NDSTV V3.45 Guide

Congratulations on purchasing the NDSTV V3.45! This guide right here will tell you how to install it properly and to get you playing as soon as possible.

This project was made possible with special thanks going to Evocapture who helped with the ribbon cable and was helpful along the journey of development, and thanks to LostNintendoHistory Group who figured out this cool feature inside the Nintendo DS Lite.

 

MachoNachoProductions has made an excellent video on installation. I highly recommend following him. 

DISCLAIMER: This guide assumes that you have some basic level technical knowledge or some experience taking things apart.  Please kindly note that Rhotronix will not be held liable if you damage your own device including and not limited to software locking or irreparable physical damage done while following this guide. If you feel uncomfortable performing these operations, please seek a professional installer; otherwise you may move forward.

Required Materials

  • Nintendo DS Lite
  • NDSTV V3.45 Kit
  • Included 0.1uF 0603 Capacitor 
  • Included 75ohm 0603 Resistor
  • Ribbon Cable
  • Tri-Wing Screwdriver
  • Small Philips Screwdriver
  • DS Flash Cartridge
  • 3.5mm to Stereo RCA
  • Soldering Iron
  • Tweezers
  • Cutting Tool
  • 30 AWG Wire
  • Kapton / Electrical Tape
  • Small Speaker 8 Ohm (OPTIONAL)
  • Optional: Pre-Flashed Wi-Fi Chip

 

Note: If you have purchased a pre-flashed NDSTV Wi-Fi chip, you can skip to Step 2 

Step 1: Flashing the Firmware

In order for the DS Lite to output signals to the NDSTV, it needs to be told what to do. This is done through the reprogramming of the firmware of the Nintendo DS Lite.

1.) Get all the files necessary from https://github.com/LostNintendoHistory/Lost-NDS-TV/tree/main/fwpatch. You need to patch the BIOS of your DS and put the files into the flash cart.

YOU MUST BE AWARE THAT IF YOU TURN OF YOUR DS AT THE INAPROPRIATE TIME YOU MAY BRICK YOUR DEVICE!

2.) Once that is done put the flash cart into the DS Lite and flip your DS over to the back side.

 

3.) Locate the SL1 gap. Those two pads need to be bridged in order for you to flash firmware to the DS. You could use something metallic or a screw driver bit but the SL1 area has to be bridged.

4.) Now turn on your DS and get to your main directory folder, and install v8a_flashme_noatuo.nds file.

5.) You will then be prompted to a screen like this. Make sure that SL1 is still shorted and start press the combination to start the flashing process. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT TURN OFF THE DS UNTIL THE PROCESS IS COMPLETE OR YOU MAY BRICK YOUR DEVICE

If you accidently stop shorting SL1 it is fine. The firmware update just stops and put your tool back in to short SL1 and the percentage will continue up.

6.) Once it reaches the end when the update is completed, it will tell you that you can safely turn off your DS.

7.) You now have to get your DS Firmware in order to patch it. Now turn on your DS again to enter the program dsbf_dump.nds  After the process is complete, turn off your DS and take the SD Card out of the flash cart and put it into your computer.

You will obtain the file called FWBAD958.BIN

8.) Once you obtained this file, you need to start Lunar IPS; a program that gives you the ability to patch your firmware .bin file. Press apply IPS patch

 

9.) It will then allow you to choose what ips file and you must select the ndstvout-patch.ips file.

 

10.) It will then prompt you to choose your firmware so locate where the file is and make sure that you change the file setting to ALL FILES(*.*) as highlighted in the photo below. Select the .BIN file, in this case the FWBAD959.BIN

 

11.) Now your firmware has been patched 

 

12.) Bring your newly patched firmware to a new folder on your root directory SD Card called firmwares . Take the SD Card out and put it back in the flash cart into your DS along with the fwmanager.nds file on the SD Card root directory.

13.) Now it is time for you to install your second piece of firmware, the NDSTV firmware. Turn on your DS again and navigate to the fwmanager file and you will reach a screen like this.

fwmanager looks for the firmware that you patched in the firmwares/ folder on the root directory of your SD Card. Short SL1 again and then confirm the file, the process will start to flash the firmware. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT TURN OFF THE DS UNTIL THE PROCESS IS COMPLETE OR YOU MAY BRICK YOUR DEVICE!

14.) Once this is finished, turn off your DS when the program instructs you. Congratulations, you have successfully flashed your DS Lite to output video. 

 

Step 2: Disassembly

1.) Start disassembling and remove screws and batteries until you can remove the back cover.

 

2.) Now here is the back cover. If you have bought the pre-flashed Wi-Fi chip. It may be a bit stuck or sticky because of an adhesive pad that is on the motherboard, but with a bit of gentle force, it can be removed and add in the chip that you have bought. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THIS CHIP, THE DS WILL NOT TURN ON.

3.) After removing the screw on the motherboard, you can flip it over and disconnect the ribbon cable to the upper screen.

Step 3: Installation and Reassembly

1.) This is where you have to make the decision on whether or not you would like to install a speaker. 

 Cut and sand down these portions IF YOU DO NOT want a speaker

This is what to cut IF YOU WANT the speaker installation
2.) Remove the ferrite bead for only the two components highlighted as shown. 
3.) Be careful and cut a trace on the board and if practical, use a multimeter in continuity mode to make sure that there is no connection between the two points.
4.) Install 75ohm 0603 resistors and solder them down, and use an extra piece of wire or use solder to bridge these connection in an L like shape. 
5.) If you NOT USING the speaker, solder points to P09(Left Trigger), P06(Up), P07(Down), P08(Right Trigger), P02 (Select) must be soldered in series with 0.1uF 0603 Ceramic Capacitor
 
If you ARE USING a speaker, 
solder points to P09(Left Trigger), P06(Up), P07(Down), P08(Right Trigger), BT-, BT+, and P02 (Select) must be soldered in series with 0.1uF 0603 Ceramic
Capacitor 
6.) Make sure that you use either kapton tape or electrical tape to cover up these points. If you do not, you will short out the DS.
7.) Route the cables to the back through the area of the right trigger and reattach the bottom touch screen and solder the points to the corresponding points on the NDSTV V3.45. All the points are labeled on the backside of the NDSTV V3.45
8.) Solder on two extra wires for CVBS and ground on the NDSTV V3.45 board. We will attach the wires after installing the ribbon cable. 
If you opt out of the speaker, finish installing the V3.45 and ignore the speaker in the next steps.

If you opt in for a speaker, please solder the points of SPK_N for the negative side and SPK_P for the positive side of the speaker. If there is no indication on your speaker for the positive and negative, you can just solder it in any direction.
9.)  Get the ribbon cable and and fold cable as show and use electrical or kapton tape to hold the cables down. Solder the wires down as shown. CVBS is yellow and is attached to the right position of the headphone jack position, and the ground wire to the upper left side the of headphone jack and is represented as orange. 
10.) Remember to solder the wires of the CVBS signal and the ground wire to the headphone jack. Before you fully solder on make sure to put the DS in the case and screw this down to make installation easier. 
11.)  Once you have the board screwed into the front plate, make sure to screw it down and add back the trigger buttons.
12.) Assemble the back and position the speaker over the enlarged stylus holder in which you have done in the cutting step.
13.) Finish screwing everything back together and you should be done! 


Conclusion

The button combinations of the NDSTV V3.45 are the following:

Swap Screen = Left Trigger, Up, Select

Picture in Picture = Left Trigger, Down, Select

Opacity Change = Right Trigger, Up, Select