GameBoy Advance WormCam - Why?

[@TheRetroFuture]

Please join my discord! Come and talk to me about how incredible these accessories are - discord.gg/4xECwkU

[@xmwbrah]

Imagine using this for an iPhone 11 camera

[@xnamkcor]

Check your motherboard manual. You might had a Serial pinout on the board, you just need to buy a physical port.

[@xnamkcor]

Ever play a One Cart multiplayer game on GBA? I think this thing sends software to the GBA via the link port.

[@Jdbye]

The battery might be dead, you should replace it and see if that gets the camera working again.

[@TheBrandon164]

You can use a Serial To USB converter They are really cheap www.amazon.com/-/es/TRENDnet-Converter-Installation-Universal-TU-S9/dp/B0007T27H8?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1

[@Rilenz13]

Couldn't the battery have just been dead? It's been sitting in there for like 20 years almost, I think it's worth trying getting a new one

[@Tardisntimbits]

That's what I was thinking ... I'm surprised he didn't think of it himself

[@Darkfiberke]

if you want to test something, set a baseline with hardware actually suited for it, you dont start off opening shit up connecting it to other hardware without knowing it actually works... and then start wondering if you broke something... serious facepalm.

[@AustinCurtis]

Darkfiberke very well put!

[@Dante1282]

The second one als straight up said battery not included.... Yet you don't see him putting one in. But the thing still would cover the screen

[@Lagonas_]

@@Dante1282 The second one straight up said "No Batteries Required". At least read / listen before you try to bash someone. 8:25

[@netcat22]

I believe the camera is tricking the GBA into believing it's using some kind of downloaded application, like how the tingle tuner worked in the wind waker, or the usage of the gba in four swords adventures

[@Kalvinjj]

Yep, behaves identically to a GBA playing one cartridge multiplayer through the link cable. Makes me wonder why they bothered with that plastic piece bellow instead of just using the anchoring points on the sides on top of the GBA, would even make it SP compatible without changes, and probably cheaper because of less plastic... I dunno...

[@davecollins195]

Elliot, the gba has a single pack multiplayer mode that allows the bootstrapping of about 256k with a transfer rate of about 2kbps over the link cable (to be clear that's slower than most dial up modem's) it is the only way to load playable data over the link cable. This is most likely what is happening here.

[@Saber_Nico]

@@Kalvinjj was most likely made before the SP was a thing

[@Kalvinjj]

@@Saber_Nico True, probably was. Guess they just took the opportunity to drop the circuit boards on the leftover space of the cartridge slot and thus make it cheaper (let's face it that we all know that's always their goal), they wouldn't have done it if the SP was at least coming up.

[@aidancommenting]

@@davecollins195 Hey, that's faster than my internet!

[@samstephanos4592]

"They look absolutely terrible, so I am very excited." -The man himself, Elliot

[@kleann]

fr

[@EpicLPer]

They seem to circumvent Nintendo‘s licensing by using the „One Game Required“ mode of the GBA. A few games had those, as example Donkey Kong King of Swing, where you only needed one game and all others could connect up via Link cables to play with you. Basically the grandfather of the Nintendo DS Download Mode.

[@weirdosheep619]

Ah, yes! I knew I had heard that sound before. It's from playing Super Mario Land multiplayer with my brother and sister!

[@thiefrules]

i think it’s called multiboot mode, it’s what you have to boot into to go into distribution mode on a pokemon distribution cartridge

[@AtoManPL]

@@thiefrules it is! Some GameCube games even distributed GBA minigames that way, and PocketNES emulator is able to take advantage of it with a special cable so you wouldn't need to use a flashcart :P

[@speedwaynutt]

Could you imagine James Bond Pulling out this out as his spy camera.

[@elshrapnel]

oh my god...

[@driftercarbon]

Only for it to not even work!

[@stevengan6532]

Maybe, Johnny English would do it better.... XD

[@16BitOG]

I owned the worm cam as a child. These came out when digital cameras were in their inception when most cameras were 1-2 megapixel and cost about $400. These things were a bargain. You couldn't keep an elaborate library of photos but it is great fun when you're 10 years old. It even had a polarized filter for day time shots.

