Wii homebrew channel video released

We've already seen some rudimentary Wii homebrew channel support, but this latest video released by homebrew developer Bushing steps things up considerably, with it turning what was once a curiosity into something that quite a few non-homebrew dabbling folks will likely be eager to get their hands on. As you can see after the break, the channel looks to be about as straightforward as can be, and it apparently includes built-in support for loading ELF and DOL homebrew executables via USBGecko and TCP/IP, in addition to support for loading 'em off SD cards. Sadly, there's no word on a release just yet, but we can't imagine it being kept under wraps for too much longer.

[Via DCEmu, thanks Craig]

[MeatyPi @ May 5th 2008 7:32PM]

Wii is Balls

[ryan @ May 5th 2008 7:39PM]

So is that good or bad?

[nate @ May 5th 2008 8:04PM]

probably depends on your gender

[Aguiluz @ May 5th 2008 8:37PM]

I could interpret that in two ways:

1. Wii has the balls = meaning "Wii has skill." Like "He has the balls to do it."

2. Wii SUCKS balls = Eh...

Let's hope it's the first one.

[MeatyPi @ May 5th 2008 8:47PM]

It is open to your interpretation. I do, however, like the Wii, so it is a more positive comment.

[Flashpoint @ May 5th 2008 8:47PM]

I'm glad someone finally called Wii out on Yahoo.Tech as being a weak system.

The Wii's software selection is WEAK and the only developer actively putting titles out for it is Nintendo themselves. Wii's 3rd party support is the weakest I've seen since Jaguar.

Only reaons its selling is because of the high demand for a child friend/ ELEDERLY friendly system. And the funny thing is that Japan doesn't wanna sell em to us cause our dollar is sinking like a stone.

Wii Fit = FAIL.

[stefan @ May 5th 2008 8:56PM]

@Flashpoint

Dude have you got issues.

[coolbho3000 @ May 5th 2008 8:56PM]

The Engadget community truly appreciates your trolling, Flashpoint. I thank you on behalf of everyone. Now please do us all a favor and STFU.

[MBS @ May 5th 2008 9:09PM]

LOL-ing at flashpoint.

FLASHPOINT=FAIL

Where is epic-fail-guy when we need him?

[Jose Chavez @ May 5th 2008 7:45PM]

Nothing to see here folks move on!!!*leaving room*

[warrrennnnn @ May 5th 2008 7:53PM]

Uhh, there's plenty to see here people. Keep lookin'. *fills in room, squeezes by Jose Chavez's girth*

[Jordan @ May 5th 2008 8:12PM]

The Wiii in my opinion isn't a good system for hardcore gamers, however I do believe it would be one of the best systems as far as homebrew goes, and would be quite fun to mess around on with that.

[Christian Walters @ May 5th 2008 8:16PM]

This is not the story you are looking for....move along.

[Vic20 @ May 5th 2008 8:16PM]

pass the homebrew, Bud.

yo Bud, hit the Lite near the homebrew?

should I read the Miller's tale or play homebrew?

should i play homebrew or do my report on Sam Adams?

those flashy homebrew graphics look like the sun's Corona

yea, and at night they look like Moonshine...

[Christian Walters @ May 5th 2008 8:23PM]

Whadya doin?
Nuttin playin the Wii(d)
True, true

[mykie @ May 5th 2008 8:41PM]

Is this the app that will replace my xbmc?

Please?

[Guzzie @ May 5th 2008 10:17PM]

Nothing above 480p and lack of HDD means your keep your xbox for media center needs.

[beamerboy625 @ May 5th 2008 8:47PM]

So with this homebrew stuff going around, would a DVD player be possible? That would make so much sense!

[stefan @ May 5th 2008 8:59PM]

I don't think that they have managed to access data from the DVD yet. Only GC-Memory or Front-SD @FAT16 or FAT32 for now.

I'm not quite sure as to why this is. Can't tell with any certainty if the necessity for disks to be signed is hardware or software.

[coolbho3000 @ May 5th 2008 9:04PM]

A few days ago a USB mass storage device proof of concept demo was released. It is read-only, FAT16 and can only do a directory listing, but it's a good milestone.

Things are progressing quickly.

[Anonymoose @ May 5th 2008 9:10PM]

wii as dvd drive isn't a good idea since you'll burn out your laser. the laser wasn't meant to handle that kind of continous reading, much like today's youth that can't even make it past the end of this post what with their nigh non-existent attention sp...hey, a butterfly! i eat with butter sauce! nap time, please.

