Can a GD-ROM be swapped back and forth with a USB GD-ROM?

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Elliander
lithium
Posts: 40

Can a GD-ROM be swapped back and forth with a USB GD-ROM?

Post#1 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 12:13 am

Hi, I have a modified Dreamcast on it's way. It has an overclock Switch, a VGA port, and dual BIOS Switch to go between loading from discs and Dreamshell. All the features I'd want except for hard drive loading, but there apparently isn't room to add an IDE mod to the mix. At least not while retaining GD-ROM functionality.

I got to thinking though: Since the GD-ROM basically just plugs into a socket,what if I purchased an extra GD-ROM and a USB-GDROM mod and a 3D printed cover to be put together as a complete assembly with the USB socket on the inside? If I did that, could I use the GD-ROM when I want to rip my own games or play from disc and then Switch the assembly out for the modified assembly and then be able to Switch it back out later?

In that scenario though, how would it work? The main BIOS is configured to run disc games, with the second BIOS configured to look for files on the SD card to run Dreamshell. Would the USB-GDROM run from the main BIOS using it's own loader software? and for disc swaps, I'm guessing the menu comes up to select the second disc when I open the disc tray?

In either case, if this would work, it seems like the best of two worlds scenario - unless someone can suggest a viable alternative to having to go back and forth?

An additional concern though is that, looking at installation videos, I see some versions that use a cut out on the back and others that have it pointing inward. Is that a choice made on installation? Or how will I know which style I would get? Ideally, I'd like to be able to take the mod out at any time and go back to using discs, so I'd like to avoid the style that pokes through the back.

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Anthony817
Shark Patrol
Posts: 4009

Re: Can a GD-ROM be swapped back and forth with a USB GD-ROM?

Post#2 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 12:35 am

I don't own one of those, I have a GDEMU, but the very first versions of that device required that you cut a hole in the back of the system to plug in your USB storage device. This is not the case now, they are pointed inwards inside the drive bay now. So you have nothing to worry about there.

Can I ask what your plans are? Why do you need to play games from disc? That device and the GDEMU have 100% compatibility. There is absolutely no need to have a disc drive anymore, save for a single application. That would be the retail Bleem PSX emulator. It can run the self booting beta code, but not the official boot disc games, as can't the GDEMU. It is just how the emulator worked. For that single application, you must use the physical disc.

Either way, why do you need that device vs the GDEMU? Just asking. As the GDEMU clones can be had for a fraction of the cost of that device, at $70. And you can use up to a confirmed 512gb SD card. I am sure you could use larger once that becomes available. I use a 128gb Micro SD card myself. You can get a legit card for super cheap.
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