Sega Dreamcasts and LAN Access?

I usually don't post nameless submissions, but this one was interesting enough that I figured it did deserve some attention. We've all heard about Sega's Dreamcast and how it has the capability to connect to the internet via it's 56k modem. So how does one go about connecting systems that are within a few feet of each other? Is it just me or do some of you think that Sega dropped the ball a bit when they didn't provide the Dreamcast with a way to connect to the local LAN?

Comments

Observations

[drwiii]

After cracking it open (figuratively speaking of course) the DC modem appears to use only about 1/3 of the pins available to it on the "expansion" port. As a sidenote, the only visible chips on the board appear to be a Rockwell R6785-19 chipset and a custom Sega chip, model number 315-6137.

There is a serial port on the back of the console, but that seems to be better placed or suited for unit-to-unit connections rather than anything high speed (like ethernet).

More DC tidbits: drwiii Stupidly Disassembles his Dreamcast

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Too soon to tell what plans they have.

[torpor]

The list of items rumoured to be in development for the Dreamcast include:

- Ethernet adapter
- Zip disk system
- DVD Player add-on
- USB port (part of the Zip addon)
- Higher capacity VMU's
- Serial link cable

I'd say that its just too soon for Sega to release this stuff - makes more sense to me that they'd wait for more multi-player games to be released that require things like the network adapter before actually releasing it.

The built-in 56k modem actually works quite well, and combined with the Sega keyboard it makes web browsing quite simple. I wish we had a trackball or mouse accessory though - I haven't heard of one being developed, and I try to stay on top of things like this.

So far, my guess is that there just aren't enough Dreamcast-owning people who *HAVE A NEED* for an ethernet adapter right now to justify the huge ramp-up production costs... but I bet that we will see this adapter soon.

Maybe within the next few months, when a few choice game software developers also release some good multiplayer games for the Dreamcast system this Christmas as well...

Now, the DC + Keyboard + eth0 + trackball mouse combo would be quite a killer setup, especially if the total cost were less than $300 (for all of it, including the DC). This would make for a very nice web-based data entry system for quite a few of my clients, games-machine capabilities aside...

j.

A "solution"

[adolf]

It's not too hard to make the Dreamcast talk TCP/IP over the network of your choice.

Items required:
1 Dreamcast
1 Linux box with reasonably quick modem
2 RJ-11 telephone patch cords
1 network
1 phone line simulator from Viking

Make PPP dialins work on linux box. Make PPP dialouts work on Dreamcast. Connect linux box to line simulator, connect line simulator to Dreamcast. Execute whatever sequence of button-pushage and disc-swappage required to initiate a call to the remote (several feet away) linux box. Enjoy.