E-Reader Cracked?

[Melf]

From IGN:

It was a well-kept secret just begging to be revealed. The e-Reader code, a tiny data strip that fits on the edges of a playing card that can hold 2K of data apiece, has finally been cracked by a programmer.

A Slashdot.org reader recently linked over to an "anonymous" programmer's project website who has not only cracked the code, but makes it possible to transfer data in Dot Code format, as well as print out the code on a capable printer. To demonstrate, he has translated a freeware NES homebrew program into five data strips, scanning them into an e-Reader and playing it through the e-Reader's NES emulator.


A sample of standard resolution Dot Code.

This code crack might not make the programmer any friends at Nintendo, but it definitely opens the door to homebrew projects that can easily be produced for the public, including minigames that use the e-Reader's built-in NES emulator or other software engines.

The programmer's site is at http://users.skynet.be/firefly/gba/e-reader/index.htm.

[Captain Vegetable]

That's really freaking nifty.

[Cheebs]

Awesome! Bring on the homebrews!

[Korly]

Sounds pretty sweet.

[Dyne]

i just read that on another site. didnt think ign would have it.

[Videodrone]

So in theory they could make pretty much any NES game playable through the e-reader's NES emulator? Not that I really want to swip 40 cards to play Dracula's Curse on my GBA.

[Cheebs]

Probably not. I imagine there is a memory limit that prevents larger games. How much can that e-reader store anyway?

Like I said: Bring on the homebrews!

[Joust Williams]

I think the US one is 256K while the JP one is half that, so most games could be done. Of course, the long strips on the card store 2.2K a piece while the shorter ends store just over 1K, so you're looking at a lot of cards. But this is very interesting. Not for the possibilities so much as it is for the coolness factor that someone cracked a dot matrix code. Pretty neat.

[Cheebs]

Now the question is how many home printers can print accuratly enough to make a usable scan card?

[ChaoofNee]

A laser jet would probably be necessary for this.
Bring on the pirating!