DF Retro: DCHDMI Review - The Ultimate Dreamcast HDMI Upgrade!

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 7 лип 2024
  • Sega's Dreamcast broke the mould by introducing 480p rendering to consoles, backing it with the legendary VGA box. Modern 480p options are available but none have the same pure digital quality as the brilliant DCHDMI. John Linneman tests out the mod and ranks it up against the analogue-to-digital alternatives.
    Subscribe for more Digital Foundry and DF Retro: bit.ly/DFSubscribe
    Join the DF Patreon, support work like this more directly and get pristine quality video downloads: www.digitalfoundry.net
  • Ігри

КОМЕНТАРІ • 835

  • @EruAnor
    @EruAnor 5 років тому +46

    Honestly I'm still impressed by the visual fidelity of the Dreamcast especially for the time period it came out.

    • @shoutingmuteness3902
      @shoutingmuteness3902 9 місяців тому +1

      True. Way ahead of its time. Not mentioning the introduction of online play and internet access.

  • @gogosegaga
    @gogosegaga 5 років тому +28

    Dreamcast graphics have a very unique look. So crisp and sharp! Makes it timeless and transfers well to HD

  • @Marc28031984
    @Marc28031984 5 років тому +121

    Back in the day I was the only kid in school with an dreamcast and a VGA Box.
    I hooked it up to my CRT Monitor and all of my friends said: wow, it looks so sharp and smooth.😅
    When 480p @ 60Hz was the shit. 😂

    • @hkoizumi3134
      @hkoizumi3134 5 років тому +11

      Me too! I had that see thru orange box that allowed VGA to my monitor. I remember when I saw skies of arcadia for the first time on it, I couldn't believe how sharp the image looked.

    • @fortitude9932
      @fortitude9932 5 років тому +5

      Vga can do 1080

    • @fortitude9932
      @fortitude9932 5 років тому +3

      @jvalex18 exactly. The best analog cable ever and 40 years almost right? I have both bag and HDMI going into my tv from pc...i prefer warm analog colors bit HDMI is clear af...however for analog vs digital both are great. But getting 1080 html instead 480 vga better why can't dreamcasr do vga 1080?

    • @fortitude9932
      @fortitude9932 5 років тому +3

      @jvalex18 I would suggest hooking up your vga and hdmi to your tv ... I have mine at 1200 x 700 or something and it looks near HDMI 1080...basically a 40 year old analog cable can look close to a 8 year old hdmi digi signal basically...which is impressive besides ever hear or supervga or ultravgano cutting at 1080 or 2k still analong 😲 right

    • @fortitude9932
      @fortitude9932 5 років тому

      @jvalex18 I didnt exactly say it was 1200 x 700 it was less than 1080 but still looked good coukd have been 1800x900. Think your missing my point of 4 decade old tech vs 1 decade old and analog vs digital tech. Vga is still pretty damn good.

  • @EposVox
    @EposVox 5 років тому +29

    Great review, John! I'm kinda frustrated that all of these new HDMI options popped up after I invested in the upscalers, VGA boxes, GC component cables, etc. but still looks like this stuff is the way to go!

    • @TheXev
      @TheXev 5 років тому +7

      I literally had the DCHDMI ordered before I was done watching this video. After investing in an Analogue Super NT and Mega SG, I want quality video out of the last remaining console I truly give a damn about from the composite era (now only waiting for 'hopefully' a cheaper Analogue NT).
      Also, love your channel as well! I've used several of your OBS videos to get my setup right!

    • @EposVox
      @EposVox 5 років тому +4

      @@TheXev :D

  • @GeminiJay654
    @GeminiJay654 5 років тому +94

    Cool new intro!
    Blue skies never die! LOVE the Dreamcast.

    • @l.r.7505
      @l.r.7505 5 років тому

      Beat that game so many times I lost count! What was up with that dude's crotch 🤣😱

  • @nightowl3582
    @nightowl3582 5 років тому +191

    Man, it kinda makes me wish Sega could have remained in the console business.

    • @sudacagamer
      @sudacagamer 5 років тому +4

      kinda?

    • @JimmyTheBear
      @JimmyTheBear 5 років тому +22

      It's called the Xbox

    • @fortitude9932
      @fortitude9932 5 років тому +3

      Genesis mini...new controllers...sega coming

    • @TheXev
      @TheXev 5 років тому +14

      @jvalex18 I literally gave up on console gaming when Sega went 3rd party. I have a Nintendo Switch now, but for years I had no interest in current gen consoles after the Dreamcast.

    • @danielt.8573
      @danielt.8573 5 років тому +13

      @@TheXev After the end of the Dreamcast it's like the console market fell entirely. Suddenly it felt so much poor and unisteresting. I went to pc gaming definitively and haven't bought another console since. The Switch is appealing though.

  • @Longlostpuss
    @Longlostpuss 5 років тому +8

    That DOA2 and Shenmue footage still gives me goosebumps.
    Awesome games for their time, haven't seen such technological jumps pound for pound since in my opinion.

