How is your Dreamcast gaming going on?

[Tanooki]

If the puru pack runs with stock Rez I'd get it, but if I had to go and burn another version and get all creative I know I wouldn't commit. I have too many things I'd like to play as it is so I'd be blowing too much effort for a personal minimum gain.

It's funny but every single time someone brings up Rez and the vibrator pad it makes me think of this article I read damn 15 years ago. Look up Rez, the pad, and game girl advance (was her user name.) It's a pretty amusing story.

[CRTGAMER]

Amazingly ran out of time, never got to Rez. :\

As mentioned earlier, be sure to have a puru pack with Rez. MadCatz Lightup vibration pack the best. Once you get into it, look for the K-Project version ISO download.

wait, what's that version do differently? and i've the weaker sega jump pack thing myself, always wondered if it'd just be better to track down a PS2 vibration controller instead

K-Project has different music, different subtle graphics and a different endless level. MafCatz Puru the best, the heavy vibration and lightup adding to the game. Really, the controller beats to the music! I have the rare PS2 vibration pack (no not a vibrator) as well.

My Rez Collection posted here: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 3#p1075233

[Tanooki]

Game Girl Advance says otherwise about it being one.

I probably should peek into the trance pad or whatever we'll call it for the DC as I am a little curious.

I did fire the game up a bit earlier. Got comfy with one fast pass of stage 1 w/no damage in that mode. Then I went back did stages1 and 2 which unlocked 1-3 in that mode which is cool. I'm surprised how nicely I'm doing with it, got a 100% rate on one of the bars in area 2. My shoot down was no worse than 94 or 96% on a first try.

[miked]

So i had an urge to play Shenmue 1 and 2 last week, and urge I seem to get every 2 or 3 years. Got out the DC, VGA box and all that only to find out that my DC no longer reads discs. A sad day.

Not to give up so easily, I decided to check up on DC emulation since I hadn't given it a try in a few years. NullDC has not been updated in some time, so nothing really had changed there. Plenty of glitches in the visual and sound department.

Demul on the other hand has come a long way! The official website does not seem to have the newest version posted, but I did find the newest version in this post at the old Shenmue Dojo:

http://www.shenmuedojo.net/forum/viewto ... 37&t=48692

As far as I can tell this version is extremely accurate. I have finished The first game and am a little ways into the sequel. I was amazed when I tried the arcade games even those worked! I surely thought those would crash the emu. I had to check the "Fix ATI textures" option to fix a few flickering textures, but even those were minor and few and far between before I realized the fix.

The newest graphics plugin is designed with accuracy in mind and does not allow for changing the internal resolution and such, but it basically looked like a DC with a VGA hookup to me, so i was satisfied. It requires a fairly decent computer to run well, but if my APU setup ran it fine most anybody with a system built in the last 5 years or so should be fine.

Just thought I would pass on the word for anyone else that didnt know Demul had gotten so good

[Tanooki]

I actually grabbed that out of curiosity a couple weeks back, took a bit to figure out why it wouldn't fire up a disc, but I had grabbed Crazy Taxi to compare to my legit copy but also Rez. Both ran extremely well which surprised me so I agree with the above post. I don't run ATI though but nvidia so I guess you can say it works solidly on either maker.



Ok I'm confused, please look at this recent VGA cable and other junk auction on ebay I missed (accidentally) a week ago.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sega-Dreamcast- ... 2064842395

Is this everything you would need to allow yourself to have the DC run through HDMI so that depending on the game if it hates VGA or not you still can get both audio and visual output as wanted in the end? Or did this guy go overboard? Couldn't you get the retrobit(haig, etc) box and just a vga<->hdmi and rca cable? Or would this in VGA mode not allow audio without eating up an RCA cable position as VGA doesn't transmit audio?? If it's going to be this complicated just for a somewhat nicer image I can live with it as it is.

[miked]

I actually grabbed that out of curiosity a couple weeks back, took a bit to figure out why it wouldn't fire up a disc, but I had grabbed Crazy Taxi to compare to my legit copy but also Rez. Both ran extremely well which surprised me so I agree with the above post. I don't run ATI though but nvidia so I guess you can say it works solidly on either maker.



Ok I'm confused, please look at this recent VGA cable and other junk auction on ebay I missed (accidentally) a week ago.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sega-Dreamcast- ... 2064842395

Is this everything you would need to allow yourself to have the DC run through HDMI so that depending on the game if it hates VGA or not you still can get both audio and visual output as wanted in the end? Or did this guy go overboard? Couldn't you get the retrobit(haig, etc) box and just a vga<->hdmi and rca cable? Or would this in VGA mode not allow audio without eating up an RCA cable position as VGA doesn't transmit audio?? If it's going to be this complicated just for a somewhat nicer image I can live with it as it is.

Vga is an analogue format so it sadly must be converted for HDMI digital. A VGA to HDMI cable will not work. Most TV's I see that have a VGA input also have a 1/8" headphone sized input for audio alongside it. The Vga box will also send audio through the RCA jacks at the same time as the 1/8" jack, so you can use whichever is convenient.

The VGA box should also have a switch on it for changing between VGA mode and Composite/S-Video. The idea is, if a game doesnt support VGA and cant be tricked with the cable swap method, you can just flip the switch and play on whichever other method your TV will support.

I can confirm that the HDMI converter box in that auction is crap. I bought the exact one off of amazon and i crapped out in about 2 weeks. Get one from monoprice.com, they are built to a much better quality.

Hope i helped to some degree

[Tanooki]

You did a bit, still a little confused.

Assuming I got that haig/retrobit box, can you link me on amazon, ebay, or monoprice the extra cables/converters I'd need to do this. I'd like to see how jumbled it would be and the $ behind it before I decide.

Thanks (if you do it or not).

[miked]

Like my boy DJ Jazzy Jeff always says, no prob bob.

I do recommend if your TV has a compatible VGA port to just use that. Hook up a laptop with a VGA cable and set the resolution to a super low 680x480. If it displays on the TV you are more than likely good, if not you will have to go with the converter box route. The HDMI conversion might make a very subtle difference in quality, but not likely enough to notice. It can also add additional lag, though I really dont notice any.

From the VGA box you will want to run these two cables from the box into the HDMI converter:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=85
Any length will work on these just make sure it has two male ends. 6ft is probably overkill for sure

Audio Cable:
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=644

Said HDMI converter:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=6191

This is pricier than when I bought mine. I think mine was $25 at the time. While it might be pricey I can vouch for the quality and ease of use.

From there its just a simple HDMI to the TV.

[stickem]

I got a few 720p lcds from 10 years ago with vga ports that dont except the resolution lol. What did the dam vga box ever work with? Its not like tvs before mine had vga. Im just going to get the convertor/upscaler linked from amazon above.

[marurun]

I have read that the Dreamcast VGA box outputs a slightly non-standard signal. Some LCD displays won't accept it. No CRT monitor should reject it, though.