Dreamcast GDEMU - Is It Worth It?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.ค. 2024
- In this video, we discuss what it's like to have a Sega Dreamcast equipped with a GDEMU, which is an optical drive emulator. Load your games from an SD card and never have to deal with discs again! Thanks for subscribing to my TH-cam channel, be sure to check out some of the other Dreamcast and retro gaming videos that I have here.
0:00 Intro
0:17 What is a GDEMU?
1:16 Is it easy to install?
2:57 After the install
3:56 Questions about functionality
4:23 Force VGA video output
5:17 Other PROS of the GDEMU
7:11 Phantasy Star Online?
8:17 CONS - Price?
9:26 Things to check out on GDEMU - Frame Gride
10:29 Things to check out on GDEMU - Propeller Arena
11:30 Closing thoughts
12:41 Outro
Music featured in the background of this video:
80's Synth Guitar:
• This Guitar Sounds Lik...
Pokemon Vermillion City Theme:
• Your Childhood Is Dead...
Sonic 2 Chemical Plant Zone:
• Sonic 2 - Chemical Pla...
Revenge of Shinobi Level 1 Theme:
• The Revenge of Shinobi...
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GDEMU Installation Video:
• Dreamcast GDEMU / GDME...
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What's your favorite Dreamcast game ever?
Shenmue 2 🤓
Re-Volt
SF3:TS/CVS2/CHUCHUROCKET/or one i forgot
Test Drive LeMans.
Shenmue and Record of Lodoss War
I've spent quite a bit on my DC but I'm pretty happy with it!:
GDEMU
DCHDMI
Noctua silent fan
Dreamport with black wireless Dreamconn controller (can wirelessly turn the DC off/on)
Back-lit modified black VMU
One of my most played console now, incredible system!
That Dreamconn looks awesome, it's just too bad that it costs nearly 3x what the console costs these days. Retrobit needs to really get with the program and release that wireless Dreamcast controller. It's a shame that in 2023 we don't have an affordable wireless option for the Dreamcast.
@Travis Bowman Yeah agreed man, insanely overpriced but gotta say it does work perfectly! Chris at Dreamware Enterprises is an absolute legend for his work in the DC mod scene so I don't mind giving him a premium :)
Want another upgrade? The creators of the Dreamconn you mentioned just came out with the VM2. 😊. Internal rechargeable battery, and backlit screen like before. But now there’s an extendable memory as well with MicroSD card. Never have to worry about memory limitations again.
You forgot to mention all the Atomiswave games that have been ported to the DC.
They don't run very well (or at all) if burnt to a disc, they need the higher read rate of the SD card.
Damn dude thanks for sharing this. I still have my collection of like 40-50 dreamcast games that have just been sitting on a shelf. Would love to give them some love!
Thanks for subscribing my friend!
Just installed mine. Did the Noctua fan mod while I was in there. Console is nice and quiet now. Went ahead and did a custom paint job as well.
Thanks for this extremely helpful video. I've been on the fence about using the GDEMU, but this may have tipped the scale. Cheers!
Glad I could help! How are you liking it thus far?
I finally got one this week, the version 5.20.5 with the 3D printed mount for about $80. A bit cheaper and easier than my ps1 xstation or gamecubes GCloader, works perfectly fine. I do plan on getting the PSU upgeades soon, but ive already upgraded everything to component and S video and it all looks phenomenal on my CRT.
Where to get PSU mod?
Holy crap I didn’t know you could go back to the bios menu. I can’t wait to put a gdemu in mine.
I got mine on launch day but did sadly sell it. Nowadays I have a Japanese one. Just got a wireless PS3 arcade stick to work on it with a Brook adapter. Lots of fun!
Nice video. I have a GDemu for maybe 2+ years great device. I have a vga cable its pretty cool to use. I mostly use a fancy crt in my Moms room with svideo and it looks amazing.
Thanks very much!
Rather replace the power supply than the fan for heat reasons. The Noctua fan's selling point is primarily silence.
