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Sega Dreamcast - Appreciation and Emulation Thread

IrishNinja

Member
Thanks to the BBA I bought a while back (and a Hex editor from the Dreamtools software), I can still get do the image tags for JSR/JGR. Good times...I was also able to get the Samba DLC thankfully.

aw mannn
i wish i could find these online, no harm in burning them now i figure

From what I've heard they're pretty crappy. But I've only used the official ones so I can't compare. I'd think it's worth the extra for the official ones.

And try to find a copy of ver. 2000. It's so much better.

*sigh* that's about what i figured...shame, it was $40 for the pair, footpad & game.
guess i'll hold out...and yeah ima find 2000 one day as well
 

Teknoman

Member
Possible fix is to open the Dreamcast and bend the pins that connect the power board to the motherboard back into contact with the socket. Happens occasionally to my Dreamcast.

It started working again, but I think it might have just been the power cable. Somehow it was slightly bent out of shape, so I guess it wasnt giving the right amount of power to the system? Either way, after doing some cable maintenance, it works just fine.
 

IrishNinja

Member
kills me that VMU batteries are so easy to replace, but the system battery's such a goddamn pain that i almost wanna send it in to another guy to have it done...who made this decision, after the saturn was so well setup for this?
 

televator

Member
I've been looking at optical audio mods for old consoles and stumbled across a very good video for the Dreamcast. It has a visual aid so that you can see how much noise is reduced and just how much more range there is to the audio under S/PDIF

It's truly amazing! The bass has a much sharper punch to it on top of the added sound clarity with high frequency instruments.

Oh man... Now, I want Optical S/PDIF on everything.
 
I've been looking at optical audio mods for old consoles and stumbled across a very good video for the Dreamcast. It has a visual aid so that you can see how much noise is reduced and just how much more range there is to the audio under S/PDIF

It's truly amazing! The bass has a much sharper punch to it on top of the added sound clarity with high frequency instruments.

Oh man... Now, I want Optical S/PDIF on everything.

Hey, that's super nifty!
 

IrishNinja

Member
^awesome. if it was a cheap mod, id love to send my DC in to get that done & have its internal battery replaced. any ideas about who'd do this?
 

Yes Boss!

Member
^awesome. if it was a cheap mod, id love to send my DC in to get that done & have its internal battery replaced. any ideas about who'd do this?

I'm going to be changing the battery on my DC in the next few weeks. Should not be too difficult. I'll post some photos how I do it.
 

televator

Member
^awesome. if it was a cheap mod, id love to send my DC in to get that done & have its internal battery replaced. any ideas about who'd do this?

That was sorta gonna be my next line of investigation. I'd like to find out if there's a one stop shop where I can just send in a bunch of consoles and say "Do it all!" LOL! Maybe not so much though 'cuz my wallet would jump off a bridge. Don't know if it a "cheap" mod, but I'd like to get optical out on the DC, Saturn, and maybe the SNES. I think Genesis/Megadrive optical is still being worked out by modders.
 

IrishNinja

Member
I'm going to be changing the battery on my DC in the next few weeks. Should not be too difficult. I'll post some photos how I do it.

please do, RetroGameCave made it sound pretty complicated, as far as taking bits out/disconnecting things just to get at it.

That was sorta gonna be my next line of investigation. I'd like to find out if there's a one stop shop where I can just send in a bunch of consoles and say "Do it all!" LOL! Maybe not so much though 'cuz my wallet would jump off a bridge. Don't know if it a "cheap" mod, but I'd like to get optical out on the DC, Saturn, and maybe the SNES. I think Genesis/Megadrive optical is still being worked out by modders.

ah, the genny'd sound interesting that way, i think...wonder how SNES would sound!
truth be told, i wired my monotone NES to emit the same sound from a 7.1 system, so i'm clearly not too picky, haha - but i think DC could really benefit from it, i'd totally be interested in mod price specifics.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
please do, RetroGameCave made it sound pretty complicated, as far as taking bits out/disconnecting things just to get at it.

Taking it apart is no problem...I already took a look inside. The only tricky part is the three solder joints. You can't heat them all at once so you need a solder suck, or a solder braid fully clear each joint.

I just have to wait for ghem to get back in stock or fond another vendor.
 

canocha

Member
Got a few more games:

Phantasy Star Online (Sonic Adventures 2 Demo included)
Capcom vs. SNK
Ready 2 Rumble

Ajio3Yj.jpg


I'm still missing PSO v2 and Skies of Arcadia :(
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
Guys, my dreamcast wont read discs anymore. Is there an easy fix for this, or should i just get a new one?
 

televator

Member
Guys, my dreamcast wont read discs anymore. Is there an easy fix for this, or should i just get a new one?

You might try opening it and cleaning the rails for the lens if they're dirty, and applying some silicone lube on them. If that don't work maybe play with the potentiometer on the laser...
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
You might try opening it and cleaning the rails for the lens if they're dirty, and applying some silicone lube on them. If that don't work maybe play with the potentiometer on the laser...

