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Index
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Model:
Dreamcast
Release Date:
November 27, 1998
Original Price:
$199.99
Processor:
Hitachi 128-bit SH-4 RISC @ 200 MHZ
Memory:
26 MB RAM
This has got to be my most favorite video game system every! I mean,
sure... a lot of that has to do with the fact that you can download
and burn games that will run on this system completely unmodified.
And I don't mean just commercially produced games - there are plenty
of homebrew games available for this still popular system. And now I
find that you can run Linux on this as well. My two favorite things
in the computer world - what more could I ask for?
Controllers for the Dreamcast include keyboards, mice, steering
wheels, joysticks, light guns, microphones, the Dreameye (a digital
camera), a fishing rod, a special maraca not to mention the
controller that the system comes packaged with. You could purchase
a rumble pack that plugged into the controller that would let you
feel the action of supported games. Also included was a 56k modem
which could be replaced by either an HIT-0400 Broadband Adapter or
an HIT-0300 LAN Adapter.
Finally, there's the memory card - the Visual Memory Unit aka the
VMU. Unlike the plain-jane memory cards of other consoles, the VMU
featured a monochrome LCD screen and a miniature gaming pad. Using
these, you could carry the VMU with you and play mini-games that
are downloaded to it. While playing games, the LCD screen would
display game-appropriate graphics. To use the VMU for min-games and
to retain clock and address settings, two CR2032 batteries are
required. To use it as a standard memory card, however, you don't
need the batteries, as the saved data is written to flash memory
which is retained even after power is removed.
>>
Click here to download the Instruction Manual (414 kb)
>>
Click here to download a schematic for VGA support (19 kb)
>>
Click here to download a Complete Game List
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Pinouts:
A/V Connector
Pin 01 --- Ground
Pin 02 --> Audio Right
Pin 03 --> Audio Left
Pin 04 --> +12vdc
Pin 05 --> +5vdc
Pin 06 <-- Horiz Scan Mode: Grounded = 31 KHz VGA / Disconnected = 15 KHz TV
Pin 07 <-- Format: Grounded = RGB / Discconnected = Composite/S-Video
Pin 08 --> Vertical Sync (VGA Mode)
Pin 09 --> Horizontal Sync (VGA Mode)
Pin 10 --> Composite Sync
Pin 11 --> S-Video Chrominance (C)
Pin 12 --> S-Video Luminance (Y)
Pin 13 --> Composite Video
Pin 14 --> Blue
Pin 15 --> Green
Pin 16 --> Red
'Maple Bus' Controller Port
Pin 1 ??? Serial Data
Pin 2 --> +5vdc
Pin 3 --- Ground
Pin 4 <-- Device Present - connect to ground inside controller
Pin 5 ??? Serial Data
I cannot find TX or RX designations for pins 1 and 5.
If you know which is which, please let me know so I can correct this.
Serial Port
Pin 01 --> +5vdc
Pin 02 xxx n/c
Pin 03 --- Ground
Pin 04 <-- RX2
Pin 05 --> TX2
Pin 06 --> RTS
Pin 07 <-- CTS
Pin 08 xxx n/c
Pin 09 xxx n/c
Pin 10 --> +3.3vdc
All Pin-Outs Are Courtesy of
the Hardware Book Project
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