Epic Sega Dreamcast - Installing ALL of the mods

[@RMCRetro]

EDIT: Mark wants me to let you all know he's very sorry for soldering the fuse in the wrong place and he is flogging himself with a soldering iron 100 times as penance. Thank you to those who spotted it. ---- Thanks for watching! What do you think of our build? Would you change anything? Do we need to get the Terraonion MODE or have we got all bases covered? Let me know your thoughts! Here are the episode links below, and if you enjoyed it why not give Mark a sub, he's just 200 away from the big 10k! ● Episode Links MarkFixesStuff: kzbin.info Coaster2K items: www.ebay.co.uk/sch/coaster2k/m.html BitFunx Items: bitfunx.aliexpress.com/store/1406602 RMC Patreon: patreon.com/rmcretro Neil - RMC

[@alritedave]

If you create a list of games GDEMU boots up much quicker.

[@wide4402]

Great build! You could shorten the load time from SD by using a program known as GDEMU_SD that indexes and sorts the games in a way that doesn't need it to be done at DC start up

[@Colin_Ames]

I subscribed to Mark’s channel a while ago. Always good to watch.

[@brentgreeff1115]

Keen to see a comparison with the MODE - Mark said something else interesting - "digital CRT" - Do the computer CRTs from the late 90s have lag? - I have a PVM which I use with my MegaDrive & I would never play sonic on an LCD - maybe an OLED, but... for the Dreamcast - does my PVM have less lag than a 640x480 PC monitor like the Philips or Sony you are showing off in the opening shot? - I know its popular to plug a Dreamcast into a 90s monitor via VGA. - would be a good follow up vid I think.

[@ludekstipal6120]

Resistance is fu(se)tile.

[@torchy33]

LED is orange in all regions from factory

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Thank you for this. I modded my LED so long ago I can’t even remember.

[@gordoncreAtive]

The color of the Sega logo is different per region.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

@@gordoncreAtive yes, I did at least know that. In the boot up animation as well.

[@philiprowney]

'Amber' :-þ

[@CptJistuce]

It is actually octarine, but it appears orange to non-wizard eyes.

[@AzariusR]

The Dreamcast is like the one console that is quite far ahead of it's time that it ages pretty well even till today wow.

[@drunkensailor112]

Especially with Marseille mcable gaming

[@tomr9779]

Way a head of it s time not only from graphical point of view but the network and pretty much everything back in the 1998 in Japaan and 1999 europe;D when I had my playstation and went to my friend who had dc my jaw just drop on the floor

[@Ostnizdasht206]

The graphics are a lot sharper than the PS2's even.

[@googleboughtmee]

One problem with blue LEDs is that our peripheral vision is really sensitive to blue. Red isn't noticeable out the corner of your eye but blue stands out a mile and can get a bit annoying.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Yeah, but it was kindly supplied for free, so... I have a green led in my other DC. What colour do you like? I might change it and add some more leds around the inside of the case.

[@googleboughtmee]

@@MarkFixesStuff actually the blue might be okay with the DC because it's diffused behind that triangle piece? In general I try to go with boring old red now, it's not as fancy and modern as blue but in a dark room it's nicer on the eyes. Good video btw :) I've only changed the fan so far in my DC but will be getting a bootleg gdemu eventually. I'll have to pick up one of those 3D printed trays that you got. Luckily I'm plugged into a CRT so won't need to do that scary hdmi install!

[@fsddevelopment4513]

I used blue LED's on my MAME arcade machine. Wow they are nice but annoying.

[@atsz.]

@@MarkFixesStuff yellow would look really cool with this build

[@0xybelis]

@@MarkFixesStuff Amber is the best colour for a LED indicators.

[@HappyCodingZX]

Given the broadband adapter is way out of most people's reach, the addition of a raspberry pi to support DreamPi would be nice. DreamPi makes the raspberry pi function as a dial up server so the Dreamcast modem can effectively call it up and connect to the internet via the pi's wi-fi. Getting the dreamcast back online and playing Phantasy Star would be a nice lockdown treat.

[@jensdegendt8542]

Phantasy Star Online was my first online experience. :) Played it later on PC Schtserv and Ephinea.

[@alritedave]

My old Dreamcast used to have the official Sega millenium crystal yellow top shell but I lost it when I moved... :-(

[@NoNoseProduction]

Stolen

[@alritedave]

@@NoNoseProduction Possibly I guess.

[@koffieleut]

If you use the SD card maker software for the gdemu you won't have to wait on every start-up. It creates an index file which would be read when starting the DC and it would directly start on the game list.

