Dreamcast burning guide

[desgrav]

Step One: The Console
Alright, the first thing to do before even considering this option is checking your Dreamcast. On the bottom of your console, there should be a sticker. Find out the Region and Manufacture Date of your console. Refer to the photo below for the locations:



If your console is NTSC, and it was made before October 2000, it can play backups automatically. If it’s PAL, it can play backups no matter the date. The reason: Once the hacker groups found out how to crack the Dreamcast’s CD Drive, Sega had it immediately replaced with ones that couldn’t read backups. Why they never did this with PAL DCs, I’ll never know.

Also, please note that you'll have to pay attention to the region of the games you download. If you're in the NTSC (America, Canada, etc.) region, you should DL NTSC games. If you're in the PAL region (Europe), then you should download PAL games. It all depends on what kind of TV you have. However, many PAL games allow you to switch the signal from 50 Hz (PAL) to 60 Hz (NTSC). If you'd like to play games regardless of region, you can either purchase an RGB cable for your Dreamcast, or a TV that can display both the 50 Hz and 60 Hz signals.

One of the reasons that the real DC method is preferable to Chankast is the simple fact that unlike Chankast, the Dreamcast has a 100% compatibility rate, as opposed to Chankast. As long as you know how to burn, that is.

Step Two: Burning

Please Note: The word “Image” refers to an ISO.

First off, there are two programs that you will need. Alcohol 120% (for burning MDF/MDS images, NRG images, the occasional IMG/SUB/CCD image, and BIN/CUE images) and Discjuggler (for the far more common CDI images). All you need for DJ is the trial. But, if you only want one burning program, Alcohol can be used to burn CDI, MDF/MDS, IMG/SUB/CCD, BIN/CUE, and NRG images. Be warned though, that Alcohol only has a thirty day trial, so you will need to pay for it if you want to continue using it (unless you want to resort to more... shadier means.). When burning, always be sure to burn at the lowest speed your burner will allow. This allows for a more complete burn, and ensures that as little data as possible will be lost. For most people, this speed is 4x, but if your burner cannot go that low, then burn at the lowest speed that it will go.

**Please Note: most DC images are more than 700 MB in size. It may seem like they are too large for discs, but don’t worry. They’ll fit without a problem. The extra MB is just burning data.

Discjuggler Burning
This is the easiest method of burning. Just Load a CDI image by going into File->New->Burn Cd and DVD Images. Click the “Source” button, and open up the CDI image you want to burn. The Destination should be the drive that contains the blank disc. For most people it’s D:\. After this, hit burn. If DiscJuggler asks to fix the image, be sure to click “No”. DJ will just f**k up the image if you click "Yes". Now, DJ will automatically burn the image at the lowest speed possible (assuming you’re using the trial version). Occasionally, you will run into a “Target Media Not Large Enough” error. For this, try mounting the image in Daemon Tools v3.29, and doing a drive-to-drive copy. If this doesn’t work, enable Overburn in Discjuggler by hitting Advanced-> Overburn CD/DVD, and burn. It’s suggested that you use this as an extremely f**kin’ desperate last resort, or else you will f**k up your burner.

Alcohol Burning
You will mainly use Alcohol for the other, less common formats of DC images. However, you can also use it for CDI images, if you dislike Discjuggler. To burn with Alcohol, go into the Image Burning Wizard and select the MDS file (if it's an MDF/MDS), the CCD (if it's an IMG/SUB/CCD), the CDI (if it's a CDI), the CUE (if it's a BIN/CUE) or the NRG (if it's an NRG). Also, make sure that that when working with multi-file formats (MDF/MDS, BIN/CUE, or IMG/SUB/CCD), that all files have exactly the same names they came with, or else they will not be recognized, and will not be burned. Once that's taken care of, hit Next, and you are taken to the Burn settings. Set the Datatype to Customize, uncheck all settings, set Write Method to RAW DAO, set speed to the lowest speed your burner will allow so no data is lost, and start burning.

SIDE NOTE: Please, do not convert images from one format to another. It can mess up images. And especially do NOT use the cdi2nero tool for converting CDI images. I’ve heard reports of that seriously f**king up images.

Step Three: I’m Bored! Let’s get playing!

