Dreamcast ZIP Drive

[Erghize]

Okay, I've read on another website about a Zip drive created by IOMEGA for the Dreamcast.

http://devcast.dcemulation.com/other.../prototype.php

I would sooooo love to have a zip drive that works with the DC...as I only have one VMU and they're difficult as $#@! to get around here

In that link above, I have a 250Mb version of that drive, it looks exactly the same (but purple) and it's parallel. I had to hack up some other cables to make a power cable, and it works with my computers.

Also in that link above, they state it would connect via the port the modem uses


...How hard do you guys think it would be to convert a parallel drive to work with a DC? :P

[Tomlo]

That zip drive was just a prototype, I doubt if it ever even worked. Someday it may be possible to use a PC one but that would likely require extensive hardware and software development.

[Erghize]

I think on the hardware side of things, it wouldn't take that much to modify it to work with the DC. What I primarily want it for is to be able to save gamedata on there...i'm sure thats one thing though that'll be difficult >_<

I have no idea on how to make the Dreamcast think of it as a storage unit for game saves...maybe modifying the BIOS? (thats an un-educated guess...)

[Tomlo]

Yes, I guess it would be easy to connect it on the hardware side in comparison to the software side that maybe isnt even possible (Who could know why sega canned the project?). Currently people are more focused on things like Hard Drives which hardware wise is already complete but people are stuck at the software side of it.

[Erghize]

Well, last night I was thinking. Why would SEGA plan to release a new peripheral that requried special software to work? It certainly wouldn't be logical for them to release a new unit which supported the device...so no modifications there. I don't think it would seem too logical either to bundle software with it either if it was planned to save emails and other content like Quake maps.

The 56k modem works as soon as it's plugged in, I don't know about the broadband adapter...but I think that'd work straight away too. From what I remember the only setting up required is ISP settings and such.

The port on the side of the dreamcast, is that a parallel port?

Also...I was thinking about something else. Is it only in PC's that each IDE Bus supports two devices? or is that a generic feature throughout all devices with an IDE Bus?
...My idea, extend the connection to the GD-ROM board and add another connecter in there. Plug your hard drive into that...

I guess it's a stupid idea and won't ever work.

[Tomlo]

The modem and Broadband adapter DONT work without software you cant go online from the main menu. You need software AKA (Web Browser 1.0-3.0), Any online games are considered software PSO, Quake 3, and any other DC game that uses a modem/BBA is Software. The zip drive would have required software (Web Browser 3.5?) in order for it to save emails, web junk, and game content.

On the DC that port is marked the Extension port and there have already been people doing very interesting work with it using linux.

As for the last part about IDE busses, maybe... I dont know if it can handle a secondary master...

[Erghize]

Yeah, I didn't think >_<

And with the whole IDE Bus thing, i'm not sure but I think to add support for two drives you'd need to edit the BIOS.

I was thinking you might be able to just set the HD to cable select, so the DC still sees the GD-ROM as the primary device (as it's the first one on the cable) and if you have anything on the HD you want to boot, pop in a cd with the app to boot off the HD.

[semicolo]

why are you thinking the gdrom has an ide interface ?

[Erghize]

I'm thinking it has an IDE bus 'cause some schematics said so...

EDIT

Here it is: http://mozcom.com/~sknkwrks/gdcontroller.html

[Tomlo]

Ya the GD-Drive connects by IDE like any PC drive but its not going to just boot from an image from a HD by attaching it and modifying the bios. It will probally be a while till we see someone getting this to work, if we ever do.
Im not sure if this IDE Connection is just similar pins as a pc one or is the same bus type but you can easily extend a gdrom out of the DC by using an ide cable.