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Wii System Menu 4.0 Released

dougisfunny writes "The Wii System Menu 4.0 has been released. It adds a number of features that people have been waiting for, including the ability to use SDHC cards, as well as the ability to download and play things directly off of the SD/SDHC card rather than the internal memory. This was announced at GDC09 by Nintendo's President Saturo Iwata in his keynote address. More information can be found at Nintendo's website."

94 comments

  1. JoMomma by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sweet!

  2. Hacks by emag · · Score: 1

    I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that this disables the homebrew hack stuff again...for the next couple days? Perhaps I should actually hack mine before installing this update (also explains why my Wii's been flashing).

    --
    "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." --H.L. Mencken
    1. Re:Hacks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      also explains why my Wii's been flashing

      That might be something else. You should probably go see a doc or something.

    2. Re:Hacks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, the Twilight hack was disabled. Check http://wiibrew.org/ for more details.

    3. Re:Hacks by i.of.the.storm · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yeah, I would advise you to just use the Twilight Hack and install the Homebrew Channel and then update - the update does not remove the Homebrew Channel but it does close the hole for the Twilight Hack once and for all, or at least so it would seem. There isn't really a drawback to having the Homebrew Channel on your Wii, except for the maybe 1meg of space it takes up. That way if you later decide you want to use homebrew, you won't have to wait for the next exploit. Team Twiizers, the team behind the Twilight hack, have been sitting on other exploits for when this finally got properly patched, but it's going to take them time to actually put out the next hack so if there's any chance you want homebrew just hack it now and then update.

      --
      All your base are belong to Wii.
    4. Re:Hacks by i.of.the.storm · · Score: 5, Informative

      Right, so I should probably include relevant links for those too lazy to Google. Consider this a mini-guide to homebrew on the Wii.

      • The Homebrew Channel: This is essentially a launcher for unsigned code on the Wii. Follow the instructions on the page to install it onto your pre 4.0 Wii. As of now, there are no hacks to install it on 4.0 but it will only be a matter of time. This page also includes the Twilight Hack, which is a hacked save file for Twilight Princess that causes the Wii to crash and I presume elevate privileges so that you can run unsigned code from SD. The idea is that you run the Twilight Hack, which launched the HBC installer, and then it's on your Wii's system memory.
      • HackMii: The blog of Team Twiizers, the group that does all the ground breaking hacking of the Wii. Definitely add them to your RSS reader if you decide to hack your Wii. It's also an interesting technical read. Note that Team Twiizers are firmly against piracy, and any mention of it there will not be tolerated.
      • WiiBrew: Also run by Team Twiizers and co, this is the wiki for Wii homebrew. Contains apps and general information about Wii hacking, as well as technical information on the software and security of the Wii. In particular, this list is a fairly thorough list of legit homebrew applications on the Wii.
      • The Homebrew Browser: This gets a special mention out of all the apps because it's basically a package repository type program for the Wii. The guy also runs a blog at codemii.com with updates on included applications and also a few basic Wii coding tutorials.

      Phew. That's probably the most effort I've ever spent on a Slashdot post. These links should be enough to get anyone started. Since I'm tired of typing HTML tags, I'll just list a few recommended apps: GeeXBoX is an excellent media center app, and there's also a handful of mplayer ports, then there's all the emulators, Gecko OS lets you tweak a few aspects of the System menu as well as use cheats (but don't use them online, people have been getting banned), FTPii is useful if you're too lazy to take your SD card out of your Wii, there are a few Wii Linux distros in their infancy, and of course, a plethora of games (including Quake!).

      One last thing, Team Twiizers is working on something called BootMii, which is essentially a replacement of some very low level boot code on the Wii. Once this is finished, Wii homebrew will essentially have complete access to everything on the Wii. Keep an eye out for it; among other things it should make a Wii relatively brick-proof. It'll be on Hackmii of course.

