Epic Sega Dreamcast - Installing ALL of the mods
Вставка
- Опубліковано 4 лип 2024
- 🛠 Check out PCBWay at pcbway.com for all your PCB needs! 🛠
🏆 Support RMC
Time is the most valuable thing we have. Official Cave Dwellers create a reliable monthly income that allows to give my all to this channel. If you'd like to support this, and help me make it the very best I can then please consider using:
/ rmcretro or ko-fi.com/RMCretro
● Support the Sponsors of The Cave
MonsterJoysticks: monsterjoysticks.com/RMC
1ClickPrint: www.1clickprint.com#RMC
● Subscribe
Please take a moment to subscribe to the channel
ua-cam.com/users/rmcretro?sub_c...
● Episode Links
MarkFixesStuff: ua-cam.com/users/markfixesstuff?su...
Coaster2K items: www.ebay.co.uk/sch/coaster2k/...
BitFunx Items: bitfunx.aliexpress.com/store/...
DCHDMI Original project source: www.black-dog.tech/
● Join me on social media
Twitter: / rmcretro
● Come and chat on the RMC chat server
Discord: / discord
●RMC Merch Shop for Mugs and Posters:
rmcretro.store/
● RMC Podcasts
Enjoy my Podcasts with your favourite app using the links here:
Retro Tea Break - audioboom.com/channels/5001251
This Week in Retro - anchor.fm/thisweekinretro - Наука та технологія
EDIT: Mark wants me to let you all know he's very sorry for soldering the fuse in the wrong place and he is flogging himself with a soldering iron 100 times as penance. Thank you to those who spotted it.
----
Thanks for watching! What do you think of our build? Would you change anything? Do we need to get the Terraonion MODE or have we got all bases covered? Let me know your thoughts! Here are the episode links below, and if you enjoyed it why not give Mark a sub, he's just 200 away from the big 10k!
● Episode Links
MarkFixesStuff: ua-cam.com/users/markfixesstuff
Coaster2K items: www.ebay.co.uk/sch/coaster2k/m.html
BitFunx Items: bitfunx.aliexpress.com/store/1406602
RMC Patreon: patreon.com/rmcretro
Neil - RMC
If you create a list of games GDEMU boots up much quicker.
Great build! You could shorten the load time from SD by using a program known as GDEMU_SD that indexes and sorts the games in a way that doesn't need it to be done at DC start up
I subscribed to Mark’s channel a while ago. Always good to watch.
Keen to see a comparison with the MODE - Mark said something else interesting - "digital CRT" - Do the computer CRTs from the late 90s have lag? - I have a PVM which I use with my MegaDrive & I would never play sonic on an LCD - maybe an OLED, but... for the Dreamcast - does my PVM have less lag than a 640x480 PC monitor like the Philips or Sony you are showing off in the opening shot? - I know its popular to plug a Dreamcast into a 90s monitor via VGA. - would be a good follow up vid I think.
Resistance is fu(se)tile.
The Dreamcast is like the one console that is quite far ahead of it's time that it ages pretty well even till today wow.
Especially with Marseille mcable gaming
Way a head of it s time not only from graphical point of view but the network and pretty much everything back in the 1998 in Japaan and 1999 europe;D when I had my playstation and went to my friend who had dc my jaw just drop on the floor
The graphics are a lot sharper than the PS2's even.
Given the broadband adapter is way out of most people's reach, the addition of a raspberry pi to support DreamPi would be nice. DreamPi makes the raspberry pi function as a dial up server so the Dreamcast modem can effectively call it up and connect to the internet via the pi's wi-fi. Getting the dreamcast back online and playing Phantasy Star would be a nice lockdown treat.
Phantasy Star Online was my first online experience. :) Played it later on PC Schtserv and Ephinea.
LED is orange in all regions from factory
Thank you for this. I modded my LED so long ago I can’t even remember.
The color of the Sega logo is different per region.
@@gordoncreAtive yes, I did at least know that. In the boot up animation as well.
'Amber' :-þ
It is actually octarine, but it appears orange to non-wizard eyes.
You guys forgot to cover one little essential mod to the dreamcast and that's the fan replacement with a Noctua NF-A4x10 5V fan as shown on 12:40 .