[@JuicyJakeRepairs]

plot twist both pictures he took was his white table

[@Nintentoad125]

Who needs 4k cameras when you can have the wormcam

[@joshandrews8913]

Who needs something that works when you can have something that doesn't work. Amirite?

[@mclxeth]

who needs money, when you can buy the wormcam

[@Torzelan]

Laughed so hard at the placement of the purple monster slug, truly these are some of the greatest accessories of all time

[@RageElixir]

LOL you had to take the entire thing apart for the SP 😂

[@AMPISOUND]

That t-Rex is glorious, and I mean that in the worst way

[@TheRetroFuture]

😂

[@Kalvinjj]

Horribly glorious? Or Gloriously horrible?

[@Jotom87]

This is where I really wish the DSi had a gba slot.

[@yuseiyamoto]

imagine modding the DSi with a GBA slot

[@chich-ai]

@@yuseiyamoto I need to see Eliott do that now

[@mjdxp5688]

Only problem is it doesn't have a GBA link cable slot, so it wouldn't work.

[@stpidstuff]

@@chich-ai actually the DS and 3DS models all have a GBA inside, as they all descend from the GBA tech-wise

[@Shadamyfan-rs8xc]

The DS Lite has one.

[@chronicgaming3280]

Please try replacing the battery in the camera, its god knows how old... Keep up the great content 👍

[@tenchirock]

Yes this kind of crap camera usually need power to store things ( flash memory was small, slow or cost to much so they used dram to store things)

[@luki4160]

This cam is probably better than the most security cameras

[@suroguner]

I have one, it's not.

[@ozzelot3349]

It seems to use the GBA's little-known ability to boot from the link port. Another great project that uses it is the GBA MIDI synth.

[@kamranshayk8177]

Try putting a new battery coz thats how games are saved in GB cartridges...and maybe thats why its not saving in worm cam as well!!

[@stl-xx5rq]

4:15 The GBA can use the link port not only for connecring multiple GBAs. External devices can also use it to provide an user interface via this port. The official Wireless Adapter sold with Pokémon Fire Red, Leaf Green and Emerald also used this method when no cartridge was inserted. Also this enabled multiplayer with only one cartridge either by link cable or Wireless Adapter.

[@richard9858]

"Who watches youtube at 5:30 AM?" Me: "Oh boy! 5:30!"

[@muhammadjimmyramadhan4687]

6:39 pm here hahaha

[@ohaddovben-naim1835]

3:00 pm here

[@RetroDakota]

I had the same reaction when I found a new-old-stock GBA "Wireless Messenger" from Majesco. The device has no cartridge contacts yet it's able to run the software via the link cable port. The Wireless Messenger I have is designed for the GBA SP and was a way to send text messages to other GBA users with the same accessory, claiming a 1-mile range. If you can find two of these, maybe you can do a video on this odd texting device.

[@OnlyEpicEmber]

The GBA E-reader used the link port to download content into the GBA. Manhole, for example, was loaded entirely into RAM from the card. I imagine the Wormcam is doing the same thing.

[@HouseOfFunQM]

It works because it uses the Game Boy Advance single-cart multiplayer system, to boot up the software. The reason it does this is because of the license / security protection on the cartridge port, that is actually bypassed when booting over the serial port. It is a way for this third party to make this an unlicensed accessory and Nintendo can't really block its usage.

[@iheartdonut]

I used to have the WormCam. I loved it. The images were fairly washed out, unless you were outdoors. You could add text and connect to PC, and I felt like the coolest lil photographer in school. While everyone else had chunky Sony Mavicas, and a backpack full of floppy discs, I was trolling around the halls taking low quality selfies and playing Duke Nukem.

[@Lorfarius]

You can get USB to Serial/Parallel adaptors on ebay for next to nothing. Might be worth picking something up if you want to do deeper stuff in future.

[@TurboCharged_RubberDuck]

These episodes are the most entertaining... when absolutely NOTHING goes your way! :)

[@MostObviousName]

I bought this Wormcam when it was brand new years ago, and I gotta say, you aren't missing much. It was abysmal. It was about the same quality of the actual Gameboy Camera, but in (a small amount of) color.

[@jackmyowl]

Hey, The Retro Future I had one of these and I think I remember getting it to work on the Gamecube Game Boy Player.

