Difference between revisions of "Sega Dreamcast"

From Sega Retro
 
(492 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{ConsoleBob
 
{{ConsoleBob
−
| logos=[[File:Dreamcast logo.svg|150px]]
+
| | logo=Dreamcast logo.svg|150px]]
 
| consoleimage=Dreamcast.jpg
 
| consoleimage=Dreamcast.jpg
 
| imgwidth=320px
 
| imgwidth=320px
−
| name= Sega Dreamcast
+
| name= Dreamcast
 
| maker= [[Sega]]
 
| maker= [[Sega]]
−
| variants=[[Sega NAOMI]], [[Atomiswave]], [[Sega Aurora]]
+
| variants=[[Sega NAOMI]], [[Atomiswave]], [[Sega System SP]]
 
| processor= [[SuperH|Hitachi SH-4]]
 
| processor= [[SuperH|Hitachi SH-4]]
 
| releases={{releasesDC
 
| releases={{releasesDC
Line 11: Line 11:
 
| dc_rrp_jp=29,800
 
| dc_rrp_jp=29,800
 
| dc_code_jp=HKT-3000
 
| dc_code_jp=HKT-3000
−
| dc_date_us=1999-09-09
+
| dc_date_us=1999-09-09{{intref|Press release: 1999-09-02: Sega Dreamcast Launch Titles and Peripherals}}
−
| dc_rrp_us=199.00
+
| dc_rrp_us=199.99
 
| dc_code_us=HKT-3020
 
| dc_code_us=HKT-3020
−
| dc_date_uk=1999-10-14 {{fileref|CVG UK 216.pdf|page=52}}
+
| dc_date_uk=1999-10-14{{magref|cvg|216|52}}
−
| dc_rrp_uk=199.99 {{fileref|CVG UK 215.pdf|page=59}}
+
| dc_rrp_uk=199.99{{magref|cvg|215|59}}
 
| dc_code_uk=HKT-3030
 
| dc_code_uk=HKT-3030
 
| dc_date_fr=1999-10-14
 
| dc_date_fr=1999-10-14
 
| dc_code_fr=HKT-3030
 
| dc_code_fr=HKT-3030
 +
| dc_rrp_fr=1,690{{fileref|ConsolesMicro FR 01.pdf|page=15}}
 
| dc_date_de=1999-10-14
 
| dc_date_de=1999-10-14
 
| dc_code_de=HKT-3030
 
| dc_code_de=HKT-3030
−
| dc_rrp_de=499
+
| dc_rrp_de=499,-{{fileref|NextLevel DE 1999-0910.pdf|page=6}}
 
| dc_date_es=1999-10-14
 
| dc_date_es=1999-10-14
 
| dc_code_es=HKT-3030
 
| dc_code_es=HKT-3030
 
| dc_date_au=1999-11-30
 
| dc_date_au=1999-11-30
−
| dc_rrp_au=499.00
+
| dc_rrp_au=499.00{{magref|hyper|71|29}}
−
| dc_date_br=1999-10-04
+
| dc_date_br=1999-10-04{{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000303160725/www.tectoy.com.br/unshock/prop.htm Dreamcast] ([[Tectoy]])}}
−
| dc_rrp_br=899,00
+
| dc_rrp_br=899.00
 +
| dc_date_ru=2000-11-10<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20010409225930/http://sega.ru:80/news.phtml</ref>
 +
| dc_date_pl=2000-12-01
 +
| dc_rrp_pl=999
 
| dc_date_as=1998-11
 
| dc_date_as=1998-11
 
| dc_code_as=HKT-3010
 
| dc_code_as=HKT-3010
 
| dc_date_kr=1998-11
 
| dc_date_kr=1998-11
 
| dc_code_kr=HKT-3010
 
| dc_code_kr=HKT-3010
 +
| dc_date_cz=2000-03
 +
| dc_rrp_cz=10400 <ref>https://www.idnes.cz/ekonomika/test-a-spotrebitel/nova-konzole-dreamcast-prehrava-konkurenci.A_2000M051T05A</ref>
 +
| dc_date_ma=1999-11-04
 +
| dc_rrp_ma=3.999 DH
 +
| dc_date_in=2000-12<ref>https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/22/dreamcast-heads-to-india</ref>
 +
| dc_rrp_in=14000<ref>https://www.afaqs.com/news/story/795_Stracon-ready-to-turn-the-TV-into-a-multi-dimensional-entertainment-device</ref>
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
−
The '''Sega Dreamcast''' (ドリームキャスト), code-named "Katana" and "Dural" during development, is a video game console manufactured by [[Sega]] as a successor to the [[Sega Saturn]]. It was the first machine released in what is now known as the sixth generation of video game consoles, with its sixth-generation peers being the [[PlayStation 2]], the [[Nintendo GameCube]] and the [[Xbox]]. The Dreamcast had an arcade counterpart, the [[Sega NAOMI]] (which, in turn, was succeeded by the [[Sega Hikaru]] and [[NAOMI 2]]).
+
<section begin=intro />The '''Dreamcast''' (ドリームキャスト) is a home video game console manufactured by [[Sega]] as a successor to the [[Sega Saturn]]. Dubbed as Sega's "Super Console"{{intref|Press release: 1998-05-21: Sega Unveils Super Console!}}, it is a "128-bit" machine designed with then-cutting edge hardware and a focus on the internet. The Dreamcast was originally released in Japan in November 1998 before seeing a Western release the following year.
  
−
The Dreamcast was Sega's last home console, and developed primarily to detoxify the Sega brand. Western trust in Sega had been reduced following the dismal performance of the [[Sega Mega-CD]], [[Sega 32X]] and Sega Saturn, and Sega were keen to regain the trust seen in the days of the [[Sega Mega Drive]]. Faced with increased competition from [[Sony]], [[Nintendo]] and [[Microsoft]], the Dreamcast landed in a distant fourth place, and Sega largely pulled out of the console business as a result. By the end of its lifespan, it sold 10,6 million consoles worldwide.
+
The Dreamcast was Sega's seventh and final home video game console, and was discontinued in early 2001{{intref|Press Release: 2001-01-28: Dúvidas e confirmações no futuro da Dreamcast}}{{intref|Press Release: 2001-10-29: Dreamcast não desiste e mostra novos trunfos}} due to financial constraints within the company. It had sold at least 8.2 million hardware units and 51.63 million software units by March 2001,{{fileref|AnnualReport2001 English.pdf|page=16}}, with estimates suggesting 10.6 million hardware units in total.<section end=intro />
  
−
Many of Sega's games still in development for the Dreamcast at the time of its discontinuation were eventually released for other platforms, leading to the [[Dreamcast Diaspora]]. However, the innovative features of the Dreamcast along with a strong library of games means the console still has a large, dedicated fanbase, to the extent that Dreamcast games are still being released commercially today.
+
An arcade counterpart to the Dreamcast exists as the [[Sega NAOMI]].
 +
 
 +
<div class="toclimit-{{{1|{{{4|4}}}}}}">__TOC__</div>
  
 
==Hardware==
 
==Hardware==
−
The Sega Dreamcast lays claim to being a "128-bit" video game console, although like many consoles of the era, this concept was mainly used as marketing jargon to assert a position above systems like the 32-bit PlayStation and "64-bit" Nintendo 64 (and save for a few handhelds and the [[PlayStation 2]], it was the last mainstream console to make these sorts of claims). It is widely considered to be the console which ushered in what is now known as the "sixth generation" of video game consoles, beginning in 1998 and ending around 2007 when the major industry players began to focus their attention on seventh generation systems.
+
The Dreamcast is a small, white box with aesthetics designed to appeal to a wide-ranging audience. It was envisioned as an "128-bit" "super console", designed to leapfrog "32-bit" and "64-bit" contemporaries in the form of the [[PlayStation]] and [[Nintendo 64]], respectively (although from a technical standpoint, its main processor deals in 32-bit or 64-bit instructions, with the 128-bit figure coming from the graphics hardware). Incidentally the Dreamcast was the last home console to use "bits" as a selling point, with processing capabilities now typically measured in other ways.
  
