For those interested in the web browser

OneThirty8 · Post by **OneThirty8** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 10:14 pm

I found a command-line tool on a japanese site called pvrconv. It doesn't come with a readme or anything, but if you just type "pvrconv" at the c:\ promt, it will give you a list of what it's looking for sort of like cdrecord does if you tell it to do something it doesn't understand. if you can figure it out it might help you...

get it here
http://www.ripingmania.com/tool.html

OneThirty8 · Post by **OneThirty8** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 11:09 pm

if you have seepvr, open the pvr image in that and save it as a bmp. then edit the bmp with whatever software you have and convert it back with pvrconv. i just tried the .pvr->.bmp->.pvr and it seemed to work, although i didn't edit the .bmp at all... but it should work for you.

here's what i typed in dos

pvrconv -gi 8 ctaxi.bmp -pvrconv

-gi 8 sets the global index. i picked an arbitrary number.
ctaxi.bmp, obviously is my input file.
the last -pvrconv is my output path.

ok, i had to edit this post.... i edited the .bmp in MS Paint, saved it and converted it with pvrconv and it opened again in see pvr and it looked right, so this should hopefully be a solution for you.

fatheadpi · Post by **fatheadpi** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 11:44 pm

Bleh.

I built v4, but it's hanging at the Sega logo screen, need to figure out why.

In other news, I'm building my new DI compilations, and I have a question. I want to make the main menu link to sub menus, like how I had my old DemoMenu discs made up using sub folders, so all my tools, emus, hb games, and players are in different places. I don't want different themes, just the main menu to link to sub dxi or dxl files I suppose.

sonicblur · Post by **sonicblur** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 11:50 pm

fatheadpi wrote:Bleh.

I built v4, but it's hanging at the Sega logo screen, need to figure out why.

Did you manage to get the DP3 I sent you working on it's own? I've only used it from within PSO, and never tried the rip I made.

DreamservVMU · Post by **DreamservVMU** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 1:07 am

well lets see,i cant use seepvr cause its crap and barely opens ANY pvr files,the ones it does open it displays only like 3/4 of the image,left or right side is usually chopped off. and ive went thru several image editors that claim to support adobe plugins but they only support 8bf and not 8bi...so im stuck with japanese trigger menus..i know the correct translations for all the onscreen prompts that use the pvr images,etc..its just a matter of finding an image editor that isnt 100 gazillion mb's for download. and it seems that pvr is so frickin rare that only photoshop has a plugin,and none of the editors ive tried use the 8bi plugins.

OneThirty8 · Post by **OneThirty8** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 1:28 am

I've had no problems with seepvr, but i haven't really tested it with a whole lot of files. If you want to just create your own images from scratch, just make a bmp in MS paint or whatever and then run pvrconv and it should work.... 256 x 256 pixels 24-bit bitmap worked for me. It is supposed to also work with .tga, .pic, and .pix files. It seems really picky about what images it will convert.

fatheadpi · Post by **fatheadpi** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 1:42 am

Yeah Sonicblur, that's what I'm trying. I am slowly developing a theory: Perhaps most of the apps on Sega discs are scrambled. Notice how all of the menu loaders for Sega stuff we've ever seen have all been meant to launch devkit stuff, which has to be scrambled? What I think I may have done is scramble an already scrambled binary, which is known to cause problems. I've never seen an app just hang at the sega logo screen. I've seen the screen go white when an incompatible ip.bin and 1st_read.bin were used together, and I've seen a dc search frantically for a 1st_read.bin when there isn't one there, but i've never seen a dc just sit there, doing nothing.

On the plus side I know I patched the ip.bin right to disengage region protection, so I'm at least that far. I blew about a dozen cd's on Krypt_'s original release before I figured that part out (his release hadn't been globalized).

Curtis, I tried that adx software, good and bad news. Good news is it works like a charm, and encodes faster than the sdk kit. Bad news is, its adx files won't direct stream into the SDK movie maker (like pre-made m1v files will). This means I cannot knock the sdk kit down from 7.5 megs to 303ks.

DreamservVMU · Post by **DreamservVMU** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 2:06 am

interesting and good news,DCphoniex and SpaceInvaders play perfectly from dpp(should from dp3 as well using the launch system).Also the flash internet adjuster runs as well.now these run because all the game program/code runs from within the bin file. ie: no folder structure that the bin needs to access. i am gonna try and boot demomenu next with some games in it,my theory is that dp series browsers will boot and detect folder structure,but planetweb will not. we will see.

fatheadpi · Post by **fatheadpi** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 3:24 am

I doubt that.