[@xxgrimmsxx42]

Worst review, he says. I had a great time watching you tear it apart. Laughed the whole time. Thumbs up incoming! Edit: The bonus accessory did not disappoint for entertainment either.

[@alluma5133]

🤨TheRetroFuture uploading videos mid day UK time for local time viewers 😏 TheRetroFuture uploading at 4:30AM US time for the subs who can’t sleep

[@makho]

Yeah, that's the multiboot function that Nintendo introduced in the GBA. You can hold start and select while booting any GBA with a game in to enable it (the console will hang from there unless you have a game ready to load via the link port) or just boot the console with no game. This is how one cart multiplayer games like Mario Kart work. This is also how a lot of NGC games communicate with the GBA and how a few Pokemon distributions are done. On Pokemon Emerald (or Fire Red and Leaf Green), you can hit Select + B on the title screen to enable Berry Fix mode for Ruby and Sapphire and this fix is distributed to the other games via multiboot: www.serebii.net/rubysapphire/berryglitch.shtml Related, all Game Boy Advance hardware supports this, including the DS and Game Boy Micro. The DS, unfortunately, has only partial support as there is no link port. You can still boot holding Start and Select and it will switch to multiboot mode but you can never actually boot anything that way on the DS. The Micro on the other hand needs a small adapter. I've published the files on the adapter here: github.com/makhowastaken/OXY-Dongler There is also a seller on taobao that sells premade adapters (of a slightly different design) but I'm sure that if I post a link, my comment will just get trapped in youtube's spam filter.

[@TheRetroFuture]

You know so much. Thank you!

[@ToxoRetro]

@@TheRetroFuture Elliot, the multiboot mode allowed connection with simplified single-pak multiplayer such as Mario Kart Super Circuit, the use as a second controller and screen on the GameCube for Zelda Four Swords Adventures and PacMan VS, borrowing temporary ROMs onto the GBA from GameCube games such as the NES Metroid from Metroid Prime, as well as character data transfer between the GBA and GameCube Mario Golf titles. I'm sure there are other games with similar features too. Sadly this GBA feature was often overlooked and forgotten, but is pretty cool. Shame the camera didn't work. Appreciate the honest review video that many wouldn't have dared upload. Cheers. 😄

[@sirwalkboy]

imagine being the only witness to a murder scene and you were on your gba. Me: OFFICER I SWEAR THESE ARENT DOCTORED! ITS ELLIOT'S FAULT! HE MADE ME SO EAGER TO BUY ONE!!

[@Andoryuuu]

Could the camera be emulating some kind of Gamecube connector? Maybe? I know that hooking the GBA up the Gamecube allowed you to do stuff on the GBA, and as long as you didn't turn the GBA off, you could disconnect it from the Gamecube and still play whatever you loaded into the GBA (Like the Tiny Chao Garden.)

[@greenyoshi64]

Yeah it makes that sound when you download mini game from gamecube with link cable.

[@Mikeywil0003]

The reason why that thing works over just the link port, it's probably using the same mode that the Gamecube link cable used. Especially since it has that loading screen with a progress bar. Presumably it has to load the software over the low speed serial connection of the link port. It was probably also a clever way of getting around Nintendo licensing. Suggestion about the camera not working, just because you didn't mention it on video....did you try changing the coin cell that is in the camera?

[@tsubasaplayer16]

ah, so that uses the link port to activate it. The only GBA peripheral that actually does that from what I know was the GBA wireless adapter when you don’t have a game in.

[@emily_042]

A few games do it as well for basic multiplayer. I think Mario Kart did, but I may be mistaken.

[@nkorth]

All the Super Mario Advance games used it for Mario Bros mode too. You can use download mode while a game is in by holding start+select when turning on the GBA.

[@medes5597]

Any game that supports Nintendos "one game required mode" used it. It allowed three others to play on only one copy of the game. Zelda four swords adventures probably made most famous use of it. Also the tingle tuner works the same way, plugging into the link port.

[@Brett_Aint_Dead]

Even your bad videos are good videos . That damn British accent makes everything smooth .

[@mjdxp5688]

The 8-Bit Guy did a review on this a while back, his didn't work either. Seems like most of these units were faulty.

