How To: Get Online with DreamPi

[pcwzrd13]

What is DreamPi?

DreamPi is custom software for the Raspberry Pi mini computer that was created by Luke Benstead a.k.a Kazade. It transforms your existing high-speed internet service into a dial-up connection that can be used by your Dreamcast. While there have been other methods of doing this in the past, DreamPi is by far the easiest and cheapest method. It's also a lot more polished and streamlined than the other methods and includes a service called Dreamcast Now that allows you to see when other DreamPi users are online and what they're playing. Once you're online with DreamPi, you'll be able to play any of the currently online Dreamcast games as well as browse the web using PlanetWeb, Dreamkey, or XDP.

What you'll need:

1x Raspberry Pi (Any model with an Ethernet port)
1x Linux-Compatible USB Voice Modem (e.g. Dell NW147)
1x Line Voltage Inducer (or) 1x Telephone Line Simulator (e.g. Viking DLE-200B)
1x 4GB or Larger SD or MicroSD Card (The Raspberry Pi 1 uses a standard SD card and the Raspberry Pi 2 & 3 use MicroSD)
1x RJ-45 Ethernet Cable
1x Micro USB Cable or 5v Micro-USB Power Supply (1A or higher)
1x RJ-11 Phone Cable (2 if you're using a telephone line simulator)
1x HDMI Cable (Optional)

Line voltage inducer parts:
(You can purchase a line voltage inducer from here if you don't want to build one yourself. USB modems with integrated line voltage inducers are also available.)

1x 0.47uf - 1uf Electrolytic Capacitor
1x 330 Ohm - 390 Ohm Resistor
1x 9v USB Step-Up Converter or 18v Step-Up Converter for PAL Dreamcast Modems

Video tutorial:



Chapter index:

0:55 - The Parts
2:04 - Installing the DreamPi Image
4:42 - Hooking Everything Up
6:04 - Dreamcast Configuration
7:55 - Dreamcast Now
9:50 - Configuring DMZ

Installing the DreamPi image using another OS:

Mac: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... ges/mac.md
Mac Option B: http://dreamcast-talk.com/forum/viewtop ... =70#p96042
Linux: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... s/linux.md

Configuring Wi-Fi for use with DreamPi:

[jial]

Thank you for the tutorial, it will be useful for me

[pcwzrd13]

Thank you for the tutorial, it will be useful for me

Not a problem! DreamPi is quite easy to set up anyway but I figured I might as well make a video tutorial to make it even easier!

[jial]

Yes , it´s very visual. I´m trying to build a voltage inducer for a pal dreamcast and I was not sure how the wires are connected.

[pcwzrd13]

Yes , it´s very visual. I´m trying to build a voltage inducer for a pal dreamcast and I was not sure how the wires are connected.

Here's an example of what it should look like when you're done (just don't use scotch tape lol):

You'll need two battery connectors for a PAL Dreamcast though. Just link them together as shown in the video.

[Nico0020]

This was an excellent video. I really hope we can see those line voltage boards from Kazade sometime soon. I am still BBA only, but will be building one of these in the future.

[pcwzrd13]

This was an excellent video. I really hope we can see those line voltage boards from Kazade sometime soon. I am still BBA only, but will be building one of these in the future.

Thank you! The USB line voltage inducers should happen at some point. It's one of about a thousand things on Luke's to-do list.

[RXShorty]

I own a BBA but with the DreamPi I can connect to more games, correct?

[pcwzrd13]

I own a BBA but with the DreamPi I can connect to more games, correct?

Correct. The broadband adapter is only supported by three games of the ones currently online. You can see a list of games and the connection methods they support here.

[RXShorty]

Sweet thanks!
Going to setup my Pi for DreamPi.