For those who don't know, the original fan on the Dreamcast is very noisy and does little into cooling down the dreamcast, that mod pretty much makes it quiet and cool.
There are various sites out there that have kits and it comes to £9 with the 3d printed mounting molds & electrical wires and £54 with the full kit (Noctua fan included).
The Dreamcast is my all time favourite console, it was so ahead of its time no it holds up well on 2021
One problem with blue LEDs is that our peripheral vision is really sensitive to blue. Red isn't noticeable out the corner of your eye but blue stands out a mile and can get a bit annoying.
Yeah, but it was kindly supplied for free, so... I have a green led in my other DC. What colour do you like? I might change it and add some more leds around the inside of the case.
@@MarkFixesStuff actually the blue might be okay with the DC because it's diffused behind that triangle piece? In general I try to go with boring old red now, it's not as fancy and modern as blue but in a dark room it's nicer on the eyes. Good video btw :) I've only changed the fan so far in my DC but will be getting a bootleg gdemu eventually. I'll have to pick up one of those 3D printed trays that you got. Luckily I'm plugged into a CRT so won't need to do that scary hdmi install!
I used blue LED's on my MAME arcade machine. Wow they are nice but annoying.
@@MarkFixesStuff yellow would look really cool with this build
@@MarkFixesStuff Amber is the best colour for a LED indicators.
Just a tip: you can leave the game and go back to the Dreamcast system menu by pushing the four colored buttons and start at the same time. You might have to do it multiple times because in many games it first goes back to the game's main menu.
What?? Never knew this
If you use the SD card maker software for the gdemu you won't have to wait on every start-up. It creates an index file which would be read when starting the DC and it would directly start on the game list.
When you have 200+GB of games on the SD card, the game list itself takes about 2 minutes to load, due to the time it takes to read the index file.
koffieleut is correct! The pause is not from the number of games, it is from the generation of the list. The SD card maker software generates a .ini file which allows the GDEmu to skip the loading screen completely, no matter how many games you have. There's a UA-cam video titled "Get the MOST out of your GDEMU - Dreamcast - Custom Box Art - No More Loading Screens" that covers the process.
Dreamcast is still my favourite console, closely followed by the Saturn
@Brian Babin N64 > PlayStation > Altair 8800 > Saturn :)
@Brian Babin Dreamcast is in a league of it's own. I wouldn't rank it with these other consoles. It was actually the first Sega I liked since the Master System. :D
@@toaster4634 N64? 7800? You absolute wrongun
Dreamcast is one of my favourite consoles, got it around its launch time,all the love its getting over the years online just shows how great and ahead of its time the console was.good video
I have a GDEMU clone in one of my Dreamcasts with a 256GB card and 200+ games. It boots instantly because I used a tool called SD CARD MAKER for GDEmu 1.10 by MadSheep. Google it. It makes the experience so much better / easier.
Also, if you didn't know, you can press A, B, X, Y and START simultaneously to take you back to the title screen in 95% of games. Do it again to take you back to the GDEMU menu. You don't have to press the 3D printed button in the tray or even be near it. If you used the tool I mentioned above there's zero waiting / loading.
Finally, check the Dreamcast Talk forums. In the last week, a bunch of AtomisWave games were ported to the Dreamcast and they are INCREDIBLE. Cheers, guys! ❤️
This is the α-Dreamcast. Jolly good work lads! Keep the Dream alive.
Great video both! I think the Dreamcast is my favourite ever console, some amazing games and some you mentioned here that I wasn’t aware of. So many great memories, including in about 2003, we had expensive lcd screens at work that could rotate 90degrees. Playing Ikaruga in landscape mode through VGA out was immense. Loved Phantasy star online, going on hours long sessions and getting booted out when someone in the house picked up the phone!
My old Dreamcast used to have the official Sega millenium crystal yellow top shell but I lost it when I moved... :-(
Stolen
@@NoNoseProduction Possibly I guess.
I just love this channel. Great content in exquisite detail.
The Dreamcast is so cool. I need to get one soon! Interesting and entertaining video guys! :)
I'd personally sooner have it hooked up to a CRT, as with pretty much all my consoles, but the rest of it looked fab. Always wanted to have a go on a Dreamcast.
Can’t beat a CRT. And of course you can still do that even after the mod because the DCHDMI can detect a cable
I agree completely and I say that as as someone who paid for a DCHDMI. The DCHDMI looks nowhere near as good as a VGA CRT.