−
The Dreamcast is a small, white box with four control ports (taking design cues from the Nintendo 64), a removable modem, disc drive and an extension port (as well as the expected AV and power inputs). It is not backwards compatible with any prior Sega hardware or software (although [[Controller (Dreamcast)|its controller]] derives from the Saturn's [[3D Control Pad]]), and operates in much the same way as the Saturn (and PlayStation) does, with a configurable settings and memory management accessed through a BIOS screen.
+
Taking design cues from the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn, the Dreamcast contains four control ports, a removable modem, disc drive and an extension port (as well as the expected AV and power inputs). It is not backwards compatible with any prior [[Sega]] hardware or software (although [[Dreamcast Controller|its controller]] derives from the Saturn's [[3D Control Pad]]), and operates in much the same way as the Saturn (and [[PlayStation]]) does, with a configurable settings and memory management accessed through a BIOS screen.
  
−
The Dreamcast uses a proprietary format of storage called [[GD-ROM]]s for games in order to foil software pirates, a strategy that ultimately backfired when the first run of discs had a high rate of defects. The format was also cracked fairly quickly (and in some cases, the pirated games were released ''before'' the legitimate versions). Sega largely had themselves to blame for the high levels of Dreamcast piracy—their use of the GD-ROM format was completely undermined by the console's support for the [[Mil-CD]] format, which allowed the console to boot from a standard CD-R. Mil-CD support was removed from the final Dreamcast revisions toward the end of the console's life.
+
The Dreamcast uses a proprietary format of storage called [[GD-ROM]]s for games in order to circumvent software piracy, a strategy that ultimately backfired when the first run of discs had a high rate of defects. The format was also cracked fairly quickly (and in some cases, the pirated games were released ''before'' the legitimate versions). Sega largely had themselves to blame for the high levels of Dreamcast piracy—their use of the GD-ROM format was completely undermined by the console's support for the [[Mil-CD]] format, which allowed the console to boot from a standard CD-R. Mil-CD support was removed from the final Dreamcast revisions toward the end of the console's life.
  
−
The GD-ROM format also put the console at a disadvantage when competing against the [[PlayStation 2]] - the PS2 used DVDs, and could therefore run DVD videos making it an inexpensive DVD player as well as a video game console. DVD-ROMs also have more stoage space, allowing for bigger games (though the initial run of PS2 games used a blue CD-ROM format).
+
The GD-ROM format also put the console at a disadvantage when competing against the [[PlayStation 2]] - the PS2 used DVDs, and could therefore run DVD videos making it an inexpensive DVD player as well as a video game console. DVD-ROMs also have more storage space, allowing for bigger games (though the initial run of PS2 games used a blue CD-ROM format). Sega looked into DVD technology during the Dreamcast's development but claimed it was too expensive.
  
 
The Dreamcast was the first video game console to ship with a built-in 56k modem, with broadband adapters being made available later on in certain regions. This allowed the system to connect to the internet using a custom, fully-functional web browser and e-mail client. Many games released for the Dreamcast shipped with online play modes, the most popular being ''[[Phantasy Star Online]]'' and the [[Sega Sport]]s lineup (now published under the ESPN label). Although other consoles before the Dreamcast had network gaming support, such as the [[Sega Saturn]]'s [[Sega NetLink|NetLink]] and the [[Sega Mega Drive]]'s [[XB∀ND]], the Dreamcast was the first game console to include this ability out of the box and is therefore considered the first internet-enabled home game system.
 
The Dreamcast was the first video game console to ship with a built-in 56k modem, with broadband adapters being made available later on in certain regions. This allowed the system to connect to the internet using a custom, fully-functional web browser and e-mail client. Many games released for the Dreamcast shipped with online play modes, the most popular being ''[[Phantasy Star Online]]'' and the [[Sega Sport]]s lineup (now published under the ESPN label). Although other consoles before the Dreamcast had network gaming support, such as the [[Sega Saturn]]'s [[Sega NetLink|NetLink]] and the [[Sega Mega Drive]]'s [[XB∀ND]], the Dreamcast was the first game console to include this ability out of the box and is therefore considered the first internet-enabled home game system.
Line 53: Line 65:
 
The Dreamcast has a modest hacking enthusiast community.  The availability of Windows CE software development kits on the Internet—as well as ports of Linux ([http://linuxdc.net/ LinuxDC]) and [http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/dreamcast/ dreamcast NetBSD] operating systems to the Dreamcast—gave programmers a selection of familiar development tools to work with, even though they do not really support the high speed graphics.  A homebrew minimal operating system called [http://sourceforge.net/projects/cadcdev/ Kallistios] offers support for most hardware, while not offering multi-tasking, which is superfluous for games.  Many emulators and other tools (MP3, DivX players, and image viewers) have been ported to or written for the console, taking advantage of the relative ease with which a home user can write a CD which is bootable by an unmodified Dreamcast.
 
The Dreamcast has a modest hacking enthusiast community.  The availability of Windows CE software development kits on the Internet—as well as ports of Linux ([http://linuxdc.net/ LinuxDC]) and [http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/dreamcast/ dreamcast NetBSD] operating systems to the Dreamcast—gave programmers a selection of familiar development tools to work with, even though they do not really support the high speed graphics.  A homebrew minimal operating system called [http://sourceforge.net/projects/cadcdev/ Kallistios] offers support for most hardware, while not offering multi-tasking, which is superfluous for games.  Many emulators and other tools (MP3, DivX players, and image viewers) have been ported to or written for the console, taking advantage of the relative ease with which a home user can write a CD which is bootable by an unmodified Dreamcast.
  
−
Sega released an arcade board, using the same technology as the Dreamcast, called [[Sega NAOMI]], leading to many Dreamcast-exclusive games with a high level of arcade quality. They later packaged the Dreamcast into an arcade board as the [[Atomiswave]].
+
Sega released an [[arcade]] board, using the same technology as the Dreamcast, called [[Sega NAOMI]], leading to many Dreamcast-exclusive games with a high level of arcade quality.
  
−
Though the Dreamcast was officially discontinued in early 2001, commercial games were still developed for it and worldwide software support continued until 2002, terminating in the USA with the February 12th release of ''[[NHL 2K2]]'', and in Europe with ''[[Cannon Spike]]'' and ''[[Freestyle Scooter]]'' on May 3. In Japan, software support continued for much longer. On February 24, 2004, Sega released its final Dreamcast game, ''[[Puyo Puyo Fever]]''. The final new third party game for the system was ''[[Karous]]'', released on March 8, 2007, and the final official release was a reprint of the 2003 title ''[[Border Down]]'' released exclusively through the Messe Sanoh store on January 17, 2008.
+
The Dreamcast's [[PowerVR CLX2]] was the first GPU for a home system with hardware capabilities such as [[wikipedia:Bump mapping|bump mapping]], [[wikipedia:Volumetric lighting|volumetric]] effects,{{magref|gr|3|29}} [[wikipedia:Order-independent transparency|order-independent transparency]], and [[wikipedia:Normal mapping|Dot3 normal mapping]].{{ref|1=''[[wikipedia:PC Magazine|PC Magazine]]'', [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=90OvoBUqQoIC&pg=PA193 December 1999, page 193]}}
  
 
===Models===
 
===Models===
−
:See also: [[Dreamcast consoles]]
+
{{MainArticle|Dreamcast consoles}}
 +
 
 
<gallery widths="250px" heights="160px">
 
<gallery widths="250px" heights="160px">
 
Dreamcast JP.jpg|Japanese model
 
Dreamcast JP.jpg|Japanese model
Line 65: Line 78:
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
−
Japanese Dreamcasts can be identified by the triangle at the front of the unit. Though the power LED is identical across all regions, the piece of plastic attached to the lid of the Japanese model is transparent, while in North America it is grey.
+
Japanese Dreamcasts can be identified by the triangle at the front of the unit. Though the power LED is identical across all regions, the piece of plastic attached to the lid of the Japanese model is transparent, while in North America it is grey. The Japanese models also have the text "Designed for Microsoft Windows CE" printed on the front right, whereas Western versions say "Compatible with Microsoft Windows CE".
  
