WOW, booting Dreamcast games from SD cards

[Niode]

I don't think the lack of connectors should kill the project. I'd be more than willing to open up my Dreamcast and solder in a DB-9 port to get this running. At the least, if they're not going to produce them commercially, it would be nice to see some schematics.

Screw the db-9 connector. I'd just add in a SD card reader to the front of the console and solder it internally. I'd still love to have access to the schematics/wiring diagrams.

[SGGG2]

In one form or another, I think this would be popular enough to be profitable for somebody. Hell, I'd be willing to give some money up front. You don't need a special cable, either.

http://f17.aaa.livedoor.jp/~takotako/dc ... php#sdcard

[xxstatic]

Finally!!!

Someone has solved the super loud GD-rom drive problem with the DC...

[SGGG2]

Youtube demo / tutorial

Anyone try to build this yet?

Can anyone recommend a spring-loaded SD card reader to cannibalize?

[jinn]

I used this to make mine
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.34787
Mine is internal with a slot on the right side where the modem is.
Have been messing around with it for awhile now.

[Hatta]

Nice. Now someone just needs to figure out how to get the dreamcast to boot directly from SD instead of needing a boot disk. It would be nice not to rely on optical drives.

[pedrocasilva]

Nice. Now someone just needs to figure out how to get the dreamcast to boot directly from SD instead of needing a boot disk. It would be nice not to rely on optical drives.

Yup, Interesting as it is now... I'd come buckets then.

They ought to make it like ToxicOS on PS2 when it comes to interface through the neogeo bios method:

-> http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/neo/unibios.htm

just replace the bios chip with a better hax0r upgradeable one and keep a means of dual boot, original bios and the "custom" ones in. "If" they managed to do that toxicOS thing with features they achieved on unibios for neogeo like ingame menu (to do like current gen consoles, reset game from afar/returning to the browser/operating system) when we'd be talking.


shame this is one advanced hack to make, I really need to befriend some soldermonkey (I also have a slim ps2 with hdd project lying around with the parts needed... but no soldermonkey to realize it)

[8bit]

I think the question is, does it with work with SDHC cards? IF not then that's quite a limitation.

However, what i'm most interested in is if it boots full GDISOs IE those ones that haven't had anything ripped out or resampled/transcoded to fit on a 700MB CDR. I would love to be able to play Skies of Arcadia with a VGA but I simply refuse to buy another copy just because the PAL version doesn't support it and all the rips suck.

amen. if this thing would place gdiso's it would be perfect.

[jinn]

I think the question is, does it with work with SDHC cards? IF not then that's quite a limitation.

However, what i'm most interested in is if it boots full GDISOs IE those ones that haven't had anything ripped out or resampled/transcoded to fit on a 700MB CDR. I would love to be able to play Skies of Arcadia with a VGA but I simply refuse to buy another copy just because the PAL version doesn't support it and all the rips suck.

amen. if this thing would place gdiso's it would be perfect.

I been using a 4GB SDHC with mine no problem.

[gtmtnbiker]

Nice. Now someone just needs to figure out how to get the dreamcast to boot directly from SD instead of needing a boot disk. It would be nice not to rely on optical drives.

Check out this thread:
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/sh ... post383612

Apparently there's a way to get the Dreamcast to boot directly from the SD card eliminating the need for a GD rom drive.

A Russian hacker (alex81, DC-Swat) has developed a new BIOS (modified from the devkit BIOS) that supports reading of MIL-CDs and be able to boot from the SD card. There's a mod where you add a flashable BIOS and a switch to go between the two. You need the drive the first time to run DreamShell so you can flash the devkit BIOS. Then the GD ROM drive is no longer needed.

I have several Dreamcasts at home and I'll have to try out this hack sometime this year.