You won't regret it. Tons of great games, comfortable controller, the sharpest graphics of any console of it's time, including the PS2 AND Xbox. The system is a little loud and the VMU battery beep could get annoying, but they are easily ignorable unless you're a quiet freak.
The best is my 50 inch qled and Marseille mcable. I tried so many setups, but that is the ultimate one
@@christophermorin9036 yesterday I cut the speaker cables of my VMUs ;) it's just like heaven
The fave console i ever had was The Panasonic 3DO FZ1, I bought it new in 1994, Need for speed on that was something that no one had ever seen before. i never forgot my friends face when they saw 3D graphics for the first time. Awesome Memories.
I love it when Marks Fixes Stuff.
Great video, love to see the support the Dreamcast gets still in 2020, Iv also been working on modding my dreamcast, and covering some video on that, one thing I reccomand is the Brooks controller adapter that includes 200 blocks and wireless controller connectivity, I like to see one of those internally connected, also retro bit are apparently working on a wireless dc controller, enjoyed the video and hope for the best.
Well done Mark, and a special mention to the Cameraman.
Love my DC, great episode!
You guys make a good team. Great video. I don’t have a Dreamcast, but if I did I think I would forego the expensive case. All the other mods improve the functionality, the case is just for show.
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that bling! Joking aside, I love the original case look and getting the replica meant not having to cut a vintage item.
Mark is nuts 😁👍
Excellent video. Absolutely need to get that rechargeable battery installed into mine.
I need to do that as it is annoying on boot having date and time adjust pop up every time it is switched on. It charges up a little bit but if not used for more than a day it looses its charge.
yes!!! RMC and japanese consoles is just a pure WIN!
Over two decades old and is definitely going to go for two more.
This thing could out live the rest of it's siblings, if the capasitors and the silicon hold out.
Love your work guys
Great vid, I think i'll be doing some of that to my Dreamcast! Have been meaning to do the memory card mod for ages, but it needs a small repair first though as the lid doesn't stay shut. I agree with some other comments here though, as sharp as it looks through HDMI i'd only ever be using mine on a CRT (probably one of my ex-broadcast CRTs, or maybe a normal TV via scart), same as all my other computers/consoles!
I love the tiny Noctua fan.
Pretty common mods, but cool nonetheless. Thanks for including REZ in your footage reel! Cheers guys!
I really love Rez. So much so in fact, that I bought a PSVR to play it!!
Got a terrainion mode in my Japanese Dreamcast with a 500gb HDD, also done the battery mod. Using a beharbros akura for hdmi. The mode works a treat and I get a great picture using the akura
nice build!
Very well done! A good base to start from for having a "real" monster Dreamcast. Some additions you might enjoy to reach the "next level": Terraonion MODE in replacement of gdemu, dreampi for connecting it to the internet and enjoy games such PSO or Quake Arena, wifi controller dreamconn for enjoyng games and get rid of cables, lightconn gun for playing best DC shooters on +65 inches oled screens (wifi). It will cost perhaps extra 1000 bucks but will be all worth it!
I add my humble vote for the crisp picture.
The two of you make a good duo 🙂👍
Thank you Daniel son
Cheers Dan!
My Portuguese model had an orange LED. I also had a VGA adapter which made the output super crisp. Good times!
Todas tinham o LED laranja, o logo é que era azul nas regiões PAL.
@@RaenYrtham Confirmo!
Awesome machine, Soul Calibre, Shenmue, Crazy Taxi and Le Mans were awesome. Very under rated console.
Excellent video chaps - I had one back in the day but sold it to a mate to pay off some debts! Was lucky enough to pick up a good example about two years ago now - it too has the battery problem...I'll get around to fixing that one day!
Oh my, I’ve been there David!
@@MarkFixesStuff I’d likely have done the battery fix some time ago but I could never find the battery holders in anything less than packs of 50 😂
Great graphics! Consoles really came into their own in the late 90s. Without being too perfect and uninteresting like nowadays.
You installed the fuse in the wrong spot. The fuse is labeled 'F1'. You installed the fuse in place of resistor R1.
Cheers Ryan. I shouldn’t rush! Good spot and I’ll swap that around in a bit!
