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Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2014 8:53 pm
by torturelabs
Is there a thread for GC mods and their Pros & Cons and Misc options?
misc = combinations or extra attachments/solder.
The following are simply guesses, as I'm trying to figure out what would work best for all of us. Individually.
Examples/Guesses:
Wasp
-requires WiikeySD/SDGecko or similar.
-requires SwissXXX.dol on card.
SDML
-no soldering required
-comes with boot disk and adapter
-miniDVD backups possible with GCoS or Swiss
- -pot adjusting may be required
MISC: SDML.dol can be copied/burned and used via Viper/Wode w/ WiikeySD
?
Viper
miniDVD backup booting
-requires soldering to board
-Swiss compatibility w/ WiikeySD
?
-Not recommended for portables
?
MISC: Can boot SDML backup from miniDVD w/WiikeySD
- -must contain sdml.dol on card?
Wode
-requires soldering to board (IF
?)
-USB support on GC
?
-Megadrive attachment possible
now hidden so people get the correct info below / also, corrections made to post
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 1:35 am
by megalomaniac
torturelabs wrote:
MISC: SDML.dol can be copied/burned and used via Viper/Wode w/ WiikeySD?
WKF/WASP/WODE and swiss did not allow booting of SDML.iso from DVD or SD
only xeno has been confirmed to allow booting SDML.iso from disc only
( maybe viper and qoob also but did not bother testing because its pointless )
if a GC is already modified to boot homebrew, why bother even booting SDML??
SDML is only a homebrew loader and can do nothing more. Once a homebrew like swiss is booted, then many options exist for booting different media types across different locations. So why not boot directly into swiss with a modified GC rather than booting into SDML only to then boot into swiss? That would just add needless steps into the process..
WASP
in order to compare pros and cons about WASP, you need to look at it as a whole and also compare the differences between original firmware and swiss on flash
overall:
Code: Select all
pros:
- use to replace dvd drive and load media via SD
- no more burning discs
cons:
- can be a very difficult solder installation (MEGAdrive adapter helps to make things much easier)
- never use DVD drive again unless you connect a wii dvd drive or solder a GC drive
- (may) require extra switches for pin29 and lid
original firmware:
Code: Select all
pros:
- approx 99% compatibility
cons:
- WBFS card format requires 1.4GB file sizes ( cannot use shrunk iso )
- WBFS manager
- cannot directly load homebrew
- firmware behavior varies across multiple firmware releases
- not compatible with CPU-DOL-10 and some DOL-CPU-11
- missing audio from audiostreaming titles
- no more updates to firmware, unsupported / discontinued support
swiss on flash:
Code: Select all
pros:
- FAT16/FAT32 compatibility allows drag and drop of files to SD
- compatible with SDXC 64GB SD card formatted to FAT32 from WKF/WASP slot
- access to EXI slots for SD Gecko, IDE-EXI, USB Gecko
- compatible with SDXC 128GB SD card formatted to FAT32 with SD Gecko
- compatible with up to 2TB HDD for IDE-EXI
- with GC DVD drive, allows drive patching for audio streaming backup titles ( MEGAwire mod )
- autoboot
- swiss is constantly being updated to add more support and new features
- compatible with all CPU-DOL-XX versions
cons:
- swiss is not finished yet
same as WKF/WASP but allows for an HDD USB drive to be connected
SDML
Code: Select all
pros:
- no soldering
- bootable DVD disc and SD adapter (SD GECKO)
- easy to use as homebrew loader only
cons:
- homebrew loader only
- requires secondary boot into another homebrew just to allow booting backup isos from SD or DVD
- SD adapter is cheap quality and known to have read issues ( SD Gecko can be used instead )
- no SDHC support, limited to 2GB SD cards ( some 4GB cards are compatible )
- heavy scratch or broken SDML DVD disc = buy another one
Code: Select all
pros:
- direct boot import titles
- direct boot DVD backup iso's
- direct boot iso9960 DVD homebrew
- audiostreaming titles work
cons:
- requires functional GC DVD drive
- requires burning DVD media ( for some reason people still have problems with this )
- requires soldering ( 6 solder points )
hard to find - wont bother listing pros or cons
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:07 am
by theclaw
Qoob can force 480p without homebrew. Pretty important for me, but I got a component cable back in 2010.
