We get a lot of questions about the DS Xtreme Mod from a whole lot of customers.   Asking us as to whether or not they should consider buying the DS Xtreme mod over other DS Flash card products.  So in light of all of the questions, the easiest thing for us to do is simply to give all of the answers on our Blog – to better help out current and future customers make the right decisions about their DS Flash Card purchase.

So Just Why Is The DS Xtreme Mod So Popular?

Well, to be honest, quite simply put – we have to go back to the time BEFORE the DS Xtreme Mod was released.  Before the release of the DS Xtreme Mod Nintendo DS homebrew gamers WERE able to load hombrew, games and applications via several GBA Flash Cards which had already been on the market.  They were there, these flashcards received updates to enable them, with the help of a PassKey or SuperKey to load NDS files as well as GBA files.  One of the more popular ones at the time was the NDS Super Card which was originally developed for use with the Gameboy Advance / Game Advance SP system.  With the use of a superkey however, that same flash card that was made for the GBA, now worked in the Nintendo DS.  But it was still what we now call a SLOT 2 Flash card, and of course, the Superkey would take up your NDS game slot, because it had to be inserted in order for the unit to be recognized in your NDS.

Now, while we’re only talking about ONE GBA Flash card that ended up turning into an NDS Flash card, there were numerous variations of these units out there.  IN fact a pretty good number of the GBA card, with the use of a superkey and updated firmware from the card manufacturers themselves, ended up working for the NDS gamer too.

And as such, Nintendo DS homebrew was born.  And thriving.  But as the tech junkies that we all are, everyone wanted something perfect.  We didn’t want to use our GBA flash cards, that require patching of game files, and having to run them through the SuperCard software to make them work as an NDS file.  We wanted something we could all plug in, and just start using out of the box, without any patching or hassles.  This is in fact why even today, many of the slot 1 cards like the NDS TTDS and others, still list “Drag and Drop” and “No Patching Required” Amongst their list of features.

All of this was good and fine, but people really wanted to have an NDS Flash Card that looked, worked, and felt like a regular Nintendo DS card…. In comes the DS Xtreme Mod.  The DS Xtreme was the very first SLOT 1 (NDS GAME SLOT) flash card for the Nintendo DS.  It did away with having to buy a passme or superkey as well.  Not only that, it came with built in memory to boot.  So you have nothing more to buy except the actual DS Xtreme – and you would be up and running in now time.

(Editors Note: The DS Xtreme Mod has been discontinued by the manufacturer – so when buying, please take that into consideration)

The DS Xtreme had a unique menu system, came with a whooping (at the time) 512MByte built in memory (which translated to 4GigaBits for your files) and could not only play games, but could also play movies, music, etc…  It also didn’t require you to patch your games.  You could simply drag and drop them onto the DS Xtreme once you connected it via USB to your computer and away you went.  Playing your favorite home brew app, or listening to your favorite music.

All Good Things Must Come To An End:

But then something else happened.  While the DS Xtreme Mod was keeping people busy, and playing a-la NDS Cartridge style, the M3 Team released not one, but two Nintendo DS Flash Cards.

The M3 DS Simply and the R4 DS Card.  You see, up to that point, only the DS Xtreme (and the later G6 DS Real) cards were the only cards that actually worked in your NDS as slot 1 flash cards.  You didn’t need extra hardware, didn’t need to install software on your PC, just drag and drop your files and play you would.  But…. they were pricey.  Not because the people behind the products wanted to over charge, but because of the built in memory costs, which tend to fluctuate up and down as the markey supply and demand changes.  Unfortunately, the DS Xtreme was built at a time when flash memory was at a premium.  With the release of microSD Cards, and the M3 DS and R4 DS cards, which could utilize them, customers soon realized that there was a much cheaper way, and that they were no longer limited to just 512Mbytes of memory – they could actually use much more.  Up to 2Gigabytes – which meant the difference between being able to load up your card with say, 4-5 files, or 18-30 files.   What is even more important to point out however, is that microSD Cards came in really cheap.  Where a DS-X would cost you $149.00 for the 512Mbyte model, you could get an R4 DS with a 1 gig microSD card for under $70.00 (Thatr’s now changed of course… You can buy an official R4 DS for only $19.95!)

With the release of the R4 DS and similar slot 1 cards, customers had more choice.  Sure, the Supercard worked, but it worked in a way that required extra steps in order to fill up that memory card.  Extra steps that required every single game to be compressed / converted before they could be used on your Nintendo DS.  The R4 DS and the M3 DS Simply did away with that.  They just worked (We can’t help but wonder if that’s why they called it the M3 DS SIMPLY – because it Simply works!)

