A DS Shell That's Actually GOOD!?

The DS Lite shells from ExtremeRate use a whole new mould and finally bring an end to the poor quality reproduction shells that have plagued the DS Lite for years.
Get it here:
eXtremeRate Monster Index Console Style Replacement Full Housing Shell for Nintendo DS Lite, Custom Handheld Console Case Cover with Buttons, Screen Lens for Nintendo DS Lite NDSL
amzn.to/4aMw15W
Get DS modding gear from Zedlabz (discount applied automatically):
www.zedlabz.com/collections/3...
Visit my Amazon store front:
www.amazon.co.uk/shop/joebleeps
Affiliate link disclaimer: I may receive a commission if you use the above links to purchase items - you will be supporting this channel at no additional cost to you, so thanks!
Music: Joe Bleeps
www.joebleeps.bandcamp.com​​​​​
/ joebleeps​​​​​
Camera: Sony ZV-1F / Google Pixel 7a
Mic: Rode NT USB+
Hardware: MacBook Pro M3 Pro
Software: iMovie/Keynote
www.joebleeps.com

[@richardcahill3406]

As always, the attention to detail is spot on! The close up shots and ‘warnings’ along the way are what makes your tutorials so effective. Found myself looking for a damaged DS Lite for this or a ‘macro’ build. Keep up the good work 👍🏻

[@JoeBleeps]

Thank you! I worry that some people skip through some bits and miss the warnings. There are so many steps involved it's difficult to make a relatively brief video that has enough information in it to be useful. I'm glad you appreciated it!

[@richardcahill3406]

@@JoeBleeps I’m always impressed you do all the instructions to camera rather than whilst carrying out the mod.

[@JoeBleeps]

@@richardcahill3406 I try to mix it up a bit, I've a few different approaches. With something like this I'll just film the process and watch the footage back afterwards and take notes. Then use the notes to help my piece to camera, then edit that down then squeeze in the original footage to fit at various speeds. Very time consuming but hopefully gives the videos a good flow.

[@richardcahill3406]

@@JoeBleeps well I’ve followed your guides and they’re very clear.

[@JoeBleeps]

@@richardcahill3406 I appreciate that, thank you

[@yuseiyamoto]

i did 4 shell swaps by now using extremrate shells. i would suggest everyone thinking about trying this for the first time please prepar yourself mentally that its very likely for you to break your top screen. really take your time. dont be to harsh to the ribbon cable when you roll it. if when youre connecting your new touchscreen inside the little ribbon connector make sure to not push the cable into too far. if you push it too far the little clip will come off and you have no chance of getting it back on

[@54356776]

Good advice, patience is key. It's astounding to me that most people don't know that the ds lite has a split in the case for the top screen ribbon cable to go through. It makes it very easy to put back together when this is known. I only broke the outer shell trying to clip it back on. The clips just bent and turned to mush.

[@JoeBleeps]

Absolutely sound advice there. A lot of patience needed with these consoles.

[@JoeBleeps]

@@54356776 was that on a clear or opaque shell?

[@54356776]

@@JoeBleeps It was an original ds lite. I had 2 with issues. One had a broken hinge, the other had water damage to top screen so I just swapped the screen out. I somehow broke the top part of the outer shell trying to clip it back on.

[@JoeBleeps]

@@54356776 the ageing on the original plastic can be bad. The original DS is sooo bad for that. It just shatters into tiny pieces

[@Junier-Hussein]

Great video/project mate! I will try one of these on 1 of my worn DSL's.

[@JoeBleeps]

Thank you! Definitely worth a try, they've got some great designs to choose from

[@Biadosaru]

21:11 Don’t kinkshame! 😂 Excellent video as always, really tempted to get one of these to reshell my one I did a decade ago and maybe do a proper job of it this time.

[@JoeBleeps]

Hahaaa I had to check what you were referring to there 🤣 and thank you. These are great quality kits.

