Just got a UK Dreamcast again and thinking of upgrading it so it runs all games seeing as theres a few PAL games with no 60hz option (Im looking at you, Code Veronica, Zombie Revenge and Soul Reaver!) Will I get any NTSC/PAL timing issues if I import these games from US after my dreamcast undergoes region free chipping plus 60Hz Modification and a PAL-60 fix? Or will this make my Dreamcast bullet proof for anything I throw at it? Not bothered about backups as I want to preserve the laser as much as possible by only using originals.
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I wouldn't bother with a Dreamcast mod chip they're all pretty rubbish and cause incompatability issues with some game. Instead I would go the boot disc route instead and pick up both a DC-X and Xploder discs.Originally posted by bash View Post
Both the PAL releases of Zombie Revenge and Soul Reaver support 60hz but only under VGA, so if you are serious about playing the DC I would suggest getting a VGA box as well for the system. Soul Reaver can also be forced into 60hz by Xploder as well.
Boot disc don't give you timing issues and the DC-X can force into NTSC 60hz, there are a few games that don't work with boot discs, but the only one I know for sure is rent a hero no.1
The PAL version of Code Veronica is a bad port and you are better off getting the Japanese version Code Veronica Complete with the extra cutscenes.
Played tons of imports games on my PAL DC this way and never had any issue, original discs too not copies. -
I asked about this over on ASSEMbler and apparently there are some jumpers on the board which determine this. In the stock config they are set so that the video mode is determined by the software, so if you boot a PAL game on an NTSC machine it will output PAL video and vice versa.
Therefore a region free BIOS is probably the best way to go at this point in time.Comment
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OK, thanks, I've already ordered a Hanzo VGA box with SLG for using the DC on my plasma. I was going to get the chip and pal fix via Console Passion (dude might be busy as he hasnt responded yet) but maybe I'll just go for region free Bios
I cant be asked with boot discs, thats so early 2000 man
Anyone know who can apply region free bios's? Also anyone know who can get rid of that nasty old DC yellowing? We need a console cleaning company for those of us who dont want to get their hands dirty
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A region Freebios does have it own set of issues, but it's what ever route you want to go bash.Originally posted by speedlolita View Post
DC-X can be used to overide video, but again any PAL game with a 50/60hz selection will be forced back in PAL video if you are not using VGA, if it doesn't crash on being forced into NTSC 60 which does happen with a few PAL games. Make sure your VGA box has a switcher on it to as most PAL games that don't support VGA can be forced into it with a switch.
You will have incompatible games which ever route you go.Last edited by S3M; 04-03-2015, 09:10.Comment
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Just out of interest, if you only had one solution, what's the "best" Dreamcast setup?
Thinking in terms of compatibility, best visual quality, lack of crippled PAL/50 display, etc.
Or are they all roughly equal and fraught with problems?
I was thinking of going for a DC soon, but I'm concerned it'll look crap on my HDTV, and worried many games won't run in VGA.Comment
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From what little research I've done most games can be tricked into (or "patched") VGA.
For HDTVs apparently Scanline generators help improve image quality, the Hanzo vga adapter is not cheap but comes highly recommended by enthusiasts.Comment
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Asura, I had feared the same, but this is my DC running on a 42" LED Panasonic Viera via a VGA lead Colin on here kindly sent me, even when I stretched out the aspect ratio the picture is perfectOriginally posted by Asura View Post
Big pic link
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I believe the games that don't support VGA are in the minority and fairly well documented. Some games don't even support RGB SCART. Strange console.Originally posted by Asura View PostComment
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All PAL games support RGB Scart, but a few Japanese ones don't. That said all the Japanese games I have that don't support RGB, only s-video do work with VGA. It was a strange beast at times the DC.Originally posted by speedlolita View Post
VGA support is not well documented in one place I've seen far too many mistakes on the net that made me compile my own list, made the mistake of following what the net said in the past a few times only to find it was very wrong.
About 90% of the DC library support VGA with switching tricks taking it up to about 95%. To many people don't list the differences between the various releases of each game, PAL, NTSC/U & NTSC/J can be very different.
One problem you have with PAL releases is that VGA support was sometimes removed or screwed up on the PAL version. Yet the NTSC release supported VGA without a problem. Most of the major games support VGA but you will need to check ever release and don't trust what the back of the box said on PAL games they often had mistakes on them.
The big PAL games that don't support VGA and can't be forced out of the box are:
1. Skies of Arcadia (50hz only)
2. Bangai-O (Due to bug with hz screen)
3. Resident Evil CV (50hz only)
4. Capcom Vs Snk (Due to bug with hz screen)
5. Jojo Bizarre Adventure
As for what it looks like under VGA Asura, you should watch some of the videos I've posted in the past.
I just stick with using a couple of different boot discs on a PAL machine so far I've not had one game that doesn't work. If you want to use VGA it's best to have a RGB Scart and/or a S-video handy as well as you will get the odd game that you have to play via them. It improves the picture quality so much there is no looking back.
Just off the top of my notes of the PAL games I've tested:
129 support VGA out of the box, 33 don't and of them 14 could be forced without issue into VGA.
Of the NTSC games I've tested all these are games that did not get a PAL release mixture of USA and Japanese games:
47 supported VGA with 6 not supporting VGA and nor could they be forced into VGA
Of those 6 that don't support VGA the ones people would be interest in:
Last Blade 2 Final Edition (Japanese Playmore release)
King of Fighters 1999 Dream Match (aka 1998) (Japanese SNK release)
King of Fighter 1999 Evolution (Japanese SNK release)
The later three KoF games do support VGA.Last edited by S3M; 04-03-2015, 16:35.Comment
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I just ordered Zombie REvenge, RE: CV and Soul Reaver from the US to avoid any problems. I remember them not having 60hz options in the PAL versions. Hopefully with a region free bios I should be ok. Think I'll grab the US versions of CvS1 and 2, Im worried the japanese versions have non english text in which I hate. Even if its for beat em ups
*edit* those vids look sick, how did you get them in 1080p?Last edited by bash; 04-03-2015, 17:12.Comment
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I have no idea what's in my DC, but it boots up any region game with no issues (and I have a lot of games for the system). The base system is Japanese though, not PAL.Comment
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Colin, If I remember correctly it's a region free bios, with a UK PSU mod.Comment
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Isnt that the same as doing a region free bios and having the PAL-60 fix applied?Comment
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