      --
      All your base are belong to Wii.
    5. Re:Hacks by KDR_11k · · Score: 3, Informative

      Gecko OS also breaks the region lock which is pretty damn useful.

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    6. Re:Hacks by i.of.the.storm · · Score: 1

      Oh right, forgot about that. I don't import games and in fact haven't had time to play a Wii game in ages.

      --
      All your base are belong to Wii.
    7. Re:Hacks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's easy to still do all the fun hacks around. I started off with menu 3.2U, and the process went something like this:

      - Installed IOS60, patched for Trucha signing
      - Updated from the system menu
      - Updater failed, my internet sucks. Updated again and it finished successfully.

      I now have 4.0U, and can still run homebrew, Trucha signed content, and all that jazz, outside of using the Twilight Hack (which I already have HBC installed, so I'm good).

  3. Sigh by AMSmith42 · · Score: 1

    Still no native DVD playback? Is this ever going to happen? If it does, I can finally disconnect my PS2...

    1. Re:Sigh by Millennium · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Are you telling me you don't have a DVD player yet? You can get those things for less than the cost of a Wii game nowadays, never mind the Wii console.

    2. Re:Sigh by godrik · · Score: 1

      You can with the homebrew channel + mplayer or geexbox. However, It is not that good: people wrote proof of concept but no actual stable code.

      I believe nintendo sells a software to do DVD playback, they will not give it away.

      Oh, BTW, homebrew were already able to read SDHC.

    3. Re:Sigh by ragethehotey · · Score: 4, Informative

      This has nothing to do with ability of the system as there has been homebrew for a while that enables this feature, but rather that royalties would have to be paid in order to legally enable it. If consumers would be willing to eat the price of the upgrade without bitching, I am sure they would be willing to sell it to you. (Remember how the original xbox required a seperate remote in order to use DVD playback?)

    4. Re:Sigh by spire3661 · · Score: 4, Funny

      My PS2 fanboy friends used to give me a hard time about that dongle because the PS2 does DVD playbackit out of the box. That is until i pointed out that I could save my games out of the box.....

      --
      Good-bye
    5. Re:Sigh by int19 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Some people don't like to have half a dozen devices connected to their TV's if one device is capable of performing most of those tasks. I fondly recall the "debates" I had with the gf over where to put the DVD player I insisted we buy after I got frustrated with our PS3's lack of IR remote-control support when I have an otherwise homogeneous system with my Logitech Harmony.

      Others, still, do not have enough input sockets on their TV's to support new devices. If I somehow only have one component input, to which my DVD player is currently connected to, and later buy a Wii, it would be nice to not be forced to balance like a monkey trying to reach behind the TV to rewire each time I switch devices.

    6. Re:Sigh by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 3, Insightful

      All Nintendo would need to do is create a DVD channel and pass on the cost to the people interested. At the same time Nintendo may have other priorities, so this would take a back seat.

      --
      Jumpstart the tartan drive.
    7. Re:Sigh by sodul · · Score: 1

      Why would he want to have yet an other device plugged to his TV and home theatre system.

      The back of my TV stand is full of cables, just on the power cables side I have:
        - TV
        - Home Theatre
        - Subwoofer
        - MythTV backend
        - Mac Mini (act as my dvd player too)
        - Wii
        - Cable modem
        - Wireless Router
        - Gigabit switch

      Now add the cables for TV, audio and network and it's a huge hair ball back there. I was more than happy to reclaim the DVD player space and cables when I sold it last year.

      To make it more believable: mom's basement can be quite small so we don't like do waste space for a freaking DVD player while the small Wii can do it when you install MPlayer on it.
       

    8. Re:Sigh by Donniedarkness · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's not going to happen. From what I've read (and I've read, and worked with, a lot), the DVD player in the Wii is not suited for the continuous reads that a movie would demand-- it does short burst reads. Playing movies on it will, over time, ruin the device.

      --
      Earn a % of cash back from Newegg, Tiger Direct, Walmart.com, and more: http://www.mrrebates.com?refid=458505
    9. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've heard otherwise, seeing as others have figured out how to play DVDs on a Wii with no apparent problems.

