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3DS Console Discussion

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By final model do you mean fifth incarnation? :p

 

Well you know there'll be a 3DS lite out after 12 months anyway.

 

Beaten like a red headed step child. (Sprout TM)

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Don't know for sure but as the DS Lite was still using the "Nitro" hardware then I would assume that the code would still be NTR. The Nitro units that we used for capturing and recording at work were using DS Lites for the display so I think that's the nail in the coffin.

 

Good find with the pic btw. Nice to see that it's "real" if you get me.

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Looking through the set they seem far to clear and nicely done to be fakes. I do think the thing looks a bit half finished though, like Nintendo couldn't be bothered with sorting out certain aspects of it.

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By final model do you mean fifth incarnation? :p

 

Heh. No I meant along the lines of a a finalised design unit as the E3 units were slightly different to the one we'll be getting (only a slight aesthetic difference though).

 

Some one on the Kotaku seems to have noticed a point I posted about, the CTR-003 registration. According to them, it may be a dev unit, which is incredibly likely considering the on-screen information in the other images.

 

If you read the text on the screen in the photo of it booted up, this actually appears to be a dev kit. Notice it displays an SDK version number and there are commands for running a CTR card (game card - it's revealed on the bottom of the unit that the model number of the 3DS is CTR-001, much like the original DS's NTR-001) and a command for running the "DevMenu".

 

So he really can do things with this device as-is, and from the looks of the charge port it looks like it might be compatible with DSi AC adapters. This man may have scored quite nicely (provided he doesn't get caught).

-Shugo (Kotaku)

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Here's a vid of the guy showing the 3DS.

 

 

The author of this video has been found splattered on the pavement below his Foxconn dwellings.

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This guy is dead when Nintendo track him down. :laughing:

Legal notices from Nintendo's lawyers are not fun

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I... I can't put my finger on it. But CTR sounds really familiar for a model code. I've see that on a piece of hardware before, I'm sure of it.

 

Unless...

 

Unless...

 

crashteamracingaw4.jpg

 

YES!

 

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Well, at least now they have an excuse again to invade China.

 

"NINTENDO 3DS RESPONSIBLE FOR WORLD WAR III"

 

Can't get much more publicity than that.

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I thought that the product codes were usually based on the codename?

 

Wii was the RVL (Revolution), GameCube was DOL (Dolphin), DS was NTR (Nitro), N64 was NUS (Nintendo Ultra Sixty-four), etc.

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Besides, this would surely have to be a DevKit anyway, right? I mean, it's not like Konami have to wait until the official launch to get their hands on a 3DS...

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Intrigued about the CTR-003 label though, I'm sure the actual hardware base units were always XXX-001? DSi is TWL-001, I'm sure the original was NTR-001 and I haven't a clue about the DS lite as I don't have one handy.

 

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

If you look at the photos carefully the console itself does have the model number CTR-001, the CTR-003 code you saw is for the 3DS battery and is printed on the battery itself, just like the DSi battery is model number TWL-003.

 

...Shame this mistake is also in the n-europe news post.

 

It also looks like the base is unfinished and still has production moulding idents etc so I would imagine it probably should have a clear acrylic/plastic sheet fitted along with a battery cover and small rubber feet, I guess this might give Nintendo clues as to which point this console was taken off the production line.

Edited by Link83

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If you looks at the photos carefully the console iteself does have the model number CTR-001, the CTR-003 code you saw is for the 3DS battery and is printed on the battery itself, just like the DSi battery is model number TWL-003.

 

...Shame this mistake is also in the n-europe news post.

 

It also looks like the base is unfinished and still has production moulding idents etc so I would imagine it probably should have a clear acrylic/plastic sheet fitted along with a battery cover and small rubber feet, I guess this might give Nintendo clues as to which point this console was taken off the production line.

 

Ah good observation! Didn't realise what I was actually looking at heh

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I thought that the product codes were usually based on the codename?

 

Wii was the RVL (Revolution), GameCube was DOL (Dolphin), DS was NTR (Nitro), N64 was NUS (Nintendo Ultra Sixty-four), etc.

 

Out of interest, what is the 3DS's codename, it's not just CTR is it?

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Out of interest, what is the 3DS's codename?

