Dreamcast tactile guide

About This Page

The Sega Dreamcast is a video game console developed by Sega. It was first released in Japan on November 27, 1998. It is the successor to the Sega Saturn and was Sega's final home video game console.

The Dreamcast uses optical discs as its primary game medium and supports removable memory cards for storing saved game data. It also includes a removable modem for network connectivity on supported software.

This page describes the physical and tactile features of the Sega Dreamcast console.

Directions assume that you are facing the front of the console unless otherwise specified.

Identifying your Dreamcast

The Dreamcast has several hardware revisions, commonly identified as VA0, VA1, and VA2. These revisions differ internally, but their external physical features are generally not different enough to be reliably distinguished by touch.

On many Dreamcast consoles, the hardware revision can be identified from markings on the console-information sticker on the bottom side (Located here). Because these markings are visual, identifying the revision may require sighted assistance. The exact markings can vary by region.

If the console-information sticker is missing or unreadable, the motherboard also contains markings that can identify the hardware revision. Accessing these markings requires disassembling the console, so this method would generally require assistance from a qualified console repair technician.

For this page, the physical and tactile descriptions apply generally to Dreamcast hardware regardless of revision.

Front

The front of the Dreamcast is bounded by curved outer edges. Its main surface is relatively flat, with a shallow downward-curving arc along the upper edge.

The main tactile feature is the centered rectangular controller-port plate. Its seams can be felt by touch. The four controller ports are arranged horizontally and have identical recessed openings. Each opening is roughly square with rounded corners at the top and curves into a rounded shape at the bottom. The ports are separated by approximately one pinky fingertip of space.

Above the ports are the engraved letters "A", "B", "C", and "D". These can be detected with a fingernail and provide a tactile way to distinguish the ports. The SEGA logo is located above the controller-port area, approximately between Ports B and C, but cannot be reliably identified by touch.

On the front-right side, immediately to the right of Port D, is the printed "Compatible with Microsoft Windows CE" marking. This is a visual marking and cannot be reliably identified by touch.

The seams surrounding the controller-port plate form a stepped tactile route between the two sides of the front. From either side, move toward the plate until reaching a vertical seam. Follow the seam upward to the top corner of the plate, move across the top of the plate to the opposite corner, then follow the second vertical seam downward and move outward to the opposite side. The same route can be followed in reverse.

The lower portion of the controller-port plate protrudes farther outward than its upper portion. When approaching the plate from below, its horizontal seam is encountered before the lower protruding section.

Below the controller-port plate, a curved section leads to a seam and then to an inward-sloping surface. Following this surface downward and inward leads toward the lower center of the front and eventually to the bottom side.

The lower-left and lower-right portions of the casing form transitions between the front, sides, and bottom side. These are referred to as the lower-left and lower-right corners. Above each is a corresponding mid-left or mid-right corner, where the horizontal side seam changes direction.

From either mid corner, an inward-sloping surface leads downward toward the corresponding lower corner. A recessed Phillips screw hole can be felt approximately midway along each slope.

These mid and lower corners provide useful tactile landmarks when transitioning between the front, sides, and bottom.

Note: "Designed for Microsoft Windows CE" appears on Dreamcast consoles from some other regions.

Left side

The left side has a long horizontal seam running from the front toward the rear, where it curves around the edge and continues onto the rear surface.

Along the upper edge, moving from the rear upper corner toward the front, the surface has a wavy profile: a slight downward movement, followed by a slight upward slope, then another slight downward movement. Moving upward from this edge leads onto the top panel. At the front upper corner, the edge transitions onto the front.

Below the main seam, curved and sloped transitions lead downward toward the bottom panel. Within this area is a shallow recessed section where the surface drops slightly onto a small flat area, then rises again. A recessed Phillips screw hole can be felt toward the opposite side of this recessed section.

The opposite end of the side follows the same general arrangement.

Right side

The right side has curved transitions into the front, rear, top, and bottom surfaces. The removable modem creates different tactile features depending on whether it is attached or removed.

With modem attached

The main horizontal seam runs from the front-right portion toward the rear, where it reaches a vertical seam and divides into upper and lower paths.

The upper path is the preferred route. From the split, follow the seam upward to a corner, then right onto the rear surface.

The lower path leads downward through two curved transitions to the bottom panel. This route does not provide a continuous seam and requires the console to be flipped to continue from the bottom.

Near the front of the horizontal seam, a downward detour leads to an inward-sloping surface containing a recessed Phillips screw hole. Moving right from this area reaches an outward-curving slope and then the vertical seam leading onto the rear.

An upward detour followed by a rightward movement leads to six thin, vertically-aligned pill-shaped openings. Continuing right reaches the vertical seam and then the rear, where the modem port is located.