As time has passed, most of these all in one units, by which we mean Slot 1 DS Flash cards that have the unit, and the memory as an all in one, went to the wayside.  With super low cost microSD cards – there really wasn’t a big market left for units that had built in memory, which was quite often double or triple the price of similar microSD card compatible units.  As mentioned above, the DS Xtreme has been discontinued, but the most famous of all of the flash cards, the R4 DS Card is still available and still a customer favorite both for it’s compatibility with all types of files, and low cost microSD Card compatibility.

Find out more about the R4 DS Card for Nintendo DS…. 

Click Here.

If you’re one of the lucky people that have their hands on a new Nintendo DSi and an R4i SDHC card, then we have the latest r4i sdhc firmware for you.  The latest version of the R4i SDHC firmware fixes and corrects some bugs that were present in the earlier r4i firmwares.  It fixes several games to work properly as well as adds support for even more homebrew files.

It has also been updated to now allow the R4i SDHC to work on the newest v1.4 revision of the Nintendo DSi.  Prior to this firmware release everyone was urging their customers NOT to update to the latest 1.4 revision of the NDSi firmware itself.   With this release, you don’t have to worry any more because the R4i SDHC firmware now fully support the newest 1.4 version.

Download the R4i English V1.12b Firmware file

Oh those great game codes of yesterday.  Up, down, left, left, up, right, down, down.  These codes were traded, swapped and told in magazines.  Unlocking more health, endless lives, and more.  But now some creative tech over at ProtoDojo.com has come up with a new use for these secret codes.  To unlock the 1 Gig Flash drive that’s built into the hollowed out NES controller.  Your Data is of course secure – and you’ll have to use the special secret joystick code to unlock it

Check out our specials on R4 DS Card and R4i SDHC Cards

From the same team and developers behind the worlds very first Nintendo Wii Mod Chip – comes the worlds very first hassle free Mod Chip.  By hassle free we don’t mean to imply that other wii mod chips have hassles.  The hassle being the installation.  Probably the biggest thing that stops users from purchasing a Nintendo Wii mod chip is simply the installation itself.  While installing a chip has gotten a lot easier, with only a few wires that have to be soldered to the board of the Wii DVD Drive, it still means being comfortable with a soldering iron, and having some skills when you’re wiring up / installing your modchip.

Those “hassles” however have been removed now, all done away with – with the release of a No Solder Wii Mod Chip.  This no solder wii mod chip is called the Drivekey.  Made by the folks behind the WiiKey – the drivekey works the same as the Wiikey modchip – with more features and functions of course.  And the best part?  Absolutely no soldering required.  You simply plug in the cable that comes with the drivekey into the Wii DVD Drive, and plug the cable from the Wii DVD Drive into the mod chip itself.  It acts as a bridge, or a pass-thru in that once the cables are connected to both ends of the Drivekey – your Nintendo Wii is not modded.  You’ve just “installed” (should be PLUGGED IN) and modified your Wii without any need to have soldering experience – or even have a soldering iron in the house

DRIVEKEY WII MOD CHIP

People often email and ask what exactly they gain when they Buy and R4 DS Card.  While the answers, in our eyes, is rather easy, the truth it we all use our favorite game console in different ways.   When you Buy R4 DS cards, you’re not just buying an ordinary accessory for your Nintendo DS.  In fact, along with your R4 DS Card you’re getting about 500 FREE games…  in the form of Homebrew Games for the Nintendo DS and DSi.

What are homebrew games?  Wikipedia sums it up best, so we’ll just quote it…  “Homebrew is a term frequently applied to video games or other software produced by consumers to target proprietary hardware platforms not typically user-programmable or that use proprietary storage methods. This might include games developed with official development kits, such as Net Yaroze or Linux for PlayStation 2. Some more frequently used labels, such as freeware, are often applied as well. A popular type of homebrew game is the fangame. In Japan, these games are usually called “D?jin soft” ”

The fact is that the R4 DS really “busts” your Nintendo DS or DSi wide open… Allowing you to download and play hundreds and hundreds of FREE hombrew games.   And when we say 500 homebrew games, we’re reall UNDER exaggerating it.

While we’d love to list every single homebrew game you can use with the R4 DS Cards we simply can’t do it in one post.  But we DO have 3 favorite games you’ve probably NEVER even heard of – and you CAN have them absolutely FREE!  All you have to do is Buy an R4 DS card and you’ll be gaming in no time.

