Topic: About The New Gamecube Modchip? (Read 244 times)

AmyGrrl · « **on:** November 24, 2004, 06:40:00 PM »

I was just reading on the front page about the new GameCube ModChip. I know currently it only allows use to boot homebrew stuff. Which I think it's great, and beats having to use software hacks. But I was wonder about possible ideas for the future. Like How feasible would it be to have a modchip that supported a Hard Drive addon. Then we could do simaler stuff like we do with the XBOX. The chip could read the data off he GC disc, and dump it to the HD, then we could boot the Game off the HD. We all know we cannot copy GC discs, so as I see it this is the one possible method. Again this was only thinking on my part, and curiosity. I was just looking more to see if something like this is a possiblity. If it is, I'd be happy to finally see something happen with the GC scene. I know I would defenitly mod my GameCube if this was all possible. Also feel free to comment and maybe susgest and other ideas you'd like to see have happen with the Game Cube.

This post has been edited by AmyGrrl: Nov 25 2004, 02:41 AM <

JaXbox · « **Reply #1 on:** November 24, 2004, 05:40:00 PM »

I think it'll be some time before you'll start seeing hddloading similar to what's possible with the Xbox and PS2 - however this chip opens up a whole new realm of opportunities, so who knows

Personally, I would like to find out where to purchase this sucker! Anyone got any ideas/info ?

Shakey_Jake33 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 24, 2004, 06:59:00 PM »

It's not really worth getting too excited about this mod yet IMO...

From what I gather, the mod lets you run DOL files direct from the chip itself...
So essentially, the PSO exploit offers the same functionality... this is just a quicker way of doing it, being able to boot from the mod itself as opposed to having to start up PSO.

Don't get me wrong, this is great progress for the GC scene, this is the first of it's kind and a giant leap for the scene... but this is all in the very early stages.

I'm personally gonna stick with my PSO until the mod does something that the PSO exploit cannot =P And honestly, I hope the mod does... the GC scene *needs* that kind of progress! <

bigfootale · « **Reply #3 on:** November 24, 2004, 07:38:00 PM »

isn't pso the part of the exploit that limits that transfer rate on the bba to 10Mb? if the function that the pso does can be done on the chip, isn't it possible that we might be able to set the bba to 100Mb/full? and if this is possible won't it make the experience COMPLETELY different when streaming iso's? i mean, if most games do fine during in-game-play at 10Mb, then the FMV and audio would probably be perfect at 100Mb. this possibility is awesome to me- and something to be excited about. have i misunderstood what this chip can do?

and again, where can we buy it? <

Shakey_Jake33 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 24, 2004, 08:27:00 PM »

Actually just yesterday Starcube released a fully 100MBit loader called 'Gamecube Simulator Preview Edition' (busy week in the GC scene eh?)... the difference 100MBit made was minimal.... some things run better, but it's not the stunning increase people were expecting... but then again, starcube said all along that the 100Mbit thing wasn;t the answer... and I guess we now have that proven to us =/

Essentially this mod just executes a DOL file on startup... it's targetted at the homebrew community who can send their apps accross to the mod via the parallel cable, though obviously it has the abilty to store the loaders.
Would be particularly cool for GC-Linux.

From what I gather, the abilty to boot from disc is unlikely because the problem is the drive controller, and not the bios itself. People make the false assumption that the GameCube uses mini-DVD's.

This post has been edited by Shakey_Jake33: Nov 25 2004, 04:31 AM <

1nick9 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 24, 2004, 09:34:00 PM »

bigfootale · « **Reply #6 on:** November 24, 2004, 11:16:00 PM »

shakie- you have been into the gc scene longer than me, and i am glad i found someone to bounce a couple of questions off of- i bought my bba and pso less than a month ago- i started by using phoenix, but found that the ripping tool didn't work (am using Gamecubeserver- works flawlessly), and then tried the new starcube loader a couple of days ago and found that a) it is easier to run the loader from command line, and

i couldn't see any difference in performance with the new starcube loader- but i only tried it once and selected 100/full. anyhow- i have a couple of questions i hope you don't mind me asking since you are more knowledgeable with the gc scene than me-
- my readings have shown that the 'nic speed' is set by pso, so this is either false, or the new starcubes ability to adjust the speed won't work with pso- i thought they had developed the adjustable settings to take advantage of either a 100Mb game or a modchip, both of which didn't exist yet---your take?
- what is starcubes' thoughts on why streaming audio and fmv's wouldn't be helped by the additional bandwidth? what is the factor that is missing?
- where can i find reliable documentation on the media that GC uses- or can you quickly share what the media is ? i see all the stories about the console reading discs from the outside in, etc, and i have never really seen anything that seems to be consistent and widespread.

i hope you don't mind me hijacking this thread with these questions- but they are all semi-relevant. thanks!

This post has been edited by bigfootale: Nov 25 2004, 07:17 AM <

Troed · « **Reply #7 on:** November 25, 2004, 01:47:00 AM »

The Gamecube has a 27MHz bus internally - forget true 100Mbit.

Regarding this modchip. It seems to use the well known hack by tmbinc to replace the IPL (BIOS) - and this is nothing new. Modchip makers have tried to get homebrew cds to boot before they wanted to release anything, but I guess they gave up on that and released this instead.

What it probably can do:

1) Make your cube fully region free without the need for Freeloader
2) Remove the need for Phantasy Star Online when you want to stream stuff
3) Boot small things directly off memory cards

<

bcforn64 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 25, 2004, 12:47:00 AM »

Psilocybe · « **Reply #9 on:** November 25, 2004, 08:23:00 AM »

onge · « **Reply #10 on:** November 25, 2004, 08:35:00 AM »

so this chip aint able to make the GC boot backups of games on discs? <

Troed · « **Reply #11 on:** November 25, 2004, 08:51:00 AM »

Wizzcat · « **Reply #12 on:** November 25, 2004, 01:07:00 PM »

Can't see why you shouldn't be able to boot from dvd-rom with a proper bios. The GC uses normal mini-dvds, nothing fancy or backwards or gamma-ray or anything. All you have to do (from what I've gathered) is to make the cube boot disks that doesn't have a signature (or serial number or whatever it uses). We allready have images of gc-disks, we only need to make them bootable.

Hopefully this modchip will spark new interest in the GC scene, and people can get started on some bios hacking. Just because the chip doesn't come with a readily hacked bios, doesn't mean it can't be done. <

AmyGrrl · « **Reply #13 on:** November 25, 2004, 02:17:00 PM »

Would the GC Drive actually be able to read mini-DVD discs, if we had a modchip installed a bios that allowed us to bypass the security features of the GC? From what I read this isn't possible. Which is why I thought that possible the idea of Hard Drive addon. Dump the Games to the HD and play from thier. Again this is all just hopeful thinking. I would really like to see something happen with the GB Scene. <

onge · « **Reply #14 on:** November 25, 2004, 04:12:00 PM »

will i be able to boot dvd-r mini discs (games) with this thing? Yes/no?

that is the question. <

Author Topic: About The New Gamecube Modchip? (Read 244 times)