    10. Re:Sigh by CheshireFerk-o · · Score: 0

      anyone who has the homebrew channel and system menu 3.4 can install DVDX which opens the drive up for dvd playback. the homebrew channel also has a version of mplay to play movies from SD card. so yes its highly advisable you use the twilight hack before updating.

    11. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Let me rephrase the key point for you.

      Playing DVD movies on the Wii will ruin the device over time.

    12. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Based on two unfortunate experiences, I would agree. For my job, I travel a fair amount and before I leave each trip, I spend some time with my 4 year old playing Mega Man. HE LOVES Mega Man.

      On two trips, we paused the game for a moment and walked away to do something. A week later, I come home from my trip and find the game still paused. Whoops! This works great... until you try to use the system again. Nasty error code and a $100 fix from Nintendo to get the drive to work again.

      Don't leave the disc on!

    13. Re:Sigh by David+Nabbit · · Score: 1

      Some people don't like to have half a dozen devices connected to their TV's if one device is capable of performing most of those tasks.

      Certainly no one on Slashdot! That's grounds for having your geek card revoked.

      --
      "Her idea of wit is nothing more than an incisive observation humorously phrased and delivered with impeccable timing."
    14. Re:Sigh by David+Nabbit · · Score: 1

      On two trips, we paused the game for a moment and walked away to do something. A week later, I come home from my trip and find the game still paused. Whoops! This works great... until you try to use the system again. Nasty error code and a $100 fix from Nintendo to get the drive to work again.

      Don't leave the disc on!

      Or just lay off the 10,080 minute movies.

      --
      "Her idea of wit is nothing more than an incisive observation humorously phrased and delivered with impeccable timing."
    15. Re:Sigh by Donniedarkness · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Oh, it'll work-- but it will destroy the device eventually.

      I can also try to get my firebird to tow cars. It might work, but it's gonna kill it.

      --
      Earn a % of cash back from Newegg, Tiger Direct, Walmart.com, and more: http://www.mrrebates.com?refid=458505
    16. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This has never been anything Nintendo have really been interested in.

      Why not buy a PS3 and use that for DVDs?

      Or, shock horror, a cheap DVD player. Whaa, it's another box under the TV ... but you TV should have more than enough inputs to handle it, and you already have a PS2 there for that role anyway!

    17. Re:Sigh by AgentX24 · · Score: 1

      This is a complete myth. Plenty of Wii games read the game disc continuously, and there is no evidence that continual reading causes any damage to the laser whatsoever. That said, DVD playing with homebrew is currently not the best quality and is a bit buggy, but things are improving week by week.

    18. Re:Sigh by BlackCreek · · Score: 1

      Let me rephrase the key point for you.

      Playing DVD movies on the Wii will ruin the device over time.

      Sorry dude. It is a matter of royalties, not hardware. In Japan they have playback enabled.

      http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/japan-to-get-wii-with-dvd-player

      http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=148355
       

    19. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nintendo has already said that the Wii is incapable of playing DVDs. No firmware update will change this. To enable DVD playback they will have to release new hardware. They did say they may release a DVD enabled Wii in the future but that was quite some time ago and I never heard anything since.

    20. Re:Sigh by hal2814 · · Score: 2, Informative

      The price of the licensing isn't the only thing to consider. The Wii media and drive are very similar to DVD specs but they are not DVDs. The most notable difference is that the data is read backwards. If Nintendo is going to sanction folks using the Wii to do something its hardware was never intended to do (run backwards for hours at a time), then a significant amount of QA time would have to go into making sure the unit isn't damaged in the process.

      BAD CAR ANALOGY WARNING:
      I can run my car at 5000RPM but that doesn't mean I can keep on doing it day in and day out without any adverse effect.

      Does running the Nintendo's laser backwards damage the unit in the long term? I don't know the answer to that but Nintendo probably doesn't either. And until they bother to spend the time and resources to find out, you're going to have to go out of your way to do it.

