Hacking M3 Mini-SD

[darkbliss]

I have been doing a bit of research into the homebrew scene for the NDS and I decided I wanted the M3 Mini-SD but before i could put my order through, I hear that they no longer make it in favor of the M3-Pro.

Does anyone know if there is any chance of them selling the Mini-SD version or the M3 'Lite' (SD but smaller cart) ever again?

I had my heart on the M3 because I want the convenience of having EXCELLENT NDS and GBA support as well as EXCELLENT media support (mp3, movies) and last but not least reliability and functionality (have to almost 100% problem free! no save issues, RTC issues, rom loading issues etc.)

Can anyone help?

 

[cracker]

Damn no wonder why I haven't seen them in stock anywhere lately. I believe I got the last one Jandaman had.

If you have your heart set on an m3 why don't you just get the slim SD version? On the DS your hands are far enough out that it shouldn't disturb your play.

 

[faceless]

RTC only matters for Ruby/Sapphire

 

[darkbliss]

In regards to RTC, if it only affects ruby/sapphire then i guess that's not too bad.

I think i might just opt for the M3 slim. Can anyone confirm that they HAVE NOT stopped production on this unit and just the M3 mini-SD? Or is it BOTH?

 

[SpaceJump]

As far as I know they stopped both SD and MiniSD versions. Both will be replaced by the Pro versions.

Hm, regarding the Pro's, will they not have the internal 256MBit memory that's needed for normal mode in DS games?

 

[cracker]

Nope they won't have the RAM chip in them. So that means no GBA, DS Normal/DirectCopy mode, or game linking.

 

[Hanafuda]

Nope they won't have the RAM chip in them. So that means no GBA, DS Normal/DirectCopy mode, or game linking.

I would miss the DS/GBA linking feature, but I'm saving $45 so I can live with it.

I wouldn't miss GBA support since I've got that covered (and I wouldn't use the M3 for GBA since I think my EFA carts do it better).

As for Normal/Direct Copy mode, what games don't play well with fastboot?

 

[Extreme Coder]

Are you serious?! No more GBA support? Why M3 Team? I don't understand...

 

[Hanafuda]

Are you serious?! No more GBA support? Why M3 Team? I don't understand...

think about it this way ... people with money to burn will buy a dslite and a flashcart that is sized for the dslite. Right now that means EZ4lite, and we know there's a G6 lite coming too. Of course we can also expect an M3lite, and prolly a SClite too.

The G6lite will be sold in 2 versions ... with and without GBA support. The "with" will cost more of course.

Most likely, the "M3lite" will also have "with" and "without" versions, though I'm just guessing.

OK, so that's what people with money will buy.

People who don't have money will stick to their DSphat. If they haven't bought a DS flashcart yet, they'll want something sized for their unit, not the halfsized carts being made for the DSLite. But they don't have money, so they can't afford the fullprice M3 @ $85. So, M3 provides them with what they need ... a cheap solution that does the most important thing, which is play DS games. The M3Pro should be half the price of the "normal" M3slimSD and the M3miniSD. Maybe less than half. And if you don't have enough money right now to buy a DSLite, then that $45 or so that the M3Pro saves over the old M3's is a lot of money.

I don't think M3 will abandon GBA support altogether ... it's just going to be available on the "deluxe" model. Personally, I think its good that theyre giving the consumer the option. Cuz I aint got no money.

 

[illumina]

As far as I know they stopped both SD and MiniSD versions. Both will be replaced by the Pro versions.

Hm, regarding the Pro's, will they not have the internal 256MBit memory that's needed for normal mode in DS games?

This was a rumour and was reported false by a M3 beta tester on MC forums. Divineo got a new shipment of M3 MiniSD's today and shipped mine out to me today. Tracking says it will be here tomorrow.

 

[slandar]

I'm kind of relieved myself as I'm in the perpetual pre-order queue for an M3-miniSD at Divineo right now.

Links to the MaxConsole Story:
http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=7875
and
http://forums.maxconsole.net/showthread.php?p=177888

-Zach

 

[illumina]

I was the same way and kept emailing Divineo asking for an estimated date. They would never give me one but said they got in a small shipment today and my order was fulfilled. I'd imagine yours will be coming very soon.

 

[jon_jon]

You can still order the M3 mini-SD from the divineo.cn site. It's just the divineo.com site that is on back-order (or pre-order as they prefer to list it as).