So but the dreamcast still functions fine.
My little brain is like: wtf so many questions! like how ...?
@@MarkFixesStuff are fuse not sort of circuit breakers
@@dbnpoldermans4120 because I’ve just lowered the resistance for the battery charging circuit with my mistake. The original fuse is fine on the board which is why my error went unnoticed. Ironic that I’d mess up on the easiest bit though lol
@@linuxstreamer8910 these are, yes.
Damn cool case!
Gotta love that Noctua fan cooling it. 👍👍👍
I love the Dreamcast. I've flush mounted one to the side of my MAME arcade machine. Soulcalibur with arcade controls is pretty fun.
This is my kind of collaboration! I've done the rechargeable battery, Pico psu and GDemu in mine so far. A new shell and HDMI out would be nice though.
@allegedly I've been using it for over a year now and have had no issues as of yet.
I’m still glad I bought one on a whim for $20 they’re absolutely epic
One (expensive) mod that might be worth it, if you can find it, is the USB GD-ROM. When you have a large number of games (e.g. the whole library), GDEMU takes a very long time to load the menu (even if you use the Create Menu option in the SD card maker tool). In contrast, USB GD-ROM loads instantly no matter how many games you have.
It's also a lot easier to add/remove games on USB: simply copy them directly to the flash drive with the folder structure and name you want. GDEMU essentially requires a separate program to add/remove games.
Not a fan of that hdmi mod seems like the cable is the vastly better option all around, I also would have kept the optical drive but maybe I'm just a pedant and like to have the physical media to hand, I approve of the psu upgrade shame there aren't more kinds for different systems available or maybe there are and I don't know about it yet.
another great mod and another one saved from the dump
Why didn't you guys use a terraonion MODE?
I'm interested in getting the cable, can you edit video settings with that version as well, or is that only for the built in cable mod.
To speed up loading with the GDEmu use the SD Card maker for GDEmu. The HDMI mod looks very nice, fake scanlines on a digital display never look right (too dark). I use a cheap VGA cable and a VGA CRT monitor for the DC, it looks beautiful in 640x480p with natural scanlines. Not really a mod, but something to add would be a DreamPi, to get that 33k modem connected to the internet for online play. Thanks for the video Neil & Mark. Long live the Dreamcast.
Thank you! Mark mentioned to me that he thought there might be an app to help pre-index the SD Card or something but couldn't remember the name, that clears up the mystery, very helpful thank you!
Thanks for the info! What games are played online these days?
@@MarkFixesStuff The popular online games are Phantasy Star Online, Quake 3, Alien Front Online and Monaco Grand Prix Online. There are a few more, with people working on getting more games online every year. The full list is here: dreamcastlive.net/games/
@@RMCRetro No problem Neil, thanks for the great weekly videos.
@@MarkFixesStuff This site has a good list of the currently online games, as well as a schedule of upcoming times that the community plays different games. Really brings life to the dreamcast, especially when you have the dreamcast keyboard plugged in for the chat lobbies dreamcastlive.net/schedule/
I wouldn't call GDEmu epic when much better alternatives like M.O.D.E. and USB-GDROM exist, but awesome build and video nonetheless!
On a side note, Atomiswave arcade games are now being converted to the Dreamcast since the hardware is almost identical, I've been uploading videos of these games running on real hardware in case anyone's curious.
I've been eyeballing a DCHDMI so i can actually use my dreamcast in my living room. I have a nice RGB CRT downstairs in the basement when i want some classic style play, but sometimes you just want to sit up on the couch with friends and play some Rush 2049
13:40 I saw a bit of tearing at the top of the screen. Did the original hardware have that present?
Back in the day I worked at a game store and I set up a large format CRT with a DC using the VGA cables and some 3.1 speakers, it was more popular than the PS2 or xbox for in-store play. :D :D
The amount of LE in HDMI and SD FPGA is probably bigger than in dreamcasts' chip itself :)
I didn't do the HDMI solution because I dont trust my soldering skills enough for that so I bought a pound HDMI cable. I did do all the others and the fan replacement is very satisfying! Man that old fan was loud! The cd drive was loud as well though.
Another possible alternative for DCHDMI is a VGA cable + VGA box. You can also connect your DC directly to a VGA monitor. If you have an old CRT PC monitor, you can even get crisp video output AND lightgun compatibility.
