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Java On Dreamcast Forges On
Anonymous Coward writes: "Yup, much to my disbelief, it looks like Planetweb are still determined to try and profit off of the dc with their new DC browser version 3.0. According to the site, 'Users will now be able to access the multimedia features on Web sites using Java and play games written in that language..." I'v given up all hope on the DC, but maby a few of you out there...." Since these are officially EOL (even if not completely out of stores), you might be able to pick up your next web-browsing toy at a yard sale.
The Dreamcast has a GD-ROM drive. Newer units have had the BIOS tweaked so as not to accept CD* media for booting, but older units read CD-R with no problem (and with a little luck and a screwdriver, can be adjusted to read CD-RW, as well).
And there's already a Linux project going on. Google is your friend.
For the DC platform, specifically it's Hitachi SuperH4 CPU, you want to forgoe Linux and instead work with NetBSD:
http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/dreamcast/
http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/dreamcast/faq.html
AFAIK, the Linux/DC port doesn't have the driver support like the NetBSD code base, especially the broadband NIC. Want to put cross-platform development on your resume? Buy a DC and hack NetBSD!!!
Props to Marcus Comstedt and Jason Thorpe for most of the work regarding the DC/NetBSD port. I have learned a ton from being on the mailing list for this port.
-LOS
cat-at-panther-recordings-dot-com
Some people have been asking, why Java? What's the point? The Dreamcast is dead!. In answer: lots of people still use their DC, so the more support, the better. More generally though, the DC is still a nice piece of kit.
As a gaming platform of course, the Dreamcast's days are numbered - it won't be long before the rate of release of new games declines to a trickle. Not that that should stop anyone from enjoying the many fine games already released of course!
Yet with the very low cost of the DC now, if you can find one, and the very wide distribution of information on the console, it has become a perfect, cheap platform for experimenting with embedded programming, or console game development, or even for trying out non-x86 based Unixes. Remeber that there is a version of BSD and Linux available.
The so-called 'coders cable' can provide connectivity for development, but for high speed access there is the official broadband adapter (hard to find and pricey). If you're feeling brave there has been some talk about the viability of a USB-Controller port adapter. The Maple Bus (used to connect the controllers) has been well documented.
An earlier slashdot story has already talked about a nice step-by-step for Linux on Dreamcast.
There are several possibilities:
1) Shinobi - the official Sega "OS". It's really
just a mixed low/high level API. Not an OS.
2) Dragon - WinCE for DC. This is crap. Few
people ever used it, though it was the first
winCE with direct-x.
3) Linux - it runs all right.
4) KallistiOS, it's turning back into a library now.
I've got the DC dev kit, and by FAR the Sega API is the best and easiest to use.
The copper bosses killed you, Joe. 'I never died', said he.
Since everybody is complaining about the DC BBA being obscenely expensive secondhand on eBay,
here's a link to a project where you use the DC internal modem to network to a linux PC through another modem and piggybacking on that broadband.
Google is your friend.
http://www.kinox.org/articles/linuxdc.html
oh also, i plan on eventualy making a dc-quake-howto... basicaly howto pop in a cd with enough standalone linux to run quake... this has many possibilities for other linux games that you can now pass onto your windows friends who own a dc
Erm, why not just run the dc version of QuakeIII? Possibly faster than running it via Linux...
Code, Hardware, stuff like that.