Dreamcast... To Emulate Or Not To Emulate... DC Controller Or Arcade CP

[Goatz18]

From a little research I was able to find a satisfactory Dreamcast controller adaptor to PC, and that is the EMS Trio Linker Plus, not to be confused with the EMS Trio Linker Plus II. I found that there are some problems with the Plus II that the Plus doesn't have. But the regular Plus is hard to find.

(Edit: The Trio Linker Plus II review I read where it said it had problems does not pertain to DC controller to PC adaptation or reliability. It should work just fine.)

Anyway, my inquiry is, does anyone recommend another adaptor, and if it is even worth it to emulate DC games? And on top of that, if using the actual DC controllers is the way to go, or just emulate to either a cab's CP or hack a DC controller and/or use an X-Arcade BYO Arcade Kit on an actual Dreamcast console? Or, the last option, to just use a regular DC with it's original controllers, as God intended.

Are there any experienced Dreamcast Cab tinkerers out there that can recommend what setup they think is best for playing Dreamcast games, on a PC, on an actual DC, with DC controllers, or with an arcade CP, and any combination of these? Any input is much appreciated.

[Red]

What are the problems with the Plus II that the Plus doesn't have?

Red

[Jack Burton]

Emulation:

Use any manner of joystick or keyboard encoder.  DO NOT use a dc to pc converter.  It's completely unnecessary and might add input lag.

Real DC:

Use hacked DC pads.  Make sure you use a six button DC pad for your pcb.  The triggers have input lag on them.

[HaRuMaN]

I offer Dreamcast pad hacks.  I can do both the Sega officials as well as the MadCatz 6 button variety.

[ark_ader]

Do your self a favor and buy a X-Arcade Controller and a DC adapter - Sound investment indeed!

[Jack Burton]

Do your self a favor and buy a X-Arcade Controller and a DC adapter - Sound investment indeed!

Does this adapter create input lag?

[ark_ader]

Nope no lag.  I play on my DC with this setup and it works very well, and you cannot beat a real DC vs an emulator.

[Goatz18]

Actually I retract that the Plus II may have problems that the Plus doesn't. I looked back and misread a review of it. It should work fine.

[Goatz18]

So basically I am getting feedback to try and use some kind of joystick and arcade controls instead of the regular DC controllers. I personally maybe played Dreamcast for an hour about 10 years ago at a friends house. I never experienced it and have decided to acquire a console and controllers to experience it normal, and then to try out emulation to my cab when I get it finished. Then I may consider X-Arcade or hacked controllers.

Thank you all for your input, much appreciated. I hope this even helps out others in the same predicament. Be excellent to each other.

(I just caught Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure on the TV the other day and have been inserting that everywhere I can.)

[Goatz18]

I offer Dreamcast pad hacks.  I can do both the Sega officials as well as the MadCatz 6 button variety.

I did just find your controller hacks post HarumaN, they look sweet. That's probably the best bet. But I'm not ready for them yet.

[HaRuMaN]

Thank you 

[DashRendar]

For those of you who have Dreamcast emulated, which emulator do you recommend?  (NullDC, Chankast, Icarus, etc)

I picked up a DC off Craigslist, but I'm thinking it would be better to emulate it in my case.  I was going to try to figure out some way to use a KVM switch (or something like it) to switch from MAME to the DC in the same cab with the same controls. 

But it just makes sense to emulate it instead and not bother with switching anything.

[ark_ader]

For those of you who have Dreamcast emulated, which emulator do you recommend?  (NullDC, Chankast, Icarus, etc)

I picked up a DC off Craigslist, but I'm thinking it would be better to emulate it in my case.  I was going to try to figure out some way to use a KVM switch (or something like it) to switch from MAME to the DC in the same cab with the same controls. 

But it just makes sense to emulate it instead and not bother with switching anything.

You know I had the same problem a few years back when I made my first  cab.  I managed to get a DC VGA adapter and I got a VGA switch box for the PC and the DC as well as a 5 switch composite for all the consoles.  It was a PITA. It was like mission control just to lay a game.  Plus the DC was a place that it was hard to swap discs.  Now since then I figured that there should be a way to mount the DC flush inside the Control Panel, so you can swap discs to your hearts content. 

