REVIEW: M3 DS Simply, Slot 1 Loading goodness for DS/Lite from M3 Perfect!

[Zeus]

Product: M3 DS Simply
Reviewer: Marco Vissi
Format: DS & DS Lite
Buy M3 DS Simply Now: <a href="http://www.divineo.cn/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=dsl-m3dsssimp" target="_blank">Divineo.cn</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.com/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=dd-ds-simply" target="_blank">Divineo.com</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.de/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=nds-m3dssimp" target="_blank">Germany</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.fr/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=dsl-m3dssimp" target="_blank">France</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.co.uk/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=ds-m3simp" target="_blank">UK</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.es/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=nds-m3dss" target="_blank">Spain</a> or <a href="http://www.divineo.it/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=nds-m3simp" target="_blank">Italy</a>

Introduction

Ever since the first ever slot 1 loading DS cart was released known as the DS-Xtreme, it was inevitable that all manufacturers would be moving further towards this method. The M3 perfect time took a bit of time to produce their debut slot 1 loading DS cart known as the ‘M3 DS Simply’ but boy it sure is here! The M3 perfect team have churned out previous successful products under the M3 brand including the M3 Lite which were all previously slot 2 mods.

<center><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsreva.jpg"></center></a>

As you’d expect from a slot 1 card, the M3 DS simply boasts clean image loading, a touch screen OS, built-in passme and of course the reliance on Micro SD as a storage medium which will please all you memory hungry monsters out there! We’ve taken this more than highly anticipated product for a good test drive, find out if it is nothing more than a ‘Simple Simon’ or Simply Great inside.

Contents

The M3 DS simply arrives in a brightly coloured looking blister pack. The complete contents of the M3 DS simply are as follows –

<center><a href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr1a.jpg"></center></a>

1x M3 DS Simply cartridge with black shell
1x M3 DS Simply replacement shell in white
1x Silicon lined keychain carry case for M3 Simply
1x Software CD including drivers and tools
1x Micro SD card reader for PC file transfer

The build of the M3 is very strong and smooth. It comes as standard in a black shell, but there is a replacement white casing included should you wish to change the look of the device.

<center><a href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr2a.jpg"></center></a>

The inclusion of a memory card reader and a carry case is a nice touch, providing ‘a complete package’, but of course you must provide your own Micro SD card.

Setting it up

The M3 DS simply includes a CD which you must use in order to set-up the device for usage. On-board the CD is a product manual, save transformer (for previous flash carts such as G6, a ROM trimmer, Moonshell v1.5 and DPG tools (media player) and the firmware. You will have to drag over the v1.00 system software to your Micro SD card in order for your M3 DS Simply to function, it’s not a big or difficult task but strictly speaking it’s not pure plug and play.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr3a.jpg"></center></a>

Once this is done, you will notice the savvy M3 DS simply screen pop up with the menu’s games, media and boot from SLOT 2 being present. The M3 menus do support the touch function, so if you’re too lazy to push the button you can jut hit the screen to navigate.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr4a.jpg"></center></a>

Games

The M3 DS Simply boots clean NDS files. To get images and homebrew files onto the M3 DS simply, all you have to do is drag over your files from a PC to the Micro SD card. We tested out a few game image files based on the original DS games we have at our disposal and here’s the result –

• Golden Eye Rogue Agent – Boots Flawlessly
• New Super Mario Bros – Boots Flawlessly
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour – Boots Flawlessly
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos theory – Boots Flawlessly

As you can see it booted everything fine, just transfer over a clean game dump to the Micro SD card and the M3 will simply boot it.

<center><A href="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.maxconsole.net/content_img/m3dsr5a.jpg"></center></a>

It is also worth mentioning that the M3 perfect team do have a pretty solid reputation when it comes to compatibility firmware updates if needed.

The games menu also has the ability to boot CLEAN homebrew. We put on there the following homebrew software –

* Mahjong DS – Boots Flawlessly
* Xrick DS – Boots Flawlessly
* Metro Paris Maps – Boots Flawlessly

Once again, you get the idea, it boots clean images and homebrew so long as they are clean *.nds formats. The tests we conducted were far from extensive, but they highlight the slot 1 loading mechanism of the M3 Simply works very well, with M3 promising to release the IO lib for developers which will ultimately guarantee optimal homebrew compatibility.

Multimedia

The second option on the M3 DS Simply is that of multimedia. Select it and you will be presented with Moonshell v1.5, a homebrew media player by a very talented developer. We were somewhat disappointed that the M3 DS Simply did not contain its own media player device and instead opted for the quick fire route of Moonshell, but that said Moonshell still holds its own very well. From this piece of software you can play a lot of media files including movies and audio files. We fired on one MP3 to set it out and of course it ran fine.

<center><object width="325" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kydRMATUESc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kydRMATUESc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="325" height="250"></embed></object></center></a>

To run movies, you must first use the PC based software DPG tools to convert your file into a format Moonshell plays back on the DS. We converted the music video of the Dragon Ball Z theme and as per expected it rolled back fine on the DS Lite from the M3 Simply.

Boot From Slot 2

This last option enables you to boot from Slot 2, for GBA compatibility. The M3 DS simply does not support GBA formats, but it can be used as a passme to boot slot 2 flash carts. This enables you to get the best of both worlds efficiently.

Conclusion

The M3 DS simply does exactly what it says on the box. It boots clean NDS game files and homebrew via a simple drag and drop method from a computer. Of course media files boot via the use of the homebrew media player Moonshell. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it, but in this case we’d hope to see M3 break that rule and develop their own media player to make the unit feel more complete overall. It may not come with any fancy extras at the moment such as dancing LED’s or graphically advanced menus, but it certainly does what it should do perfectly fine. Many of you who have been kicking and screaming for a well-built slot 1 device with Micro SD support will simply fall in love with this product from the M3 perfect team.

Positives

+ Boots clean game image and homebrew files
+ Great value all-round, includes extra shell, carry case and card reader too
+ Supports the use of Micro SD cards for huge storage capability
+ Well built and strong unit, same size as an original DS cart with no sticking out
+ Includes a touch screen operating system
+ Boots MP3’s and video files via the use of Moonshell
+ Easy to use, drag and drop files from PC to Micro SD and insert into M3 Simply
+ Ability to boot slot 2 flash carts for GBA support, with the DS simply acting as a passme in slot 1

Negatives

- Relies on the use of Moonshell for media functionality
- No fancy extras such as Dancing LED’s or Quickboot
- The game selection menu looks slightly retro

Buy M3 DS Simply Now: <a href="http://www.divineo.cn/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=dsl-m3dsssimp" target="_blank">Divineo.cn</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.com/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=dd-ds-simply" target="_blank">Divineo.com</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.de/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=nds-m3dssimp" target="_blank">Germany</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.fr/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=dsl-m3dssimp" target="_blank">France</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.co.uk/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=ds-m3simp" target="_blank">UK</a> / <a href="http://www.divineo.es/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=nds-m3dss" target="_blank">Spain</a> or <a href="http://www.divineo.it/php/affstart.php?affcode=66623&prod=nds-m3simp" target="_blank">Italy</a>

[El Nacho]

I can't wait. Mine should arrive any day now. I just picked up 2 2GB micro-sd cards so now I'll have 4GB of NDS storage with my M3 Simply and my M3 Lite! :D

[badocboy]

Is it possible to use a mac and drag files onto the microsd card?