With modem removed

With the modem removed, following the horizontal seam toward the rear leads to a noticeable drop onto the flat wall surface inside the modem bay.

The bay is bounded by a sharp upper wall with an exposed Phillips screw at one corner. Toward the lower portion is the modem connector, with a raised rectangular outline containing the raised word "EXTENSION" above it. Below the lower-left corner of the extension port is a narrow rectangular recessed opening bordered by raised plastic sections.

Toward the rear, sharp edges mark the transition from the modem bay to the rear panel. The middle portion leads to the rear horizontal seam, while the upper and lower portions lead toward the top disc-loading area and rear surface respectively.

Upper edge

The upper edge is separate from the main horizontal seam. Moving from the rear upper corner toward the front, it has a wavy profile: a slight downward movement, followed by a slight upward slope, then another slight downward movement. Moving upward from this edge leads onto the top panel. At the front upper corner, it transitions onto the curved upper arch of the front.

Rear

The rear is bounded by curved outer edges. Its main surface is relatively flat.

Rear (quick reference)

• 11 thin, vertically aligned, pill-shaped ventilation openings
• AC power connector
• AV port
• Removable modem
• Serial port

Rear (tactile description)

The main rear seam can be followed from the right side toward the AC power connector. From the right side, move left, then slightly upward, and continue left along the short horizontal section to reach the AC power connector housing.

The AC power connector is an IEC 60320 C8 inlet recessed within a raised rectangular housing. Its two openings can be felt individually: the left is square and the right has a rounded D-shaped profile. The "AC IN" marking is above the housing.

From the lower-left corner of the AC power connector housing, move downward past the "SERIAL" marking to the Serial port. From there, moving left reaches the AV port. The two ports are separated by approximately one pinky fingertip of space. The "AV OUT" marking is to the left of the "SERIAL" marking or above the AV housing.

From the top-left corner of the AV port, move left to reach eleven individual thin, vertically aligned, pill-shaped ventilation openings. These openings also provide a detour from the vertical seam at the modem side: moving right from the seam reaches the openings, and continuing right leads back toward the AV port.

From the AC power connector housing, move left, then down and left again to reach the vertical modem seam. Follow the upper path of this seam upward to a corner, then left along the short horizontal section. Below this section is the "LINE" marking, followed by the modem port. Continuing left along the rear surface leads around a curved transition and onto the console's right side.

With the modem removed, moving left from the horizontal rear seam leads into the modem bay. There is no flat surface to follow inside the opening. Instead, the finger encounters the ceiling of the bay and a wall on the right. Following the right wall downward slightly leads to the extension port.

The upper rear edge forms a stepped path between the two upper rear corners. Starting at the top-left corner, move right through a very narrow gap, sharply down, right again, sharply up, and right again to reach the top-right corner. The same route can be followed in reverse.

The narrow gaps at both upper corners are too small for a finger and should not be used as entry points into the disc-loading mechanism. From the middle of the stepped path, moving upward leads to the curved edges surrounding the disc-loading area.

At the bottom-right rear corner, near the Serial port, a clockwise turn leads to the next corner. Moving inward from this area leads toward the recessed Phillips screw hole described in the Front section.

At the bottom-left rear corner, on the modem side, the transition is slightly curved and backslash-shaped when the modem is attached. With the modem removed, this corner becomes sharp. The upper boundary of the modem opening remains present.

The lower rear edge transitions into the bottom surface through curved sections.

Rear (safety warning)

The stepped upper rear edge borders the disc-loading mechanism. Do not place a finger into the disc-loading area while the "OPEN" button is pressed, as the moving mechanism can pinch a finger. Treat the stepped edge and narrow corner gaps as stopping points when navigating by touch.

Bottom

The bottom is best understood as a continuous tactile route rather than a collection of isolated features. It contains recessed areas, raised features, screw holes, rubber feet, openings, stickers, and the removable modem. The landmark inventory below provides identifiers for the major features used throughout the description.

Bottom (landmark inventory)

• A1 - AV port, described in Rear

• A2 - Serial port, described in Rear

• B1–B8 - small raised circular bumps

• C1–C2 - raised circular features without rubber feet

• F1–F2 - raised circular sections containing square rubber feet

• H1 - front-left corner screw hole

• H2 - screw hole on the curved upper-right surface

• H3 - front-right corner screw hole

• M1 - removable modem

• M2 - modem sticker

• M3 - exposed screw beneath the removable modem

• O1–O7 - first group of 7 thin, vertically-aligned, pill-shaped openings

• O8–O14 - second group of 7 thin, vertically-aligned, pill-shaped openings

• O15–O17 - group of 3 thin, vertically-aligned, pill-shaped openings

• O18–O28 - group of thin, vertically-aligned, pill-shaped openings, described in Rear

• P1–P4 - raised plastic features adjacent to R1–R4

• Q1 - square-shaped hole

• R1–R4 - recessed vertical rectangles

• S1 - console-information sticker

• S2 - barcode sticker

• T1 - thin vertical, coin-slot-like rectangle

• X1 - small hole near F2

Bottom (tactile description)

Starting at the front-left corner, H1 is followed upward along an edged slope onto the top surface. F1 is behind this area, with B1 above its top-left portion. Behind F1 is R1, with P1 beside it. P1 has a flatter side and a small slope on the opposite side.

