Hi Todd!

[I wrote :]
> > Is there any description on how he did it? I do have a purely software way
> > to boot custom code on my European console right now, so I'm not desperate :)
> > But I'm of course very curious and interested.
> 
> Apparently a serial cable was built (using the NeoGeo link cable) and the
> DC was coaxed into 'CMON' somehow -- CMON is the same firmware monitor
> as can be found on most(all?) SH eval boards. I don't know the magic
> incantation that was used to accomplish this.
> 
> The kernel was downloaded as S-Records using CMON, and executed, at which
> point it took over the DC and booted most of the way up.

I see.. Well, I use a different method, which consists simply in burning
a CD-R that is recognized and booted by the Dreamcast.

There are advantages and drawbacks to both:

* Serial cable:
  Pro: - You can do many attempts at no cost
  Con: - Requires to make/buy/find cable, ie. extra hardware
       - You need it to boot netbsd altogether
       - Slow

* CD-R:
  Pro: - No extra hardware
       - Fast
  Con: - Very expensive, you need a CD-R for every try :(
         (CD-RW does not work on the Dreamcast)

Do you know where to find the cable? I'd be interested in mixing the schemes,
as follows:

1) developing with the serial cable
2) burning a final cd-r with netbsd and userland tools that works "as is"
   without the cable

I can definitely contribute the method for booting recent pal consoles
from a regular cd-r.

> Feh. I just got two of 'em at Fry's tonight. They were out of keyboards,
> but another store not too far away had 'em. I'll try for the keyboards in
> a couple days.

Cool. I'll be interested to see in the CDs boot on your US console as
well. They should :)

> Still don't know where to buy the link cables though.

Ah, darn. If you have *any* info about that I'm taker (I have the schematics
from Marcus Comsted's page, but I have two left hands :)

I'll ask too, if I know where, I'll let you know.

--
Emmanuel