  • @The-Fishkeeper
    @The-Fishkeeper 5 років тому +74

    Dreamcast was so ahead of its time, incredible system with a surprisingly large and varied library considering it's short time on the market.

    • @sudacagamer
      @sudacagamer 5 років тому +5

      "varied library"', really? ... almost no RPGs, survival horror, shooters, platformers, beat em ups/ action games. The DC was all about fighting games, sport games and shoot em ups. I love the console btw but It`s library was far from varied even considering it`s short time on the market.

    • @sudacagamer
      @sudacagamer 5 років тому +1

      @@segamon yeah and El Dorado Gate that no one played and Elemental Gimmick Gear, but would you say that 10 RPG games are a solid RPG library VS the 80+ RPGs on PS1 and PS2?

    • @sudacagamer
      @sudacagamer 5 років тому +1

      @@segamon who said it wasn`t worth it? I`m just saying that the DC didn`t have a varied library.

    • @RetroGamesBoy78
      @RetroGamesBoy78 5 років тому +13

      Sudaca Gaming
      You're talking about a console that was on the market for 2 years and comparing it to 2 consoles that were on the market for 12 & 13 years. The libary is plenty varied enough for the time it was on the market, if you were to look at the first 2 years of PS1 or 2 i doubt there will be to much difference.

    • @sudacagamer
      @sudacagamer 5 років тому +1

      @@RetroGamesBoy78 The PS2 already had a more DIVERSE library by 2001, I`m not saying it was better, In fact, I bought a Dreamcast almost exclusively for fighting games and for the perfect arcade ports. I bought a PS2 on 2001, when FFX and SH2 came out. Again, the DC was a hell of a console but It didn`t have a varied library, period. It had more potential?, It was dead too soon?, yes, but the reason It failed wasn`t because it was an "underrated" console or whatever stupid theories DC fanboys have, It died because the PS2 was just a more powerful console and it was aimed both for casuals and hardcore gamers. Sega never understood (or didn`t want to) that the public was changing.

  • @MrStephantch
    @MrStephantch 5 років тому +82

    One of the greatest consoles every made. I remember when I was eighteen and 1st came back from Italy. All I could think about at the time while on vacation was about buying one. I had never anticipated a gaming console so much, and let me remind you how amazing the launch lineup was. Unfortunately, Sega killed this beloved machine to the detriment of us former Dreamcast owners. Even though I eventually bought a Playstation 2 I never loved that console as much as the DC

    • @TheXev
      @TheXev 5 років тому +6

      I screamed openly at 2:30am in the morning when I read about Sega going third party. It was a huge betrail I'll never get over. My parents thought I was crazy... and at that moment I was. I knew it was coming but I still hated it. I knew Sega would never be as good of a company as it was then, and I hate being right about that. I too eventually owned a PS2, only owned a handful of games then sold it for food money. I never understood the appeal.

    • @PatrickIngham21
      @PatrickIngham21 5 років тому +2

      as much as I hated it also the company would probably not exist at all to this day if they had not made that painful decision. it was annoying being a sega fan after that because the games were released on different platforms, I tried to stick to xbox (and some Nintendo) ever since, fuck sony

    • @TheKayliedGamerChannel-YouTube
      @TheKayliedGamerChannel-YouTube 4 роки тому +4

      Lack of public enthusiasm for the Dreamcast killed it - hype for Playstation2 was in overdrive - and from a JP DC owner at the time of the PS2's JP release I felt the JP PS2 was a mess, with the launch games all underwhelming, especially considering Sony's pre-release hype around its hardware - it didn't even utilise simple anti-aliasing - causing many games to suffer from resolution 'jaggies'.
      TTT (best of the JP Launch games imo) got reprogrammed in the west and software smoothing is added to remove 'aliasing issues'. Eventually the PS2 became a great console - with a superb library - but on launch it was a mess especially compared to the already available and capable Dreamcast.

    • @MrStephantch
      @MrStephantch 4 роки тому +1

      @@TheKayliedGamerChannel-UA-cam I agree with you 100% that the Dreamcast was a breaktaking, and original game console; in many ways what the Sega Saturn should have been. Unfortunately, Sega had many years of mediocre/half-baked released under their belt which ruined their repertoire with gamer's. The original launch lineup for Dreamcast was utterly amazing with Sonic Adventure, Soul Calibur, Powerstone, etc. What really killed the Sega Dreamcast was not only Playstation 2 hype, but a lack of support from Sega. The Playstation 2 was very mediocre at launch but did buildup one of the greatest libraries in gaming. In term's of it's graphics the GS accelerator wasn't particularly advanced, and in many ways shared IQ similar to a Voodoo 2 - that's why it's graphics didn't look sufficiently cleaner than Sega Dreamcast - also make note that it used lower resolution 8-bit palatalized textures.