 

I don't know what it is. Although based on the DS Lite and DSi, it may be the case that consoles without a codename may just have three random letters (unless it relates to an internal codename).

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It also looks like the base is unfinished and still has production moulding idents etc so I would imagine it probably should have a clear acrylic/plastic sheet fitted along with a battery cover and small rubber feet, I guess this might give Nintendo clues as to which point this console was taken off the production line.

Having thought about this some more there is another possible explanation. If you look at this picture:-

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2011/01/in2ioezk.jpg

You can see that the bottom is indented/recessed and thats why I think its missing a plastic piece, and I guessed it would be made of transparent/clear plastic because otherwise you could not read the text printed on the base.

 

However then I remembered that Nintendo announced an induction charger for the 3DS:-

http://tinycartridge.com/post/704438650/nintendo-3ds-charging-dock-i-mentioned-this

So it seems likely that the base piece will be made of plastic but with an induction charging coil built into it:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_charging

and the rectangular hole/slot on the bottom is probably for the eletrical connection to the internal charging contacts on the main 3DS PCB.

 

One thing I cant explain is why the text would be printed underneath this missing 'base piece' - I can only come up with three possible explanations:-

- The bottom piece will be transparent/clear so you can read the text, but this doesnt seem likely if it contains an induction charging coil.

- This is a development/pre-production model and the final model will have the text printed on the bottom piece instead of inside as on this model.

- The bottom piece will be colored like the rest of the console (Black, Blue, Red etc) and will have the text printed on it aswell.

 

Can anybody come up with another explanation?

 

I don't know what it is. Although based on the DS Lite and DSi, it may be the case that consoles without a codename may just have three random letters (unless it relates to an internal codename).

 

It does relate to an internal codename, heres a list of some of the known ones for Nintendo handhelds:-

 

DMG - Dot Matrix Game (Game Boy)

MGB - Mini Game Boy (Game Boy Pocket)

CGB - Color Game Boy (Game Boy Color)

 

AGB - Advanced Game Boy (Game Boy Advance)

AGS - Advanced Game Boy Special (Game Boy Advance SP)

OXY - ? (Game Boy Micro)

 

NTR - Nitro (Nintendo DS)

USG - Usugata "Thin Model" (Nintendo DS Lite)

TWL - Twelve (Nintendo DSi)

UTL - ? (Nintendo DSi XL)

 

CTR - ? (Nintendo 3DS)

Edited by Link83

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One thing I cant explain is why the text would be printed underneath this missing 'base piece' - I can only come up with three possible explanations:-

- The bottom piece will be transparent/clear so you can read the text, but this doesnt seem likely if it contains an induction charging coil.

- This is a development/pre-production model and the final model will have the text printed on the bottom piece instead of inside as on this model.

- The bottom piece will be colored like the rest of the console (Black, Blue, Red etc) and will have the text printed on it aswell.

 

It's definitely missing a back piece, there's nothing to read into that though, the parts are just labelled as they regularly would be, the insides of most electronics are labelled up in a similar way.

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It's definitely missing a back piece' date=' there's nothing to read into that though, the parts are just labelled as they regularly would be, the insides of most electronics are labelled up in a similar way.[/quote']

Only problem is the text thats printed on the base of this 3DS contains the FCC ID, which has to be visable on the outside of the console by law - there is similar text printed on the bottom of the DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL.

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Which they would just repeat on the outside? Or can it only be printed once?

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Which they would just repeat on the outside? Or can it only be printed once?

Yes they could just repeat the text on the base piece as well (My third possible explanation) it just seems unusual to do that because it would cost Nintendo more money to have the text printed twice, and one lot of text would be completely covered up - plus no other Nintendo console has done this.

 

It almost sounds like the base piece might be 'user replaceable' which would mean the text would need to be printed twice like this to make sure one set of text was always visable on the console. The only reason I can think Nintendo would do this is if they were going to have a replaceable bottom piece, one made of solid plastic and one with the induction charging coil to be used with the charging cradle. I guess this is possible if Nintendo wanted to sell the charging cradle separately (eg. sell the cradle and replacement back piece with small screwdriver) but it would be an unusual move by Nintendo who usually prefer simplicity (Hence why it was romoured that the charge cradle would be bundled with the 3DS)

 

Anyway I have waffled on long enough!...I'm sure its just some mundane reason.

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