DexterFAQ

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'''Q: When will Dexter be for sale again?'''
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A: At the time of this writing, I am still shipping the pre-ordered Dexters to customers and it has turned out to be an incredible amount of work.  After shipping completes, I will be taking a much needed rest.  I will then evaluate whether having more Dexters made is worth it to me and will notify the community if I decide to do another run.  In the mean time, one may contact me to be put on a waiting list.
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'''Q: What is Dexter?
'''Q: What is Dexter?
A: Dexter is a modern hardware replacement for laserdisc players used in arcade games during the 1980s and 1990s. It *only* replaces the laserdisc player and disc; the rest of the game continues to run on the original hardware.
A: Dexter is a modern hardware replacement for laserdisc players used in arcade games during the 1980s and 1990s. It *only* replaces the laserdisc player and disc; the rest of the game continues to run on the original hardware.
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'''Q: Why would I want to use it?
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'''Q: Whom is Dexter for?
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A: Dexter is designed to be the most authentic, reliable, user-friendly means of keeping classic laserdisc arcade games alive.
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A: Dexter is for laserdisc arcade game owners that are hindered by dead/dying laserdisc players and/or discs.
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If you have a game with a non-working laserdisc player, but is otherwise fully functional, you can replace the player with a new, reliable solution, and leave the rest of the hardware in its original condition. Think of it as similar to replacing a worn-out monitor with a newer equivalent, rather than making major modifications to the whole machine.
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'''Q: How does it work?
'''Q: How does it work?
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...
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A: The laserdisc player is removed from the arcade cabinet and a custom-made circuit board (the "Dexter" board) is installed in its place. The circuit board has the same connectors as the original player, including video and audio outputs.
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'''Q: How is this different from the Daphne laserdisc game emulator?
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'''Q: What games and laserdisc plaers are known to work with Dexter?'''
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A: Daphne is ideal if you are building a custom multi-game cabinet without original hardware, or you just want to play these games on a PC with no cabinet at all. Dexter is a better solution for dedicated games with original hardware.  
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A: See the status page: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhY7dPUjdbFkdGRCMFc2LXdCNnNzOWZVZWV4NnNsQWc&usp=sharing
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Daphne emulates the entire game, not just the laserdisc player, using a standard Windows/Linux/MacOS computer. When installed in a game cabinet, it replaces the laserdisc player and the game's logic board (PCB). It emulates many different games, and switches between them easily. all. It is relatively inexpensive, especially if an existing spare PC is used.
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'''Q: How is this different from the Daphne laserdisc game emulator?
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While Daphne can be used to restore a dedicated single-game cabinet, it is difficult to set up for this purpose. It usually requires extensive rewiring of the cabinet controls, monitor, etc. Getting the OS and software set up to automatically start up and run a single game is a complex process, and usually ends up being "fussy" in various ways. Gameplay is somewhat less authentic due to the emulation of the game logic.
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A: Daphne emulates the entire machine and therefore requires no original hardware. Dexter only emulates the laserdisc player; you will still need an original machine (minus the laserdisc player and disc) to use Dexter.
'''Q: How is this different from "conversion cards" such as LaserCon, LaserAce, or Hi-Tech Card?
'''Q: How is this different from "conversion cards" such as LaserCon, LaserAce, or Hi-Tech Card?
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Dexter functions similarly, but goes further by eliminating failure-prone laserdisc players and discs entirely, replacing them with solid-state memory. It is intended to be easier to install, require no maintenance, and can be permanently mounted for easy moving and transportation of the game cabinet. Performance will be at least as accurate, or perhaps even better, since having no player at all allows the timing and behavior to be more closely matched to the original player.
Dexter functions similarly, but goes further by eliminating failure-prone laserdisc players and discs entirely, replacing them with solid-state memory. It is intended to be easier to install, require no maintenance, and can be permanently mounted for easy moving and transportation of the game cabinet. Performance will be at least as accurate, or perhaps even better, since having no player at all allows the timing and behavior to be more closely matched to the original player.
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'''Q: What Laser Disc Players are you trying to emulate?'''
 
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A: All of them :)
 
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Top priority (most likely) :
 
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* LD-V1000
 
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* PR-7820
 
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* 22VP931 (Firefox)
 
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Middle priority (pretty likely) :
 
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* LDP-1000A
 
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* LDP-1450/2000/etc
 
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* Hitachi (Astron Belt, etc)
 
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* European serial Philips players (DL Euro, etc)
 
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Low priority (may not be possible due to VBI issues) :
 
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* PR-8210
 
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* PR-8210A
 
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'''Q: What laserdisc games will be supported?'''
 
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A: If they use one of the target laserdisc players, they will be supported. Compatibility with specific games will be confirmed wherever possible.
 
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It may also be a suitable replacement for some non-game applications, such as interactive museum kiosks. This may be explored if there is sufficient interest.
 