    • @TheYoyo
      @TheYoyo 4 роки тому +1

      @@TheKayliedGamerChannel-UA-cam I love the DC and it was and still is my console of choice. I think what ultimately led to its demise was lack of 3rd party support. SEGA was very possessive of its GDRom technology and would not let 3rd parties manufacture and produce games unless it went through one of their factories and studios. It was their way of control and helping stop piracy (ironically though the DC became the easiest console to pirate later on) I think if SEGA went through a traditional copyright style system the same way the Playstation and XBox did with mod-chips and opened up its GDRom burners and tech to third parties they would have fared a whole lot better. So many of the great DC games were basically SEGA games. Its a shame because I always felt SEGA was always pushing the boundaries when it came to hardware innovation, but they always fell because their library of games as a result suffered.

  • @rars0n
    @rars0n 5 років тому +18

    John, your content is quickly becoming some of my favorite on UA-cam. DF Retro is awesome. I can't get enough of it. I also love that you included footage of Test Drive Le Mans in this, it's one of my favorite racing games ever.
    I'd like to see you do a comparison of some of the games that started on DC and got ported to PS2. As I remember it, the DC versions were actually usually superior at least in terms of graphical quality. I had a VGA box back when the DC was released (my console still works perfectly fine after all these years, too) and I remember how amazing Soul Calibur looked on my PC monitor.
    I'm very good at soldering, I've done component-level board repair and have a nice bit of equipment for those types of jobs, so I could easily do the necessary work to install this. I am definitely going to buy one of these for my DC.

  • @livewallberg
    @livewallberg 5 років тому +45

    When the Dreamcast died gaming was not the same anymore. Greatest console of all time.

    • @MizfitZer0
      @MizfitZer0 5 років тому +7

      Mario Wallberg when Sega left the console market, gaming as a whole died a little

    • @seebulll
      @seebulll 4 роки тому

      definitely died too soon

    • @TheKayliedGamerChannel-YouTube
      @TheKayliedGamerChannel-YouTube 4 роки тому +3

      Wouldn't say it was THE 'best console ever' but definitely 'one' of the best - the hardware and software SEGA made (specifically its Arcade heritage) was a major factor in mainstream gaming video console history right until DC production ended - the last big hurrah for Sega nowadays is probably the Yakuza series & OutRun2 was the most notable release prior to that.

  • @bombjack1984
    @bombjack1984 5 років тому +15

    John: 'I could go on and on about the Dreamcast...'
    Please do, the Dreamcast was awesome.

  • @gabor-toth
    @gabor-toth 5 років тому +95

    I remember when 60 fps gaming felt more like the norm than the exception, I thought we will have it standard in the future. Instead we are still stuck with jerky 30 fps games most of the time on consoles. This also shows how ahead of its time the Dreamcast was. I wish Sega could've continued their way.

    • @DenkyManner
      @DenkyManner 5 років тому +34

      There wasn't a time in the 3d era when 60 was normal at home. N64 often ran at 20, Saturn the same (or lower). 60 isn't standard on Dreamcast either, it's mainly the arcade ports. Shenmue is 30, I think Sonic Adventure is 30. Sega Rally 2 and virtua fighter 3 ports were mishandled and had big slowdown. Consoles have always traded frames for detail and always will.

    • @snintendog
      @snintendog 5 років тому +11

      "gotta have 4K and 8K outputs now frame rate who cares 15 is good enough now" -Idiots

    • @gc3k
      @gc3k 5 років тому

      The glorious 6(0fps)th generation. wtf happened?

    • @hkoizumi3134
      @hkoizumi3134 5 років тому +16

      I am a PC gamers from the 90s and I can tell everyone that FPS did matter just as much as today. Thanks to affordable solutions from Voodoo, mainstream PC gaming were on It's way to high fidelity gaming that was reserved for enthusiasts couple years prior. Anyone saying we didn't care back then is simply wrong. Even DC was advertised as 60FPS gaming and it was one of the reason people got it.

    • @VexAcer
      @VexAcer 5 років тому +12

      You could say that gen was when 60fps was becoming more common than before, especially in terms of AAA/Exclusive games.
      I remember most of the PS2 games I played back then being a steady 60: Ace Combat 4, Dark Cloud, Ratchet & Clank Going Commando, Sly Cooper, Jak & Daxter, Breath of Fire V, Burnout 3, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, SpongeBob BFBB, SSX 3, Downhill Domination, Sky Odyssey, Pac-Man World 2, etc.

  • @slerched
    @slerched 5 років тому +42

    Actually first shot at true arcade perfection came many years before Dreamcast. You forgot the Neo Geo.
    Granted the price kept most people away, it was still arcade perfection at home first.

    • @aghayejalebian7364
      @aghayejalebian7364 5 років тому +10

      He was specifically talking about Sega delivering on their promise. Didn't discuss non-Sega consoles.

    • @madmax2069
      @madmax2069 5 років тому +8

      Well that's because the neo geo is arcade hardware.

    • @SpartanX360
      @SpartanX360 5 років тому +4

      Well Sega has lots of arcade perfect ports on the Dreamcast if you can’t afford a Neogeo console..

    • @dirtynewyorker4542
      @dirtynewyorker4542 5 років тому +1

      Dont forget the saturn and 3d0

    • @kendrakirai
      @kendrakirai 5 років тому +2

      But he specifically said the *first console*. Not first SEGA console.

