Optical drive replacements: Difference between revisions
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An optical drive replacement is a device that replaces the Dreamcast's [[GD-ROM drive]] with an alternative storage method, typically SD cards or USB storage. These devices typically use an FPGA to simulate the GD-ROM drive hardware. | An optical drive replacement is a device that replaces the Dreamcast's [[GD-ROM drive]] with an alternative storage method, typically SD cards or USB storage. These devices typically use an FPGA to simulate the GD-ROM drive hardware. | ||
Because these are devices that simulate the system's original GD-ROM, the compatibility is virtually perfect with a few exceptions. | |||
Similarly, one could attempt the [[IDE hard drive modification]] to accomplish a similar goal, however as this does not simulate the system's hardware, software hacks must be applied by a loader program, resulting in some potential compatibility issues. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
| Line 10: | Line 12: | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" width="400" | [[iceGDROM]] | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" width="400" | [[iceGDROM]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | price and availability || €130 euros, periodic sales done on [https://gdemu.wordpress.com/ creator's website], price includes shipping from Poland<br>$40-$80 USD unofficial China-based clones widely available worldwide || $180 USD to purchase as a Paypal gift<br>$220 USD to purchase with Paypal protection<br>additional $15 USD for shipping from Russia to worldwide<br>sales through [http://3do- | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | price and availability || €130 euros, periodic sales done on [https://gdemu.wordpress.com/ creator's website], price includes shipping from Poland<br>$40-$80 USD unofficial China-based clones widely available worldwide || $180 USD to purchase as a Paypal gift<br>$220 USD to purchase with Paypal protection<br>additional $15 USD for shipping from Russia to worldwide<br>sales through [http://3do-mnemo.com/USB-GDROM_Controller.htm creator's website] || €182, sales through [https://shop.terraonion.com/en/home/17-Terraonion_MODE_Dreamcast_Saturn_ODE.html TerraOnion Shop]<br>|| DIY project | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" width="300" | console revisions supported<br>(none support va2 models) || va1 only<br>(works in va0, but incorrect signal voltages may cause damage) || va0 and va1 || va0 and va1 || va1 only | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" width="300" | console revisions supported<br>(none support va2 models) || va1 only<br>(works in va0, but incorrect signal voltages may cause damage) || va0 and va1 || va0 and va1 || va1 only | ||
| Line 20: | Line 22: | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | menu type || officially, no menu, controlled by hardware<br>GDMenu graphical menu is current de facto default menu || text-based menu || List view and advanced covert art views || no menu, controlled by hardware | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | menu type || officially, no menu, controlled by hardware<br>GDMenu graphical menu is current de facto default menu || text-based menu || List view and advanced covert art views || no menu, controlled by hardware | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | media format || FAT32 with images specifically named and in numbered folders<br>community tools such as GDEmu SD card creator exist to assist in creating cards || FAT32, drag and drop || exFAT || FAT32, requires conversion to custom image format, files must be specifically numbered | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | media format || FAT32 with images specifically named and in numbered folders<br>community tools such as GDEmu SD card creator exist to assist in creating cards || FAT32, drag and drop || FAT32, exFAT || FAT32, requires conversion to custom image format, files must be specifically numbered | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | image format || TOSEC GDI+BIN, GDI+ISO, CDI, CCD+IMG+SUB, MDS+MDF, ISO for homebrew disc-swapping (e.g. for emulator ROM discs) || TOSEC GDI+BIN, GDI+ISO, CDI || TOSEC GDI+BIN, GDI+ISO, CDI, CCD+IMG+SUB, MDS+MDF, Redump CUE+BIN/ISO | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | image format || TOSEC GDI+BIN, GDI+ISO, CDI, CCD+IMG+SUB, MDS+MDF, ISO for homebrew disc-swapping (e.g. for emulator ROM discs) || TOSEC GDI+BIN, GDI+ISO, CDI || TOSEC GDI+BIN, GDI+ISO, CDI, CCD+IMG+SUB, MDS+MDF, Redump CUE+BIN/ISO | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | disc swapping || Yes, swap to next disc by pressing physical button<br>Combined with DCDigital mod, allows swap to next disc in DCDigital menu || Yes, swap to any disc support | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | disc swapping || Yes, swap to next disc by pressing physical button<br>Combined with [[DCDigital]] mod, allows swap to next disc in DCDigital menu || Yes, swap to any disc support<br>Pre-pick swap disc before loading game, and swap using lid open button || Yes || Yes, swap to next disc by ejecting and re-inserting SD card | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | in-game reset || Yes, reboot console to menu with X+Y+B+A+Start || No, | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | in-game reset || Yes, reboot console to menu with X+Y+B+A+Start || No, only possible with [[DCDigital]] mod || Yes, reboot console to menu with X+Y+B+A+Start || ??? | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | custom loader/bleemshell support || allows custom coded menus with direct control of console, can control of disc-swapping done through hidden API<br>Community menus exist including GDMenu, bleemshell, OpenMenu, etc. || none || none || none | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | custom loader/bleemshell support || allows custom coded menus with direct control of console, can control of disc-swapping done through hidden API<br>Community menus exist including GDMenu, bleemshell, OpenMenu, etc. || none || none || none | ||