[djkatarat]

sounds sweet..however, one thing i wish was included...does it support download play for the main games: such as:

new super mario bros
mario kart
super mario 64

apparently...none of these game's download play works on the R4...hopefully someone can test it, and update the review...or just put a reply..:)would be really appreciated.

if download play works on those games, then M3 is 100% better for sure.

[t0m1th3]

Sorry, but I'm disappointed completely. This is identical to the R4, and in answer to the above posters question, it probably has identical (good) compatibility as the R4. I don't see why they are having a slice of pie producing the exact same thing, with all the exact same extras, and nearly identical OS shell.

I'm hoping for some more information on the 'M3 real,' which I expect they wont have sold under another name as well, and include a few other features.

[LanceSteel_01]

Another game I would have liked to have seen tried is the newest Castlevania game. Does anyone know if that clean image boots and if there are any lockups?

[FeistyGirl]

Here are my mandatory questions regarding the unit:

1) Do Multicart with Originals work?

2) Singlecart Multiplayer?

3) How about the following games regarding compatibility:

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Tonyhawk Downhill Jam
Ultimate Spiderman

Thanks!

[djkatarat]

Here are my mandatory questions regarding the unit:

1) Do Multicart with Originals work?

2) Singlecart Multiplayer?

3) How about the following games regarding compatibility:

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Tonyhawk Downhill Jam
Ultimate Spiderman

Thanks!


haha, u asked all the right questions. i dont understand why someone would make a review without those things answered.


either way, the review was arite, however, it didnt tell me anything i didnt already know about the card.

[jpxdude]

Is it possible to use a mac and drag files onto the microsd card?

Yes, you can use any OS that supports the USB Mass Storage compliant spec, which includes Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

One advantage that this has over the DS-X is it doesn't require windows to update the device firmware, whereas the DS-X needs the user to run a Win32 application.

Some interesting trivia: The M3 Simply and the R4DS are exactly the same device with slightly modified firmware. Some people have successfully used the M3 Simply firmware on the R4DS and vice versa without too much trouble.

Have fun!

[badocboy]

Woo Hoo!

I was thinking of getting a ds-x and using it with my mac, but 125 dollars seemed really steep. Besides, I think I have a microsd laying around here somewhere.

[{{909}}]

it is identical in every way to the R4, they must be made in the same factory, so, on that logic castlevania will work, it works on my R4 :)

are there any skin downloads available for the M3 yet, i want to try them on my R4.

It may also be worth noting the official R4 website has a rom trimmer and sav file converter, which will probably work on this too.

[kiruyama]

Here are my mandatory questions regarding the unit:

1) Do Multicart with Originals work?

2) Singlecart Multiplayer?

3) How about the following games regarding compatibility:

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Tonyhawk Downhill Jam
Ultimate Spiderman

Thanks!

If R4 and M3 simply are the same, then yes, multicart with originals work, only some games work via download play, and the compatability should be 100% for all roms, including the ones you listed.

[antron]

M3 DS Simply vs R4 guts (http://www.eurasia.nu/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&topic=3708&forum=83)

[Tanas9]

This review doesnt tell you anything that wasnt expected, what about the troublesome games and Download play? these are the two important features that people want to know about and they are both missing from your review.

Anyhow download play working or not, who is going to buy the Rip Off DS-X, now the R4, SCDS (one) and M3 DS Simply are here for half the price...

[Perkele]

Anyhow download play working or not, who is going to buy the Rip Off DS-X, now the R4, SCDS (one) and M3 DS Simply are here for half the price...
Don't forget the best one, aka EZflash V

[thePANICHIOteam]

cheers for cool review. I know i made the right choice now.

[djkatarat]

Don't forget the best one, aka EZflash V


whats the download play like on the EZflash V..i was thinking of getting it with this m3 simply..but all that talk i hear about m3 real...makes me dont wanna dish out all this money on stuff that will get features i NEED in a flashcard.

actually..if its going to take more than 4 months for m3 real to come out...i think ill end up buying Simply and Real.

but yah..what is the ezflash v like?

[faceless]

as for the EZV download play, some games work, some don't, read sosuke forums for more info

[djkatarat]

as for the EZV download play, some games work, some don't, read sosuke forums for more info

okay, based on what i read there..i decided to go with two M3 Simply.



P.S. on another note, does anyone know where has prices like Newegg.com but ships to canada as well? i think newegg.com only ships to USA.

wanna get some microsd cards..

[gr04ts]

which is the best choice of Slot 2 Backup-Card in combo with the M3 Simply, because i want to play GBA Backups, too on my DS Light :-)

Anyone could gimme a Tip?

[rooster55]

im a total newbie to all this i was just wondering
if the m3 ds simply requires you to flash your ds firmware

[{{909}}]

im a total newbie to all this i was just wondering
if the m3 ds simply requires you to flash your ds firmware


nope, none of this new generation of cards needs the ds flashing.

[Robotron]

djkatarat....I don't know about prices but Divineo and Jandaman both ship inside Canada (this is great because you can avoid the asshats at customs....Divineo also will do COD....but it will raise the price by $8).
I use them both and I am happy with them both.
Sometimes Jandaman looks more expensive but once you look at the total with shipping it may be cheaper.

[gonepostl]

- Relies on the use of Moonshell for media functionality
- No fancy extras such as Dancing LED’s or Quickboot
- The game selection menu looks slightly retro

Relies on Moonshell? I'm sorry how is this a negative?
Damn....they forgot to put in seizure inducing led's!!! Outrageouse!
Looks slightly retro? Do I even need to comment on this?

You don't need to add the tinniest thing that is "negative" about a system. Like the cardboard packaging. Or the seizure inducing led's that nobody relaly cares about in the first place.

[provista]

Nice review but I want to know if some emulators work on the m3 simply.. I read that most emus failed on the R4.
Anyone who knows if this card performs better?

[gonepostl]

Nice review but I want to know if some emulators work on the m3 simply.. I read that most emus failed on the R4.
Anyone who knows if this card performs better?

You are all correct. This "review" was half assed. Why didn't we have that chick do the review? She's obviousely got a clue about nds modchips and the issues at hand!

[KRiSX]

i'm looking at getting a DS lite... would this be the way to go for running backups and homebrew?

[xanikseo]

which is the best choice of Slot 2 Backup-Card in combo with the M3 Simply, because i want to play GBA Backups, too on my DS Light :-)

Anyone could gimme a Tip?
The only slot 2 solution with almost perfect GBA compatibility is M3 (Lite, since you've got a DS Lite).


- Relies on the use of Moonshell for media functionality
- No fancy extras such as Dancing LED’s or Quickboot
- The game selection menu looks slightly retro

Relies on Moonshell? I'm sorry how is this a negative?
Damn....they forgot to put in seizure inducing led's!!! Outrageouse!
Looks slightly retro? Do I even need to comment on this?

You don't need to add the tinniest thing that is "negative" about a system. Like the cardboard packaging. Or the seizure inducing led's that nobody relaly cares about in the first place.
There needs to be negative points, otherwise the product looks perfect, which is isn't, it's "simply". The reader needs to decide if the only negative points are worth considering valid or not.

[WalkingTiger]

- Relies on the use of Moonshell for media functionality
- No fancy extras such as Dancing LED’s or Quickboot
- The game selection menu looks slightly retro

Relies on Moonshell? I'm sorry how is this a negative?
Damn....they forgot to put in seizure inducing led's!!! Outrageouse!
Looks slightly retro? Do I even need to comment on this?

You don't need to add the tinniest thing that is "negative" about a system. Like the cardboard packaging. Or the seizure inducing led's that nobody relaly cares about in the first place.