Couldn't agree more, you don't have to change the fan just remove the 12V regulator or the power supply. That stock Dreamcast fan is load though. LOL
Thanks for the info!
The noctua fan itself is silent but it creates a whooshing sound as it blows a lot of air. Something to consider.
the dreamcast being loud is part of the charm though
Thank you for the video. I have a couple of DC and will do this to at least one of them
No problem, glad you enjoyed it!
I really want to buy a Dreamcast!! And future proofing it would be absolutely amazing.
You're really missing out! It's one of the best consoles ever.
It's awesome if you can get it to work!
I have been having DC nostalgia hit me. DC was one of my favorite consoles ever.
Nice video. Dreamcast is the best and most magical console ever made😍
Cheapest I found from china was $72 with the 3d printed stuff (5.15b). Expensive, but cheaper than certain single games. I’ve been burning them for years but misplaced my disc collection. Thanks for the helpful video, can’t wait to toss mine in
Be careful with bootlegs
No problem man! I burned games for 10+ years and it always worked pretty flawlessly, but the GDEMU route is the way to go. No more swapping boot discs and thumbing through a huge binder to find a game to play!
I just got a modded Dreamcast with the GDEMU. I purchased it modded because I had a Dreamcast model 2 that couldn't be modded so I just got the modded one with a brand new blue case the GDEMU and SD card loaded with games two controllers a vmu and of course the power cord and av cables. I will eventually get it hooked up to vga but right now it works the way it is.
It doesn't have to be in VGA to be enjoyed. Back in the day I played my Dreamcast via composite and loved every minute of it.... To be fair though, at the time we didn't have any idea it could get any better ;D
@@travisbowmanmusic I do enjoy it with the composite but did have play in VGA for a little while and the picture is just so smooth and crisp that is the only reason I want to get VGA but I enjoy it the way it is for now. I have been enjoying composite since I got my first Dreamcast back when Sega was stopping making the Dreamcast and consoles altogether around 2001 time. I just would like the best picture for my modded Dreamcast to make it shine the way it should.
I have a GDEMU now and I'm loving it. I put all my backups on it to be able to keep playing, my next Mod is the Fan mod, I wish the broadband adapters weren't so expensive, I'd love to get one of those. Too bad someone couldn't create an aftermarket one to use. I have been thinking of trying to do the powersupply update on it to a barrel jack or usb C but I dunno, the original works fine and I kinda want to keep some of it original as I have had it since its launch year.
You used to be able to get these DreamPi kits from this website. It's basically a Raspberry Pi that's engineered to work as WiFi/Ethernet solution to get your Dreamcast online. I got mine years ago, but it looks like they've been out of stock for some time now. I'm sure you could find information to make your own. dreamcastlive.net/shop/
Ahhh I peep the Shinobi guitar music 🔥🔥
😎😎😎
I would like a new dreamcast printed case around my old laptop motherboard. And could also play other consoles games using recalbox or batocero.
What was the sd card you was using cause I tried several 256 gb sd cards and when I use the tool on my pc to put the gdemu menu and the games some of the games come up as empty folders .
Custom Translucent Shell, DCHDMI, M.O.D.E, Stone Age Gamer mounting bracket for M.O.D.E, 3d Printed Tray Insert with SD Extender, and NOCTUA fan.
I wish I'd bought an official arcade stick at the time the dc launched. I've replaced my psu, but I'm not sure if i wasn't to take the drive out. I would probably get another one for the mod.
I would also like to replace the 🔋 in the dc as well.
What is that animated picture frame in the back with the dreamcast console on it? That's soooo cool
Ah, that's the Divoom Pixoo 64 (a mouthful, right?)
They sent me one for review, and ever since then I put it in the background of my videos. There are a TON of presets for older consoles like this, and if you're creative enough you can make your own. Check out that review video here:
th-cam.com/video/Tqs2OljQuDI/w-d-xo.html
I never had a Sega Dreamcast, I don't even watched one in real life but it seems so amazing that I really want one
You're really missing out on a TON of great games, my friend!
