"WebTV for Dreamcast" Awareness Thread

[Wombat]

@wtv-411, you might also want to look at httpd-ack: https://github.com/sega-dreamcast/httpd-ack

This software is being used a lot by dumpers, with this software one can dump the contents of a disc as well as the bios\flash and sys calls straight to a computer using a BBA.

Perhaps you can modify httpd-ack to dump the TellyScripts

[TapamN]

Displaying a QR code (or multiple QR codes) is also an option. It looks like there's a C library for that, but I haven't examined it too closely.

[-drez01-]

Hey megavolt85 do you know if there is a way to get WebTV to work in dreamshell from serial SD? I have not had any luck.. Any help would be appreciated!

[megavolt85]

WebTV is written on WINCE SDK, everything that is written on this SDK cannot be run via SD mod, only HDD

[-drez01-]

Ok thank you for the info. You’re the man. Thanks again

[wtv-411]

@wtv-411, you might also want to look at httpd-ack: https://github.com/sega-dreamcast/httpd-ack

This software is being used a lot by dumpers, with this software one can dump the contents of a disc as well as the bios\flash and sys calls straight to a computer using a BBA.

Perhaps you can modify httpd-ack to dump the TellyScripts

Hm, I might consider adding that functionality in my program if I have the time or motivation to try to implement it. Right now though development on the TellyScript extractor tool is postponed until I can get an LVI for my DreamPi setup as I don't have one on me right now (dismantled the one I made several months ago because it wasn't the best anyway), and connecting through an actual phone line to the VoIP server that's tied to the WebTV server I had to test with (close to being launched publicly soon) doesn't let WebTV for Dreamcast save a TellyScript onto my Dreamcast, and I'd like to work with more sample data to get a better picture of how the software stores TellyScripts and make sure my tool will be able to work in most cases.

On a slightly related note, since it concerns WebTV and Japan, I was able to extract a demo from a Japanese WebTV Plus disk image recently that was dumped by someone else a few years ago, and just got it uploaded to Archive.org yesterday: https://archive.org/details/webtvplus-demo-jp. It contains a portion of the Japanese WebTV service that can be viewed offline and it gives us a very good look into what the service was like. Sadly it can't be viewed very easily right now since it uses WebTV's proprietary HTML format, so it might look broken on a web browser, and if you try to use it on a WebTV Viewer, the text will be broken since it's all encoded in Shift-JIS and the Viewer is based on the American version of the WebTV software. Still worth checking out if you're interested.

[Sonic1994DC]

15:22 is where he connects to webtv

[GraspYonOx]

I've been working on the Microsoft WebTV Connection Kit for years now. I've recently updated the English conversion and figured I would share in case anyone wants to try it out. It's configured to connect to a WebTV server I have had setup for years as well. So if anyone is interested what WebTV was like on the Dreamcast give it a shot. You can download the Dreamcast Microsoft WebTV Connection Kit - HackTV version from here: HTV - Microsoft WebTV Connection Kit

Microsoft WebTV Connection Kit Translation Cover Art by: elinery2005

[wtv-411]

It appears that it's been a while since I last updated this thread. Well are you guys in luck because a lot has happened in the realm of WebTV since I last posted. Namely, a private server focused on recreating the original WebTV experience from the 90s that's been in the works since 2021 is now in public beta! The server is named WebTV Redialed, and it offers most of the features official WebTV/MSN TV clients support, including discussion groups, mail (to other Redialed users), and favorites (just a disclaimer: I have no direct involvement with WebTV Redialed. I just know a couple of the guys working on it really well and figured I'd spread the word here). Most relevant to this community, though, it also has proper support for WebTV for Dreamcast!

At the moment, you'll either need to use the DreamPi for WebTV image from TurdINC and apply the service routes on it to point to WebTV Redialed's IP if you have a real Dreamcast and a means to run the WebTV Connection Kit software, or hack the 0WINCEOS binary in a GDI/CDI image to change the default IP of 10.0.1.129 to Redialed's if you intend on using an emulator (although the current Redialed IP is too long to fit in the stock binary without more involved hacks). To get the IP, go to this page (it's for instructions on using the WebTV Viewer to connect, but the IP and port apply to other platforms too. I have no control over how the site is organized). Also note that at least one Dreamcast-specific feature, the dictionary, won't work with Redialed at the moment. I'm not sure if support for that will be added any time soon, but I figured I'd just let you guys know in advance.

In related news, one of the guys working on WebTV Redialed (nitrate92) has also been working on a proper translation of the WebTV Connection Kit for the past couple of years, mostly in collaboration with lead Redialed developer JarHead. Not only are most strings for the browser translated, but stuff like the title screen, original menus, and options panel are translated too, and the ultimate goal is to have everything translated as accurately as possible for this strange port of the WebTV browser so us filthy English speakers can take full advantage of it. Now, the project has been and will likely remain a work-in-progress for some time, but there are plans to release it publicly on GitHub soon. Stay tuned for more information on that.