Definately agreed... Especially the LED bit... I'd much rather have a simple, unassuming cart than a feature that just drains batteries...:/ And Moonshell isn't a negative, as it simply works, and that's the very name of this product, Simply:) As far as the menus looking retro... I think I've got better things to do than scrutinize the menus:)... meh...

I'm still curious about multi-player, homebrew emus, etc... Little dissapointed the review didn't cover that, but I'm sure I'll know soon enough when mine arrives; Either that, or some youtube videos will appear with some people demonstrating it's capabilities in detail:)

~WalkingTiger

[funny_718]

This has to be the worst review ever written. And i think that maxconsole owes it to us to rewrite this review becasue it is really lacking in a lot of areas. It really surprised me that this review was not up to there the usual standards that maxconsole review have. Especially after reading the review that gbatemp has on the r4, the review that they have on the r4 is way more indepth then the review of M3 Simply that is here on maxconsole.


Plz I think everyone would appreciate if u wrote a little better review of this product. here is a list of things that should be Include:

1.also should state if it saves correctly and if download and play works
New Super Mario Bros,Super Mario 64 DS,Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam,Mario Kart DS,Mario & Luigi Partners in Time,Castlevania Portrait of Ruin, and aslo Opera Browser for Nintendo DS.
2.what other Homebrew are Supported.
3.is the micro SD slot spring loaded.

again these are the question i think people really would liked answered
thank you so much

[smudgeone]

Well, I'm convinced, the DS-X is better even if it is a little more expensive. Adding in the $50 memory card, the extra space isn't even worth it. The sole reason I wanted to upgrade to a slot 1 was to play download games with people that dont have the game, and from what everyone has been saying, this doesn't do that.

[FeistyGirl]

You are all correct. This "review" was half assed. Why didn't we have that chick do the review? She's obviousely got a clue about nds modchips and the issues at hand!

If you are referring to me, then I whole hearted agree :D I would LOVE to do a follow up review of this bad boy!

Hey Zeus, what do you think of that idea? I think it's the best damn idea since the female orgasm, and I've done plenty!

Reviews.. you perverts... jeez.. :rolleyes: :p

[deltax5]

Ability to boot slot 2 flash carts for GBA support, with the DS simply acting as a passme in slot 1

So can you use this as a passme to enter M3 lite's menu to play my m3 lite ds games and homebrew(Since I herd simply homebrew support isn't so grate so fair)also? Or is it jest a trick to make people think that.
GBA mode doesn't need a passme anyways.
:rolleyes: ;)

[Jalapeno]

You're right this review is bad.

You might aswell have 'copy and pasted the R4 review on gbatemp and deleted half of it...

..it would of been better that way.


If you are referring to me, then I whole hearted agree I would LOVE to do a follow up review of this bad boy!

Hey Zeus, what do you think of that idea? I think it's the best damn idea since the female orgasm, and I've done plenty!

Reviews.. you perverts... jeez..

....... :(

[kiruyama]

Well, I'm convinced, the DS-X is better even if it is a little more expensive. Adding in the $50 memory card, the extra space isn't even worth it. The sole reason I wanted to upgrade to a slot 1 was to play download games with people that dont have the game, and from what everyone has been saying, this doesn't do that.

The ds-x has download play issues as well, and if you know what you're doing, you can get an M3 or R4 with a 1 gig microSD for about $45-50 less. I can't burn that much just for a friend to play one or two games via download play.

[Razgrith]

- Relies on the use of Moonshell for media functionality
- No fancy extras such as Dancing LED’s or Quickboot
- The game selection menu looks slightly retro

Relies on Moonshell? I'm sorry how is this a negative?
Damn....they forgot to put in seizure inducing led's!!! Outrageouse!
Looks slightly retro? Do I even need to comment on this?

You don't need to add the tinniest thing that is "negative" about a system. Like the cardboard packaging. Or the seizure inducing led's that nobody relaly cares about in the first place.

LOL. True.

[Souzar]

Well, I'm convinced, the DS-X is better even if it is a little more expensive. Adding in the $50 memory card, the extra space isn't even worth it. The sole reason I wanted to upgrade to a slot 1 was to play download games with people that dont have the game, and from what everyone has been saying, this doesn't do that.


Has anyone bothered to write any software that takes advantage of the FPGA in the DS-X? thats the only feature that could make the DS-X stand out from the competition. There are a 101 uses for the FPGA but if it's not used whats the point? the DS-X will just die off (unless it gets a price reduction or something)

[maitreatchoum]

Hello,

I have two questions,
With the m3 ds simply we can parametrize the speed of microsd like the supercard ds one?

And the m3 ds simply permit to adjust the size of saves?


Excuse my English :-/

Thx you very much :-)

[Amyrosie]

Now I want to cry..I ordered the SuperCard Ds One not long ago instead of the M3 and I've heard people complaining a lot recently..F&(*&!! :(

[ronyap28]

When you say that the menu skin thing is kinda retro...can't you actually change that?

[ejx982]

Here are my mandatory questions regarding the unit:

1) Do Multicart with Originals work?

2) Singlecart Multiplayer?

3) How about the following games regarding compatibility:

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Tonyhawk Downhill Jam
Ultimate Spiderman

Thanks!

Exactly what I'd like to know. I picked up a spare Ultra II 1GB MicroSD, and before I pop it in, I may just get a M3 Simply, but I'd like to know the review info first!!

[steveo117]

I ordered mine from Divineo.com a few weeks back and they took the money out of the bank on the first. I haven't got any tracking info or anything and I thought that when they take the money it was being shipped. Should I be expecting it today since I have 3 day shipping?

[Dazza360]

I ordered mine from Divineo.com a few weeks back and they took the money out of the bank on the first. I haven't got any tracking info or anything and I thought that when they take the money it was being shipped. Should I be expecting it today since I have 3 day shipping?

I wouldn't have thought so as the website still says "Ships Within : Pre-order"

Is there a release date for this product yet?

[steveo117]

I wouldn't have thought so as the website still says "Ships Within : Pre-order"

Is there a release date for this product yet?Thats crap that they would take out the money before shipping.

[kiddragon]

I ordered mine from Divineo.com a few weeks back and they took the money out of the bank on the first. I haven't got any tracking info or anything and I thought that when they take the money it was being shipped. Should I be expecting it today since I have 3 day shipping?


lol i ordered from divineo.cn on the 1st and they shipped it on the 2nd. got my tracking and everything. :P

[tarczyn]

The ds-x has download play issues as well, and if you know what you're doing, you can get an M3 or R4 with a 1 gig microSD for about $45-50 less. I can't burn that much just for a friend to play one or two games via download play.

Hey guys and gals, I'm a newbie to DS lite but I'm looking to get one after seeing my friend having so much fun with it! I've got a question though: with all the download play issues (or the lack of confirmation thereof), will multiplayer games work if two people have the M3 simply? To clarify, if my friend and I both have M3 simply and has mariokart in the microsd in each of our own ds lite, will it work? If we both have the game in the M3 simply, then it'll bypass the download play, right? Thanks for any help!

[steveo117]

lol i ordered from divineo.cn on the 1st and they shipped it on the 2nd. got my tracking and everything. :P
:mad: Don't make me stab you.:mad:

[Dazza360]

:mad: Don't make me stab you.:mad:

haha

I pre-ordered the M3 Simply DS at 13:16 GMT today for ~£36 inc shipping. Also ordered a SanDisk 1GB MicroSD for £17.99 inc shipping. Havent recieved any shipping information yet but the website said it'd be shipped if i ordered before 16:00 GMT.

