Hey guys,
I don't know if I'm doing something wrong but I seem to have dificulty burning Dreamcast images onto a blank CD-R.
I am using a PAL Dreamcast (which I bought recently off ebay, love it!) and I assume it was designed in 1999 because thats the date on the box. Is there any accurate way to tell?
Well, the discs are "Imation CD-R 1-52x 700mb" and I was burning a .cdi image of Half Life Gold and an .mdf image of Rez via Alcohol 120%.
I assume using Alcohol was wrong and I'm going to try Disc Juggler as I write. Fingers Crossed!
By the way, is there some formula that you need to follow to like writing the discs as a paticular speed?
Is anybody able to tell me just from the data I gave you that I'm doing something wrong? If any additional information is required, I'm happy to answer to the best of my knowledge.
Cheers,
-Ducky
Troubles with burning Dreamcast images...
Playstation profile? I don't mean to come off sounding like a loser, but I'm new to Alcohol 120% and the Dreamcast... What exactly is it and how do I access it?
Could it be that I've downloaded bad images?
What exactly, also, is the lens bias trick?
I really would prefer if I didn't sell my Dreamcast as a last resort, since my Dad would be annoyed if I sold my birthday present.
Is there a more straight-foward, convineant burning program over A120?
Could it be that my images are NTSC/NTSC-J copies?
Cheers,
-Ducky
PS: Five discs wasted, none work... I'll try your advice, Mozgus, when I get a better understanding of my querries.
Could it be that I've downloaded bad images?
What exactly, also, is the lens bias trick?
I really would prefer if I didn't sell my Dreamcast as a last resort, since my Dad would be annoyed if I sold my birthday present.
Is there a more straight-foward, convineant burning program over A120?
Could it be that my images are NTSC/NTSC-J copies?
Cheers,
-Ducky
PS: Five discs wasted, none work... I'll try your advice, Mozgus, when I get a better understanding of my querries.
Since you're using a PAL Dreamcast, it can play backups no matter the manufacture date, so you don't have a problem there. It is only NTSC Dreamcasts made beyond a certain date (October 2000 I believe) that have trouble playing backups. But to verify that you are in fact using a PAL Dreamcast, look at the bottom-right hand corner of the sticker on the underside of the Dreamcast, and it should say PAL E.
Also, it wouldn't matter if the images are NTSC-U/NTSC-J, since the Dreamcast ignores the game's region when booting from a backup. So again, no problem there.
Personally, I would encourage you to burn Dreamcast images with Alcohol 120%. For me, it has successfully burned CDI, CCD+IMG+SUB,
MDF+MDS and NRG images, with it only having trouble with BIN+CUE images because, for some reason, Alcohol can't read the cuesheet. For BIN+CUE images I just use FireBurner, but you can also use CDRWIN if your burner is supported by that program.
The settings that I have found success with when using Alcohol 120% are:
Write Speed: Set to the minimum that your burner can allow, since you don't want any data to be lost.
Write Method: RAW DAO
Datatype: Customize (on Mozgus' suggestion of using the PlayStation profile: I've never tried burning with this profile, but burning with either profile should work)
Uncheck all settings
The settings for burning, then, should look something like this:
http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... ledmz6.png
If your images aren't working with the settings recommended by myself and Mozgus, then I can PM you links to images which I 100% know that they work. If you are still not having success after this, then try a different, more expensive brand media such as Verbatim, TDK and the like. If all the above doesn't work, then try out the burned images on a different Dreamcast (which, I understand is quite difficult if you don't have a friend that owns one).
Good luck!
Also, it wouldn't matter if the images are NTSC-U/NTSC-J, since the Dreamcast ignores the game's region when booting from a backup. So again, no problem there.
Personally, I would encourage you to burn Dreamcast images with Alcohol 120%. For me, it has successfully burned CDI, CCD+IMG+SUB,
MDF+MDS and NRG images, with it only having trouble with BIN+CUE images because, for some reason, Alcohol can't read the cuesheet. For BIN+CUE images I just use FireBurner, but you can also use CDRWIN if your burner is supported by that program.
