I have an older Wii with a WiiKey chip installed. Had a CycloWiz chip but had all sorts of problems, so I got the Wiikey for it. Had it working for awhile without problems. I had the chip installed in June or July of 2008, so I believe it was only Wiikey and not Wiikey 2 or Fusion.
Last update I've done (if I recall correctly) was for the WiiKey when Super Mario Galaxy or SSB: Brawl came out and it was needed.
Now, after maybe 2 years of a friend borrowing my Wii, I got it back. I wanted to use NetFlix, but I need a system update for the Wii before I can access the shopping channel.
I'm afraid to do this with my old outdated chip firmware/software. I think the last I had on it was Wiikey 1.3.
Is there any way to achieve these goals:
1. Netflix/internet, connect to computer and maybe watch DVDs
2. Play backup games (and online) (Including new releases)
3. Play games from any region
4. Maybe emulators/roms/whatever other fun stuff is around now-a-days.
Not sure how to exactly check which Wii firmware I'm at or Wiikey itself, but that's what I can remember.
- My buddy does all of those with his softmodded Wii, but if I can use the chip already installed, I'd like to do that. Or just whichever is easier/better.
1) Netflix and internet should work fine if you just update it online to the current firmwares. Playing DVD's will require softmodding, and to he honest it really isn't worth it. The wii was not designed to play DVD movies. Though it can do so, it will wear out the laser far faster than playing games would, and the picture quality won't even be that of a cheapo $20 DVD player.
2) This should be no problem. The wiikey updates for super mario galaxy and brawl were 1.9g and 1.9s respectively. You might have to update it for a few titles, like new super mario bros wii. But for 99% of games the chip will still work even with the current firmware. If you don't want to update the wiikey, then softmodding will let you play any games that you can't with the modchip.
3) This one may actually be a problem. If you update to firmware 4.2 or later then playing out of region games will be blocked, even with your wiikey. The only ways around this are to either softmod and play import games through that, or softmod and update to 4.1 and then install only the IOS patches required to keep the wii shop channel up to date and play specific games.
4) If you want to play classic games you should softmod. Install the homebrew channel and some emulators and you can play all the NES, SNES, genesis, GBA, game gear, MAME and a dozen or so other game system games.
Let's see if you've picked up on the theme here. You should softmod. It simply gives you far more options than modchips ever have.
