Got My M3 CF Perfect (More like Imperfect)

[booshaka]

Well if you want to play gba games, DS homebrew, and other media type crap, go for it. But as far as playing commerical roms goes, they don't work. I've updated my firmware and still not one of them works. I've heard of a release for a new firmware or patcher but that is suppose to be in a few weeks.....

M3 and G6 both claim to play "clean dumps" but this is very unlikely especially if you want to save the to cf/flashcart. Theres going to be a patcher.... or a miracle firmware release.

I have a supercard too, and the only limitations on it is games over 512Mb wont run and having to save to the nds cart w/the same game size. But, they say these issues will be addressed/fixed soon.

This is a little off topic but can any keep game saves on there DSs scummv emulator? They disappear after 10 minutes after I turn the DS off. And thats the case for my M3, SuperCard, and GSTturbo....

[AceMilo]

Did you try any clean dumps with it? I want to get one of these eventually, dunno what brand or model yet, but I want as much info as possible. Did you try clean dumps and are you sure they were clean?

[booshaka]

The only dumps that aren't clean are released by GST (golden sun team) or when a clean dump are patched using the supercard software(.nds.dsi). I've tried roms released from trashman, GBXR, WARIO (all clean dumps) and non work :( Basically whats going to happen is they are going to release a patcher or maybe a new firmware update to get these to work.... I've already updated my firmware on the M3 with the newest firmware and yeah, it doesn't work!!

The supercard is looking really good at this point, eventhough it can't play 512Mb roms or cart save....

[GamerzInc]

I still can't decide on whether to egt the m3 or super card, g6 is out of the question *shakes fist*. I'll wait about another month to get some more money, and see which of the two turns out better with their new firmwares.

Btw, what are media files like on the m3? Do you have to convert them, and are anime w/ subtitles viewed easily on the DS now?

[booshaka]

I guess w/the pogo shell which u can dl from m3adapter.com you can use normal media files like .mp3 and such. I didn't mess w/it much because I wanted to get my DS games working!! I have no idea about that animie stuff, I'm sure being able to use the full top screen (not being cropped) should help though....

[Tyger]

I also have my M3 and passkey. I can confirm what boo said about its compatibity. I also can confirm that it can play commercial nds roms that have been patched with the soon to be released(20th) Game Manager 2.0 software. I currenlt have patched versions of zookeeper(jap) and Metroid Prime(demo) that both boot and play perfect, I can also save using the non RTS functionsbut cant for scumm.

[booshaka]

One of the things I was really looking foward w/the DS homebrew is playing Scumm games. But its like impossible to do so if you cant save!!!!! Have you (Tyger) been able to save your games to any flashmemory/gbacarts etc? or know how to do it?

[Tyger]

I can save from the 2 patched nds games I got and all gba games using the method of pressing select after reboot and backing up the sram to cf. But for scumm it acts like its gonna work and even asks to load and does when you start the game up again but it doesnt save anything. It currently looks like its a scumm isssue not M3 can you save scumm on you supercard to a nds game or supercard itself?

[booshaka]

To be honest I'm not sure where it saves to... I hit save on the normal menu and thats it. The way you use the real time saves for the gba doesn't work for the scumm. I'm going to try the select on the reboot for the scumm saves, see if i have better luck on the M3..

[Tyger]

Also what games are you playing in scumm? Most of the ones I have except monkeyisland 1 and 2 are larger than 30mb the current scumm size limit. In the release notes it states its compatible of saving to gbamp but when it boots is states it not found and cant open scummvm.ini i think this is part of the saving problem.

[booshaka]

I have indycrusade+indyatlantis+loom.nds = 21 megs
zak+m1+m2+sam.nds = 29 megs
Dott.nds = 17 megs

I had to change the .nds.gba to .nds make them run on my supercard so maybe thats the problem? But I ran M1.nds.gba off my gst2turbo card and it also didn't keep the save....

I posted this same quesitons on the drukencoders forum (scumm ds devs) so hopefully they can clear this up for me!

[Z80]

Booshaka, have you tested GBA games that are known to exhibit slowdown problems in the SuperCard? Do they run perfectly on M3?

I've been leaning torwards getting a SuperCard, but the GBA slowdown issues have bothered me. While I do have a real GBA flash cartridge, I'd still want the cartridge using SD memory cards to work as a replacement. I remember off hand that Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo Revivial and Mario Kart Super Circuit had slowdown issues. And while we're at it, have those issues with the SuperCard been lessened/fixed in later software revisions?