[simfoniaco]

Gooooood!!... (God), I can't access Divineo, and I have a friend that is on USA (I'm from venezuela) and I need that damn thing right now. Anyone knows anywehere else to buy it? Cheap? xD

[pokerdecker]

I received mine today from realhotstuff.com. The thing works Perfect! I've installed New Mario, Mario Kart, Brainage and about 10 others so far. Everything works perfectly!

[Dazza360]

In the review it mentions the blister pack coming with:

1x M3 DS Simply cartridge with black shell
1x M3 DS Simply replacement shell in white
1x Silicon lined keychain carry case for M3 Simply
1x Software CD including drivers and tools
1x Micro SD card reader for PC file transfer

The product is listed on the divineo website as "M3 DS Simply". And in the product description the only thing mentioned is "M3 DS Simply is a slot 1 device". Nothing about the different cover, card reader (neccessary if you dont have one), software (more than likely included) or keychain.

I'm probably just being paranoid as it's late / early. Can anyone who's bought it from divineo verify that it comes with all the above?

It also says under additional information on the divineo website: "No drivers required" although in the review it reads: "1x Software CD including drivers and tools"

Edit: Also says "Producer : M2" instead of M3 lol, i'm guessing now that it's all just a bad product description.

[pokerdecker]

It's got to come with a cd at least. You need the cd to copy the system files over to your flash card. I didn't try it without doing this but I'd imagine it wouldn't work. Unless all I copied over was the skin files. Not sure.....having too much fun playing EVERY SINGLE GAME I CAN GET!

btw..I don't see anywhere on m3's website to d/l anything for this one yet.

[Dazza360]

You need the cd to copy the system files over to your flash card. I didn't try it without doing this but I'd imagine it wouldn't work. Unless all I copied over was the skin files. Not sure.....having too much fun playing EVERY SINGLE GAME I CAN GET!


ps. It does come with the reader and everything else mentioned above. Can't beat the deal. I had a DSX preordered from another site for $125. Instead I ordered this and got a cheap $25 1 gig card from tiger direct.

Cool, btw what date did you order the m3 and what date did it arrive?

[pokerdecker]

Sorry...I edited my post after re-reading your note about those who ordered from divineo. I ordered from another website yesterday and got it today.

[thrillahpino]

Will a 2gig A-DATA micro card work with the DS Simply? I hear that 2gig cards are having problems

[frehdeee]

would an adata 1gb microsd work good with the simply?

[dodly]

To check if a MicroSD card works with M3 Cards goto
http://www.m3wiki.com/index.php/Media_Card#Micro_SD_Cards
it will have ratings on the performance.


When looking for a MicroSD card the only thing you should worry about is its Transfer rate. The transfer rate effects how fast your Flash Carts can read the data of a MicroSD card
Transfer rates come in the following.
20X = 3.0 MB/sec
25X = 3.8 MB/sec
30X = 4.5 MB/sec
40X = 6.0 MB/sec
60X = 9.0 MB/sec


Right now the only problem with MicroSD cards is related to playing castlevania. Its the only game that lags due to transfer rates, so m3wiki have create a benchmark based on that game and have rated MicroSD cards based on the performance and lag of Castlevania.

Ultimately your best bet is an A-Data MicroSD 1GB or a Sandisk MicroSD Ultra II card, but they is pretty expensive. If your tight on cash go for the Kingston MicroSD 1 or 2 GB cards as that has good ratings according to m3wiki.

Personally I'm buying the Kingston MicroSD 1GB for my M3 DS Simply. The reason for this is because i can't justify spending more for a slight performance boost on a single game (castlevania)

[BadAdd]

I Live in the UK
Ordered mine the day that it was available for pre order. Way before christmas.

Just recieved mine this morning. Everything seems fine :D
600 games to play now :D
Allthough I would like to see instructions on removing the black case it came in and replacing with the white one.

[Amyrosie]

I just ordered one from Real Hot Stuff yesterday night, after receiving my supercard ds one. I'm gonna ask for a refund for the supercard, because it's crap!!

I can't wait to have the M3 :)

[BadAdd]

In the review it mentions the blister pack coming with:

1x M3 DS Simply cartridge with black shell
1x M3 DS Simply replacement shell in white
1x Silicon lined keychain carry case for M3 Simply
1x Software CD including drivers and tools
1x Micro SD card reader for PC file transfer

The product is listed on the divineo website as "M3 DS Simply". And in the product description the only thing mentioned is "M3 DS Simply is a slot 1 device". Nothing about the different cover, card reader (neccessary if you dont have one), software (more than likely included) or keychain.

I'm probably just being paranoid as it's late / early. Can anyone who's bought it from divineo verify that it comes with all the above?

It also says under additional information on the divineo website: "No drivers required" although in the review it reads: "1x Software CD including drivers and tools"

Edit: Also says "Producer : M2" instead of M3 lol, i'm guessing now that it's all just a bad product description.

I can verufy that it comes with all of the above.

[BadAdd]

Ok so I got my M3 DS simply today....
Not sure if somethings missing or not but the M3 DS SIMPLY USER MANUAL reads:
************************
2) Place the LOADER:
Copy all the files at ‘system\english\skin-*’ on the disk to the root directory of the TF card (including _DS_MENU.DAT ; _DSMSHL.NDS ; skin-*.jpg and Shell folder); Copy the downloaded game (.nds) or the DIY-program to the TF card (Folder can be created as you need).
************************
Now on my disk that with the card, my english folder has no skin file in there nor anything that relates to a skin file.

I have files DS MENU.dat, DSMSHL.nds and the shelll folder. No skin file? Anyone any ideas before I post as another thread?

[frehdeee]

if i order from realhotstuff, which shipping should i choose, the dhl standard or the us postal priority?

[MarvinMar]

http://www.supermediastore.com/adata-1gb-micro-sd-memory-card-microsd.html

A-DATA 1GB micro Sd Card, microSD Memory Card (Trans Flash) Plus SD Card Adapter) - Free Ground Shipping
Sale Price: $24.49

[WATTS]

My first ever post on these awesome forums and a happy one at that.


Your package has been assigned the Royal Mail Tracking Number : ****** **** ***
I should get my 3x M3 Simplys delivered here over at the UK on Monday 8th Jan. :)

I already have my 3x Sandisk 1GB Micro SD/transflash that i ordered over at Amazon clicky here (http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Micro-1GB-plus-Adapter/dp/B000EYAEK8/sr=8-1/qid=1168027103/ref=sr_1_1/202-0096422-1408677?ie=UTF8&s=electronics) so thats the storage sorted out, sure 2GB would of been really nice or even the ultra version but the price they cost is just way out of my reach considering i had to do make sure the kids got a taste of the homebrew and buy 3 of them as well as 3 M3 Simply! :D
I did however order a multi card reader to transer roms, movies and mp3s to the micro sd card for use on the M3 Simply for £5.99 but that is useless realy as there is a card reader already included with the M3 Simply! lol

I ordered the M3 Simply (from peoples recomendations here) over at Divineo UK HERE (http://www.divineo.co.uk/cgi-bin/div-uk/ds-m3simp.html)
The uk Divineo website still shows "pre order" but i ordered them on the 30th December 06 so i sent 4 emails today to see what was going on and i got my tracking number and goods are now in transit.