| Line 36: | Line 38: | ||
|no<br>(support requires either firmware improvement for image support, or community effort to further crack protection) | |no<br>(support requires either firmware improvement for image support, or community effort to further crack protection) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | known bugs || Item duplication bug on Resident Evil Code Veronica (critical bug)<br>Freezing during Skies of Arcadia intro video (non-critical)<br>D2 disc swapping bug || ??? || ??? || ??? | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | known bugs || Item duplication bug on Resident Evil Code Veronica (critical bug, fixed on genuine GDEMU but not clone)<br>Freezing during Skies of Arcadia intro video (non-critical, fixed on genuine GDEMU but not clone)<br>D2 disc swapping bug || ??? || ??? || ??? | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | additional notes || Genuine devices are firmware-updatable, but clone devices are bricked if user attempts a firmware update<br> | |style="background-color:#d0d0d0;" | additional notes || Genuine devices are firmware-updatable, but clone devices are bricked if user attempts a firmware update<br>Clones are one firmware revision out of date (see above bugs) || Previous versions of firmware included a hidden undisclosed self-bricking timebomb unless user periodically updated firmware in order to give creator control over devices, however the latest version firmware is supposedly free of this since the timebomb was publicized || also supports the Sega Saturn console || completely DIY open source project | ||
|} | |} | ||
Latest revision as of 18:54, 12 March 2023
An optical drive replacement is a device that replaces the Dreamcast's GD-ROM drive with an alternative storage method, typically SD cards or USB storage. These devices typically use an FPGA to simulate the GD-ROM drive hardware. Because these are devices that simulate the system's original GD-ROM, the compatibility is virtually perfect with a few exceptions. Similarly, one could attempt the IDE hard drive modification to accomplish a similar goal, however as this does not simulate the system's hardware, software hacks must be applied by a loader program, resulting in some potential compatibility issues.
| GD-ROM Optical Drive Features Comparison | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Device: | GDEMU | USB-GDROM | MODE | iceGDROM | |||||||||||||||
| price and availability | €130 euros, periodic sales done on creator's website, price includes shipping from Poland $40-$80 USD unofficial China-based clones widely available worldwide |
$180 USD to purchase as a Paypal gift $220 USD to purchase with Paypal protection additional $15 USD for shipping from Russia to worldwide sales through creator's website |
€182, sales through TerraOnion Shop |
DIY project | |||||||||||||||
| console revisions supported (none support va2 models) |
va1 only (works in va0, but incorrect signal voltages may cause damage) |
va0 and va1 | va0 and va1 | va1 only | |||||||||||||||
| media type | SD cards | USB 2.0 storage compatible with SATA to USB 2.0 bridges |
SD, USB 2.0, SATA SATA through built-in USB 2.0 bridge |
SD cards | |||||||||||||||
| media capacity | officially, up to 32GB large cards like 400GB and 512GB tested and widely used |
up to 2TB | limited by storage device size | ??? | |||||||||||||||
| menu type | officially, no menu, controlled by hardware GDMenu graphical menu is current de facto default menu |
text-based menu | List view and advanced covert art views | no menu, controlled by hardware | |||||||||||||||
| media format | FAT32 with images specifically named and in numbered folders community tools such as GDEmu SD card creator exist to assist in creating cards |
FAT32, drag and drop | FAT32, exFAT | FAT32, requires conversion to custom image format, files must be specifically numbered | |||||||||||||||
| image format | TOSEC GDI+BIN, GDI+ISO, CDI, CCD+IMG+SUB, MDS+MDF, ISO for homebrew disc-swapping (e.g. for emulator ROM discs) | TOSEC GDI+BIN, GDI+ISO, CDI | TOSEC GDI+BIN, GDI+ISO, CDI, CCD+IMG+SUB, MDS+MDF, Redump CUE+BIN/ISO | ||||||||||||||||
| disc swapping | Yes, swap to next disc by pressing physical button Combined with DCDigital mod, allows swap to next disc in DCDigital menu |
Yes, swap to any disc support Pre-pick swap disc before loading game, and swap using lid open button |
Yes | Yes, swap to next disc by ejecting and re-inserting SD card | |||||||||||||||
| in-game reset | Yes, reboot console to menu with X+Y+B+A+Start | No, only possible with DCDigital mod | Yes, reboot console to menu with X+Y+B+A+Start | ??? | |||||||||||||||
| custom loader/bleemshell support | allows custom coded menus with direct control of console, can control of disc-swapping done through hidden API Community menus exist including GDMenu, bleemshell, OpenMenu, etc. |
none | none | none | |||||||||||||||
| bleemcast! GT2/TK3/MGS version support | no (support requires either firmware update to enhance CCD image support, or community effort to further crack protection) |
no (support requires either firmware update to enhance CCD image support, or community effort to further crack protection) |
??? | no (support requires either firmware improvement for image support, or community effort to further crack protection) | |||||||||||||||
| known bugs | Item duplication bug on Resident Evil Code Veronica (critical bug, fixed on genuine GDEMU but not clone) Freezing during Skies of Arcadia intro video (non-critical, fixed on genuine GDEMU but not clone) D2 disc swapping bug |
??? | ??? | ??? | |||||||||||||||
| additional notes | Genuine devices are firmware-updatable, but clone devices are bricked if user attempts a firmware update Clones are one firmware revision out of date (see above bugs) |
Previous versions of firmware included a hidden undisclosed self-bricking timebomb unless user periodically updated firmware in order to give creator control over devices, however the latest version firmware is supposedly free of this since the timebomb was publicized | also supports the Sega Saturn console | completely DIY open source project | |||||||||||||||