 
For a full list of special edition Dreamcasts, see [[Special Dreamcast Models]].
 
For a full list of special edition Dreamcasts, see [[Special Dreamcast Models]].
  
−
== Technical Specifications ==
+
===Technical specifications===
−
=== CPU ===
+
{{mainArticle|Sega Dreamcast/Technical specifications}}
−
{{multicol|
 
−
*CPU: [[Hitachi]] [[SuperH|SH-4]] ([[RISC]], 2&#8209;way [[wikipedia:Superscalar|Superscalar]]) {{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000823204755/computer.org/micro/articles/dreamcast_2.htm Sega Dreamcast: Implementation (IEEE)]}}{{fileref|SH-4 Software Manual.pdf}}
 
−
** Operating frequency: 200&nbsp;MHz
 
−
** Units: 128‑bit [[wikipedia:SIMD|SIMD]] vector unit with graphic functions, 64‑bit [[wikipedia:Floating-point unit|floating‑point unit]], 32‑bit fixed‑point unit
 
−
** 128‑bit [[wikipedia:SIMD|SIMD]] @ 200&nbsp;MHz: Vector unit, geometry processor, graphic functions, [[wikipedia:Direct memory access|DMA]] controller, interrupt controller {{fileref|SH-4 datasheet.pdf}}
 
−
** 128‑bit graphic computational engine: Calculates geometry and lighting of polygons, creates [[wikipedia:Display list|display lists]] of polygons for tiling, DMA allows SH4 access to VRAM and PowerVR2 access to Main RAM, store queue mechanism (allowing high‑speed packet transfers between Main RAM and VRAM) {{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}
 
−
** Bus width: 128‑bit internal, 64‑bit external
 
−
** Bandwidth: 3.2&nbsp;GB/s internal, 1.6&nbsp;GB/s external
 
−
** Fixed‑point performance: 360&nbsp;[[wikipedia:Instructions per second|MIPS]]
 
−
** Floating‑point performance: 1.4&nbsp;[[wikipedia:FLOPS|GFLOPS]] <small>(7&nbsp;MFLOPS per 16&nbsp;MB/s)</small>
 
−
** Geometry performance: More than 10&nbsp;million polygons/sec, with lighting calculations <small>(140&nbsp;FLOPS per polygon)</small>
 
−
}}
 
  
−
=== Graphics ===
+
===Hardware comparisons===
−
Graphical specifications of the Dreamcast: {{fileref|Dreamcast Hardware Specification Outline.pdf}}{{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}{{fileref|PowerVR2DCFeaturesUnderWindowsCE.pdf}}
+
{{MainArticle|Sega Dreamcast/Hardware comparison}}
  
−
{{multicol|
+
==History==
−
* GPU: 2&nbsp;core processors (SH‑4&nbsp;SIMD, PowerVR2)
+
{{MainArticle|History of the Sega Dreamcast}}
−
** Core units: 5&nbsp;units (SH‑4&nbsp;SIMD, 4 PowerVR2 cores)
+
 
−
* GPU Geometry Processor: Hitachi SH‑4 SIMD @ 200&nbsp;MHz
+
===Localised names===
−
* GPU Rasterizer: [[NEC]]‑[[wikipedia:Imagination Technologies|VideoLogic]] PowerVR2 CLX2 (PVR2DC/HOLLY) @ 100&nbsp;MHz
+
{{aka
−
* PowerVR2 Cores: Tile Accelerator (TA), Image Synthesis Processor (ISP), Texture & Shading Processor (TSP), RAMDAC
+
|en_name=Sega Dreamcast
−
** TA: Tile renderer, partitions infinite strip polygon data, divides polygons into tiles, performs tile clipping, generates object lists, retrieves display lists from SH4 (through store queues and DMA), generates ISP/TSP parameters
+
|jp_name=ドリームキャスト
−
** ISP: Rasterizer, depth‑sorting, [[wikipedia:Run-length encoding|RLE]] tile/polygon compression, parallel‑processing of tiles/polygons at high speeds <small>(1 clock cycle per vector, 32&nbsp;[[pixel]]s per clock cycle)</small>
+
|jp_trans=Dreamcast
−
** TSP: Shader and texture‑mapping unit, avoids shading/texturing overdrawn [[pixel]]s/tiles and back‑facing polygons to maximize bandwidth for on‑screen pixels/tiles and front‑facing polygons
+
|il_name=דרימקאסט
−
** [[wikipedia:RAMDAC|RAMDAC]]: 230&nbsp;MHz {{ref|http://segatech.com/technical/gpu/index.html}}
 
−
* PowerVR2 Capabilities:
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Texture mapping|Texture mapping]]: [[wikipedia:Texture mapping#perspective correctiveness|Perspective‑correct]] [[wikipedia:Mipmap|mipmapping]], [[wikipedia:Environment mapping|environment mapping]], 1×1 to 2048×2048 texture sizes, [[wikipedia:Vector quantization|VQ]] [[wikipedia:Texture compression|texture compression]] {{ref|[http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5471/12172411045_18bfc5912f_c.jpg Hideki Sato Sega Interview (Edge)]}} (12.52% to 37.5% compression ratios), texture clamping/wrapping/mirroring, [[wikipedia:Multitexturing|multi‑texturing]], [[wikipedia:Bump mapping|bump mapping]] (2‑pass), [[wikipedia:Normal mapping|normal mapping]] (Dot3 bump mapping)
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Texture filtering|Filtering]]: [[wikipedia:Nearest-neighbor interpolation|Point filtering]], [[wikipedia:Bilinear filtering|bilinear filtering]],{{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000823204755/computer.org/micro/articles/dreamcast_2.htm Sega Dreamcast: Implementation (IEEE)]}} [[wikipedia:Trilinear filtering|trilinear filtering]], [[wikipedia:Anisotropic filtering|anisotropic filtering]]
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Spatial anti-aliasing|Anti‑aliasing]]: [[wikipedia:Supersampling|Super‑sampling anti‑aliasing]] (up to 4×&nbsp;SSAA), [[wikipedia:FSAA|full‑scene anti‑aliasing]] (FSAA), edge anti‑aliasing
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Alpha blending|Alpha blending]]: 256 levels of transparency, multi‑pass blending, per‑pixel translucency sorting
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Shading|Shading]]: Perspective‑correct ARGB [[Gouraud shading]], flat shading, [[wikipedia:Shadow mapping|shadows]]
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Rendering (computer graphics)|Rendering]]: [[wikipedia:Render output unit|ROP]] (render output unit), 32‑bit floating‑point [[wikipedia:Z-buffering|Z‑buffering]] (on‑chip), 256 [[wikipedia:Distance fog|fog effects]], vertex fog. per‑pixel table fog, hardware clipping to viewport
 
−
** Lighting: [[wikipedia:Specular highlight|Specular highlighting]],{{ref|[http://www.ludd.luth.se/~jlo/dc/ta-intro.txt Tiling Accelerator Notes]}} [[wikipedia:Per-pixel lighting|per‑pixel lighting]] {{ref|[http://ign.com/articles/2000/01/22/zombie-revenge-3 Zombie Revenge (21 January 2000)]}}
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Tiled rendering|Tiled rendering]]: Screen partitioning into 32×32 tiles, tile/strip/line buffer (framebuffer compression), each tile rendered in internal 32×32 buffer in register memory before being copied to main framebuffer, increases [[fillrate]] significantly {{ref|[http://mc.pp.se/dc/pvr.html PowerVR (Dreamcast Hardware)]}}
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Deferred shading|Deferred rendering]]: [[wikipedia:Hidden surface determination|Hidden surface removal]] (32‑bit floating‑point), [[wikipedia:Back-face culling|back‑face culling]], culling of tiny polygons
 