    21. Re:Sigh by Chris+Acheson · · Score: 1

      I don't own a TV, you insensitive clod.

    22. Re:Sigh by Rickz0rz · · Score: 1

      This doesn't make since, as there are games that use tons of movie content in them. Even simple games like Mario Kart Wii have movies playing in the background of the menus. I know there are more logistical points to be made here (and someone will jump in explaining the 'differences'), but saying that the Wii's DVD laser isn't made to read data off of a DVD without damaging the laser seems like a bunch of bullshit.

    23. Re:Sigh by zoloto · · Score: 1

      I'd rather have the ability to plug in my USB HDD or be able to mount a network share (SMB/NFS/SSH) directly on the wii to access my iso'd movies that way!

    24. Re:Sigh by Monsuco · · Score: 1

      The most notable difference is that the data is read backwards.

      Game Cube disk are essentially DVD's with part of the disk missing, and they are not read backwards (or at least not on the game cube). If it can play those, I see nothing wrong with playing a movie. A simple Wii Shop Channel Channel could be made, just like with the browser. They could also make an SD / Flash Drive movie/music player. Heck sell em together and call em the Media Channel.

    25. Re:Sigh by Monsuco · · Score: 1

      Don't leave the disc on!

      Why can they not just make the drive stop when paused. It shouldn't need to read it when paused.

    26. Re:Sigh by coaxial · · Score: 1

      Why would you have a special made substandard dvd drive when you can get a commodity one for only a few bucks wholesale at volume that can run continuously?

      I have severe doubts that a "short burst only" drive exists anywhere in the world.

    27. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The problem is the constant use inherent with DVD playback. Much different than periodic use when content is buffered off the disc during gameplay. This would reduce the life of the DVD motor.

    28. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Again, the drive they put in is a lower cost one suited to rapid starts and stops, but not suited for constant access (cooling problems or components subject to more wear but provide faster rev times).

    29. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The price of the licensing isn't the only thing to consider. The Wii media and drive are very similar to DVD specs but they are not DVDs. The most notable difference is that the data is read backwards.

      Wii game discs aren't read backwards. That's a myth that has existed since the Gamecube days.

    30. Re:Sigh by Gizzmonic · · Score: 1

      Hey man, I don't know if you're still having problems controlling your PS3 over IR but Nyko makes a PS3 IR remote. I use it and I'm pretty happy with it-the only thing it can't do is turn on the PS3, but that will happen automatically when you put in a disc.

      --
      (-1, Raw and Uncut is the only way to read)
  4. Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by kevind23 · · Score: 1

    Uh, you shouldn't be encouraging people to downgrade to this version.

    1. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by mrbcs · · Score: 1

      Nintendo warns you that if you have "modified" your system, you shouldn't do this update. It can apparently brick the wii.

      --
      I'm not anti-social, I'm anti-idiot.
    2. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's not a downgrade, idiot. I love Slashbots' biased hyperbole to describe things that screw with their piracy. Let me guess, this is "evil?"

    3. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by Dryesias · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Just because you modify your Wii doesn't make you a pirate. There is a lot of interesting or nifty homebrew software. Wait, why am I replying to an AC/troll anyway.

    4. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by i.of.the.storm · · Score: 3, Informative

      Their updates always say that, but it's usually not true if all you've done is install the Homebrew Channel. More invasive (irresponsible) hacks might cause problems but if you stick to the Homebrew Channel only (and DVDx I guess) so far there are no problems. Team Twiizers is generally careful about what they do.

      --
      All your base are belong to Wii.
    5. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by i.of.the.storm · · Score: 2, Informative
      Actually, it sounds like from what marcan said, it might have closed the hole more or less permanently.

      # Twilight Hack no longer works. Iâ(TM)d like to remind everyone that this exploit has been in use for over a year. Whether it comes back or a new game exploit takes its place, I think we can say itâ(TM)s served us all well.