1. FlashBack DS

We’ve been gaming for a long time.  Right back to the days of the old TRS-80 and our favorite – The Commodore 64.  After our precious C64 bit the dust, we upgraded to the Commodore Amiga computers.  One our of the BEST games (if not THE best game) on the Amiga was a sci-fi inspired game called FLASHBACK. A truly unique and engaging Sci-Fi Adventure / Sytrategy game that withstood the test of time, and is now available (officially from the original creator) as a Nintendo DS Homebrew game.  The R4 DS is a purchase you can’t miss just for this game alone.  Strategy and action packed.

2. Video Games Hero

If we weren’t such huge fans of Flashback, we would have picked this game as our number one – considering that guitar and music games are all the rage.  And we’re okay with confirming – we love guitar hero and other music games.  Video Games Hero is an open source / homebrew take on Guitar Freax (original Japanese game – one of our best sellers for the PS2) and Guitar Hero.

VideoGamesHero brings you homebrew action at it’s best – offering lasting fun and challenging action with over 65 Songs, 5 Game modes, Motion Card and Guitar Grip support, there is something for everyone!  And we don’t mean to repeat ourselves – but you can only play this game if you have an R4 DS for your Nintendo DS or DSi

3. MARBLE

And finally… Our Third pick for the homebrew game we’re checking out is a game that is still in development, called MARBLE – While it is a work in progress, memories of Marble Madness come flooding in and we’re truly drooling at the graphics and the quality of what we’ve seen so far.  And did we mention that you CAN have this game absolutely FREE when it is completed?

Homebrew gaming is truly the only reason to buy an R4 DS Card.  While not EVERY SINGLE game is commercial quality, we dare say that at least 50% of the games we play on a regular basis are just as good as, if not better than, commercial quality Nintendo DS games.

And in closing, the only thing YOU have to watch out for – if you’re going to buy an r4 ds is which model of the Nintendo DS console you have.  If you have a check out our quick chart below to know which version of the R4 DS is right for you!

If you have a Nintendo DS (and it looks like the picture to the right – without the camera lens – then you need to buy R4 DS instead of the R4i SDHC (though the R4i SDHC can and DOES work in the Nintendo DS because it is 100% backwards compatible)

Buy R4 DS

If you have a Nintendo DSi console – this console has the Camera Lens showing on the bottom right side of the top of the console – when closed – you need the R4i SDHC version.  The R4 DS simply will not work in this unit at all, because it is not upgradeable for DSi use and will not be recognized.

R4i SDHC

When it comes to the R4i Advance, we do receive a lot of emails from customers wondering exactly which model of the R4 DS they need.  With several different R4 DS units on the market, it can get confusion.  But in reality, it is actually quite simple.

There are really only 2 things to consider when you’re looking to buy the r4i advance.  The first consideration in making your decision is probably the very easiest.  Do you own a Nintendo DS or Nintendo DS Lite?  If so, then you need the original R4 DS Card.  If you own a Nintendo DSi, well, the original R4 DS Card simply won’t work for you.  You’ll need to go with the R4i Advance in order to use the features and functions of the R4 Card.  The original R4 DS Cards were made / developed long before the Nintendo DSi was even a drawing on paper.  For this reason, they did not have it built into their design.

The second thing to consider when you’re buying your R4 DS is whether or not you’ll be upgrading to the Nintendo DSi console in the future.  The R4i Advance is fully compatible with the NDSi console – and backwards compatible with the Nintendo DS / DS Lite consoles too.  But the original R4 DS Card however is NOT compatible with the new NDSi consoles – and support wil not be added for it in the future.

Using the selection below, Buy R4 DS Card that is right for your console.

If you own a Nintendo DS or DS Lite The R4 DS Card is the one you should buy.  Click on the image of the R4 DS card you need – depending on your consoles.

If you have a Nintendo DSi then the R4i Advance is the card for you.

Introducing the EZflash V NDSi from one of the older manufacturers in the flash cart business.  The EZFlash team has been responsible for such products as the EZLinker, the EZ Flash ii for GBA / GBA SP and even an EZ Flash for the Game Boy Color systems.  They have been supporting homebrew and game developers with top of the line flash cards.

The EZflash V NDSi is the next generation / update to the very famous EZ Flash linker systems.  It was one of the first units to have full support for the Nintendo DSi console, and it has proven itself yet again by being upgradeable with full support for the newest v1.4 NDSi consoles.  Unlike other cards for the NDSi (mostly clone cards which sadly are very much penetrating the market) the EZFlash Vi unit makes us remember that getting an original card backed by a good manufacturer is the only way to go – and we can’t say this enough to our customers.

