Note: this is not a backup loader, in any way, shape, or form. If you’re looking for a backup loader, please move along.
While Nintendo did reply to bushing’s open letter, he has not succeeded in establishing a conversation with an engineer about the issue. Furthermore, we have learned that they received and read at least two of the original three e-mails that were sent prior to the open letter, and decided not to reply (in fact, one of their replies was to one of the original e-mails, but only after the open letter was posted). Therefore, we can only conclude that they are not very interested in the issue.
As many of you may already know or have deduced, the bug in our open letter referred to a way of reading DVD-Rs (and Video DVDs) without the use of a modchip. Several people have investigated the bug independently, and they’ve gotten pretty close. However, we did discover an easier way of enabling this mode from homebrew, which, among other things, does not require any changes to IOS at all. This method is also relatively difficult to transform into some sort of backup loader.
Erant has been developing a library that uses this trick to enable DVD access for homebrew. We hope to release it this coming week, after a few details have been polished. svpe and dhewg have been working on a native mplayer port that uses this library to play back DVDs, which we hope to release as a proof-of-concept together with the library. We also have DVD-loading versions of snes9x and Genplus.
Non-modchip users will not need a custom IOS. Ironically, this method doesn’t work for users of some modchips. Therefore, these users will require a patched IOS using the well-known UnencryptedRead patch (the library will automatically use it if needed). We’ll try to release a somewhat more user-friendly version of patchmii dedicated to this task together with the library.
77 responses so far ↓
1 rykin // Jul 27, 2008 at 6:55 pm
My comment may get filtered out, but I just wanted to say that I support Bushing’s decision.
For those who want to play backups so badly: go buy and install a modchip. If you can’t afford to buy a chip and install it/pay to have someone install it, then you’re not responsible enough to have the ability anyway.
The last thing I want to see is a bunch of 12 year olds playing backups on their Wii and calling themselves “elite hackers” for running an automated softmod. I heard enough of that with the Xbox/PSP.
2 windwaker // Jul 27, 2008 at 7:04 pm
@rykin: I support bushing too, but I find your comment to be pretty pedantic. You support piracy as long as you have to pay for it at a certain point? It’s an incredibly elitist point of view that screams “I pirate games with my modchip but don’t want other people to.”
Morally, there’s no difference whatsoever between pirating games with a modchip or with a softmod.
3 Newbie // Jul 27, 2008 at 7:37 pm
@Louise,
Make your regular Digital Restriction Management, but release an encryption key for homebrew with a EULA, that states that you are not allowed to use this key for commercial use.
Surprisingly, I was thinking same thing – an encryption key for public non-commercial use (read: homebrew key)
I’m 100% agree with post #33.
I’m really surprised that Nintendo assent to reply to bushing e-mail.
Yet, I can’t imagine a Nintendo employee dares enough to suggest management such thing as homebrew key! 🙂
4 Comedy // Jul 27, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I agree that morally there is no difference but the proliferation of a softmod will make it much more acceptable (maybe better to say ‘accessible’) to people. People that right now would not want anyone to open up their machine and solder some alien chip in there. If they can do it without the risk of screwing up the hardware and/or voiding the warranty then I’ve no doubt there will be more takers.
I agree completely with the way that Bushing handled the exploit. Nobody doing the real dev work here is doing it for people to take things for free when they should be paying, people are working to add homebrew features/applications that add value to the Wii or are just simply fun. Softmodding consoles isn’t what the homebrew scene is here for.
5 darthcloud // Jul 27, 2008 at 7:45 pm
@rykin I prefert keeping my money for me and use a softmod(or open source MC) than giving 50$ to chinese/hk mc manufacturer which have a cost price of ~5$ for each modchip (probably less).
Btw I support Bushing too, he chooses his camp, being a hacker (look for the definition if you don’t know what it is, pirate, crasher, hacker are not the same thing…) He is making alot of great work for is camp. and I’m sure somebody else will do something nice for softmod in the other camp.
Both camp are complementary at the end for the end user IMO…
6 windwaker // Jul 27, 2008 at 7:47 pm
@Comedy: a softmod is still way over the head of like 95% of the Wii demographic, even if it comes out it won’t really hurt Nintendo.
7 rykin // Jul 27, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I’m not meaning to say that piracy is okay if you have a modchip. I’m more refering to people such as junk_man32 who complain about not having a softmod released.