[@redvenomweb]

When you have 200+GB of games on the SD card, the game list itself takes about 2 minutes to load, due to the time it takes to read the index file.

[@retronaut8864]

koffieleut is correct! The pause is not from the number of games, it is from the generation of the list. The SD card maker software generates a .ini file which allows the GDEmu to skip the loading screen completely, no matter how many games you have. There's a KZbin video titled "Get the MOST out of your GDEMU - Dreamcast - Custom Box Art - No More Loading Screens" that covers the process.

[@Schule04]

Just a tip: you can leave the game and go back to the Dreamcast system menu by pushing the four colored buttons and start at the same time. You might have to do it multiple times because in many games it first goes back to the game's main menu.

[@winlover37]

What?? Never knew this

[@MarcSola7]

You guys forgot to cover one little essential mod to the dreamcast and that's the fan replacement with a Noctua NF-A4x10 5V fan as shown on 12:40 . For those who don't know, the original fan on the Dreamcast is very noisy and does little into cooling down the dreamcast, that mod pretty much makes it quiet and cool. There are various sites out there that have kits and it comes to £9 with the 3d printed mounting molds & electrical wires and £54 with the full kit (Noctua fan included).

[@opticledilusi0n]

it's not essential

[@HuntersMoon78]

Dreamcast is still my favourite console, closely followed by the Saturn

[@toaster4634]

@Brian Babin N64 > PlayStation > Altair 8800 > Saturn :)

[@toaster4634]

@Brian Babin Dreamcast is in a league of it's own. I wouldn't rank it with these other consoles. It was actually the first Sega I liked since the Master System. :D

[@ChrisStoneinator]

@@toaster4634 N64? 7800? You absolute wrongun

[@KenzGamesCollection]

The Dreamcast is my all time favourite console, it was so ahead of its time no it holds up well on 2021

[@GoatTheGoat]

You installed the fuse in the wrong spot. The fuse is labeled 'F1'. You installed the fuse in place of resistor R1.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Cheers Ryan. I shouldn’t rush! Good spot and I’ll swap that around in a bit!

[@dbnpoldermans4120]

So but the dreamcast still functions fine. My little brain is like: wtf so many questions! like how ...?

[@linuxstreamer8910]

@@MarkFixesStuff are fuse not sort of circuit breakers

[@MarkFixesStuff]

@@dbnpoldermans4120 because I’ve just lowered the resistance for the battery charging circuit with my mistake. The original fuse is fine on the board which is why my error went unnoticed. Ironic that I’d mess up on the easiest bit though lol

[@MarkFixesStuff]

@@linuxstreamer8910 these are, yes.

[@rob9472]

Not a fan of that hdmi mod seems like the cable is the vastly better option all around, I also would have kept the optical drive but maybe I'm just a pedant and like to have the physical media to hand, I approve of the psu upgrade shame there aren't more kinds for different systems available or maybe there are and I don't know about it yet.

[@micksmithson6724]

Awesome machine, Soul Calibre, Shenmue, Crazy Taxi and Le Mans were awesome. Very under rated console.

[@Twingamingx]

Could maybe choose a Terraonion mode if you prefer to use a hardrive or SSD. and also a striker DC controller for more comfortable play

[@37Kilo2]

Yes. The MODE is a great ODE. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one. Replaced my USB-GDROM, which I don't recommend.

[@garystinten9339]

The only thinkg the dreamcast needs is wireless controller mod and a broadband adaptor (1gb if possible) clone and were golden.

[@draggonhedd]

The only issue is that very very few games even supported the BBA.

[@Maldroth]

Retro Fighters just ended a kickstarter for a wireless version of their N64 controller and they made a wired Dreamcast replacement so hoping that will get the wireless treatment in the near future.

[@garystinten9339]

@@Maldroth would be very cool.

[@draggonhedd]

​@@slightlyevolved Nope only a few games supported it. See here for the full compatibility list. segaretro.org/Broadband_Adapter

[@BrokenCircus]

I'd personally sooner have it hooked up to a CRT, as with pretty much all my consoles, but the rest of it looked fab. Always wanted to have a go on a Dreamcast.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Can’t beat a CRT. And of course you can still do that even after the mod because the DCHDMI can detect a cable

[@mintsauce82]

I agree completely and I say that as as someone who paid for a DCHDMI. The DCHDMI looks nowhere near as good as a VGA CRT.

[@christophermorin9036]

You won't regret it. Tons of great games, comfortable controller, the sharpest graphics of any console of it's time, including the PS2 AND Xbox. The system is a little loud and the VMU battery beep could get annoying, but they are easily ignorable unless you're a quiet freak.

