ones, you pretty much need a EZ-Flash Vi or using a AKAIO/Wood compatible slot1 to get some or all features working.

 

[ribzer]

Well, thanks for the explanation. I don't really like the answer, but that's not your fault.

The only thing that uses the RAM is the browser, and who really cares about rumble, anyway?

I'll buy the v1, and keep a lookout for a used v1 or Fat (at least I'll be able to tell it will work without asking the seller to open it up).

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

Some homebrew apps and homebrew games use the RAM mode for more space. NO commercial game use the RAM module except the browser, even though some people seem to believe that it improves playing DS games when it doesn't. Rumble appealed to a few people, not too many games supported it.

You still off from meeting the requirements for the trading section.

Here is a link to a vendor that still sells the phat one: http://www.0shipping...size-p-212.html
NeverMind, 0shipping became RHS.hk and it is out of stock on RHS.hk for the 3in1 phat.

 

[AlanWeird]

Just confirmed I have the v2 release. the EZ5C13 one. Gonna stick it on here pretty soon for sale. It's no use to me now!

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

Sales go here : http://gbatemp.net/forum/157-gbatemp-trading-forum/

you also don't meet the minimum requirements.

 

[AlanWeird]

Quite aware of that mate.

I now have enough posts and I have plenty of good ebay feedback too.

Also, wow... normally devices get better with each iteration, but this definately went downhill bigstyle!

My 3in1 v2 is now on the sale boards at £15 / $25.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

To put it bluntly:
Don't be an ass and hijack someone's thread so you can try and sell something. Make a new thread or post in the correct section.