Could the DC be DVD-capable at launch?

If there's an infinite loop in most gamer forums is what would happened to the Dreamcast if it had a DVD built-in?

Now, instead of making another "what if...." thread, I would like to know if a DC with a DVD read unit instead of the GDROM unit was possible at all.

I'm having trouble finding a DVD part of that time that could fit the DC, plus most of the prices are updated so I cant check how expensive those were either.

On the other hand I wonder if a DVD unit would be more expensive than the GDROM unit used since DVDs were already in high production levels by the end of 1998, while the GD was a technology only used in the Dreamcast, and therefore the production levels were lower, and the bulk costs would then be higher.

Does anyone has some info on the subject?

 

Whoa. GD roms were used on many arcade systems too. Chihiro, Triforce, Naomi 1 and 2, all used GD-ROMS. This means the technology didnt die with the DC.

The DC's DVD-drive , as I m aware, was to be an Add-on, much like he Zip-drive. No one would come in and change your drive.

 

Dude read the title, is says "at launch" as in DVD instead of GD from the get-go.

And all those arcade boards came after the DC...

 

my bad then.

In that case, it was possible to include a DVD drive in the DC. Sega just chose not to, as the GD Drive was a modified CD-drive, using existing chipset solutions. It was all a matter of cost. Back in 98-99, a DVD diode was considerably more expensive than a CD one.

Also take note that Sony's Ps2 drive used a hybrid mechanism to read both CDs and DVDs for cost reduction (at least in the early models)

The GC can only read DVDs ,it has no CD capabilities, which further reduces its drive cost.

 

Even if it made the DC go for $250 or even $299 it would be way cheaper than most DVD players at the time, just like when the PS2 was released.

The DC had no need at all to play CDs since there was no BC whatsoever with the Saturn or SEGACD. And DVD playback weights a lot more than CD playback...

 

Back at the planning time ('97?), skipping a DVD drive could look a good idea because of the price, but looking now we can see that a price of 299 would hurt much, I guess.

 

As noisey as the GD-ROM drive turned out to be, I would have gladly paid $299 for a proper DVD drive in the DC at launch.
Doable from the start? Yep, but then there's the added cost of the DVD playback software license which would have added to the cost (precisely why Microsoft only enabled DVD movie playback via the add-on kit on the first Xbox so as to avoid passing the cost onto consumers who didn't plan to use the movie feature on their stock console).

Sega was determined as hell to come in at a sub $200 price point to beat the PS2, so DVD simply could not have been had at the then-current pricing.

 

How much was the DVD player software license at the time?

And I think that was the weak point: at $199 it was too expensive for "just a console" as some would say, but a console+DVD at $299 would be a real bargain since in those days a "cheap" DVD player was $500 or even more.

Also, I heard the VR2 chip was underclocked or something since it had some heat inssues, and if weren't for that it would had a peak perfomance of 7-8 millions poly per second, pretty close to GCs 12.

Maybe if SEGA made the DC with a bigger case they could've improved the airflow inside the it, and even make OC in the DC something any developer could do.

 

One of the main issues with Saturn was the expensive price at launch. Also the DVD market (=films) was almost nonexistant in 1998.

 

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The development enviroment for the gd rom format (authoring tools/ emulators etc) used ready and proven technology from sega and cross products. That's another reason the format was affordable and as Hideki Sato hinted a while back, it was one of the major reasons they chose the gd rom option.

 

I admire the clever way in which they used existing products and related technology to create a side-step technology for a console. The GD-rom is highly regarded from where i stand, and but for the security issues relating to the firmware, it was a good medium, although vunerable to physical abuse.

 

At 9/9/99 it was already a growing medium, so I doubt it would end up being like the Saturn, for which you were paying $400 for something that didnt do anything amazing

Man, I even remember a guy looking at the pixelated Daytona and saying "that looks like a Snes game!"

I know he was exagerating, a lot, but he was a casual and therefore, he rpresented a larger market share.

 

Why did the DC need a DVD drive? Only a few games spanned more than one disc. Other than to watch movies on (which would have sold more units but not enough), I can't see the point.

 

Well, the PS2 sold a lot in Japan for just DVD playbay in the early days...

 

Earth to taucias: thats exactly the point.

Not only PrOfUnD Darkness is right, he mentioned the sole reason why the PS2 could get into japanese homes with almost no titles and so many glitches. In fact in the west all I could hear was "the PS2 is better cuz it comes with a DVD!".

For most people that was the sole reason why the PS2 should be bought instead of the DC.

Obviously early games on DVD would be almost empty, even if, dunno, they made all the engine-powered cutscenes into CG rendered FMVs, but as I said the point was movies.

Anyway, I still cant find the cost of a DVD drive at the time, any info guys?

 

Sony was clever at the time, the leap between VHS and DVD was enormous and they made the right choice to include DVD drive into the PS2 the technology impressed at the time.

The DC is primarely a game machine. If the PS2 was solely relying on its launch line up to sell it would have been a disaster... DC had a far stronger launch line up and more far more sexy than the brick...

Sabre

 

Is amazing how a little detail like that can save you from death (sony) or destroy a great plan (SEGA):-(

 

Are you referring to ATA drives that you put in your computer? Just like any technology, they were a moving target. But I recall at one point towards mid to late 1999, they cost ~$300 because I was looking at getting one for my mac. DVD burners were ~$1200 and came down to ~$700 around mid 2000. I remember that because my buddy in college was looking at getting one. What that would translate to buying just the dvd mechanisms for the console plus the mass quantity discount, I don't know. I would expect it would optimistically shave around $100-$150 off of the individual unit price, but just speculation.

 

Nah, more like standart drives like those in DVD players, and no need to play CDs at all.

BTW, arent Mac-compatible drives more expensive than PCs ones?

 

That is correct, just like any software that is released on mac from windows. As for the dvd, at the time it made sense not to include it.

When it came out in 98 in japan the dvd market hadn't qute hit a stirde so it didn't make much sense at the time to include it.

Sony got lucky at the time since the dvd libary was growing by the time it came out.

Though honestly the ps2 dvd playback is shitty as far as visual quality goes. Hell my sony dvd player which I think is slightly older then the ps2 has waaay better audio/visual quality.

In all honesty while the dvd playback could have possibly been added, the technology at the time would have probably not allowed a qaulity dvd player. So I think sega made the best decision they could at the time.