  • @TheFreeToaster
    @TheFreeToaster 5 років тому +44

    Wait, it can't be 20 years old, I was almost 20 when it came out that would mean......oh....OH MY GOD.

    • @CRGR1997
      @CRGR1997 5 років тому

      Yo time hit me real fast too. I remember playing the Original Xbox like yesterday... My dad had bought it with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and now it's 18 years old and I'm 21.. What happened?

    • @HubertOuellet
      @HubertOuellet 4 роки тому +1

      I actually laughed out loud at that comment. Good job, sir!

    • @vileCR999
      @vileCR999 3 роки тому

      Hahaha yeah

    • @ultramarine40k65
      @ultramarine40k65 2 роки тому

      Time flies when you're having fun

  • @budge1972
    @budge1972 5 років тому +26

    Long live the Dreamcast!

  • @extofer
    @extofer 5 років тому +8

    Hey John, the Dreamcast was also the first console I preordered! **fistbump** 👊

    • @eagletrippin
      @eagletrippin 5 років тому +2

      Same here. Will never forget going to GameStop at 4 in the morning, no line, and picking up my system. While in college classes later that day, all I could think about was going back to playing NFL2K. It was all a game-changing experience; and my fondest as a lifelong gamer.

  • @Call_MeJD
    @Call_MeJD 5 років тому +43

    Keep on dreaming. Dreams become reality with the Dreamcast. Awesome

  • @sausagesausage
    @sausagesausage 5 років тому +16

    The Dreamcast was such a jump above the competition. I remember playing Powerstone and Sonic Adventure for the first time and being blown away by the graphics and framerate, I'd never seen anything like it. Out of the box online gameplay, game DLC (always free)... Holy shit it was a marvel. Then Shenmue came out and it took a whole generation for another console game to match it in graphics fidelity. Phantasy Star Online (PSO) is everything Anthem wishes it was, 2 decades later.
    It remains my favourite console of all time just for the feeling of sheer joy and the glimpse of the future of videogames it gave us, way back in 1998.

    • @CAPCOM784
      @CAPCOM784 5 років тому +2

      I bought the japanese dc just to play Marvel vs Capcom,Soulcaliber, and Dead or Alive 2.

    • @gc3k
      @gc3k 5 років тому +3

      I remember playing Soul Calibur on launch night, and going to the section where each character looks at you while reciting their win quotes. My mind was blown it was so lifelike back then

    • @SonikJesus
      @SonikJesus 4 роки тому

      Agreed. The DC was so ahead of its time, it’s crazy.

  • @grenadiadrian
    @grenadiadrian 5 років тому +3

    Anxiously awaiting my pre-order DCHDMI kit to arrive! Excellent video which firmly justifies my impulse decision to by the unit!

    • @matilija
      @matilija 5 років тому

      I'm in the same boat, can't wait for it.

  • @kenmys
    @kenmys 5 років тому +5

    The Dreamcast is my favorite aesthetically looking console. It's just so simple and compact but alluring. The feel of the power button or open tray button just have the best click.
    I am running my Dreamcast with a Akura box through a Framemeister. It was probably the best picture quality you could get from a Dreamcast before the DCHDMI showed up. If I don't run the Akura box through the FM, the picture on my 65" TV is a tiny square in the middle of the screen, less than a foot big in both height and width, making it unplayable without a upscaler solution. So really the DCHDMI is affordable when you take that into account. I would recommend a professional install as soldering those flex cables to a chip can be daunting, and if you mess it up you have to pray that the supplier has more in stock.
    I already purchased a DCHDMI kit a few months ago and my batch should be arriving soon. I am running a custom green case that were produced two decades ago by a third party and fetch a pretty penny on Ebay when they do show up. I did this to avoid cutting into the original shell as I believe in preservation of older consoles. I also have the GDEMU installed, and the Noctua fan mount making the system damn near silent and the ultimate way to play Dreamcast games.
    Sadly I refuse to play it until the Retro Fighters Dreamcast controllers arrive. My hands are much bigger than they were when I originally used that claw grip controller. It feels very uncomfortable to wield those controllers now.

  • @retrom8442
    @retrom8442 5 років тому +9

    I love all of the Digital Foundry videos. But I particularly like the DF Retro video's, can you please cover the 8-bit era, computers and consoles?

  • @perfectlyslicedegg3348
    @perfectlyslicedegg3348 5 років тому +26

    The Dreamcast is my favourite console! So many excellent games.

    • @TheXev
      @TheXev 5 років тому +8

      Still the only console I bought on launch day. Still has the best day-one launch titles of any console. How Sony got away with bullshitting their launch day sales numbers for PS2, I'll never know.

    • @AmbientMess
      @AmbientMess 5 років тому +1

      My personal faves: Jet Set Radio, Sonic Adventure 1&2, Dead or Alive 2: Resi: Code Veronica, the list goes on!!

    • @SonikJesus
      @SonikJesus 4 роки тому

      Dave Atkins Toy commander, Crazy taxi, Powerstone, shenmue, skies of arcadia, dead or alive 2. the list goes on.

