I forgot to mention the BIGGEST pro of the PicoBoot - You can still use your original GameCube disks in the disk drive!

@smashpro1

Жыл бұрын

I would say the biggest pros are the price and availability.

@brandonkick

Жыл бұрын

I was going to comment just this. Although I'd say it's tied for the biggest pro. The biggest pro's are in my opinion (and in no particular order): 1) Picoboot allows you to be able to continue to use your optical drive. Handy for those who have a nice collection of original games 2) Picoboot is pretty cheap comparatively speaking. Most people won't have $20 in it, for those who already own basic soldering gear. 3) Picoboot is readily available. Though a lot of the sellers are garbage, aliexpress has a lot of kits available. I overall like my GCLoader better. Objectively, I think they are on a fairly equal plane if the end goal is booting swiss, playing backups... using GBI for the Gameboy Player and so on. While I don't own any actual gamecube games (I do actually have two japanese games, mario tennis and mario golf I think) I do kinda wish I didn't have to lose my optical drive, but oh well. I agree too, if your new to modding this one is a decent one to get your feet wet. The soldering isn't terribly difficult. And your not dealing with damaging a very valuable kit if you goof up (not like goofing on a PS1Digital or N64Digital / UltraHDMI install). If you somehow kill your Pi pico, spend $5 and get another one!

@danielson144

Жыл бұрын

@@smashpro1 Biggest pro for me is definitely keeping the original disk drive as well. But probably makes sense for some people.

@blabo6427

Жыл бұрын

That is a BIG pro

@razorx2024

Жыл бұрын

you did forget however that not all gamecubes have the sd2sp2 (serial port 2) connector 😁but great video though. the thing i like most about swiss is you can force all games to 480p, which for me is perfect since i also use a carby hdmi adapter 🙂

I'm partial to the GC Loader, however, this is an excellent alternative, especially because it's really cheap. Also, the GC Loader is hardly ever in stock, whereas Pico Pi's are almost always available. Ultimately, this is such a great time to be a retro gamer because there are all kinds of mods for damn near every console, and they keep getting better.

@mike.makes.robots

8 ай бұрын

What do you like more about GC Loader? Or is it just personal preference?

Always love your videos. Loved that you used the Laser Bear fan mount. Just waiting for mine to come in before I do my install. Thanks as always!

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Funny enough, a wifi enabled version of the Raspberry Pi Pico was released right after the Picoboot was announced, and a version of Picoboot that works with the Wifi Pico is in development, if not released already, which could eliminate the need to disassemble your GC to update it. Also, there is another version of the SD2SP2 with a little extension board so you can still use it with a Gameboy Player connected! I already have a GCloader, so I won't be installing a Picoboot into it, but I'm very glad it exists! Having new, inexpensive mods is always a good thing! EDIT: I see you know about the upgraded SD2SP2 that works with the GB Player. :)

This is really useful for someone who wants to maintain their disc drive. Reading through the comments it looks like the GCLoader has better game compatibility over the Picoboot. I'm not sure which one I would pick if I had to pick one for my Gamecube.

You have the second best install for this mod online but the best vibe please cover more gamecube content looking forward to it.

Dude! Your videos are amazing. I tune in to basically every new one-keep up this great energy!

@bernardaarondolecki

Жыл бұрын

Quick question-what is the difference between using AWG wire and IDC? I ordered IDC cable that you linked on a different video as I thought it would be good for most instances. Should I return the IDC and just get AWG to use in all instances since it is insulated? Thanks in advance~

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

AWG stands for “American Wire Gauge”, which is a way to indicate how thick the wire is. IDC stands for “Insulation Displacement Contact”, which is the way some ribbon cables are terminated (like old IDE cables). The listing for the ribbon cable I link to is for IDC cable that can be used for building your own IDC cables, but we use it for modding because it has the same pitch (distance between wires) as some of the chips that we solder to. IDC cable is insulated, so no problem there!