I have a broken DC and game loads without the lid......  Problem is where to put it without slicing your fingers off during play?

[Goatz18]

I just scored a Dreamcast, 4 Sega controllers, 2 VMU's, and 2 random games for a whopping $51.06 including shipping on eBay. Yay. Of course I split it up, I got 2 controllers and a VMU for $19.50 and then scored big with a Dreamcast, 2 controllers, a VMU, and Phantasy Star Online and Sonic Shuffle for $31.56. No big deal.

[Harakiri]

As far as Sega Dreamcast emulation goes, i don't recommend it (unless you can't afford one). You can get the console, accessories and games for bargain prices (over eBay for an instance) and they are always fun to play. I've tried every Dreamcast emulator available and none of them is very accurate. (yet)
My prediction is that ten years from now, Dreamcast will gather a cult like the NES console and people will regret not getting theirs when they were cheap and in full working condition.
You can always find a way to hack a DC gamepad hack a clone/broken  DC gamepad and connect it to a MAME cabinet. Alternatively it is possible to connect the console to a flat panel screen using a VGA Box.

I have BBCoded this topic for future generations ethic practice of arcade build and emulation. 

[shateredsoul]

I am one of the few rare ones that thinks emulating dreamcast seems fine. I like it... if that null dc guy released an update I think it would be even better! But a number games work fine. The trick is setting up your controls =/, the newest nulldc does support kb support so setting up the fighters and shooters should be easy, but not if you want to use controllers.

[Harakiri]

Do you own a Sega Dreamcast?

[shateredsoul]

Yes, it has issues reading games sometimes but yes.  I bought one on launch date.. 9 9 99 right? In fact, Gary Coleman handed me my dreamcast (I swear I'm not lying. it was at an Electronic Boutique in a mall in LA... guess they hired him for that day).  I even talked to him for a little.

[Harakiri]

I'm not interested about the trivial facts other than you have a Dreamcast and you still rather emulation as opposed to playing it. I really can't understand how the graphic glitches and unstable framerate pass unnoticed to you.

[ark_ader]

The problem stems from the issues about swapping disks.  I play maybe 5 DC games that is not emulated and I have to swap them out.  There are over 250 DC ISOs out there and I would bet that those who have those ISOs - hate having to swap them out.

That being said the titles I play on the DC are available on the Xbox.

[Shun]

I was going to go with the emulation root for the dreamcast but i decided against it. I have flush mounted a dreamcast into my cab complete with a functional wooden door that closes with a magnetic latch. I'll post some pictures of where i am at, in my cabinet thread tonight when i get home http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=92899.0

I've hooked up the dreamcast and the PC to a KVM switch and it works like a charm 

[Harakiri]

Apologize my ignorance for what purpose you use the KVM switch with your PC?

[HaRuMaN]

Apologize my ignorance for what purpose you use the KVM switch with your PC?

To switch between Dreamcast VGA and PC VGA to one monitor.

[Harakiri]

I have my PC connected to my flat panel via DVI slot and DC connected via VGA slot. I use the source button on my monitor to switch between PC or Dreamcast. I assume your monitor doesn't have this functionality?

[HaRuMaN]

Could be he has a monitor with only a single input, or an older PC that only outputs VGA, or both...   

[DashRendar]

...Or an arcade monitor hooked up through an ArcadeVGA...

[shateredsoul]

I'm not interested about the trivial facts other than you have a Dreamcast and you still rather emulation as opposed to playing it. I really can't understand how the graphic glitches and unstable framerate pass unnoticed to you.

And I didn't really  care about whether you care about those facts, so I'll tell you again.. Gary f'ing coleman gave me my dc. So yes I have a dc.

Anyways Let me put it this way, if you're not obsessive about the graphical accuracy it'll be fine. I your have a pc powerful enough, it rung great.  The thing that does annoy me is the dreamcast logo and how it looks. Here's a vid of Sonic Adv. 2 running, once it's in game it runs pretty we..



