Wii Warm Up: Does it solve your storage problems?

by David Hinkle { Oct 2nd 2008 at 8:00AM }

You heard it boys and girls: Nintendo's storage solution is coming in 2009. But, is it too little, too late? With the system only supporting 2gb cards, is this a viable solution to a growing problem? Sure, you can buy a bunch of 2gb cards, but who wants SD cards all over the place? What we're wondering is will this be enough to satisfy those of us who need more than 512mb of storage space?

Tags: sd-card, sd-card-slot, sd-slot, storage

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

johnathan @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:07AM

For me it does, but I think this option should have been on the wii when it first came out! I wonder if the new dsi will have any storage problems with all that new downloadable content and stuff hopefully not.

Sisyphus @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:13AM

If I can use SD cards the same way as internal memory, then sure it does. I didn't cry when I had to change memory cards on my PS2, so why would I worry about having more than 1 2gb SD cards for my backups of Wiiware/VC games? I can always redownload them if necessary.

sockatume @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:26AM

You won't be able to play games from the SD slot. You'll be able to save straight to the SD slot, and "it will also be possible to easily move software from SD card to the Wii system memory" (IGN), but they have not said anything about being able to play games from the SD cards.

pigdog237 @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:32AM

Hmmm...

"gamers can expect to have the ability to load AND PLAY software direct from your SD card in your SD slot, as well as download items directly to their SD slot"

Also - would a firmware upgrade be possible to allow usage of the larger SD cards? 4GB etc. Maybe not?

ramuji @ Oct 2nd 2008 11:28AM

I haven't been able to find confirmation of the "AND PLAY" bit. Gamega's live blog of the conference mentions nothing about playing games directly from SD.

Hopefully NOA's event will shed some light on this (and a few other things).

Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Oct 2nd 2008 11:36AM

"Also - would a firmware upgrade be possible to allow usage of the larger SD cards? 4GB etc. Maybe not?"

No. Wii has SD (Secure Digital) slot.

For >2GB cards - that's called SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) - you need different hardware.

Same backward compatible slot - but different hardware.

Roto13 @ Oct 2nd 2008 12:03PM

I can't see them just letting you download games directly to the SD card without playing them. That doesn't really accomplish anything.

johnnyg0 @ Oct 2nd 2008 12:25PM

@Ihar

You're wrong, SDHC does not require different hardware than normal SD. They only need different drivers (SD is formatted in FAT and SDHC is in FAT32).

OpNickC @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:36AM

It's good enough for me. It'd be nice if it came out a bit sooner, but I'm mostly just glad they're finally addressing the issue.

Many are complaining that they'll have to swap out cards all the time, but honestly, at quadruple the size of the internal memory, a 2GB SD card should last quite a while. Game content just doesn't take up all that much space: it was mostly videos that filled up my 360 hard drive, not DLC and XBLA games.

At worst, I could see needing 3 SD cards, and that's only if Nintendo starts offering demo downloads of full Wii games. You'd need one for your general WiiWare/VC/DLC, one for Guitar Hero/Rock Band DLC (since music takes up space, though still not enough to really need more than 1 SD card), and one for Wii demos.

I really don't see that as a big deal, and it's certainly less clunky than having to buy an external hard drive.

Roddie @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:37AM

Why wasn't this option available from the start and why is it going to take until spring 2009 to enable it?? Why doesn't the Wii support SDHC? Are we ever going to see a firmware update to upgrade it to SDHC? Why don't they just open up the USB slots to mass storage and solve the storage problem once and for all?

Buntaro @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:38AM

Sounds OK to me, considering WiiWare games are limited to 40MB for the time being (just checked) and most VC require little space.

reef @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:40AM

One card is over four times the amount of storage currently availabel for games (since some of the 512 onboard is taken up by system memory). Seriously, does anyone have that much stuff off of the VC / WiiWare store yet?

I've bought a ton of games that I currently back up to a 1gb SD card and I've nowhere near filled it. I think people are more attached to the number of 2gb without considering how small these games / wiiware titles really are.

Ghen @ Oct 3rd 2008 2:19PM

I will when GH:WT comes out.

exolstice @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:59AM

This doesn't really solve anything.

Roto13 @ Oct 3rd 2008 2:31AM

What doesn't it solve?

Mr Khan @ Oct 2nd 2008 9:12AM

Solves most of it, i think. This is essentially "integrating" the SD Card into the Wii System Memory, and as long as they get access times down to a good level, it should be fine.

My 512 MB SD Card back from Christmas 06 has been craving use. It will soon get it.

David @ Oct 2nd 2008 9:13AM

This seems fine. I picked up 2x2gb cards for $10 shipped just last week..

vidGuy @ Oct 2nd 2008 9:16AM

Yes, loading off of SD cards solves my storage problem. Is it that hard to put in an update that we have to wait until next year?

ramuji @ Oct 2nd 2008 9:16AM

It sounds good, like it might be the solution most of us have been craving, but personally I think there are a few more details that need to be released before we can know for sure.

il_duce620 @ Oct 2nd 2008 9:20AM

This should be fine, but again, it would be nice to have SDHC enabled somehow...

guttertalk @ Oct 2nd 2008 9:49AM

If you're just talking about Wiiware and VC games, yes, that's enough.

The real test, though, is with games that have downloadable content. For example, each song in Rock Band or Guitar Hero runs around 30MB from what I can tell.

Also, for the 360, some of the downloadable content runs in the GB range, like for the upcoming Fallout 3 or the Oblivion downloads. Yes, the graphics and models probably account for much of that space.