[Hectic]

yoshi's island, metroid games, mario luigi superstar (gfx glitches), f-zero games maybe, can't remember.. test these....testies feel hect's breeze blowin by after i sneeze blowing down trees after i pees in the roots you're all pirate brutes like brutus on popeye i drop my fly expose myself to a girl not a guy don't even try i'll throw a cow pie in your face make you taste the waste.

[starteck2002]

yoshi's island, metroid games, mario luigi superstar (gfx glitches), f-zero games maybe, can't remember.. test these....testies feel hect's breeze blowin by after i sneeze blowing down trees after i pees in the roots you're all pirate brutes like brutus on popeye i drop my fly expose myself to a girl not a guy don't even try i'll throw a cow pie in your face make you taste the waste.

:confused: Yet more 'crap talk' from the kid with Tourettes :D

[Tyger]

Z80 I have just tried Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo Revivial and Mario Kart Super Circuit and experienced no slowdowns with my M3. I have yet to see and problems with the 30 or so gba games I have tested. So I dont think it will be an issue with any gba games with the M3.

[Hectic]

:confused: Yet more 'crap talk' from the kid with Tourettes :D

heh, it wasn't directed towards anyone, just felt the need to keystyle a little bit:)

those would be some games to test though to get back on topic. but from the reply, seems slowdown isn't close to being an issue which isn't surprising. it's pretty hard to create something so cheap that results in slowdown. lesson was learned after the first wave of gba flash carts. i guess romman wasn't around back then as only he is capable of producing such a cartridge this day and age.

[Tyger]

I just finished testing these games, I played each 5-15 minutes. I experienced no gfx glitches or slowdowns on any.

0062 - Super Street Fighter II X - Revival (J)
0086 - Mario Kart - Super Circuit (U)
0329 - Super Street Fighter II Turbo - Revival (U)
0593 - Super Mario Advance 3 - Yoshi's Island (U)
0690 - Metroid Fusion (U)
0899 - Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper (U)
1277 - Mario & Luigi - Superstar Saga (U)
1370 - Metroid - Zero Mission (U)
1661 - F-Zero - GP Legend (U)

[starteck2002]

I see you are still spouting off - why don't you just give it a rest.

[Hectic]

I just finished testing thess games, I played each 5-15 minutes each. I experience no gfx glitches or slowdowns on any.

0062 - Super Street Fighter II X - Revival (J)
0086 - Mario Kart - Super Circuit (U)
0329 - Super Street Fighter II Turbo - Revival (U)
0593 - Super Mario Advance 3 - Yoshi's Island (U)
0690 - Metroid Fusion (U)
0899 - Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper (U)
1277 - Mario & Luigi - Superstar Saga (U)
1370 - Metroid - Zero Mission (U)
1661 - F-Zero - GP Legend (U)

nice! thanks for the report.

startreck: because of all the reasons i've "spouted" off. supercard doesn't deserve to be in the business. there's all these threads around here about the supercard and people buying these p's os. i'm stoked about the m3 finally being released and lately have been interested in supercard bashing for all of the valid reasons i've listed in various threads. seriously, people need to stop buying this piece of crap. the m3 guys have responded to every e-mail or question i've ever asked them, they focus on quality and customer satisfaction. romman wants to buy cheap ram and build a crap product to line his bank account with large profits. anyone hear of act labs? i refuse to support that arrogent company as well. chargin $100 for a freakin light gun just because they're the only company who makes a decent pc lightgun. at least they make quality products though which is more than i can say about mr romman. what a dork. first off, rom man is 2 words and when made into one, it just makes me think of oriental noodles...(top ramen)

[Tyger]

Ok here is my 2cents on this. The supercard is a decent device yes it doesnt have the build quality of the M3 but you must remember that its actually a gba device that has evolved to become a ds device too. It didnt have to do this Romman and others decided to do it instead of starting from scratch or totally copying the gbamp. And currently it plays more ds games than any device. Yes the M3 will be better and is worth much more than the supercard tho they are about the same price currently. Dont think that romman or m3 for that matter get more than 50% of what u pay for a device they arent getting rich. I believe there is good support behind it awell. He stated he has fixed many isssues with it in an unreleased upgrade and has delivered on his promises before. The same cant be said for other companies like neoflash or whatever where they have unsupported and undelivered on promises with prior devices only to can support and just start over with a new device like the mk1/2/3. But all in all I would rather have this choice between device than just one company like the flash cart days rippin us all off over chargin and underdelivering.

