XG Flash - Development Tool for the GBA Console

Anonymous Coward writes "The XG Flash (EZ Flash) is yet another addition to the growing Gameboy Advance development scene. With the XG Flash (EZ Flash) being one of the smallest versions of other popular GBA development systems. The XG Flash is a different version of the EZ Flash for the GBA as they are both 100% compatible with both the software and the hardware. By this we mean that you can use an XG Flash "linker" with an EZ Flash card and vice-versa. The biggest feature of the XG Flash is that it is probably the smallers flash and linker combination on the market today. The XG Flash Flash Card is the same size as an original GBA Cart and it is also hyped by the manufacturer as the smallest and fastest in the world. One of the better features of the XG Flash is that it can be upgraded simply by the software and therefore it appears to never be out-dated. Another good choice for developers both homebrew and professional. Read the rest over at Console Hardware News"

Comments

A blatant ad?

[psyconaut]

I dunno about you, but this kinda strikes me a blatant ad.

I love the way this is pitched as being a "development system". It's a flash device....with common uses being to trade pirated games online and download them to your GBA.

How many people are really going ot be using this device to load their own games into a GBA? Probably a very, very small number...

-psy

Re:A blatant ad?

[sien]

Hmm, sorta. You might be right but there is a pretty active amateur development community out there. Check out gbadev dev and the web ring from there.

Also, pirating the games and downloading requires some, albeit very basic, level of technical competence.

Re:A blatant ad?

[octover]

I'm happy to see this, and will be ordering one today. I have/had a Flash linker for my Gameboy color. Did my Flash cartridge ever have games on it I didn't own, yes. Did I try my hand at Gameboy development with it, yes, did I try roms from the net and then purchase the game later, yes, did I have games that I played and never bought, yes.

The primary use was that I could have 7-8 of my games on one cartridge. That made it a lot easier for me to carry it around a play with while commuting to school/work. That has been the major drawback on my Advance. I have to cart around the unit and at least 2, 3 games I'm working on, plus another 2, or 3 should my friends want to link up.

So my use of a linker really isn't hurting the industry any. I'm buying the games I play, I'm just willing to pay to be able to stick all my roms on one flash cart. Besides this is a great boon for the gameboy developement community. There are a lot of people out there who can get their foot in the door of the industry with it. I think it is great.

GBA Developers

[NickFusion]

Professional GBA developers use them as well, as low cost dev units for programmers and artist.

A couple hundred bucks vs. 6 grand for a full kit.

You do the math.

Cool

[Don Miguel]

This unit peaked my interest and whet my appetite for doing some devving for GBA. I just ordered mine.

Re:Cool

[Anonymous Coward]

Apologies for the pedantry, but you probably mean piqued.

Re:Cool

[Don Miguel]

Thanks for you're correction. English is not my first language.

Re:Cool

[Anonymous Coward]

There are some bugs in the English language(s), e.g., too many homonyms. Hopefully, they will be fixed in the next version. :-)

Sorry, I can't help myself. It should be "your correction" instead of "you're correction". It may be easier to see after expanding "you're" to "you are". I hope that helps.

Re:Cool

[Don Miguel]

Hmmm. Looks like I loose again!

Re:Cool

[muzthe42nd]

wait, are you THE don miguel, who did the RPG maker? if so, cooool...

Betamax

[yerricde]

I love the way this is pitched as being a "development system". It's a flash device....with common uses being to trade pirated games online and download them to your GBA.

I love the way the VCR is pitched as being a "timeshifting system". It's a video recorder...with common uses being to trade pirated television shows and movies with friends and download them to your TV.

In other words, these GBA flash cartridges have substantial non-infringing uses, such as to put multiple programs onto one cartridge and to act as a platform on which to test homebrew GBA programs such as TOD. The decisions in Sony v. Universal (the Betamax VCR case) and RIAA v. Diamond (the Rio MP3 player case) have affirmed the right of Americans to time-shift, space-shift, and format-shift copyrighted works, provided that such copies are not distributed to others, granted by exceptions in copyright law such as fair use (17 USC 107).

(OT) Bugs in spoken language

[yerricde]

There are some bugs in the English language(s)

Fact: In both GBA software development and spoken language development, it's easier to avoid bugs if you Keep It Simple Stupid. For example, if a language has only 120 words, how can anybody screw that up?

Offtopic: Interface for a GBA screen?

[Valdrax]

I know this is blatantly off-topic, but does anyone here know where I can get a description of the physical interface for a GBA screen? I need the physical voltages on the pins as well as the protocol for sending data to the screen. I've managed to get my hands on a spare for repairs from eBay and I think it'd make for an interesting case mod.

Ask on gbadev

[yerricde]

I know this is blatantly off-topic, but does anyone here know where I can get a description of the physical interface for a GBA screen?

Perhaps the gbadev mailing list would be a better place to ask this. It's mostly a programming list, but some hardware hackers may hang out there as well.

UK suppliers ?

[Abnormal Coward]

anyone know if theres a UK supplier for these flash carts ?

Re:Offtopic: Interface for a GBA screen?

[jcook793]

I would also like to get this information -- quite by coincidence today I was talking with a friend about using a GBC/GBA screen for a personal little project.