[@scherge]

Belated happy birthday wishes! ^^ The shell looks great, and if the quality is nice, I might actually be tempted to do another DS Lite shell swap. The FC Classic one looks interesting as well as the scarlet red one, which I already used for a pair of joy-cons and they feel awesome. Otherwise it has been exactly as you say, up to this point. Taking a DS apart and putting it back together in a new shell is kind of a pain in the butt, only to be a little disappointed by the haptics of the console when everything is done. Anyway, thank you for the video!

[@JoeBleeps]

Ahh thank you! It wasn't actually my birthday, but whenever I build a new DS or Game Boy Macro I put the birthday as the date I built the console. Still, very eagle eyed of you there! That Famicom style shell looks so good

[@mattsephton]

Looks gorgeous

[@JoeBleeps]

Cheers Matt!

[@edwardreichard3852]

Well done as usual!👍, always enjoy your videos 😊

[@JoeBleeps]

Thank you very much!

[@TheMonyarm]

If only there were also high quality original DS shells.

[@JoeBleeps]

I agree 100% - I'm sure there would be a market for them

[@messynate]

i just ordered replacements from amazon and they were alright

[@odinKoS]

I did this shell swap a few months ago the ago as well as the GBA SP Pokédex shell as well. Absolutely love it! I keep it stored away cause I want to display it one day as an almost art piece. Highly recommended.

[@JoeBleeps]

Those SP shells are really nice too

[@fiffy6572]

i can't wait for the 3ds scene of shells to come in

[@JoeBleeps]

Yeah that's going to be fun. I would like to see some good shells for the original DS and the DSi first!

[@roidnerd2501]

I just did mine last night someone already messed with internals of one of the ds lites i bought so the cable got slice on some cheap part that was inserted but used a 2nd one and di it fine, only issue with the shell it does not close flush and is warped other than that pretty nice

[@Jamesssssssssssssss]

Love the videos! Where did you get the kirby fume extractor? I have seen a few but that one is the cleanest imo

[@JoeBleeps]

@@Jamesssssssssssssss it's just a fan but I have thought about wiring it up in reverse for that very purpose. I got it from Japan

[@Jamesssssssssssssss]

@@JoeBleeps Looks awesome ! I can hear the vacuum sound effect when i look at it haha.

[@arie1293]

Just finished my first extremerate ds lite shell kit with their SNES themed one and everything does fit together pretty well. Not as perfect as original but leagues better than a generic one I found on Aliexpress. The only annoyance I found is that it squeaks a bit when opening like there is some friction somewhere around the hinge area.

[@JoeBleeps]

Oh that squeak would drive me mad. I hope you get to the bottom of it

[@LetsPlayKeldeo]

WAIT where did you get this amazing screw holder for the ds ? I need that ASAP

[@JoeBleeps]

Thank you! I designed it and made it on a laser cutter

[@messynate]

i just reshelled two lites and the screens were brighter for the clear one -dull for the pokedex. funny thing is, i did the clear first because the system wasnt turning on in the original shell and i had nothing to lose. now im wondering if i should replace the lcds for the pokedex 🤔

[@linkhatchet]

Looks nice but I don't really like painted cases because they can scratch and you'll see the plastic color. I wish the plastic itself was red.

[@JoeBleeps]

I think the colours really pop with the white underneath but I do think scratches will show up a lot. I'll have to see how it wears, all good so far

[@PinePizza]

I wish there were like amazing n3ds xl shell swap parts. But I am way too bad at disassembling to swap my shell, so vinyl decals are all I can do lol.

[@JoeBleeps]

So many tiny bits and pieces for a console called XL haha

[@_Veno]

I want that shell for my DSi (It would work so well with the camera)

[@JoeBleeps]

You're right it's crying out for a DSi version!

[@lotzosushi]

I’ve done the Pokédex and several transparent shells from Extremerate they’ve all been very high quality. I’ve also gotten a few of those “special edition” replica shells off eBay and every one of them are made from such cheap ugly plastic I had to undo them and switch to Extremerate’s shells. Any suggestions where to get better quality replica shells for the special edition DS lites?

[@JoeBleeps]

My guess is as good as yours, it's a real minefield. Seems the ExtremeRate ones are the most safe option.

