Xkit's {RCM Clip} dongle + jig is $10!

[bundat]

Of course Xecuter's dongle is a better dongle. Both the better capacitors and I suppose that the better design of Xecuter's dongle make the price difference.

That's the thing.
XKit's RCM jig is SO MUCH better than the SX Pro jig.
It slides in and out so easily, the SX Pro (which used to be the best jig) still requires quite a bit of force when you slide it in/out.
And yet the connection is still 100% stable and the success rate is 100% reliable.

So I had VERY HIGH expectations from XKit just because of that.

And just looking at the features... like being able to replace the payload just by dropping in the .bin file (no .uf2's or buggy flashing software), multiple payloads... it looks like they TRIED hard to be the best. They even used capacitors with "higher capacitance" than the SX Pro caps...
and I looked it up, this site says:

So the larger the capacitance, the higher is the amount of charge stored on a capacitor for the same amount of voltage.

So it totally looks like they tried to one-up all the existing dongles out there.

And I believe they'd have done it too, except they overlooked checking whether the charge was kept. And I think other dongles solved having their stored charge drained while not in use by having an on/off switch.

 

[Akira]

That's the thing.
XKit's RCM jig is SO MUCH better than the SX Pro jig.
It slides in and out so easily, the SX Pro (which used to be the best jig) still requires quite a bit of force when you slide it in/out.
And yet the connection is still 100% stable and the success rate is 100% reliable.

So I had VERY HIGH expectations from XKit just because of that.

And just looking at the features... like being able to replace the payload just by dropping in the .bin file (no .uf2's or buggy flashing software), multiple payloads... it looks like they TRIED hard to be the best. They even used capacitors with "higher capacitance" than the SX Pro caps...
and I looked it up, this site says:


So it totally looks like they tried to one-up all the existing dongles out there.

And I believe they'd have done it too, except they overlooked checking whether the charge was kept. And I think other dongles solved having their stored charge drained while not in use by having an on/off switch.

FWIW, the very first dongle that was posted here in temp(the transparent black one with USB A and USB Type C on both ends) holds charge for a long time. I had one, and I think I charged it only once and been using it for a week or two. That one doesnt have an on and off switch

 

[tataniko]

They even used capacitors with "higher capacitance" than the SX Pro caps...And I think other dongles solved having their stored charge drained while not in use by having an on/off switch.

Nice find.

 

[bundat]

Too bad they drain those caps of all stored charge within 15 minutes, even when unplugged and unused.

I really want to see someone mod this to have an on/off switch, maybe that guy who was gonna solder on a battery would do it.

 

[TheCyberQuake]

Too bad they drain those caps of all stored charge within 15 minutes, even when unplugged and unused.

I really want to see someone mod this to have an on/off switch, maybe that guy who was gonna solder on a battery would do it.

Honestly feature-wise this is the best dongle imo. The only thing that ruins it is that it doesn't hold a charge. If I can mod it to hold a charge better than that would be great. Might be my project for tonight. Just need to probe the board to figure out where I can solder a switch, potentiality requiring cutting a trace and adding a switch between

 

[tataniko]

I can solder a switch, potentiality requiring cutting a trace and adding a switch between

I imagined firmware update for better power management, like auto power off feature, holding down the button for shutting down or else. At last we figured out a solution, not battery but power off by switch, power off by firmware or anything else. Congratulation to everyone.

 

[larrypretty]

The Acens gets update, check

 

[bundat]

The Acens gets update, check

Ooh, where did you find this?

I tried searching Aliexpress for "AceNS" but can't find it there, it seems their chosen name is pretty bad for that site (keeps autocorrecting it to "aces")

I'd love to see a teardown, form factor looks like the R4S... maybe a side by side size comparison?
If you can source that image, I'd say it deserves a thread of its own.

 

[larrypretty]

Ooh, where did you find this?

I tried searching Aliexpress for "AceNS" but can't find it there, it seems their chosen name is pretty bad for that site (keeps autocorrecting it to "aces")

I'd love to see a teardown, form factor looks like the R4S... maybe a side by side size comparison?
If you can source that image, I'd say it deserves a thread of its own.

http://www.ace3ds.com/ace-ns-product.html, here.

 

[Deleted member 412537]

hmm, mine is still holding a charge after using it a few times last night.
Interesting.

 

[Eduba]

so i modded mine =)

i dont know if it is electricaly correct... i just tried it that way... the only thing i tested, before plugging it into my switch, was the voltage on the dataline so i dont fry my switch. everything works as it should. I can upload new payloads via usb, the lithium ion cell is charging when connected to a pc. i didnt made a lot of durability testing but i will try to monitor every 3 or 2 days.

i connected the INPUT pads on the charger pcb to the both test pads right next to the micro usb port of the rcm loader. if you look from the front the left pad is + and the right pad is -. i unsoldered both capacitors and left the inner contacts blank as they are connected to each other because of the capacitors are placed in series. the other two pads are connected to the OUT+ and - on the charger pcb as printed on the circuit.

the next thing i will do, if i can get some time, is designing and 3d printing two more of those colored side things.

 

[Eduba]

Still working without a charge.

 

[Deleted member 412537]

Yup, mine is still working.
I forgot how long its been since I charged it. Money well spent.

 

[tataniko]

Still working without a charge.

Great job.

I received this blue dongle, it's similar like the Christmas dongle but only one payload.bin, no button, only one USB but builtin jig holder & SD card slot for update.

You can update the payload.bin directly from the dongle's SD card slot. Copy the payload.bin to an SD card, insert the SD card into the dongle, connect the dongle to the Nintendo Switch & the dongle will re-flash itself with the new payload.

This picture is improper because there is an SD card slot not in the jig's side but the other side.

 

[Eduba]

Great job.

I received this blue dongle, it's same like the Christmas dongle but only one payload.bin, no button, only one USB but builtin jig holder & SD card slot for update.

You can update the payload.bin directly from the dongle's SD card slot. Copy the payload.bin to a SD card, insert the SD card into the dongle, connect the dongle to the Nintendo Switch & the dongle will re-flash itself with the new payload.

How long doeas a charge hold?
Would be interesting to see the insides.

 

[ldx]

Anybody got the AceNS revision (which supposedly has a battery now) and can make a small review and specifically confirm if it fixed the issues with the original AceNS/xkit's dongle?

 

[tataniko]

How long doeas a charge hold? Would be interesting to see the insides.

I didn't test it too much yet, I received few days ago but it can hold the charge at least 24 hours or more. Sure. It was painful to figure out how to update the payload.bin without any information but finally it's easy way by SD card. So, this dongle is not bad at all & cheaper than the Christmas one.

 

[JonJaded]

the xkit dongle just got 100% better.

Now with atmosphere 8.0, whenever the switch crashes for whatever reason, power is still sent via usb, allowing for a user to charge their dongle without the need for an external device, then restart and send the payload.

Useful as hell.

 

[Akira]

the xkit dongle just got 100% better.

Now with atmosphere 8.0, whenever the switch crashes for whatever reason, power is still sent via usb, allowing for a user to charge their dongle without the need for an external device, then restart and send the payload.

Useful as hell.

they released a new version?

 

[tataniko]

the xkit dongle just got 100% better. Now with atmosphere 8.0, whenever the switch crashes for whatever reason, power is still sent via usb, allowing for a user to charge their dongle

Thanks, this is very useful feature & information. Also, the Atmosphere Blue Dongle also works here, keeps charge for days & easy to update with payload.bin through SD Card. Thank you.

https://i.redd.it/esfkdg7vh1e11.jpg