[Hectic]

yeah, i do give credit to the supercard for the ds support although that had to be done considering it was possible. it has to compete with the m3 but it definitely was an added bonus for sc owners to be able to run ds software. the fact that it was developed specifically for gba and still had dodgy compatiblity issues is what gets me, as well as the fact that romman has always avoided admitting this or giving any insight into it, then they came out with the sd revision and didn't even fix the issues...that was probably the last straw that made me completely unsupportive of the sc. it was a cool idea (although bitten from the mp team) but is really not the ultimate solution. the ultimate solution is something reasonably priced with sufficient storage capability and great compatibility. there's really no reason for anyone to buy anything other than an m3 now imo. i have to choose between the sd version or cf now. i'm leaning towards sd only because there aren't a zillion pins to worry about bending. i'll wait for a review of the sd version and ds compatibility first. thanks again for testing man. good news.

[Social-Zero]

M3 will play all commercial roms perfectly by the end of this month, so please stop saying it won't


I think you need to do some more testing.

There are special roms on their ftp which boot up in a second, we'll be able to patch all commercial roms ourselves on september 20th when the software is released to the public

[SigmaX6]

so M3 cant play nds games yet, but supercard cant save yet(knows there is supposed to be firmware to fix both) Man its really starting to get interesting lol :/

[GlenC]

Hey Hectic,

Can you show us the M3 DS compatibility list please........

Oh.....it isn't yet compatible..........but lets hope they keep their promise eh.....and dont keep altering the features constantly downwards

Stop shouting about **** that isn't even here, stop hijacking threads stating how wonderful the M3 is, when it doesn't even play DS games yet.

What is it with you fanboys, you trying to justify your own decision by slagging off everything else....get a life.

Wait until everything is available (supercard, m3 and Mk2 / 3 all with the latest firmwares) then do a fair comparison.

Glen.

[Z80]

That last post was a good one Hectic. I have to say i see your point and rather agree with it. Since they both play DS and GBA, and the DS part being likely to be roughly the same, I'd rather get an M3 as I'd like to be able to use that GBA capability to its fullest. But that's gonna cost me more so I'll be waiting before buying anything it seems. Ofcourse I was waiting anyway for some reviews of things.

[dreary79]

For all of you making wonderful coments about the M3 not playing everthing:

From the official M3 site:

"Due to the factory delay, M3 pefect adapter will be released in 20th of this month,some dealers may get the stocks earlier.We will list the dealer's website on our site later."

"Our M3 Game Manager V2.0 will be released on 20th Sep, 2005, which will support "Clean Dump" patch function with highest game compatibility and save-type compatibility."

Maybe some people got one before it came out, but why can't people wait for the logical time to review a product. To be honest both products are waiting for patches. Once both patches come out we can do a good comparison on them. And if both patches promises are met.. then... M3 will come out on top.

[starteck2002]

If both patches come out and both products do as the makers claim, how can M3 come out on top?

[dreary79]

If both patches come out and both products do as the makers claim, how can M3 come out on top?The main thing would be clean dumps.

[starteck2002]

Depends how it's read i think:

Our M3 Game Manager V2.0 will be released on 20th Sep, 2005, which will support "Clean Dump" patch function ...

This to me says that it will be capable of patching clean dumps - SuperCard is already doing this.

[dreary79]

I didn't understand it that way, but you could be right.

[Tyger]

Depends how it's read i think:



This to me says that it will be capable of patching clean dumps - SuperCard is already doing this.

Yes you are so right the supercard is awesome will play gba with slow down issues and u need 3 specific type retail ds games to boot and save nds roms. But in 4 days will see whats really up when the m3 is in stock and M3 GM2.0 is out.

[cory149]

For all of you making wonderful coments about the M3 not playing everthing:

From the official M3 site:

"Due to the factory delay, M3 pefect adapter will be released in 20th of this month,some dealers may get the stocks earlier.We will list the dealer's website on our site later."

"Our M3 Game Manager V2.0 will be released on 20th Sep, 2005, which will support "Clean Dump" patch function with highest game compatibility and save-type compatibility."

Maybe some people got one before it came out, but why can't people wait for the logical time to review a product. To be honest both products are waiting for patches. Once both patches come out we can do a good comparison on them. And if both patches promises are met.. then... M3 will come out on top.
Oh, so you mean its the factories fault the software was not done months ago when it was intially said to have been the FIRST and within a week of completion...

These guys have been putting off things so much and getting little done aside from hyping you people up, it wouldn't surprise me any if the 20th comes along and they give you GM2.0 (which by the way there is a Version update e_02 on the site already that apparently does not play any DS stuff yet) and say 'it will be 3 more weeks until release' of the special patcher (hmm, these guys arent SMT though, are they... so I think they actually intend to release it then...).