[7on @ May 5th 2008 9:22PM]

I'm sure the laser is like any other. It's cheaper to get a general laser than to get a specially made laser that doesn't read dvds

[iofthestorm @ May 5th 2008 10:27PM]

It seems like access to the DVD drive is restricted and encrypted or something like that, unless you've got a modchip. So I think the only way for a DVD player homebrew to work without modchip would be with a USB DVD drive, which is kind of meh... but I think I'd prefer streaming from a computer anyway, if it were possible. I wonder if it would be possible to make a homebrew Media Center Extender program kind of thing to work with Vista Media Center, because it seems pretty good from what I've seen of it but I don't have a TV tuner and don't plan to get one.

[ethana2 @ May 5th 2008 9:23PM]

The hilarious thing is that even with a completely owned Wii, the Cell Broadband Engine alone probably has more power than the whole nintendo machine, and if you include the vRAM, what, 8, 16 times the memory?
I eagerly await psubuntu 8.04.1
..Have fun with your slackware, Wii users ;)

[iofthestorm @ May 5th 2008 10:30PM]

For one thing, slackware is much more pro than Ubuntu, and for another, no shit the PS3's more powerful, it also costs a hell of a lot more and is probably 6-8 times bigger in terms of volume. No one's arguing that the Wii is more powerful, but personally I'd rather have a Media Center type homebrew on the Wii with a remote style controller than the PS3 with a Dualshock. Also, I only have a Wii and play mostly PC games, so... and then there's the fact that the Wii is so much more interesting in terms of hacking potential, whereas once you've got Linux on your PS3 you've basically got a PC that can't do a whole lot beyond what you might as well use your PC for.

[UKNigel @ May 5th 2008 10:34PM]

Slackware is for awesome users. Have fun with your Noobuntu.

[ethana2 @ May 5th 2008 10:39PM]

Wiimotes are awesome peripherals, make no mistake-- but the wii console itself is nearly pointless for /me/.
The PS3 can do more than most PC's could ever think of attempting. Real time ray tracing, case in point. The power is just that much more flexible.

[Dan Bugglin @ May 5th 2008 9:40PM]

From the video it doesn't appear to use the Wiimote... someone needs to figure it out and write a library for it.

[iofthestorm @ May 5th 2008 10:31PM]

They're working on it apparently, it's just that the Wiimote library for homebrew is pretty recent and kind of buggy and unstable. It'll be in the final release.

[jeicrash @ May 5th 2008 10:23PM]

I welcome the homebrew WII channel. And I know I have already read somewhere that the wii is DVD capable it just has not been enabled software wise. Supposedly it may be an add-on (probably "DVD-channel") for an extra 10-20 bucks.

I think once opera get flash updated and homebrew gets up and going the wii will have more useful roles. I for one would love to replace xbmc (until the linux port becomes stable) and use the wii for more web-based projects.

[Brian @ May 6th 2008 12:12AM]

I for one am looking forward to the DVD playback as well.

[Darkroom @ May 6th 2008 2:46AM]

looks tasty

[Tysoe @ May 5th 2008 10:28PM]

BLOCK BLOCK BLOOOOOOOOOOOOCK

[Brian @ May 6th 2008 12:26AM]

Nice Video

[swingin' dick hero @ May 6th 2008 4:36AM]

ScummVM, yes please! Playing Monkey Island and the other classics on my Wii would make me very happy.

[Dustin @ May 6th 2008 4:58AM]

I think I would finally buy a Wii just to play day of the tentacle again on it with the wiimote

[badenglishihave @ May 6th 2008 8:53AM]

I love ScummVM... something you may not know about it: the same guy who wrote uTorrent wrote the first few versions of ScummVM. So it has to be awesome :)

[dagamer34 @ May 6th 2008 8:19PM]

Patched in 3, 2, 1.... BOOM!

[nxtiak @ May 8th 2008 3:08AM]

It hasn't been patched in MONTHS. The same exploit to make this Homebrew Channel has been open for MONTHS and there's been multiple firmware updates to the Wii since then.

[PumpyChowdown @ May 7th 2008 8:43AM]

So, is this about beer? Like, downloading real, live, wet, frothy, delicious beer? Or is it some geek thing?

[not me @ May 15th 2008 8:44PM]

spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam
Wiiiii Wiiiiii Wiii
Hey you guys, let's make wiis together.
I can you can it's big american party.