MIL-CD compatibility

A MIL-CD compatible Dreamcast is required in order to be able to play homebrew software and modern indie releases, or to develop on the console directly. During the Dreamcast's life, there were 3 major revisions of its motherboard, labeled VA0, VA1, and VA2/VA2.1. All VA0 and VA1 consoles are MIL-CD compatible, but at some point during in the fall of 2000 the BIOS was changed to remove MILCD support from VA2s. Some VA2s manufactured in the fall of 2000 may work. The vast majority of machines are MIL-CD compatible, though MIL-CD incompatible VA2s are not exactly rare.

The revision number can be easily discerned from the motherboard (it's printed right on the main system board, but requires completely disassembling the console to see), the GD-ROM connector style (minimal disassembly required), or on PAL and North American units by a little number in a circle that has either 0, 1, or 2 on the bottom sticker (no disassembly required).

• Help, images wanted

Japanese consoles are harder to tell from the outside, but the third number in the serial number sticker is actually a year of manufacture. 8 means 1998, 9 means 1999, 0 means 2000, and 1 means 2001. No 2001 models are known to be MIL-CD compatible, and most of the 2000s ones are compatible. All of the 1998 and 1999 ones are compatible. It should also be noted that, on the front of the box of MIL-CD incompatible Japanese units, there is a little black rectangle on the top right, underneath "NTSC-J," that states "MILCD Incompatible" in white text in Japanese. "MILCD," however, is written in English letters, so it's very easy to see it assuming the box is available. It is also written on the side of the box with the serial number sticker, written in white text inside a black rectangle. Note that some limited edition consoles' boxes have the NTSC-J label moved around the front of the box (e.g. the Sakura Taisen label is on the bottom right corner.)

• Help, images wanted

Limited Editions and MIL-CD Compatibility

Notes:

• Yes == Compatible, No == Incompatible
• Years are year of manufacture as printed on the console's bottom sticker, and may not coincide with release dates (release dates can be found here: https://segaretro.org/Dreamcast_consoles_in_Japan)

North America:

• Sega Sports (July/August 2000) - Yes

Japan:

• RX-78 Gundam Edition (??) - No
• Pearl Blue (2001) - No
• Pearl Pink (2001) - No
• Metallic Silver (2001) - No
• Sakura Taisen (2000) - No
• Super Black (2000) - Yes
• R7 (2000) - Yes
• Biohazard: Code Veronica (1999) - Yes
• Biohazard S.T.A.R.S. (1999) - Yes
• Red Seaman Christmas Package (1999) - Yes
• Clear Seaman (1999) - Yes
• Hello Kitty Pink (1999) - Yes
• Hello Kitty Blue (1999) - Yes
• Maziora (1999) - Yes

The "special sticker" limited editions (e.g. CSK, partners, etc.) appear to all be VA1/MIL-CD compatible.