Few Questions regarding playing games via softmod

[Greg2600]

Hi all, first time posting here. I'm looking to run backups of GC games on a standard GC without physically modding it. I've read tons of sites/forums the last few days, and I just had a few questions to be certain of what I need to buy.

Is there any physical/feature difference between the SD Media Launcher, WiiKey, and SD Gecko adapters?

Will I definitely need a disc (like that from SD Media Launcher) to run some type of startup application, or if I have Swiss on a memory card is that enough?

To use large SDHC memory cards, that can only be done by loading Swiss on an SD card, then switching to an SDHC card (basically every time)? Does that work on any SD adapter?

Do I need to reset the cube to get back to the Swiss menu from a game, and if so, do I need to swap the SD/SDHC cards again?

PS: Is there any way to load games from my PC's HDD to the GameCube using the Broadband adapter? I do this on my PS2 with Open PS2 Loader.

Appreciate the help!

[Aressi]

Swiss support, you can use Gcom 2.4 to load games from BBA

[megalomaniac]

http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.ph ... g_Homebrew

[Greg2600]

Swiss support, you can use Gcom 2.4 to load games from BBA

I'm not looking to rip games from the Gamecube to backup to PC, I want to go the other way around. I found some older stuff on Google about streaming ISO's to a GC using Gamecube Simulator. Does GCom do the same thing? Is it faster/more compatible than using an SD card?

http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.ph ... g_Homebrew

Doesn't list the ordinary Wii Key (not Fusion), but is it safe to say all unmodified systems using an SD adapter need a startup disc?

[megalomaniac]

if you are talking about wiiSD adapter or the wiikey SD adapter, then both of those are only SD adapters...nothing more...
just a plain SD gecko with a different brand name...they are useless without a startup disc or a modchip...

SDHC is only supported by swiss...all other software is so old, SDHC was not even around...so its useless with SDHC cards and no you cannot partition your SD card to fake a smaller size and larger size in the same card...

you can load games over broadband adapter but that is 40$ and only 1 game supports it, Phantasy Star Online which typically sells for 40$ - 100$

all unmodified systems need either an SDGecko, USBGecko, or BBA...your choices are very limited when it comes to an unmodified GC...
why not mod your GC and make things much easier for yourself? you will have a lot more alternatives depending on the modchip you use

[emu_kidid]

Hi all, first time posting here. I'm looking to run backups of GC games on a standard GC without physically modding it. I've read tons of sites/forums the last few days, and I just had a few questions to be certain of what I need to buy.

Welcome, there are many ways to do this, I'll try to cover your questions, but most methods are detailed here:
http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.ph ... ng_Backups

Is there any physical/feature difference between the SD Media Launcher, WiiKey, and SD Gecko adapters?

SD Media Launcher, WiikeySD & SDGecko are the same, they only differ in build quality. You can make your own from a memory card if you wish:
http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=SDGecko

Will I definitely need a disc (like that from SD Media Launcher) to run some type of startup application, or if I have Swiss on a memory card is that enough?

You will need a boot disc (SD Media Launcher or Action replay) if you don't want a modchip, see here: http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.ph ... g_Homebrew

To use large SDHC memory cards, that can only be done by loading Swiss on an SD card, then switching to an SDHC card (basically every time)? Does that work on any SD adapter?

If you've loaded via one of the methods above, you will need to swap SD cards most of the time (since SD Media launcher can't initialize a SDHC card) and if you were to use 2 SD Gecko's then you'd need to swap one out for a Memory Card if you end up playing a game anyway. (Memory card emulation exists in Swiss but is very broken at this point).
If you meant do you need to boot swiss off a SD card then switch to a larger card, not necessarily, if you boot up using a hardware mod (XenoGC, etc), you can have your SDHC/SDXC card in the slot from the get go.

Do I need to reset the cube to get back to the Swiss menu from a game, and if so, do I need to swap the SD/SDHC cards again?

Yes you do at this point - In-Game-Reset is coming soon. Again as explained above, since your boot method is going to be a softmod, you will need to swap the SD out for SDML to be able to read it to boot swiss.

PS: Is there any way to load games from my PC's HDD to the GameCube using the Broadband adapter? I do this on my PS2 with Open PS2 Loader.

I want to add this to swiss one day, but for now your only option are the dated Starcube simulators - viewtopic.php?f=37&t=3 (Starcube Loaders are the best ones)

I'm not looking to rip games from the Gamecube to backup to PC, I want to go the other way around. I found some older stuff on Google about streaming ISO's to a GC using Gamecube Simulator. Does GCom do the same thing? Is it faster/more compatible than using an SD card?

GCOM dumps discs to PC via BBA, not what you're after.

Doesn't list the ordinary Wii Key (not Fusion), but is it safe to say all unmodified systems using an SD adapter need a startup disc?

Yes they all do need a boot disc.

[Greg2600]

you can load games over broadband adapter but that is 40$ and only 1 game supports it, Phantasy Star Online which typically sells for 40$ - 100$

all unmodified systems need either an SDGecko, USBGecko, or BBA...your choices are very limited when it comes to an unmodified GC...
why not mod your GC and make things much easier for yourself? you will have a lot more alternatives depending on the modchip you use

I'm terrible at modding. So even using a BBA, I will need the disc from Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II? Thanks.

Hi all, first time posting here. I'm looking to run backups of GC games on a standard GC without physically modding it. I've read tons of sites/forums the last few days, and I just had a few questions to be certain of what I need to buy.

Welcome, there are many ways to do this, I'll try to cover your questions, but most methods are detailed here:
http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.ph ... ng_Backups

Wow, lots of good info, thanks. On that page, it has a No for audio streaming on anything but DVD-R's, does that mean the game audio/music doesn't work?

[emu_kidid]

Wow, lots of good info, thanks. On that page, it has a No for audio streaming on anything but DVD-R's, does that mean the game audio/music doesn't work?

There are certain games which the background music (not sound FX) used in them are played directly from the disc drive (like a CD audio track essentially). Nothing supports emulating this function apart from Devolution on the Wii or using the original/backup disc on a GameCube/Wii (and even with a modchip that allows backup discs on a Wii it's hit/miss depending on firmware/type).

See this page for more: http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.ph ... _Streaming

If you really want to run some of those titles, either enjoy the silent background music or buy the original

[jlo138]

If you plan on playing backups on DVD-R then you'll likely need to adjust the potentiometer. Meaning taking the cube apart, getting under the disc drive to the board and adjusting a tiny screw. You could be a lucky one and never have to do it but that's unlikely. If you get in game freezing and or black loading screens to nowhere then it's probably the POT screw.

Or ignore all that and just SD load your isos.

[Greg2600]

I'm probably just going to go the SD Media Launcher route, since that's the most readily available product. However, if I went with the Broadband adapter and Starcube Loader, I still need a PSO disc yes?

[emu_kidid]

You could load SDML, then Swiss, then a Starcube loader, but why bother, SD is getting better all the time from Swiss.

[Greg2600]

You could load SDML, then Swiss, then a Starcube loader, but why bother, SD is getting better all the time from Swiss.

Ok. My experience with PS2 games via USB/SD card is very poor compared to via Ethernet. I'm guessing the Gamecube SD card slot is far superior.