  • @paulmann8210
    @paulmann8210 5 років тому +2

    Many thanks for another competent Retro Episode. I appreciate the good, background info filled content, top👍.

  • @BRIANSTECHTHERAPY
    @BRIANSTECHTHERAPY 5 років тому +1

    John!! Your my hero bro!! Nice job and the passion you have is evident!

  • @2drealms196
    @2drealms196 5 років тому

    Great job as always! Also thank you for including the music selection at the end!

  • @arbiter-
    @arbiter- 5 років тому +4

    I hope you talk about the Saturn soon, I love these videos.

  • @dnaglitchgaming6565
    @dnaglitchgaming6565 5 років тому +9

    I remember getting it day one and getting a hotel at the beach with some friends and lots of beer. We had a blast that weekend. I was 16 maybe but I remember friends asking me if they could borrow it after the party and I said HELL NO. I ended up staying up all night playing Soul Caliber with my homey Sunday night. Going from Nintendo 64 to that was like literally going to arcade at the mall but at home. Wish it would of suceeded.

  • @Console_Gaming_Vids
    @Console_Gaming_Vids 5 років тому +1

    This weekend was shit until I saw DF Retro had a new video. Thanks, John!

  • @ermacgerd8895
    @ermacgerd8895 5 років тому +7

    The best console released up to date, together with og xbox, and they both live today, ~20 years after

    • @kevboard
      @kevboard 5 років тому +2

      og Xbox or as I call it: Dreamcast 2 😁

  • @JustAnotherGamerUS
    @JustAnotherGamerUS 5 років тому +3

    THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Finally someone covers the best way to get highest quality visuals & sound out of a Dreamcast in the modern era

  • @twe8k
    @twe8k 5 років тому

    I love these Sunday morning DF Retros!

  • @NaruCedSuke
    @NaruCedSuke 5 років тому +1

    I can't wait to see more videos from the Dreamcast! So many good memories

  • @Hoahmarufugudoku
    @Hoahmarufugudoku 5 років тому

    Mr. Digital Foundry, first of all, I want to say I found your video incredibly informative, you kept a very nice balance layman explanation while still going nicely in depth into the product. I'm sure if you ever attempted an in-depth/scientific video explanation of the product or if you made a how-to installation guide of the product you would do great. Either way you video was of incredible high quality (video engineering/audio engineering/script) in every aspect video, audio, images, presentation, everything REALLY. Most importantly to me your video is completely devoided of any pretentia. It's very easy to see that this product and this subject matter is of great importance to you and truly is a passion. So clean of pretentiousness is so rare to see in UA-cam and it makes me so happy to see it in a subject matter that is important to me. Your video is truly the first 10/10 I have seen on youtube. If it was up to me you would be the number content creator of this subject matter. So far this is the only one of your videos I have watched, but I have a feeling all your videos are of this high caliber and high quality. Please keep on making videos after years of having a youtube account and watching videos you truly are the first content creator I willingly have subscribed to. Thank you so much for the great content and I wish very much for your continued success. I offer my support in your endeavor if you ever need it. Thank you once again sir and godspeed.

  • @METR0lD
    @METR0lD 5 років тому +3

    Man I love the Dreamcast so much. I was there on 9/9/99, and I still have my Dreamcast. But yeah, I don't have a good way to play it on my current TV, which is a shame. And modded options like this always scare me away. Anyway, thank you for showing the amazing Bangai-o! That game is a masterpiece!

  • @TheOuterhaven
    @TheOuterhaven 5 років тому +2

    For those wondering what the opening music game from, it's a game called "Border Down". A SHMUP for the Dreamcast and it's damned good.

  • @Estaran
    @Estaran 5 років тому +1

    12:25 LOL! The RetroRGB reference. Love it!

  • @LeoA2600
    @LeoA2600 5 років тому +1

    Much better than the other video out on UA-cam about this. Shut it down when 20 minutes had passed and he hadn't even gotten to the mod yet.

  • @crestofhonor2349
    @crestofhonor2349 5 років тому +71

    Sometimes I feel like 6th gen games have aged better than 7th gen games

    • @vladthemanpire5894
      @vladthemanpire5894 5 років тому

      Are you sure

    • @fenix_tx_1342
      @fenix_tx_1342 5 років тому +24

      To a degree it's true, 6th gen was colourful, while the first half of the 7th gen hated colour for some reason, it was plagued by brown and yellow games with a shit ton of bloom. You know, the piss filter look. If you look at Gears 1&2 and compair them to 3 is a night and day difference, it's like suddenly they remembered brown wasn't the only damn colour.

    • @poisonsnivy6439
      @poisonsnivy6439 5 років тому +8

      6th gen games have a tendency to run at 60, not to mention 7th gen games started to have input lag

    • @Aristowi
      @Aristowi 5 років тому +1

      @@fenix_tx_1342 It's just art design, it changes with each generation, trial and error, trying something new, overuse it then try something different. I like the grim atmosphere of Gears 1.

