Sega Dreamcast : Burning & Backup
PICK THE RIGHT SOFTWARE
Download ImgBurn.
You will end up with 1 rar file named "UPDATE_IMGBurn_2.5.7.0._w_Dreamcast_Support"
Extract it.
This will give you 2 files.
1. cdi files for imgburn (rar file)
2. SetupImgBurn_2.5.7.0
Double click the SetupImgBurn_2.5.7.0 and install it.
Nothing special to do here. Just click next until you are done. When it asks where to save it to, I just use the default C:\Program Files\ImgBurn\
A few seconds later, its installed.
Now, unrar the file "cdi files for imgburn"
This will give you 3 files. These are the files you need to burn your DC games with ImgBurn.
1. pfctoc.dll
2. pfctoc.h
3. pfctoc.lib
Now, go to where you installed ImgBurn. If you followed what I said, it will be at C:\Program Files\ImgBurn\ Open your ImgBurn folder, and drop the 3 cdi files into the root of the folder. pfctoc.dll, pfctoc.h, pfctoc.lib
Your ImgBurn folder should look exactly like this. If it looks like this, congratulations. You now have ImgBurn installed and are ready to burn not only Dreamcast games, but just about any other disc based game. I use this program for all my discburning needs.
GET READY TO BURN YOUR GAME
The game I am using in this tutorial, is House Of The Dead 2. CDI format
This is a ReviveDC release. It is located here
Extract your game file using 7zip or winrar.
Open ImgBurn.
Click "Write Image File To Disc"
Now Click "File" in the top lefthand corner, and click "Browse For A Source File"
Find the CDI you want to burn, and double click on it.
Put a blank 700mb 80min CD in your burner (unless the game you are burning is a higher capacity game like 99min). On the right hand side of your ImgBurn screen, change the write speed to 16x. (Regarding burn speed--- everyone has their own opinion. For Dreamcast 16x works perfect for me 100% of the time)
There is also a box you can check or uncheck that says "Verify". If you click this, after it burns it it will check to see if it burned properly without errors. Personally, I stopped using verify because I got sick of waiting. If theres errors, you cant fix it anyway. If it works, it works, if it dont, it dont. If you want peace of mind that it burned ok, click it. If not, dont.
Click burn. This is the icon that has a disc on a piece of paper, with an arrow pointing to a disc.
During the burning process, it will give you updates as it burns in the bottom imgburn box. It will tell you what mode its burning in, if the write speed was successfully set, and other info. If it says write speed was not successfully set, dont worry. It will automatically choose the speed for you based on you blank disc and burner speed limits. If there are any kind of errors going on, you will get a yellow triangle with an explanation point in you log box.
Wait for it to finish burning, and viola, get ready to play.
Enjoy, Im off to smear some zombies. Thanks for the perfect rip RDC!
As a side note to this. When you pop a blank disc into your burner, ImgBurn puts some useful information up on the ImgBurn screen.
It will tell you what supported write speeds your disc is capable of burning at. The disc im using for instance, if you look in the photo above, supports 16x, 24x, 32x, 40x, 48x. Most modern discs you purchase in a store has the lowest write speed of 16x. So some people who say they burn at 1x speed, actually arent. They are burning at the lowest write speed their blank disc and burner support, and just dont realize it.
Another key piece of information ImgBurn provides you with is the manufacturer of the disc. If you look in my photo, these discs were manufactured by a company called "Plasmon Data Systems" Almost all sellers of blank media do not make their own discs. Its all outsourced to a handful of companies. Sony doesnt make their own discs, neither does Verbatim, neither does TDK, and not even Memorex.
The disc im using in this tutorial is considered very low quality. They are a Office Depot brand called Ativa and are manufactured by Plasmon. Im out of decent discs and had these laying around.
Taiyo Yuden is going to be the best affordable discs you can use. There are better, but the price is high. Taiyo Yuden is considered 1st class media. You can buy actual Taiyo Yuden discs with that brand name. Im not sure if Verbatim still use them, but Verbatim AZOS are, or used to be Taiyo Yuden.
But just because it says Verbatim, doesnt mean its quality. They also have a Data Life series, which is their value line. Im not sure who makes them, but I have heard very bad things about them.
Memorex is (or used to be, can change at any time) manufactured by Ritek. Ritek is considered a 2nd class media. They are very reliable also. I beleive the Sonys I have used in the past were Ritek, but no clue who makes them now.
TDK and HP, seem to always be manufactured by CMC. CMC is considered a 3rd class media. They are recommended to avoid, due to having a wiude range of quality. Personally, I have used lots, and I mean lots of CMC made discs for Dreamcast, PS2, PS1, 3DO etc, and I have never had any problems with the quality. So why CMC gets a bad rap, I really dont know.
