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WODE: The Wii Optical Drive Emulator!

R

RanceJustice

Supreme [H]ardness
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Hello everyone. I just thought that people might be interested in my new Wii mod device that came today the WODE Jukebox!

http://www.wodejukebox.com/wode.php

The WODE shows how far we've come from complex modchips with 20 or more solder points crammed into tiny spaces! Features from their website...


- Play Wii & GC game ISOs direct from USB Mass Storage devices @8X read speed (HDD and FLASH drive)
- Complete Solder free install solution
- Easy to use GUI - LCD & Joystick - NO homebrew software required (no any update of console SO can block this device)
- Region hack, Update blocker, Autoboot.
- Passthrough with FLAT-MOD mode built-in, play your DVD-R Wii & GC backups and Imports @3X read speed
- Powerful ARM9 MCU
- Totally Flexible Linux Kernel
- USB hub support for multiple USB devices connection
- Great File System support - use existing WBFS formatted media or 'drag and drop' ISOs to existing USB devices
* NTFS
* WBFS
* EXT3FS
* HPFS
- Future updates will bring more cool features:
* Disc ripping to WBFS
* USB WiFi & SAMBA streaming
* Torrent & eMule download Client

Replacing the plastic stand for your Wii, with er...an enhanced plastic stand for your Wii, the WODE runs an embedded Linux distribution and is controlled via a little LCD and a small joystick. Previous modification solutions were limited by a slower spinning DVD drive, but the WODE not only allows the play of discs, but also of (Legal, please. ) games you have backed up to a USB HDD or SDHC card! The firmware is open source (if I recall correctly) and they are constantly developing new features, including the ability to record an ISO from an authentic copy in your Wii's drive, rather than the previous backup method which meant a lot of modding and stream-dumping to your PC!

The WODE comes with a solder-less chip that passes through a few ribbon cables and sits inside you Wii, so you'll need some technical comfort to be able to disassemble and reassemble your console. Here are a few install videos...

http://www.wodejukebox.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=365

I hope in the future there will be homebrew development to take into consideration the WODE's featureset, and say... allow the running of out-of-region purchased WiiWare without lots of firmware exploits that are currently needed for Wii homebrew. At current, it can load out of region ISOs, but only on 4.1 Firmware or lower, and not for WiiWare. Truly an interesting piece of technology and I'm glad they got it out of the gate, even if it took a little while due to china screwing up the early molds for the "stand". I'll be installing mine in the next couple of days, and am really looking forward to running my Japanese games easier, especially those (like the latest Fatal Frame) that have a fan-translation or fan-sub project in the works, which require patching the game image!

Discussion Disclaimer: I brought this here because I think it is an interesting modification and brings new functionality to your Wii. Please, let us NOT discuss anything related to piracy, okay? That includes both asking about pirating, does this thing allow pirating, or saying "This thing is ONLY useful for piracy". If a mod thinks this is too much of a powderkeg, let me know and I'll close the thread. Please no flamewars, okay? :D
 
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wow... this is kind of pricey for something you can do for free
 
Hmmm? What do you mean? I don't believe that Wii/GC games (especially out of region ones!) can be run from the WII in ISO form on vanilla firmware or without a device of some sort?
 
Just google 'how to play Wii backups from a usb stick with no modchip' and there are plenty of free guides out there. But yeah, the WODE seems like an easier way of doing the same thing.
 
Ahh, I wasn't happy with the limitations of those loaders, many of which being a requirement for certain file systems, issues with using firmware above 3.x, finicky behavior and more. I may very well combine my WODE with a few software mods (for out of region WiiWare), but I don't mind paying for a comprehensive, rock solid feature set where I know I can always update my Wii but not have to worry about bricking it or losing WODE's functionality.
 
Its neat, but wow its a bit pricey. 30-40 might have got my attention, maybe even 50, but 125 no thank you. It is cool and seems very easy to use, but wow.
 
For those who might want to save a little money, the WiiKey Fusion is supposed to be the "next best thing" but only allows SD card loading not USB, nor does it have quite as comprehensive a feature set. Modchipcentral is the place to find both of them. I was lucky to get the WODE at the preorder price of 75, but yes, it is pretty expensive. Then again, in the US modchips are always expensive because they usually have to be ordered from another country.
 
Meh, I'll stick with USB Loader GX which is free, constantly updated, and works great.
 
arr4ws said:
wow... this is kind of pricey for something you can do for free
Click to expand...
Measly 100 bucks to not ever brick your system or be blocked by console firmware updates, and as easy as snapping it in? I'm game.
 
bigdogchris said:
Measly 100 bucks to not ever brick your system or be blocked by console firmware updates, and as easy as snapping it in? I'm game.
Click to expand...

don't you need to take the wii apart to install this? seems like that is more ricky than a firmware mod.

also don't trust that this won't ever get blocked by nintendo. many hardware and software mods have deemed themselves 'undetectable' only to get smacked down later...
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
you actually have a slightly better chance of bricking the console by softmod/firmware update than this.

yes, you have to take the Wii apart, but it requires no soldering. Simply move a couple ribbon cables around.

I like the idea of the WODE. Since it's truly just an optical-drive emulator, there's a much higher chance those pesky new protections won't affect it.

according to them, the new protection that showed up in NSMBW didn't affect it.

Not to mention some games, like the Metroid Trilogy, don't work properly off a software USB loader.

I just hate the fact that you have to select your game from the tiny ass little screen.

I'm lazy, when I wanna change games I don't wanna have to get off my lazy ass! :D
 
coverflow works great off my 250gb hdd. My 3yr finnaly got it all figured out so he can pick the game he wants to play off the cover. Now if the wii could teach him to read...
He memorizes all the options to pick to load saves after i show him once. Hes pretty spoiled.
 
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