Dolphin and cheap external DVD readers, how well do they mix?

[Drak3]

The short, simple story:

I've got a build that revolves the Node 202. It'll either end up as a simple HTPC, pfSense router, dedicated Ubuntu or Android x86 machine, or as an emulator box. The last option will only happen if there is a reasonable method of reading gamecube discs ( ie. not cutting open the side of the box).

 

The question is, how well do external DVD readers work with dolphin. Are some better than others, to the point that they are worth any additional cost or potential setup headaches? Do some just flat out not work? Do they all just flat out not work?

[ARikozuM]

It doesn't work in the Blu-ray I just tried.

[Curufinwe_wins]

8 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

The short, simple story:

I've got a build that revolves the Node 202. It'll either end up as a simple HTPC, pfSense router, dedicated Ubuntu or Android x86 machine, or as an emulator box. The last option will only happen if there is a reasonable method of reading gamecube discs ( ie. not cutting open the side of the box).

 

The question is, how well do external DVD readers work with dolphin. Are some better than others, to the point that they are worth any additional cost or potential setup headaches? Do some just flat out not work? Do they all just flat out not work?

 

3 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

It doesn't work in the Blu-ray I just tried.

 

You need a particular type of dvd rom that are quite rare and expensive to read gamecube/wii discs. And you need to flash the firmware.

 

It is better just to use your current wii and rip the iso from the disk (homebrewing instructions are pretty easy to find.) 

 

Gamecube games are only 1.36GB so you shouldn't have any issue storing them on a regular drive. 

[Drak3]

Just now, Curufinwe_wins said:

 

 

You need a particular type of dvd rom that are quite rare and expensive to read gamecube/wii discs. And you need to flash the firmware.

 

It is better just to use your current wii and rip the iso from the disk (homebrewing instructions are pretty easy to find.) 

I don't have a wii, and will probably never buy a wii. If I had a wii, I'd just use the wii for Gamecube games.

It'd also be great info if I was dumping the files on the disc into .ISO, but I don't plan on it.

[Curufinwe_wins]

6 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

I don't have a wii, and will probably never buy a wii. If I had a wii, I'd just use the wii for Gamecube games.

It'd also be great info if I was dumping the files on the disc into .ISO, but I don't plan on it.

Then get the ISO through other means. Optical disks and emulators don't work well together (since optical disks are SLOW AS BALLS), people have done it but apparently there are lots of slow-downs and occasional hangs.

 

Even a 8GB flash drive is a better option for 4 games at a time.

 

If you really want, these are the disk drives that are known to be capable of reading wii/gc games:

LG GH20NS15
Optiarc DVD RW AD-7203A
PHILIPS DVD+RW SDVD8441 PA48 IDE (GC only)

GDR-8082N

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0L03 – (brightspk, bigtreehe,dfrahm)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0007 – 2040MB/hr PIO (uou)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0010 – (brightspk)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0C07 – 1300MB/hr USB 2.0 (brightspk)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0120 – (brightspk)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0106 – very slow (Cecy)

GDR-8161B

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8161B0042 – 2190MB/hr UDMA 2 (Thomo17)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8161B0043 – 2420MB/hr unk (AJRojers)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8161B0100 – 2550MB/hr UDMA 2 (uou, danitaro)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8161B0102 – (brightspk)

GDR-8162B

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8162B0015 – 2600MB/hr UDMA 2 (uou)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8162B0018 – 2130MB/hr (sfsi02)

GDR-8163B

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8163B0D20 – 1900MB/hr UDMA 2 (uou)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8163B0B26 – 1630MB/hr (sfsi02)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8163B0L23 – 1654MB/hr (Bossworld)

GDR-8164B

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8164B0B07 – (HOTAIRDAN)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8164B0L06 – (sparkz197)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8164B0B10 – 1780MB/hr UDMA 3 (uou, HOTAIRDAN)

GDR-H10N

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDRH10NB0B10 – (rob7bt)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDRH10NB0F03 – (brightspk & me)
 

[samiscool51]

i don't think dolphin can read GameCube disks, i think it was designed for ISO's and nothing else

[Drak3]

Just now, samiscool51 said:

i don't think dolphin can read GameCube disks, i think it was designed for ISO's and nothing else

It can read from the discs, there is a decent sized list of drives that read it, although it's rather dated at this point.

[samiscool51]

1 minute ago, Drak3 said:

It can read from the discs, there is a decent sized list of drives that read it, although it's rather dated at this point.

i don't use the emulator, i just use the GameCube to play my GameCube games as i don't mind if the game looks crap...

but thats something i now know! awesome!

[Drak3]

6 minutes ago, Curufinwe_wins said:

Then get the ISO through other means. Optical disks and emulators don't work well together (since optical disks are SLOW AS BALLS), people have done it but apparently there are lots of slow-downs and occasional hangs.

 

Even a 8GB flash drive is a better option for 4 games at a time.

 

If you really want, these are the disk drives that are known to be capable of reading wii/gc games:

LG GH20NS15
Optiarc DVD RW AD-7203A
PHILIPS DVD+RW SDVD8441 PA48 IDE (GC only)

GDR-8082N

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0L03 – (brightspk, bigtreehe,dfrahm)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0007 – 2040MB/hr PIO (uou)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0010 – (brightspk)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0C07 – 1300MB/hr USB 2.0 (brightspk)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0120 – (brightspk)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8082N0106 – very slow (Cecy)

GDR-8084N

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8084N1.02 – failure (brightspk)

GDR-8160B

COMPAQDVD-ROM GDR8160B0012 – failure (simoriah, dejjen)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8160B0013 – failure (Red07)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8160B0018 – failure (brightspk)

GDR-8161B

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8161B0042 – 2190MB/hr UDMA 2 (Thomo17)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8161B0043 – 2420MB/hr unk (AJRojers)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8161B0100 – 2550MB/hr UDMA 2 (uou, danitaro)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8161B0102 – (brightspk)

GDR-8162B

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8162B0015 – 2600MB/hr UDMA 2 (uou)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8162B0018 – 2130MB/hr (sfsi02)

GDR-8163B

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8163B0D20 – 1900MB/hr UDMA 2 (uou)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8163B0B26 – 1630MB/hr (sfsi02)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8163B0L23 – 1654MB/hr (Bossworld)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8163B0F15 – failure (brightspk)
GDR81630F21 – failure (brightspk)
GDR81630F22 – failure (brightspk)

GDR-8164B

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8164B0B07 – (HOTAIRDAN)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8164B0L06 – (sparkz197)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8164B0B10 – 1780MB/hr UDMA 3 (uou, HOTAIRDAN)

GDR-H10N

HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDRH10NB0B10 – (rob7bt)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDRH10NB0F03 – (brightspk & me)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDRH10NB0D04 – failure (IrishTR)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDRH10NB0L01 – failure (brightspk)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDRH10NBD70D – failure (brightspk)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDRH10NB0M04 – failure (brightspk)
HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDRH10NB0A03 – failure (brightspk)

I suppose it's time to do some validity testing with some newer drives. I found that list on forum posts that are 2 years old at this point.

[Curufinwe_wins]

1 minute ago, Drak3 said:

I suppose it's time to do some validity testing with some newer drives. I found that list on forum posts that are 2 years old at this point.

Indeed. Good luck, newer drives are imho less likely to work. But let us know if you see one that does.

[Drak3]

Just now, Curufinwe_wins said:

Indeed. Good luck, newer drives are imho less likely to work. But let us know if you see one that does.

In the mean time, I need a bottle of rum and a jar of dirt. Now I need a working GC disc...