Nintendo: Wii storage solution on the way, not a hard drive

Nintendo Europe’s Laurent Fischer:

“Definitely there’s no plan to issue hardware – an external hard drive, but we know that we have an issue in that area. It’s very obvious and we’re perfectly aware of it, but there’s nothing we can say beyond this.”

Nintendic



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  • http://www.youtube.com/rothsothy Roth

    “It’s about damn time..” – Mr. Ford (The Conduit)

    Well, I’ll be damned. I wonder why it took them so long to come with a voluble solution.

    I’m guessing some Nintendo-branded USB flash sticks. Better make it no less than 4GB. Perhaps different sizes: 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, etc.

    It’s either that or they’re sticking to SD cards by releasing a Nintendo-branded USB card reader that supports SDHC. I’ll be fine with that since the current one built in Wii is only standard SD.

    // Roth

  • typhoon

    All they need to do it make a software update that allows the wii to access the SD drive for storage… Simple enough. I bought my 2gb SD card for like 7 bucks.

    A usb flash drive would be fine also, but seems like the update for usage of the SD drive would be so much faster and more efficient.

    Are the data transfer rate much faster for the SD or USB?
    I don’t know what other ‘options’ they could be thinking of.

  • typhoon

    To answer my own concern, I just looked on wikipedia for actual transfer rates, and usb 2.0 transfers at 60MB/sec whereas the SD card (at max if rated at 150x) transfers at 22.5MB/Sec.

    So for the consumer, the USB drive would be faster, more storage, perhaps cheaper?

  • Stephen

    it is about fricken time

  • typhoon

    Time keeps on slippin
    slippin
    slippin
    into the future.

  • http://www.youtube.com/rothsothy Roth

    LOL @ typhoon~
    I wanna fly.. fly right into the future~ \:D/

    // Roth

  • aphexbr

    Yeah, here’s an idea: if you want to appease the community, don’t force us to buy extra hardware for your mistakes. Release a Wii update that allows the use of pre-existing USB storage devices. It’s not hard.

    Disappointment in the community is not going to be avoided if your solution to storage problems is to release another bespoke, overpriced peripheral.

  • Stephen

    i agree

  • http://http://webpages.charter.net/gwhite770/OurWiiPage.html GNub

    I know the real concern from Nintendo is software piracy.
    But they should be able to build a proprietary format for USB and SD storage.
    It could be as simple as encrypted ZIP files or as complicated as a proprietary format specific for the Wii only. There is no reason why both USB and SD could not be an option. The SD card may be harder because it is currently used for other functions like photos, etc. But there should be an option. A USB solution would be faster and preferred, and faster is needed as the SD card access on the Wii is very slow.
    I think with WiiWare it has finally reached a point where Nintendo will lose more money then it will cost to provide this as many people have down loaded a few Wiware’s and that alone fills the flash. And if WiiWare and VC are going to continue then it’s obvious a storage solution is required. (And they do have one but it’s crippled, if SD storage allowed you to run games from SD then this would not be nearly the issue it is and we would then be screaming for a faster storage solution). I know a few have said what’s the big deal save to the SD and delete it and re-load it when you want to play, well that would be acceptable if it were 1985 and storage was worth gold. But this is 2008 and storage is much cheaper. How many of you save your PC stuff to floppies or other external forms that has to be installed every time you use it? OK then.
    I know I am down to my last few blocks and have been holding off buying more online games because I can decide what game deserves my last blocks? 

  • http://http://webpages.charter.net/gwhite770/OurWiiPage.html GNub

    I know the real concern from Nintendo is software piracy.
    But they should be able to build a proprietary format for USB and SD storage.
    It could be as simple as encrypted ZIP files or as complicated as a proprietary format specific for the Wii only. There is no reason why both USB and SD could not be an option. The SD card may be harder because it is currently used for other functions like photos, etc. But there should be an option. A USB solution would be faster and preferred, and faster is needed as the SD card access on the Wii is very slow.
    I think with WiiWare it has finally reached a point where Nintendo will lose more money then it will cost to provide this as many people have down loaded a few Wiware’s and that alone fills the flash. And if WiiWare and VC are going to continue then it’s obvious a storage solution is required. (And they do have one but it’s crippled, if SD storage allowed you to run games from SD then this would not be nearly the issue it is and we would then be screaming for a faster storage solution). I know a few have said what’s the big deal save to the SD and delete it and re-load it when you want to play, well that would be acceptable if it were 1985 and storage was worth gold. But this is 2008 and storage is much cheaper. How many of you save your PC stuff to floppies or other external forms that has to be installed every time you use it? OK then.
    I know I am down to my last few blocks and have been holding off buying more online games because I can decide what game deserves my last blocks? ïÅ