Alright, alright! No need to rush! There is still one more thing you have to go through before you’re ready to get playing: The Boot Disc. In your hunt for DC CDIs, you are bound to run into Non-Selfboot images. “Golly Gee, Emu-Expert Desgrav, that sounds awfully confusing!” you might say. But, in reality, it’s not. Non-Selfboot images are images that don’t boot up automatically. The DC recognizes them as invalid discs. When you come across these images (Which are, more often than not in BIN/CUE format), you have three options: One, use a variety of tools and complicated technical procedures to make the image selfboot (if you accomplish this, please share the image so the rest of us can enjoy it!). Two, you could use a Utopia Boot Disc. Insert this into your Dreamcast, boot it up, and then you can play selfboot images on your Dreamcast. Where can you download this boot disc? Use google. Download the image, and follow Step 2 to burn it to a CD.


Alright, now that we know how to burn an image to a Dreamcast and boot it, it’s time to play! Woohoo! Load up some Soul Calibur, baby! Or whatever game you have. It doesn’t matter. Just start playing, and enjoy! The Dreamcast is one of the greatest systems out there, and it would be a damn shame to miss out on it.

[Nutty-Da-Kid]

Step One: The Console
Alright, the first thing to do before even considering this option is checking your Dreamcast. On the bottom of your console, there should be a sticker. Find out the Region and Manufacture Date of your console. Refer to the photo below for the locations:



If your console is NTSC, and it was made before October 2000, it can play backups automatically. If it’s PAL, it can play backups no matter the date. The reason: Once the hacker groups found out how to crack the Dreamcast’s CD Drive, Sega had it immediately replaced with ones that couldn’t read backups. Why they never did this with PAL DCs, I’ll never know.

Also, please note that you'll have to pay attention to the region of the games you download. If you're in the NTSC (America, Canada, etc.) region, you should DL NTSC games. If you're in the PAL region (Europe), then you should download PAL games. It all depends on what kind of TV you have. However, many PAL games allow you to switch the signal from 50 Hz (PAL) to 60 Hz (NTSC). If you'd like to play games regardless of region, you can either purchase an RGB cable for your Dreamcast, or a TV that can display both the 50 Hz and 60 Hz signals.

One of the reasons that the real DC method is preferable to Chankast is the simple fact that unlike Chankast, the Dreamcast has a 100% compatibility rate, as opposed to Chankast. As long as you know how to burn, that is.

Step Two: Burning

Please Note: The word “Image” refers to an ISO.

First off, there are two programs that you will need. Alcohol 120% (for burning MDF/MDS images, NRG images, the occasional IMG/SUB/CCD image, and BIN/CUE images) and Discjuggler (for the far more common CDI images). All you need for DJ is the trial. But, if you only want one burning program, Alcohol can be used to burn CDI, MDF/MDS, IMG/SUB/CCD, BIN/CUE, and NRG images. Be warned though, that Alcohol only has a thirty day trial, so you will need to pay for it if you want to continue using it (unless you want to resort to more... shadier means.). When burning, always be sure to burn at the lowest speed your burner will allow. This allows for a more complete burn, and ensures that as little data as possible will be lost. For most people, this speed is 4x, but if your burner cannot go that low, then burn at the lowest speed that it will go.

**Please Note: most DC images are more than 700 MB in size. It may seem like they are too large for discs, but don’t worry. They’ll fit without a problem. The extra MB is just burning data.

Discjuggler Burning
This is the easiest method of burning. Just Load a CDI image by going into File->New->Burn Cd and DVD Images. Click the “Source” button, and open up the CDI image you want to burn. The Destination should be the drive that contains the blank disc. For most people it’s D:\. After this, hit burn. If DiscJuggler asks to fix the image, be sure to click “No”. DJ will just f**k up the image if you click "Yes". Now, DJ will automatically burn the image at the lowest speed possible (assuming you’re using the trial version). Occasionally, you will run into a “Target Media Not Large Enough” error. For this, try mounting the image in Daemon Tools v3.29, and doing a drive-to-drive copy. If this doesn’t work, enable Overburn in Discjuggler by hitting Advanced-> Overburn CD/DVD, and burn. It’s suggested that you use this as an extremely f**kin’ desperate last resort, or else you will f**k up your burner.