Always tape the bits around the soldering area. It will save you so much hustle
Good tip!
It's beautiful :')
Great video. Thanks for the book, it's great and arrived very quickly. Will you be writing a volume 2?
You're welcome! There seems to be a demand for it so yes, I'll get to work on vol2!
The reason the DCHDMI is superior is a bit more than just latency.
First, it's a lossless digital to digital conversion where the signal never exists as analog (flawless video quality). Second, it does proper scaling for 240p games where the external adapter would not. Third, it can scale to 1080p which may match your screen's native resoltion and bypass your TV's scaler. Fourth, it works with every game whether they support the VGA adapter or not. It's just better! :)
For anyone playing on a CRT, the DCHDMI makes no sense. For everyone else that wants to play on their 60 inch 4k OLED, you're going to want to look into this! The fan mod should be installed in all Dreamcast's, to be honest. I've heard people say to refurbish the original PSU, instead of putting a pico in, but I haven't really poured over the data. The clone GDEMU is pretty much the only option, as the original creator seems to be missing in action, although being able to support the inventor would be rather nice. Either way, you guys did it! That really is the ULTIMATE DC!
Nice mods. My PAL model had an orange LED. I swapped it out for the Blue
I would never use PCBway myself but FFS, the fact that this company exists and at such a compelling price point is mental. Its'an e'ffin ridiculous time for CREATIVES in this arena.
Sweet. I need all these mods. Especially the GDMU since my disk drive is going out on both my US and Japanese DCs...
I like crisp and clear, I can never understand fixing a machine or using an emulator for a better image only to the turn on scan line effects etc to make them fuzzy again.
The only thinkg the dreamcast needs is wireless controller mod and a broadband adaptor (1gb if possible) clone and were golden.
The only issue is that very very few games even supported the BBA.
Retro Fighters just ended a kickstarter for a wireless version of their N64 controller and they made a wired Dreamcast replacement so hoping that will get the wireless treatment in the near future.
@@Maldroth would be very cool.
@@slightlyevolved Nope only a few games supported it. See here for the full compatibility list. segaretro.org/Broadband_Adapter
Dope, but was always waiting for someone to make a DC that plays DVDs too lol
Great video.Just wondering about the standalone HDMI cable. How does it compare to similar ones by companies like Pound? Ive been looking for an affordable way to hook up my Dreamcast to a reciever without some of the glitchyness that happens with cables by Pound
A nod to the pair of my favorite youtube presenters.
Thanks Brendon
Perhaps consider painting or wrapping the outside of the light pipe in foil then tape, so the LED only lights up the triangle on top and doesn't bleed of of the front? (Personal preference thing).
The smoke-clear case for my Dreamcast was a lot cheaper back in the day :)
Great work friends. Might I suggest some clear smoke black controllers to better match the shell? Sorry if it’s been suggested already. I didn’t feel like reading through all the comments to check.
I use RGB or S-Video on a CRT on all my older systems 50 or 60hz, NTSC and PAL not a issue.
My dream Draemcast build would have gdemu and the optical drive with the option to switch between them. So you can play originals or backups of your originals.
The dreamcast was such a fun system.
"Let's move on swiftly, shall we" hahaaaaaaaaa
Looks like you've got a jedi knight with you today Neil
He FORCED me to Sith there... sorry
I've never been so jealous in my entire life.
I modded a dreamcast last summer. Most of the bells and whistles, gdemu, bios mod, forget the expensive hdmi box but had that, fighting pad etc. Sports black edition. Real slick. Also had dreampi and played quake III online and several other games with keyboard and mouse. Cool.
In the end, the redream emulator does everything a dreamcast can (for the compatible games) and does it better. Resolution upscaling up to 4k and the developers only charge $5. If you have a PC that was made in the last decade, having a physical dreamcast is not worth the money. Most newer phones can run the redream emulator at full speed as well.
It's cool and nostalgia overload but for anyone looking to take on this project, the end product isn't worth the money. Sold it and I hope whoever bought it enjoys but save your money.
i was waiting for them to talk about the fan mod
And I dreamed about Dreamcast 20 years ago...
Great video! Loved every minute of it! This is in my opinion the prettiest Dreamcast ever, especially with that blue led shining through!