−
** Polygons: [[wikipedia:Triangle mesh|Triangle polygons]], [[wikipedia:Polygon mesh|quad polygons]], [[sprite]] polygons, effective performance of more than 10&nbsp;million polygons/sec (including overdrawn and back‑facing polygons), capable of drawing 7&nbsp;million front‑facing polygons/sec on screen (geometry data storage for polygon models reduce VRAM available for textures), purely opaque polygons drawn at high speed <small>(32&nbsp;pixels per clock cycle)</small> {{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000823204755/computer.org/micro/articles/dreamcast_2.htm Sega Dreamcast: Implementation (IEEE)]}}
 
−
** GMV (general modifier volumes): Light beams, shadows, lasers, glowing suns {{ref|[http://www.gamepilgrimage.com/DCPScompare.htm Dreamcast Comparison]}}
 
−
* Display [[Resolution]]: 320×240 to 800×608 [[pixel]]s, interlaced and progressive scan, TV and [[Dreamcast VGA Adapter|VGA]]
 
−
** Internal resolution: 320×240 to 1600×1200 pixels {{ref|http://segatech.com/technical/gpu/index.html}}
 
−
* Color Depth: 16‑bit RGB to 32‑bit [[wikipedia:RGBA color space|ARGB]], 65,536&nbsp;colors (16‑bit color) to 16,777,216&nbsp;colors ([[wikipedia:24-bit color|24‑bit color]]) with 8‑bit (256&nbsp;levels) [[wikipedia:Alpha compositing|alpha blending]], [[wikipedia:YUV|YUV]] and [[wikipedia:RGB color space|RGB color spaces]], [[wikipedia:Chroma key|color key]] overlay {{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20070811102018/www3.sharkyextreme.com/hardware/reviews/video/neon250/2.shtml Neon 250 Specs & Features]}}
 
−
* [[wikipedia:Framebuffer|Framebuffer]]:
 
−
** Full framebuffer: 320×240×16‑bit (150&nbsp;KB) to 1600×1200×32‑bit (7500&nbsp;KB)
 
−
** Strip/Tile buffer: 32×32×16‑bit (4&nbsp;KB) to 32×1024×32‑bit (256&nbsp;KB) {{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}
 
−
* Geometry Performance: 23&nbsp;million vertices/sec <small>(60&nbsp;FLOPS per polygon)</small> {{ref|1=[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-4ngT05gmAQC&pg=PA868 Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice (Page 868)]}}
 
−
* Polygon Geometry: Effective performance, including overdrawn and back‑facing polygons not drawn on screen
 
−
** 11&nbsp;million polygons/sec <small>([[Sega NAOMI 2#Technical Specifications|130&nbsp;FLOPS]] per polygon)</small>
 
−
** More than 10&nbsp;million polygons/sec: Lighting <small>(140&nbsp;FLOPS per polygon)</small> {{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000823204755/computer.org/micro/articles/dreamcast_2.htm Sega Dreamcast: Implementation (IEEE)]}}
 
−
* Rendered On‑Screen Polygons: Front‑facing polygons drawn on screen, not including overdrawn and back‑facing polygons <small>(including them, effective performance is more than than 10&nbsp;million polygons/sec)</small> {{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000823204755/computer.org/micro/articles/dreamcast_2.htm Sega Dreamcast: Implementation (IEEE)]}}{{ref|[http://www.segatech.com/gamecube/overview/ Floating-Point Calculations]}}
 
−
** 7&nbsp;million polygons/sec: Lighting, textures, shadows,{{ref|http://segatech.com/technical/gpu/index.html}} trilinear&nbsp;filtering {{ref|1=[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wZnpAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA277 Vintage Game Consoles: An Inside Look at Apple, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, and the Greatest Gaming Platforms of All Time (Page 277)]}}
 
−
** 6&nbsp;million polygons/sec: Lighting, textures, trilinear&nbsp;filtering, Gouraud&nbsp;shading <small>(243&nbsp;FLOPS per polygon)</small>
 
−
** 3.3&nbsp;million polygons/sec: Lighting, textures, trilinear&nbsp;filtering, Gouraud&nbsp;shading, bump&nbsp;mapping <small>(430&nbsp;FLOPS per polygon)</small> {{fileref|PowerVR2DCFeaturesUnderWindowsCE.pdf|page=11}}
 
−
* Rendering [[Fillrate]]: {{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000823204755/computer.org/micro/articles/dreamcast_2.htm Sega Dreamcast: Implementation (IEEE)]}}{{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}
 
−
** 3.2&nbsp;[[Pixel|GPixels/s]]: Opaque polygons <small>(32&nbsp;pixels per clock cycle)</small>
 
−
** 200–500 [[Pixel|MPixels/s]]: Average fillrate {{fileref|Edge UK 067.pdf|page=11}}
 
−
** 100&nbsp;MPixels/s: Translucent polygons with maximum hardware sort depth of 60 <small>(1&nbsp;pixel per clock cycle)</small>
 
−
** 100&nbsp;MPixels/s to 3.2&nbsp;GPixels/s, depending on opacity/translucency of polygons <small>(1–32 pixels per clock cycle)</small> {{fileref|PowerVR2DCFeaturesUnderWindowsCE.pdf}}
 
−
* Texture Fillrate:
 
−
** 200–500 [[Texel|MTexels/s]]: Effective fillrate (including overdrawn and back‑facing textures)
 
−
** 100&nbsp;MTexels/s: Front‑facing textures drawn on screen
 
−
* [[VRAM]]: 8&nbsp;MB (unified framebuffer/polygon/texture memory) {{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}{{ref|[http://segatech.com/technical/consolecompare2/ Polygon Calculations]}}
 
−
** Framebuffer: 4&nbsp;KB to 7500&nbsp;KB
 
−
** Polygons: Up to 6511&nbsp;KB (10&nbsp;million polygons/sec, 32‑bit precision, 40&nbsp;bytes per polygon)
 
−
** Textures: Up to 8188&nbsp;KB (63.8&nbsp;MB with maximum compression)
 
−
** Note: Main RAM can also be used to store textures and polygon display lists
 
−
* Full Motion Video: MPEG decoding, video compression, 320×240 to 640×320 and 320×480 video resolutions, 3D polygons can be superimposed over FMV video {{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000823204755/computer.org/micro/articles/dreamcast_2.htm Sega Dreamcast: Implementation (IEEE)]}}
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
=== Sound ===
+
==Games==
−
{{multicol|
+
{{MainArticle|Sega Dreamcast games}}
−
*Sound Card: Super Intelligent ([[Yamaha]]) Sound Processor with 47&nbsp;MHz 32&#8209;Bit [[RISC]] ARM7 CPU core built‑in (64&nbsp;channel PCM/ADPCM)
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Sound chip|Sound engine]]: [[Yamaha Super Intelligent Sound Processor|Yamaha AICA Super Intelligent Sound Processor]] @ 67&nbsp;MHz {{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000823204755/computer.org/micro/articles/dreamcast_2.htm Sega Dreamcast: Implementation (IEEE)]}}
 
−
** Internal CPU: 32&#8209;bit [[wikipedia:ARM7|ARM7]] RISC CPU @ 45&nbsp;MHz
 
−
** CPU performance: 40 MIPS {{ref|[http://www.segatech.com/technical/saturnspecs/ Dreamcast & Saturn Specifications]}}
 
−
** Features: DSP, sound [[wikipedia:Synthesizer|synthesizer]], [[MIDI]],{{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}} PCM sampling, ADPCM
 
−
* [[Pulse-code modulation|PCM/ADPCM]]: 16&#8209;bit [[wikipedia:Audio bit depth|depth]], 48&nbsp;kHz [[wikipedia:Sampling rate|sampling rate]] ([[wikipedia:DVD-Audio|DVD quality]]), 64&nbsp;channels {{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}
 
−
* Middleware: Audio compression, voice recognition {{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20000823204755/computer.org/micro/articles/dreamcast_2.htm Sega Dreamcast: Implementation (IEEE)]}}
 
