BootCD and the VGA problem is NOT solved
 

Anyone know how to apply the VGA crack for BootCD? I am using a clonecd image file for BootCD, if that helps.

I just bought my Dreamcast and I love playing it on my monitor (although to be fair, I have never tried it on a TV). I would hate to give up my VGA quality and 19" Sony monitor in exchange for a cheap television.

Any help is appreciated.

didnt u read the vga crack file properly?? its not actually a proper crack or patch...i dont know what it exactly does...but it involves disconnecting your vga box from your dc until the game has booted up from the bootcd...which is not really recommended

No, I didn't read the file from the crack...what file is that? Is it the vgapatch.nfo? Whenever I try to open that file it says that it's corrupted, and I have downloaded it several times, from different servers.

I tried the unplugging method and it works...but when I try it with the bootdisc, all the games that I try end up being black with no color, and the images are embossed. Wierd...maybe I'm not using the bootdisc correctly?

I wouldnt go unpluggin and replugging the vga box to monitor or to dc once the machine is on...its not exactly what i called healthy for the machine...same reason you wouldnt go disconnting your vga cable from your graphic port once your pc is in windows!
if you got games that arent bootable...make them bootable with the patch program...its better than using the bootcd

You know, that's what I thought as well, but calling the InterAct CS settled it for me...it is their recommendation to Performance VGA Adapter users. Funny, eh?

Well, I know that my dreamcast and the bootdisc work from trying it on my TV, but I want them on my $600 monitor. CheekyMonkey, I'm wondering if you know how to use the VGA patch for the boot disc.

Thanks for the 411

serious? well...try it if u must! the vgapatch.zip should have a nfo file called vgapatch.nfo. Read it...even the author states it could damage your monitor!! I really dun know what the exe patch is for cos you could still carry out the steps of not pluggin the vga box to the monitor and pluggin it back in once the game has loaded from the bootcd!

Alright Cheeky, I've made SOME progress. I finally was "smart" enough to open the nfo file through notepad and discovered that the patch is made for the discjuggler image of BootCD. Whew...this should be a little help for those on the same quest as I. Anyway, so I burned myself a new "VGA-Semi-Compatible" BootCD (that's what Beo of techhack.com calls it).

The instructions in the nfo of the patch says that I DO have to do some unplugging and plugging in. However, I own the PERFORMANCE VGA Adapter from InterAct and all I have to do is switch from TV to monitor instead of unplugging.

That being said, I tried several backup games using my new BOOTCD and technique. Turns out, out of DOA2, Virtua Tennis, Armada, Crazy Taxi, Guantlet Legends, and Street Fighter 3rd Strike, the only one that worked was Street Fighter.

The other games semi-worked...that is, they appeared on the screen (meaning that a signal was sent to the monitor) but the screen was BLACK with the images EMBOSSED. Talk about strange...It's not even black and white, BLACK and BLACK EMBOSSED.

Any ideas, Cheeky? Oh and Cheeky, aren't ya proud of me? I just bought my DC 4 days ago!

-bearauto

arent those games apart from sf3 seftbooters?? i thought all copies of doa2 that was going around were selfboots

Well, they apparently are not, though, I haven't tried to self-boot them on a TV. I HAVE tried them using the bootCD on my TV and they WORK.

Anyway here's this morning's update:

I might as well get the ATI TV Wonder. However, I'm wondering how I can hook my my VGA Adapter to the TV Tuner...here's a pic of what the TV Tuner looks like:

http://support.ati.com/products/pc/tuners/atitvwonder_images.html

Sorry, I can't linkify...

Furthermore, the VGA Adapter has the 3 color RCA Jacks, as well as an S-video jack. The TV Tuner looks like it has an S-video in jack, but is that the only jack necessary?

If at all possible, I want to hook up my cable modem, DC, and Cable TV at the same time.

Thanks, Cheeky

heh, auto-linkification is pure gratification...

well, here's a better link:

http://support.ati.com/products/pc/tuners/atitvwonder_cables.html

thanks, Cheek

Geez, sorry for all the updates.

Here's another TV Tuner I'm looking into:

http://www.hauppage.com/html/wintvpvr_datasheet.htm

I can't find a close up though like ATI provides.

Don't know which is better though. Price is NOT an issue between the two. I like the better encoding capabilities of the hauppage (mpeg2 vs. mpeg1).

OMG, look at the quality of the WinTV-D...that's D for DIGITAL!

Incredible...

http://www.hauppage.com/html/images/dtv1.jpg
http://www.hauppage.com/html/images/dtv3.jpg

But I bet that crap comes with a super-high price.

Compare those digital images with the regular TV Tuners:

http://www.hauppage.com/html/images.htm

YIKES!

This Evening's Update:

Well, I figured out that an S-Video input on any video/TV card will work for my problem. However, instead of forking up the cash, I decided to get a gameshark. Yep, I'm going to try to see if it works as a boot disk because I know for sure that it IS VGA compatible (I tried it out at Fry's).

Now I am annoyed...the Gameshark doesn't work for backups. So I guess it's back to Fry's for the solution: a TV tuner card. Sure, I won't get VGA graphics on the games I run through the TV Tuner, and sure, I'll have to cough up some dough, but hey, it's better than letting these great games collect dust while I run around trying to find a VGA Bootdisc that actually works.

Until next time.