[@ecks4657]

Does anyone know who makes a good shell for the OG DS? I would love to restore my good ol Phat. I have a 3DS and DSI XL, but none beat the ergonomics and the glorious DPad of the Phat. A brighter screen mod would be insane too, like all those GBC/A mods have.

[@JoeBleeps]

There's a mod for the brightness on the OG DS, I covered that a while back but it's still nowhere near the quality of the NDSL screens. If you find a good shell for the OG, let me know!

[@samuraislayer9864]

Has anyone had any luck finding shells for 3ds XL (the original model, not the "new" one). I ordered a shell off of Ali-Express, and the plastic was awful, and I need to re-shell it again.

[@JoeBleeps]

I did see some for sale but I expect the same issue would apply. We'll just have to wait and see what console ExtremeRate chooses next, it seems!

[@Nibbler324]

hey i had a question about the ps5 controller... I don't think I have stick drift the problem I have is I barley tap the right stick like the stick doesn't even move and then my character starts slowly looking what ever direction I'm barley taping the stick what what should I do????

[@JoeBleeps]

That does sound like early signs of drift, you know. There's a really helpful website, I'll link it below. You link your controller via bluetooth and it gives you feedback on all the inputs hardwaretester.com/gamepad

[@Nibbler324]

@@JoeBleeps thanks and yes there is a little drift some people would not notice it unless using that website! Edit: or there really good at noticing things like that like i am and thanks again for the website

[@JoeBleeps]

@@Nibbler324 yeah those tiny 0.02 type readings won't be noticeable

[@Blu-rayBen]

Wonder why there’s not great support for the DS lite as it’s such a popular console… maybe because it’s usually pretty hard to work on. Great video as always! Does that company have any other kinds of shells like solid color?

[@JoeBleeps]

Yes there's a whole range of them. I'm tempted to get more. And I agree with you, I think the level of challenge limits the popularity

[@joles-gaming]

Really want to do this mod but the hinge didn't go right the last time 😢😂

[@JoeBleeps]

The hinge isn't too bad for me. It's getting the ribbons and wires in all the right places that I find tricky!

[@joles-gaming]

@@JoeBleeps Might have to give it another go!

[@king.1713]

Just got this exact ds lite shell a couple of weeks ago and its awesome, but be warned the ds lite is a bitch and a half when it comes to switching the shells. The components are very small and when I got it all back together the bottom screen ended up cracked. I ordered a replacement screen and got it installed only for it to not turn on at all now.

[@TheVindicitive]

😂

[@JoeBleeps]

That's the life of modding DS Lite. Can be very frustrating. But at least with this shell you're not being let down by poor quality parts. Also I'd advise you never try putting a new shell on a PSP. I did it once, never again. I still have nightmares 🤣

[@king.1713]

@@JoeBleeps lol, I'll keep that in mind.

[@manuelson5948]

Looks quite like a mission impossible for me 😂

[@JoeBleeps]

It's a challenge, but it works well. It's not a case of frustration because the parts don't fit as they should. This is the big difference between this one and the ones that went before it.

[@Brother_STX]

What about DSi? Any good shell for this console?

[@JoeBleeps]

Not at the moment, from what I can see. I have one I bought a while ago but it's a generic brand

[@ngantnier]

I reshelled my sister's childhood GBA sp woth an extremerate kit. Far better than the original was new!

[@JoeBleeps]

They are really nice quality kits

[@RogueRen]

Why is it always the DS lite? I never hear a single thing about shells for DSphat or DSi or DSi XL, ONLY the DS Lite (which is my leave favorite version).

[@JoeBleeps]

I love the DS Lite but I know what you mean. I did a re-shell on a DSi XL a while back but the quality of the shell wasn't great.

[@jonniefast]

looks like a UK only item? i was hoping to get one shipped to california :(

[@JoeBleeps]

My link is for Amazon UK but I am sure they will be available in the USA, try starting at extremerate website maybe

[@PongbyAtari]

Very nice 😊

[@JoeBleeps]

Thank you!