−
}}
 
  
−
=== Memory ===
+
==Production credits==
−
{{multicol|
+
A list of names, likely the various people involved with console's creation, can be found at '''0x1A1A0''' in the flash ROM.
−
* System [[RAM]]: 26.125&nbsp;[[Byte|MB]]
+
{{creditstable|
−
** Main RAM: 16&nbsp;MB SDRAM ([[:file:HY57V161610D datasheet.pdf|Hyundai HY57V161610D]])
+
*[[Shoichiro Irimajiri]], [[Sadahiko Hirose]], [[Hidekazu Yukawa]], [[Hideki Satou]], [[Nobuhisa Yamada]], [[Taku Matsubara]], [[Kazuhiro Yasutomi]], [[Shoji Nishikawa]], [[Takashi Sekimoto]], [[Toshihiro Oba]], [[Shuji Hori]], [[Masaharu Shinohara]], [[Kazuhiro Baba]], [[Katsunori Gendo]], [[Kouji Horikawa]], [[Masatoshi Horikawa]], [[Osamu Hosokawa]], [[Seiichi Kajiwara]], [[Junko Kase]], [[Toshikazu Kawada]], [[Yasuhisa Kawase]], [[Yusuke Kiguchi]], [[Naohiko Kobayashi]], [[Manabu Kubo]], [[Teruaki Kuwana]], [[Kunihiro Mori]], [[Tomoyuki Mori]], [[Shigeru Motoyoshi]], [[Takeshi Nagashima]], [[Yoshifumi Nakamura]], [[Chuji Nakayama]], [[Madoka Nakayama]], [[Tatsuya Namatame]], [[Yasuhiro Nishiyama]], [[Toshiyuki Ogawa]], [[Tadashi Ohya]], [[Tetsuya Okawa]], [[Tatsuya Sakurai]], [[Hideaki Satou]], [[Yutaka Suetsugi]], [[Eriko Suzuki]], [[Masahiko Takeuchi]], [[Makoto Takiguchi]], [[Ryo Taki]], [[Masaki Tanaka]], [[Kazuo Tsuda]], [[Satoshi Tsuda]], [[Koichi Takayasu]], [[Naoki Niizuma]], [[Atsunori Himoto]], [[Tomoe Shinohara]], [[Kunihiro Tokumaru]], [[Yoshikazu Nagao]], [[Satoshi Kira]], [[Akitoshi Oikawa]], [[Hirokazu Hama]], [[Toshimichi Sugai]], [[Naoji Ozaki]], [[Hiroki Goto|Hiroki Gotou]], [[Masaharu Yoshii]], [[Masaki Kawahori]], [[Yuki Yamanaka]], [[Shinichi Uchida]], [[Masahiro Seki]], [[Takashi Ando]], [[Hideki Kudo]], [[Nobuhiro Fukuda]], [[Jiro Terakawa]], [[Yoichi Uchida]], [[Hiroki Okabata]], [[Kazuyoshi Hara]], [[Yuko Nasu]], [[Syuuji Okada]], [[Yutaka Okunoki]], [[Tatsuya Kouzaki|Tatuya Kouzaki]], [[Tadashi Jokagi]], [[Yoshiaki Kashima]], [[Kazumi Suyama]], [[Yutaka Sugano]], [[Tomoko Hasegawa]], [[Kazuhiro Matsuta]], [[Katsuhiko Sato]], [[Manabu Kusunoki]], [[Shinichi Oya]], [[Takeshi Suzuki]], [[Kazunori Shibata]], [[Shigeyuki Shimizu]], [[Masayuki Imanishi]], [[Kenji Otsuji|Kenji Ohtsuji]], [[Masamichi Miyoshi]], [[Tarou Mitani]], [[Takaaki Jindou]], [[Yoshitake Noguchi]]
−
*** Can be used for storing textures and polygon display lists, accessible by SH4 and PowerVR2 (via SH4 DMA) {{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}
+
| source=ROM text{{ref|https://tcrf.net/Dreamcast}}
−
** [[VRAM]]: 8&nbsp;MB SDRAM (unified framebuffer/polygon/texture memory)
+
| console=DC
−
*** Accessible by Power VR2 and SH4 (via DMA and store queues)
 
−
** Sound RAM: 2&nbsp;MB SDRAM
 
−
** [[GD-ROM]] buffer RAM: 128&nbsp;KB {{fileref|Dreamcast Hardware Specification Outline.pdf}}
 
−
* System [[ROM]]: 2&nbsp;MB {{fileref|Dreamcast Hardware Specification Outline.pdf}}
 
−
* Flash Memory: 128&nbsp;KB {{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}
 
−
* Internal Processor Memory: 65,232&nbsp;[[byte]]s (63.703&nbsp;KB) {{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}
 
−
** SH4: 26,178&nbsp;bytes (8&nbsp;KB instruction cache, 16&nbsp;KB data cache, 64&nbsp;bytes store queue cache,{{fileref|SH-4 Software Manual.pdf|page=25}} 1538&nbsp;bytes registers)
 
−
** PowerVR2: 6274&nbsp;bytes (128&nbsp;bytes ISP cache, 1&nbsp;KB texture cache, 509&nbsp;bytes fog table, 4093&nbsp;bytes palette RAM, 256&nbsp;bytes FIFO buffer, 264&nbsp;bytes registers)
 
−
** AICA: 32,780&nbsp;bytes (32&nbsp;KB sound registers, 8&nbsp;bytes RTC registers,{{fileref|Dreamcast Hardware Specification Outline.pdf}} 4&nbsp;bytes FIFO buffer)
 
−
* [[GD-ROM]] Drive: 12× maximum speed (when running in Constant Angular Velocity mode) {{fileref|Dreamcast Hardware Specification Outline.pdf}}{{fileref|DreamcastDevBoxSystemArchitecture.pdf}}
 
−
** Disc formats: GD&#8209;ROM, CD&#8209;ROM, CD&#8209;DA, , Photo CD, Video CD, CD Extra, CD+G, CD+EG
 
−
** Storage capacity: 1&nbsp;GB per GD&#8209;ROM, 656&nbsp;MB per CD&#8209;ROM
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
==== Bandwidth ====
+
{{creditstable|
−
{{multicol|
+
*[[Hideki Sato]]
−
* System RAM Bandwidth: 1.8&nbsp;[[Byte|GB]]/s {{fileref|Dreamcast Hardware Specification Outline.pdf}}
+
*[[Hiroyuki Ohtaka]]
−
** SH4 <‑> Main RAM — 800&nbsp;MB/s <small>(64‑bit, 100&nbsp;MHz)</small>
+
*'''Start-up Video Production:''' [[Kazuhiro Fumoto]]
−
** PVR2 <‑> VRAM  — 800&nbsp;MB/s <small>(64‑bit, 100&nbsp;MHz, 7&nbsp;[[wikipedia:Nanosecond|ns]])</small> {{fileref|Dreamcast Hardware Specification Outline.pdf|page=6}}
+
*'''Start-up Jingle:''' [[Ryuichi Sakamoto]]
−
** AICA <‑> Sound RAM — 132&nbsp;MB/s <small>(16‑bit, 66&nbsp;MHz)</small>
+
| source=Developer mentions{{fileref|Sega_Consumer_History_JP_EnterBrain_Book.pdf|page=23}}{{ref|https://www.facebook.com/hiroyuki.ohtaka/about_work_and_education}}{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20231029150957/https://area.autodesk.jp/column/tutorial/softimage_maniacs/}}<ref>JW Szczepaniak (2014). ''The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 1''</ref>
−
** SH4 <‑> GD‑ROM buffer — 13.3&nbsp;MB/s <small>(16‑bit)</small>
+
| console=DC
−
* System ROM Bandwidth: 20&nbsp;MB/s <small>(16‑bit, 10&nbsp;MHz)</small>
 
−
* Internal Processor Memory Bandwidth: 2.7&nbsp;GB/s
 
−
** SH4: 1.6&nbsp;GB/s <small>(64‑bit, 200&nbsp;MHz)</small>
 
−
** PowerVR2: 800&nbsp;MB/s <small>(64‑bit, 100&nbsp;MHz)</small>
 
−
** AICA: 256&nbsp;MB/s <small>(32‑bit, 67&nbsp;MHz)</small>
 
−
* GD‑ROM Drive: 1.8&nbsp;MB/s transfer rate, 250&nbsp;milliseconds access time
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
=== BIOS ===
+
==Magazine articles==
−
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
+
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Magazine articles}}
−
|+ BIOS Revisions
 