[@drunkensailor112]

The best is my 50 inch qled and Marseille mcable. I tried so many setups, but that is the ultimate one

[@JunVanMars]

@@christophermorin9036 yesterday I cut the speaker cables of my VMUs ;) it's just like heaven

[@bricewgilbert]

I found the MODE ODE replacement to be more reliable. Not as elegant if you need to add games to it (at least for now), but I was having a terrible time with the GDEMU and the time it took to load the menu. Wireless controller is of course the last frontier on the Dreamcast it seems. There is one mod for that i've seen online that costs too much and I haven't heard much about it so I haven't attempted to get it. I'm waiting for the "official" Retrobit controllers they announced a while back. The Saturn ones they made seemed to be pretty good so hopefully those end up good.

[@ScottWozniak]

I have a GDEMU clone in one of my Dreamcasts with a 256GB card and 200+ games. It boots instantly because I used a tool called SD CARD MAKER for GDEmu 1.10 by MadSheep. Google it. It makes the experience so much better / easier. Also, if you didn't know, you can press A, B, X, Y and START simultaneously to take you back to the title screen in 95% of games. Do it again to take you back to the GDEMU menu. You don't have to press the 3D printed button in the tray or even be near it. If you used the tool I mentioned above there's zero waiting / loading. Finally, check the Dreamcast Talk forums. In the last week, a bunch of AtomisWave games were ported to the Dreamcast and they are INCREDIBLE. Cheers, guys! ❤️

[@garystinten9339]

blue led's make my eyes go weird.. something about the blue affects my eyes.

[@6581punk]

They're bad news. Avoid them. They use a different technology to red and green LEDs and they can cause eye damage. medicalxpress.com/news/2019-05-eyes-health-authority.html

[@valtteriairola]

I absolutely hate blue leds. If I can’t turn them off, I will replace them or remove them.

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@6581punk that's more about cheap white home lighting, than tiny blue LEDs on a device. And it says "it _can_ accelerate retinal ageing", which is quite different from damaging/destroying the retina directly. Anyone who knows anything about LED home lighting will tell you to go with a good quality warm white instead of a strobey cool one anyway. It's bizarre how the article mentions the top manufacturers, who do proper DC rectification, then talk about cheap rectification which ends up strobey. They make it sound like even the best name brands do it. Cheap LED light is a world apart from decent ones, even just in terms of CRI. This article you linked doesn't really tell us anything new that lighting professionals haven't been saying for decades.

[@bit-ishbulldog2089]

I use RGB or S-Video on a CRT on all my older systems 50 or 60hz, NTSC and PAL not a issue.

[@8bitbubsy]

@ 12:20: That was not the fuse! That was the current limiting resistor for the battery charging (R1). Did Mark wrongly replace that with a fuse? The actual fuse is F1 as seen at 12:14.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Yes! You got me. In my haste I did the wrong part. I’ll swap it over now. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll ask Neil to put a note under the video.

[@stephenhargreaves9011]

How did Mark manage to curb his innuendo when talking about the "smaller package"?

[@RMCRetro]

It involved a vice under the table which I could tighten at any moment :D

[@MatthewCobalt]

Over two decades old and is definitely going to go for two more. This thing could out live the rest of it's siblings, if the capasitors and the silicon hold out.

[@davidste60]

Get GDEMU SD CARD MAKER. Don't be wasting precious gaming minutes waiting for the menu to load!!!

[@georgeportugal2169]

I have heard of people running into issues with the bitfunx clone of the DCDigital. Specifically, video sync drops out during gameplay and that the company provides little to no support. Is yours running well so far? I purchased my DCDigital from the original developer www.black-dog.tech/dcdigital.html and it's definitely the best part of this Dreamcast mod! I love that 3rd part shell that you purchased as well

[@MarkFixesStuff]

I’ve not had any issues at all. It’s all open source so there’s no reason for the Bitfunx version to operate any differently. I spoke to Dan at Black Dog before we made the video. Unfortunately they were unable to get a device to us but confirmed the Bitfunx version was not illegal. Support wise I’ve not needed to ask any questions but contact from the company has been decent for me at least.

[@georgeportugal2169]

@@MarkFixesStuff thanks for the clarification about the fact that it’s open source - I wasn’t aware of that. I’m glad to hear that yours is working great and overall the Dreamcast looks amazing

[@Mireaze]

If you remove the disc drive from a disc based console it's a sin.

[@dant5464]

Perhaps consider painting or wrapping the outside of the light pipe in foil then tape, so the LED only lights up the triangle on top and doesn't bleed of of the front? (Personal preference thing). The smoke-clear case for my Dreamcast was a lot cheaper back in the day :)

[@CrossedCoder]

Why didn't you guys use a terraonion MODE? I'm interested in getting the cable, can you edit video settings with that version as well, or is that only for the built in cable mod.