Most people who are adamant about pirating have a chip already. As Comedy stated, a softmod would make piracy more common as it would remove(reduce) the risk factor that keeps some pirates at bay.
8 D3FAULT // Jul 27, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I’m looking forward to this. Someone is bound to take advantage of it though. =/
9 a // Jul 27, 2008 at 8:50 pm
@Team Twiizers:
Would it be possible to make a channel version of the MPlayer port that you are making? If so, do you plan on releasing one? Also, as you obviously know a lot about the Wii hardware, do you agree that the laser is weak, or is that not true?
Also, thank you for all of your great work! It’s sad that so many people act unappreciative of it, and just beg for their warez loader.
10 HackYuu // Jul 27, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Im am all for Non-Softmod all the way. But, If this does get exploited, Most likeley the wii will crumble with its third party support.
I just want to know who people will blame when this happens: Team Twiizers or Wanin and co.
As you all know, history repeats itself. If you dont know what i mean, Look at the twilight hack. Even though it was purley designed with a hombrew only intention, it still lead to piracy. Who do most people blame for that now? I just hope this is repeated.
11 Louise // Jul 28, 2008 at 2:17 am
@Newbie: Yes, a Homebrew Encryption Key (HEK?), would be nice =) If disabling the DVD is not enough for them, they could also disable a controller button, or insert a time delay, so the controller can’t be used for games.
They could even revoke the HEK, if it was used for commercial games, and release a new. I think homebrew users would understand.
12 Wiinyt » Blog Archive » DVD afspilning uden modchip på vej // Jul 28, 2008 at 3:58 am
[…] Kilde: Hackmii […]
13 Team-Gx » DVD Access Library [no modchip required] Coming Soon // Jul 28, 2008 at 7:17 am
[…] News Source: HackMii […]
14 La Wii podrá leer DVDR sin chip at alexnoguera blog // Jul 28, 2008 at 8:31 am
[…] Más info, en HackMii. […]
15 zeroZshadow // Jul 28, 2008 at 2:15 pm
looking forward to this,
this means i can better share my homemade games with friends 🙂
Keep up the good work Bushig 🙂
16 WTFxUP? » No-Modchip DVD Access Library Hits Wii This Week // Jul 28, 2008 at 9:56 pm
[…] DVD Access Library (no modchip required) [HackMii] […]
17 Sebiroth // Jul 29, 2008 at 1:07 am
What ist with the laser if I watching DVD Videos on my Wii?
18 azeazezar // Jul 29, 2008 at 8:03 am
Are there plans to add dvd-r reading to the homebrew channel?
19 SquidMan // Jul 29, 2008 at 8:14 am
azeazar: I wouldn’t know, but it seems like it most likely will.
20 SquidMan // Jul 29, 2008 at 8:15 am
i mean azeazezar… you really need to get something to edit posts bushing =/
21 DVD Playback - Page 2 // Jul 29, 2008 at 8:23 am
[…] Posted by Cpt.McCloud HackMii – Team Twiizers Nintendo…why? If you could just release it in a firmware…why didn’t you just include it at […]
22 marcan // Jul 29, 2008 at 3:18 pm
The discussion is getting ridiculous. Comments end here. I apologize if I have accidentally broken part of the discussion by removing some of the comments, but things were getting out of hand.
From now on, all comments will be moderated, not just the first comment by each person.
23 Zwartbaard » DVD Access Library (no modchip required) Coming // Jul 30, 2008 at 12:49 am
[…] News Source: HackMii […]
24 This Week In WiiDs - Issue Two - Motion Commotion « Jumpman In Minus World // Jul 31, 2008 at 4:02 pm
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25 Wii ISO Loader? « nooblog // Aug 3, 2008 at 12:36 pm
[…] Grund hierfür: Nintendo zeigt kein wirkliches Interesse an einer Kooperation/Lösung des Problems. Dieser Fehler soll es schon bald ermöglichen jedwede DVD, zum Beispiel auch Filme, zu starten. Desweiteren […]
26 The WiiDS Podcast » Blog Archive » This Week In WiiDS: Issue 2 - Motion Commotion // Aug 4, 2008 at 6:43 am
[…] Source […]
27 ¿Posibilidad de leer DVDR sin chip en la Wii? -- BloWii: Tu blog sobre Wii // Aug 15, 2008 at 12:04 am
[…] el momento, lo que han llegado a conseguir los chicos de HackMii es la posibilidad de leer DVD-R´s sin tener chip en la Wii. Es decir, a través del Canal […]