    • @Deliveredmean42
      @Deliveredmean42 5 років тому +4

      @@Aristowi Sure, having that for a few games is fine. It was a nice thing for that specific series for the time. But when the majority of the games are brown during the 7th gen consoles, it became a problem. Though it probably was as bad with everyone making their own mascot platformers during the late 80s to early 2000s.

  • @samuelkibunda6960
    @samuelkibunda6960 5 років тому +12

    John you are a true role model may God bless you

  • @acardenasjr1340
    @acardenasjr1340 5 років тому +8

    Really loved playing Skies of Arcadia.

  • @Luetin09
    @Luetin09 5 років тому +8

    Subbed off this vid, what a great overview enjoyed all of this.

  • @dookietechbug3250
    @dookietechbug3250 5 років тому

    That Techromancer gameplay gave me the feels. Love the video!

  • @mrratchet
    @mrratchet 5 років тому

    More John! We need more Dreamcast! Excellent video as always, you've pretty much sold me on the DCHDMI, though I'll have to see if anyone can solder it and modify the case for me.

    • @DWyn-xq4yf
      @DWyn-xq4yf 5 років тому

      On Black Dog Technology's site there is a confirmed list of people who can do the job. Thank goodness.

  • @Melkiah34
    @Melkiah34 5 років тому +1

    I remember when I got my DC, it was about 2 weeks after it released and I got sonic with it, I was so blown away by the graphical jump of previous consoles and I dont think that ever happened to me again until the original crisis was released on PC.

  • @CanaldoZenny
    @CanaldoZenny 5 років тому +1

    Sega fan here since childhood, first console was a white Sega Saturn. Just installed Redream and discovering the Dreamcast's library (but i had played some of its games on PC ports over the years). Might be my new favorite system. I like arcade/pick-and-play games, and the console has a very 2000's feeling other 6th gen consoles don't have.

  • @adamreid5901
    @adamreid5901 5 років тому

    Thanks for your hard work John!

  • @JaminWarrenPMS
    @JaminWarrenPMS 5 років тому +1

    What a profound insight the Dreamcast that came out two and a half years after the N64 (starting the next generation of consoles) looks like a generation apart. Brilliant!

  • @APE029
    @APE029 5 років тому +2

    The Dreamcast was special part of my gaming childhood and I'm 24... powerstone, slave zero, crazy taxi, dead or alive sonic what a lineup

  • @bartsneezin
    @bartsneezin 2 роки тому

    Bob from RetroRGB popping up in the bottom right corner at 12:24 when "Bob-deinterlacing" was brought up got a genuine laugh out of me.

  • @zerolullabiez
    @zerolullabiez 5 років тому

    I've been using a Hanzo VGA Box +Atlona AT-HD500 upscaler for 5 years now. It was certainly pricey but totally worth it. Crystal clear 1080p output. Looks outstanding. Never experienced any "electrical noise" or "humming" in the audio as you say. Investing on better cables is a must here, the price indeed always gonna reflects quality.

  • @rossoreilly05
    @rossoreilly05 5 років тому +10

    Thank you, from the Dreamcast Junkyard.

  • @frombauer
    @frombauer 5 років тому +4

    It's a crime this channel has less than 1m subs. John, stellar work as usual! :)

  • @GameplayandTalk
    @GameplayandTalk 5 років тому

    Excellent overview. I will definitely be keeping an eye out on this mod. I recently got the Ultra HDMI done on my Nintendo 64 and it's incredible, and the DC HDMI looks just as good if not better/more fully fledged. Though, looking at your comparison footage, I could also just look into getting an official VGA box as that still seems to look pretty great through the OSSC. Hm.. Lots of things to think about now.

  • @itchyisvegeta
    @itchyisvegeta 5 років тому

    Got mine ordered. Can't wait to get it.

  • @abletothink
    @abletothink 5 років тому

    I got mine preordered. Can't wait to get this thing installed.

  • @randytyson
    @randytyson 5 років тому

    This channel keeping the passion heart of 90's gaming alive

  • @MelissaAtwell
    @MelissaAtwell 2 роки тому +1

    Thank you so much for sharing this! It’s super helpful

  • @mrreece8986
    @mrreece8986 5 років тому

    I look forward to John's video the most there awesome 👍👍

  • @matuzaato
    @matuzaato 5 років тому

    Fantastic video!

  • @kiker0909
    @kiker0909 5 років тому +2

    Quake arena looked amazing and so did the sports games. I remember playing NFL and NBA 2k and being blown away.

    • @TboneTenEighties
      @TboneTenEighties 5 років тому

      Yep. Some of the best visuals at the time. Quake3 was awesome. Me and buddies would split screen for hours blowing each other into chunks with the RL lol and imo those 2K sports games were better than EA sports at the time.

  • @edurevelfood
    @edurevelfood 5 років тому +2

    Everybody is focused on improving image quality when the most important thing here is how to make these consoles last much longer

  • @GozuTennai
    @GozuTennai 5 років тому

    More late 90's retro stuff please. This was fantastic!

