Homebrew Channel

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Homebrew Channel
Homebrew Channel.png
Type Downloadable (third party)
Developer(s) Team Twiizers
Publisher(s) Team Twiizers
Platform(s) Wii Channels
Release date(s) AUS April 2, 2008
EU April 2, 2008
NA April 2, 2008
JP April 2, 2008
Genre(s) Utility
Mode(s) Single-player
Input methods Wii Remote, Wii Remote + Nunchuk, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller, Guitar Controller
Compatibility 4Stars4.pngEdit rating: Homebrew Channel
Playable
GameIDs
See also...

Dolphin Forum thread
Open Issues
Search Google
Search Wikipedia

The Homebrew Channel is a freeware homebrew application loader that was developed to provide a way of easily running unofficial software on the Wii console. Once installed, it appears as a standard Wii Channel on the Wii Menu. When launched, it displays a list of applications found on an SD card or USB drive. The user then selects an application to launch by using a Wii Remote or GameCube controller. It also accepts application uploads via a USB Gecko or TCP/IP (over Wi-Fi or Ethernet), which allows for quick application testing during development. When launched from the Wii Menu, the Homebrew Channel will check for updates to itself and automatically download them if the user chooses to do so.

The functionality provided by the Homebrew Channel is provided by Dolphin directly, so the HBC is not needed (except to work around Dolphin's broken Wii homebrew detection in some cases).

Problems

Black screen before 1.1.3

The developers of the Homebrew Channel have placed traps into the program specifically to prevent the HBC from loading in Dolphin. There are other problems in versions before 1.1.3 which won't be documented here.

The 1.1.3 release of the HBC, which is now open source, has removed the anti-Dolphin code.

Networking

Network initialisation never completes.

Direct3D

Using Direct3D with XFB enabled will cause the screen go black, but the app stills work normally otherwise. Use OpenGL to solve this.

Not Loading Apps

The Homebrew Channel won't load homebrew apps with XFB disabled. Enable XFB Real to solve this.

Configuration

Only configuration options for the best compatibility where they deviate from defaults are listed.

Graphics

Config Setting Notes
Video Backend OpenGL Display output

Version Compatibility

The graph below charts the compatibility with Homebrew Channel since Dolphin's 2.0 release, listing revisions only where a compatibility change occurred.

Δ
5.0-21270 (current)
Δ
Δ
Δ
Δ
Δ
2.0 (r5384)
Compatibility can be assumed to align with the indicated revisions. However, compatibility may extend to prior revisions or compatibility gaps may exist within ranges indicated as compatible due to limited testing. Please update as appropriate.

Testing

This channel has been tested on the environments listed below:

Test Entries
Revision OS CPU GPU Result Tester
r7598 Windows 7 Intel Quad Core Xeon @ 2.8GHz ATI Radeon HD 5770 All issues in the Problems section are present. SephirothFanatic
3.0 Windows 7 Intel Quad Core Xeon @ 2.8GHz ATI Radeon HD 5770 All issues in the Problems section are present. SephirothFanatic
3.0-376 Windows 7 Intel Quad Core Xeon @ 2.8GHz ATI Radeon HD 5770 Starts and runs normally, except when reloading or exiting with the Home button. SephirothFanatic
5.0-1422 Linux (Debian sid) Intel Core i5-4210H @ 3.5GHz NVIDIA GeForce GT 940 Everything works (including launching homebrew, returning to Wii menu, shutting down) except networking. Léo
5.0-2742 Windows 7 Intel Celeron G1610 @ 2.6GHz Intel HD Graphics With D3D and XFB disabled looks normal but cannot launch homebrew; enabling XFB to real made it look black, but didn't crash. Using OGL and XFB to real seems to work normally, except for network. EblfIYH

Gameplay Videos