I just finished up the second test disc for the v4 release, it's working now. We are officially using the Jap PSO DP3 as the main platform, not the CT2 rip. I haven't noticed any changes yet, still overprotective as hell (can't access stuff on the disc using the software keyboard, must have html file links). Curtis, your theme looks nice, but it looks like I need to do some dp3.ini cleaning. Your message.ini is working so far.

Today I'll make a clean disc that is dummied, then build an image off of it. XDP3v4 should be up late tonight or early Monday morning.

I tried launching nester. It will launch, but even when it is put into the pics dir so it will have a chance to find its theme bitmaps, it simply goes thorugh the controller setup part, then locks up at the wait a moment screen. We're going to have to figure out what the apda and os are for, and if they will help us. It's either that or we figure out why every app has a maigo.bin, and how we make our own.

I'm off to experiment with the html tools.

Fathead P.I.

DreamservVMU · Post by **DreamservVMU** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 11:15 am

it could be a difference between the way the howmbrew apps try and access their directories versus the way the browsers do. dcphoniex and spaceinvaders,digimine all run great with no hangups,etc,becuase they dont need to search for roms,etc to run. everything is self contained within the bin. but this problem is bugging me. we need someone familiar with or that would atleast have enough knowledge to know exactly what it is going on when they see it for themselves.

sonicblur · Post by **sonicblur** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 11:50 am

Is it possible that launching apps thru the web browser works similar to how the ODCM menu launches them, expecting the apps to be in a folder, and loading all of the files as if they were in the folder? Could that be the problem?

Also, is there a way to make MegaDrive emulator in the browser execute games on a web server, or must they be stored on the disk? Perhaps a page could be made holding the best Homebrewn Genesis games for playing online with the browser?

Isn't it strange that the ATTENTION message in the dpmodel directory of the DP3 from PSOv2 I sent you in english? I did not put that there, and I just noticed it now....

Finally, has anyone started on translating the 4 option PVR files to english? I bet that would be very useful, especially for people trying to configure the BBA.

DreamservVMU · Post by **DreamservVMU** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 1:18 pm

isnt digimine a homebrew game? well if it is,then i think ive fixed the problems..cause i just booted it up and it found all of its files just fine. i didnt add the to any folder structure i just dumped them all in a folder called digi. 1st_read and all. and i had my AppDA and AppOS at AppDA=3 and AppOS=0 off to try a few more.

sonicblur · Post by **sonicblur** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 3:18 pm

DreamservVMU wrote:isnt digimine a homebrew game? well if it is,then i think ive fixed the problems..cause i just booted it up and it found all of its files just fine. i didnt add the to any folder structure i just dumped them all in a folder called digi. 1st_read and all. and i had my AppDA and AppOS at AppDA=3 and AppOS=0 off to try a few more.

So perhaps the browser DOES make the game think the folder it's in is the CD root then, like the ODCM menu does?
Then you should be able to get other stuff working by dumping it all into a folder, instead of in the CD root where it normally lies?
Pehaps that's the key?

fatheadpi · Post by **fatheadpi** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 3:38 pm

Interesting... very interesting. Keep us informed, Curtis.

Sonicblur, 2 of the four option pvr files are translated. Option3 and 4 aren't translated, as they don't exist in any of the Dreamkeys.

DP3 continues to infuriate me. I may rip the pso dk and put it up, it is a fully functional browser, you just have to unlock it each time you start it up like all the other DK's, which is easy to do (just move the cursor over the description bar at the bottom of the screen, hold down A, and hit start ten times). I think it may have BBA support, there is a sub app in a folder called broadband, it has two pvr files alongside it, so I will see what they say.

Curtis, I'm not going to use your Message.ini, for some reason the PSO DK Message.ini works better. I am going to use your DP3, but I think I need to re-map a file or two.

I've got to go demo my new DI setup to all the guys at Gameforce, be back later, will start prepping v4 for upload.

On a side note, please, DO NOT e-mail me or PM me asking for help with this browser. My inboxes are full of very important stuff and a ton of porn, so I don't have room for it. Post your questions here, most problems are likely due to users using outdated DiscJugglers, but that's what you get for using an unreliable piece of SH*T. The image I made is a V4 image, so you will likely need to update. I highly reccomend using Nero, which is why I bundle CDI2Nero in all the releases. So unless you either A: have important news, or B: Are ZacMC, Curtis, Reaper2k2, Dr. Z, SonicBlur, pavelbure, BlackAura, Az_Bont, Nyar, Narcissius, Thegatesofbill, or Krypt_, DO NOT E-MAIL OR PM ME.