I love the pico boot mod! I've done mine, and have 3 others to do and I'm very very new to soldering. Like a week new lol

@BSG1991

Жыл бұрын

good to know I am going to practice on an smd board before doing mine but it looks super easy tbh

@fernandosuarez5618

Жыл бұрын

Yo ya tengo 7 GC con picobot e incluso les e instalado 3 adaptadores de micro SD

Good video. Great overview on the installation and post install differences. I think one of the biggest items missed by most people doing these picoboot vs gcloader videos has been the game compatibility aspect. Which games are affected by the slower speed of the memory card or sp2 slot versus the ide connection the GCLoader uses and how they are affected. Sounds like there are very few games that are really affected by this speed difference though.

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

I mentioned in a tweet that I’m not an expert when it comes to game compatibility, that’s why I didn’t really mention it. There are a lot of factors involved, like Swiss version, which interface is used, SD card speed etc

@graalcloud

Жыл бұрын

I have a GC Loader and have been startled by how fast some games load. Sometimes the loading screen will only flash onscreen for a second or two depending on the game.

@DamnDealDone

Жыл бұрын

​@@dubesinhower you're not an expert full stop.

I have a GC Loader installed, but if I were to mod another GC I wouldn't mind trying PicoBoot. A few years back I managed to get a WODE (Wii drive emu) working on the GC (after killing one motherboard in the process) with a USB port installed at the rear. Whatever loading mod you opt for, Swiss supports them all. Such an incredible app.

@pokiblue5870

9 ай бұрын

Where can i buy gc loader ? Its always out of stock ☹️

@alper1444

8 ай бұрын

try now again@@pokiblue5870

Good job comparing these two. Although I have the “necessary skills” to do a picoboot install I went with the GCLoader. I don’t have a big GC collection, and just safely stored the drive. I like the easy of use of everything done trough an sd card

@zerophyte

Жыл бұрын

Where did you happen to find a new stash of GC Loader's?? They are soldout :(

@marcianoacuerda

Жыл бұрын

@@zerophyte one day I put my mail for the restock notification and forgot about it. I cannot even remember how much time passed, but it must’ve been a lot I think.

@majorgear1021

10 ай бұрын

With picoboot and sd2sp2 card, your games are on and SD card.

12:21 exactly what I did, like the viperGC back in the day. I think it just sits best there rather than sandwhiched between the controller port board and diskdrive.

The picoboot mod plus SD2SP2 has worked for me without any issues so far with 20+ games I've tested, even with non top-of -the -line micro SD cards. Never tried the GCLoader. Picoboot+SD2SP2 can also be used to 'replace' a broken disc drive (just don't use the drive once installed). I have another DOL-001 with a busted drive WITHOUT the digital port on the bottom where I plan on wiring to an SD-to-microSD adapter directly to the motherboard.

@kipters

Жыл бұрын

You can also configure Swiss to not even try to initialize the drive (same as pressing B while it starts)

@majorgear1021

10 ай бұрын

Yep. I bought a GC with picoboot already installed. No soldering required!

Worked for me, thanks to you. Good job mate

Just put in another pico tonight. Another easy way to remove heat sink if you don't have a hot air station. Just take it apart , set laser back on and play a game for about 10 mins , turn off , pop laser off then wiggle heat sink off

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Yea I should have let it heat up by playing a game first

A few months, bro i been trying to get a GC loader for almost a year I’m over it, the Pico is way better!!

So, quick addendum to the PicoBoot firmware update. While true, THAT Pico would require you to open it back up to update it,. there is now a version of the Pico that has Wifi built in. So if not currently, soon you will be able to update the Pico's firmware wirelessly.. which means no need to open it up. There is also now a flex cable for the pico to make the soldering easier.

Wow! Great informative video! I started to dive into these GC mod videos bc my girlfriend's GC won't boot and gets an error every time. I already disassembled and changed the potentiometer to see if I could get it working again but to no avail. I think it's a bad disc drive and was wondering if it was worth it to get a GCLoader to circumvent a bad disc drive but couldn't find this info anywhere until you just said it in this vid!!! I'm super excited to get into this, if I can find one that is 😅 Definitely subscribed and liked the vid! Good work man!