−
|-
 
−
! width="50"| BIOS Version
 
−
! Machine
 
−
! Download
 
−
|-
 
−
| 1.004
 
−
| Sega Dreamcast (Commercial-Early)
 
−
| {{file|Jp_dc_1.004.7z|1.004 (Japan)}}
 
−
|-
 
−
| rowspan="3"| 1.01d
 
−
| rowspan="3"| Sega Dreamcast (Commercial)
 
−
| {{file|Us_dc_1.01d.zip|1.01d (North America)}}
 
−
|-
 
−
| {{file|Eu_dc_1.01d.zip|1.01d (Europe)}}
 
−
|-
 
−
| {{file|Jp_dc_1.01d.zip|1.01d (Japan)}}
 
−
|-
 
−
| 1.011
 
−
| Sega Dreamcast (HKT-0120 Devbox)
 
−
| {{file|Jp_dc_1.011(dev).7z|1.011 (HKT-0120 Devbox)}}
 
−
|}
 
  
−
=== Other Specifications ===
+
==Video coverage==
−
{{multicol|
+
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Video coverage}}
−
* Operating Systems:
 
−
** [[Sega]] native operating system
 
−
** Custom [[Windows CE]], with [[wikipedia:DirectX|DirectX 6.0]], [[wikipedia:Direct3D|Direct3D]] and [[wikipedia:OpenGL|OpenGL]] support
 
−
* Inputs: Four ports that can support a digital and analog controller, steering wheel, joystick, keyboard, mouse, and more
 
−
* Dimensions: 189mm x 195mm x 76mm (7 7/16" x 7 11/16" x 3")
 
−
* Weight: 1.9kg (4.4lbs)
 
−
* Modem: Removable; Original Asia/Japan model had a 33.6&nbsp;Kbytes/s; models released after 9 September 1999 had a 56 Kbytes/s modem
 
−
*[[Sega Dreamcast Broadband Adapter]]: these adapters are available separately and replace the removable modem
 
−
** HIT-400: "Broadband Adapter", the more common model, this used a RealTek 8139 chip and supported 10/100mbit
 
−
* HIT-300: "Lan Adapter", this version used a Fujitsu MB86967 chip and supported only 10mbit
 
−
*Storage: "Visual Memory Unit" ([[VMU]]) 128&nbsp;Kb removable storage device
 
−
*Input devices: (4 custom controller ports)
 
−
**[[Controller (Dreamcast)|Standard Dreamcast gamepad]] with two add‑on ports
 
−
***Add-ons: VMU, 4x Memory Card, Jump Pack
 
−
**Sega Dreamcast Keyboard
 
−
**Sega Dreamcast Mouse
 
−
**[[Dreamcast fishing controller|Sega Dreamcast Fishing Controller]]
 
−
**Sega Dreamcast Microphone (bundled with Seaman)
 
−
**[[VMU MP3 Player]] (Unreleased)
 
−
**[[Swatch Access for Dreamcast]] (Unreleased)
 
−
*Output devices:
 
−
**Sega Dreamcast RF Unit
 
−
**Sega Dreamcast AV cables (composite)
 
−
**[[Sega Dreamcast VGA Adapter]]
 
−
*Add-ons:
 
−
**Sega Dreamcast Karaoke System (Japan only)
 
−
**[[Dreameye]] (Japan only)
 
−
**[[Dreamcast Zip Drive|Sega Dreamcast Zip Drive]] (Unreleased)
 
−
}}
 
  
−
==History==
+
==Promotional material==
−
:''Main article: [[History of the Sega Dreamcast]]''
+
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Promotional material}}
  
−
==Launch Titles==
+
==Digital manuals==
−
===Japan===
+
<gallery>
−
*''[[Godzilla Generations]]''
+
Dreamcast US DigitalManual.pdf|US manual
−
*''[[July]]''
+
</gallery>
−
*''[[Pen Pen TriIcelon]]''
 
−
*''[[Virtua Fighter 3tb]]''
 
−
===North America===
 
−
{{multicol|
 
−
*''[[Air Force Delta]]''
 
−
*''[[Blue Stinger]]''
 
−
*''[[Expendable]]''
 
−
*''[[Flag to Flag]]''
 
−
*''[[House of the Dead 2]]''
 
−
*''[[Hydro Thunder]]''
 
−
*''[[Monaco Grand Prix]]''
 
−
*''[[Mortal Kombat Gold]]''
 
−
*''[[NFL 2K]]''
 
−
*''[[NFL Blitz 2000]]''
 
−
*''[[PenPen TriIcelon]]''
 
−
*''[[Power Stone]]''
 
−
*''[[Ready 2 Rumble Boxing]]''
 
−
*''[[Sonic Adventure]]''
 
−
*''[[SoulCalibur]]''
 
−
*''[[TNN Motorsports Hardcore Heat]]''
 
−
*''[[Tokyo Xtreme Racer]]''
 
−
*''[[TrickStyle]]''
 
−
}}
 
−
===Europe===
 
−
{{multicol|
 
−
*''[[Blue Stinger]]''
 
−
*''[[Dynamite Cop]]''
 
−
*''[[Incoming]]''
 
−
*''[[Millennium Soldier: Expendable]]''
 
−
*''[[Monaco Grand Prix: Racing Simulation 2]]''
 
−
*''[[Power Stone]]''
 
−
*''[[Ready 2 Rumble Boxing]]''
 
−
*''[[Sega Rally 2]]''
 
−
*''[[Sonic Adventure]]''
 
−
*''[[Tokyo Highway Challenge]]''
 
−
*''[[Trick Style]]''
 
−
*''[[Virtua Fighter 3tb]]''
 
−
}}{{fileref|DreamcastMagazine UK 03.pdf|page=7}}
 
  
 
==Gallery==
 
==Gallery==
−
===Hardware Diagrams===
+
{{ratings|DC}}
 +
===Official photographs===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
−
File:Dreamcast Diagram1.svg
+
DreamcastScreenshots Hardware dreamcast & cd.png
−
File:Dreamcast Diagram2.svg
+
DreamcastScreenshots Hardware back dreamcast.png
 +
DreamcastScreenshots Hardware dreamcast master.png
 +
DreamcastScreenshots Hardware Dreamcast 1.png
 +
DreamcastScreenshots Hardware Dreamcast 2.png
 +
DreamcastScreenshots Hardware dream cast & board.png
 +
DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware dc mit joypad und vm.jpg
 +
DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware CONSOLE.jpg
 +
DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware CONSOLE CONTR.jpg
 +
DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware CONSOLE CONTR VM.jpg
 +
DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware GROUP VM.jpg
 +
DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware console frei.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
−
===Logos===
+
 
−
<gallery>
+
==Logos by regions==
−
File:Dreamcast logo.svg
+
{|class="prettytable sortable" style="background: #f2f2f2;"
−
File:Dreamcast PAL logo.svg|European/Australian logo
+
|-
 +
! style="width:100px;" style="text-align: center;" |'''Logo'''
 +
! style="width:100px;" style="text-align: center;" |'''Region'''
 +
|- style="background: silver;"
 +
|-
 +
|<gallery>Dreamcast logo.svg</gallery>
 +
|Used in Japan, Asia and South Korea
 +
|-
 +
|<gallery>Dreamcast logo.svg
 +
Dreamcast US Logo Sega.svg
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 +
|Used in North and South America
 +
|-
 +
|<gallery>Dreamcast PAL logo.svg</gallery>
 +
|Used in Western and Eastern Europe,<br> Asia, Africa, Australasia
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
−
==Promotional Material==
+
==Artwork==
−
===Print Advertisements===
 
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
−
File:Dreamcast US PrintAdvert.jpg|US (pre-launch 1)
+
Dreamcast Diagram1.svg|Hardware diagrams
−
File:Dreamcast US PrintAdvert 2.jpg|US (pre-launch 2)
+
Dreamcast Diagram2.svg
−
File:Dreamcast US PrintAdvert 3.jpg|US (pre-launch 3)
+
DreamcastPressDisc4 Logos STYLEGUIDE.pdf|EU branding guidelines
−
File:Dreamcast US PrintAdvert 4.jpg|US (pre-launch 4)
 