The M3 simply is going to be the best slot 1 solution from what i have read and support with future firmware is not going to be a problem from the M3 team!! ;)

As for GBA support i am not interested in that in the slightest, most games are and will be re released on the NDS and i would rather play NDS games over GBA ones anyday!!

I erm Simply can't wait! :p

One thing maybe someone with an M3 simply can confirm is whether there are any wi fi play issues with people who either have the original carts playing against an M3 simply or 2 players or more playing against each other ALL using the M3 simply themselves. Does either have ANY issues at all?
Wi fi play is a big factor with paying multiplayer with the family so i need that end of.

Once i have formated the micro sd cards to fat32 and installed the M3 software i just need to play through all my games again as i don't think there is any way i can get my saves off my original ds carts. :(
If anyone knows if there is a way of making a clean dump of the save files in my original carts to my computer so i can use with the M3 Simply and my game clean rom dumps without any expensive extra hardware i would appreciate some advice or a link to the relevant post/posts on this site.

Anyways im off to sort through my games to use with the M3 Simply!

Thanks.

[WATTS]

Woo hoo my 3x M3 Simply have arrived at home on Saturday and i never stated a Saturday delivery. Now that is service from Divineo!! ;)

On my way to pick them all up and setup them up on my Nintendo Ds.

I will post back any interesting findings/issues and i will confirm whether wi-fi play works on some games IE: mario kart and a few others.

God i feel like a big kid at 33. :D

Thanks.

[Dazza360]

My M3 also arrived this morning :D unfortunately 30mins before i had to leave for work so haven't tested it much. Everythings works though, i transferred 1 mp3 and 2 nds games, all worked flawlessly (for the 2mins i tested them :S )

[Amyrosie]

I can't wait to have mine!!!!! I ordered it from realhotstuff on january 4th, and I choose the EMS shipping (the most expensive one). I hope I'll get it SOON!!!

I live in Canada....so...you guys have an idea of when I could get it? :P

[WATTS]

I can report that wi fi play works fine with mario kart and castlevania works flawlessly.
No issues as of yet and now with an updated firmware theres even more testing to be done.
Dazza360 make sure you dont get caught out playing it for too long making you late for work. ;)
Amyrosie, can i suggest you keep emailing the company you ordered it from and keep bugging them for your order. You never know it may just help, it did me!! (all be it from Divineo UK). ;)
You won't be dissapointed when it arrives but go slowly and be gentle with the thing. Its only small as are the micro sd cards so take your time clicking the micro sd card into the M3 Simply and you shouldn't have any problems.

Thanks.

[sausage dog]

can anyone report back if mario 64 works? I read somewhere that some Micro SD cards do not work with it.

So if it works, let me know what type of card you have.

Cheers

[debs67]

Ok so I got my M3 DS simply today....
Not sure if somethings missing or not but the M3 DS SIMPLY USER MANUAL reads:
************************
2) Place the LOADER:
Copy all the files at ‘system\english\skin-*’ on the disk to the root directory of the TF card (including _DS_MENU.DAT ; _DSMSHL.NDS ; skin-*.jpg and Shell folder); Copy the downloaded game (.nds) or the DIY-program to the TF card (Folder can be created as you need).
************************
Now on my disk that with the card, my english folder has no skin file in there nor anything that relates to a skin file.

I have files DS MENU.dat, DSMSHL.nds and the shelll folder. No skin file? Anyone any ideas before I post as another thread?


Hi! Did you resolve this issue ? I have the same problem! What did you do?
Thanks for your help!

[h8uthemost]

Where can I find this thing at? I cannot find it anywhere, everywhere is sold out..

The only places that do have it in(Modchipfilters), are way over priced.

Anyone know of any places that have it in?

Thanks for any help

[WATTS]

can anyone report back if mario 64 works? I read somewhere that some Micro SD cards do not work with it.

So if it works, let me know what type of card you have.

Cheers

Works perfectly, currently on 14 stars and not had a failed boot off the sd card yet. I have 1gb sandisk micro sd (NOT ULTRA II).
Hope this helps. ;)

[WATTS]

Hi! Did you resolve this issue ? I have the same problem! What did you do?
Thanks for your help!

This got me confused too as there is NO system folder so ignore the system folder as it works without it.
To get it to work take all the contents out of the english folder, there should be the main firmware file in there too (you know you have the correct contents as there is a shell folder that needs to go on the sd card) and copy all this that is on the cd fom there in your micro sd card as is.
insert sd card into M3 simply, boot and enjoy!! ;)

[adamtrujillo]

i got mine last thursday and it works perfect ...this is my first ds solution and i cant be more pleased with it and my 1gb kingston card anyone test out the rom trimmer? does it make some games incompatible? i cant right now cause my pc died and im using linux on the ps3 at home till i can get a new hard drive.

[debs67]

This got me confused too as there is NO system folder so ignore the system folder as it works without it.
To get it to work take all the contents out of the english folder, there should be the main firmware file in there too (you know you have the correct contents as there is a shell folder that needs to go on the sd card) and copy all this that is on the cd fom there in your micro sd card as is.
insert sd card into M3 simply, boot and enjoy!! ;)

Thans for the help! Whats the other stuff for...rom trimmer, save Transform, moonshell ?:confused: Do I need that too?
Thanks!

[WATTS]

Thans for the help! Whats the other stuff for...rom trimmer, save Transform, moonshell ?:confused: Do I need that too?
Thanks!

rom trimmer is used for cutting out parts of a game to a smaller file size to get an extra rom or so on the sd card. Don't worry about it and i don't use it personally as the M3 boots clean full roms which is always best for compatibility IMHO.


A wonderful tool that automatically removes intros, trainers and unused space at the end of the ROMs to give you more place for other games on a Flash Card/M3 ect. You will be surprised at how much space can be saved! Look at the results I had with Super Mario Advance 4 Super Mario Bros 3. The GBA ROM went from 64.00 M to 36.18 M !!! You have to note that not all game ROMs can be reduced in size, but in 99% this tool will let you fit that one extra game on the cart.
http://m3wiki.com/index.php?title=M3_gba_roms

Moonshell is a program that enables movie and music playback on the DS.
Its already pre installed as part of the files you transfered over to the sd card so if you dont want to watch movies then you don't need to worry about it.

Hope this helps. ;)

[debs67]

rom trimmer is used for cutting out parts of a game to a smaller file size to get an extra rom or so on the sd card. Don't worry about it and i don't use it personally as the M3 boots clean full roms which is always best for compatibility IMHO.


http://m3wiki.com/index.php?title=M3_gba_roms

Moonshell is a program that enables movie and music playback on the DS.
Its already pre installed as part of the files you transfered over to the sd card so if you dont want to watch movies then you don't need to worry about it.