Alcohol Burning
You will mainly use Alcohol for the other, less common formats of DC images. However, you can also use it for CDI images, if you dislike Discjuggler. To burn with Alcohol, go into the Image Burning Wizard and select the MDS file (if it's an MDF/MDS), the CCD (if it's an IMG/SUB/CCD), the CDI (if it's a CDI), the CUE (if it's a BIN/CUE) or the NRG (if it's an NRG). Also, make sure that that when working with multi-file formats (MDF/MDS, BIN/CUE, or IMG/SUB/CCD), that all files have exactly the same names they came with, or else they will not be recognized, and will not be burned. Once that's taken care of, hit Next, and you are taken to the Burn settings. Set the Datatype to Customize, uncheck all settings, set Write Method to RAW DAO, set speed to the lowest speed your burner will allow so no data is lost, and start burning.

SIDE NOTE: Please, do not convert images from one format to another. It can mess up images. And especially do NOT use the cdi2nero tool for converting CDI images. I’ve heard reports of that seriously f**king up images.

Step Three: I’m Bored! Let’s get playing!

Alright, alright! No need to rush! There is still one more thing you have to go through before you’re ready to get playing: The Boot Disc. In your hunt for DC CDIs, you are bound to run into Non-Selfboot images. “Golly Gee, Emu-Expert Desgrav, that sounds awfully confusing!” you might say. But, in reality, it’s not. Non-Selfboot images are images that don’t boot up automatically. The DC recognizes them as invalid discs. When you come across these images (Which are, more often than not in BIN/CUE format), you have three options: One, use a variety of tools and complicated technical procedures to make the image selfboot (if you accomplish this, please share the image so the rest of us can enjoy it!). Two, you could use a Utopia Boot Disc. Insert this into your Dreamcast, boot it up, and then you can play selfboot images on your Dreamcast. Where can you download this boot disc? Use google. Download the image, and follow Step 2 to burn it to a CD.


Alright, now that we know how to burn an image to a Dreamcast and boot it, it’s time to play! Woohoo! Load up some Soul Calibur, baby! Or whatever game you have. It doesn’t matter. Just start playing, and enjoy! The Dreamcast is one of the greatest systems out there, and it would be a damn shame to miss out on it.

i love da dreamcast i got 2 and i burned so many games

[TÐZ]

Where a link to Dreamcast NTSC games?

[Violent Ken Masters]

Where a link to Dreamcast NTSC games?

Google snesorama

[TÐZ]

Where a link to Dreamcast NTSC games?

Google snesorama

then click where?

[Violent Ken Masters]

The forums.

[TÐZ]

OMFG!!!!!

It work!!!!!

SO f**k*** HAPPY!!!!!

[TÐZ]

Anybody have 3rd Strike StreetFighter 3?

[Negi Springfield]

You know what guys...?
I'm gonna get me a DreamCast
XD
I gotta try this
what's the spec's again?
pre-2000 Dreamcast required?
cuz I'm in North America so I'd most likely get a NTSC...

[desgrav]

You know what guys...?
I'm gonna get me a DreamCast
XD
I gotta try this
what's the spec's again?
pre-2000 Dreamcast required?
cuz I'm in North America so I'd most likely get a NTSC...

Yeah pre 2000 and your good to go.

[Nutty-Da-Kid]

Anybody have 3rd Strike StreetFighter 3?

i own the real sf3 3rd strike for dreamcast and ps2 not da burned ones and lucky for me i got a 1999 dreamcast and a 2000 dreamcast

[♦ßlôödÑinjå♦]

Thanks for this

[StarXS]

just to let you know, I have had 3 Dreamcasts: all after 2000 (my 1st was from the last US shipment when they were like $50) and everyone I have used plays burned CDs/games

Also, which games have you come across that have "Target Media Not Large Enough" error? I've been burning since 2003 with no probs

[desgrav]

just to let you know, I have had 3 Dreamcasts: all after 2000 (my 1st was from the last US shipment when they were like $50) and everyone I have used plays burned CDs/games

Also, which games have you come across that have "Target Media Not Large Enough" error? I've been burning since 2003 with no probs

It depends on the game and rip and the only games that did that were some homebrew collections like capcom fighting pack with 3 games in 1.

[Violent Ken Masters]

What is alcohol supposed to look like when it's in process of burning?
Btw I just got my DC today. 

[JonnyTanna]

Nice post!

Anyway to bookmark this post?

[Violent Ken Masters]

1 thing I have to add. Only use CD-R's.
I tried using CD-RW's a few months ago and it failed. CD-R's work perfectly. I only burn CDI format with discjuggler though. Alcohol kicks me in the balls with anything I try to burn.

[Hunter]

Yes!!!! i got mine in 1999....let the burning begin

[Gore Whore]

what is this..i got a dream cast whic i dont play much...  what is this burning???