Dreamcast Mod Chip

[redmachus]

That still only lets it be set as one region at a time. It doesn't make the console region free. I only have two retail PAL games and I was actually considering a mod chip just to do away with the boot disc. Boot discs are annoying.

I agree. I'd rather mod and be able to play any region game without having to mess around with boot discs, especially since I generally don't use back-up DC games. Saturn is another story, but if I had to use a boot disc on every game I wanted to play on it, I might think twice about burning anything.

After all, from what I understand all I'd be doing is sodering four wires to a chip. Not exactly rocket science. I just want to know where I can find a good chip and a decent tutorial for the actual installation.

[Ziggy]

However, the Dreamcast doesn't check for a region code when booting from a CD-R for some reason, so you can play backed up imports on a stock console.

That's only because most, but not all, of the scene released backups were prepatched to be region free.

But according to Racket's guide on playing imports,,,

The extra-nice thing about this is that when booting CDRs, the system does not pay attention to the region.

But either way, same effect.

Redmachus, you might have to resort to using a boot disc or ripped version, I wasn't able to find a single Dreamcast mod chip for sale on the interweb. At least a ripped version if a game and the boot disc are free.

[Mozgus]

However, the Dreamcast doesn't check for a region code when booting from a CD-R for some reason, so you can play backed up imports on a stock console.

That's only because most, but not all, of the scene released backups were prepatched to be region free.

But according to Racket's guide on playing imports,,,

The extra-nice thing about this is that when booting CDRs, the system does not pay attention to the region.

But either way, same effect.

That's nice, but he was either generalizing, or he simply doesn't know.

[redmachus]

Somewhere, there is a lonely DC mod chip waiting for someone to buy it, and love it, and feed it, and take in on walks. I mean, come on, we can still get Saturn mod chips, so why not for the DC? I'll just keep my eyes open...

[Ziggy]

Well, good luck to you.

PS, that wasn't sarcasm.

[missyrelm]

A google search finds a few stores selling these chips - I have never bought from any of these places, so have no idea of which shops are trustworthy or not.

http://home.clara.net/robwebb/shop/dc/dc.htm
He sells both premodded Dreamcasts and the modchip itself, and while I've never bought from him, he has an excellent reputation.

http://www.hkgtoys.com/dreamcast.php
Sells a Dreamcast premodded

Goldenshop sells premodded Dreamcasts
http://www.goldenshop.com.hk/AI-trad/d-main.htm

Consoleplus sells just the modchip
http://www.consoleplus.com/dc/dc_modchip.htm

But from what I've read an easier option is to use a boot disc like DC-X for playing your originals.

Apparently this problem is only with originals, you could also make a copy of your original then play that.