Sure, we could sell clone / copy cards for lower prices, but you would be getting a product that just doesn’t work as advertised, and in some cases, even destroys your NDS orNDSi console.  Sticking with trusted and long time manufacturers is the ONLY way to go!

EZ-Flash Vi (SDHC) features an advanced PDA like interface and easy to use software. The EZVi works on all DS systems from the Fat NDS to the new DSi. To this day, across the world, EZ-Flash cards are being chosen over the competition for their reliability, performance, and ease of use.

Some of the features of the EZFlash V NDSi :

• Works on NDS, NDS Lite, and DSi
• NOPASS technology, no need to modify DS console, no harm to the console, keeps console warranty.
• Side plugin, prevent the MicroSD/SDHC suddenly drop, looks like original card
• Support official Slot2 expansion device
• Softreset reduces the damage to the power switch
• RAM expansion, support offcial web browser
• Rumble support, strength adjustable
• Light control adjustable
• Homebrew support, autoDLDI supported
• Support MicroSD/SDHC, high capacity, high speed, no speed drop.
• Direct save to MicroSD/SDHC, no more save loss.

Find out more about the EZFlash V NDSi

There’s a rush to buy Slot 1 Flash cards for the Nintendo DS, and what many people don’t realize is that if you already have certain flash cards for the GBA, then you’re half way there. With the Superkey DS you don’t need to go out and buy a whole new NDS Flash card.  You can simply upgrade your exsisting NDS Supercard or GBA Supercard with the Superkey.

The Superkey DS is a slot 1 pass me, or passcard.  What this means is that it willmake your NDS think

Superkey DS

that you have a slot 1 card in the game slot.  So you can actually use your NDS Supercard or GBA Supercard and use it not only for the GBA files, but also for the NDS Files.  The SuperKey Adapter is exactly the same size as a regular NDS Cartridge, and fits into any Nintendo DS or Nintendo DS Lite.  The SuperKey DS enables your Nintendo DS or DS Lite to boot rom files quickly and easily from a standard GBA Flash card plugged into your NDS or NDS Lite GBA Cartridge slot.

With the Superkey DS you don’t have to run out and buy another flash linker set.  It works perfectly with all GBA Flash cards to enable you to boot into the NDS and use NDS files as if you had and NDS Flash Card.  It is of course a perfect companion to our NDS Supercards – but it will work with virtually every GBA Flasher on the market

Some of the Features of the Superkey DS

• Access media from any GBA flash cart
• Works Perfectly with all GBA Flash Linker Sets
• A must have addition to our line of SuperCard SD and SuperCard CF Adapters for GBA / NDS / NDS Lite.
• Plug-and-play – automatically detected. When loading an NDS game from a GBA Flash card your NDS will boot into NDS mode.

Click the link to find out more about the Superkey DS cards

The Supercard GBA Mini SD Version is still one of the most sought after GBA / NDS Supercard products.  It works in all GBA, GBA SP and GBA Micro Consoles world wide, and if you add to the mix the actual SuperKey in a combo package you can also use it on your Nintendo DS / DS Lite to run both NDS and GBA files.

More than just a homebrew nds roms player, it the Supercard GBA allows you to turn your GBA consoles into an ebook

Supercard GBA Mini SD Version

reader, music player, and more.  The features and functions are fully packed.  With the Superkey your supercard GBA Mini SD version turns into a two in one product with which you can take advantage of all of the latest released for the NDS / NDS Lite and load and play them too.

Because of the long life of the Gameboy Advance and the huge install base, there are literally thousands upon thousands of homebrew games and applications – absolutely FREE online.  From emulators for other consoles or older computer systems to homebrew games that rival many of the commercial games that you can find online.  A quick search on any major search engine for GBA Homebrew games or NDS homebrew roms will bring up thousands of web sites dedicated to free homebrew games and applications.

How does it work?  It’s so very easy.  Simply copy the files from your PC to the Supercard GBA Mini SD Card, insert the card into the NDS Supercard and plug it into your GBA or the GBA port of your NDS console.  And in seconds you’ll be up and running and playing your games.  The Supercard fully supports GBA/GBA SP/NDS/NDS Lite console world wide and it Works with Superkey and SuperPass 2

Some of the Features of the Supercard GBA Mini SD Version

• Watch movies (.gbs .gbm), read E-books, play music, see pictures and more.
• Support GBA/GBA SP/NDS/NDS Lite
• Super Game Cheat system.
• Real Time Save – save your games instantly when ever you like it.
• Four button reset to main menu.
• The real size of GBA card.
• And MUCH MORE!