I'm not familiar with Viper.
Note modchips don't change internal region. Import compatibility differs by the GC used.
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:24 am
by torturelabs
Thanks for the info Mega, I'm sure it will help many.
Also, your input theclaw.
Edit:
Really interesting read, thanks again Mega.
Note modchips don't change internal region. Import compatibility differs by the GC used.
Or the boot method? Care to elaborate?
Edit2:
So why not boot directly into swiss with a modified GC rather than booting into SDML only to then boot into swiss? That would just add needless steps into the process..
This is the best way I can explain my 'like' for that...
Not to sound like an ungrateful bastard, but I like how the SDML menu looks.
It feels allot more organized in my mind, than Swiss, so I like to start there instead. Dat arrogance, I know, sorry...
booting into SDML only to then boot into swiss
would only work best for the simple folk
I also understand that people are having issues with Swiss reading larger SDcards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtL0fM0DSu0
Booting an SDML backup would require three things (at least two) I gather, which as you pointed out, would be pointless/dumb to even try. I got that, hehe
At least one can go into the SDML/AR menu when sdml.dol is booted as shown in the video, so that's kinda neat.
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 8:04 am
by megalomaniac
What theclaw mentioned is not a modchip pro or con
He mentions a GC IPL support limitation...
Some NTSC-J titles use Japanese font which can only be found on an NTSC-J GC or thru a region mod NTSC-U GC
Without performing a region mod, the title will have playback issues
While a modchip will allow such an import title to boot, the title could still have playback issues due to an IPL from a different region
edit:
UPDATE
swiss_r283 now enables forcing region fonts. No more need to install a region mod switch.
NTSC consoles only. PAL consoles never had the option for a region mod
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 8:19 am
by torturelabs
ah, I see
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 8:41 am
by theclaw
torturelabs wrote:ah, I see
Yeah a LOT of info on this board. If still scattered around.
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 8:47 am
by Extrems
theclaw wrote:Qoob can force 480p without homebrew. Pretty important for me, but I got a component cable back in 2010.
But homebrew does it better.
megalomaniac wrote:Some NTSC-J titles use Japanese font which can only be found on an NTSC-J GC or thru a region mod NTSC-U GC
Without performing a region mod, the title will have playback issues
I should look at this sometime.
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 9:20 am
by theclaw
My USB port doesn't work. Rather not use a boot disc over and over, just for 480p.
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 2:00 am
by torturelabs
I remember Ashen saying something about the WODE - he had to flash different firmware versions in order to get some games to work better.
Don't know if that's still the case.
Since there is little talk about GC > WODE on the m/site.
Is it possible to port something like WodeFlow to the GC or does the Wode menu just show what's on the miniscreen?
Can SWISS also be burned and used on a Viper chipped cube?
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 2:41 am
by megalomaniac
torturelabs wrote:I remember Ashen saying something about the WODE - he had to flash different firmware versions in order to get some games to work better.
Don't know if that's still the case.
Ashen discovered a wode firmware compatibility issue with GC and certain releases of wode hardware required certain firmware...
torturelabs wrote:
Since there is little talk about GC > WODE on the m/site.
Is it possible to port something like WodeFlow to the GC or does the Wode menu just show what's on the miniscreen?
wode menu will display the DefaultCFG on mini-screen and TV
wode also has the ability to load a homebrew menu like WodeFlow (if ported) using the ExtCFG setting
swiss can also be loaded as ExtCFG
http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.ph ... ss_on_WODE
torturelabs wrote:
Can SWISS also be burned and used on a Viper chipped cube?
swiss burned on DVD? yes
or you can load swiss-lz-viper.dol to internal flash of viper extreme
Re: Pros & Cons + Misc on each GC modding option?
Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 3:18 am
by megalomaniac
swiss_r283 now enables forcing region fonts. No more need to install a region mod switch.
NTSC consoles only. PAL consoles never had the option for a region mod