−
File:DC UK PrintAdvert 2.jpg|UK (pre-launch)
 
−
DC UK PrintAdvert Rex.jpg|UK
 
−
File:DC DE PrintAdvert.jpg|DE (1)
 
−
File:DC DE PrintAdvert 2.jpg|DE (2)
 
−
File:Dreamcast_BR_PrintAdvert.jpg|BR (1)
 
−
File:Dreamcast_BR_PrintAdvert2.jpg|BR (2)
 
−
File:Dreamcast_BR_PrintAdvert3.jpg|BR (3)
 
−
File:DCInternet DC UK PrintAdvert British.jpg|UK (the British)
 
−
File:DCInternet DC UK PrintAdvert French.jpg|UK (the French)
 
−
File:DCInternet DC UK PrintAdvert Germans.jpg|UK (the Germans)
 
−
File:DCInternet DC UK PrintAdvert Spanish.jpg|UK (the Spanish)
 
−
File:DCInternet DC FR PrintAdvert British.jpg|FR (the British)
 
−
File:DCInternet DC FR PrintAdvert Germans.jpg|FR (the Germans)
 
−
File:DCInternet DC FR PrintAdvert Spanish.jpg|FR (the Spanish)
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
−
===Television Advertisements===
+
==Patents==
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
−
DC UK TVAdvert Barbers.mp4|UK (launch)
+
Patent USD412940.pdf|USD412940
−
DC JP TVAdvert SomethingCampaign.mp4|JP (Campaign)
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 +
==External links==
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20000621105240/http://www.dreamcast.com.au/ www.dreamcast.com.au (Australia and New Zealand)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20010207203709/http://www.sega.at/start.html www.sega.at (Austria)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020811061905/http://dreamcast.gz.ee/ dreamcast.gz.ee (Estonia)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/19991006055629/http://www.dreamcast-europe.com/ www.dreamcast-europe.com (Europe)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20010723143113/http://www.dcfin.net/ www.dcfin.net (Finland) ]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/2001*/http://dreamcastfinland.net/ dreamcastfinland.net (Finland) ]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040615201546/http://segadc.uw.hu/main/main.htm segadc.uw.hu (Hungary)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/19991110181603/http://www.dreamcast.is/ www.dreamcast.is (Iceland)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20011030031554/http://dreamcast.times.lv/ dreamcast.times.lv (Latvia)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030603165424/http://www.symbas.com/dreamarena/index.html dreamarena.ru (Russia) ]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020109174127/http://www.dreamcast.pl/dreamcast/ www.dreamcast.pl (Poland)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030424194435/http://dreamcast-rus.boom.ru/  dreamcast-rus.boom.ru (Russia)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020321230534/http://dream-cast.narod.ru/  dream-cast.narod.ru (Russia)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20010302164645/http://dreamcast.miesto.sk/ dreamcast.miesto.sk (Slovakia)]
 +
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20000618081150/http://www.dreamcast.nu/ www.dreamcast.nu (Sweden)]
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
{{multicol|
 
{{multicol|
 
<references />
 
<references />
−
}}
+
|cols=3}}
  
−
{{Sega_Consoles}}
+
{{Sega Consoles}}
 
{{Dreamcast}}
 
{{Dreamcast}}
 +
 
[[Category:Sega Dreamcast| ]]
 
[[Category:Sega Dreamcast| ]]
 +
[[Category:Dreamcast hardware| ]]

Latest revision as of 16:21, 1 January 2024

Dreamcast logo.svg
Dreamcast.jpg
Dreamcast
Manufacturer: Sega
Variants: Sega NAOMI, Atomiswave, Sega System SP
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Dreamcast
JP 		¥29,80029,800 HKT-3000
Sega Dreamcast
US 		$199.99199.99 HKT-3020
Sega Dreamcast
DE 		DM 499,-499,-[5] HKT-3030
Sega Dreamcast
ES 		HKT-3030
Sega Dreamcast
FR 		1,690F1,690[4] HKT-3030
Sega Dreamcast
UK 		£199.99199.99[3] HKT-3030
Sega Dreamcast
CZ 		10400 Kč10400 [9]
Sega Dreamcast
PL 		999zł999
Sega Dreamcast
RU
Sega Dreamcast
AU 		$499.00499.00[6]
Sega Dreamcast
BR 		R$899.00899.00
Sega Dreamcast
MA 		3.999 DH3.999 DH
Sega Dreamcast
IN 		₹1400014000[11]
Sega Dreamcast
KR 		HKT-3010
Sega Dreamcast
AS 		HKT-3010

The Dreamcast (ドリームキャスト) is a home video game console manufactured by Sega as a successor to the Sega Saturn. Dubbed as Sega's "Super Console"[12], it is a "128-bit" machine designed with then-cutting edge hardware and a focus on the internet. The Dreamcast was originally released in Japan in November 1998 before seeing a Western release the following year.

The Dreamcast was Sega's seventh and final home video game console, and was discontinued in early 2001[13][14] due to financial constraints within the company. It had sold at least 8.2 million hardware units and 51.63 million software units by March 2001,[15], with estimates suggesting 10.6 million hardware units in total.

An arcade counterpart to the Dreamcast exists as the Sega NAOMI.

Hardware

The Dreamcast is a small, white box with aesthetics designed to appeal to a wide-ranging audience. It was envisioned as an "128-bit" "super console", designed to leapfrog "32-bit" and "64-bit" contemporaries in the form of the PlayStation and Nintendo 64, respectively (although from a technical standpoint, its main processor deals in 32-bit or 64-bit instructions, with the 128-bit figure coming from the graphics hardware). Incidentally the Dreamcast was the last home console to use "bits" as a selling point, with processing capabilities now typically measured in other ways.

Taking design cues from the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn, the Dreamcast contains four control ports, a removable modem, disc drive and an extension port (as well as the expected AV and power inputs). It is not backwards compatible with any prior Sega hardware or software (although its controller derives from the Saturn's 3D Control Pad), and operates in much the same way as the Saturn (and PlayStation) does, with a configurable settings and memory management accessed through a BIOS screen.

The Dreamcast uses a proprietary format of storage called GD-ROMs for games in order to circumvent software piracy, a strategy that ultimately backfired when the first run of discs had a high rate of defects. The format was also cracked fairly quickly (and in some cases, the pirated games were released before the legitimate versions). Sega largely had themselves to blame for the high levels of Dreamcast piracy—their use of the GD-ROM format was completely undermined by the console's support for the Mil-CD format, which allowed the console to boot from a standard CD-R. Mil-CD support was removed from the final Dreamcast revisions toward the end of the console's life.

The GD-ROM format also put the console at a disadvantage when competing against the PlayStation 2 - the PS2 used DVDs, and could therefore run DVD videos making it an inexpensive DVD player as well as a video game console. DVD-ROMs also have more storage space, allowing for bigger games (though the initial run of PS2 games used a blue CD-ROM format). Sega looked into DVD technology during the Dreamcast's development but claimed it was too expensive.

The Dreamcast was the first video game console to ship with a built-in 56k modem, with broadband adapters being made available later on in certain regions. This allowed the system to connect to the internet using a custom, fully-functional web browser and e-mail client. Many games released for the Dreamcast shipped with online play modes, the most popular being Phantasy Star Online and the Sega Sports lineup (now published under the ESPN label). Although other consoles before the Dreamcast had network gaming support, such as the Sega Saturn's NetLink and the Sega Mega Drive's XB∀ND, the Dreamcast was the first game console to include this ability out of the box and is therefore considered the first internet-enabled home game system.

The Dreamcast has a modest hacking enthusiast community. The availability of Windows CE software development kits on the Internet—as well as ports of Linux (LinuxDC) and dreamcast NetBSD operating systems to the Dreamcast—gave programmers a selection of familiar development tools to work with, even though they do not really support the high speed graphics. A homebrew minimal operating system called Kallistios offers support for most hardware, while not offering multi-tasking, which is superfluous for games. Many emulators and other tools (MP3, DivX players, and image viewers) have been ported to or written for the console, taking advantage of the relative ease with which a home user can write a CD which is bootable by an unmodified Dreamcast.