[@ardentdrops]

The dreampsu isn't very well engineered and can cause damage to your console if you have a cheap wall wart. Use a picopsu instead.

[@Bobbus74]

Pico is a good shout. 👍

[@djskerce]

To speed up loading with the GDEmu use the SD Card maker for GDEmu. The HDMI mod looks very nice, fake scanlines on a digital display never look right (too dark). I use a cheap VGA cable and a VGA CRT monitor for the DC, it looks beautiful in 640x480p with natural scanlines. Not really a mod, but something to add would be a DreamPi, to get that 33k modem connected to the internet for online play. Thanks for the video Neil & Mark. Long live the Dreamcast.

[@RMCRetro]

Thank you! Mark mentioned to me that he thought there might be an app to help pre-index the SD Card or something but couldn't remember the name, that clears up the mystery, very helpful thank you!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Thanks for the info! What games are played online these days?

[@djskerce]

@@MarkFixesStuff The popular online games are Phantasy Star Online, Quake 3, Alien Front Online and Monaco Grand Prix Online. There are a few more, with people working on getting more games online every year. The full list is here: dreamcastlive.net/games/

[@djskerce]

@@RMCRetro No problem Neil, thanks for the great weekly videos.

[@jomeyqmalone]

@@MarkFixesStuff This site has a good list of the currently online games, as well as a schedule of upcoming times that the community plays different games. Really brings life to the dreamcast, especially when you have the dreamcast keyboard plugged in for the chat lobbies dreamcastlive.net/schedule/

[@80s_kid.]

The fave console i ever had was The Panasonic 3DO FZ1, I bought it new in 1994, Need for speed on that was something that no one had ever seen before. i never forgot my friends face when they saw 3D graphics for the first time. Awesome Memories.

[@RetrOrigin]

I wouldn't call GDEmu epic when much better alternatives like M.O.D.E. and USB-GDROM exist, but awesome build and video nonetheless! On a side note, Atomiswave arcade games are now being converted to the Dreamcast since the hardware is almost identical, I've been uploading videos of these games running on real hardware in case anyone's curious.

[@johnknight9150]

Hmmmmmmmmm, not sure I can advocate stripping out tape and disk drives for an SD reader. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for SD add-ons, but I'd rather have an ungainly SD reader hanging out the side than sacrifice the original drives. There's nothing like buying a game from a retro game store and running it the original way on original hardware.

[@nicolasaugeard]

Ultimate ? Where is the terraonion mode ? Where are the G1-ATA Retrodream mode with double bios (Freezone/Dreamshell)...

[@George090974]

Nice job! DC has great games. Shame about the awful controller. What were they thinking...

[@PixelShade]

Regarding the bitfunx hdmi adapter (not the dchdmi)... it's a great, cheap little device to get your dreamcast plugged into a hdmi television. However. it does not scale pixels in a 1:1 ratio. with other words you can get slight rainbow effect on the 16-bit dither output that a lot of games use.... (it's mostly visible when representing midtone colors and greys )... but other than that. color representation is good, and the lag isn't noticeable in my opinion if you use "game mode" on your TV. perhaps one frame of lag.

[@RMCRetro]

One for Mark to answer as it ran flawlessly while here, but would you believe it....he took the DC home with him! An outrage I tell you

[@PixelShade]

​@@RMCRetro hahaha. The nerve! I mean, bitfunx might have replaced the scaler within the adapter since I bought mine 2 years ago. The issue with mine is that the scaler reads the 720x480 output of the dreamcast as 640x480 causing some pixel interpolation which result in diffuse vertical lines aross the dither pattern. it is very subtle and hard to spot. except when playing games like Shenmue, Resident Evil - Code Name Veronica. games that use 16-bits which uses very muted colors and a lot of gray tones.

[@bits2646]

The amount of LE in HDMI and SD FPGA is probably bigger than in dreamcasts' chip itself :)

[@Starter61]

I add my humble vote for the crisp picture.

[@57Rye]

I wonder how Dan Kunz feels about that buttfunx dchdmi clone.

[@SullySadface]

Hmm if i had a soldering kit handy I'd definitely get one of those battery caddies for my PS2. Poor thing thinks I'm 13.

[@colinpye1430]

The big question I have, has anyone come up with a third-party broadband adapter yet?