Hope this helps. ;)

OK! Thanks for your time!:)

[Bulldozer]

i live in the UK can someone confirm all i need to play backup DS roms is

http://www.tiktak-it.co.uk/acatalog/Micro_SD_Cards.html

and

http://eu.mod-chip.com/index-cart.php?go=/select_nintendo.htm

and of course some .nds roms

sorry to be a noob but i get confused with all the passme/passkey jargon:o

[NitrousGC]

Has anyone got the DS Simply to work on the standard DS? I picked up a few and they all work great on the lite, not so much on the Bulky DS

Thanks

[WATTS]

OK! Thanks for your time!:)

Anytime. ;)


i live in the UK can someone confirm all i need to play backup DS roms is

http://www.tiktak-it.co.uk/acatalog/Micro_SD_Cards.html

and

http://eu.mod-chip.com/index-cart.ph...t_nintendo.htm

and of course some .nds roms

sorry to be a noob but i get confused with all the passme/passkey jargon

You also need the M3 simply of course. ;)

You need one of these (512GB - 2GB its up to you but from a price point 1GB is best for storage):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Micro-1GB-plus-Adapter/dp/B000EYAEK8/sr=8-1/qid=1168027103/ref=sr_1_1/202-0096422-1408677?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

One of these:

http://www.divineo.co.uk/cgi-bin/div-uk/ds-m3simp.html

And without a doubt one of these:

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/lite/gallery/img/image1.jpg

Install the software from the cd you get with the M3 simply onto the micro sd card, transfer some roms over onto the card, put card into M3 simnply, then put the M3 simply into the slot 1 of the nintendo ds and thats it. ;)

[Bulldozer]

thanks for the response the link for eu-mod-chip was for an M3 they seem cheaper than divineo £30.80 +£2.71 p&p but 1 more question is the normal sandisk fast enough for all nds roms or should i buy a ultra II

[WATTS]

thanks for the response the link for eu-mod-chip was for an M3 they seem cheaper than divineo £30.80 +£2.71 p&p but 1 more question is the normal sandisk fast enough for all nds roms or should i buy a ultra II

Well if they are cheaper and in stock then they should be fine to order from. I only went with Divineo due to peoples reccomendations here and they were the only one of a few suppliers at the time.

my normal sandisk is fine with all the games i have tried, my son who plays on his for about 2 hours daily has had 0 issues and neither has the mrs had any problems who plays sims2 to death.
Some people have suggested that you need a faster card for castlevania but i havn't had any issues yet or played it long enough to notice any problems with it.

If money wasn't an issue i would of gone with the sandisk 2GB Ultra II for more storage and faster access (read / writes) but the normal sandisk is by no means slow for transfering roms/reading roms in real world for me.

You see i had to buy 3 M3 simply's and 3 sandisk micro sd cards so once you total that lot up i figured i had payed more than enough not to warrant the faster access etc of the ultra II.

If your the sort of person where money is no object then spend the extra but if your on a budget then i would go with the normal sandisk.

Hope this helps. ;)

[No_7]

Has anybody got the DS Browser to work on this thing?

BTW - There is a new OS (1.01) and Moonshell (1.6) on the M3 website.
http://www.m3adapter.com/SLOT-1/Download.htm

[Decipher]

Yup, I got the NDS Browser working fine.
You still need a Slot-2 of course. I'm using the M3 Simply with the M3 Lite.

[Ace of spAdes]

Hey i dont have a simply yet, but I have the opera browser, I want a simply so i dont have to carry cartriges around, could I use the memory pack that came with the browser to run the browser on Micro SD?

[damoedge]

Hi

Has anyone tried getting the SnezziDS to load on the M3 Simply. I really want to be able to try the old retro games and the SnezziDS seems to work fine via other methods but as the M3 Simply is relatively new can't find anywhere mention if someone has got it work OK.

Replies comments greatly appreciated.

[narutoramen]

well, my simply is useless now. the spring for the mem card slot just broke. when i push the card in, it doesn't stay in place but keeps on popping back out.

*cries*

[XeviousR]

Can't you just tape it in place for a quick fix? Electrical tape should be strong enough yet thin enough.

[NSCXP]

hello to all, I'm getting a simply for NDS backups, but also want to play GBA backups.

I would like to know if I buy M3 Perfect Pro Mini-SD adapter, will I be able to use this as a pass me device to play the GBA backups?

[Ace of spAdes]

^^ yes it has passme.

[NSCXP]

cheers mate, but do you know if the device I mention will work with it?
Also is that the best one to get for GBA support with the M3 simply?

please can somebody reply

[No_7]

well, my simply is useless now. the spring for the mem card slot just broke. when i push the card in, it doesn't stay in place but keeps on popping back out.

*cries*

I just experienced the same problem!
Before this happened, the MicroSD card would go into the slot about 1mm past the usual resting spot, then stick in that position. I would push it in and out a bit until it finally clicked into place. Then, one time, it just stopped clicking. The card was just being sprung back out. :-(

I openened the cover to see if I could find/fix the problem, but could only see the metal shield over the microSD card. I didn't want to mess with that, but after pushing the card in and out several more times, it is working again... don't know for how long though.

From this and other forums, it sounds like a common problem that is starting to happen with lots of these units. :-(

[narutoramen]

i wanted to open up the simply also to see if i can "fix" it also, but i don't have a screwdriver that small.

but my mem card slot is now in another state (of broken-ness). after pushing it in & out for 10 mins, hoping to get the spring to work again, i think i broke it more. i got the mem card to click in place. but now it doesn't pop back out, it's stuck in there. i have to manually pull out the mem card.
but i rather have it in this state. cuz now i can push & pull out the card without worrying about the spring.

debating if i should send it back for a replacement but shipping it back to china ain't cheap nor fast.

as for the tape suggestion, i guess that could work. didn't think that the tape will be thin enough but for me, i think it's a hassle removing the tape everytime you want to access the card. but i guess that's better than nothing.

[Odiumx]

I just want to know if the Simply support 2GB MicroSD?
-Thx

[alexandertyler]

I just want to know if the Simply support 2GB MicroSD?
-Thx

Supports up to 4 GB.

Later,

Alex

[exar khun]

can i do multiplayer play using DS-X on one DS and M3 Simply on the other DS?

[alexandertyler]

can i do multiplayer play using DS-X on one DS and M3 Simply on the other DS?

You can with two M3 Simply units so I don't see why not as long as the WiFi works on the DS-X.

Later,

Alex

[Stryker20000]

I have read 2-3 things that people are questioning compatability and performace on the DS original (bulky) Vs the DS Lite. Is there any sort of performace issues between the two? Cause I own the original bulky DS. Also, does any one use this for videos and music? If so how does it fair in video and music paybacks?

[hersuri]

So basically, if I want to play NDS and GBA backups with maximum compatibility and speed and multiplayer with unmodded DS's, and want to play SNES and Genesis ROMs fairly well, I should get the M3 Simply for the passkey function and to memcard, and a M3 Lite + 1gb microSD disc? I've been trying to figure this all out for ages, and it's all really confusing and I'd really love some help :)

I'd also be likely to use it for comics and ebooks. Also, is this able to play GBA games too? Or not?

[NSCXP]

do you know if this has ZIP support for NDS back-ups?
if it doesn't will it in the future?

[DJ1990]

Can one avoid breaking the spring if one is careful on how one inserts and removes the SD Card?

I am sick of Maximum Overload Patcher And loader because it is not compatible of a good amount of games that I want to play.

All the recent game releases like Diddy Kong Racing DS, Yu-Gi-Oh GX, etc will not work on the freak'n Max Media Dock and I am S-I-C-K of it!

I am now looking for a 1 ds slot rom thingy and this looks like a winner.
I found the US website (I think) and it was around $50.00+S+H.

I would like to know if any of you have ANY ROM Related Problems or Hardware Failure Problems.

[Bamboozle]

I just ordered my Simply and im wondering. Has anyone tested DSaim on it? Can you create folders for mp3s? As in can I have each CD in seperate folders or must I have all the mp3s in one big cluster?

[Goner]

From what I heard, DSAim runs on the Simply.
I'm using Beup (MSN Messenger clone) myself, works OK but no DLDI support so far :-(

You can make as many folders as you like for mp's and movies etc.
Just browse around with Moonshell to play & watch.

