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!RESURRECTED! BIG LIST - Stuff for that new Dreamcast

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<< I'm sure this was probably mentioned already, but using burned games does in fact shorten the life span of your DC. >>


WTF!?! I also hear that listening to MP3's causes cancer, and using a cable TV descrambler creates cavities. >>



Very simply, a Dreamcast doesn't use either DVDs or CDs as game media; it uses a proprietary media called GD (the drives are GD-ROMs). My understanding is that due to this difference, you put more stress on your Dreamcast's disk drive when you put CDs in. I'd suggest that you don't just ridicule people who tell you things that are new; you'll never learn anything. >>



This obviously isn't true since the DC was designed to play music CD's (it's a choice right from the main menu when you turn it on!) So...yes, you deserve to be rediculed 😀 >>



Yes you could ridicule (that's how it's spelled) me, or you could try reading the other posts on the subject. This is well-known amongst the Dreamcast folk; people have known about this for ages. (darn, there's no 'rolls eyes' face).
 
Knowing very little about the subject, here's my theory on why burned Dreamcast games *could* be bad for the unit.

Atrac, you're close. The majority of wear on a DC from burned games comes from the fact that the data files simply aren't where the Dreamcast expects them to be (the outer, high density area of the disc), and the laser spends a lot of time seeking. Putting a "dummy" file in a DC game to push the data outwards help things greatly. If you play self-booting dummied games, you really don't have to worry about wearing out your DC.
 


<< Putting a "dummy" file in a DC game to push the data outwards help things greatly. If you play self-booting dummied games, you really don't have to worry about wearing out your DC. >>



Before I understood why they put dummy files in there, I couldn't believe how a 80 meg zip file unzipped to a 700 meg .CDI file.
 
From Hard to Find accessories above:

"Really love your Dreamcast? How about a Dreamcast Tissue Box holder? Tissue not included."
 
Has anyone tried 2 racing wheels at once yet? If so, does it work?

Also, what are some good racing games to play head to head if this is possible?

TIA,

Sal
 
I didn't get a chance to sift through the entire thread, so I apologize if it's a 'repost' (I can already see the zealots running after me if it is) but GameStop! is running a nice promotion right now:

Dreamcast Console (Used) with Crazy Taxi Game (Boxed, brand new) for $49.99

I would jump on it, but I already got a DC from BestBuy (although they screwed me out of my Sega GT game, LOL) with 2-Year Protection Warranty, which I like to have.

Peace
 


<< Yes you could ridicule (that's how it's spelled) me, or you could try reading the other posts on the subject. This is well-known amongst the Dreamcast folk; people have known about this for ages. (darn, there's no 'rolls eyes' face). >>



Being in various "communities" in the technology field for the last 15 years, I can say with some authority that a lot of these "beliefs" that go around start out as some guy's opinion that sounds like it could be true, then after it gets posted a zillion times it gets accepted as a fact. I don't think there has been a single DC owner who can say "My DC wore out because I played too many CD-R's on it." Honestly, I don't think that has ever happened. Sure, it may make the mechanism move more because it's in a different format, but I really don't believe it'll hurt anything.

Oh, BTW- Thankz fore pointeing owt mye tipo, yer a goode spel cheker. U shuld provied that sirvice to evryone on the bored sew nobode misspelz anithing evre agane.
 
<< Once again does anyone know if it is possible to play foreign shenmue II on US dreamcast? >>

My son was playing the ummmm, backup version Euro PAL Shenmue II yesterday for several hours on the normal US NTSC DC and it worked great. Head Hunter works too, and is waycool. Nice to see my kids still playing DC after buying them a Xbox.
 
That DC at gamestop.com is used. Gamestop.com is a Barnes and Nobles company. It has a block to redeem coupons and I tried to use a 10 off 40 coupon for BN.com and didn't take. If it would have taken the coupon it wouldn't be a bad deal for $45 shipped.
 


<< gltyrian: I don't think the MODs would like that link.. >>


No, they certainly would not.

Love this quote:

"As we are using freeservers to keep our website running (due to obvious reasons, i.e. the nature of our business), we may be booted out if webmasters terminate the webspace given to us."

And:

"Your TV set must be suitable 50/60 Hz - PAL/NTSC (Multi - System). If it doesn't support both systems, your picture will keep rolling up and down. This means that if your TV is from an old model, it will unlikely be a multi-system TV. Thus, you will need to get a new TV with such capability."

So you get what you deserve; games won't play without a special (rare and expense) multi-system television.
 
Can CD-Rs destroy your Dreamcast?

Alotta you people are guessing, so lemme clarify the problem for you. I agree with Fritzo, I don't know if any Dreamcasts have actually died from this, but the theory is that it could happen. Y'know how they say 80-minute CDRs can break old CD players? Same thing .. never happened, but it could.

The problem is as pointed out above: home-made CDRs have the files in different places from the original GD-ROM. If the organization is really bad, the CD drive will 'thrash' - the head constantly zooms back and forth, trying to pick up bits from all over the disk. I've heard that some CDR games take forever to load for this reason. The head motor gets its orders from the CD controller chip, so the more the motor spins, the warmer the controller chip gets. Too much continuous activity == too much heat == dead chip.

A variation on this theory states that all DCs die a reletively early death due to the fan being insufficient. Again, no proof.

-B
 
gltyrian:

edit your post! :|
CD-R info is definitely NOT welcome in this thread!
Or expect to get a nice long vacation from the AT mods very soon...
 
Has anyone actually found and purchased Grandia 2 for 9.99 at CC??I picked it up a few days ago, and they charged me $15....they said if I found another CC selling for 9.99, they would give me $5....what's the deal?
 
same thing happened for me
i found 10$ capcom/snk and marvel/capcom, and i don't even know why i didn't get it from the CC i found
i later went to another CC and got capcom/snk for 20$ instead 🙁

the one i went to is up in daly city, and i don't think i'm going there anytime soon. plus i don't know if they will still be 10$ anyways

btw, just in case anyone is interested, here are the list of stuffs i bought for DC: text

-866-
 
jag:

this is exactly the reason I'm looking to add receipt scans to the list. most retailers will match a price if you have documented proof, especially if it's from the same chain!

TallGeese
 


<< Can CD-Rs destroy your Dreamcast? >>



GD data is packed together tighter, Plus on a GD the data is stored outside in, whereas a CD-R burns middle-out. So I guess a case could be made that the head is bouncing around more than with GD-roms. Most cdrs though have dummy files to max out the disc, so I don't think it is as grave a concern as some might think and any effect is probably marginal. Don't forget, the same was said about PSX when it came out.
 
gltyrian sez:


<< Arrrrrrggh, me hearties

<<
I'd like to suggest that anyone sending money to this alleged commercial pirate operation with a hotmail address and on a free web server do so using wire service or a money order.

Because you deserve to get ripped off.
 
I hear this is one of the better motorcycle games for the Dreamcast. Can anyone verify this or suggest something better?

It's a terrible game. Most motorcyling games are terrible. It's a shame. 🙁

The only decent one I ever played was the arcade game "Manx TT".
 
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