Author Topic: SD Card Mod for Dreamcast (Read 14879 times)

Frigo · « **on:** September 23, 2010, 11:31:18 am »

Just found this while searching Youtube:

If I'm understanding this right, the OS loads the .gdi file (Dreamcast ISO image) through the SD card via the serial port. If so, then I'm guessing this mod can also be done externally, right?

Reason I ask, is because I don't know how to read schematics, and I'd be willing to pay someone to fabricate one of these guys for me. I'd guess parts would be no more than 10.00, so I'd be willing to pay up to 30.00 if costs all add up.

Any takers?

I'm dumb. I forgot that serial speeds are not equal to CD speeds, let alone multiple CD speeds which is what the DC reads at. Nevermind!

Red · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2010, 12:46:46 pm »

More info. here:

http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=38263

SNAAKE · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2010, 05:54:18 pm »

dreamcastlol

old..dead..AND burried

WhereEaglesDare · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2010, 07:24:58 pm »

you think you can find all those parts for less than 10 bucks in low quantity plus shipping? I could make a board, lets find a cheap SD Module

looking into it, maybe I could make these at 30 each, anyone else want one?

I dont have a DC anymore, so I could test it for functionality but Ive been working with an soldering iron for years, use to repair and rebuild antique radios

Malenko · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2010, 07:52:28 pm »

Quote from: SNAAKE on September 23, 2010, 05:54:18 pm

dreamcastlol

old..dead..AND burried

I still play mine, played Tokyo Extreme Racer 2 earlier today.

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2010, 12:30:50 pm »

Quote from: SNAAKE on September 23, 2010, 05:54:18 pm

dreamcastlol

old..dead..AND burried

SNAAKE · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2010, 12:42:09 pm »

just saying lol..

it was an amazing system and way ahead of its time. played nearly everyday.

Samstag · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2010, 01:03:13 pm »

Quote from: SNAAKE on September 23, 2010, 05:54:18 pm

dreamcastlol

old..dead..AND burried

If only there was a place where people who liked really old video games could meet and discuss...

Ginsu Victim · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2010, 02:35:29 pm »

Quote from: SNAAKE on September 24, 2010, 12:42:09 pm

just saying lol..

it was an amazing system and way ahead of its time. played nearly everyday.

You laugh at it in one post, and praise it in another. Which is it?

Frigo · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2010, 03:06:54 pm »

Yeah, I was approaching it from the standpoint that I could actually load non-downsampled/stripped gdr images through the SD card, until i remembered that serial is uber slow, and would be worse than a 1x cd rom when it came to load times. If there were only a way to implement this feature via the network attachment (kind of like how the wii can play games streamed over a network), it might work a little better.

SNAAKE · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2010, 03:55:21 pm »

thats where I was getting at. this mod is completely useless. perhaps this "hacker" should invest his time on something else.........

northerngames · « **Reply #11 on:** September 24, 2010, 06:14:29 pm »

yeah a hdd would have been nicer

SavannahLion · « **Reply #12 on:** September 26, 2010, 10:01:03 pm »

I'm a little confused here. Is the serial bottleneck on the Dreamcast or on the SD card itself?

WhereEaglesDare · « **Reply #13 on:** September 27, 2010, 07:26:20 am »

Quote from: Frigo on September 24, 2010, 03:06:54 pm

Yeah, I was approaching it from the standpoint that I could actually load non-downsampled/stripped gdr images through the SD card, until i remembered that serial is uber slow, and would be worse than a 1x cd rom when it came to load times. If there were only a way to implement this feature via the network attachment (kind of like how the wii can play games streamed over a network), it might work a little better.

You're off, but not by much. 1x CDRom transfers at ~150kBs while Serial or RS-232 will transfer at ~ 230kBs. If the DC uses a 1X CDRom then it maybe possible to load faster off the SD Card

Frigo · « **Reply #14 on:** September 27, 2010, 09:44:58 am »

Huh, I could have sworn serial was slower. It's been years since I took my A+, though, so I'm sure you're right. Unfortunately, it's a moot point as the DC transfers at 12x.

Malenko · « **Reply #15 on:** September 27, 2010, 11:28:26 am »

it tops out at 12x and is a GDRom (1.2GBs)

newmanfamilyvlogs · « **Reply #16 on:** September 27, 2010, 11:32:31 am »

How can a GD-Rom be read at 1.2Gb/sec if the entire disk is right around amount?

Malenko · « **Reply #17 on:** September 27, 2010, 11:34:13 am »

Quote from: cotmm68030 on September 27, 2010, 11:32:31 am

How can a GD-Rom be read at 1.2Gb/sec if the entire disk is right around amount?

because I was saying a GDrom is 1.2GBs?

I didnt say "it tops out at 12x (1.2GB/sec)" I was clarifying that it wasnt a CDRom

newmanfamilyvlogs · « **Reply #18 on:** September 27, 2010, 12:06:03 pm »

Ah, ok. I just misread it then.

WhereEaglesDare · « **Reply #19 on:** September 27, 2010, 07:03:18 pm »

But it can read CDs, anyways, yea it is very moot in the case that its 12x.

I work with serial and RS232 all the time because a lot of the equipment I service is ancient and RS232 is ungodly slow and i dont recommend it if you can work around it.

newmanfamilyvlogs · « **Reply #20 on:** September 27, 2010, 08:17:32 pm »

clearly the solution is a homebrew bba.

WhereEaglesDare · « **Reply #21 on:** September 28, 2010, 06:21:07 am »

why stop there, lets put some wifi on this bad boy, some new LEDs, and stick a RAID in there. Maybe allow it to use share drives.

newmanfamilyvlogs · « **Reply #22 on:** September 28, 2010, 07:07:45 am »

indeed! Why bother with collecting isos at all? We need a p2p based filesystem where all isos are persistently available.

I bet with enough nodes it'd be faster than the serial port

Frigo · « **Reply #23 on:** September 28, 2010, 11:37:22 am »

Don't forget the racing stripe for added performance!

WhereEaglesDare · « **Reply #24 on:** September 28, 2010, 08:41:47 pm »

Quote from: cotmm68030 on September 28, 2010, 07:07:45 am

indeed! Why bother with collecting isos at all? We need a p2p based filesystem where all isos are persistently available.

I bet with enough nodes it'd be faster than the serial port

you may be on to something

this is a fantastic idea


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