This is cool. I have 3 GameCubes. Might do it to one for practice soldering.

@jigzyonline2

4 ай бұрын

I'm in the same boat. GC Loader is available but I have all the pico kit, enough for all 3 cubes. And if some games have issues I can still use optical dirve.

A side by side comparison doesnt matter if gc loaders are never not gonna be sold out

I used 30 gauge wire had no issues with it. Did it on 2 GameCubes. Just have to make sure with it being thinner you don’t yank on it like a crazy person. My first one did have issues but it was because one wire was stripped to much and was shorting another pin.

Would have been cool to see game load time comparisons.

I have a GC Loader that I used for a GCN with a broken optic drive. I might do the pico mod for my functional GCN.

There’s an updated SP to SD adapter that puts the SD card 90° towards the outside of the case and there’s a 3-D print file. You can do the download a brackets that seals up the hole so the only thing sticking out is the top of the SD card that way you don’t have to worry about removing the player

This was cool. I learned a ton.

Obviously the big advantage of the Picoboot is price but for me it was the availability. The GCloader was always out of stock every time I looked into it.

This was a fantastic video on this topic, thank you for being so thorough! I have basic soldering knowledge and this video convinced me to go the picoboot route. I’m just going to hot glue it to the fan shroud. Is there a load time difference with SD2SP2 vs the sdgecko?

I have a tip on how I didn’t rip and need to buy new thermal pads. I unscrewed the system to the heat sink then reassembled it enough to power on the system. Left the system on for 10 minutes. That heated the heat sink enough. I wiggled to loosen. Then used a screwdriver on the side to slowly leverage it. It popped off without a problem and all the thermal pads in perfect condition.

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Good tip! I learned about that after The damage was done lol

@Eugenes84

Жыл бұрын

@@dubesinhower Yeah I saw everyone ripping their pads and I didn’t want to send the $15 to buy new ones (Amazon price). Lol. One guy successfully did it with a hot air station and the screwdriver trick. I don’t have a rework station so I thought to just leave the system powered on until it’s warm enough.

@smashpro1

Жыл бұрын

@@Eugenes84 I just pried under the heatsink on the right side, and the pads stayed mostly intact. Just a crack on the largest one.

I wonder if this is Wi-Fi compatible with the new Pi Pico W and not needing to open up the GC to upgrade newest firmware.

I got the angled mount for my sd2spi adapter. It should make the SD card easily accessible even when my Gameboy player is plugged in

awesome guide

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

One Swiss feature that isn't talked about enough is memory card emulation. Swiss can emulate huge 5000(?) block memory cards for each region, and automatically switches when you play a game from a different region. This is very convenient as you have to have a different memory card for Japanese games, and some games ask you in Japanese if you want to format your memory card to make a save if it's formatted for NTSC-U. Some games can't save to larger memory cards, but Swiss actually patches those specific games. You can even move/backup all your physical memory card saves to the emulated ones by booting games into GC bios by holding A(I think it was? Don't exactly remember) when a game is booting. However the memory card file needs to be in a separate location from where Swiss is running. On my GC my GCLoader runs Swiss and I run the memory cards off the SD2SP2 on a small 8gb micro SD card. I think you could do this with a PicoBoot using both a SDGecko and SD2SP2, but I haven't tried. I'm personally not a fan of the SDGecko look. In my book it's another small advantage for the GCLoader not having to use the SDGecko for emulated memory cards. Anyways Swiss is amazing. It's worth supporting Extrems on Patreon.

@marcianoacuerda

Жыл бұрын

What? You don’t need a physical memory card? That’s new for me, I’m definitely researching that!

@Rulumi

Жыл бұрын

You don't need another device with an SDGecko or SD2SP2 by itself to use memory card emulation. As long as one doesn't activate the option to emulate disc read speeds and the game doesn't use Audio Streaming.

@carlbrutananadilewski8395

Жыл бұрын

@@marcianoacuerda nope. It's in the setting for swiss to emulate memory or store it on the SD card in the SD2PS2 slot

I have several gamecubes, all lasers are dead... might have to look into this.