[@eskimopi8617]

atomiswave adapter was found to be repurposed but caused the value to spike also. still about half price from a BBA

[@draggonhedd]

I've been eyeballing a DCHDMI so i can actually use my dreamcast in my living room. I have a nice RGB CRT downstairs in the basement when i want some classic style play, but sometimes you just want to sit up on the couch with friends and play some Rush 2049

[@mslug67]

Got a terrainion mode in my Japanese Dreamcast with a 500gb HDD, also done the battery mod. Using a beharbros akura for hdmi. The mode works a treat and I get a great picture using the akura

[@hualni]

All those upgrades and you didn't opt for the new Dreamcast controller?

[@BAZFANSHOTHITSClassicTunes]

My question is. "Is the fan still needed"?.

[@RMCRetro]

Less so with that new PSU, but you can never be too careful

[@ScottWozniak]

The fan is definitely needed. With the GD-ROM drive removed, there is more draw on the power supply which causes the system to get hotter. Best to remove the 12v rail and this won't happen.

[@DanieLuiSlater]

No mention of the Fan mod? The dead silent, more efficient Noctua fan in there? With printed mount

[@RMCRetro]

There is a caption that pops up when I show that mod as I didn't mention it during the chat

[@DanieLuiSlater]

@@RMCRetro Excellent video, I've done all these mods on my DC but a jet black case and MODE. I don't appreciate you tallying up the total costs🤣🤣

[@RobA500]

I like crisp and clear, I can never understand fixing a machine or using an emulator for a better image only to the turn on scan line effects etc to make them fuzzy again.

[@DigitalConfusion]

My dream Draemcast build would have gdemu and the optical drive with the option to switch between them. So you can play originals or backups of your originals.

[@spawnlink]

I get that it was a donation but so you know the DCDigital is a Black Dog Technology product and Bitfunx is selling an unofficial clone. And while the GDEMU is extremely difficult to get and the developer difficult to work with Black Dog Technology does have DCDigital kits available. edit: My mistake... didn't realize they had open sourced the DCDigital.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

I spoke to Dan at Black Dog before we did the video, and he confirmed that the DCHDMI is open sourced and they allow anyone to make it. He confirmed they have no issue with Bitfunx selling that item. Dan was going to try and get one of his devices to us but the global situation got in the way. Thanks for looking out for the creators though.

[@spawnlink]

@@MarkFixesStuff My mistake. I didn't realize they had open sourced it (like they have with the 3DO RGB and such). I saw mentions from installers saying they wouldn't take units not from Dan and figured that was due to permissions/licensing and not quality.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

@@spawnlink I’ve not had a chance to see the unit from Black Dog yet but the Bitfunx version is ok quality I think. It’s a tricky mod to install though. I’d like to get one from Dan to do an actual full install tutorial at some point.

[@spawnlink]

@@MarkFixesStuff I installed mine (from Dan) and had no issues. The pitch on the ribbon is small but with the right tools and flux it was fine. I did not run into any problems with the resistors as you did. Been too long for me to remember if Dan's cables are the same as the Bitfunx.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

@@spawnlink it think it’s the same. The resistor pack issue was just me being clumsy. I can’t blame anyone for that unfortunately lol

[@JasonMeeks79]

I keep looking for mods for mine. I got the psu and terra onion mode installed.

[@BobTweeterShow]

The dreamcast looks awesome. Never had one. Almost most bought one a few years ago, then remembered Crazy Taxi was also available on the gamecube. I am not a fan of fake scanlines. Real yes. Fake, nope. You should get a sony wega tv with HDMI. Scanlines and HDMI best of both worlds.👍 As long as you don't think about the weight 😊

[@ukkev7290]

Sony never released a Wega TV with HDMI in the UK. Just like we never got a PS3 with full PS2 compatibility.

[@bobbus_74]

This is my kind of collaboration! I've done the rechargeable battery, Pico psu and GDemu in mine so far. A new shell and HDMI out would be nice though.

[@bobbus_74]

@allegedly I've been using it for over a year now and have had no issues as of yet.

[@pablorai769]

Dream Dreamcast, ROM ROM, now don't take offense, but you really should do something with your speech impediment, Neil 😄

[@RMCRetro]

You do ROM ROM ROM you do ROM ROM :D

[@dimensiongamer534]

What I'd like in mine (and I am 100% certain this does not exist) is the ability to shift between the original CD's and a SD card solution in my Dreamcast that way the games (the few I own) I collect aren't destined to permanently sit on the shelf.

[@CarsandCats]

Buy the cable solution of SD reader.

[@googleboughtmee]

The issue with it taking 2 minutes to load the games on the 256gb card... A lot of videos say to use SD Card Maker / GDEMU_SD to setup your sd card, it generates a list.ini file for the menu so upon boot it loads instantly no matter how many games you have.

