Page Location: Home > Support > Get Your Dreamcast Online > Topic
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Wargo
rank 8
Posted:
Thu May 12, 2011 10:41 pm
quote : #1
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I have been a diehard Dreamcast and Sega fan since the genesis has come out. Many of you might remember me as Stonefreeze. I'm curious if a lot of people are still playing and if it's justifiable to pay the 200 for bba.
 
Kbuzz
rank 23
Posted:
Thu May 12, 2011 10:59 pm
quote : #2
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Posts: 473
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don't pay 200 for it. Wait around and you can usually snag one for $100 on ebay.

Not a lot of people play. You need to be dedicated enough to organize a game with your friends on jabber and the like. If you're crazy about playing your dc online like the rest of us and can afford $100, then yeah it's worth it.
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everynewday84
rank 12
Posted:
Fri May 13, 2011 9:57 pm
quote : #3
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Posts: 196
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Yes, the BBA is a sound investment.
 
Soniku
rank 4
Posted:
Sat May 14, 2011 11:46 am
quote : #4
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Posts: 27
Depends on your definition of a sound investment. - consider the opportunity cost and what you'll get out of the BBA. If you're a collector or a devout fan, perhaps you should pick one up at any price you can get it for. If you're interested but not completely sold on the idea of setting aside regular amounts of time to utilize the device, you may be better of waiting in wait for a cheap deal or just forgoing the coveted item altogether.

Keep in mind that though the community is alive, it's not massive, so even if you want to play, there might not be someone to play with. The BBA really is a niche item, you know?

[Also, if you want to buy me one, too, I'll play with you whenever you want. XD]
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everynewday84
rank 12
Posted:
Sat May 14, 2011 6:27 pm
quote : #5
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Perhaps the biggest reason I recommend picking up a BBA is because of the difficulty of setting up, and maintaining, a pc-dc server. Simply put, it's not incredibly difficult, but neither is it easy. Simple things such as a system update can cause you to have to reconfigure the setup. Even if you were somewhat keen on troubleshooting servers etc, the BBA is objectively the easiest, fastest, and most hassle free way to connect. Also, a dial up ISP can end up costing you more than a BBA in the long run. Free dial up ISP's are by no means a viable option for getting your DC online. It's also worth noting that unless you already have a PC with the right OS that also has 56k compatibility, you will likely end up paying just as much, or more, for a computer with a compatible OS and 56k than you'd end up dropping on a BBA..

Yes, I do say the BBA is a sound investment.
 
Agent2112
rank 3
Posted:
Sat May 14, 2011 10:09 pm
quote : #6
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Posts: 17
Type: NTCS-U/C
I am curious, what else can the BBA do? I notice it isn't even compatible with most of the games that are still running.
 
everynewday84
rank 12
Posted:
Sat May 14, 2011 11:02 pm
quote : #7
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Posts: 196
Type: NTSC-U/C
Yes, that is correct. The BBA is NOT compatable with ALL dreamcast games. However, it is compatable with the two most heavily played DC games that are still online, Quake III Arena and Phantasy Star Online. It is also compatable with Planet Web 3.0 if you desire to surf the web with your dreamcast (if you're thinking about doing any amount of web browsing on your DC, the BBA is the way to go because it provides the fastest download/upload speeds). There is also a data transfer cable that is compatable with the BBA, although I don't know much about it (a quick google search could entertain your curiosity here).
Hope that helped..
 
Kbuzz
rank 23
Posted:
Sun May 15, 2011 1:19 am
quote : #8
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Posts: 473
Type: NTSC-U/C
In fact, all this talk as inspired me to try to pick up a BBA once more even though I have a working PC-DC server setup. I'll still maintain it since I want to keep a working guide for it, and even keep researching a way to make it easier, but if it makes no sense for someone as into these games as me to not own a BBA.

everynewday84 of course is mentioning my inability to play some Q3A the other day with my pc-dc server since a system update broke the whole thing. That's the world of linux for you. System updates are always a risk, best to stick with tested full releases.
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lordnikon
rank 87
Posted:
Mon May 16, 2011 2:16 pm
quote : #9
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Posts: 5902
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I think the ability to surf the web is now obsolete given the fact that most websites no longer render well on the Dreamcast.