      While this doesn't necessarily mean that the hack is dead, it seems like they're moving on to the next exploitable game. Also, you don't really need the Twilight Hack once you've installed the Homebrew Channel, and this update does not remove the Homebrew Channel. I held off on updating for a while but I actually buy WiiWare games, so this update is actually useful for me, and I keep my Homebrew Channel. The Twilight Hack finally being fixed does not really matter to me.

      --
      All your base are belong to Wii.
    6. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by Mordok-DestroyerOfWo · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hell the only reason I own a Wii is to play the old retro NES, SNES, and Genesis games. I've tried some of the different Wii games and found myself just wanting to sit on my couch with a controller in my hand. Maybe I'm just getting older. Crotchety at the age of 27.

      --
      "Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right" - Salvor Hardin
    7. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by ragethehotey · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Also, you don't really need the Twilight Hack once you've installed the Homebrew Channel

      Is this true? Because its the only reason I even own zelda, and would love to be able to give it to a friend to have if this is the case.

    8. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by millennial · · Score: 3, Informative

      Yes, it's true. Once you've installed the HBC you don't need the disc anymore.

      --
      I am scientifically inaccurate.
    9. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by i.of.the.storm · · Score: 1

      That seems strange. Do you use the Twilight Hack to launch homebrew every time or have you just never gotten into homebrew? Once the Homebrew Channel is on your system you can launch homebrew through it from an SD card. Just install the HBC and you don't need TP anymore. You just have to be careful not to delete the HBC, and check wiibrew.org before every update in case it removes the HBC. So far, no updates have, although they have removed hacked TP saves.

      --
      All your base are belong to Wii.
    10. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Actually, it sounds like from what marcan said, it might have closed the hole more or less permanently.

      # Twilight Hack no longer works. Iâ(TM)d like to remind everyone that this exploit has been in use for over a year. Whether it comes back or a new game exploit takes its place, I think we can say itâ(TM)s served us all well.

      No, you don't seem to understand at all, there is no need to move to a different game.

      For eternity people will be able to buffer-overflow zelda, it's a pressed disc.

      The problem is hacking the wii's system software (ios) to gain control of the co-processor that handles all the security certificates etc.

      Hacking zelda and controlling the PPC is child's play, the ARM doing the gruntwork is the goal.

    11. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by Toonol · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Losing an exploit, but gaining significant and long-anticipated new features. This is only a downgrade to a fraction of a percent of Wii users... and the majority of them are playing copied games, and Nintendo doesn't really need to worry too much about irritating them. They'll crack it again soon anyway; Nintendo just has to make these exploits irritating enough that normal people would have no desire to use them.

    12. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by Toonol · · Score: 1

      For eternity people will be able to buffer-overflow zelda, it's a pressed disc.

      No, it's easy enough for an OS update to close the hole. If you tried to use the buffer-overflow trick with Zelda on an updated Wii, it will no longer work. If you mean that it will always work for an non-updated Wii, with an older OS, you are correct.

    13. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by Phroggy · · Score: 1

      It's not a downgrade, idiot. I love Slashbots' biased hyperbole to describe things that screw with their piracy. Let me guess, this is "evil?"

      You're absolutely right, calling it a "downgrade" is hyperbole... but the Homebrew channel has nothing to do with piracy. I suppose maybe there's a way it could be used for that purpose, but I've never even heard of it being used that way.

      --
      $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
      $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
    14. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by kevind23 · · Score: 1

      Homebrew is not piracy. I paid for my Wii, and I'm damned well going to run the things that I want to run on it.

    15. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by kevind23 · · Score: 1

      Unfortunately, homebrew piracy tools are available, but you do have to go looking for them. Homebrew certainly doesn't imply piracy but in some senses, it enables it.

    16. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by kevind23 · · Score: 1

      Well, I of course read that too, but previously Nintendo has killed off the Twilight Hack, and look how long it still survived. I wouldn't say it's permanently dead, but yeah, it's a possibility.

