How To Make Non-VGA Dreamcast Games Play on VGA

Ever buy/download a game for Dreamcast and you said, "hey, this game would look sweet on VGA!" But it wouldn't boot on VGA? Bought a game that said it worked on VGA, and didn't? (Evil Dead: Hail To The King is one example) Ever just wanted to play everything on VGA, just because VGA looks so much better?

Now you can!

Its very easy to do. First off, its a lot easier if you have a VMU with dead batteries (you can just take them out if you want, you wont lose any data) and then practice with the VMU, and then once you know the timing right, put the batteries back in.

What you do is this, If you have a VGA BOX switch it to TV mode (no TV needs to be hooked up, but make sure its plugged into your Dreamcast and VGA monitor correctly), if you have a VGA CORD plug one end into the VGA monitor, and unplug the other end from the DC.

Put in your Non-VGA game and turn on your DC. If you have a VMU in, Wait until it beeps, after it beeps, if you have a VGA BOX switch it to VGA mode, if you have a VGA CORD, plug it back into the back of your DC.

Your Monitor might say something like "Out Of Scan Range" after awhile but just wait and it should work.

This has worked on every game I've tested it on except for a few homebrew games, so happy VGA gaming!

HOW IT WORKS (You don't have to read this section its just for fun I guess): When the DC first turns on, it checks everything that's plugged into it, Keyboards, controllers, rumble packs, VGA boxes, etc. When the DC detects everything, it will detect a VMU with dead batteries and make it beep, which is after VGA detection (I think it might be the last thing it checks). So pretty much, you have the DC detecting a regular TV input and not a VGA box, so it memorizes that there is no VGA box plugged in, and then the game tells it to boot or not depending on compatibility. So what we do, is after it says, ok theres a regular TV output plugged in, we switch it back to VGA, your monitor gets a bad signal. Then when it says, "This game is produced by or under license from Sega..." it resets the video mode, why? I'm not totally sure, but I think its because its adjusting the color levels/resolution. Then your monitor tunes to it and plays whatever the DC gives it, or something like that, not thinking too clearly right now hehe, but the DC never bothered to recognize the VGA box again so your game boots on VGA.

Have fun!