#34148 - NOX_Kerbanker - Fri Jan 14, 2005 6:57 am
just to peek in the inside...
is the cartridge held together by a screw behind the sticker or is it kept together with plastic "snaps"?
#34149 - ampz - Fri Jan 14, 2005 7:14 am
It is not a flash card.
#34155 - mymateo - Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:35 am
Er, I think it's fair to say he meant how easy is it to open a DS game card, it's just that he called it a flash card 'cause it's a common term, like calling your DVD-Rom in your computer a CD drive, though technically it isn't (even though it will act like one).
That aside, I too would like to know how easy they are to open. I tried gently prying one open to no avail, but only 'cause I was too chicken to really put ANY force into it. Hey, I'm not going to break that awesome (cough cough) Metroid demo just to satisfy my curiosity.
#34158 - Megaman - Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:06 pm
The carts are somehowe glued together. There are no screws or snaps. I opened my Metroid demo using a knife and bend it up.
#34159 - ampz - Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:14 pm
| mymateo wrote: |
| Er, I think it's fair to say he meant how easy is it to open a DS game card, it's just that he called it a flash card 'cause it's a common term, like calling your DVD-Rom in your computer a CD drive, though technically it isn't (even though it will act like one). |
More like calling your CD-Rom a CD-Burner... :D
As already noted, there is no easy way to open DS cards. The plastic will be damaged if you open them.
#34469 - PowerCat - Thu Jan 20, 2005 1:32 am
I used my nail on one of the corner that has a notch and i just slid it all around and it came open, undamaged.
#34477 - tepples - Thu Jan 20, 2005 2:11 am
| ampz wrote: |
| More like calling your CD-Rom a CD-Burner... :D |
Except Nintendo has disclosed publicly that once Matrix Semi's fab gets up to speed, future DS Game Paks will contain OTP flash memory instead of mask ROMs. Analogy to CDs is OTP : mask ROM :: CD-R : stamped CD.
_________________
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-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#34484 - dagamer34 - Thu Jan 20, 2005 8:14 am
| tepples wrote: |
| ampz wrote: | | More like calling your CD-Rom a CD-Burner... :D |
Except Nintendo has disclosed publicly that once Matrix Semi's fab gets up to speed, future DS Game Paks will contain OTP flash memory instead of mask ROMs. Analogy to CDs is OTP : mask ROM :: CD-R : stamped CD. |
So does that mean that they are still using the expensive type ROM that cost so much on the GBA as oppose to the new media that is supposed to reduce those costs by 70%?
_________________
Little kids and Playstation 2's don't mix. :(
#34486 - tepples - Thu Jan 20, 2005 8:22 am
| dagamer34 wrote: |
| So does that mean that they are still using the expensive type ROM that cost so much on the GBA as oppose to the new media that is supposed to reduce those costs by 70%? |
I'm assuming that it takes a while for Matrix Semi to get the fab tooled up to churn out this OTP memory.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#34663 - mymateo - Sun Jan 23, 2005 6:43 pm
So if this new type of memory is more like a CDR (I assume the analogy means that the chip can be written on, but only once), does this mean that it may, once someone gets their hands on it, be possible to create a card writer and 1x write cards? Then possibly re-writeable cards? Or is it likely that when we know what chip Nintendo will switch to it still won't help because only Nintendo can get it?
#34667 - gb_feedback - Sun Jan 23, 2005 8:46 pm
I am getting really confused. Who is Matrix Semi? The chips I saw in the
DS were made by Macronix (otherwisw known as MXIC) who start their chip names with MX.
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#34670 - tepples - Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:58 pm
| mymateo wrote: |
| Or is it likely that when we know what chip Nintendo will switch to it still won't help because only Nintendo can get it? |
Given that the general public can't even get datasheets for the part, you're probably right.
RIGHT NOW: Nintendo uses Macronix mask ROMs.
FUTURE: Nintendo will use Matrix Semi OTP memory.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#34677 - dagamer34 - Mon Jan 24, 2005 1:00 am
| tepples wrote: |
| mymateo wrote: | | Or is it likely that when we know what chip Nintendo will switch to it still won't help because only Nintendo can get it? |
Given that the general public can't even get datasheets for the part, you're probably right.
RIGHT NOW: Nintendo uses Macronix mask ROMs.
FUTURE: Nintendo will use Matrix Semi OTP memory. |
Why not use the OTP memory now? Is it not cheaper to fabricate and produce?
_________________
Little kids and Playstation 2's don't mix. :(
#34678 - tepples - Mon Jan 24, 2005 1:15 am
| dagamer34 wrote: |
| Why not use the OTP memory now? Is it not cheaper to fabricate and produce? |
Not yet. Read above:
| tepples wrote: |
| dagamer34 wrote: | | So does that mean that they are still using the expensive type ROM that cost so much on the GBA as oppose to the new media that is supposed to reduce those costs by 70%? |
I'm assuming that it takes a while for Matrix Semi to get the fab tooled up to churn out this OTP memory. |
Remember that for a new chip design that has had several man-years of research and development, the first chip that rolls off the line costs several million dollars. Only economies of scale make inventions affordable to replicate, and it takes a while for economies of scale to kick in. For example, I've been told that the GBA was close to ready not very long after the GBC came out in 1997; Nintendo just sat on the technology waiting for the price of production to fall. Nintendo will switch precisely when it can get OTP cheaper than mask ROM, which may be sooner for niche titles, where the cost of making a mask is a large factor in the cost of replication, and later for titles expected to go platinum quickly, such as any 1st-party title with Mario or Pikachu on the cover.
_________________
-- Where is he?
-- Who?
-- You know, the human.
-- I think he moved to Tilwick.
#35397 - emumanXM - Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:49 am
The card is held together with melted plastic. The edges of each of the case is melted to the other case. Very cool way. Use some liqiud epoxy to keep it together.
#63651 - sevast - Thu Dec 15, 2005 8:16 am
Don't OTP eproms go bad after about ten years?
#63656 - darkfader - Thu Dec 15, 2005 9:56 am
EPROMs yes, but don't they use antifuse tech.?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifuse
I wonder if they'll try to change something to the encryption. (won't help)