[chuckrich]

This might be a stupid question but I'm confused about it. If I got the DS Simply and a M3 Perfect Lite for GBA games would I need two SD cards (one for the Simply and one for the Lite)?

[supaspic]

Hey guys, I currently have the old school M3 CF adapter. I'm thinking of upgrading to the Simply for my new dslite. A frined of mine says to go with the supercard version because the Simply has problems running games. I'm a fan of M3 and just wanted to know how it runs. I read the review, but I want to know from experienced users. Should I go with it?

[allyourblood]

Hey guys, I currently have the old school M3 CF adapter. I'm thinking of upgrading to the Simply for my new dslite. A frined of mine says to go with the supercard version because the Simply has problems running games. I'm a fan of M3 and just wanted to know how it runs. I read the review, but I want to know from experienced users. Should I go with it?

thus far, my Simply runs flawlessly. i haven't hit a game it can't run. speed and compatibility are excellent, installation and use are mind-numbingly simple, and the overall physical build quality is tops. for the price, it's really a no-brainer. i'm planning on buying an M3 Lite to compliment mine, for the emulators and GBA-side of things.

[d33t]

I got the M3 DS Simply right after xmas. I ordered it from modchipstore since they where the only one that had it in stock (which is also the case right now too). If you are looking for a cheap and easy solution for playing DS backups (and one that seems to be getting a LOT of homebrew focus), this is the cart to pick up.

I see some people around here have had some problems with the spring on the microSD card slot. I'm in the same boat, and while mine eventually fixed itself, I opted to cut away some of the plastic shell so I could easily pull the microSD card out without using the spring. That was my solution...

Also, as a warning, I've read that many people don't like the TF card reader that comes with it. Mine came with the little translucent blue one, and I can say that it sucks. It stopped working the 6th time I used it. I opened it up and re-did the solder connections on the USB plug since they were loose, which made it at least see and access the microSD card, but I get nothing but IO errors when moving stuff on or off it now. The thing is worthless.

Still, it's something I can live without, it's just annoying. Overall, I HIGHLY recommend the M3 DS Simply if you are looking for a Slot-1 solution. Don't bother with the rom trimming either, the space you save isn't huge and I've read that it lowers the success rate of download play (with unflashed DSs anyway). The video encoder works well though and is the only program you will need. If you don't care about videos, everything else is drag and drop!

My only real beef with the thing is skinning the interface. I can not for the life of me get any skins to work in any fashion (except the Moonshell skins, those work just fine). I tried putting the skins in a self-made _system_ folder like I read to do. I tried just dumping the skins in the root of the card. I tried formatting the microSD card as FAT16 and FAT32. Nothing worked. Has anyone gotten the M3 interface to skin right?

As a note, I have the "new" M3 DS Simply. It's the one that comes in the cardboard box, only has the black shell, can't be modded into an R4DS (yet) and ships with firmware 1.01 on the CD. I don't know if that makes a difference, but I simply can't get the skin function to work.

[NPower]

I've wrote an M3 Simply Review in dutch, you can view it here:
Dutch M3 Simply Review (http://ndss.nl/modules/articles&a=7&d=7.html)

I did it in Dutch because their weren't any reviews of it in dutch yet, and not all Dutch people can read English well ;)

[ptrck*]

I got the M3 DS Simply right after xmas. I ordered it from modchipstore since they where the only one that had it in stock (which is also the case right now too). If you are looking for a cheap and easy solution for playing DS backups (and one that seems to be getting a LOT of homebrew focus), this is the cart to pick up.

I see some people around here have had some problems with the spring on the microSD card slot. I'm in the same boat, and while mine eventually fixed itself, I opted to cut away some of the plastic shell so I could easily pull the microSD card out without using the spring. That was my solution...

Also, as a warning, I've read that many people don't like the TF card reader that comes with it. Mine came with the little translucent blue one, and I can say that it sucks. It stopped working the 6th time I used it. I opened it up and re-did the solder connections on the USB plug since they were loose, which made it at least see and access the microSD card, but I get nothing but IO errors when moving stuff on or off it now. The thing is worthless.

Still, it's something I can live without, it's just annoying. Overall, I HIGHLY recommend the M3 DS Simply if you are looking for a Slot-1 solution. Don't bother with the rom trimming either, the space you save isn't huge and I've read that it lowers the success rate of download play (with unflashed DSs anyway). The video encoder works well though and is the only program you will need. If you don't care about videos, everything else is drag and drop!

My only real beef with the thing is skinning the interface. I can not for the life of me get any skins to work in any fashion (except the Moonshell skins, those work just fine). I tried putting the skins in a self-made _system_ folder like I read to do. I tried just dumping the skins in the root of the card. I tried formatting the microSD card as FAT16 and FAT32. Nothing worked. Has anyone gotten the M3 interface to skin right?

As a note, I have the "new" M3 DS Simply. It's the one that comes in the cardboard box, only has the black shell, can't be modded into an R4DS (yet) and ships with firmware 1.01 on the CD. I don't know if that makes a difference, but I simply can't get the skin function to work.

I got one of the "newer" M3 Simply ur talkin bout(got mine in January) and my TF card reader has worked perfectly(I got a blackish greenish metal-like one) and the spring for the micro card on mine isn't broken(lets hope it stays that way).
I'm not sure which skin function ur havin a problem wit(the M3 Menu one or the Moonshell one), but I had a skin problem wit the moonshell one(i'm guessin ur havin a problem wit dis one), but fixed it.
Alls you gots to do is if u downloaded the latest version of moonshell, copy the moonshl folder to the root of ur micro sd card. The skin that ur using, put all it's contents into a "shell" folder in the root of ur micro card and in the moonshl folder(do not put the files of the skin into a folder and then putting that folder in the shell folder and the moonshl folder, it will not work that way, just put skin's files into the folders I mentioned to put them in) The skin should work on moonshell now. For skinning the M3 menu, put all skin files into a folder called _system_ wit the underspaces!

Sorry for a long explanation but the skins should work if u read my directions CAREFULLY!
Hope I could help you:)

[d33t]

Thanks for the help. I actually got the moonshell skins working just fine. That was really easy to figure out since the default skin graphics were already there so I knew what to overwrite. It's the M3 skins I can't get to work.

I placed them in a _system_ folder (and even tried _system since that's what the docs say, but I figured it was a typo). Maybe the skins I downloaded were bad, but I've tried a couple dozen and not a single one works for me :(. They are all 256x192, all bmp files, named correctly (bckgrd_1, bckgrd_2, icons and logo) and in the _system_ folder. The skins are are downloaded from forums and other M3 sites so they SHOULD work just fine. Maybe it's something simple I am overlooking..... I'm doing everything from Linux too, so maybe I'll try it on my one windoze box just to see.

New M3 DS Simply, 1.02 firmware, Kingston 1GB MicroSD card (actually, I have 3, none work for skinning the M3). No M3 skins, just moonshell skins.

[ptrck*]

that's one problem fixed and one to go. From wut ur tellin me, ur skinz should work for the M3 menu. Based on wut I read from this thread:http://forums.maxconsole.net/showthread.php?t=50182

it says hidding the _system_ folder makes it work. to hide the folder, simply right click it, go to properties, and click/check the box under attributes that says hidden. I have also done this wit other unnecessary files that show up on the selection menu of the M3(for exaple, i hid the ds menu file that boots up the M3 and that other boot moonshell thing er somethin... I just hid those files and some others that i can't remember, but don't hide those other folders that i DID NOT MENTION like for example the game folder or music folder or applications folder)

Hope dis finally solves ur prob.:o

[lukeownzu]

What site do I go to to download movies, tv shows, and music free? is there one? also can I download the opera browser?

