This Dreamcast has had the following upgrades and maintenance performed:
- GD-ROM drive replaced with GDEMU (v5.15b)
- Dedicated coin battery holder installed
- Rechargeable CMOS battery replaced
- Controller board 'F1' fuse upgraded
- Power and heat stability improved
- Main LED upgraded
- Fan bearing cleaned and re-greased
- Mainboard thermal pads replaced
- All internals cleaned
- External case cleaned
More information on upgrades and modifications provided below.
Note 1: This listing does not include an SD card.
Pre-configured GDEMU-compatible SD cards are available from other sellers on eBay.
Note 2: This listing does not include an AV cable.
Note 3: Dreamcast consoles were manufactured over 20 years ago - please expect some minor cosmetic imperfections (e.g. light scratches, mild case discolouration). Pictures are of the actual item for sale. Please review all pictures to confirm you are happy with the condition before purchase.
Note 4: While bottom shell / shell label lists 'NTSC-J', all internals are from a PAL / EU console. The console runs on 230V 50Hz mains power.
GDEMU information: https://gdemu.wordpress.com/about/
Check out my other listings for Dreamcasts with higher-specification upgrades and Dreamcast accessories.
More Information
What are these upgrades, why are they important, and how do they compare with other Dreamcast sellers' items?
GD-ROM drive replaced with GDEMU v5.15b board
As Dreamcast consoles are well over 20 years old, the OEM optical drives are beginning to fail. The GDEMU (a SD-card based GD-ROM replacement) replaces the optical drive, allowing games to be played directly from an SD card. This upgrade future-proofs the console with the side benefit of providing significantly faster load times.
GDEMU v5.15 is a recent (but not the latest) version for the GDEMU optical drive replacement board.
A newer version (5.20+) is available, however, it's more expensive (check out my other listings if interested).
CMOS battery replaced + battery holder added
As Dreamcast consoles are well over 20 years old, the OEM CMOS batteries installed are coming to the end of their life. Many no longer recharge. A dead CMOS battery results in the 'date and time' setting prompt popping up every time the console is booted.
This Dreamcast has a brand new, high quality, (Maxell) ML2032 rechargeable battery installed.
As additional future proofing - rather than soldering the new ML2032 directly to the board (as was done with the OEM battery), a dedicated coin battery holder has been installed. If the ML2032 battery needs replacing in the future, all that will be needed is to pop the case cover off, pull out the old battery, and slot in a new one - no desoldering or resoldering required.
A significant number of other sellers sell upgraded Dreamcasts with a non-rechargeable CR2032 battery installed (using a miniature diode to prevent recharge current from reaching it). While cheaper, the non-rechargeable CR2032 batteries last a few months at best and require frequent replacement.
Controller board 'F1' fuse upgraded
The Dreamcast's controller board 'F1' fuse is notoriously unreliable. The OEM fuse can blow when connecting or disconnecting controllers while the console is powered on. Once this fuse has blown, the console is unable to process controller inputs until a new fuse is soldered in.
This Dreamcast has the OEM 'F1' fuse replaced with a self-healing (PPTC) fuse. Now, if an overcurrent is generated from controllers being plugged in or disconnected while the console is powered on, the PPTC fuse triggers - protecting the console's electronics. HOWEVER - rather than having to resolder a new fuse in, after a few minutes of the console being powered down, the PPTC fuse resets (self heals) and re-enables the controller board.
Power and heat stability improved
With the GD-ROM removed, the 12V line from the PSU no longer has power draw. Less resistance = more current = more heat. To remove this issue, a resistor has been installed on the line to replicate the power draw of the old GD-ROM drive.
A significant number of eBay sellers sell upgraded Dreamcasts with the 12V rail completely removed; Removing this line causes issues with expansion connections (e.g. karaoke add-on, modem) and certain AV outputs (for example, Dreamcast HDMI adapters).
A significant number of eBay sellers sell Dreamcasts with the OEM power board completely replaced (e.g. with a 'PicoPSU' or 'DreamPSU'). While these modifications reduce thermal output within the shell, these modifications relocate mains power conversion to an external power brick. Not only does this add additional cable management, but the cheap power bricks supplied with these often lead to stability issues (e.g. stuttering when running games), and can even damage the electronics in the Dreamcast console or worse. Don't believe me? Check out this 'Which?' investigation from a few years ago: https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/killer-chargers-travel-adaptors-and-power-banks-rife-on-online-marketplaces-aJtUU8K0Mfyx
Main LED upgraded
The (low MCD) OEM orange main LED has been replaced with an ultra-bright deep blue LED... because, why not? It looks cool.