[@nkorth]

Mine worked, way back when they were new. I don't have it anymore though, probably gave it away sometime after I got a GBA SP.

[@ShinyElGhosteo]

it likely just needed a new button cell battery. I doubt the link port could give enough power and transfer that much data at the same time

[@Jdbye]

Did he replace the battery though?

[@sisconhimejoshi]

@@Jdbye i believe he broke it in little pieces instead

[@sadtrooper7595]

To the creators of worm cam, Will work with GBA SP. Just some disassembly required. Sincerely, Elliott

[@overkillthemighty]

I wonder if that battery was toast...

[@kuremaClaimer]

メガコンソール Game boy advance can transfer ROM data via the cable. That's how it work. It is useful for match game when you have one and others don't.

[@plazmasyt]

4:00 That's "Link Mode", the GBA boots automatically into it when it has a GBA Link Cable or something like an e-Reader attached. Or, y'know, if you know the right button combo.

[@Jhomicide95]

I lagit was cracking up laughing when you snaped that Slug-Rex onto the GB color and it's hands were directly over the screen! Please don't apologize the video was worth it!

[@TheRetroFuture]

😂

[@TommyCrosby]

How the Worm Camera works without using the cartridge and only the link port? The same way you can play some GBA multiplayer games with only one game cartridge, one device stream the data and the other boot on it, this Worm Cam passes itself as another device sending data to your GBA.

[@adib7571]

Just got an Ascii controller for the gamecube now about to do a refurb! Hopefully ive watched enough episodes to have some sort of idea on what to do! i have my mr sheen and isopropyl alcohol ready!

[@mastermesian9821]

That spin you did with the worm cam was so awesome and perfectly timed. That worked out perfectly for you.... and then nothing else worked out for you. Sorry for the disappointment but your video is still awesome. Lemonade out of lemons? XD

[@kagamin1591]

This uses the same mechanism as the gamecube-to-GBA adapter or games that only needed one cart for multiplayer. It sends a program down the extension port, which is loaded into RAM and run . Why are you so surprised? A lot of games used this functionality. Even some official Nintendo accessories used it, albeit manually triggered via start+select (the wireless link adapter provided with Pokemon Emerald being one)

[@trayner]

Battery might have aged over time and not giving enough to power the cam

[@Lunathean]

Hey everyone, hope you're having an amazing day :) Edit:imagine streaming off this camera 😂

[@Riley05]

Hope your having a amazing day too!

[@rita-Shi-Mi]

Streaming with this Thing is my worst nightmare

[@Eaglefalls14]

I kinda want to now

[@conleylangshaw6003]

Imagine getting two ineffective products in one video, good job with working with it😂. Love your content keep doing what you’re doing🙏

[@scottmcdonnell7559]

The camera is using a feature on the Gameboy Advance called "Multiboot" which boots code over the link port. It allows certain multiplayer games when only one person has a cartridge.

[@deg1903]

Don’t worry Elliot, it is equally as entertaining to see you review failure products... AND get excited for WormCam stickers

[@markputnam4902]

In the future when you open these packages the instructions and any software that may be contained it inside of it will usually be sandwiched between the cardboard that you left in the pack. Tkz for the video bro. Entertaining as always.

[@MrZapamaster]

I for one love this video, I'd watch more vids on you messing with vintage/out dated equipment that may or may work.

[@infiltraitor465]

@4:00 That chime and Pink Nintendo logo color indicates a game has been sent via ext. just like playing a shared game with a 2nd GBA running without a cart. Its like it dumps the game to memory temporarily.

[@patrickwalter8175]

This is the same with The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker and the Link Cable and the Tingle Tuner - That's old :D

[@stephentruett]

The camera is using the same function that multi-player, single cart games used via the link cable. The GBA can send/receive software through the ext port.

[@RiderLeangle2]

For the WormCam it's possible the included battery is dead, just because it had the corrosion prevention tab doesn't mean the alkaline inside the battery didn't just dry up or whatever. I have no explanation for the T-Rex... thingy... had one little LED that was probably poor quality anyway, it blocked the screen, even if it worked I don't know if it... "worked"...