@@travisbowmanmusic yeah, emulation on Redream is cool but real hardware must be awesome
Worth it.
You gotta get one!
@@billymerritt420 I got one with Gdemu for 200 bucks a month ago, I'm beyond happy 💙
Going to be getting one for my Dreamcast and hopefully nothing goes wrong
Just follow a video guide step by step and take your time and you'll do fine. This is one of the easier mods out there.
@@travisbowmanmusic yeah, can’t wait to try some great game on it! Used to play phantasy star online and sonic adventure on it, but seeing games are growing in price. Saw illbleed in case being sold for $200
For the Atomis Wave games, is there a way to remap the buttons?
The NOCTUA fan doses not improve the cooling, what makes it better is it's way quieter and almost makes it run silent.
Just looked at the pricing for a Dreamcast GDEMU and its $130, i Paid $110 for a used dreamcast cast in very good condition at calico games as well as a few games which with everything together came out to be $180, i dont think i can justify spending more money on my dreamcast since i already have a Xbox Series X. Wanted to relive my childhood and play my dreamcast for the nostalgia and use my burned discs and if it dies at least i got to play it once again.
yes. next question?
@ Travis Bowman does the GDemu work with a Japanese Dreamcast? I don't have the 1 with a circl on my sticker. Mine says NTSC J not U. I like my dreamcast along with my Sega Saturn. I've been going back to my older consoles..since modern gaming is getting more expensive along with the newer CPUs and GPUs are requiring much more electricity to run..which is not good for like 3-4 hour gaming sessions.
Gotta have the "1" for this to work. Japanese Dreamcast will work fine if it's the right revision
@@travisbowmanmusic how to determine if right version? What to look for pls?
If you don't have a revision 1, it won't work. You need another Dreamcast
@@travisbowmanmusic oh dang that might be a challenge. Have to see what I can do then. Thanks
It's either this or a MODE these days. The GD-ROMs are quickly starting to fail and suffer from disc rot. Having an ODE opens up so many possibilities such as the arcade hardware games since those need a higher read rate than what the 2x drive can really deliver. Sure one can burn a bunch of games in CDI format, but it just makes more sense to have it all on one SD card these days.
I'm about to do a MODE install for another dude's Dreamcast. I'll most likely do a comparison video once it's completed.
What is disc rot? I hope that's not happening to my original games. Floppies are probably more robust than cds, gds.
They also make compressed versions with worse FMVs etc that loads of people.who played on CD have only experienced! 7:00
Would you drop some links to the 3D printed parts and modifications you'd recommend if i was to put a GDEMU in, i loved the dreamcast as a kid and it would be nice to be able to play whatever i wanted on it without having to pay insane prices for the games
All I got was the 3D printed enclosure, and the only reason I did that was for heat dispersal. I got everything on eBay and to be honest I probably overpaid a bit, but I wanted to get it from a domestic source that would ship quickly and work properly.
I've always been hesitant about Shenmue! Does it run with zero hiccups? Have you tried the English dub version of shenmue 2?
Yes, both of them run just fine!
@@travisbowmanmusic I just got mine today they run great!!! Thank you
My Dreamcast was having issues reading disks. So I was going to get it but I like having the physical games. If a game is way too expensive and it’s not a story driven game I’ll get the Japanese version. If I must play it I’ll just burn it or use my pc emulator. But I like having the physical copies.
I still have all my physical DC games too. Some of the more expensive games like D2 can't be burned on a 700MB CD-R, and the Japanese version is pretty much unplayable if you don't know the language. I might get a second Dreamcast later on for use with my rolling cart CRT setup, that way I can still enjoy all my physical games.
Pros of japanese versions is their artwork and booklets are awesome
I’ve never seen that white flush mount surface. Is that an accessory for the gdemu?
Nvm I see it as part of the kit thanks
So as far as pso goes do other online games work? I have quake 3 arena, alien front online, pso, chu chu rocket, and ooga booga. I can’t just not play those. The main reason I got my dreamcast back out was for those online games, draconus cult of the wyrm and blue stinger.
