Hacking Better Pictures of old/new R4

[striderx]

I planned to shoot these pictures the day my new R4's arrived. But my delivery was delayed by a day. I visited GBATemp that night and saw that bobrules had already posted some pictures. http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=61275

I agree his could have been better, but he got here first and I didn't want to upstage him, so I haven't posted them till now. But now I see in a couple other topics that there are noises about wanting better pictures. http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=62231

I hope these make everyone happy.

Yeah, why start a new topic? Well, just adding to the others may not bring readers back that had otherwise already dismissed them. If considered bad form, sorry.

Enjoy...

striderx

NOTE: The new version is on the right except in the exploded views where the parts are laid out. In those I just left them as is and rotated the sheet of paper they were lying on. Look for the reliefs in the side of the case. That's the new version.

 

[Wii_DS.]

Much better pictures, thank you striderx.

 

[shane1972]

Hi,

Gr8 pictures but the question is "Is the card easy to get out without having to use a sharp object?".
I had a cyclo Ds evo and that card is hard as to get out.

Cheers

 

[CannonBallZ]

hmmm.....There seems to be a few more tracks on the pcb under the sd card slot of the newer form factor

 

[striderx]

Hi,

Gr8 pictures but the question is "Is the card easy to get out without having to use a sharp object?".
I had a cyclo Ds evo and that card is hard as to get out.

Cheers

I have no problem getting the microSD card out with a fingernail. I'd say it's about perfect. Firm enough that there's no chance of it falling out, period.

A force likely enough to dislodge it is also likely to kill your DS or R4 in the process. The mass of the microSD is just too low.

I'd say it's about the same resistance as the SD adapters that came with my microSD's.

It's WAY better than the slot 1 ezflash V that I also have (and never use, BTW.)

striderx

 

[dodol]

what's the meaning of "DLDI auto patching" in the new box, I thought R4 still need manual patch ?

 

[Lee79]

Auto patching was added in the latest firmware update v1.11 which was released just before the shell redesign.

 

[striderx]

what's the meaning of "DLDI auto patching" in the new box, I thought R4 still need manual patch ?

That's a function of the firmware. The R4 has had DLDI autopatching since v 1.10, IIRC. (We're on v. 1.11, anxiously awaiting v 1.12)

striderx

 

[GeekShadow]

Thanks for lot of photos

As I can see, the new R4 don't have black lines at bottom :

Maybe for better detection on DS.
With the current M3 DS Simply I have sometimes to blow on DS for M3 DS to be detected...

 

[Noobix]

Awesome pics.

 

[recover]

Really appreciate it striderx.

Thanks a lot, interesting to see the changes.

 

[Raisingod]

StriderX can you please make a close up pic of the Chipset ( want to know if they replaced the PIC )

 

[Urza]

Auto patching was added in the latest firmware update v1.11 which was released just before the shell redesign.

It was 1.10, which was released 3 months before the shell redesign.

 

[DarkAura]

Lol, why is one SD Kingston and the other a Sandisk?

Other than that, good pics. Nice comparison.

 

[Wii_DS.]

Lol, why is one SD Kingston and the other a Sandisk?

What is wrong with having two different brands, eh?

i have kingston and SanDisk.

 

[DarkAura]

Nothing, I was just pointing it out. I have Kingstons, Sandisks, Toshibas.

 

[striderx]

Thanks for lot of photos

Hey, you're all welcome. I'm just happy that they're appreciated!

As I can see, the new R4 don't have black lines at bottom :

Maybe for better detection on DS.
With the current M3 DS Simply I have sometimes to blow on DS for M3 DS to be detected...


Perhaps. but I suspect it was a cost saving measure. I suspect during the injection molding process those ribs on the old shell may have been prone to being incompletely formed and therefore thrown away as defective.

The result of the new design could be improved process yield for that part at the same cost, or maybe the yield was fine and the redesign allowed the team to specify a lower spec molding process at a lower cost of manufacture.

Oh, and yeah, it could have improved the card detection reliability.

Regardless, that design change is the one thing I really dislike about the new shell. The missing ribs allow dirty fingers to touch the PCB contacts. Not good. And as was mentioned in some earlier posts in a differnt topic when it first came out, that unreenforced strip of plastic makes the card feel somewhat flimsy along that leading edge of the card. Especially compared to the old shell.

I would love to hear from the R4 Team the motivation for that change.

StriderX can you please make a close up pic of the Chipset ( want to know if they replaced the PIC )


How's this? I made a makeshift copy setup in my kitchen to shoot these. The lighting sucked. I really wished I had a proper copy stand

so that I could shoot straight down on the subjects without nasty reflections. I also wish I had a real macro lens for my camera. So many toys... so little money!

NOTE: I've editted my original post to include this picture there too.

QUOTE(dark_aura12 @ Oct 8 2007, 07:04 AM)

Lol, why is one SD Kingston and the other a Sandisk?

Other than that, good pics. Nice comparison.

Cuz those were the cheapest ones at the time!


Enjoy!

striderx

 

[MacGnG]

nice, no reason to get the new one if u got an old one

 

[striderx]

nice, no reason to get the new one if u got an old one

Agreed.

Having both, I'd say...

... there's no reason to buy a new one to replace an old one that's working normally,

... there's no compelling reason to seek out an old one instead of a new one (assuming the anticipated microSDHC support in v. 1.12 isn't limited to the new version).

Both have their pros & cons.

The one thing I wish they had done in the design update is to have made the microSD a side loader, like my ezflash V. The top loader makes it plain to all that you've got a flashcart. I'd prefer it to be a little more discrete.

striderx

 

[Lee79]

Good work striderx best pictures of the new/old R4 on the net.