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[xenoss]

Hi, I am a newbie trying to confirm some facts before committing.  I read the FAQs before, but I just want to ask a few things that I dearly wish to make doubley sure:

1.  If I buy SC Lite, I need microSD.  Size limit is 2GB.
2.  If I buy SC Lite only, I need to flash my DS Lite.
3.  If I buy SC Lite + SuperKey, I do NOT need to flash my DS in order to play roms.
4.  Some roms out there have malware.  My question is, how can you tell (before it is too late) and where is a safe source?
5.  What is the procedure of using SC and SuperKey?  Correct me if I am wrong:  Simply buy them.  Put the SC Lite in the GBA slot.  Put the Superpass in the DS game slot.  Put roms into microSD.  Put microSD into the SC Lite.  Turn on NDS and I will see the SC GUI.  Run my rom.  Play.
6.  Is there anything I need to do to the roms?  I read somewhere about patching, how do we tell what needs patching and what doesnt?
7.  Is there anything I need to install into my SC?  Say, firmware upgrade?  Or does that only apply to flashed DS?
8.  Can I play online with roms; or like PC games, that usually doesnt work.

Thank you very much for your time and experienced opinion.

EDIT:
I previously wrote "SuperPass" when I meant "SuperKey".
Added question 8.

[rorix_bladewing5]

1. Correct.  Not sure about the size limit though

2. Correct.

3. Correct.

4. The malware is very rare now.  Just don't download anything fishy, it should be pretty easy to tell.  Commericial roms can't have malware I think, so all of them are safe.  As for a safe source, I recommend ds.qj.net and http://www.dev-scene.com/ .  No sites allowed here for commercial roms.

5. Correct

6. You need to patch commercial roms.  No need to patch homebrew roms.  You can get the latest patcher at www.supercard.tk

7. Yes, you need to update the firmware.  The firmware updates are available at www.supercard.tk, it comes with the patcher.  Just put the .scu file or .bin file in your microSD.  The scu file will autorun but the bin needs to be selected with the A button.

8.  You can play online with roms, but I'm not sure what you mean by PC games.

[xenoss]

Thank you for helping.  Much thanks.  Heres pushing it:

8. (what i meant with PC games: like HL2.  There is a authentication process that makes it so you need a unique game key to play online).  Glad to know NDS roms are online ready.

9.  SC GUI is ugly, I heard.  Can it be changed with skins like M3 can?

[ihopeyoudie2]

1. yes you need a micro sd. keep in mind card speed issues. 2 gb isn't going to run as smoothly as lets say a 1gb ultra II.
2. i'm not sure but i think you need a superkey to flash your ds.
3. with a superkey in, you do not need to flash anything.
4. i have no idea what malware is.
5. when a superkey is in slot 1 it skips the ds menu and safety messege directly to the supercard menu.
6. patching is done using the offical supercard software released from their official site for free download.
7. there is an update file thats released with every new version of patching software. you put it on your card and run it to update the card's software, it takes seconds.
8. in some cases yes. i haven't tried to many roms but metroid prime worked.


NOTE: with the recent steps taken by the supercard team, the speed issue isn't as prevelent. its a very minor issue considering the 2gb card costs pretty much the same as the 1gb Ultra II, but there is a whole second gig of space.

NOTE 2: slot 1 devices are being released soon and some of them will allow you to access the slot 2 (supercard) just like a superkey.

[rorix_bladewing5]

8. Oh I see what you mean now.  

9.  No skinning on the SCLite I'm afraid.  The other supercard's GUI can be skinned but not on the latest firmware.

[darkuni]

1. Remember that 2GB cards are at a huge premium (at least, last I looked) and run $100 USD.
2. To run any DS software, yes.  But you will require a passme type device (Superkey, Superpass2, Max Media Launcher, etc) to flash your DS Lite (http://www.monroeworld.com/ds/hacking for more info)
3. Correct.
4. This is why I ALWAYS recommend flashing your DS.  You can't really tell.  Most malware has been released as LEGITIMATE commercial software (I can't remember what game it was impersonating last time).  
5. All commercial images (DS and GBA) MUST be patched.  You cannot just 'copy and play'.  MOST homebrew software - at this time - will require that you run it through the "moonshell patcher for SC Lite" to make the disk access functions (i.e. SAVE/LOAD) work.
6. Everything must be patched.  Not EVERY title works either - but they try to get it fixed within a few weeks.  There are many settings you'll need to learn about and become familiar with in order to successfully patch certain titles.  Certain titles will also be affected by slow down, regardless (IMHO) of the speed of you microSD card.
7. Most of the time, the only updates are to the patching software.  Occassionally, you will be required to upgrade the firmware on the Supercard.
8. On the Nintendo WFC, yes.  Occassionally, something will change and you will have to REPATCH your game (Mario Kart magically stopped working until a new patcher was reissued) - but that's pretty rare.  Playing SINGLE CARD and MULTI-CARD with this arrangement can lead to issues.  Everything works from modified DS to modified DS (meaning flashed, running a superkey, etc), but not everything works single player from modified DS to unmodified DS.  There is another thread around here that will point out those titles.  Clubhouse Games doesn't work, but Magnetica and apparently Starfox does.

Hope that helps.

[xenoss]

Thanks a bunch.

A follow up question:

10. Can malware be detected by antivirus programs?

I don't intend on running anything besides moonshell and roms; but I very much would want to avoid malwares.  I dont want to flash because I dont want to run the risk of bricking it, nor voiding warranty.  May be when its a year old (in which case the warranty is over anyway).

11.  I read further that the new SC rumble does not support GBA emulation.  Where as the SC Lite does.  Which brings me to the question, it runs GBA, NDS, NES, but does it do SNES?  And if I need any emulators to do it (or is it included as feature in SC Lite).

12.  I read something about firmware version V4 and V7; and I shouldnt play online if I still have V4.  Since I dont plan on flashing and use SuperKey, does my firmware remain V4 or does the SuperKey simulate V7 for me?

Thank you all again for your experienced answers!

[felix]

If you are afraid of malware, flash your DS. Flashing means you can easily recover in case of any trouble. Despite the best intentions, software authors will sometimes stuff up and unintentionally brick people's DS despite not meaning to do it.

11.You need an emulator to play SNES/NES software.

12. That refers to FlashMe versions. No one installs FlashMev4 anymore. Everyone uses FlashMev7. This is not related to your original firmware.

[Romiress]

To add on...

10. The malware is VEEEEEEEEEEEERY hard to get. Literally, next to impossible. And when you do find it, its pretty easy to figure out what it is. IE: 'Hentai slideshow' or 'NDS Rom L0ader.'

[ZAFDeltaForce]

To add on...

10. The malware is VEEEEEEEEEEEERY hard to get. Literally, next to impossible. And when you do find it, its pretty easy to figure out what it is. IE: 'Hentai slideshow' or 'NDS Rom L0ader.'

The Hentai slideshow malware is called "taihen viewer" or something (but as long as 'taihen' is in it, keep away from it). The NDS Rom L0ader should be called roml0ader.

Anyway, commercial roms are basically impossible to contain malware. As long as you stick to that, you should be safe.