Hey guys and gals,
So honestly this whole dreampi and getting back online has really breathed new life into my old and beloved dreamcast.
So now that i have a bit more money then when i did in collage, i think it is time to give the old girl a tune up.
1) So i am living in the EU and have an US dreamcast, so i was thinking about ordering an EU power supply so i dont need to use the transformer everytime i want to play. Has anyone any experience with this or have any suggestions.
2) I have to set the clock on the dreamcast damn near every time i start it up even if i played it 2 days before. So it must be real crappy now. Has anyone changed this out? If so please if possible send me the part names (if i can buy them on Amazon that would be amazing) I have the electronics background to solder something in and out but dont know exactly what i need.
3) I still use a composite cable to connect to my TV, what i am ideally looking for would be a package that would take VGA into HDMI. Does anyone have any experience with this? Again part names of things i could just buy on Amazon would be totally appreciated.
I think that is about it, any other suggestions in order to get the most out of my old friend?
Halcyon
Time for Tune up
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Re: Time for Tune up
1) The hardware like the motherboard/etc will probably short out because it's (I assume) its designed for the 110v (I think US is 110v). So doubling the electricity its designed for will probably destroy the console if it doesn't catch on fire
2) There's many tutorials on changing the clock battery
3) the VGA cables from china work great. I know someone is making a HDMI box, similar to the VGA box
http://assemblergames.com/l/threads/aku ... box.64520/
http://assemblergames.com/l/threads/aku ... ost-932886
2) There's many tutorials on changing the clock battery
3) the VGA cables from china work great. I know someone is making a HDMI box, similar to the VGA box
http://assemblergames.com/l/threads/aku ... box.64520/
http://assemblergames.com/l/threads/aku ... ost-932886
A GDemu or USB-GDrom if you can afford one. They're like $150+any other suggestions in order to get the most out of my old friend?
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- lastcallgames
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Re: Time for Tune up
I have the Chinese VGA cable I got from eBay (not the Tomee one, that one sucks), and I put it in this converter and it works like a charm on my LCD TV
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013C ... UTF8&psc=1
As for the power supply, I would probably recommend just getting a PAL DC instead of trying to replace the actual power supply in the console. It's easy enough to use a Gameshark or the like to bypass the region lock.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013C ... UTF8&psc=1
As for the power supply, I would probably recommend just getting a PAL DC instead of trying to replace the actual power supply in the console. It's easy enough to use a Gameshark or the like to bypass the region lock.
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Re: Time for Tune up
The PSU is modular and could be easily swapped if you found a cheap donor. However, make sure that the pinout and voltages coming off the board are the same or you are sure to damage something.
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Re: Time for Tune up
No VGA input ?
Beharbros are launching their new Akura box real soon , VGA to HDMI this Febuary 7th can purchase $85 flat
http://assemblergames.com/l/threads/aku ... 520/page-9
Beharbros are launching their new Akura box real soon , VGA to HDMI this Febuary 7th can purchase $85 flat
http://assemblergames.com/l/threads/aku ... 520/page-9
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Re: Time for Tune up
1 - The PSU board is interchangeable. Only the input differs: 110 V vs. 220~230 V. Find a PAL PSU board, open the console and swap the board.
2 - The clock battery is replaceable like said before - there are tutorials on YouTube on how to do it. You have the possibility to change to another equal battery or to use regular AA or AAA batteries, don't really recall which.
3 - For new users, the Akura box like said before is the best choice for a HDMI box with DC VGA mode support. You can also play the games that don't support 480p with it, by using the swap trick.
2 - The clock battery is replaceable like said before - there are tutorials on YouTube on how to do it. You have the possibility to change to another equal battery or to use regular AA or AAA batteries, don't really recall which.
3 - For new users, the Akura box like said before is the best choice for a HDMI box with DC VGA mode support. You can also play the games that don't support 480p with it, by using the swap trick.
- Halcyon
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Re: Time for Tune up
Right on thanks a lot fellas, I got things all ordered and now we play the amazon waiting game. Thanks a million!
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Re: Time for Tune up
Re: #3, just be aware that 99% of the VGA->HDMI converters on the market don't maintain correct aspect ratio when converting the Dreamcast's VGA (it slightly squishes the picture horizontally). You're unlikely to notice it unless you're a stickler for resoultions. That said, I still use one anyway, because my setup is all HDMI at home.
- Halcyon
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Re: Time for Tune up
Thanks for that warning, I ordered what i could off Amazon.de
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01N67 ... UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B018JV ... UTF8&psc=1
So i am in for about 30 clams, worth giving it a shot. I also got a rechargable battery and will swap out the old garbage as soon as it arrives. Still on the prowl for the Power Supply Print, so if anyone knows someone who has a defective PAL DC but the power stage works i will pay for it Don't want to canabalize a working unit, turning on the transformer is not that big a deal, we got to keep this little babies alive and well
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01N67 ... UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B018JV ... UTF8&psc=1
So i am in for about 30 clams, worth giving it a shot. I also got a rechargable battery and will swap out the old garbage as soon as it arrives. Still on the prowl for the Power Supply Print, so if anyone knows someone who has a defective PAL DC but the power stage works i will pay for it Don't want to canabalize a working unit, turning on the transformer is not that big a deal, we got to keep this little babies alive and well
Robots build Robots
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Re: Time for Tune up
For the power supply I would buy a broken PAL dc and use it for parts.
Also its pretty much mandatory to clean the dust/dirt of the fan blades and grease the gears and worm gear in the GD ROM with lithium grease (which is safe to use on plastics). Dont use too much as it'll make a mess.
Their is many threads on this forum and others covering these topics. Not to mention youtube videos, etc. Simply google it because this thread is a bunch of regurgitated information.
Also its pretty much mandatory to clean the dust/dirt of the fan blades and grease the gears and worm gear in the GD ROM with lithium grease (which is safe to use on plastics). Dont use too much as it'll make a mess.
Their is many threads on this forum and others covering these topics. Not to mention youtube videos, etc. Simply google it because this thread is a bunch of regurgitated information.