For new readers, here's a quick rundown of just what the R4 DS is. You may also wish to read my other article about the R4 DS Slot 1 Device. In my previous article I went into the details of exactly what the R4 DS is, what it can do, and how it works. I will not re-write all of those details and features here once again for the sake of saving readers who've read my previous article. I would suggest that if you're not quite sure as to what the R4 DS is, and what it can do, that you do go back to reading my article on this truly unique Nintendo DS accessory.

In brief, the R4 DS is a slot 1 device that allows you to play homebrew games as well as Roma and MP3 music, read e-books, watch movies, etc ... on your Nintendo DS console. It turns your Nintendo DS system into a whole entertainment center; all for under $ 50.00

there are some quick and easy tips to follow. While some of these tips may seem obvious, it even took me about a week and a half of using the R4 DS before I came up with some ways to make my life (and game playing) a little bit easier.

1. Store your game files in a directory on your microSD Card. Make a folder called games, and ONLY store your games in this folder. It makes browsing to them in the menu much easier, and all your game save files will also be organized.

2. Store your MP3 Music files and video files in separate folders too, and in the case of multiple music albums on the memory card, you should make a sub-directory of each album. This is a MUST for anyone that has lots of music, with all of the track names labeled 1.mp3 TRACK, TRACK 2.mp3, etc ... You'll avoid conflict with file names by putting them all in one directory, and because you can name your sub-directory the name of your ripped the CD, you'll at least know that TRACK-1.mp3 ABBA in the directory is from the ABBA greatest hits album.

3. Try to backup your game saves to your PC hard drive on a regular basis. Not because they could get corrupted on the microSD card in the R4 DS, but because you may want to go back to an earlier save point later in the game. It's also good to get into this habit because you may erase a game (and it's save game file) and not have a backup in case you want to play that game once again sometime in the future. While this one really seems like an obvious hint, you would be surprised to know that most of our technical support emails for the R4 DS deal with how to get back erased or deleted game saves that were not backed up. I recommend doing this at least once a week, more if you play your games more frequently.

4. Do not take out the R4 DS from the Nintendo DS console each time you want to add files to the microSD Card. Simply push the microSD card with your finger and it will 'pop out' of the R4 DS card slot. You can then quickly put it into the included microSD card reader / writer in order to change games and files or add music or video.

5. This is my final (and quite possibly the most obvious) tip. And it deals with the microSD card in the card slot of the R4 DS. When you put the Nintendo DS or DS Lite into your pocket or pick it up. Do a double check on the microSD card in the R4DS slot 1 card. Make sure that the microSD card is in the card slot of the R4DS and it's not loose or ready to pop out. The chances of it popping out without you pushing down on the card are slim, but it could happen while you're carrying it in your pocket. There would be nothing worse than losing your microSD card somewhere, because it popped out and fell on the ground. MicroSD Cards are small and tiny, and once lost, you would have a hard time finding it anywhere else except at a store, where you'd be buying a new one. If you carry your Nintendo DS in a case, then the chances are much smaller that the card will get dislodged from the R4 DS card slot, but it's better to check on a regular basis anyway. Make this something you do before you even power on.

The R4 DS is a Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS lite homebrew and Roma player. It also allows you to play MP3 music as well as watch movies on your Nintendo DS. In essence, it turns your Nintendo DS into a full fledge multimedia hand held console, allowing you to play games, listen to music, watch movies, read e-books and much more.