Find out more about the Supercard GBA Mini SD

The R4 DS Full Package we have available here at PS2Cover.com gives you everything you need in order to power up your Nintendo DS console.  This is the full package for the R4 DS that includes the R4 DS Itself, the MicroSD Card reader / writer, and a 2 Gig microSD memory card.  Everything you need in a convenient combo package.

A lot of people think they should you out and get the R4 DS package itself – and then go an find a microSD card at some

The R4 DS Full Package

local store.  The fact is the places like BestBuy, Radio Shack and many other main street electronics stores will often times over charge you for a memory card.  And because not ALL microSD cards work perfectly in the R4 DS, Getting the full package when buying your R4 card is your best and safest bet.

By getting the R4 DS Full Package you won’t have to worry about running around to find a microSD card.  You’ll have everything you need to be up and running in just minutes.

We’d like to take this opportunity once again to point out that we DO NOT Sell fake R4 DS Clones.  Our R4 DS Cards are the official and original R4 Cards.  We simply cannot in good faith sell a clone card to our customers when we know full well that these clone cards simply won’t work as they should – and often at all.   As we mentioned when we talked about the Cheapest R4 DS Cards – cheaper is really not better when it comes to this type of a product.

The Full Package R4 DS gives you everything in one box.  With the 2 Gig memory card you’ll have loads of space to copy your homebrew, games and applications and play them on your Nintendo DS or DS Lite.  The included moonshell allows you to watch movies, read ebooks and listen to mp3 music right on your NDS, turning it into your own personal media player.  The NDS is really capable of a whole lot more than just playing your favorite games.   With the right homebrew software you can easily turn it into a full PDA system as well as a portable ebook reader.  Don’t have an iPod or other Mp3 player?  No problem.  The R4 DS will let you listen to MP3 music as well!

Click the link to find out more about the R4 DS Full Package and Buy R4 DS

The M3 DS Simply is not lacking in the number of updates, but it is lacking when it comes to the time in between updates.  Firmware updates for the M3 DS Simply are important because it is the firmware that has support for the newest files.  Within the newest firmware, your Firmware for m3 ds simply might not support many of the newest files available right now.

M3 DS Simply

Unfortunately the M3 DS Simply just does  not get any more real firmware updates.  This is the reason that the R4 DS became the most popular flash card – constant firmware updates means that you always have support for the newest files.

We wanted to make firmware for the m3 ds simply downloading as easy as can be.  Most of the firmware files for the m3 ds simply can only be found on various mirrors on line, and sometimes those mirror sites are no longer working and simply don’t have the newest version.

It’s important for us to say that if you want the exact same features as the m3 ds simply but you want firmware updates all the time, then we strongly urge you to buy R4 DS instead.  Price wise they are the same, they also have exactly the same features and functions, the only difference being that the M3 DS Simply just isn’t getting the firmware updates it should be getting, while the R4 DS continues to have all of the firmware updates released – and that means full support for all of the latest files.

With an outdated firmware you’ll soon find that a good number of the homebrew roms applications, etc… simply won’t work.  This is because the firmware on your m3 ds is outdated and support for those specific files has not yet been added into the firmware.

We go back again to the Best NDS Supercards we wrote about previously – know what you’re buying before you buy it so that you can rest easy knowing you’ll have full support for a long time to come!

Click the Link for M3 DS Simply Firmware and download.

We often get asked which of all of the flash cards is the best NDS Supercard .   With so many NDS Flash Cards on the market today, it’s not easy to know exactly which one will meet your needs, and which one you should buy.  There are a lot of brands for the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite and the new Nintendo DSi console.  Deciding which one YOU should buy depends largely on… well… YOU.

We do have some favorites here at PS2Cover, though we’re quick to point out that all of the cards essentially offer the same features and functions.  The list of cards is long, but some of the more popular cards today are the R4 DS Card , The NDS TTDS , and of course the actual NDS Supercards itself.   Here, we’ll do a quick run down of some of the basic features of each card.  To find out more about the different / best NDS Supercard simply visit the actual product page for each card for a full list of features and functions.