So I think it is important to address what Broadband Web Browsing does for you with the Dreamcast:

The internet is a vehicle for uploading/downloading content from the VMU. A broadband adapter with a broadband compatible browser makes this task just that much more convenient.
  _________________
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everynewday84
rank 12
Posted:
Tue May 17, 2011 12:31 am
quote : #10
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Type: NTSC-U/C
Perhaps I should have been more specific in the event that I was misleading anyone. It is by NO means ideal to 'browse the web' using your DC. The DC IS, however, still 100 per cent able to browse web sites such as online consoles or dreamcast-talk (or really the vast majority of basic phpbb web sites out there). When I said 'web browsing,' I, of course, meant browsing web sites that the dreamcast is capable of navigating. One could access these sites at broadband speed using a BBA. In fact, there are areas on this site that would just not work using 56k (the dreamcast setup photo thread, for example). So, the BBA is, in terms of internet functionality, able to do more than download and upload VMU files. But, I guess it really all depends on what type of websites you are visiting Wink
 
lozz
rank 41
Posted:
Tue May 17, 2011 5:04 am
quote : #11
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Posts: 1087
Type: PAL
Soniku wrote:
Depends on your definition of a sound investment. - consider the opportunity cost


I totally agree, consider what other dreamcast games/accesories you could buy with $200. I still don't own a BBA. I was considering getting one a year or so ago - but the prices actually seem to have surged up in the last few years (maybe this is just inflation).
  _________________
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everynewday84
rank 12
Posted:
Tue May 17, 2011 11:21 am
quote : #12
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Posts: 196
Type: NTSC-U/C
^^^ you don't have to spend 200 dollars to get a BBA! I just watched one go on eBay for under 75 dollars ( which is still a bit pricy ). I'd recommend 'description searching' for 'dreamcast broadband adapter, dreamcast Ethernet, or dreamcast LAN' on eBay or similar trusted web sites. You WILL come across BBA's going in entire lots for up to 80% cheaper than the 'buy it now' BBA prices currently in place. Trust me, I've seen a DC with the BBA installed go on eBay for 25$. Also, I do recommend checking Resale/thrift/junk stores. I have a buddy who saw a BBA installed on a DC in a thrift store, he told the merchant that he only needed the modem and not the DC. The merchant, just trying to make a few dollars, and not knowing the value of the adapter, sold it to him for 2$. Many times people just have no idea a DC accessory is worth anything. But, you will have to search more diligently if you desire to grab a BBA at a much more reasonable price!! Cool
 
lordnikon
rank 87
Posted:
Tue May 17, 2011 11:56 am
quote : #13
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Posts: 5902
Type: NTSC-U/C
One of the biggest problems is that the BBA will smile and wave back at you... yelling "Sell me! I'm worth money!"

You need to be able to respond back with, "But I already have money!"

Otherwise, your BBA will be back on ebay in less than a month because the ratio of net worth to total usage may be unsatisfactory.

If you buy a BBA and have regular income to buy other things, then getting a BBA is no problem. It can sit in your Dreamcast and be used as frequently or infrequently as you see fit. However for people who don't have a lot of income/spare cash, they will look at that BBA and sell it rather quickly.
  _________________
I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list...
Kbuzz
rank 23
Posted:
Tue May 17, 2011 9:48 pm
quote : #14
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Posts: 473
Type: NTSC-U/C
I can attest to this as I ended up selling a the BBA when money got tight after a move. Didn't help that the Sega PSO servers had gone offline at the time as well.

Now that life is more stable with full time work, here I am looking for one again. Isn't life a bitch?
  _________________
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Jetstor
rank 3
Posted:
Fri May 20, 2011 8:25 pm
quote : #15
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Posts: 10
Type: NTSC-U/C
I would like to say that I've bought a BBA last year and although I did not use it for online gaming yet (which I pretend to do learning how to hopefully with the guides/tutorials on this forum Embarassed ) it has been a lot of fun just surfing (compatible) websites like it was ten or so years ago. Planetweb 3.0 browser crashes a lot but XDP is flawless; these are the only two BBA compatible, as far as I know.. It is indeed a rather expensive piece of hardware but is soo rare to find one here at my country that when I did (and I've just found this one, prior or since) I did not blink twice before I bought it! Wink
 
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