Surfin' with the Dreamcast...

[Mock]

yeah so i guess it's that time of year again ....I have taken to surfing with my Dreamcast at home again...lol...

 

Anyone know if they made any updated browsers worth anything past 2.0 or 3.0? anything that supports instant messaging?

[Kialan]

I think 3.0 is the last browser (and the only English one with broadband support)

 

As for instant messaging GameFAQs has a FAQ about AIM.

 

http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/dreamcast/f..._saturn_aim.txt

[jeepnut24]

I can surf with a dreamcast!! Sweet, I had forgotten about that. I may have to dig mine out and giver it a try.

 

Any links to get started with??

[Stingray]

I'd like to give this a go too, but I don't even have a browser. Is ebay pretty much my only hope for finding said creature?

 

-S

[Trip_Cannon]

Damn! Do you do this through their ISP or can you do it through something different?

[Kialan]

You can use any ISP that supports the browsing technology..I used to use earthlink fine, and yahoo dial works.

[eldunko]

Browser updates were distributed usually with ODCM, so look for one of the later issues to get the later browsers. Version 1 is pretty ghetto compared to the later ones.

 

If only we'd seen the Zip Drive and the MP3 player...so much unexploited coolness.

[jeepnut24]

Where do I get the software or more info? I guess I need to track down a keyboard and mouse too.

 

Oh and a Broadband adapter too.

[JagWarlord]

The broadband adapter is pretty pricy.

 

I also need to try this...

[chairmonkey4406]

Is there any way that I can connect with my dreamcast without a broadband adaptor?

[eldunko]

No you can use Dial-Up. Unless you have a Dial-Up connection, you're SOL. The software is very plentiful, it came with every Dreamcast ever made (actually I'm not too sure, but I assume) and updates were distributed with issues of ODCM.

 

You don't need a keyboard either, the controller will suffice. It's not very easy to type things of detail with the controller. But nevertheless it's got a certain appeal

 

I bought my DC at launch, and it came with the Web Browser in a regular DC game case. I don't feel like looking through issues of ODCM, I think Version 2 of the browser was around September 2000. That continued till Feb 2001 when version 2.6 looks like it was released... Again, I don't know how exact this is, i'm just going by the covers of my demo discs.

 

Therefore Demo Disc Volumes 7-11 will contain the browser. The last issue of the magazine didn't contain a browser because there was no GD-ROM in that issue. Version 2 of the browser was vastly improved, and had java support.

[Mock]

it's a little tricky to get set up...basically any dial up connection will work though...all you need is your log in and password.

 

I am using the 2.0 browser right now.

 

The cool thing is that it will save your info on the internal memory so even if you don't have a memory card, once you get it set up you just throw the CD in and connect the phone line and hit connect.

 

It's actually pretty fun and pretty handy if you don't have a computer avail. in the living room...i like setting in the big chair and surfin on the TV...lol.

 

You can use the standard controller for the mouse - and it does a great job!...so it's pretty much a waste of space you don't need...however the keyboard is a must have otherwise you have to type everything on the virtual keyboard and that sucks ass.

 

 

So really all you need is the browser software and you are good to go right out of the box if you have a dial up internet account.

 

The DC is pretty fast for what it is...i'm surprised at how fast things load up. It's different....some sites you go to will not render all backgrounds and stuff the same as a computer...but it's still easy to get along with...and if you just want to check mail real quick...it's good for that.

 

You just have to get use to it...takes a few minutes to figure out how to do stuff...but once you do...it's a lot of fun.

[SteveW]

I used to surf the web with my Dreamcast all the time, and you can use any ISP. I used to use FreeInternet back then. Normally, to use FreeI on my Mac, I had to use a banner ad based program. But I soon learned how to connect directly to FreeI's servers and go around the banner ads. I used it with the DC with no problem. I didn't have a keyboard, so I had to use a control pad to 'type' in URLs. That took forever.

[jeepnut24]

DSL??? What about connecting it to a LAN?

[Stingray]

Can someone tell me what ODCM stands for? I assume this is a magazine.

 

-S

[jeepnut24]

Official DreamCast Magazine??? I don't know either, but Im interested in this.

[JB]

No you can use Dial-Up.  Unless you have a Dial-Up connection, you're SOL.  

Not true.

I use DSL. But a little poking around determined that SBC provides "back-up" dial-up access support.

So my DC dials out, and my PCs are all on DSL(too bad I don't have the DC ethernet adapter, though...).

 

 

You don't need a keyboard either, the controller will suffice.  It's not very easy to type things of detail with the controller.  But nevertheless it's got a certain appeal

Appeal? I didn't notice.

Though the thumbstick makes a GREAT mouse substitute. If it had a little faster to speed, and was more readily usable with the right hand, it'd be as good as a trackball(for the record, I feel a good trackball is superior to any mouse, so that's high praise)

[eldunko]

...But that would make it a Dial-Up connection regardless how you obtain it. It's not like you're using your DSL connection.

[chairmonkey4406]

I wish I could get free dial up so that I could log on with my dc! ahh....just have to wait until I mod my xbox.....

 

wait! couldnt you plug in a dial up cable into your dreamcast, then plug that into your computer, then plug in your ethernet into your computer and merge the connections somehow?

[chairmonkey4406]

I put in free dial up on google and it said that Juno was free but I had to download something....how do I get free dial up on my dreamcast?!

[JB]

...But that would make it a Dial-Up connection regardless how you obtain it.  It's not like you're using your DSL connection.

Y're right.

 

What I was thinking was unless you had a dial-up ISP, you couldn't get on.

I was pointing out that some broadband providers offer an alternate dial-up connection too.

 

 

 

 

 

wait! couldnt you plug in a dial up cable into your dreamcast, then plug that into your computer, then plug in your ethernet into your computer and merge the connections somehow?

Yes, actually.

 

You need the right software, though.

[Mendon]

A few DC browsers are on eBay, such as this one: 2.0 Browser.

 

Browser Ver. 2.0 is good and Sega Swirl is a blast to play. Unless you have the BB adapter I can't see paying the high price that Ver. 3.0 commands on eBay.

 

Mendon