If you really wanted to, you could likely use one of the laserbear sd card mounts with picoboot.

I just used tin snips and carefully cut the cd plate the the cables have a little space to go through. i sanded the hole i made so there are no sharp edges and it really does not look that bad. besides I'm covering it up anyways lol. Also nothing he did wrong but it's been drilled in my head green ground, black L1, Red L2, yellow/blue offset so seeing him use black as ground sent shivers down my spine hahahaha. Great video otherwise thank you so much for the help.

Love your channel ! Is there a way to keep the GC boot up animation with swiss?

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Apparently there is: twitter.com/trevorrudolph/status/1571761450120609792?s=20&t=pUfFcHz6nN5abPV7eypNOg

with the clone version, you can use the gc loader sd card slot and the SD2SP2 adapter so 2 400gb SD cards one in gc loader one in the SD2SP2 adapter lets you have every iso for every game in one GameCube

@phantasm8180

Жыл бұрын

In your experience, what performance does the clone have? any compatibility problem? thank you

Does the PicoBoot have the same compatibility as GC Loader? I had assumed it wasn't perfect similar to the SD2SP2 method. I've been waiting for GC Loader stock for ages.

For mine I got a right angle sd2sp2 which lets the sd card insert directly from the side of the GameCube so no need to take off the GBPlayer!

Where would you get replacement thermal pads?Could you use a thin knife to cut the thermal pads?

There are flat ribbon cables available that make the soldering so much easier. I would highly recommend them to anybody doing this mod.

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Do them at your own risk, I talk about them in my Retro Modding News videos: kzread.info/dash/bejne/Y4VhxM-rk8vAZqg.html To be fair, the same issue applies to this wiring method. You'll need to unsolder the 3v3 wire anytime you want to plug the Pico in

@majorgear1021

10 ай бұрын

I just paid someone $60 to install it for me. It works great!

Thanks!

What size is that noise blocker fan? I wont buy the new fan mount but would like to upgrade the fan while already there

Oh hey, you might want to look into the SP2SD2 Pro. I think that will fix one of your issues with SD card accessibility

@Vigilanteblade

Жыл бұрын

Sorry, I saw you posted a response earlier that shows you knew, lol

Another advantage of the GC Loader is for games discs that have multiple .dol files on them. Swiss will not patch and boot games from the SD2SP2 or SD Gekko that contain multiple .dol files. Although there are not many discs that have this, one such example is the diag and service discs. GC Loader runs them perfectly.

I run the picoboot and the sd2sp2 for the SD card. Im trying to get emulators to work but I can't get the roms to read. The emulators boot up fine but just can't seem to find my games on the SD card. I've read I may need to use a gecko for the SD interface for it to work. Any knowledge about this?

Can you share what soldering iron temperatures you used? I’ve done a few solder repairs and this seems fairly straightforward, but I’m always worried about damaging components or solder pads.

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

I normally use 650 f/ 350 c

@DekkarMTBtl

Жыл бұрын

@@dubesinhower Perfect, thanks for the quick reply!

@DamnDealDone

Жыл бұрын

​@@DekkarMTBtl it's too high for delicate GameCube pads. Start with 315.

I have GC Loader on my Modded Wii and Picibooy on modded GameCube I just purchased.. Questions so far… How do I save games without a memory card..? Is it safe to constantly turn off and on console to simply exit and play a different game or would a special button selection be better?

I installed both menthods. Below are my ideas. 1. gc loader pnp reading speed is faster than sp2 port; hence, sd2sp2 adapter would make few games CG lag. 2. gc loader pnp has no compatitble issues with swiss vitural memories function but xeno and picoboot do. This results in physical memory card necessary for some games. 3. picoboot may be more competive if m2/usb loader on sale, this sp1 port speed is faster.

Playing retail backups using SD Gecko/SP2 used to be really problematic. Bunch of slow-downs and stuttering videos etc. Has all that been fixed by now?

thank you really

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

they have sd2sp2 adapters that can put the sd slot on the side on like aliexpress though

My DOL-001 lacks the SP2 slot. I know you mentioned the SD Gecko but I thought that had issues with the memory card bus data rate when streaming audio or cutscenes. Have you run into that issue?

