DreamPi Software (DC <> Pi)

Kick ass... I was under the impression from other dc-pi projects that cheaper/software modems wouldn't work.... Nice job. So doing a dc-pi kit should be awesome

 

This development + the resurrection of Alien Front Online makes this a must have. Looking forward to seeing your project reach completion, definitely going to take good use of it!

 

I have been working on it today, having trouble getting the process started on boot, but starting it manually works. Very near to creating an SD card image now!

 

Success! I've just successfully connected using the Raspberry Pi without manually doing anything! Just switch on, wait until the modem lights up, and connect on the DC. Then I disconnected, waited a minute, then connected again - works fine!

As soon as I can locate my SD card reader, I'll dump an image and upload it somewhere

 

With the setup you've created, can you plugin the built-in Dreamcast modem directly in the USB-modem you mentioned earlier? Or does it still need a line-simulator in between each other?

 

It still needs a line voltage for those modems that require it (e.g PAL). I'm working on building some PCBs for this.

 

Right, so I created an image, but it's 3 gig! I'm going to create a new image using a minimal Linux install before I upload. Unfortunately that'll take me at least until the weekend

 

Here it is!

This is an Alpha release! I have only tested it on PAL modems, on a Raspberry Pi model A and with PSO and Dreamkey!

Please let me know how you get on with various USB modems etc. I'll update that page with more information tomorrow.

Note: This release doesn't generate dial tones, so only games that blind dial will work. I'm working on this next!

 

I have some amazing news, and some bad news...

The amazing news is that I've implemented dial tone generation. I've successfully convinced DreamKey, Quake 3 Arena and Sonic Adventure to dial out and the DreamPi software answers. AFAICT this means that *all* dial up games should work!

The bad news is there is something wrong with my set up and the final connection can't be established. I rolled back all my changes and there is still the same problem so I think something is wrong with my line voltage inducer (maybe the batteries are low) and in fiddling with it I managed to break it even more. I've ordered some more parts to make something more reliable so I can test to see if it works, then I'll make a new image!

 

Btw, if someone has a DreamPi successfully running, and they fancy testing the dial tone stuff. Log into the Pi (username/password = pi/raspberry). Then run the following:

cd ~/dreampi
git pull -r origin master
sudo reboot

 

i have a launch US Dreamcast, would the modem be a revision A? i read on your blog page that i don't need a very large amount of parts if i have one, or is there some very specific way to tell?

 

Take the modem off and look on the inside of it for a sticker on the metal. On the lower right hand side of the sticker you will see something saying some alphanumeric code like this. "670-14140B" if it is a Rev B modem. Do not look on the bottom sticker of the outside of the modem, it is not the sticker to read. Always look on the metal sticker.

 

Thank you, it is a rev. A modem, I wont have to go through the trouble of buying those parts, thank you once again sir.

 

Just a heads up, I've had two separate people with model A modems tell me its not working. One of them is building a line voltage inducer to see if that's the problem. Perhaps in this setup all modems need a line voltage?

 

I tried pcdc a little ways back with model A and still needed voltage. I don't think it matters or theres a second revision of the model A modem. But someone said if you get a modem that has a/c power you don't need voltage. But i'd image that's more expensive

That PCB thing is a great idea

 

OK, any PPP gurus out there?

Last week, stuff just stopped working - I thought it was a code change I made, or my line voltage inducer was on the fritz, but when I answer the call from the Dreamcast, this happens:

Oct 7 01:40:38 dreampi pppd[8847]: pppd 2.4.5 started by root, uid 0
Oct 7 01:40:38 dreampi Connected
Oct 7 01:40:38 dreampi pppd[8847]: using channel 2
Oct 7 01:40:38 dreampi pppd[8847]: Using interface ppp0
Oct 7 01:40:38 dreampi pppd[8847]: Connect: ppp0 <--> /dev/ttyACM0
Oct 7 01:40:38 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:40:41 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:40:44 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:40:47 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:40:50 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:40:53 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:40:56 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:40:59 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:41:02 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:41:05 dreampi pppd[8847]: sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <magic 0xde2eb627> <pcomp> <accomp>]
Oct 7 01:41:08 dreampi pppd[8847]: LCP: timeout sending Config-Requests

It used to say sent -> rcvd, sent -> rcvd. Now it looks like the Pi isn't receiving data from the Dreamcast. The weird thing is that the line voltage is working because I can receive DTMF tones and play dial tones down the line to a phone. So far I've tried:

1. Checking the voltage on the line (18V)
2. Swapping the modem
3. Resoldering my line voltage inducer
4. Rolling back all my code changes

Nothing seems to work! The only thing I haven't swapped is the Dreamcast modem which I'll try early next week (if I don't solve this sooner).

I'm wondering if there was a software update on the Pi or something which might have broken things. Anyone have any ideas?

 

It looks like it times out because the DC doesn't respond to the Pi's username/password request. Maybe try pulse dialing? Or maybe the DC doesn't understand the request sent to it. Can you tell that it starts to dial then times out?

It might be the modem, 18v is kind of alot of voltage. Test if the modem is even sending anything

 

Any luck with any other games

 

Until I fix this I'm unfortunately blocked I'm pretty sure that Quake 3 will work with the latest code though, it definitely dials out now.

 

Don't fret bro, all that you have achieved thus far is worthy of an Internet Grammy.

I present you one on the behalf of Dreamcast gamers the world over!