Which freaking region is my Dreamcast??

[saurianoverlord]

Hi all; first time posting here. Question(s) regarding my Dreamcast:

I recently was looking into some info creating DC backups and ran into an article that mentioned particular DC models (some from Oct. and Dec. 2000, apparently) that don't boot the burned self-booting CDs. So i looked at the label on the bottom of my Dreamcast, never having really paid attention to it before (i picked it up a few years ago at a thrift store for $8; what a deal!) and noticed the familiar region "logo"...you know, the little box that says "NTSC." Except the adjacent box contains, to my surprise, a "J." During some frantic Google-searching, i ran into an FAQ that said the plastic piece above the power LED (the half of the "triangle" that's on the lid) is clear on a Japanese system (which it is on mine) and grey on a US or PAL system.

So, i've come to the conclusion that my system is indeed Japanese, regardless of how unlikely it seems to me. Am i right?

Now, i only own a few DC games, but they're all US games, and play just fine on my system. I can't seem to get any straight information by searching the 'net, but what i have gathered is that a Japanese system should require a mod chip to play US games, just as a US system would for Japanese games. Is there any way of determining whether there's a mod chip in my system (other than opening it and looking)? Or do Japanese DCs play US games after all? Or maybe i have a US system in a Japanese shell? That would be kinda screwy.

Maybe it would be worth my while to simply pick up a couple of the Japanese games i've had my eye on and see if they'll work?

[Mozgus]

You kind of answer your own questions there. I mean, if it plays LEGIT USA NTSC games just fine, then it is indeed a USA region Dreamcast, or at least the board is. Doubtful that you got a modded dreamcast without knowing it. Luckily, the dreamcast is one of the easiest systems to take apart, so why don't you just check?

Also, that rumor about post oct 2000 DC's not playing backups is false. I get so tired of that. I have played backups on 2001 machines. I think the truth is that a certain model revision of dreamcast cant play the OLD form of backups, which used the audio/data selfboot method. But the newer selfboot method, data/data, works fine. But that again is a rumor, and god I hate rumors. All I know is if you got a backup-capable Dreamcast, stick with it. I've never found one that couldn't play backups, but I know a dude online who claims to have one.

[racketboy]

I guess if it plays all the games you want it to, it shouldn't really matter what region it is
If you really wanna give it a try, buy some cheap imports and see if they boot

[arion]

You kind of answer your own questions there. I mean, if it plays LEGIT USA NTSC games just fine, then it is indeed a USA region Dreamcast, or at least the board is. Doubtful that you got a modded dreamcast without knowing it. Luckily, the dreamcast is one of the easiest systems to take apart, so why don't you just check?

Also, that rumor about post oct 2000 DC's not playing backups is false. I get so tired of that. I have played backups on 2001 machines. I think the truth is that a certain model revision of dreamcast cant play the OLD form of backups, which used the audio/data selfboot method. But the newer selfboot method, data/data, works fine. But that again is a rumor, and god I hate rumors. All I know is if you got a backup-capable Dreamcast, stick with it. I've never found one that couldn't play backups, but I know a dude online who claims to have one.

and also there are very few 2001 dreamcasts out there so the chance of anyone being unlucky enough to have one (if the rumour is true) is slim at best

[saurianoverlord]

Luckily, the dreamcast is one of the easiest systems to take apart, so why don't you just check?

I probably will do that later today; never opened a DC before, but this is as good an excuse as any i suppose. I'm pretty well convinced that somehow my local Goodwill ended up with an imported DC. Looking at some other pictures online, the bottom of my unit doesn't look anything like a US one should. I hadn't even thought of the fact that i don't have the usual FCC or laser-product-warning labels on mine. Just the one label with the DC logo and model number, "UGO DENSHI" printed above the power information, "Made in Japan," and the region code...and a whole bunch of stuff in kanji/kana.

I think the truth is that a certain model revision of dreamcast cant play the OLD form of backups, which used the audio/data selfboot method. But the newer selfboot method, data/data, works fine. But that again is a rumor, and god I hate rumors. All I know is if you got a backup-capable Dreamcast, stick with it.

Yes, that's what the site i was reading was getting at; sorry for not being too clear. Thanks for pointing out that it's a <i>rumor</i>, which said site neglected to mention. Anyway, i haven't tried backups properly yet; i did try DreamSNES a while back, but it failed to boot as i did something wrong burning it, and i haven't gotten around to trying again. That's actually how i arrived at this--i'm going to try burning a couple of images, and i wanted to make sure i was doing it right this time! Anyway, whether it plays them or not, i do plan to keep it in my collection.

[Mozgus]

Yes, that's what the site i was reading was getting at; sorry for not being too clear. Thanks for pointing out that it's a <i>rumor</i>, which said site neglected to mention.

Ya also gatta remember that there are a dozen variables in the equation, when it comes to playing DC backups. For example, all CD burners are different. All brands of CD media are different. The laser lens in the GD-ROM and most other disc drives are stubborn unreliable components. Sometimes all it takes is a micro-adjustment to the lens bias, and the system works fine with backups. I really question whether there ever truly was a Dreamcast that locked out the selfboot methods we use...