[@andrezunido]

My Portuguese model had an orange LED. I also had a VGA adapter which made the output super crisp. Good times!

[@RaenYrtham]

Todas tinham o LED laranja, o logo é que era azul nas regiões PAL.

[@andrezunido]

@@RaenYrtham Confirmo!

[@LazyBunnyKiera]

There are 2 more mods that i think would have made it a tiny bit more ultimate, a second rom/flash/bios chip with dreamshell and a hidden switch to flip between them, and a harddrive... oh yes a harddrive.. or better yet an 44pin IDE SSD. 100% not necessary with the GDEmu. But these are mods i always wanted to do. I liked having the GD-Rom drive, so i wanted to have the IDE HDD/SSD, the serial SD card reader, and the dual bios. I still have Shenmue on original disks, so personally would like to keep the GD-Rom, or at least have access to it. All that said.. I had a dead dreamcast, i just gutted it and put a mini-ITX PC inside of it. Always wanted to get a new shell and laser assembly/gdemu (which ever is cheaper).. but it's probably cheaper just to buy a working used DC at this point.

[@WedgeStratos]

There are a few mods that are still missing from this whole scheme, namely the DreamPi modem, the wireless Dreamcast controller and backlit rechargable VMU mod, and if you're going the full monty, the 32MB RAM mod, and Atomiswave BBA. Still, for a functional all-in-one Dreamcast without a fuss, this is just fine. A lot better than a certain metalhead had for an "ultimate Dreamcast." On most regards, I'd probably ignore the "Atomiswave BBA" one since it neglects to mention that only about 5 games support the BBA, and that 32MB RAM mod is still a bit of a meme for the time being. But a DreamPi is a must. This and the Xbox were the champions of early online console gaming, it must be celebrated!

[@troogroove9318]

The terraonion gdrom replacement would of been a better mod.

[@redvenomweb]

One (expensive) mod that might be worth it, if you can find it, is the USB GD-ROM. When you have a large number of games (e.g. the whole library), GDEMU takes a very long time to load the menu (even if you use the Create Menu option in the SD card maker tool). In contrast, USB GD-ROM loads instantly no matter how many games you have. It's also a lot easier to add/remove games on USB: simply copy them directly to the flash drive with the folder structure and name you want. GDEMU essentially requires a separate program to add/remove games.

[@ShawnMcCool]

This HDMI output mod versus OSSC? Which is better?

[@darkangel9090x]

To fix the 2 minutes loading time because of the big sd card, use the SD Card Maker tool to adjust your games. Check the Menu checkbox in the tool, and save. It will load GDmenu instantly.

[@redvenomweb]

When you have a very large number of games (200+GB worth), even if you use the SD Card Maker tool and save the Menu file, it still takes about 2 minutes to load the menu.

[@PierreVonStaines]

He's Relatively out-of-date, he's (possibly) a Man (other genders are available), he's definitely in a Cavity....So welcome to another episode Relatively Out-Of-Date Man Cavity.

[@RMCRetro]

It's not an RMC video until you've commented Pierre

[@PierreVonStaines]

Do you think Mark can donate some of his lockdown mullet? He looks almost like Ulysses 31 with them luscious locks.

[@stevemoon2136]

I sold my not unsubstantial collection of Retro gaming machines about 10 years ago (due to space issues) & have been using emulation since. I don't regret it but I do however wish i had of kept my Dreamcast as would absolutely love a DC with these specifications.

[@LazyBunnyKiera]

Note to self, put kapton over resistor pack..

[@noodles4773]

Hey guys great video as usual but i noticed you put the fuse in the wrong spot its actually the other one (blue) you replace ,I've change numerous of does fuses before.

[@Kairu43]

Agreed, they swapped the wrong component; I'm pretty sure it's labelled F1 on the board, but regardless, it should have been the one closer to the capacitor.

[@RMCRetro]

This is why Mark can't have nice things. Good spot, we smashed through so much that day I'm not surprised our eyes failed us somewhere along the way...no damage done thankfully

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Yeah. Good spot. I’ll change it around! Thank you 😊

[@noodles4773]

@@RMCRetro no problem, us retro restores have to help each other keep these beautiful machines up and running for many years to come.

[@alexanrsousa]

I am assuming that another advantage of the internal HDMI mod is simultaneous use, right? Could one have it plugged into a good old CRT while streaming through an HDMI capture card?

[@tomfoolery2964]

Someone needs to figure out how to make a wiiu screened controller work with the dreamcast. That way I will actually use my wii u.