Sega released an arcade board, using the same technology as the Dreamcast, called Sega NAOMI, leading to many Dreamcast-exclusive games with a high level of arcade quality.

The Dreamcast's PowerVR CLX2 was the first GPU for a home system with hardware capabilities such as bump mapping, volumetric effects,[16] order-independent transparency, and Dot3 normal mapping.[17]

Models

Main article: Dreamcast consoles.

  • Japanese model

  • North American model

  • European model

Japanese Dreamcasts can be identified by the triangle at the front of the unit. Though the power LED is identical across all regions, the piece of plastic attached to the lid of the Japanese model is transparent, while in North America it is grey. The Japanese models also have the text "Designed for Microsoft Windows CE" printed on the front right, whereas Western versions say "Compatible with Microsoft Windows CE".

For a full list of special edition Dreamcasts, see Special Dreamcast Models.

Technical specifications

Main article: Sega Dreamcast/Technical specifications.

Hardware comparisons

Main article: Sega Dreamcast/Hardware comparison.

History

Main article: History of the Sega Dreamcast.

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English Sega Dreamcast Sega Dreamcast
Japanese ドリームキャスト Dreamcast
Hebrew דרימקאסט

Games

Main article: Sega Dreamcast games.

Production credits

A list of names, likely the various people involved with console's creation, can be found at 0x1A1A0 in the flash ROM.

Source:
ROM text[18]


Source:
Developer mentions[19][20][21][22]


Magazine articles

Main article: Sega Dreamcast/Magazine articles.

Video coverage

Main article: Sega Dreamcast/Video coverage.

Promotional material

Main article: Sega Dreamcast/Promotional material.

Digital manuals

  • US manual

Gallery

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
GameZine (UK)
90
[23]
Komputer Świat Gry (PL)
75
[24]
Man!ak (PL)
85
[25]
Play (PL)
60
[26]
PSX Extreme (PL)
78
[27]
PSX Extreme (PL)
57
[28]
Sega Dreamcast
 74
Based on
6 reviews

Sega Dreamcast

Official photographs

  • DreamcastScreenshots Hardware dreamcast & cd.png
  • DreamcastScreenshots Hardware back dreamcast.png
  • DreamcastScreenshots Hardware dreamcast master.png
  • DreamcastScreenshots Hardware Dreamcast 1.png
  • DreamcastScreenshots Hardware Dreamcast 2.png
  • DreamcastScreenshots Hardware dream cast & board.png
  • DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware dc mit joypad und vm.jpg
  • DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware CONSOLE.jpg
  • DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware CONSOLE CONTR.jpg
  • DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware CONSOLE CONTR VM.jpg
  • DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware GROUP VM.jpg
  • DreamcastPressDisc4 Hardware console frei.jpg

Logos by regions

Logo Region
  • Dreamcast logo.svg
 Used in Japan, Asia and South Korea
  • Dreamcast logo.svg
  • Dreamcast US Logo Sega.svg
 Used in North and South America
  • Dreamcast PAL logo.svg
 Used in Western and Eastern Europe,
Asia, Africa, Australasia

Artwork

  • Hardware diagrams

  • Dreamcast Diagram2.svg

  • EU branding guidelines

Patents

  • USD412940

External links

References

  1. ↑ Press release: 1999-09-02: Sega Dreamcast Launch Titles and Peripherals
  2. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "November 1999" (UK; 1999-10-13), page 52
  3. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "October 1999" (UK; 1999-09-15), page 59
  4. ↑ File:ConsolesMicro FR 01.pdf, page 15
  5. ↑ File:NextLevel DE 1999-0910.pdf, page 6
  6. ↑ Hyper, "September 1999" (AU; 1999-xx-xx), page 29
  7. ↑ Dreamcast (Tectoy) (Wayback Machine: 2000-03-03 16:07)
  8. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20010409225930/http://sega.ru:80/news.phtml
  9. ↑ https://www.idnes.cz/ekonomika/test-a-spotrebitel/nova-konzole-dreamcast-prehrava-konkurenci.A_2000M051T05A
  10. ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/22/dreamcast-heads-to-india
  11. ↑ https://www.afaqs.com/news/story/795_Stracon-ready-to-turn-the-TV-into-a-multi-dimensional-entertainment-device
  12. ↑ Press release: 1998-05-21: Sega Unveils Super Console!
  13. ↑ Press Release: 2001-01-28: Dúvidas e confirmações no futuro da Dreamcast
  14. ↑ Press Release: 2001-10-29: Dreamcast não desiste e mostra novos trunfos
  15. ↑ File:AnnualReport2001 English.pdf, page 16
  16. ↑ Gamers' Republic, "August 1998" (US; 1998-07-21), page 29
  17. ↑ [PC Magazine, December 1999, page 193 PC Magazine, December 1999, page 193]
  18. ↑ The Cutting Room Floor: Dreamcast
  19. ↑ File:Sega_Consumer_History_JP_EnterBrain_Book.pdf, page 23
  20. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/hiroyuki.ohtaka/about_work_and_education
  21. ↑ https://area.autodesk.jp/column/tutorial/softimage_maniacs/ (Wayback Machine: 2023-10-29 15:09)
  22. ↑ JW Szczepaniak (2014). The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 1
  23. ↑ GameZine (UK) (+0:00)
  24. ↑ Komputer Świat Gry, "Czerwiec-lipiec 2000" (PL; 2000-xx-xx), page 72
  25. ↑ Man!ak, "Grudzień 1999" (PL; 1999-xx-xx), page 10
  26. ↑ Play, "Wszystko o Konsolach" (PL; 2001-xx-xx), page 2
  27. ↑ PSX Extreme, "02/99" (PL; 1999-0x-xx), page 18
  28. ↑ PSX Extreme, "03/2001" (PL; 2001-0x-xx), page 42
Sega Home Video Game Systems
83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
SG-1000 SG-1000 II Mega Drive Mega Drive II
SC-3000 Mega-CD Mega-CD II Genesis 3
Sega Mark III 32X Dreamcast
Master System Master System II
AI Computer Game Gear
Saturn
Pico Beena


Sega Dreamcast
Topics Technical specifications (Hardware comparison) | History (Development | Release | Decline and legacy | Internet) | List of games | Magazine articles | Promotional material | Merchandise
Hardware Japan (Special) | Western Europe | Eastern Europe | North America | Asia | South America | Australasia | Africa
Add-ons Dreamcast Karaoke | Dreameye
Controllers Controller | Arcade Stick | Fishing Controller | Gun (Dream Blaster) | Race Controller | Maracas Controller (Third-party) | Twin Stick | Keyboard | Mouse | Third-party
Controller Add-ons Jump Pack (Third-party) | Microphone | VMU (4x Memory Card | Third-party)
Development Hardware Dev.Box | Controller Box | Controller Function Checker | Sound Box | GD-Writer | C1/C2 Checker | Dev.Cas | GD-ROM Duplicator
Online Services/Add-ons Dreamarena | SegaNet | WebTV for Dreamcast | Modem | Modular Cable | Modular Extension Cable | Broadband Adapter | Dreamphone
Connector Cables Onsei Setsuzoku Cable | RF Adapter | Scart Cable | S Tanshi Cable | Stereo AV Cable | VGA Box

Dreamcast MIDI Interface Cable | Neo Geo Pocket/Dreamcast Setsuzoku Cable | Taisen Cable

Misc. Hardware Action Replay CDX | Code Breaker | Kiosk | MP3 DC | MP3 DC Audio Player | Official Case | Treamcast
Third-party accessories Controllers | Controller converters | Miscellaneous
Unreleased Accessories DVD Player | Zip Drive | Swatch Access for Dreamcast | VMU MP3 Player
Arcade Variants NAOMI | Atomiswave | Sega Aurora
Retrieved from "https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=Sega_Dreamcast&oldid=947838"