I've played both Quake and PSO online recently. Check this website for more info on getting some of your favorite games back online: dreamcastlive.net/games/
hello, does saving the gdmenu settings work for you? I've got v0.6 and the settings don't save to the vmu, it doesn't create the file
I've got the V5.15b and it works fine.
You can really only get the knockoff GD-Emu these days. Those have issues. The MODE is good, but it's expensive, and TerraOnion is not a company I want to support. USB-GDROM is a good device, but I'm not sure if he's still producing them.
The Noctua fan is useless. It's quieter, sure, but that's because it's not moving air like the stock fan. Plus, you have to use a custom printed latch which can cause issues with the eject button.
I'm using a knock off GDEMU and thus far, other than what I mentioned in the video, I haven't found any issues. Could you elaborate?
I wouldn't say that the Noctua fan is "useless". Like all moving parts, the stock fan will eventually go out. It's a 24 year old part. In my experience, it does a decent job at keeping the console from getting hot. Do you have a better alternative in mind?
The 3D printed latch is used because of the new fan shroud. The Noctua fan is a bit bigger than the stock fan. I've only had one instance where that 3D printed latch caused problems, and that was in a cheap Chinese "custom" case that someone bought on eBay for me to use with his Dreamcast project. On two other Dreamcasts that I've done this mod on, that 3D latch worked with zero issues. Maybe you didn't install it correctly?
GD-EMU can play a good amount of games but if you want full compatibility the MODE is where it is at.
Hello, does the rumble and VMU still work with a GDEMU modded Dreamcast? (does it still rumble in game and does the VMU still display ammo/health in resident evil games?)
Yes. All the GDEMU does is replace the disc drive.
@@travisbowmanmusic Thank you so much for replying!
If the disk reader went out on a Dreamcast, would it fix the system by doing this GDEMU upgrade? Thanks in advance...
Oh, you addressed this issue at 12 minutes in... Thanks...
Is better to change the psu or disable the 12v regulator. With that you reduce the heat.
I recommend connnect 3 resistors in pararell of 1K Ohm(250mW) in the original power supply to manage the heat, at the pins 4 and 6.
@@monitorinc9482 Better, dessolder the voltage regulator from PSU it is only 3 pin IC like an 7805. It will also save energy...
@@JorgeCarvalho_web_dev exactly that is what I do.
Great video. I’m looking to upgrade to a gdemu drive.
its nice but for me as a collector and appreciator of every single title it is just way too inflationary to have all these games as data...destroys the fun of collecting and giving every single purchased game the focus it deserves..in the end i just would lose motivation to play the games at all this way
I definitely feel you in that, but I just can't justify spending $200+ for one game, and most of the best DC games have gotten up to that price point lately. I just like to experience the games!
If you switch to the GDemu, do you need to change the bios chip for multi region? Or does the GDemu take care of that now?
No need to mess with the BIOS. The GDEMU will play any game from any region.
@@dreamcazman thanks!
That's another thing I should have mentioned in the video. Region free BIOS with the GDEMU.
@@travisbowmanmusic are you saying that the GDemu takes care of region issues or is your DC already modded with a region free bios? Just want to be absolutely certain that I do *not* need to change my bios chip. Thanks
GDEMU let's you play games from any region. I have not ever modded my DC with a BIOS chip. See that Frame Gride game in this video? That's a Japanese game.
What about swapping multi disc games in gdmenu?
It works pretty seamlessly. A lot of games require you to save at the end of the disc anyways.
You need to alter or replace the power supply.
Yeah, I can't GD EMU due to price, plus it's want to do the DC digital, and slide in a noctua can, and perhaps the power mod. I'm looking at silly money, there. 😩
This stuff definitely isn't cheap!
I got mine for $110 total off of Ebay.
Any over heating issues? I added a GDEMU with the 3D printed tray. I did not add anything else, no fan, no modification to the PSU. Any over heating issues for anyone?
So far, no issues at all. It gets a bit warm after a few hours but nothing major.
dumb question...can you still save progress on the memory cards with this mod?