So what is the difference between the HDMI options and VGA in terms of quality? Did you compare that? Judging by your excitement seeing the HDMI, I suspect you did not. Because the VGA output of the Dreamcast is bloody glorious. Quite funny that the consoles after the dreamcast: ps2, GC and xbox don't have such a good quality video output as the dreamcast. Even the first 360 only had component I think.
Even though HDMI should be a little bit better than VGA, I doubt anyone could see any difference. Not sure, but I wonder. And if you use VGA use a good VGA breakoutbox like th Hanzo or something and use a thick VGA cable, not one of those puny thin ones.
Wait, this is Mark from Mark fixes stuff? cool!
The case is actualy not that expensive compared to other (transparant) cases
Ultimate Dreamcast would have:
MODE
Have the hdmi out be a normal size hdmi out, by fitting that hdmi converter or a cable wrapped inside
more software orientated so not really applies to ultimate build, but:
Widescreen patches applied to the games that have patches made available.
Probably too recent to be added, but as of right now 4 Atomiswave games have been ported!
Lastly, that sound it makes when you close the lid on that unmodded DC, do you think that there was some actual engineering going on to make it sound that good? Or is it just a coincidence? Kluunk! brilliant!
Should've had Ferrari F355 in the showcase there, that game is so beautiful!
Don't feel bad about playing Zero3, it's almost impossible to play fighting games on DC with the standard controller. I cricged when I saw you physically playing with the standard controller, hahaha
Don't know why my favourite colour Poy-Pull Err-Purple is hardly ever used for an LED Indicator, but Man O Woman once you've seen a neon Purple LED indicator, I swear you too will love it!
the sd solution is great for most users, though i rather liked the add in card that uses an ide interface, there is also an addin card that has usb
Yeah yeah Dreamcast whatever, where do I get one of those charming Fallout inspired RMC masks? That's adorable!
Wireless control would be a dream!
The primary difference between the HDMI mod and a converter cable like that is that the mod is a direct digital signal, meaning it's as clean as possible; the cable takes the analogue signal (which was converted from the digital signal) and converts that into a digital signal.
Translating something then translating it back adds lag, as mentioned, but it can also degrade the quality and accuracy of the signal.
Personally, though, I'm an RGB SCART into a CRT kinda gal.
I had to order a second cable from the original designer when I put my DCHDMI mod. But is worth the price.
It's a cult console. I personally love it.
To fix the 2 minutes loading time because of the big sd card, use the SD Card Maker tool to adjust your games. Check the Menu checkbox in the tool, and save. It will load GDmenu instantly.
When you have a very large number of games (200+GB worth), even if you use the SD Card Maker tool and save the Menu file, it still takes about 2 minutes to load the menu.
There are 2 more mods that i think would have made it a tiny bit more ultimate, a second rom/flash/bios chip with dreamshell and a hidden switch to flip between them, and a harddrive... oh yes a harddrive.. or better yet an 44pin IDE SSD. 100% not necessary with the GDEmu. But these are mods i always wanted to do. I liked having the GD-Rom drive, so i wanted to have the IDE HDD/SSD, the serial SD card reader, and the dual bios.
I still have Shenmue on original disks, so personally would like to keep the GD-Rom, or at least have access to it.
All that said.. I had a dead dreamcast, i just gutted it and put a mini-ITX PC inside of it. Always wanted to get a new shell and laser assembly/gdemu (which ever is cheaper).. but it's probably cheaper just to buy a working used DC at this point.
Is it possible to reduce texture filtering? That usually helps to smooth out old games for me
I like all of the mods, but I like having it on my CRT TV. I don't want HDMI. Does the mod allow you to still use the fishing rod controller and light guns?
Could maybe choose a Terraonion mode if you prefer to use a hardrive or SSD. and also a striker DC controller for more comfortable play
Yes. The MODE is a great ODE. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one. Replaced my USB-GDROM, which I don't recommend.
total cost ?
add modern controllers , maybe a driving wheel ?
is there a DC light gun still usable with HDMi ?
Completely forgot about the blue startup logo so used to the red one here in Canada
I am assuming that another advantage of the internal HDMI mod is simultaneous use, right? Could one have it plugged into a good old CRT while streaming through an HDMI capture card?
Oh my God, with you is young Jared Harris