      It doesn't kill the HBC, you're right, but I think it's better to be safe and keep the TP Hack option open, just in case something goes wrong.

    17. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      If that is all you want, just buy a gp2x instead and connect to tv:
      http://www.gbax.com/gp2x.html

    18. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by karnal · · Score: 1

      I know people bring this up as a reason all the time as to why they'd want to run homebrew software - but technically isn't it still a nod to piracy?

      If you play roms you don't officially own, it's still considered an infringement on the original work, no matter how it's packaged.... right?

      --
      Karnal
    19. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by CastrTroy · · Score: 1

      If they sold a "play video channel" I would pay for it. I'd probably pay up to $20 for it. However, until they release a channel that can play a variety of video formats (don't even mention the photo channel, it doesn't even work with videos from my digital camera), my only solution for playing videos on the Wii is to use homebrew.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    20. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by zoloto · · Score: 1

      Exactly. This is precisely why I borrowed a friend's disc.

    21. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by Monsuco · · Score: 1

      This is only a downgrade to a fraction of a percent of Wii users... and the majority of them are playing copied games, and Nintendo doesn't really need to worry too much about irritating them.

      Actually, I suspect just as many use it for the video player and weird little wiimote games. I do use mine for emulators too, but the main thing I emulate is the SNES game Earthbound, since Nintendo refuses to release it on Virtual Console.

    22. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by the+kostya · · Score: 1

      I would imagine it is part of the standard boiler to cover their ass in court. They guarantee that the Wii will work with official software with the Nintendo seal of quality and all that. Once you use stuff that they did not make or approve, you are on your own. If you break something, it is your own fault.

    23. Re:Kills Twilight Hack, Temporarially by i.of.the.storm · · Score: 1

      Right. I was just pointing out that this has always been the case.

      --
      All your base are belong to Wii.
  5. Re:FP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    And keep reaching for that rainbow.

  6. Mod Chips by Elitist_Phoenix · · Score: 1

    Has anyone with a mod chip installed this?
    If so what chip and any problems?

    --
    "I'm going to f***ing bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I'm going to f***ing kill Google"
    1. Re:Mod Chips by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Has anyone with a mod chip installed this?

      Yes.

      If so what chip and any problems?

      Don't remember the chip name, no problems.

  7. If you want the real info on menu 4 by Pvt_Ryan · · Score: 2, Informative

    go to hackmii.com

  8. Diskless Movie Playback on the Wii by ciderVisor · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Convert your movie files to M-JPEG and play them off an SD card through the Photo Channel.

    --
    Squirrel!
    1. Re:Diskless Movie Playback on the Wii by Faylone · · Score: 1

      Sure, but only without sound.

    2. Re:Diskless Movie Playback on the Wii by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

      Given the comparatively low capacity/expense of SD cards, and the high bitrates required for M-JPEG, I'm not sure this is an entirely practical proposition...

      Before anyone gets too excited about the idea of somehow integrating DVD playback into the Wii, there is actually a practical disadvantage that ought to make most people think twice. The Wii doesn't support 5.1 audio - well, to clarify, it supports Dolby Pro-Logic, but there's no SPDIF output and only stereo analog outputs, so the audio quality is going to be poor. I'm sure this will work for some anyway, but...

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
  9. Summary is wrong by tomhudson · · Score: 4, Informative

    as well as the ability to download and play things directly off of the SD/SDHC card rather than the internal memory

    No, you can't play the game directly off the SD/SDHC card. You can save downloads and games to the card, but they still have to be loaded into system memory to run. The earliest articles about the update were clear on that. - that the big thing was the rasing of the storage limit from 2gigs to 32gigs, but that it was for storage only.

    Still, upping it from 2 gigs is a good thing. Hopefully they'll upgrade the Opera browser to start using all that space.

