Written by Brakken
November 2008
Introduction
The W4PRO is yet another chip in the seas of DVD-ROM based drive modification chips for the Nintendo Wii. Like the other
current generation of chips on the market that support the D2E console the W4PRO includes the normal feature list one
should come to expect. The chip boots media from all regions, supports DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD+RW, 'Silvers', imports, originals
and supports recent "problem titles". How does this chip stack up against the rest? Read on to find out!
Sadly, some people use "modchips" to play back illegal copies of games they do not own. ISO-420 Reviews does not condone
and/or endorse piracy. The information contained in this review is for educational purposes and is not to be affiliated
with running illegal copies of games on your Nintendo Wii. Support the gaming industry by purchasing your games and then
use the chip to protect your investment and to get more enjoyment out of the Nintendo Wii.
Features
Fully DVD upgradable
Compatible with both D2C, D2C2 & D2E chipsets
Ultra stable oscillator for perfect stability
Chipset auto-detection
Compatible with all regions, USA, JAP, PAL (Europe and Australia) and Korea
Region override for Wii and Gamecube games
Direct Boot of Wii and Gamecube original, import, and backup games
Direct boot of homebrew in GC mode and Wii mode (on compatible IOS versions)
Supports multi-disc games, Dual-Layer, DVD-R, +R, +RW (no bitsetting required)
Supports factory made 'silvers', even with incorrect header data
Supports, SMG, SSBB, Mario Kart and other 'problem' titles
Streaming audio-fix for Gamecube games
Very big (1024Kbit) onboard flash for storing data and applications
Rock solid performance with 1.5V FPGA core and high quality components
Power-on self-test (P.O.S.T.) with onboard status LED
Contents
Like most modchips the W4PRO comes by itself in some ESD packaging. At first glance the chip itself looks like it has
been produced cheaply as it's connectors are dull. Also, it has some solder left over on various pins and pads. Although,
I've seen worse. I'd say it ranks in the "mid range" quality factor.
Installation
To install the W4PRO requires that one takes off the case of the Nintendo Wii then remove it's DVD-ROM assembly. This
is done using a Micro Phillips Head and TriWing screw drivers. If you're new to soldering you might want to check out
this guide that I wrote. Once exposed I had to locate the
the nine solder points for my version of DVD-ROM IC on the DVD-ROM assembly. If you have one the first generation Wii's
you can get away with soldering 6 points, but on newer consoles like the D2C, D2C2 and D2E you'll be required to solder
on 9 points.
Once the DVD-ROM IC points are exposed it's time to solder this little guy onto them. I placed the chip and then noticed
that the points in the diagram weren't lettered on the board itself. I figured the chip would be 1:1 to the photo of it,
but I guess not. Anyway, with the diagram it was easy to solder in. Once it was soldered it and looked good it was time
to test it out.
Usage
As you can see in the table below everything that I threw at it booted. I don't have access to any 'silver' discs nor
plan on acquiring any, but supposedly they work fine. I don't doubt that they do, because like I said - it booted everything
I had on hand.
| |
DVD-R |
DVD+R |
DVD+RW |
DVD-DL |
Silver |
| Import |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
| Backup |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
| Homebrew |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
n/a |
n/a |
Conclusion
Would I recommend this chip to others? Well, it would be based on price and availability. Due to the fact it's not the
"top of the line" and just comes with the average feature set I would probably not recommend it to others as there are
better chips on the market. However, if I was a professional installer and the price was right I might consider buying
some.
Negatives
Cheaply Produced
Only Average Features
No Letters on the Solder Points
Positives
Compatible with All Wii's on the Market
Ease of Installation
Works as Advertised
Links
-=[ W4PRO Review Discussion Thread ]=-