I'm glad we're getting it, even if it's in the spring. For the most part, it will work fine. And one key thing is that games with DLC are no longer hobbled on the Wii, although there is a limit on sizes of individual downloads, especially if they don't assume everyone has or can get the 2GB card.

(BTW, if this post appears twice, the comments are messed up: I checked my profile and the message never posted. Then, when I post it a second time, the first message finally posts with it. It's happened to me several times now.)

Only3Penguins @ Oct 2nd 2008 9:58AM

If this will allow me to back up my Brawl, Mario Kart, and other data that presently can't be saved to an SD card, then that will be enough for me!

Graz @ Oct 2nd 2008 10:14AM

Wait? 2gigs? I have a 4 gig in my system now and it works fine...

MBJ @ Oct 2nd 2008 11:44AM

Would you mind sharing the manufacturer/model of your SD card? I'd heard rumors that a very small number of 4 GB SD cards are compatible with the Wii. If that's true, I'd love to get my hands on one.

CJLopez @ Oct 2nd 2008 12:02PM

Dude, we'll need some proof. I have already tried a 4gb and didn't work

If you can upload a video of it, where you show the sd memory by a computer and then using it on you Wii would be awesome

Marc @ Oct 3rd 2008 5:11AM

I too have a 4gb SD card which works fine on my Wii. The Wii can't take SDHC cards but there do exist 4gb SD cards.

I bought it close to a year ago, originally for a very old iPAQ pda and it works fine on that too (which was developed way before SDHC even existed!)

samfish @ Oct 2nd 2008 10:17AM

This works just fine for me.

...assuming the load times aren't awful. Homebrew has proven that they should be fine, but this IS Nintendo, after all...

Mr Khan @ Oct 2nd 2008 11:37AM

That's probably what the wait was about, figuring out how they can have their DRM Cake and Eat the User's money too. Probably a faster encryption method, or just some sort of file formatting that PC's can't read.

RobinEivets @ Oct 2nd 2008 10:27AM

It'll keep me happy, and probally most of the geeks and otaku...err...Wii customers...for a while at least.

benmully @ Oct 2nd 2008 10:32AM

Finally!!! Although it's a shame they can't enable sdhc.

NutMac @ Oct 2nd 2008 10:38AM

Considering how Palm was able to offer SDHC (for SD-only Treo devices) via firmware update, I was hoping for similar update as well. I am just hoping that writing to SD won't be as slow as it currently is (I am using high-speed 2 GB SD card from SanDisk).

ramuji @ Oct 2nd 2008 11:31AM

Yes, isn't that frustrating? I couldn't believe it when I rushed home with my new high-speed SD card, only to discover that it was just as slow as my cheap-o normal card.

Thanatos @ Oct 2nd 2008 10:52AM

Yes it does but its a little late, looks like i still wont be downloading anything new until 2009.

PokeParadox @ Oct 2nd 2008 11:05AM

It should have been available from the start, or very near the start...
It's also interesting to note, that the wii homebrewers have found the SD slot is SDHC capable and it's only a software limitation(and Wii homebrew may support SDHC in future)... so if Nintendo released a useful update...

It's a step in the right direction, but they should still provide a USB HDD solution.

jaredgood1 @ Oct 2nd 2008 11:05AM

For the most part, yea. Figure that's 4 times the current storage (unless they can update the slot to accommodate SDHC cards, which is probably doubtful), so it'll work for a while, but with more and more WiiWare games coming out, I think it'll still fill up relatively quickly.

CJLopez @ Oct 2nd 2008 12:04PM

Well, its ok, about time, My SD is craving to get some more use besides homebrew, wich, hasn't been able to fill even 1/4 of its capacity

Ben_X @ Oct 2nd 2008 12:29PM

This is good for me. You know how the Wii comes with like 2,000 Blocks on it? Well my 2gb SD has somewhere around 15,000.

Nate @ Oct 2nd 2008 1:02PM

It is possible for them to enable SDHC via a software update. I'm hoping that is included in the update that allows for playing content off the cards.

ZombiePikmin @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:04PM

Im fine with it oh and HOLY SHIT SIN & PUNISHMENT 2 PUNCH OUT!!!!!!! CAVE STORIES FUCK E3 NINTENDO LOVES THE HARDCORE

Gewurztraminer says: Shinkuu Gadouken! @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:52PM

I won't need to use my SD card until GHWT; I've got 186 blocks left on the Wii. So, this works out well for me. Just in time. =]

Gewurz Man just wasted 200 Wii points @ Oct 7th 2008 6:24PM

Update: 92 blocks remaining

Adolfo @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:54PM

Of course Nintendo is not stupid, They simply don´t allow SD cards of more than 2gb to avoid any possible homebrew app that would let you load ISO files of wii "backups" via the SD slot (which takes 4.5 Gb). That´s why, and if they released a Hard drive it would be the pàradise of pirates

grp110nyr @ Oct 3rd 2008 5:28PM

Like most I wish this option was available from the start. Then we might have seen some DLC for other games. But better late than never and the upside is SD cards are cheap. I am happy their solution isn't some over priced HD a-la MS and their 160 GB HD. I might be wrong on this but in the PS2 era for those who indulged how many 8 mb cards did you have? Me personally, I had 2 b/c I had to have the SOCOM downloads and some roster updates for sports games that were rather large for an expensive 8 mb card. On the other hand 2 GB is rather large and lets say I have to have a dedicated SD card for all my future GH World Tour downloads...so be it. I don't mid swapping out the cards. I give credit to Nintendo for he affordable solution and only wish it came sooner.