I played it since it came out, in highschool and throughout college and I have no issues with the minor issues. Don't get me wrong, some games have major issues.  But some games run well such as power stone and sonic adventure, my point is that some games are worth emulating.  Others are not. 

[Ginsu Victim]

Gary f'ing coleman gave me my dc. So yes I have a dc.

[Shun]

I have my PC connected to my flat panel via DVI slot and DC connected via VGA slot. I use the source button on my monitor to switch between PC or Dreamcast. I assume your monitor doesn't have this functionality?

I do have DVI and VGA on the monitor and i was going to put a button in the bezel to switch, but the KVM switch I am using allows the Video, Sound and Controls to be switched with one button. I am using this KVM switch - http://www.techstore.co.uk/browse.php?a=p&prodLineID=119380

I have updated my cab thread http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=92899.0

[XtraSmiley]

I'm not interested about the trivial facts other than you have a Dreamcast and you still rather emulation as opposed to playing it. I really can't understand how the graphic glitches and unstable framerate pass unnoticed to you.

You are crazy, it's cool things like his trivia that I love reading about.  I got my DC on 9/9/99 as well and it works great still. 

That being said, Emulation rocks b/c you can have it on your cab with little problems AND it swaping out games is easier.

[Goatz18]

Haha. Gary Coleman. He should be at all major console launches.

I would imagine trying all DC emulators (Chankast, NullDC, DEmul, DreamEMU) on individual games, that you could find one to play any certain game that the others may not, right? You should at least a get a good percentage of games working, though not all in one emulator. That's just a theory.

[DashRendar]

Testing out NullDC.  Not seeing any lag in the FPS, but there are sound glitches (echoes etc).

I guess this is a known issue with NullDC and Vista.  I'm testing different settings for the sound config- most people have been able to tweak it to resolve this issue by doing that.

[shateredsoul]

Oh yeah.. I remember having that issue.  I think I went into one of the configuration files (.cfg or .ini ... not so sure) and doubled the buffer for the sound.. something like that.

[Hurray Banana]

I would go with an actual DC, they are not that expensive to pick up and I've never had a problem with mine, my original Jap first batch release one is still going strong.

I've got a couple of DC's in my cab (one pal and my original Jap one). Just hooked up with hacked pads via a a couple of 25 way printer switch boxes (flicks between control inputs for PC, Saturn, DC and Playstation 2). My cab has a TV with RGB scart and SVHS.  I have an additional scart switch connected. One DC is connected with SVHS connection the other shares the RGB connections with the PC, Saturn, PS2 (and other consoles - SNES, Megadrive).

The switches are accessible inside the cab, I find I don't change them that often.

It's time consuming hacking the DC pads and games requiring analogue controls are a pig to play, but I have a great time with fighters, Virtua Tennis and light gun games. For the Light gun games just open my cab and plug in a DC light gun (do the same with the Saturn - still play Virtua Cop).

Can't say I've messed with DC emu's that much so really can't comment on them.

[HaRuMaN]

It's time consuming hacking the DC pads

Not if I do it for you 

[DashRendar]

I would go with an actual DC, they are not that expensive to pick up and I've never had a problem with mine, my original Jap first batch release one is still going strong.

Yep, I own an actual DC- but the issue is:

• This will be in a primarily MAME cab.  The video, sound, and controls, need to be hooked up to the PC rather than the DC.
• Easier to use the disc swapper app for NullDC than physically opening up the cab to swap disks.

Not to mention, I have a 1 TB external drive that I'm putting in the cab (for ROMS, CHDs, and MP3s).  Might as well just put the DC CDIs on there too.   

[shateredsoul]

Nice! Sounds like you'll have quite a system there

I have 1 terabyte drive and a 1.5 terabyte drive.. and 600gb for the OS and apps.  I have 200 gbs left on my 1tb and almost thing left in the 1.5 tb drive

AND most of it is backed up on a 1.5 tb and 500gb drive.

[ark_ader]

Not to mention, I have a 1 TB external drive that I'm putting in the cab (for ROMS, CHDs, and MP3s).  Might as well just put the DC CDIs on there too.   

Don't forget to back it all up!