Absolutely
you can power it via USB C
Would love something like this for N64
There are Everdrive carts for the N64
@@travisbowmanmusic Have it... not the same as the gdemu for me
Well of course they're not going to be the same. The GDEMU is designed to replace the disc drive, and the N64 is a cartridge based system. I'm not sure what you're wanting, but the Everdrive 64 is likely the best we will ever get for a flash cart on that system.
@@travisbowmanmusic I have the everdrive for n64, gba, nes, snes... I know everdrive. The problem is that it doesnt do all, then you need to buy the latest. I bought the x5 and then like a month later the x7 was out, without warning. So boom, after conversion, shipping and customs, it was 60 CAD, price of my mister. System level mods can be updated and run faster. You're getting your panties in a bunch as if it's absurd that someone would prefer a system-level mod like the dreamcast/ps2 over a cart
Dreamcast is the goat!! And no its not a dreamcast you put GDemu hardware. But still good video!
Deciding if I should get a DC with this or a regular one and play burned games.
You can't go wrong either way. Just make sure you're using high quality CD-Rs to burn them if that's the route you want to go. I have a video tutorial on that on my TH-cam channel.
@@travisbowmanmusic Thanks for replying. I think I'm going to go the gdemu route. Paying $140-$200 on a system I may have to troubleshoot, doesn't seem ideal. I've read too many hit and miss stories about using backups on the DC, on the models that will play backups.
I use Verbatim discs which have worked very well with my Saturn and 3DO. But this last batch I purchased hasn't worked at all with my 3DO.
Yeah put you don't have to put the gdemu in right away, you can add it after your gdrom starts to fail. Unless you want to preserve it.
Is there many people on PSO? I have an old dreamcast and thinking of maybe joining if its not too complicated to install online on the console nowadays
There are a ton of folks still on there. Admittedly I haven't been on in a while, but you can find others to play with in the Sylverant discord server.
@@travisbowmanmusic Thanks you very much! Too bad i need the Dreamcast “1” to get the gdemu since i have a “0” but i also found a cheap one near where i live. I’ll install this, install online and go from there.
Ephinea Blue Burst has a bery active and dedicated player base. You shouldn’t wanna play v1 or 2 or even 3 (GC/XB).
So, all dreamcast games run with gdemu ?
I believe all games work with 5.20, but 5.15 has a few incompatibilities. Ready To Rumble Boxing in particular has given me some trouble. Can't seem to get it to run on 5.15. Maybe I'll upgrade to 5.20 in the future.
I want to install one in my Dreamcast, but I also don't know. I've been collecting physical copies of games, and I almost feel like that would kill my collection if I did get one installed
Your collection will still have value. Think about all of the games that are outrageous in price. Seaman, D2, Marvel Vs Capcom 2... D2 and Shenmue II (PAL) are far too large in size to burn to CD-Rs as well. I think of the GDEMU as a modern solution for your Dreamcast. I still have all my physical games as well, I'm just not playing them from the disc anymore. The Dreamcast is old, but it'll be VERY old in 20 more years. I imagine that as time goes on, it'll be difficult to find Dreamcasts for sale at a good price, much less replacement GD-ROM drives. You're also future proofing your Dreamcast as well.
Buy 2nd Dreamcast. One for CDs, one fir GDEmu ;-)
How do you put games on it?
It's a program called GDMenu Card Manager
Can you save games to sd card or does it need a vmu still?
Everything saves to the VMU. The VM2 is a newer option that has a micro SD card inside of it. The only VMU you'll ever need so to speak 😁
@@travisbowmanmusic I can't vm2 on ebay. Thanks for quick reply btw.
@@MrDreamer60 www.indiegogo.com/projects/vm2-the-next-gen-vmu-for-the-dreamcast#/
@@travisbowmanmusic v impressive kit. Thanks for the link. Wish was cheaper though!
Save you 13 minutes.
Yes. Its worth it.
Most of us knew the answer to that question, but I appreciate those that take the 13 minutes of their lives to watch anyways.