[@noeldoesthings]

The GBA also makes that sound while showing the Nintendo logo afterwards when connecting with a Gamecube which is via the link cable port

[@matthewbowles3233]

I had one of those when it came out and I remember using the right shoulder button to take a pic

[@elgigante2001]

My brother had a Worm Camera for his GBA back when they were being still sold in stores. They were on clearance, but still being sold at stores. The thing took terrible pictures. I think the original Gameboy camera took better pictures then the worm camera. The battery in it was only to save the pictures until you could download them to a PC. So once the battery dies you pictures were gone. Assuming they were any good. One more thing, we could never get the thing to connect to the PC to transfer the pictures. The software that came with it was awful and the drivers never worked, and the internet wasn't really a thing we had at the time to check for a better version.

[@Nixie-Nix]

As a child, even if that T-Rex light never worked, I would have kept it as an accessory just because I would have thought it'd be awesome to have a purple dinosaur.

[@MiiaFoxx]

Word of advice, get yourself an RS232 serial to USB converter, preferably one with an FTDI chipset on board. I have to use one for my work, a lot of networking gear has to be configured via a serial console interface, and the converter I use works wonders for that. There's some now that even come with a Type C connector on the end as well.

[@DryPaperHammerBro]

Elliott, it's because some GBA games had support for single cartridge play.

[@sheppardpat47]

Of course it works, it's like the Link cable for the GameCube mate

[@KevinTuyau]

@theretrofuture you could try connecting to Gameboy Player on Gamecube and capture from there.

[@CoryHatfield]

I had the WormCam growing up. I forgot all about it until this video. I'll have to try to find it as it's probably still around the house somewhere.

[@GrumpyTy34er]

4:26 it does seem to work just through that. Not a huge surprise though, considering the Tingle Tuner for Wind Waker did basically the same thing

[@LadyJen13]

I've seen the red "Nintendo" logo before. You can see it when you boot up a GBA without a game in the slot and a Wireless Adapter in the GBA link port as well.

[@dude2992]

I had one of these as a kid back with the original GBA and could never get it to take a single picture

[@riptide534]

Bruh you’re lucky I was up at 4:30 am lol...... to see nothing working well that sucks

[@Riley05]

lmao i was up at nearly 6 am :,)

[@Egyptianloverr]

Riley 05 it’s 6pm here

[@paaqweku]

It's 11:30 a.m. here

[@linkbombchu168]

He was so lucky. Not for winning the lottery. Or for having a succesful KZbin channel. No, he was lucky for you being awake at 4:30 am.

[@riptide534]

Intern Creamery yeah he’s lucky I was even awake to give this nothing video a view

[@RavenWitchShade]

That cut at the very end was a thing of beauty.

[@JLsoft]

Ooof, had this 'camera' :( It's using the GBA's 'multiboot' ability, meant for playing linked multiplayer in the games where only one person needed an actual cartridge. If they had to actually get it licensed & made it run from the cart slot, it'd also probably cost 10x as much. See: problemkaputt.de/gbatek.htm#biosmultibootsinglegamepak Supported game list: squallsnake.com/blog-gba-single-pak-multiplayer-game-list/

[@aaronblair9583]

The camera isn't working because the 19 year old coin cell is dead....most likely anyway....they don't just stay good

[@SimonNemeth]

My immediate thought too. Don't know why he wouldn't have thought of that.

[@aaronblair9583]

Than again. The coin cell could just be for volitile flash memory for the photos. Hard to say.

[@SimonNemeth]

@@aaronblair9583 Bear in mind it says 'saving' for an eternity it still could be the reason.

[@aaronblair9583]

@@SimonNemeth very true... It's really interesting to think what could have existed if Nintendo embraced eccentric engineers back in the day and allowed things like this to be made more readily. It's crazy to think of the possibilities.

[@Jdbye]

I had the same thought but it's strange that it doesn't at least show a thumbnail of the camera feed. Maybe this camera just doesn't work that way.

[@gregoriocruz4530]

Yeah, that also happens when you have the wireless link for the GBA. It came with Pokémon Leaf Green and Fire Red, in the early versions at least.

