ProfessorK wrote:
- I have often heard a boot disc is the best way to play imports. Which one is best and where can I find it? Or if there is a better way, aside from importing a console, what is it?
http://dcisozone.com/downloads/1611/DCX ... ANGER.html
"ta daaaa"
honestly though, I would just use the Utopia boot disc:
http://www.snesorama.us/board/showthread.php?t=2847
or download any import games in .cdi format (dcisozone and snesorama are your friends) and burn with discjuggler. That way, you just throw in the disc and play and you don't have to worry about damaging your precious (and likely expensive) import games. Plus you can get cool multi-discs like the 4-in-1 shooter pack (most of the best vertical/horizontal shooters) and the Toodles Capcom Fighter Collection featuring MVC2, SF III: Third Strike, Super SFII, Super Puzzle Fighter, Ikaruga, and Capcom vs. SNK 2.
ProfessorK wrote:
- Does playing burnt discs hurt the DC in any way? I have heard that it does but for the life of me I can't figure out how or why it would.
Thanks...
"NO! QUIT ASKING!"
CRTGAMER wrote:Depends on point of view. The GD-Rom (as any CD or DVD reader) Laser does have to work harder on picking up the CDR "pits". The way the dye is formed on a write-table vs a "Stamped" factory disc.
There's no "point of view" to be had. The drive does not "work harder" to read a CD-R, it just has to be in better overall working condition. The focusing of the laser is virtually the same as a camera focusing. It doesn't wear out a camera any more to try to focus in a dark room than in sunlight, but it is much easier to take a clear photo in sunlight. Swap a camera with a laser lense, a pressed disc with sunlight, and a CD-R with a dark room, and there you have a functional analogy.
The only reason a CD-R would wear out a drive faster is if it was a poorly made disc image that caused the laser to track more often. Since a CD is inherently less data-dense than a GD-ROM, no matter what the laser is going to track a little more. That said, the laser tracking mechanism is actually quite robust and I would imagine a well maintained DC should last for years to come. I suspect most "drive failures" are more likely caused by dirty lenses/assemblies, slipping spindles from too much dirt/finger oil on it (clean the rubber ring), or the "lid closed" switch failing as it is very susceptible to dust/lint buildup. All of these problems can be fixed with cleaning except for the lid switch, but if worse comes to worst, you can just grab some pliers and rip that switch off and solder across the traces and just make your Dreamcast think the lid is always closed (which shouldn't cause a problem other than it won't stop the disc if you pop the lid while it's on).
oh, and if anyone is wondering why the DC is so loud, it's because there is a nylon gear assembly linking the DC motor (as in, direct current) and the actual worm gear that drives the laser in order to slow the overall rpms of the worm gear in relation to the motor (PS2s drive the worm gear straight off of the motor, I guess the custom nature of the GD-ROM meant is was cheaper to just use gears instead of create a custom DC motor). Like an RC car, these gears tend to be noisy when turning high revvs. In spite of the noisiness, they are actually quite robust.