What is the potentiometer? I already did try to clean it and it doesnt work. Actually, it seems like it isnt the lens itself, but the mechanics that somehow doesnt work, as the disc wont turn at all.
 

televator

Member
What is the potentiometer? I already did try to clean it and it doesnt work. Actually, it seems like it isnt the lens itself, but the mechanics that somehow doesnt work, as the disc wont turn at all.

Basically the potentiometer determines the strength of the laser. It's a little dial you can turn with a small screw driver. You just have to be careful not to over do it. Also, I'm no talking about cleaning the lense, but the rails on either side of the lense. You have to lift the housing to see them completely (and the potentiometer). I've seen them covered in lint on a DC that seemed to struggle with reading dics. I brushed off the lint and lubed up the rails... good as new.
 

Morfeo

The Chuck Norris of Peace
Basically the potentiometer determines the strength of the laser. It's a little dial you can turn with a small screw driver. You just have to be careful not to over do it. Also, I'm no talking about cleaning the lense, but the rails on either side of the lense. You have to lift the housing to see them completely (and the potentiometer). I've seen them covered in lint on a DC that seemed to struggle with reading dics. I brushed off the lint and lubed up the rails... good as new.

Alright thanks, I will try this. Thanks alot!
 
So I want to hook up my DC via anything other than the antenna cable I currently have. VGA is obviously preferable but the prices are quite high.

Does anyone know if these cables (seems to be a fair few of them) work as advertised?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SEGA-Dre...er_Video_Game_Accessories&hash=item35c74e7978

I can't comment on the quality of that cable, but DC does support S-Video or RGB SCART if VGA isn't an option for you.

i've been playing PSO offline lately
Is there any way to co-op offline like the GCN version?
 

kunonabi

Member
back home and bored so I figured I'd post the goods.

Not sure why some of the shots are so yellow















My poor incompletes. I have the cases for Omikron and Psychic Force but I don't have the manuals.

 
Not sure why some of the shots are so yellow

Check the white balance setting on your camera, and make sure it's set to the appropriate setting (I'd assume it should be "tungsten light" here). Otherwise, there are ways to color correct in photo editing programs like Photoshop.
 
Ha, I still need to find me a Dreamcast, but I found a good copy of Jet Grind Radio for two bucks at a yard sale just two weeks ago, manual and all. :D
 

IrishNinja

Member
my fishing rod + Sega Bass Fishing came in today! $15 well spent

shit's relaxing, but you gotta have a beer. tempted to get a tacklebox & fishing hat and take a facebook pic, haha

old roomie of mine is digging through his crates to find his copy of Seaman + mic; i never got to play it but i know he was obsessed with it for a semester. after that it's down to Samba maracas, but that's tricky cause most of the first party ones on ebay are from japan so the shipping's way too much
 

kunonabi

Member
that's a great library!
i doft my hat to you, good sir. :D

I actually rebuilt over the last couple years. I decided to play some DC games in honor of the 10 anniversary and I realized that the only games I still had were Shenmue and Worms. I had sold off my video game collection around senior year,out sheer stupidity, and I've been slowly rebuilding since.
 

televator

Member
Can one of you gents that own RE2 and/or RE3 on the DC confirm if the VGA support icon is displayed on the back of the case?
 

Teknoman

Member
Both support VGA although the icon is not on the back of the RE2 case. RE3 DC isn't very good to be honest.

How so? Doesnt seem that different than PS1 aside from extras already unlocked/looking better. Unless the dodge mechanics works better with a dual shock.
 

televator

Member
Gimme a sec.

I know i've played both with VGA, and they both support it, but Dino Crisis doesnt.

Both support VGA although the icon is not on the back of the RE2 case. RE3 DC isn't very good to be honest.

Thanks, both of you, for checking.

Kunonabi, I remember playing RE3 on the DC years ago and having the unlocked modes from the start made things more memorable for me over the Cube version. How do you mean it isn't very good? Is something broken/glitchy in the game?

At any rate this pretty much means that RE2 and RE3 are 480p on the DC while the GC is limited to 480i. However, I'd like to know for sure if the GC versions have higher res textures/backgrounds and if they have AA over the DC versions.
 

kunonabi

Member
Thanks, both of you, for checking.

Kunonabi, I remember playing RE3 on the DC years ago and having the unlocked modes from the start made things more memorable for me over the Cube version. How do you mean it isn't very good? Is something broken/glitchy in the game?

At any rate this pretty much means that RE2 and RE3 are 480p on the DC while the GC is limited to 480i. However, I'd like to know for sure if the GC versions have higher res textures/backgrounds and if they have AA over the DC versions.

The button config is jacked up which is a pain for speed runs. It has some exclusive costumesand such but it really is a lazy effort compared to the RE2 port.
 
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