The GD-Emu Project - Sega Dreamcast SD Card ISO Loading Add-On Device Coming Soon

17 September 2012 Cauterize Retro

So we've all grown used to the range of ROM loading SD card enabled flash cartridges for our older systems, but what about the more recent CD based consoles? While work is underway for a similar device on the Sony PlayStation, there is still a wealth of CD systems in need of a mass storage solution. The Sega Dreamcast, however, is in luck!

'We can easily back up our existing games and play them without the need for modification'. True, but being able to cast aside that huge pile of CDs and choose any game from a built in menu is a much more attractive offering - one the guru behind the popular Sega Dreamcast emulator Makaron is currently creating.

The GD-Emu Project is a similar offering to the Everdrive, a custom built piece of hardware that will slot into your console and read files directly off a SD card. The device is set to be a 100% compatible replacement for on-board GD-ROM drive, emulating the original discs and potentially offering quicker loading times - with the console knowing no better.

Sadly the mastermind behind this in-demand project has stated that no release date will be set as of yet due to a number of reasons. Our hopes are high though that we might just get the ultimate solution to loading disc images easily on the Sega Dreamcast, something the fabled console truely deserves. Stay tuned and hopefully we'll have some good news to report shortly.

Source: DCEmu

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Last Updated ( 17 September 2012 )

Comments

(Link to this comment) Speedle 2012-09-18 07:40

This is pretty awesome, if it works and does indeed offer faster loading times I shall definitely be picking one up!

watching this one with interest.

(Link to this comment) BuckoA51 2012-09-19 15:42

There's been rumours of one of these for years, and even a couple of early developments that got as far as booting the SEGA logo. I hope one finally surfaces. The PSISO team said on their forum that they would be investigating it once the PS1 iso loader was done too.

(Link to this comment) pixelmischief 2012-09-20 17:51

Ummm. I just bought an SD card reader that plugs into the rear port on my DC. It boots with a special disc and then loads ISO's off the SD reader. Am I missing something?

(Link to this comment) tcdev 2012-09-21 14:08

You're missing a few facts. Firstly, the hassle of booting Dreamshell. Secondly, there are a lot of commercial titles that won't run with it, and some need patching to run. Basically the Dreamshell OS redirects GDROM read requests to the serial port, to which is attached your USB device.

GD-Emu emulates a GDROM drive at the hardware level (plugs into the GDROM socket on the DC motherboard) so the games think they're reading from a GDROM. Should have 100% commercial compatibility and no need to boot Dreamshell.

(Link to this comment) BuckoA51 2012-09-23 00:39

That and the serial port is slow, slower than a GD-ROM drive.