[Taco_Man]

Where can I download DS roms?

[ptrck*]

sorry to disappoint you Taco_man, but if you read the rules when registering to Maxconsole, you CAN NOT, i repeat, YOU CAN NOT POST ANY SITES OF ROMS!
Well...if you heard something called...well i dont know, something like GOOGLE!, to look where to get roms(DUH)

P.S. just sayin you could have tried google, even i did that when i didn't know(DUH)

P.S.not tryin to offend you, just messin wit ya:p

[Dispatches]

whats the download (single cart) play like?

My M3 is on the way and the girlfriend is thinking about getting a DS for download play so would love to hear your success failures.

In particular mario kart.

cheers

[ptrck*]

whats the download (single cart) play like?

My M3 is on the way and the girlfriend is thinking about getting a DS for download play so would love to hear your success failures.

In particular mario kart.

cheers

Okay here we go:
Mario Kart...WORKS!!!
Jump Ultimate Stars...WORKS!!!
Bomberman...WORKS!!!
New Super Mario Bros....NoPE!!(dang)
Diddy Kong Racing...NoPE!!(dang)
Advance Wars Dual Strike...WORKS!!!
Elite Beat Agents...WORKS!!!
Kirby Squeak Squad...WORKS!!!

So far, download play INDEED, DOES work for Mario Kart, Bomberman, Jump Ultimate Stars, Advance Wars, Elite beat Agents, and kirby Squeak squad.

All work on the M3 Simply(which is THEE GREATEST slot-1 solution!!)

[Dispatches]

cheers for the reply. Mario karts working so thats a winner.

just waiting on the M3s arrival kms said it was posted early monday morning so I'm hoping it gets here for the weekend :)

[chkdg8]

I just ordered mine from divineo $53.48 shipped. Now, the waiting game. I look forward to some cool homebrew.

[tzimmerman]

I have some M3 simply's up and working with ROM's on the M3.
But how do I transfer game saves that my children already have on the original carts?
I can not see an easy way to get the original DS cart connected to my computer to read/copy the files I need. Does it mean buying some type of adapter?

Thanks,

[chkdg8]

Hey wait a minute, I just got my package today and I didn't get a cd rom with all the necessary files I need to get everything running. Can anyone help?

[cillieacc0rd5o4]

Hey wait a minute, I just got my package today and I didn't get a cd rom with all the necessary files I need to get everything running. Can anyone help?

damn how long was shipping ??? where you ordered from ??

[chkdg8]

I ordered it on the 6th of September. I emailed divineo and they told me that product shipping was coming from Hong Kong. When I got my package today, it came from Canada. What's weird is that I didn't receive my cd installation disc. I'm stuck on what to do.

[tzimmerman]

I have some M3 simply's up and working with ROM's on the M3.
But how do I transfer game saves that my children already have on the original carts?
I can not see an easy way to get the original DS cart connected to my computer to read/copy the files I need. Does it mean buying some type of adapter?



Can anyone help me??

[chkdg8]

Can anyone help me??
Most roms come with save files in the archive. As far as I'm concerned, there's no easy way to extract game saves from cartridges. That would call for additional hardware.

[tristangt]

Visit www.piczo.com/tristangt12 and www.piczo.com/oo-tristans-world-oo

[fenderacoustic]

Wow. I've had the Simply for a long while and it has been running perfect since day one. I recently ordered the Real and gave the Simply to my wife. I have had nothing but problems with this card. The DS games run great in single player mode. Multiplayer mode however is so slow the games are no longer enjoyable. And yes I am hitting the Y button for download play. Also GBA (the main reason I bought the Real) won't even work! I can load the games but they freeze and make a "matrix" sound like a fax machine or something. I was so excited today, I almost got through the entire first level of a GBA game! Not cool. The only thing I can think of is that I got a bad GBA Ram pack.

Another gripe: The firmware sucks. When I do load a game it takes forever to start. Takes me back to the PS1 days with load times. This is a DS not a PSP. Frustrating. Also the games are all out of order. Not a big deal but a small annoyance. I like the Simply because anyone can pick it up and play a game. You've got to read the user manual to navigate the Real. I read on forums to run fatsort. I'll prob do that but shouldn't have to. My nephew got confused because it goes to the cheat screen first. I've heard good things about Sakura. I hope this card gets better with firmware updates. M3 built me up and then tore me down. I will probably keep the Real just for DS games since it has a higher capacity and then get a M3 Lite for slot 2 GBA goodness. Oh well, if it sounds too good to be true...

[brady72]

Hello guys,

I am new to this ds stuff,

Could you tell me what files i require to boot up the ds with the r4 in.
Currently i get "loading"

kind regards

[Flameblade]

Wow. I've had the Simply for a long while and it has been running perfect since day one. I recently ordered the Real and gave the Simply to my wife. I have had nothing but problems with this card. The DS games run great in single player mode. Multiplayer mode however is so slow the games are no longer enjoyable. And yes I am hitting the Y button for download play. Also GBA (the main reason I bought the Real) won't even work! I can load the games but they freeze and make a "matrix" sound like a fax machine or something. I was so excited today, I almost got through the entire first level of a GBA game! Not cool. The only thing I can think of is that I got a bad GBA Ram pack.

Another gripe: The firmware sucks. When I do load a game it takes forever to start. Takes me back to the PS1 days with load times. This is a DS not a PSP. Frustrating. Also the games are all out of order. Not a big deal but a small annoyance. I like the Simply because anyone can pick it up and play a game. You've got to read the user manual to navigate the Real. I read on forums to run fatsort. I'll prob do that but shouldn't have to. My nephew got confused because it goes to the cheat screen first. I've heard good things about Sakura. I hope this card gets better with firmware updates. M3 built me up and then tore me down. I will probably keep the Real just for DS games since it has a higher capacity and then get a M3 Lite for slot 2 GBA goodness. Oh well, if it sounds too good to be true...

I recently bought a Real after having a Simply for some time, and it seems to me that the Real has considerably lower production value. Even the cart itself. It barely fits into the DS, whereas the Simply was exactly the same size as a DS cart; and it feels like you're jamming the microSD into the cart now, unlike before where it slid in and out easily, I'm worried I might be damaging the card. Games take longer to boot up too.

I might go back to my Simply just so I don't have that horrible grainy plastic-on-plastic rubbing noise every time I take the cart in and out.

EDIT: Oh, and two of the ugly clasps at the side (Which weren't present on the Simply) just randomly broke off, now the side of the cart opens and the circuit board can just fall out. I only took this out of the packaging yesterday.

Why does it have clasps? Why not just meld the casing together like with the Simply, then it CAN'T break and it looks so much better and smoother.

In short, it's badly made, and mine broke within hours. Poor quality product. Going back to my Simply.

[dark_hudo]

kool thanks 4 da info

[Reflect]

i bought it... its awesome

[MartinL]

very nice...

[appletv]

i bought it cant get it to work

[appletv]

i added the system files and wont work

[yikun]

good info, Thanks

[fm911]

thanksssssssssss

[carlton0910]

Sounds Sweet,,,However, I think that,M3i Zero (http://www.eotdeals.com/m3i-zero-for-ds-dsl-and-dsi-p-145.html)is second to none,Compatible with DS , DSl & DSi . supports Real Time Save function . :)