[@Tetasha]

3:00 loved that reaction

[@michelefarroni93]

If you push both start and select in boot, the gba starts looking for an external boot from the cable port. If there's something usable, It displays the Red Nintendo logo. Played a lot of multiplayer Dr. Mario with two GBA s and only a cartridge, both with wireless adapters

[@thiefrules]

i’m surprised you haven’t done an IPS mod to an AGB yet. should be on your list imo :P

[@ItsDeffoScott]

Even if the light did work you'd have some f***ing huge alien dino blocking the screen! These designers had a big brain moment here! 😂😂😂

[@lasserious]

It's possible that it may have been developed on a previous version of a GBA mother board. Kinda like when you used to have to know what model of mother board you had when doing the first back light mods, like the AGS-101

[@Thomas_Dries]

This gives a whole new meaning to: "would you love me if I was a worm?".

[@ryanrdlps]

Thanks for the laugh! Don't move! It's vision is based on movement!

[@rasubosu355]

Oh man I remember my brothers having this for the GBA and the excitement they had for it bruh But all in all thanks for the nostalgia very awesome

[@pspexperts]

Lol every episode I wait for him to say "without any further ado"....first time I ever questioned where that saying came from

[@geoalvarez2520]

That's odd, Im from Mexico, I remember having one of those, it was just a terrible camera, but back then there were not a lot of digital cameras, dissapoted that it wasnt like the gameboy camera, but worked pretty well.

[@johnmadden9585]

I had one of these growing up and it worked right out of the box! the dial focus adjuster was an absolute pain though, yours seems to be missing the getto "sunglass" attachment that you put over the lens if it was too bright which did not work at all. It was better to use that to get leverage on the lens adjuster

[@oil_moon]

I seem to remember some GBA games that let you play link games whilst only one person had a cartridge. I imagine this uses the same technology to work :)

[@lightmagick]

I knew someone who had that T-Rex light and it had to be FORCEFULLY pressed into the link port to get it to connect but it did work. I recommend trying an extension cable if you can find one.

[@ThrowbackGames_]

Hey eliot! First of all great video as always! And I wanna say I thank you for actually inspiring me to start refurbishing and deep clean the Gameboy family. I thank you for the links you provided in your refurb videos, I’m gonna buy those soon. Also where did you get that Nintendo repair hat? Thank you and much love!

[@IAmMissingnoMaster]

I had the WormCam! As I recall, mine worked, but not very well. At the very least I remember actually being able to take pictures with mine, though I distinctly recall being disappointed with the results.

[@FenrirTheMenace]

I recommend getting a ROM dumper to be able to pull images off of GB cameras. That would make putting them in the videos way easier.

[@BillyAltDel]

So I'm remembering some games had a "download mode" where you could link empty GBAs via Link Cable and they could download copies of a game from a "host GBA" onto their memory temporarily and play the game. I think maybe Mario Kart could do something like this? Anyway, that must be how it works.

[@Aeduo]

Would be interesting to see a GBA Media Player and its role in early DS homebrew. One of the early devices which people were able to use to boot up DS games.

[@retrodonut1185]

That trex slug light was hilariously bad, hope you can find out how to get that thing working eventually!

[@RageTheNumbers]

Videos like these are why I watch your vids. Thank you for the entertainment.

[@TechHug]

Interesting. So it uses the link cable download feature. You probably forgot that even existed lol

[@Pjdavis04]

I was laughing my ass off that was a good video sorry that the cam and light didn't work but you entertained me so you did something right keep up the good work

[@Yipper64]

8:38 ive gotten more than one of these things but for the gba. I have a 99 cent store in town that just has a ton of these. They work but they are somewhat fragile, especially the arms.

[@GreatSageSunWukong]

Dear god the light doesn't even come out its mouth, i thought for a second i was a cool Godzilla but its just a slug monster with with hole in its neck.

[@michaelwright3760]

“Where’s his legs?” Ha ha fantastic!

[@Z3R0FiR3]

On this episode of Useless early 2000s Gameboy Acessories! ... but, for real, though. I had a atomic purple wormlight for my GBC growing up. It worked great until I had to have it in a certain angle for it to work right.

[@hotpotato3625]

You can see the light come on at 12:22, it's just super super super dim

[@execation]

Even your fail videos are super entertaining!!! 🤣