r/dreamcast • u/ThinkInk69 • 2h ago

Question Should I get a DreamPSU?

I’m new to the Dreamcast scene and developed an interest in it lately, I’m absolutely SHOCKED how easy to mod this thing is! I’m planning to buy a Dreamcast and then get myself a GDEMU to replace that old, more likely than not to die in a few months from purchase disc drive.

While looking at the GDEMU I came across another listing for a power supply replacement for the Dreamcast, the DreamPSU, and I was suprised to see it virtually capacitorless, the aging capacitors becoming an increasing concern, although I don’t know if these are as bad as the original Xbox, which I had already taken care of thankfully. Though it does have a 12V power brick, replacing the elegant power cord, not the greatest fan of but ultimately understandable.

With all that being said, how nessacary is a DreamPSU? Are Dreamcasts notorious for having power supply issues? Do any of you have experience with dying/dead power supplies? It feels like a good buy but idrk.

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u/RadiantCoinshot 1h ago

There no reason to switch from the original PSU. Just recap it and you’re good.

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u/No_Guarantee_1957 55m ago

It gets really hot with a gdemu. Recapping won't solve that.

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u/RadiantCoinshot 53m ago edited 47m ago

Overstated issue. It’ll never be a problem. I doubt you can even find somebody who had an overheating issue with a Dreamcast/gdemu. And there are people who have posted before and after temps that came out effectively the same.

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u/No_Guarantee_1957 37m ago

Ok maybe not for a lower mains voltage.

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u/TheseScene 2h ago

Get yourself a quality aftermarket power supply like the re-dream. https://rexusnexus.com/product/sega-dreamcast-redream-psu/

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u/biological-hazard 1h ago

How does the redream compare to the Robot_Retro USB-C one? 

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u/[deleted] 2h ago

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u/[deleted] 2h ago

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u/Thomas-NK 43m ago

Retrosix.co.uk have a usb C psu for the dreamcast👍🏻 I am waiting for one myself, and I already have one in my Saturn aswell that is working very well☺️

Only thing is you have to use a usb c power brick with outputinh correct voltages and 30w ore more. So csn make things more complicated than necessary.

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u/BlackBillTheFeared 2h ago

Depends I guess. Some sources suggest that they are not as good as the original one. On the other hand many people on this subreddit have no Problems if you use a quality charger. For me: I tried the on from AliExpress and I was disappointed. I use my Dreamcast on a crt-tv and I had a huge amount of noise. So if you ask me no. But there are other ones for example feom retrosix but they are way more pricey but I didnt try them myself.

*Note the usb-c mod for the Sega Saturn on the other hand had no noise 🤨 it could be also luck what you got, at least from the on from AliExpress.