'''Q: Will it support PAL?'''
'''Q: Will it support PAL?'''
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A: Yes.
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A: Yes; at least, that is the plan.
'''Q: Will the original speed of the laserdisc player be mimicked (ie 1-2 second seek times, slow spin-up times)?
'''Q: Will the original speed of the laserdisc player be mimicked (ie 1-2 second seek times, slow spin-up times)?
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A: Yes, with an option to disable artificial delay for those who wish to tinker.
A: Yes, with an option to disable artificial delay for those who wish to tinker.
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'''Q: How are you handling ROMs, video files, etc.?
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'''Q: How are you handling distribution of the laserdisc video/audio content?
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A: Dexter is designed to fix original games you already own, so piracy should not be a concern. It does not use ROM files at all, since it does not replace the original logic boards where the ROM code resides. It will require "virtual laserdisc" files in a custom format. The exact means of verification and distribution have not been determined, but we are exploring options for this.
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'''Q: Sounds great! How can I get one?
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A: There is currently no definite target date for production of the finished product. This is a spare-time project for a small number of people, so timing is difficult to estimate. That said, great progress has already been made; there are working prototype boards that are being used for ongoing development.
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A limited production run is planned. If there is sufficient demand, additional runs may be considered.
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'''Q: How much will it cost?
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A: This will depend greatly on the final hardware design. The current estimate is around $400 US, but this is preliminary and could easily end up lower or higher.
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This may seem expensive, but a conversion card and working player can easily cost more than this, and there are significant ease of installation performance advantages over a less expensive Daphne setup.
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'''Q: How can I stay informed about progress on Dexter?
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[links to blargh, farcebook, and email page]
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A: We will try to license the video/audio content if the copyright holder is known.  If the copyright holder is unknown, we will remain neutral (we will not distribute any content ourselves but we will not discourage users from sharing with each other).
Thank you for your interest in Dexter!
Thank you for your interest in Dexter!

Revision as of 16:20, 12 July 2016

Q: When will Dexter be for sale again?

A: At the time of this writing, I am still shipping the pre-ordered Dexters to customers and it has turned out to be an incredible amount of work. After shipping completes, I will be taking a much needed rest. I will then evaluate whether having more Dexters made is worth it to me and will notify the community if I decide to do another run. In the mean time, one may contact me to be put on a waiting list.

Q: What is Dexter?

A: Dexter is a modern hardware replacement for laserdisc players used in arcade games during the 1980s and 1990s. It *only* replaces the laserdisc player and disc; the rest of the game continues to run on the original hardware.

Q: Whom is Dexter for?

A: Dexter is for laserdisc arcade game owners that are hindered by dead/dying laserdisc players and/or discs.

Q: How does it work?

A: The laserdisc player is removed from the arcade cabinet and a custom-made circuit board (the "Dexter" board) is installed in its place. The circuit board has the same connectors as the original player, including video and audio outputs.

Q: What games and laserdisc plaers are known to work with Dexter?

A: See the status page: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhY7dPUjdbFkdGRCMFc2LXdCNnNzOWZVZWV4NnNsQWc&usp=sharing

Q: How is this different from the Daphne laserdisc game emulator?

A: Daphne emulates the entire machine and therefore requires no original hardware. Dexter only emulates the laserdisc player; you will still need an original machine (minus the laserdisc player and disc) to use Dexter.

Q: How is this different from "conversion cards" such as LaserCon, LaserAce, or Hi-Tech Card?

A: These devices allow use of newer, more reliable laserdisc players, while keeping the rest of the original game hardware intact. They are only moderately difficult to install, and provide a high degree of accuracy and authenticity. However, even the newest players are over 15 years old, and the laserdiscs themselves are prone to "laser rot", eventually making them unusable. Some of the conversion cards were made 10 years ago, and are only available used at high prices.

Dexter functions similarly, but goes further by eliminating failure-prone laserdisc players and discs entirely, replacing them with solid-state memory. It is intended to be easier to install, require no maintenance, and can be permanently mounted for easy moving and transportation of the game cabinet. Performance will be at least as accurate, or perhaps even better, since having no player at all allows the timing and behavior to be more closely matched to the original player.

Q: Will it support PAL?

A: Yes; at least, that is the plan.

Q: Will the original speed of the laserdisc player be mimicked (ie 1-2 second seek times, slow spin-up times)?

A: Yes, with an option to disable artificial delay for those who wish to tinker.

Q: How are you handling distribution of the laserdisc video/audio content?

A: We will try to license the video/audio content if the copyright holder is known. If the copyright holder is unknown, we will remain neutral (we will not distribute any content ourselves but we will not discourage users from sharing with each other).


Thank you for your interest in Dexter!

Retrieved from "https://www.daphne-emu.com:9443/mediawiki/index.php/DexterFAQ"
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