can i somehow have a GDrom mounted to a pc cd rom bay

bloodwulf · Post by **bloodwulf** » Wed Oct 22, 2003 12:45 am

can i somehow have a GDrom mounted from a 5.25"inch come out like a
pc CD-ROM drive does?

So i can just stick a disc in like a pc game .. i am planning to stick my dc into my pc..

is there any tutorials for this? or anything..

thanks blood

Fluff Daddy · Post by **Fluff Daddy** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 5:52 pm

There are CD Drives that MAY work with this idea. I know a friend of mine has one. When you take out the CD from the reader the whole reader is also taken out along with it. Think Slimcase CD drives. So If you can get one of these old model CD players you might have a better chance. If you bitch me a lot I might be able to provide you with pictures.

btw, this CD is like 1x or 2x or something, so you know around what time it might have been sold in stores (cause I sure as hell don't)

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 3:10 am

When you take out the CD from the reader the whole reader is also taken out along with it.

Thats how the dev machines worked

Prophet][ · Post by **Prophet][** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 3:24 am

People have tried to make their own, I have and I would have to say, its not impossible making one out of an ordinary CD-Rom, but no-one has succeded

nothingisttrue · Post by **nothingisttrue** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 10:33 am

i saw a tutorial somewhere where a guy did with a ps1. you could adapt his tutorial to dc .

Unph@zed · Post by **Unph@zed** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:38 pm

A completely different approach, I'll admit, but I just thought that this idea might be adapted for this use.

My dad recently told me about this antenna accessory (He's a HAM radio freak) that uses a cordless screwdriver motor to motor a antenna up threads. This allows the person in a car or otherwise to lower/raise their antenna. Using this same kind of setup, it could be used to move an entire bay out of the computer case, provided the ribbon is given just enough length to connect to the computer still.

For that matter, one could simply put some kind of rollers (Like in a drawer) to slide the GDROM in and out. A bit more lo-tech, but it could still work, especially whenever the tracks could be hidden within the case...

Just some thoughts. Don't flame me for just giving some ideas to build on

.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:51 pm

For that matter, one could simply put some kind of rollers (Like in a drawer) to slide the GDROM in and out. A bit more lo-tech, but it could still work, especially whenever the tracks could be hidden within the case...

Yeah, seems a bit more possible

Prophet][ · Post by **Prophet][** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 5:18 am

it could be used to move an entire bay out of the computer case, provided the ribbon is given just enough length to connect to the computer still.

This is accually what the Katana, Dev thing does as matt mentioned before

Pyrosurfer · Post by **Pyrosurfer** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 12:48 pm

Make sure you use a late model dc. The ribbon cables in them are 8 inches long, and it has no gdrom circuit board.

Post by **Quzar** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 1:05 pm

i remeber reading a post with somebody asking the same question and the simple answer was no, you can pretty much not modify a GD rom to be tray loading unless you make the tray a seperate piece of harware altogether simply strapped onto the GD rom. even if you were to do that though, you wouldnt be able to hook it up to what? IDE or SCSI meethinks not. The 'easiest' way to do this, as i belive was described in the original article would be to replace a standard CD rom drive's lens and data interface with that of a DC, and retain the IDE/SCSI control interface, THEN write a BIOS that would be able to handle it. After all that, then what? Are you planning on using DC games on your PC? Without writing fairly complex drivers, you shouldnt be able to use the discs even to get images of games. A slight alternative which i have been working on for some time as far as DC in PC would be to have it completly independent of PC but residing inside of it, this is what i plan to implement when i get my lot of DCs that i just bought off eBay (i posted it, find it yourself).

Bottom line: you cant have a GD rom that is trayloading and especially if you want it to have any kind of complex data interface with a PC.

Prophet][ · Post by **Prophet][** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 7:35 pm

you wouldn't need to replace the laser, the DC uses a normal cd rom laser. You would need to be able to put in the firmware.

Post by **Quzar** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 8:55 pm

i thought the laser was at a different frequency than a normal CDrom.... but either way, almost everything else that i said would still have merit.

Rand Linden · Post by **Rand Linden** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 9:11 am

The laser is standard, the firmware is not.

It could physically fit into the drive bay, but it won't operate.

Rand.

CupNoodle · Post by **CupNoodle** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 2:03 pm

nothingisttrue wrote:i saw a tutorial somewhere where a guy did with a ps1. you could adapt his tutorial to dc .

if youre talking about the afrotech one, then hell no, the cd spins outside the case...

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 8:29 pm

I have read in this topic that the lens of the gdrom of the dc is a normal lens, with respect to this I have a question, my dreamcast no longer reads any cd type (audio,datos,juegos) and I want to know if I can replace the lens with anyone cd-rom lens without this affects the reading speed and the compatibility with cds of data / audio.

And if u know where is a tutorial for this

THANKS

Post by **Quzar** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 10:20 pm

darkmaster, short answer is no. the problem is that it would have to be physically compatable with the gd-rom laser. http://www.xinga.com < you can find just the laser there for like 2$ (careful with shipping tho!)

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 11:52 pm

ok thanks

Prophet][ · Post by **Prophet][** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 6:52 pm

ummm, no.

MidnightObsession changed his laser in his DC with one from a portable CD player. Its is possible if you know what your doing. Like I said in this topic before, the lens in a DC is just a normal lens

Post by **Quzar** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 7:19 pm

i just mean it would have to be physically compatable as in if the laser from the dc is 1in wide and the one from a cd player is 2in wide, you cant do it. get it?

Prophet][ · Post by **Prophet][** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 2:56 am

I'm guessing you mean the assembly casing the laser. cos a laser should be a standard size. See, I'm talking bout the accual laser, the round thing that emits light. not anything else. As far as I can tell the laser in my DC and the laser in my cd player are the same size.