What is the m3
From M3 Wiki
Parts taken from Pocketheaven wiki
DS and GBA Flash Card, using CompactFlash or Secure Digital cards as a storage medium. The CF version was available at several retailers but has since been replaced at most shops by the the SD version. Both are now in competition with slot-1 devices including the M3 DS Simply (which uses microSD cards).
The M3 is the 3rd version of the GBA Movie Player. This new version has 32MB of built-in flash memory for playing GBA and DS roms.
Official M3 shop :M3 DS Real
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[edit] Technical Specifications
- Main chip CF
- Double large-scale ASIC construction:
- GBalpha GBM-256F
- GBalpha QFH084-P-1818D
- Main chip SD
- Double large-scale ASIC construction:
- GBalpha GBM-512F R1008
- Panasonic MN5774LD
- System board CF
- PCB 6 (through UL authentication)
- System board CF
- PCB 4
- Build in battery CF/SD
- Matushita CR2025 lithium battery
- (Preserved life 10 years)
- Storage form CF
- FAT12/FAT(FAT16)/FAT32
- Storage form SD
- FAT(FAT16)/FAT32
- 256Mbit RAM for GBA and DS roms
- 8Mbit RAM for GBA Saves and DS Saves
- Built-In RTC
- Uses Type I CompactFlash or Secure Digital cards for storage
[edit] Movie Capabilities
The primary function of the original GBA Movie Player was, as the name implies, to play movie and audio files, and NOT for development or piracy purposes. The M3 includes all of the original functionality of the V1 and V2 models, in addition to including support for the Nintendo DS' native, and larger, resolution of 256x192. Converter software is available from the official website.
[edit] GBA Compatibility
The M3 supports any GBA rom up to 256MBit (32MByte) without patching. GBA roms can only be run in GBA mode. To access GBA mode, press start at the main menu while in DS mode.
[edit] DS Compatibility
A PassMe device is required to use the M3 with a NDS. The Passkey branded one is typically bundled with M3.
The M3 supports any DS rom up to 1024 Megabits (128 Megabytes). All commercial DS roms must be patched before they will run. The manufacturer released patching software (available on their website) which works on most roms. A compatibility list is available at the M3 NDS roms page.
[edit] Saving Games
Obsolete paragraph.. The M3 has built-in SRAM capable of saving one DS or GBA game at a time. In order to save more than one game, a backup feature has been included that will allow you to back up the SRAM contents onto your CF or SD card. One slot is automatically reserved for each game you install with M3 Manager. In order to back up your SRAM, first copy the gamesave folder from the M3 SaveManager software onto the root folder of your card. Boot up the M3 and play a game. When you restart the M3, select the rom that you last played and press select. Choose a slot to save in. When you play that rom again, you will be given the option of loading the backed up SRAM.
The M3 has built-in SRAM (aka Battery-RAM), which acts as the working area for your savegames. Before you start a game, its save file (.dat) is loaded from the Flash card into SRAM. During gameplay, the SRAM is read from and written to, the game has no direct access to the .dat file. The next time you boot up after turning off your game, the SRAM data is written back to the same save file on the Flash card. Hint: remember to turn your DS/GBA on, wait, and off before changing the M3's Flash card. Assuming proper flash card compatibility, and you leave the AutoSave option on, it just works.
The best way to manage multiple save files per game is with multiple copies of the game rom. For example, you can copy your "NintenBunnies.nds" file to "NintenBunnies (little sister save).nds", and do the same for the .dat file. Your hypothetical little sister will NOT inherit your savefile, the "NintenBunnies (little sister save).dat" file has data inside that still associates it with your "NintenBunnies.nds". Your little sister's .dat file will be straightened out after playing her game once. Remember this, you CANNOT rename your .nds/.gba files! Their .dat saves will not follow the name change. (But you can hexedit the savegames to make it work with the renamed rom.)
(This paragraph is more of a FAQ point than useful. You may skip it.) The M3 also has poor support for multiple save game files per game rom. You may try to turn off autosave, and remember to manually save to your .dat file, and not over your little sister's. Manual saving is done by pressing "Select" while in the game selection screen. From there, you can press left/right to select a .dat file (or up/down to skip 10). Manual loading is done right after you select your game .nds/.gba, you can press left/right/up/down to pick an ASSOCIATED .dat file. Like I said, it's poor, and annoying.
[edit] Backimg
A Backimg is a file, placed in a directory called BACKING on the CF card, which skins the interface of the M3. Separate ones are required for DS and GBA mode, and the GBA mode ones are compatible with GBAMP Backimgs. See BackIMGs.
[edit] See Also
The G6 Flash is another DS flash kit made by the company behind M3. Like all other flash-built-in cards, they are sized in MegaBITS, not the usual MegaBYTES. Take your Megabit number and divide it by 8. Instead of accepting a cheap, commodity flash card, they have flash memory built in. With the flash chips pre-committed in solder and design, you end up paying 6 month old flash prices. Ouch. On the other hand, the G6 fits snugly inside any Nintendo(tm) console, wheras the Compact Flash M3 sticks out. (The MiniSD version does not stick out of the original DS and the Lite version does not stick out of the DS Lite.) Software updates seem to be as frequent as M3 ones.
[edit] Links
Official M3 shop :M3 DS Real