Best NDS Supercard

NDS Supercards

The NDS Supercards was one of the first cards on the market for the Nintendo DS and DS Lite that allowed you to use both NDS and GBA files. With the NDS Supercards and the Superkey users were able to use the NDS Supercard for both GBA and NDS files on their Nintendo DS.  You use just 1 card, and have access to both GBA and NDS games, homebrew and applications.  With the SuperCard SD Version you can load and store all of your favorite GBA or NDS Files on regular (and very cheap) SD Cards.  Remember, you’ll need both the NDS Supercard and SuperKey in order to use both NDS and GBA files.

Some of the features of this product:

• Play both GBA games (.gba) and NES, GB, PCE, SMS/GG with out additional software!
• See movies (.gbs .gbm), read E-books, play music, see pictures and more.
• Super Game Cheat system.
• Real Time Save – save your games instantly when ever you like it.
• Four button reset to main menu.
• Supports compression.
• Supports semi-multitasking – switch between running game and other software without quitting the game.

Click the link to Find out more about the Best NDS Supercards

R4 DS Card For DS / DS Lite

The R4 DS is, without a doubt, the most popular and most well known nds cards on the market.  And not just because of the name.  Most people buy R4 DS because of the committed support and firmware upgrades from the manufacturer.  One thing to look out for, and this is VERY imporant, and that is the clone / fake R4 DS Cards on the market.  Steer clear of anyone trying to sell you an R4 DS for a ridiculously low price.  There’s absolutely no doubt that it is a fake (the R4 Team actually have ways of identifying these fake cards, and if you’ve bought one and have been duped – contact the seller immediately and demand your money back!)  The Clone R4 DS cards can do permanent damage to your Nintendo DS system.

Some of the features of this card are as follows:

• Works in all original Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite consoles world wide
• solid firmware updates (If you have a fake R4 DS, the real firmware won’t work!)
• Excellent support from the manufacturer.
• Plays Homebrew games and applications
• Drag and Drop all your files to your microSD card – no need to patch any files.

Buy R4 DS

The NDS TTDS Card

The NDS TTDS Card

Feature packed and offering more support than many of the nds supercards on the market today.  The NDS TTDS was one of the first cards that allowed you to use microSD cards greater than 2GB in size.  It actually support microSD cards up to 32GB in total – so you’ll have a hard time running out of space when loading up your NDS TTDS.

Some of the features of this card are as follows:

• Works in all original Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite consoles world wide
• solid firmware updates
• Full DLDI patching built in.  Load and run files out of the box like the R4 DS
• Excellent support from the manufacturer.
• Plays Homebrew games and applications
• Drag and Drop all your files to your microSD card – no need to patch any files.

Click the link to find out more about the NDS TTDS

There once was a time in the history of the PS2 Modchip where you had to be very careful when you were choosing the ps2 modchip for your console.  Which modchip you bought for your ps2 depended a lot on when you bought your actual PS2 console, what model it was, what version of the motherboard it had, etc…

The ModBo 4.0 PS2 Modchip is universal and works in ALL PS2 Consoles world wide!

That time has now, thankfully, long past.  Buying a PS2 Modchip for your PS2 is as painless as can be, so long as you know which modchip you need to buy.

At PS2Cover.com we pride ourselves on not only carrying the latest and coolest modchip products, but we specialize in offering our customers a selection of products that will cut down on any worry over buying the right item and always offering for sale only the items that we’ve tested and used ourselves.

Let’s face it, buying a PS2 Modchip should be painless.  Our favorite PS2 Modchip here at Ps2Cover is hands down the ModBo 4.0 Universal chip for PS2.  Not only is it a low priced modchip, with all the features of modchips that cost 2 – 3 times as much.  But because it is also completely universal, which means that it will work in virtually every single PS2 Console on the market today.  You won’t have check your model number, go through the frustration of finding out what board is in your ps2, or anything else.  Why?  Because the ModBo 4.0 Ps2 modchip just works.  It supports all versions of the ps2 console and installation, as far as most modchips go, is quick and easy.

It has full support for all import and backup games for both PSOne and PS2.  It even has a stealth mode meaning it will shut down once it has done what it needs to do – so your ps2 won’t even know that you have a mod chip installed.

It also has all of the features and functions of modchips that cost twice as much as the ModBo 4.0.  Read on for a brief list of features.