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

I don’t think there are many differences in speed between the Gecko and the SD2SP2, if any

You missed that GC Loader has higher compatibility rate with games. If your game has streaming audio for example, you will only hear it on GC Loader. Other games have synchronization issues that will probably never be fixed; e.g. Star Fox Adventures.

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

I wish there was a compatibility list of games for both mods, compatibility is not easy to explain unless you have extensive GameCube knowledge

@Rulumi

Жыл бұрын

Streaming audio works on the SDGecko/SD2SP2, but it will disable some things to do so, like the virtual memory cards.

How is that with the new kunai mod?

Based on all the videos I have watched, you need to have new thermal pads ready to go cuz you are going to destroy the originals. Plus, in most cases they are two decades old and probably should be replaced any way. Awesome video

I have a gc loader, not concerned with playing my original discs...what is the point? I can use my wii if i want to do that anyway

what size is the thermal pad???

Does anyone know if alien hominid and neighbors from hell is compatible? I know neighbors from hell after the first level the game always freezes. This would be a total win if picoboot runs these with no issue.

There is a right angle serial 2 sd adaptor to solve the gameboy player issue

Pros - Good soldering practice.

thank you ....but honestly what about performance? which is better ? Is there a difference in gaming performance? or compatibility?.....

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

It's... complicated. I've tried to do research about game compatibility, but if you're using Swiss with both I believe compatibility is similar. You can check the Swiss compatibility list here: www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=Swiss/Compatibility_List As far as performance, I didn't do a loading speed comparison, but I should have. I've heard that GC Loader can take a few seconds longer to patch games, but I haven't done a side by side comparison. There aren't any great resources for finding out performance differences between different GameCube mods IMO

Sorry I’m new to modding but I was wondering if you can still play physical games with the pico boot?

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Yes you can!

@ethanwashoe5868

Жыл бұрын

@@dubesinhower thanks that’s great to know! I’ve been enjoying your videos and have found them very informative and educational

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

@@ethanwashoe5868 I appreciate it, thanks for watching!

Where’s a good place to download games? I’ve been researching, downloaded, tried converting and nothing worked.

The pico boot is slower even with the sp2 adapter also the pico is less compatible . Some games don't work nfl2k3 ( only one that comes to mind I'm sure there's more).

I’m going to stick with my GCLoader. And I recommend going with it if you want to mod your Gamecube. The price is worth it in my opinion.

@carlbrutananadilewski8395

Жыл бұрын

availability is the problem. I have one already, but would love to be able to find another for one of my kids gamecubes.

This is not even a question. o/c it is better!

Gc loader may cost more but it's just plug and play which is less time. I love mine

@zeniktorres4320

Жыл бұрын

Question, with the GC Loader is it needed to have a memory card (with swiss loaded) plugged into a front slot? Thanks.

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

No it’s not needed, the GC Loader has its own SD card slot, so Swiss lives on that

@zeniktorres4320

Жыл бұрын

@@dubesinhower Thank you for your help. Just the normal save game memory card in slot A then.

@Weather_Nerd

Жыл бұрын

Too bad you can’t buy them lol

Does the disk drive still work with the mod?

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Yes!

There is a version of SD2SP2 that is 90° and lets you access the SD slot from the side of the console. No need to remove the game boy player.

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Yep I found out about it after this video

@Imperatrixxy

Жыл бұрын

Gotcha! Just wanted to make sure you knew, since that was basically the only downside of using Picoboot. Thanks for an interesting video. 😁

Can the pico play any Gamecube game? I really want to mod mine but I've heard raspberry pi is weak when it comes to emulation. If it only play a few games for the price I guess it would be worth it but I want something that can do every game for gamecube if possible or atleast the majority.

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

PicoBoot doesn’t emulate games, it helps you load the games

@keepitkush5208

Жыл бұрын

@@dubesinhower so Swiss is the emulator?

