The Wii does not need a hard drive

Everyone seems to think that the Wii NEEDS a hard drive peripheral in order to play downloaded games, save achievements, etc. I think that is complete hogwash. What people seem to forget is that the Wii has an SD card slot.

SD Cards are fantastic for a bunch of reasons. First off the access time/seek time is virtually 0 on SD Cards. Hard drives have a seek time associated with finding the data on the spindle. In addition hard drives have moving parts so they have a much high tendency to fail. SD Cards are great because they have essentially become the standard for digital camera, cell phones, and numerous other devices so the information can be transfered around quickly and seamlessly.

http://www.multigame.com/CF.html

I think the biggest complaint is that SD Cards don't have as much storage space as hard drives. That really isn't a problem though. First off Wii games are much smaller then 360 or PS3 games. There may be demos that range in the 500MB range but they probably won't pass the 1GB mark which most of the 360/PS3 demos do.

In addition the storage sizes of SD cards are quite large. You can get a 8GB SD card for 80 dollars right now. The technology is getting used more and more so larger size SD cards are coming out quickly. Expect to see SD card sizes of 15-20 GB by next year.

http://www.flash-memory-store.com/secure-digital.html?gclid=CPLQipvOr44CFQlQWAodyB8PaA

Is it possible to store VC games on SD cards though??

Is it possible to store VC games on SD cards though??

digiram79

Not right now but that could easily be fixed with a firmware update. As it stands you can transfer them onto an SD card but you can't play them from it.

Yes, you can buy an 8GB SD card for 80 dollars.

But how big of a hard drive could you buy for 80 dollars?

Yes, you can buy an 8GB SD card for 80 dollars.

But how big of a hard drive could you buy for 80 dollars?

SmashBrosLegend

The problem is that SD cards are not as big as HDDs and when you run out of space if you have an 8GB SD card, then you can't buy a bigger one so you have to buy another 8GB. Then you have 2 cards to take care of. My point is that HDDs are always getting bigger and cheaper. You can always buy a bigger one. This applies to PC and PS3 only. Sorry 360 owners, guess you have to buy a special one from Microsoft.AIH_PSP

do you really plan to save a lot of demoes for very long? also SD cards get bigger too. that's technology for you.

[QUOTE="digiram79"] Is it possible to store VC games on SD cards though??Firelore29

In some sence it might not need one. But considering you can't play games from it then it does pose a problem that Nintendo might not be able to get around without considering a harddrive.

[QUOTE="SmashBrosLegend"]

Yes, you can buy an 8GB SD card for 80 dollars.

But how big of a hard drive could you buy for 80 dollars?

Ontain

I'd rather have a stationary hard drive for my Wii. Then I could download unlimited Nintendo 64 and Neo Geo games without having to move things around and re-download and delete and such.

It would also open up the possibility for Saturn games and demos to come to the Virtual Console.

And let's not forget WiiWare.

Yes, you can buy an 8GB SD card for 80 dollars.

But how big of a hard drive could you buy for 80 dollars?

SmashBrosLegend

It's newer technology so of course it's going to be more expensive. The benefit is that you can have 10 SD cards sitting in a little box vs a bulky hard drive which only works that game system. In addition SD Cards prices are dropping much faster then hard drive prices primarily because there is less actual hardware. It's about companies developing more effecitve ways to produce the hardware.

The problem is that SD cards are not as big as HDDs and when you run out of space if you have an 8GB SD card, then you can't buy a bigger one so you have to buy another 8GB. Then you have 2 cards to take care of. My point is that HDDs are always getting bigger and cheaper. You can always buy a bigger one. This applies to PC and PS3 only. Sorry 360 owners, guess you have to buy a special one from Microsoft.AIH_PSP

Again Wii games are much smaller then 360 or PS3 games are. A Wii game could take half if not more so then a 360 game so if you have an 8gb SD card you have the equivilant of a 16gb hard drive on the 360.