    1. Re:Summary is wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let me clear up some things for those who haven't tried it yet. With the update you get an icon in you main menu that looks like an SD card. With this icon you can browse a new menu that has all the game channels you stored on the card. From this menu you can launch your games from the card. During this process the game is temporarily copied over to the Wii so you will need equal space on the Wii to play the game (ie if you have a 200 block game on the card and only 50 blocks on the Wii left, you will NOT be able to play the game. You need 200 blocks on the Wii.) Doesn't sound great but it is. Anybody who has tried to transfer a huge game like World of Goo (over 300 blocks) from the SD card to the Wii and vise versa can tell you it took ages. I'm talking go take a dump or make yourself a omelet time. Launching World of Goo from from the SD card the new way only takes seconds. This is a huge improvement over the insane amount of minutes it took to copy and play the old way.

    2. Re:Summary is wrong by Monsuco · · Score: 1

      Hopefully they'll upgrade the Opera browser to start using all that space.

      I'd rather em just upgrade Opera's Flash Player from the 7.x series to the 10.x series so I can watch South Park via internet on my TV.

    3. Re:Summary is wrong by tomhudson · · Score: 1

      I'd rather em just upgrade Opera's Flash Player from the 7.x series to the 10.x series so I can watch South Park via internet on my TV.

      I agree wholeheartedly, but I don't know how well the current Wii would be able to handle that ... it's got a sub-gigahertz cpu, after all.

      I think Nintendo is keeping their eye on the price point, and waiting for tech to catch up so that their next-gen (Wii 2, or maybe the W-II :-) will be able to do full hi-def without breaking the wallet or purse, and will still run cool and quiet. We've seen how heat and noise are real long-term problems for a game console.

      If they were REALLY smart, as soon as Wii sales start to tail off, they'd introduce the W-II while keeping up production of the original one. This way, they'd get the people who upgrade, plus they'd get the people who aren't sure, but will spring for the original to "try it out." Now, since Nintendo isn't stupid (they sell more than Microsoft and Sony combined), I'd say look for it for the 2011 holiday season.

  10. Nintendo: Please PIN protect Data Menu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm sick of my 4 year old erasing my save data, and of having to manually back it up to SD and remove the card whenever I use Wii Fit.

    1. Re:Nintendo: Please PIN protect Data Menu by jorx · · Score: 1

      You're kidding, right? You're probably the same parent who's going to let their kid play GTA at age 8...

    2. Re:Nintendo: Please PIN protect Data Menu by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

      You're kidding, right? You're probably the same parent who's going to let their kid play GTA at age 8...GTA is on the Wii?

      --
      Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    3. Re:Nintendo: Please PIN protect Data Menu by zoloto · · Score: 1

      He's 4, you're how old? Take the damn remote away!

    4. Re:Nintendo: Please PIN protect Data Menu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course, it is much better my 8 year old steals cars and murders hookers in a game, then letting him go and do it for real.

    5. Re:Nintendo: Please PIN protect Data Menu by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's on the DS now. =) One of the best versions!

  11. Sega CD on VC? by Aragorn+DeLunar · · Score: 1

    I wonder if the larger storage space means we could see Sega CD titles on the Virtual Console. I'd love to play the Lunar series or Dark Wizard again.

    --
    Cynicism, like dogmatism, can be an excuse for intellectual laziness. - Susan Shirk
    1. Re:Sega CD on VC? by Ant+P. · · Score: 1

      I'd much rather play the original discs in it, but there isn't a Sega CD emulator in the HBC yet. :(

      (It'd be nice if it supported USB CD drives for this reason, too.)

  12. Re:Summary is wrong (err no, its correct) by StandAloneMatt · · Score: 1

    Ummm have you tried it - yes you can launch games directly off SD card it takes a few more seconds to launch but it works. You need free space on your Wii to launch (it copies all or part of it to internal memory as it launches - sounds slow, but it seems much faster than the normal copy/move to SD)

  13. Re:Summary is wrong (Yes, it really is.) by MasterOfMagic · · Score: 1

    No, you're wrong.