  • @justanotheryoutubechannel
    @justanotheryoutubechannel 5 років тому +5

    I really have to wonder how this console failed so badly. I mean, this game console is incredible! It looks awesome, even to my eyes in 2019! Back in 1999, this must’ve looked like the future! It’s so beautiful... And the games were so good! If I was around in this era, I would’ve loved this, as this was honestly ahead of its time.
    I’m going to buy a Dreamcast and a VGA box for it as I now have a lovely CRT monitor.

    • @linkaran512
      @linkaran512 4 роки тому +4

      Sega's terrible management, unfortunately

  • @noobdebusca1757
    @noobdebusca1757 5 років тому +6

    I love that console, so underrated

  • @justanotheryoutubechannel
    @justanotheryoutubechannel 5 років тому +3

    Yes! A new one right as I was about to finish watching the last of the old ones!

  • @ENunn
    @ENunn 4 роки тому

    about the toro color issue, if you're using the ossc make sure you go into the menu > video in proc. > pre adc gain, change that to 7. the colors will look much more natural. good review 👍 i'd love to have this installed one day

  • @Bun74
    @Bun74 5 років тому

    Thanks for the video, really interesting and very good quality of your capture ! I love my dreamcast too

  • @SuppleAloe64
    @SuppleAloe64 5 років тому

    Oh my god I’ve been looking forward to this thing for years!!! YES!!!

  • @danmons7446
    @danmons7446 5 років тому +9

    Lost it at "Bob deinterlace" :D

  • @dunggg
    @dunggg 5 років тому +1

    Dreamcast was and still is the most played console I ever owned. I played the Dreamcast from 2000 all the way to 2009, followed by the PS2. So much classics.

  • @NeoTeAika
    @NeoTeAika 5 років тому

    LOVE that new DF Retro opening!

  • @LowPingKing
    @LowPingKing 5 років тому

    Awesome video 👍
    I'll definitely be looking into this for my Dreamcast setup.
    Right now it's very complex and doesn't look near as good.

  • @wizzgamer
    @wizzgamer 5 років тому

    Good to see you guys acknowledge it came out in Japan a lot of Americans and some Europeans don't count the Japanese launch stating it was first released 9/9/99. They do it with other consoles too to be fair like the Famicom/NES or Super Famicom/SNES.

  • @morbid1.
    @morbid1. 5 років тому +8

    I was PSX fanboy and when I saw Dreamcast's games I was pissed but I knew PS2 is comming... kinda shame DC died so fast, console landscape would be totally different now.

  • @pegasusdrive12
    @pegasusdrive12 5 років тому +18

    The HQ2X filter is amazing. Makes the games look the way I remember them.

    • @rasz
      @rasz 5 років тому

      Pound cable is the closest thing to what people got back then on TVs.

  • @WombatMilk
    @WombatMilk 2 роки тому

    Dreamcast is the first console I ever purchased with my own money from my first part time job. It melted my brain then and I still love it after all these years. DF & DC forever ❤️

  • @SaviorsHand
    @SaviorsHand 5 років тому

    A great video John! I will admit though I'd have loved discussion about input lag if any. It's a huge factor in these types of scalers or cables and I wouldn't buy one without that kind of information. An amendment or follow up with information would be fantastic if possible. Have a good one!

  • @somesimo5122
    @somesimo5122 5 років тому

    As always, delivering a wonderfully enjoyable, catchy special! Guys please go on with your retro E3 commentaries, perhaps one from the xbox one launch? ;)

  • @kaikiske7436
    @kaikiske7436 5 років тому

    Great video, thanks for posting! Inspired me to pull out my Japanese launch DC and play some today, first time probably 6 or 7 years! I actually bought one of those Pound HDMI cables for DC whenever it came out, but never tried it out.
    The video quality is not great, sigh. Not as bad as I had expected. About the equivalent to composite I suppose. Hopefully there will be some plug n play solution at some point. $150 isn't bad for the upgrade (to me), but then you have to worry about whatever system you're modding having the drive die. I have 5 DCs, no way I'd get em all modded.
    I have 2 1080p TVs in my game room that both have VGA connections, those will be the go to TVs for DC. However, if I have to play the DC in my 4k living room HT setup, the Framemeister w/s-video (which I already have) or the Pound cable is ok enough I guess since I barely use the DC.
    Note: I didn't get the black crush video when pairing the Pound cable and my Samsung Q8FN when set to Normal (limited).

  • @fcfdroid
    @fcfdroid 5 років тому +1

    Dayum son! Proud of you for showing some love for my dreamcast❤️ that system was awesome as hell! Xbox controllers were HIGHLY influenced by the the design of the DC controller 🎮.

  • @egwok1
    @egwok1 5 років тому +1

    Just what I been looking for thx

  • @ren7a8ero
    @ren7a8ero 5 років тому +1

    Since the "retro" label came all old gaming stuff got really expensive... but that's for another time.
    Amazing solutions, nice to see dreamcast getting the light it deserves, the passion really is perceptible here. Hope someday I can apply such a solution at my console, today I just have a simple retrobit vga that I suspect is just like the cheapest of this video...