[@rickylovesyou]

yes!!! RMC and japanese consoles is just a pure WIN!

ahahah I just change my Dreamcast battery and installed my GDEmu last weekend ^^

[@iLiokardo]

"Let's move on swiftly, shall we" hahaaaaaaaaa

[@petefem]

Great work friends. Might I suggest some clear smoke black controllers to better match the shell? Sorry if it’s been suggested already. I didn’t feel like reading through all the comments to check.

[@graealex]

The DreamPSU seems like a useless "upgrade", especially since you're changing a fully internal PSU with a DC/DC converter and a wall wart. Unless your internal PSU is actually faulty, there isn't any gain with this. What was the reasoning behind replacing it?

[@TheUberdude187]

I would imagine to remove excess heat from the inside of the console as the original power supplies can get a little toasty with long use sessions.

[@Zoomer.88]

That's actually one of the most important mods for DC if you're swapping out the original optical drive and leaving 5v rail without load. Google dc psu heat gdemu. Plenty info on that issue.

[@graealex]

@@Zoomer.88 Then I would have liked to see an explanation why a working internal PSU needs to be replaced with a DC/DC converter at 60 bucks in the video. Because that part is pretty expensive for what it is. The main explanation was heat, but heat is fine if that doesn't cause problems, and I would have guessed that the reduced load from no optical drive would rather help this problem.

[@theannoyedmrfloyd3998]

The only mod left is a switchable BIOS to play any region game.

[@davidste60]

He's put a GDEMU in it, why would he need a switchable BIOS?

[@hi_tech_reptiles]

On my short list for consoles to grab up and mod. Hard to decide about the GDEMU or not, but the cases you can get are amazing... Maybe I need two! Lol Edit: You can get those mods from high quality sellers in the west... Prob better I assume. Voultar would be my go to to ask about them.

[@RetroPC]

The crisper the better! You guys wanna mod my DC next?

[@emmettturner9452]

The reason the DCHDMI is superior is a bit more than just latency. First, it's a lossless digital to digital conversion where the signal never exists as analog (flawless video quality). Second, it does proper scaling for 240p games where the external adapter would not. Third, it can scale to 1080p which may match your screen's native resoltion and bypass your TV's scaler. Fourth, it works with every game whether they support the VGA adapter or not. It's just better! :)

[@RetroGamesNow86]

well, with the recently released MODE by TerraOnion, there seems to be a legit debate in the community going on about what option is the best.... so maybe the next and last upgrade would be to put in a MODE on this dreamcast and remove the GDEMU, although the MODE is way mooore expensive!

[@RMCRetro]

I agree, we will hopefully get hold of a MODE and we can perhaps revisit this and see if we can make it even better again!

[@plebetopro5786]

US Dreamcast OG color is Orange

[@waynosdaboss]

Great video but probably would have gone with the mode over the gdemu! Not sure why it wasn't mentioned.

[@BMR86]

I can attest how difficult the DCHDMI is, I decided to give it a try just recently, and oh boy... I was brave and thought I was going to pull it off on the 1st try... and I failed! ha! .... once finished installing it, I turned the DC on and just got a black screen where underneath it you could barely see the DC logo in a very dark green shade, imagine if the logo was buried under a thick layer of tar and the silhouette came through... yeah that's how I saw it and it was bad! I then realized upon inspection the joints were not aligned on the video chip... so I bravely decided to remove the entire flex cable and do it again, not knowing how to properly desolder, I dragged the braid too hard attempting to remove enough solder to detach it, wouldn't you know it... I ended up dragging a few pads off the actual flex cable... uuuggghh.... and I assumed some of them where there only as anchor points to try and find some comfort in my mistake... no no no.. they are all there and have a purpose... !!! I tried realigning it and installed it a 2nd time just to come to a complete stop after testing.... GAME OVER! I didn't even get a logo.... just completely DEAD! but I think what I can do is source a new flex cable and try again, so I'll do that whenever I can get my hands a new flex cable, but oh man was I sweating with this project....

[@Pressbutan]

Yeah yeah Dreamcast whatever, where do I get one of those charming Fallout inspired RMC masks? That's adorable!

[@Septer_Sever]

For anyone playing on a CRT, the DCHDMI makes no sense. For everyone else that wants to play on their 60 inch 4k OLED, you're going to want to look into this! The fan mod should be installed in all Dreamcast's, to be honest. I've heard people say to refurbish the original PSU, instead of putting a pico in, but I haven't really poured over the data. The clone GDEMU is pretty much the only option, as the original creator seems to be missing in action, although being able to support the inventor would be rather nice. Either way, you guys did it! That really is the ULTIMATE DC!

[@nakedbeekeeper9610]

Always tape the bits around the soldering area. It will save you so much hustle

[@cosmicbren]

Good tip!