    If it copies to NAND (the internal Wii memory) before launching, then, by definition, games aren't being launched directly off SD card.

  14. Summary is still wrong .. by tomhudson · · Score: 1

    ... and people need to learn to read ...

    You need free space on your Wii to launch (it copies all or part of it to internal memory as it launches - sounds slow, but it seems much faster than the normal copy/move to SD) - sounds slow, but it seems much faster than the normal copy/move to SD)

    So you're saying the article summary is correct, and yet, you agree with me that it has to copy the game first - it doesn't play it directly off the SD card ... get real. Even the menu says as much if you click on the SD card menu. Also, the reason it seems so fast is because downloadable games are SMALL. Super Mario fit on one of those old game cartridges back in the day when memory was measured in kilobytes, not gigabytes ...

  15. Re:Summary is wrong (Yes, it really is.) by Ifni · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's splitting hairs - the game is being launched from the card (in that you navigate to the game in the SD card's menu structure and select it for play there), but it is then (automagically) copied to the system memory for execution - behind the scenes such that to the typical user it appears to be playing from the card.

    The end result, from a user point of view, is the same as if it were being played from the card except for one annoying point - the game size is still limited by the free internal memory on the Wii, meaning an 8 gig game is out, unless the Wii supports some system of virtualizing the system memory or loading the object in parts, which I suspect is possible.

    So basically, you are both right, it just depends on how you look at it - from the technical perspective or from the user perspective - as well as the semantic detail - launching as opposed to executing.

    --

    Oh, was that my outside voice?

  16. Isnt the licence like $2 ? or do they want 100m by cheekyboy · · Score: 1

    I'll allow the 20% profit, and give $2.40 to nintendont.

    If i can buy a $29 dvd player that still makes profit, then im sure nintendo can too.

    Or do they really prefer to keep that extra $2 * 50 million units to themselves.

    3 years and still no price drop on a $80 piece of hardware.

    Sure if it sells, keep the price up, but doooods, get this system into more poorer peoples hands who can only spare $150.

    And stop ripping of people outside usa, why does usa get to have all the good prices, or is this a 'we nuked your ass discount price.'

    Name me one other and any piece of electronics which does NOT DROP in price after 3 years.

    --
    Liberty freedom are no1, not dicks in suits.
  17. your full of crap by cheekyboy · · Score: 1

    a laser doesnt care if its changed direction.

    Its like saying playing an audio tape backwords fails faster, only idiotic tech incompetent manager type assholes would buy that from marketing. Go back to school.

    The disc still spins the same direction, inwards or outwards matters zero.

    Nintendo doesnt make dvd motors/firmware/laser diodes, its an OEM component.

    Listen dude, if the licence is $2, and they sold 50m Wiis, then not having a dvd makes them a $100m, any greedy prick that goes to hell would choose the 100m. Easy as piss. Thats the reason.

    Utter utter low cost, zero price reductions, make 500m profit a quarter, become so rich you have 10bbillion in the bank - thats the aim, quality matters zero.

    --
    Liberty freedom are no1, not dicks in suits.
  18. bloody corporates by cheekyboy · · Score: 1

    Small companies would fix for free as good will and good name, large corporates, even though the fault is rare, would still say, "charge the scum".

    Well screw the share holders, they are mostly real real old and gona die soon, and cannot take their money to hell with them, so they are not important.

    Reading this old people? Spend your money now, dont save it, because we ALL DIE POOR.

    --
    Liberty freedom are no1, not dicks in suits.
  19. Re:Summary is wrong (Yes, it really is.) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    yeah we know their software sucks, no foresight, as we can see with everything they do.

    WHat? no one told the engineers that, "dudes, we will have 200+ games available in 3 years, you need to support running from flash direct, start coding now, not in 24 months time you lazy shits"

    Nintendo, hire some real gurus, ie the home brew hackers, they could run rings around your crappy dev teams, combined with $20/hr tester teams, they could get stuff done 5x faster.