DreamservVMU · Post by **DreamservVMU** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 4:09 pm

i think using the dk pso is a great idea for several reasons:

1.Dont have to bother with chabtalk and all the people who will be emailing wanting an isao.net account to use it,it is a great Im dont get me wrong,but for those just on dc surfing they cant make their own id numbers,etc. they have to rely on someone with a pc,some knowledge of kanji,etc,and have the time to make ID's...so using dk makes for a perfect fit.

2.Its already in english.

Downsides:

1.No IRC chat in any dk.

2.Some places like yahoo arent accessable with dk unless you use a special login box made for dk users: it can be located here
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dreamcastbrowsers

this is assuming you already have a yahoo id to login with,if not you cant make another with ANY dc browser. javascript limitations due to yahoo adding weird scripting with a gabazillion pop questions,etc during signup.

sonicblur · Post by **sonicblur** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 4:26 pm

fatheadpi wrote:DP3 continues to infuriate me. I may rip the pso dk and put it up, it is a fully functional browser, you just have to unlock it each time you start it up like all the other DK's, which is easy to do (just move the cursor over the description bar at the bottom of the screen, hold down A, and hit start ten times). I think it may have BBA support, there is a sub app in a folder called broadband, it has two pvr files alongside it, so I will see what they say.

As far as I know, the DreamKey from PSOv2 DOES NOT support BBA at all. Just like outtrigger, it only includes a BBA setup program, and the DreamyKey brower will not let you online with the BBA. I'd really love to see Ch@b talk support, as I have a Dricas account (needed it for PSO) but if it's not included, it doesn't bother me.
If you can find a version of DreamKey that support BBA, which I highly doubt exists, that's great, but you're losing features like the built in MegaDrive emulator, and already enabled jumping. DreamKey is missing some of the better features the full DreamPassport has, but if you can make it work with BBA, I guess it's a good deal.
Perhaps if someone ripped the full DreamPassport 3.16 (Never seen it before) you'd have better luck? (The version of DreamPassport in PSOv2 Japanese is 3.16, at least that's what I gathered attempted to uncomment the Ch@btalk stuff in the config files.)

sonicblur · Post by **sonicblur** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 4:35 pm

DreamservVMU wrote:1.Dont have to bother with chabtalk and all the people who will be emailing wanting an isao.net account to use it,it is a great Im dont get me wrong,but for those just on dc surfing they cant make their own id numbers,etc. they have to rely on someone with a pc,some knowledge of kanji,etc,and have the time to make ID's...so using dk makes for a perfect fit.

If you REALLY wanted to, Ch@btalk can be completely removed from DreamPassport by commenting out
<item command='pmsg_list' cast='3:128x28+384+476'>
from the right menu in the DP3.DPS score file.
That should remove it from the menu, unless the protection fatheadpi mentioned is being a bitch. You can also re-enable the hidden menus from the full browser though this file too. But it should be disabled anyway (but not hidden) by default in the browser.

DreamservVMU · Post by **DreamservVMU** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 6:23 pm

i have dpp 3.2 and its an awsome browser,its just not free,so it cant be used,i use it to customize for private use,but hell whatever pi decides is fine with me.

law · Post by **law** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 7:17 pm

all i can say: pretty plseaseplease try to include an irc client and a decent bba support... you would make me incredibly happy and i would never ever suck sites away like i once used to do =)

fatheadpi · Post by **fatheadpi** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 1:59 am

Hows come it isn't redistributable? It's DP3 right?

As for Rlease 4 coming out... I don't know. I've been looking at it, and v4 is just as buggy as v3, has all the lockouts, all the bullsh*t, and even more stuff in Japanese. Almost seems kinda pointless to continue on with in-game DP3's, they are all way too buggy. We need either a full release. Curtis, PM me with what you've got. Did they sell DP platinum? Can we use DP 3.2? We need alternatives, because I'm through wasting my time with in-game browsers and shoddy reverse engineering work. If we don't get something better, I'll put up the plain files, update the self boot guide and boot kit, write a sofdec guide, pitch my final idea about retailing mega homebrew DI cd's to video game stores, and then I'm done.

What do I mean by done? Well, for about 360 bucks plus shipping, I could move into a new apartment over at the XBox Emulation scene. I don't care about warez, I bought the friggin console, I'll do and misuse as I please, and buy my actual games. Sony sucks, Nintendo's a one note joke, Sega's dead, so it's Microsoft for me.

I've only got so much time, and I'm tired of spending it trying to reverse engineer pieces of sh*t, deal with crappy burning programs (re: DiscJuggler), and delete e-mail from idiots who are too god damn selfish to just post a question in this thread.

For those interested in the web browser

Are you interested in the web browser?

pvr

i think i'm on to something here...

pvr