Mod for Nintendo Wii Mod Part 1- Alternative for D2C chipset Wii.

Installing a Mod chip for the latest production batch of Nintendo Wii is an incredible feat especially when you have zero or even a beginner knowledge and skill of soldering. Why? Because unlike the older batch of Nintendo Wii, the current batch require at less 13 wires (for Argon Mod Chip) or 30 wires (for D2Cpro Mod chip) to be carefully soldered onto individual legs of a IC chip located on the DVD drive. The older batch of Wii are using D2A , DMS or D2B while the newer batch, thanks to Nintendo "Anti-Mod" department initiative, they have redesign the drive to make it almost impossible to install a Mod chip. Eventually mod chip designer and installer were able to circumvent it.

30 wires of pain and patience.

Even though I have installed MOD chip on the Microsoft X-Box in the past, which also involve soldering wires to the leg of IC chips... Just looking at those huge amount of wires really makes this an intimidating process. At less the IC leg of the X-Box are not so close together and there are less than 5 wires to solder compare to 30 over here. 30= 30 chances of making a mistake. Not impossible to be done though but it does take lots of patience and steady hands to tackle this task. Opening the Wii console to remove the drive is so much more simple.

After some research online. It turn out that Nintendo have 换汤不换料， "Change the soup without changing the ingredients". Everything between the older batch and the latest batch of Nintendo Wii are the same, hardware and software with the exception of the DVD drive, its either a D2A/DMS/D2B chipset, really easy to mod or the current D2C chipset, really pain in the ass to mod. Several forum have confirm that the Nintendo Wii works even if the "D2C" DVD drive is swapped with a "D2B" DVD drive. For those people like me who do not want to screw up a modification and ended with a void warranty, replacing it with a D2B drive before installing the Mod chip is the best but not the cheapest option. However most Nintendo Wii games cost US$49.99 or S$79.99, while "Friendly games" cost only US$5.99 or S$12. Do the math and the modification cost eventually have its cost recouped in the short run.

Now the best place to get a refurbished or old "D2B" drive will be from E-Bay. Just search "D2B Drive" and you should find it. Currently it cost US$99.99 and shipping cost US$19.99 to any location in the world. Ships from Hong Kong (Yeah!!! The Chinese did it again)? Much cheaper compare to other website selling it at US$189 ~199 before shipping fees.

A D2B Chipset drive cost US$99.99 from E Bay.

With a D2B Chipset DVD drive installed which is an easy you follow closely any online Internet guide about "Disassembling the Nintendo Wii", the next thing to do is to test the drive making sure it works and have not suffer any damage during shipment, otherwise just return the drive as DOA to the E-Merchant and they will do an exchange for you. Most of the time, nothing should go wrong with it, electronic nowadays are tough SOB. Now since its working, remove the D2B drive and install back the D2C drive and carry on playing your favorite Wii games in the current unmodded set.

Half the battle is won with a D2B chip. The next half will involve getting a great Mod Chip call 'WiiKey" and installing it. The cheapest source so far is from our neighbor next door, the Canadians. Canadamods.com is selling the WiiKey mod chip at only US$17.95 with a flat shipping rate of US$12 no matter how many chip you get.

WiiKey is not WiKipedia is not WiiKey.

Turn out the WiiKey is so easy to install that disassembling the Wii console turn out to be more difficult this time round. Just 6 points to solder and they are not IC Chip leg!!! Just rest the WiiKey in the designated point and start soldering it... of course, basic soldering skill is a must and use of flux are encouraged. Looking at it, its even easier than the X-Box mod I did years ago.

Easy! Piece of cake I say!

Stay tune for Nintendo Wii Mod Part 2 when I get my "D2B" DVD drive from E Bay and my WiiKey.