@roflBeck

8 ай бұрын

@@keepitkush5208 Swiss isn't an emulator, it's a loader. It's like an operating system for your Gamecube, you run it and then tell it what to open. Usually a Gamecube game, or an emulator for an older game, like SNES.

I love picoboot

In picoboot we don't have start menu!

There are lots of gcloader clones on aliexpress but not sure how crappy they are

Isn't reading games from the SD Gecko slow as hell?

@TheOriginalVersatile

Жыл бұрын

Same as sd2sp2

The picoboot is a great mod, and Its a shame the GC Loader went from the easiest solution to the most expensive solution in such a short amount of time. I myself was planning on getting one in the future as I dont own a proper soldering setup, but now it seems like my only options are either the old fashioned SD Media Launcher + SD Gecko or just buying a knock-off GC Loader and the Serial Port 2 adapter.

When you tried to remove the heat sink, you unfortunately ripped off the DA15, we saw it especially at 6:14.. It's nothing, prefer to say it ^^

@dubesinhower

Жыл бұрын

Wow I had no idea! Thanks for pointing that out lol

@mrzeubi5249

Жыл бұрын

​@@dubesinhower I made exactly the same mistake on my secondary gamecube 😣.This is how I noticed it, apparently according to webdhx it happens regularly when you remove the heatsink :/

1 have 1yrs with picoboot. And I dont have any problem, so update is not requirement. And as I remember, some modder from chinese create another type of sd2sp2

@dubesinhower

11 ай бұрын

Oh, interesting, so you have any more info about that?

...at 90 dollars.....try 250-300 dollars... I have been tracking sales for months and I am on a mailing list for the official gc loader. gc loader lites from aliexpress are bad clones and known to NOT work.

I would prefer the GC Loader because I'm not all that great at soldering

You forgot the most important thing... GCLoader does not run the PS1 emulator, probably has issues with other emulators.

I own both GCloader and picoboot, i'd definatly stick with GCloader, I spent a lot of times on picoboot, great product has it has its pors and cons, but sometimes it gets picky on with reading some games, never had any issue with GCloader.

best : exploit + MC emulated or Datel media loader + 2 sd gecko + MC emulated or sd2sp2 and MC for gc - No modifications

if with my poor eyesight and shaky hand, I was able to install picoboot anyone can, just use the correct wires (trust me.)

Picoboot is awesome! But game compatibility isn't perfect like it is with GC Loader. As for the SD2SP2 access, you can get one that loads the card from the side of the GC, so that you never have to deal with removing the GBA player.

@philexile2954

Жыл бұрын

exactly.

GC Loader is better. Faster loading, and better compatibility since it replaces the disk drive. Picoboot is for if you can't get a GC Loader.

This is cheap, but GCLoader is plug and play

I use a picoboot for me is better.

Picoboot isnt even in the same league as the GC loader.

@maciejkobus

Жыл бұрын

Yeah PicoBoot sucks.

@HoLeeFuk317

Жыл бұрын

What is better about the GC loader? I have the picoboot and an sd2sp2 and I haven't had any problem running GameCube ISOs

@RetroDoneRight

Жыл бұрын

@@HoLeeFuk317 Look it up. It may boot most isos, but more games than not have issues with fmvs and games with audio streaming generally just won't play music. The legit GC loader doesn't have any of those issues.

@HoLeeFuk317

Жыл бұрын

@@RetroDoneRight I wonder if the pico firmware or swiss has been updated to fix this. I have almost 50 games on mine and haven't had those issues.

@RetroDoneRight

Жыл бұрын

@@HoLeeFuk317 It's not something that can be fixed. It's a hardware limitation with how fast the sp and memory card slot can transfer data. The pico literally does nothing in this other than boot the swiss dol, and these are the same compatibility issues swiss over sd has had for the past 15 years. The entire reason the GC loader was made was to have something with essentially 100% compatibility that is identical to running from the disc.

GC Loader is by far the easier & more compatible solution, it runs everything flawlessly. Paired with a Memcard GC Pro & it’s a beast!