The settings that I have found success with when using Alcohol 120% are:
Write Speed: Set to the minimum that your burner can allow, since you don't want any data to be lost.
Write Method: RAW DAO
Datatype: Customize (on Mozgus' suggestion of using the PlayStation profile: I've never tried burning with this profile, but burning with either profile should work)
Uncheck all settings
The settings for burning, then, should look something like this:
http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... ledmz6.png
If your images aren't working with the settings recommended by myself and Mozgus, then I can PM you links to images which I 100% know that they work. If you are still not having success after this, then try a different, more expensive brand media such as Verbatim, TDK and the like. If all the above doesn't work, then try out the burned images on a different Dreamcast (which, I understand is quite difficult if you don't have a friend that owns one).
Good luck!
Last edited by Shy on Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
I dunno about the supposed models that cant play CD-Rs, because I've seen 1999 models that also can't play them without lens tweaks.
Also, I simply suggest the Playstation profile because it selects RAW DAO mode for you. I believe it's easier to explain than telling the user to find the DAO setting. Guess I was wrong.
Anyways man, do a search before you post. This is the most common Dreamcast question of all time.
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2783
Also, I simply suggest the Playstation profile because it selects RAW DAO mode for you. I believe it's easier to explain than telling the user to find the DAO setting. Guess I was wrong.
Anyways man, do a search before you post. This is the most common Dreamcast question of all time.
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2783
Huzzah!
Thanks for your help guys!
Finally, I can play REZ and Half-Life! I really should buy REZ and do the designers a favour, though. But, I was having dificulty finding it and/or the money...
Oh, and afrobacon, I knew I had a PAL Dreamcast, I was more curious about the manufacture year. And the RAW DAO option got it working to thanks a ton!
And Mozgus, My apologies... I'm still orientating myself around the forums. And I did google about this question before posting here with several faliures.
I have one disc left. What should I get? SonicA2? ScummVM? Bleemcast? Or something else?
Cheers again,
-Ducky
Thanks for your help guys!
Finally, I can play REZ and Half-Life! I really should buy REZ and do the designers a favour, though. But, I was having dificulty finding it and/or the money...
Oh, and afrobacon, I knew I had a PAL Dreamcast, I was more curious about the manufacture year. And the RAW DAO option got it working to thanks a ton!
And Mozgus, My apologies... I'm still orientating myself around the forums. And I did google about this question before posting here with several faliures.
I have one disc left. What should I get? SonicA2? ScummVM? Bleemcast? Or something else?
Cheers again,
-Ducky
The pirated Sonic 2 is severely downgraded from the real game. Bleemcast is completely worthless. I hear good things about ScummVM. If you can get a disc of it that had full versions of some of the games, go with that.Ducky wrote:Huzzah!
Thanks for your help guys!
Finally, I can play REZ and Half-Life! I really should buy REZ and do the designers a favour, though. But, I was having dificulty finding it and/or the money...
Oh, and afrobacon, I knew I had a PAL Dreamcast, I was more curious about the manufacture year. And the RAW DAO option got it working to thanks a ton!
And Mozgus, My apologies... I'm still orientating myself around the forums. And I did google about this question before posting here with several faliures.
I have one disc left. What should I get? SonicA2? ScummVM? Bleemcast? Or something else?
Cheers again,
-Ducky
Oh, I don't need to worry about if the games aren't there, I have all the Scumm games I need stored on my Computer.
And I've heard Propeller Arena is awesome but I'll need to find a well seeded torrent which I cannot seem to...
Is it a stupid question to ask where a good DC homebrew site may be?
Any other reccommended programs?
Looks like I'll be needing more discs!
Cheers,
-Ducky
And I've heard Propeller Arena is awesome but I'll need to find a well seeded torrent which I cannot seem to...
Is it a stupid question to ask where a good DC homebrew site may be?
Any other reccommended programs?
Looks like I'll be needing more discs!
Cheers,
-Ducky
http://dreamcast.dcemu.co.uk/Ducky wrote:Is it a stupid question to ask where a good DC homebrew site may be?