I hope I'm wrong but their trend is to delay wrather than release, and they have a "team" (not just 1 person) working on this stuff for MONTHS already - you'd think they'd have more done by now...? Considering they hype, at any rate - if they really wanna bash SC out of existence they had better deliver more than a web page of promises.

[booshaka]

Ok this is a little off typic between the SC and M3 feud, but has anyone gotten the moonshell to play any media besides MP3's on the M3? I hate converting this crap.... like to just to be able to drag a drop! Couldn't get my nip slip of christina aguiliera video to run on it and a jpeg I put in there wouldn't work either! But, I think my scumm saves are finally working! *knock on wood*

[GamerzInc]

Ok this is a little off typic between the SC and M3 feud, but has anyone gotten the moonshell to play any media besides MP3's on the M3? I hate converting this crap.... like to just to be able to drag a drop! Couldn't get my nip slip of christina aguiliera video to run on it and a jpeg I put in there wouldn't work either! But, I think my scumm saves are finally working! *knock on wood*


Wait you saying, I gotta convert media files to play em on the m3? If you are I dunno if I wanna get it.

[dreary79]

Wait you saying, I gotta convert media files to play em on the m3? If you are I dunno if I wanna get it.You have to convert media to play just about anything on anything. =) If you don't want to convert video then you might want to buy a portable DVD player or a PSP and buy movies for it. =) As far a moonshell goes... video only works on a few devices and at that the setting have to be set just right. Check the pocketheaven boards for help. =)

[dreary79]

These guys have been putting off things so much and getting little done aside from hyping you people up...They delayed it once, from the 30th of August to the 20th of September; 20 days.

I hope I'm wrong but their trend is to delay wrather than release, and they have a "team" (not just 1 person) working on this stuff for MONTHS already - you'd think they'd have more done by now...? Considering they hype, at any rate - if they really wanna bash SC out of existence they had better deliver more than a web page of promises.I guess all the M3 and SC people should form guilds against each other. Then battle to the death. Because no matter what card it better... it doesn't matter... you've picked your side and there's no going back now.

By the way... the SC at the moment is better than the pre-release M3. And to tell the truth, I have no idea what one will be better in the end. I think the first 1gigabit rom dump will be the first real test.

[GamerzInc]

Thanks for clearing that up.

The m3 and g6 claims are misleading, it saids it can play avi,mpeg,etc. Doesn't tell you, you have to convert

[booshaka]

well the moonshell app plays MP3s good, no conversions, which is nice and claims to be able to view .bmp and .jpg. I tried one JPEG and it didn't work :( Also it states libpng and dmvplay.... I don't know what those last two are or do....?

If your not using moonshell and just the M3, you have to convert everything w/their program. Supercard offers a same type of conversion software too....

anyone know what libpng and dmvplay are?????


-sidenote- MY GOD DANM SCUMM SAVE (Monkey1) DISAPPEARED AGAIN!!!! this is such BS

[Social-Zero]

well the moonshell app plays MP3s good, no conversions, which is nice and claims to be able to view .bmp and .jpg. I tried one JPEG and it didn't work :( Also it states libpng and dmvplay.... I don't know what those last two are or do....?

If your not using moonshell and just the M3, you have to convert everything w/their program. Supercard offers a same type of conversion software too....

anyone know what libpng and dmvplay are?????


-sidenote- MY GOD DANM SCUMM SAVE (Monkey1) DISAPPEARED AGAIN!!!! this is such BS

Yes, I had saving problems with my G6 flash, but after mailing them and asking for help they cleared out that problem. SO now I just use save states for gba saves and save slots for DS saves which doesn't make me lose any save data anymore :)

[booshaka]

I already have 1 flashcart and 2 CF adapters or whatever you call them... so I don't think Ill be buying the g6 :( Guess I'm going to email m3 about the scumm saves. I asked about scumm saves at gbadev but I haven't heard anything yet.... place isn't very active. Last post was in July!

[cory149]

They delayed it once, from the 30th of August to the 20th of September; 20 days.

I guess all the M3 and SC people should form guilds against each other. Then battle to the death. Because no matter what card it better... it doesn't matter... you've picked your side and there's no going back now.

By the way... the SC at the moment is better than the pre-release M3. And to tell the truth, I have no idea what one will be better in the end. I think the first 1gigabit rom dump will be the first real test.If you had been paying attention, M3 and G6 have both been delayed by 3 weeks at least 3 times, plus the latest 20 day factory delay... they have been putting it back for MONTHS not days.