From R1, moving diagonally up-left crosses the seam of the modem and reaches M2 on M1. With M1 attached, the area above M2 is flatter and contains three raised lines marking the modem-removal area.

From M1 and M2, moving right reaches O1–O7, a horizontal row of seven openings. Moving upward from O4 reaches O8–O14, another row of seven openings. Moving left from O8 connects toward C1. Moving downward from C1 reaches R2, with P2 to its right.

From R2, moving downward reaches B2, then moving right reaches S1. Moving downward from the top-left corner of S1 reaches S2. Moving right from S2 reaches O15–O17, followed by F2.

From F2, moving slightly down-right reaches X1 around that edge of the circular section. Moving slightly up-right from X1 reaches B3. From B3, moving diagonally up-left reaches P3, then moving left reaches R3. Moving upward from R3 reaches R4, with P4 to its right.

From P4, moving diagonally down-right reaches T1. Moving upward from T1 reaches B4. Moving diagonally up-left from B4 reaches C2, and moving diagonally up-right from C2 reaches B5. Moving left from B5 reaches B6, then B7, then B8.

From B8, moving upward reaches the rear side. Moving right along the rear reaches O18–O28, followed by A1 and A2. From A2, a rightward curved turn reaches H2. Moving downward from H2 reaches Q1, then H3.

Modem variations

With M1 attached, the modem, M2, and the three raised removal-guide lines can be felt. With M1 removed, the entire modem is absent, so M2 and the three raised lines are no longer present. The modem area instead produces a noticeable drop onto the lower flat surface, where M3, the exposed screw beneath the modem, can be felt.

Sticker variations

S1 and S2 may vary in size or placement between consoles. Additional reconditioning or warranty stickers may also be present.

Top

The top of the Dreamcast has several curved and sloping surfaces. The main tactile landmarks are the POWER and OPEN buttons, the raised bumps above them, the Dreamcast logo, the rounded seams, and the central triangular features.

The lower-left portion of the top contains the circular POWER button, with the word "POWER" marked on it. An oval-shaped sloping surface is located up and to the left of the button. Pressing the button causes it to remain depressed until it is pressed again. Moving upward from the POWER button leads to a sequence of five slightly square-shaped raised bumps.

The lower-right portion contains the circular OPEN button, with the word "OPEN" marked on it. An oval-shaped sloping surface is located up and to the right of the button. Pressing the button raises the disc tray. Moving upward from the OPEN button leads to a second sequence of five slightly square-shaped raised bumps.

The two five-bump sequences follow the same general arrangement. The bumps have noticeable vertical spacing and are distinct from the surrounding sloping surface. From the second bump from the top on either side, moving inward toward the center leads to a rounded seam. After crossing the seam, the surface rises slightly and leads toward the raised outline surrounding the Dreamcast logo.

The Dreamcast logo consists of the Swirl above the word "Dreamcast". The outline around the logo provides a tactile landmark even when the individual details of the logo cannot be reliably identified by touch.

Moving downward from the Dreamcast logo leads to a glossy, downward-pointing triangular feature. It has a raised, three-dimensional form resembling a shallow pyramid with its upper cap missing. Continuing downward crosses a seam and reaches a second downward-pointing triangular feature forming the lower portion of the central raised structure. This lower triangle contains the power light indicator, which illuminates orange when the console is powered on.

Moving upward from the Dreamcast logo leads to another rounded seam. This seam is shallower than the rounded seam near the five-bump area. It can be followed around its curved path, with angled lines at either end connecting it to the deeper seam structure below.

On the right, the connecting line angles like a forward slash. On the left, the corresponding line is mirrored. These angled transitions provide tactile connections between the upper rounded seam and the deeper central seam.

The central upper surface includes a broad curved or circular slope whose profile varies around its perimeter. At the top of this curved area, the surface becomes level and produces a small raised step rather than continuing as a slope.

The top transitions into the side and rear surfaces through curved outer edges. The upper edges of the sides have a wavy surface profile that continues into these curved transitions.

Note: The color of the Dreamcast Swirl logo varies by region: orange in Japan and North America consoles and blue on European consoles.

Top (safety warning)

If a finger is positioned at the rear edge of the disc tray area while the OPEN button is pressed, the lifting tray can pinch the finger.