[@mattsephton]

That USB-C screwdriver looks well handy

[@JoeBleeps]

It's alright. Not as good as I'd hoped. Only micro usb, and not very powerful in terms of torque. Which is good in a way because you're less likely to strip screws but it still feels quite weak like it needs recharging most of the time. It was expensive too. There's a lot of other ones out there so I may try a different one yet.

[@Pridecasting]

where did you get the screw placement board @5:16?

[@JoeBleeps]

I designed that one! And then made it with a laser cutter. It's very handy

[@Pridecasting]

@@JoeBleeps any chance on releasing the design? got a bunch i need to reshell and that just keeps it all neat and organized

[@JoeBleeps]

@@Pridecasting I'd happily share it but it's in a weird file format. What would you need?

[@Pridecasting]

@@JoeBleeps i guess just the file, so i can get it printed. ud make a decent bit selling boards like that for the ds to new 3ds lines. the screws are so similar.

[@JoeBleeps]

@@Pridecasting I'm sorry, I meant what file format

[@tylerfox5003]

Is there one that ships to the us?

[@JoeBleeps]

I would have assumed these would be available in the USA. Try searching for extremerate ds lite shell and watch for the flat top surface

[@computersxd]

that playstation shirt is sick! where'd you cop??

[@JoeBleeps]

Ah thank you! It was just a Primark pickup 😅

[@JoeBleeps]

Ah thank you! It was just a Primark pickup 😅

[@jonamaya4602]

yo! where did you get that sick playstation shirt?

[@JoeBleeps]

Thank you! Got it from Primark a while by

[@Mr_Negative420]

where you from? warrington?

[@JoeBleeps]

Good spot. I'm not far from there!

[@Mr_Negative420]

@@JoeBleeps I used to work there at the halliwell jones stadium

[@JoeBleeps]

@@Mr_Negative420 small world!

[@Raphtor13]

Nice vid but this is NOT as easy as you make it sound. I made the attempt a week ago and ended up ruining it - digitizer cable either broken or came unattached. Top screen now broken - possible the ribon cable not all the way in. I left out the volume button or it fell out when I attempted to reassemble. All in all it totally sucked and now I'm left trying to find someone to sent it to so it can be fixed. I do have the rest of the Extreme Rate kit and even another DS Lite that all works but has broken hinge. I just give up but would love to find someone to fix it for me. I am too old to see the tiny pieces well and just not dextrous enough to do the work.

[@JoeBleeps]

Firstly, I'm flattered that you think I made it look easy. I still find these to be a challenge. First time I attempted a DS lite re-shell I felt like I'd been beaten. That's why I included so many warnings along the way in this video, it's all based on mistakes I've made previously. Replacing the digitiser isn't too difficult. And if the top screen doesn't work definitely check how the ribbon is seated.

[@54356776]

That sucks but it seems like you rushed putting it back together. The first time I took a ds lite apart to fit a replacement screen took me most of the day. Parts are still cheap on ebay and you can find a "non working" ds for parts for peanuts. I did. Three times.

[@JoeBleeps]

@@54356776 yes, it's worth noting that despite having done this before, I had nearly three hours' worth of footage to work through when I sat down to edit this video!

[@54356776]

@@JoeBleeps I was replying to the op comment buddy. You did a stellar job.

[@JoeBleeps]

@@54356776 thank you! Yes I was agreeing with you there just backing up what you'd said 🙌

[@Phantoon]

Does anyone do good original DS shells? All of the ones I've seen have been terrible quality.

[@JoeBleeps]

Sadly no. Even the low quality ones are scarce. If you spray paint the insides they lose that translucency but still not ideal.

[@jldarkspider]

Too bad they dont ship to the us id totally buy one

[@JoeBleeps]

I'm really surprised these don't ship to the USA. Have you tried the AliExpress store?

[@jldarkspider]

@@JoeBleeps didn't know there was one lol I'll check it out

[@JoeBleeps]

@@jldarkspider good luck!

[@VanguardRaven]

Didn't notice before, but hey, another leftie.

[@JoeBleeps]

Yup haha