I've wanted a M3 SD for a while now, but if it gets put into the "maybe next year we will release the software that makes it live up to the feature list" by 3 week increments category, there is no point in wasting the money. As I said before, I hope Im wrong for the sake of all the people who have been hoping it will live up to the claims on their site....as well as my for my own reasons. :D

On the other hand, I heard of the SuperCard a long time ago, and then saw an announcement of an upcoming SD version, which then was released 2 weeks later (june 9). A week after that KickTrading announced stock was coming so I preordered 2 days before they got it, and had it in hand before the end of June (long before they started adapting it to the DS mode, and dang what a bonus that was when it was released a short while ago).

Any rate you go join some guild, Im not picking sides Im picking my "knows" and working on code with what I already have: a supercard SD, a f2a ultra 1gig, a small collection of SD cards, a passme, a XG2 turbo 512(crap), a DS, a GBA, a soon to come MK2 (yes, I asked them for one as a developer...)

If things go as Romman has suggested, I will have no need for the M3 SD but would have jumped at it back before the SC kernel was ever realized and released, as the features the SC has now were to be in it (and if you beleived M3 people back when they first put the site up, its impossible for SC to do what its already doing now). So to me it remains to be seen, if the M3 is a quality product wrather than a over-hyped indefinitely delayed software restricted buggy POS I will likely get one - regardless of the so called "sc vs m3" thing that others seem to take some form of sadistic pleasure in.

edit:/ I personally think the first real test will be whether anyone releases a dumper/patcher that will be compatible against new forms/variations of protection - there have been more than a few new games that cannot be dumped yet... so far these flash card companies havent stepped up and released their own dumpers to add more function to their products (not even sure if its on the horizon with M3 like the MP2 has) - so people who get them have to rely on bootleg/illegal downloads to use NDS roms on them at all (wrather than backing up their own with no additional hardware)

[dreary79]

If you had been paying attention, M3 and G6 have both been delayed by 3 weeks at least 3 times, plus the latest 20 day factory delay... they have been putting it back for MONTHS not days.I have been paying attention and I have only seen one official release date and one delay.

Any rate you go join some guild, Im not picking sides Im picking my "knows" and working on code with what I already have: a supercard SD, a f2a ultra 1gig, a small collection of SD cards, a passme, a XG2 turbo 512(crap), a DS, a GBA, a soon to come MK2 (yes, I asked them for one as a developer...)Sounds like you picked sides... to me anyhow. Thats not a big deal though, people tend to do that, I just don't understand your bashing of the M3. But who nows.. if the 20th comes and goes and they delay and delay I might go anti-M3.

edit:/ I personally think the first real test will be whether anyone releases a dumper/patcher that will be compatible against new forms/variations of protection - there have been more than a few new games that cannot be dumped yet... so far these flash card companies havent stepped up and released their own dumpers to add more function to their products (not even sure if its on the horizon with M3 like the MP2 has) - so people who get them have to rely on bootleg/illegal downloads to use NDS roms on them at all (wrather than backing up their own with no additional hardware)I agree, that is a big one.. When I first got my EZ3 I used the EZWriter to put all my games and saves onto my comptuer, then I put them onto the flash card. I would very much like that for DS! I still however think that 1gigabit games and larger will be an equaly important test for these flash cards. =)

[SigmaX6]

I have a sd super card and i have a m3 cf on order, either way im safe :)

[cory149]

They have indeed been saying "will be released in 3 weeks" for months and then keep changing it back every 3 1/2 weeks. I personally cant bash a product I dont have (but I WILL bash their marketing techniques), but present facts as I have been seeing them come by - from any point of view, saying you have a completed product that will be released in 3 weeks, 2 1/2 months ago, and basing a site/PR strategy on "why our product is better than supercard" - is just plain ridiculous and after seeing what has been done with the SC comparison checklist on M3's site (first its impossible, now SC offers pretty much same features as M3) I can understand M3 revealing a planned feature list, and saying it is such (but they didnt, they said "it CAN do this like they already had it ready)

- put simply, everything that I have seen on their "fluid" (always changing) site claims since the first 3 weeks went by and no M3, and they said again "in 3 weeks time" has led to a corruption of my beleif in their statements, and as I have said before here regarding M3, I will beleive it when I see it, and I still hold hope that it will become the product the claimed it already was.

In all actuality, the M3adapter site came into being on their first planned release date at the end of a "in 3 weeks"...

[Hectic]

If both patches come out and both products do as the makers claim, how can M3 come out on top?

the m3 is 100% gba capable and supports all save types. on untouched roms no less. no waiting for a patch or updates. i'm not sure of the sc update you're talking about so i won't comment on ds compatibility.