[QUOTE="Ontain"][QUOTE="SmashBrosLegend"]

Yes, you can buy an 8GB SD card for 80 dollars.

But how big of a hard drive could you buy for 80 dollars?

SmashBrosLegend

I'd rather have a stationary hard drive for my Wii. Then I could download unlimited Nintendo 64 and Neo Geo games without having to move things around and re-download and delete and such.

It would also open up the possibility for Saturn games and demos to come to the Virtual Console.

And let's not forget WiiWare.

it's possible for them to allow usb hard drives as well since they do have usb ports. it would require firmware as well.

Is it possible to store VC games on SD cards though??

digiram79

I'm pretty sure you can, you just can't play them any other Wii than the one it was downloaded.

No the real reason for not needing a HARDDRIVE is because Nintendo don't even do GAME demo's so you're really not going to need more than 1GB to store VC games which are barely that big anyway. Plus Xbox and PSN do large downloadable games, demo's and videos. But even still SD cards for PSP = ok...but for a console? get out of here...i mean they're fine but you NEED a small harddrive in there somewhere, Nintendo could have fixed in a cheap ass 8GB mini harddrive with the wii built in. Oh well.Riviera_Phantom

I think you forgot to read my post before responding.

Nintnedo should've at least put more than 512MB flash memory installed. They should've put like 2GB flash cause that's pretty cheap now even in the form of SD and MS.AIH_PSP

I agree.

That would've been sufficient for alot of stuff. WiiConnect24 is quite a brilliant idea and it could've grown rather well.

Question. If you download a butt load of VC games how do you not run out of space and how does the SD card come into play if you do?

[QUOTE="SmashBrosLegend"]

Yes, you can buy an 8GB SD card for 80 dollars.

But how big of a hard drive could you buy for 80 dollars?

Ontain

You would need sometype of USB mouting in order to use that. The 360 20 gb hard drive, for example, is $99.

http://www.etoys.com/genProduct.html/PID/4712292/ctid/19?ci_sku=631003&ci_src=14110944

Question. If you download a butt load of VC games how do you not run out of space and how does the SD card come into play if you do?

Bread_or_Decide

As it stands right now you can delete VC games and redownload them for free if you already paid for them. Most people don't use the SD cards right now for that although it is possible. I just view photos on my TV with it currently.

another problem with SD cards is their write limitations.they can only be written to so many times before they begin to fail..which wouldnt be that much of an issue, but when they would be accessed and written to so often if treated as a hard drive...it might cause problemsschu

It's virtually the exact same media as the 512mb of memory in theWii right now. Thetechnology is sound and proven.

First off the access time/seek time is virtually 0 on SD Cards. Hard drives have a seek time associated with finding the data on the spindle.Firelore29

SD cards read/write/seek much slower than hard drives

it does need more memory though. that 512MB of memory in there already wont be enough to support the VC and all other channels + wiiware games that come out over the next 4-5 years or so. and thats assuming that ppl only download the classics from the VC and wiiware. it does have the SD card slot which is certainly very nice (even 512MB will last quite some time) but nintendo, for some strange reason, decided to forbid software from being played from external memory (hopefully a firmware update will corrects this). i dont know about a HDD....its a bit overkill in terms of size though the option would certainly be welcome, but wii definately needs options for more playable memory.

wii also needs a redisgend interface to accomodate huge lists of available apps. the current one, though very nice at the mo, wont cut it in the long run. all VC games under their own lists dictated by platform would be a good start.

THE BAD THING ABOUT SD CARDS U CANT PLAY GAMES THROUGH THEMlastroxas

That's only because it's not allowed currently but it could be.

[QUOTE="Firelore29"] First off the access time/seek time is virtually 0 on SD Cards. Hard drives have a seek time associated with finding the data on the spindle.MxPxPunk

SD cards read/write/seek much slower than hard drives

Well then I guess demos aren't needed either?Teufelhuhn

? Read the post please.