• Imports games fix (all PSX import games are played at full screen and full color)
• Stealth-mode (the modchip can be switched off and becomes invisible to online gaming)
• Sleep-mode (the modchip will switch off itself after boot)
• Supports DVD-9 games
• Plays all CD’s and DVD’s games (both, import or backup’s)
• Supports multi-disk games
• Supports anti-mod PS1 games (only for V9 – V16 PS2)
• Very reliable (all the Modchips are 100% tested before delivery)
• Very stable (thanks to sleep mode the IC will never overheat)
• CD lens safe (avoid CD lens damage by sending un-necessary signal to drive controller)
• Supports DEV1 and DEV2 for memory card booting

• Fully compatible with ps2 v1-v16 PAL / USA / Jap
• Upgraded from modbo3.0, comes with original 100% v1.88 firmware, but it isn’t upgradeable
• Comes with mini size board and the wiring point order is good for installation
• Automatic selection for PS2/PS1/DVD supports
• DVD region free incorporated
• Software selectable “PS2 Quick Load” option. (to skip PS2 logo and Quick boot PS2 games)
• Software selectable “PSX Quick Load” option (to skip PS1 logo and Quick boot PSX games)
• Easy to install (only 18 wires for V1-V8 and 20 wires for V9, V10, V11, V12, V13)
• CPLD chip (3.3V power supply) based IC for enhanced stability
• Automatic “MACROVISION=OFF” on all PS2 from V3 to V16 without additional wires
• Automatic “green fix” (no more need to change the cable to see your DVD movies on the PS2)

Want to find out more about the best ps2 modchip?   Check out the ModBo 4.0 Modchip for PS2

Not really!  As much as we’d all love to see an HD Loader for the wii, in the form of a disc that lets you swap out your games and play your import games without a modchip, it just doesn’t make sense.  While there are some Wii HD Loader type programs out there, mainly for homebrew gaming, the ability for these Wii HD Loaders to support all of the current games and homebrew is, so it seems, impossible.

The other issue that really stands out, and one that most people who are looking for a Wii HD Loader don’t realize, is that unlike a Wii Mod Chip – Soft Modding your Wii with a Wii Hd Loader can, and is detected, and then quickly shut down. New versions are released, fixes abound, but the fact remains that you could be just one Nintendo update away from rendering your Wii absolutely useless.

You see, Wii Modchips don’t actually overwrite the firmware on your Nintendo Wii console.  They in essence allow you Wii console to load whatever it is you want it to load – and then as quickly as they turned on, they turn right off again.  This is not the case for Wii HD Loader type products.  They over write the firmware of your Nintendo Wii console and thus make permanent changes to your Wii – changes that can be seen should someone want to check.  Countless updates have rendered these quick fixes useless.  And in many cases, people are bricking their Nintendo Wii console while trying to load the Wii HD Loader software to over write the firmware of their Wii.

We receive emails from customers (numerous emails each and every day) asking us just how they can unbrick their now bricked Wii Consoles because they tried to load the firmware HD Loader and ended up turning their Wii into a door stop.  Sadly, there is little that can be done when this happens, and sending it back to Nintendo to repair will fully reveal that you have tampered with the firmware – and you can bet your games on the fact that Nintendo will NOT be fixing you console.

The best, and safest method has always been, and continues to be a Mod Chip for the Wii.  There are solderless mod chips that are simply plug in and play.  You just attach the DVD Cable to the chip, and then another cable from the chip to the DVD Drive, plug it in, and you’re done (and you can remove it just as easily as you put it in, should you sell your Wii or need to have it serviced.

Get the right Nintendo Wii ModChip when you’re considering chipping wii consoles.  This is the most important step.  Before you do any chipping of wii consoles – make sure you’re buying the wii modchip that will work in your system.

There are a lot of Wii modchips out there, all vying for your attention when you’re ready to start chipping Wii Consoles.  And with a lot of selection, can come a lot of confusion.  But it’s actually much easier than you think.  It all boils down to which Wii console you want to start chipping.  And a lot can be figured out by the date you purchased your Nintend Wii console.  At least that WAS the case until now.

Many of todays wii modchips are 100% universal in that they will work in a any Nintendo Wii consoles.  So you don’t have to go through the hassles of trying to find out which model you have, and chipping your wii consoles will be a lot easier than it was in the past.   There are solderless mod chips, that don’t even require you to own a soldering iron, as well as wii modchips that only need you to connect 4-6 wires (As opposed to the 25-30 wires it used to be)

Chipping Wii Consoles ?  Here’s a quick run down of the two main wii mod chips to consider when you’re chipping your wii console.