[@emmettturner9452]

256GB? That's a bit small for DC. I use 400GB for PC Engine CD-ROM²/Turbo-CD but DC games were much larger.

[@kalmtraveler]

admittedly ignorant question here, but i thought that outside of North America, the letter H is pronounced like 'haych', instead of like 'aych' as we do here in NA. These guys keep saying HDMI with tne NA pronunciation - what gives?

[@nilz__]

@10:05 if you use the GDEMUSD program to setup the SD card, it will generate a file with a list of all the roms on the SD card which makes booting the GDEMU instantly.

[@Rockythefishman]

Honestly I am not keen on this at all. The blue LED is a no no for me they hurt my eyes. I think the DC is best in white and while I am all for SD car solutions for older machines that fact you cant play disc based games any more makes it a no no for me. That all being said the HDMI mod is good. Lets face it going forward it will be harder and harder for us to find TVs that have any other inputs than HDMI. I know a lot of work went into this and can appreciate that.

[@philiprowney]

[ pauses ] 6:44- I wonder why you go for the internal option when the A/V out includes a VGA 'switch' that leads to zero lag. I use the external switcher box, most cheap HDMI TV's also had the VGA plug. The 16 inch Alba I use on a Raspi has one, both the 40 inch JVC's have them [ £249 off of Argos :-D ] 'The ultimate' in my book would include a PCI riser [ cheap NIC's ] and a desktop =]8¬_D PS your soldering iron needs a much better tip! [ presses play again ]

[@EriolGaurhoth]

So, no, you didn't install "ALL" the mods. Here are 2 to make a bit more "ultimate": 1) A "DreamPort" PSU that enables the ability to connect Bluetooth controllers (and the Dreamconn Bluetooth controller is a great addition) www.dreammods.net/dreamport.html 2) A "DreamWifi" or a custom-built WiFi adapter that plugs into the network adapter slot, enabling the use of DreamPi, the Raspberry-Pi-based connectivity system for Dreamcast users www.reddit.com/r/dreamcast/comments/gfxxwt/dreamwifi_dreampibased_wifi_adapter/

[@moomah5929]

I find it funny to replace an internal PSU with and external one, while most people are happy that modern consoles got rid of external power bricks like the XBox 360 one. DC just like Saturn, PSX and many modern consoles, TVs etc. use a standard power cable. Main thing I might want to mod on my DC is the fan. I still like actually putting my discs in, even it the drive could be quieter. Also need to replace the battery as it's dead and at this point might do the fuse exchange even though I never had problems with it. HDMI mods I don't need with my 3 CRT TVs I own for all the old consoles, C64 and MiSTer. No shader can replace the real deal. CRT Glow ftw! PS: For RPG fans like me, the DC was a disappointed and I still love my Saturn far more.

[@metroboytartu]

And I dreamed about Dreamcast 20 years ago...

[@semtix1]

Good news is that if you screw up the flex cable on the dchdmi install, like me lol. You can order just the flex for about $16. I also knocked off the r2 resistor 😂. I couldn't find it because it's tiny, so I just used one of the ones I pulled from the motherboard for the install. It's larger in size, and I'm not sure if it's the correct one, but it worked😂.

[@TooFurious4]

I love the tiny Noctua fan.

[@GhibliNova]

Personally I prefer the MODE over the GDEMU. It's easier to set up and I think it all looks a bit higher quality. And then it doesn't exist yet but I'd love a blueretro controller port like they did with the Gamecube recently, and make the Dream PSU better quality because I've read several places that the Stock PSU is far superior to the DreamPSU. I think that'd make it perfect.

[@shift_nasty]

Bitfunx stole someone’s work

[@IsaacG8]

I don't want to swap my optical drive for an ODE. At least not until the optical drive dies. I like the option of playing my original games, even though, I tend not to to preserve them. Except Marvel vs Capcom 2.... that's my go to game on Dreamcast.

[@nickdude07]

I ran into the problem with games loading onto the GDEMU taking longer and longer to load game images the more that were loaded onto it. In reality they should be loading within seconds even if you had a 1TB drive full of games. After researching why my game rips were taking so long to load I found that the GDEMU is built for TOSEC format GDI files. If you want your fames to load quickly load them through the GDEMU SD utility with the "menu" option enabled in this format. They should load much much faster then.

[@krankymann]

what would cap this off nicely is a wireless controller, either via a brook adapter or a dreamconn+ and a backlit VMU. THEN it's the ultimate. Also a DC Digital modded DC looks great through a VGA adapter into a PC monitor - be sure to set the output to "VGA" for the best results,