Pretty cool, but isn't this just emulation? I'd still prefer physical discs. This would be cool though especially for the unreleased games and imports, etc.
Nope, the only thing that is being emulated is the disc drive. There are a lot of cool things you can do with the GDEMU.
So after looking on Amazon,found lots of gdemu but witch one is good? Do they have a "official" brand or is it just all clones?...I have a day one DC working like new. I just don't want to break it with cheap azz hardware.🤣
The original GDEMU is hard to find, but most clones will do the same thing and work just fine. I went with a local eBay seller, and I've installed three of them so far. No issues at all. I seriously doubt you'll "break" your Dreamcast as long as you do your research and install them correctly.
@@travisbowmanmusic Thank You,will do more research for sure.☺️👍
you also forgot to mention the cost hike in the last few years a few years ago you could get a GDemu for a Hell of a Lot Cheaper than today as low as $30 then scalpers came and started selling them for alot more
You can blame the EverDrive for setting that precedent
I still find it kind of trivial that back in the day we threw most of the stuff away well when we got a new system we thought the old one was no good I lost most of my video games as a kid when my parents divorced and I had to move and leave all of it behind now I think it’s just stupid retarded about the prices I know they don’t make it anymore but I think all those websites buying up games and everything screwed it all up we should’ve kept it away from TH-cam just one more thing to add I threw away a whole hello Kitty dream cast with everything back in the day it was even important I even threw away original PlayStation one modded thrill kill birth on the mod chip wish I had that now every PlayStation one game In the garbage I’m crying thinking about it
Yeah man... we just didn't know any better. Or couldn't afford the new stuff, so we sold the old stuff to pay for the new stuff. I threw away the box of Pokemon Gold as soon as I opened it up. To be fair there was no way of knowing that it would be valuable back then.
….as long as I can play Giant Gram 2000 then I’ll be fine
Too expensive, merely one gdemu costs often as as much as the console itself.
Since its emulation you might as well play it on pc.
The fan mod, the gdemu and power module costs too much money. So no, the modding itself isnt worth it, today.
Maybe if the price drops back on gdemu.
broe. did u rly think nobody was gunna notice Tits McGee
I made the account when I was a kid. Anchorman was the inspiration.
I think ff16 was way too dower. I loved the combat but the fact that the game was trying so hard to mimic Game of Thrones just felt desperate and cringe.
Another reason why Dreamcast always was and always will be better than PS2.
The fan stuff you say is bullsh!t
the original fan is loud
When you remove the disc carriage, there's usually a big hole in the top.
You put that bracket in there, so there's no worry for anything... "heat dispersal" blah, blah...smh
New fan > 25 year old stock fan
Big warning though: if you install a GDEmu in your dreamcast, the stock power supply won't be happy about it. Why? Because the GD-Rom drive was putting a power load on the 12V rail, and now that the GDEmu doesn't put very much of a power load, the 12V rail voltage goes up and makes the power supply heat up a lot more and voltage shooting up considerably (to a very worrying level) and can burn out your console. It will still function normally, but for how long, that i can't tell. I wouldn't risk burning up my console, and nowadays they're expensive to come by, so...be smart!
So you have either 2 solutions:
1- using a resistor to fix this issue. It's a quick but awkward fix if you ask me.
Or
2- using a PicoPSU, or DreamPSU, or another other thing that makes it so you use an external power supply instead of an internal one, that will fix the over-voltage issue, as well as improve cooling inside the console.
If your GDEmu didn't come with heatsinks on the 2 chips on it, i would recommend you to put a heatsink on each of them.
Also, As i'm typing this, there are 2 models you may want to look for: the less expensive v5.15b, or the more expensive v5.20.5.
There are other models that exist, such as the v5.5 or v5.15, but those are often iffy in games compatibility. Quickly said, either go for v5.15b or the latest version, which is v5.20.5 right now.
Yes the ones available online on Ebay or other stores are clones. Because the original creator doesn't produce them anymore, or doesn't want to for some weird reasons. (maybe he doesn't like money, lol!)