Solderless No Solder Wii Mod Chip

The Drivekey Wii Mod Chip.   This Nintendo Wii Mod chip does not require you to use any type of soldering.  You simply plug it in , and you’ll be up and running in no time.  It is a completely solderless solution.  So no wires, no installation issues, and no need to have any type of soldering skills.  This chip is completely universal, which means it will work in every single wii console world wide.

Click on the image for more information on the Drivekey

A Little Soldering – But not any fuss!

The Wiikey 2 Nintendo Wii Mod Chip is a dream to use.  Now, if you’re chipping wii consoles, this is a chip that does require some soldering, however, it only needs to have 4-6 wires connected (depending on the model of the Nintendo Wii Console) and like the drivekey, it will work in all Nintendo Wii Consoles world wide.  A number of people prefer this chip over any other chip.  It was after all one of the very first Wii Mod Chips on the market.

Click On The WiiKey 2 Picture for more information on the wiikey 2 Nintendo Wii Mod Chip

We all like a bargain.  Goodness knows I do too.  When I am not here helping customers with their orders and answering questions, I often go out and try to find the cheapest deals for whatever products I am looking to buy.  So it’s not shocking to see that customers coming to us for R4 DS Cards are also looking for the cheapest R4 DS Card.

In all honesty, I don’t blame anyone for wanting to save a few dollars.  And really, when you’re comparing prices, you’re comparing the products too, apples to apples.  Saving $10.00 of your Nintendo DS because there’s an online coupon is something you should definitely take advantage of.  Unfortunately, that is NOT the case with looking for the Cheapest R4 DS Card available online.

Because of the plethora of cloned R4 DS Cards getting the cheapest one is not always the choice you should be making.  After all, the R4 DS Card allows you to play thousands of free homebrew games and applications, exploding your game library with games you couldn’t even buy in stores.   But gaming and music and ebook reading aside.  The fact of the matter is that you get what you pay for.

A copy or clone of the R4 DS card may seem like a great deal.  You can buy it for $9.95 – $14.95 instead of the regular price of the real r4 ds card.  The fact remains however that it’s a copy and a clone.   We’ve had reports of customers coming back to us after they’ve bought a clone r4 ds somewhere else – explaining how it blew a fuse in their Nintendo DS, and now they had to buy a new NDS console, and are buying an official and original R4 DS Card from us.  It’s not the kind of emails we like getting.  While we’d love to have YOUR business, we certainly don’t want you to end up with broken NDS or have issues with the R4 copy you ordered.

Below I’ll list some of the things you loose and won’t have access to.

• Clone R4 DS Cards don’t work with any of the new firmwares.  They can only use the oldest firmware because the new firmware checks to make sure you actually are using it on a REAL R4 DS and not a fake/copy R4 DS
• Using the oldest firmware means that right out of the box, you’ve lost support for about 30% of the newest files / applications.  Firmware updates are released to add support for newer files.  If your copy R4 DS can’t use the newest firmware, you can’t use the newest files.
• Build Quality is, in most cases, absolutely horrible.  We get samples of cards from many manufacturers in China. And to be honest, most of these clones that they try to sell to us as the real thing could snap apart in our fingers by just being bent the wrong way.  Yes, they really ARE that bad!
• An R4 DS is a one time investment.  My original R4 DS has been running strong for close to 3 years now.  Most clone cards have to be replaced sometimes just a few months into use.  Why?  Because they use refurbished parts of old / re-used components to cut down on costs.

So take notice.  Getting the Cheapest R4 DS Card is not always the best answer.  Paying close attention to whether you’re buying a potentially harmful clone that will do a whole lot more damage than just not work on the latest files.

In closing, if you’re going to out to Buy R4 DS – spend a few extra dollars and buy the real thing!

We’ve just received our latest batch of R4i Sdhc cards for the Nintendo DSi and can confirm they are working on the new DSi with the v1.4 update.

As a note our AceKard 2i is also working on the Nintendo DSi with v1.4 update.  We do want to warn our customers that there are many cloned R4 DS Cards on the market.  And sadly, when it comes to this type of a product, you truly do get what you pay for – which usually means no real support, no proper updates.  they copied the product, not designed it from the ground up – they can’t possibly support it properly!

At PS2Cover.com we’re proud to say that we only carry OFFICIAL and ORIGINAL R4 DS Cards and other slot 1 flash cards.  We won’t stock clones or fakes despite the fact that our profits would be about 30% higher…  And sadly, that is the reason why many other online stores (We’re NOT saying all other stores!) do carry fakes and clones.  A few extra dollars, but so much less reliability.  It’s not something we want to subject our customer to.