USB GDrom Thread

Is there a tutorial somewhere how to install the switch?

 

Just desolder the original lid switch and solder the switch into the usb gdrom. There isn't much to it. If you are new to soldering, then lookup some videos on youtube on how to desolder. The cheapest home method is flux and desoldering braid. Flux is a requirement.

 

Where you solder the switch the usb-dgrom board is new and never soldered on before. You should be OK without flux. If you decide to use flux get "no clean" flux. Flux is an acid. If you use anything but "no clean" flux, you should clean off any flux residue or you run the risk of the acid eventually damaging what it is in contact with.

I recommend using a Edsyn Soldapullt hand desoldering pump for desoldering the old switch. I've used the same one to desolder thousands of chip legs. The cheap ones do not last. Soldapullt amazon link

There is only one way to solder the lid switch onto the usb-gdrom. The switch has a plastic prong in addition the the metal leads. The usb-gdrom has a hole for that plastic prong. Switch only fits one wy.

 

Thanks for the help

 

EDIT: sold out, no more units.

 

It's a wonderful device but really too expensive ! The price never stopped to go higher while the main development is done.....
Crazy business !

 

Well, it's actually lower than it was on stoneagegamer.

 

Hi all,

I have a problem with a v5 USB-GDROM running firmware "USB-GD_fw_15-06-18", which I realize is not the latest. What happens is, seemingly at random, I will boot my Dreamcast up and it boots up very slowly, the spiral logo takes longer than normal but the audio is also very slow. The menu finally loads up after about 20-30 seconds but any backup I attempt to load has the same issue -- slow to load and the slow/drawn-out audio problem. I have tried this with the USB media empty, with a VMU inserted and not, and I can even leave the system off for several minutes or several days and the problem will persist. But then it seems to randomly go away, too :-\

Has anyone else had this issue or have any suggestions?

 

What was it like before with the stock drive? and also, try a different machine. I had that fw before, so it's not that, which is causing that.

 

maybe reseat the usb gdrom,i hat that problem also in the past with gdemu.
or try clean contacts psu.
i have now for a very long time no problems anymore with gdemu and rhea,dirty contacts could also be a problem.

 

Those symptoms are when the cdda clock is missing.

Either poor connections as mentioned above or failed/failing oscillator/bad traces etc.

 

@krisk77: Thanks for the reply. Well, I never had this issue before installing the USB GD-ROM. I actually had this problem on a second Dreamcast and it too had the exact same issue. After moving my only USB GD-ROM unit to this current Dreamcast, keeping everything else the same, the problem seemed to be gone, but then it came back again and I'm presently in the middle of it again.

@fille: Thanks; re-seating the USB GD-ROM at first, several weeks ago, did prove to be what I thought was the final fix as I went 15-20+ reboots of the Dreamcast without issue. But then it crept up again. I have not tried cleaning contacts, but I will!

@Bad_Ad84: Thank you; I'll look more into the CDDA clock missing/failure, I'm not familiar with that but I'll research it.

 

Hello,

This is my first post. I recently received my USB-GDROM and installed it and had it working in no time with my PNY 32GB USB stick. Now I want a hard drive. I tried a Fat32 1TB WD My Passport which causes the Dreamcast to freeze on the blue swirl. Tried with different formatting settings with the same result.

Can anyone confirm the following work with USB-GDROM?

Harddrive Enclosure: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00IJNDBM4/
Harddrive: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007NVGWV0

I know Rocky5 used this same enclosure and said it works. I am interested in how it has held up since he last posted.

Also, would removing the enclosure from the equation and just using a USB to SATA cable solve the compatibility problems?

Kind regards
DDD

 

Make sure the partition is set to primary.

The enclosure is still working fine, but my HDD is only a 500GB seagate drive.

 

I know that this would be an overkill but I jumped on this and works perfect.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Porta...TF8&qid=1463457669&sr=8-1&keywords=samsung+t3

I have 3 other friends that also are running this ssd and have no issues what so ever. Again, sorry, as I know this is expensive but I figure what I gain more than makes up for the price...

 

Yes, the partition is primary. Will go for that enclosure. 1TB shouldn't much difference. USB-GDROM quotes 2TB compatibility so the enclosures must be causing compatibility issues.

That's £140 in the UK. Far too much. When prices come down that would be the ideal solution. The setup I linked is a 3rd of the price which means I can buy more SD cards for my Rhea or put the money towards a Framemeister or pay for the Toro.

Vintage gaming is getting expensive.

Cheers

 

The enclosure Rocky5 suggested works fine, as I got one since i had issues with my previous drive. However, do note, that 1/2Tb drives are larger in size i.e 12.5mm and that particular enclosure supports only up to 9.5mm.

You can use a Sata-Usb adapter as that worked on my 1Tb drive, yet it looked ugly with just the bare drive showing for me, so i settled with 500gb, which fine to fit the entire US trurip and Jp/pal exclusives on.

 

Oh damn, thanks for noticing. Ordered them, but I will think about my needs and return maybe the drive or the enclosure.

If I go the adapter rout I might be able to make up a way to fasten the drive into the Dreamcast. Or maybe the enclosure will make this easier.

Need to plan this better. Cheers

 

With v5 you need to plonk the HDD file from MNEMO's site, though not sure if it does anything as I only have a v1 board.

 

Apparently it's not needed. I have a V5 and it seems to work fine without it on my 500GB drive