Dreamcast Mil-CD Compatability

[Zorlon]

Mil-CD Information snip

Dreamcast Selfboot code was created by Sega and is called Mil-CD

Dreamcast verified versions

• (1) [PAL|E] (blue swirl logo) Mil CD compatable
• (0) [NTSC|U] (orange swirl logo) Mil CD compatable
• (1) [NTSC|U] (orange swirl logo) Mil CD compatable ??? only data/data Mil-CD's??? (I need verification for this, could be a 50/50 change)
• (2) [NTSC|U] (orange swirl logo) Mil CD see Dreamcast model (2) [NTSC|U] (see dates for more information)
• [NTSC|J] (orange swirl logo) Mil CD compatable

Dreamcast model (2) [NTSC|U] dates

• October 2000 and earlier Mil CD compatable
• November 2000 Half = Mil CD Compatable Half = Mil CD uncompatable
• December 2000 and later Mil CD uncompatable

Finding the information

This information in on the under side of your Dreamcast on the lower part of the sticker.
Highlighted on the left is the Manufacture date [NTSC|U] only, highlighted on the right is the version and region [PAL|E] & [NTSC|U], [NTSC|J] has no version indicated from samples given, but does state the region.
The following images show you the location of the information on a [PAL|E], [NTSC|U] & [NTSC|J] console

Click the images for a larger versions of them

Dreamcast CD Types

• Standard CD 1 session DATA+CDDA [Game data plus CDDA tracks (sound tracks)]
• Mil-CD 2 sessions DATA+CDDA/DATA [2 Sessions, 1st session is a DATA game data session+CDDA tracks, 2nd Session has the boot data in it]
• Mil-CD 2 sessions CDDA+CDDA/DATA [2 Sessions, 1st session is a CDDA boot session+CDDA tracks, 2nd Session has the game data in it]

Note: Standard CD's can be booted through Utopia, Utopia is a Mil-CD image that can be downloaded and burned to a standard CD-R

Mil-CD information Extended

The Dreamcast's proprietary GD-ROM format served as a means of copy protection. It was ultimately circumvented. By using a combination of reverse-engineering and exploits in firmware, a standard CD could boot code in the Dreamcast BIOS to enable multimedia functions. This utilized functionality designed for Mil-CD.

Mil-CD is a compact disc format created by the video game company Sega in 1999.

The main purpose of Mil-CD was to add multimedia functions to music CDs, for use in Sega's Dreamcast games console. For example, Mil-CD music releases were to feature enhanced navigational menus, internet capabilities, and full-screen video.

The Mil-CD format actually allowed hackers to by-pass the Dreamcast security, allowing the creation of such utilities such as Bleem!cast the Playstation emulator, the creation of homebrew titles for the machine, and ability to boot copied games and games from other regions via the Utopia bootdisk.

Mil-CD support was removed from the final Dreamcast revision, Dreamcast version 2.

I would like to thank SEGA for creating the Mil-CD format

[Zorlon]

These are close ups of different versions of the Dreamcast from different regions, Asides from highlighting the information I also added a Mil-CD label on the top right

• Left Highlight = Manufacture Date
• Right Highlight = Version and Region
• Mil-CD = Compatable with Mil-CD's
• Mil-CD = Uncompatable with Mil-CD's

Credits

Thanks go out to the following users:- (not in any order)

• CzarAlex - asking about his DC
• Cookie Monster - Helping verify models
• Ragnar - Helping verify models
• Sprung - Helping me iron out the facts
• Jizzel - Helping verify models

I would also like to thank:-

• SEGA - Giving us a great console - we miss you