    • @SuppleAloe64
      @SuppleAloe64 5 років тому

      ren7a8ero You’re right about the “retro” label in many cases, but in this case the $150 price point was set pretty early on in the project’s history (years ago). It’s less to do with the “retro” label and more to do with the components. A cyclone 10 dev board is $100 off the bat already, and that’s pretty bare. Good FPGAs like this are just pricey stuff, and this is one of the cheapest good FPGAs out there.

  • @jrno93
    @jrno93 5 років тому

    Been here since the beginning. Your awesome is channel

  • @gex581990
    @gex581990 5 років тому

    We need more DF Retro episodes!!

  • @xun3
    @xun3 5 років тому

    Yes! Love the retro logo for Digital Foundry, you should make it the new standard DF Retro logo

  • @stevesmith1383
    @stevesmith1383 5 років тому +10

    Cause the dreamcast is a generation apart from N64, it was the earliest released of the gamecube/ps2/xbox generation, not a late edition to the NG4/PS1 gen.

    • @sausagesausage
      @sausagesausage 5 років тому

      Eh, it was somewhere in between generations. It released closer to the N64 than it did to Gamecube and Xbox and about the same distance from the N64 as to the PS2.

    • @gc3k
      @gc3k 5 років тому +1

      Is DC's chip size and overall architecture closer to PS2 or to N64? Not the power/performance, but the parts. The insanely well made port of Virtual On OT would simply be unheard of on N64

    • @SonikJesus
      @SonikJesus 4 роки тому

      sausagesausage DC was part of the 6th generation of consoles. That’s a fact.

  • @DoubleMonoLR
    @DoubleMonoLR 2 роки тому

    Cheap VGA cables for Dreamcast are still available on aliexpress. I had a 3rd party VGA cable back when the DC was still somewhat recent, and I didn't notice any issues on a CRT monitor, though I wasn't looking for any. I do remember Soul Calibur looking fantastic, and didn't notice anything that seemed off in comparison to using the monitor with a PC.
    I'd imagine even using this with an older LCD TV/monitor that has VGA in, should look very good in many cases.

  • @Ostnizdasht206
    @Ostnizdasht206 Рік тому +1

    So many great memories with the Dreamcast. Everyone had already migrated to the PS2 when I was playing it, but I would honestly say I had a lot better time with the Dreamcast than the PS2.

  • @gamingwithdummies3960
    @gamingwithdummies3960 5 років тому

    Dreamcast is one of my favorite consoles of all time. I absolutely love it. Going to definitely look into this HDMI solution

  • @Anthon1996
    @Anthon1996 5 років тому

    I just saw this video, and it was glorious!

  • @madfinntech
    @madfinntech 5 років тому

    Excellent review! Definitely will get one of these if I ever decide to dive more into Dreamcast. I wish someone modded PS2's video output with the same enthusiasm because that's my favorite console of that generation and its biggest downside with modern displays is the muddy video quality, even with good cables and scalers.

  • @vrakula
    @vrakula 5 років тому +1

    I'm very happy with my Gekko box! Looks amazing.

  • @evergaolbird
    @evergaolbird 5 років тому

    The SEGA Dreamcast - the console that introduced me to Phantasy Star, got hooked into it after that and played the classic Phantasy Star games and still plays PSO2 to this day. Great stuff

  • @Skylancer727
    @Skylancer727 5 років тому +1

    I used a third party VGA cable for the Dreamcast fed to a cheap VGA to HDMI converter and the results were fantastic on my end with minimal blur if even any at all.
    Sadly, it seems both the cable and adapter I bought are both no longer available with the cable absolutely gone and the adapter was updated so it isn't really the same product.

  • @CheesieGamer
    @CheesieGamer 2 роки тому

    I just bought my first dreamcast... Learning a lot of this obscure gem

  • @Aggrofool
    @Aggrofool 5 років тому

    DF Retro is my favorite part of each weekend.

  • @jenesuispasbavard
    @jenesuispasbavard 5 років тому

    MDK 2! I love the nostalgia bombs in these DF Retro videos.

  • @wingman-1977
    @wingman-1977 5 років тому +17

    Man, watching this makes me really hope Sega releases a Dreamcast classic (which I guess it might depend on how well the Genesis classic does).

    • @ashfury
      @ashfury 5 років тому +5

      Wingman1977 Saturn forever ignored ;_;

    • @theobserver4214
      @theobserver4214 5 років тому +1

      ashfury Too complex. It’d only work if M2 was brought on board, as they can find a way to make Saturn games run authentically on weaker machines.

    • @TheTrueBro
      @TheTrueBro 3 роки тому

      Sega and M2 have already stated that a DC Mini (or a Saturn Mini) wouldn't be possible in this moment due to technology and costs reasons. I imagine that, if they want to make it now, it'd cost way too much.
      Considering that Dreamcast emulation has matured quite quickly, I think that would be the closest possibility. Saturn? Unless M2 makes a miracle, I don't see that happening in a short term.

  • @xuano666
    @xuano666 5 років тому

    Good video. Honesty, a VGA Box + OSSC is the most convinient combo for users of many retro systems. It doesn't requiere heavy modifications and it's easy to use.