Prototype Sega Dreamcast Zip Drive on eBay



It may be something most of us would've never expected to see on eBay, some could even compare it to the SNES CD-ROM attachment unit, the unreleased Sega Dreamcast prototype Zip Drive!

Here's some information about this unit via DCEmulation Devcast:

Made by Imega Corp, the makers of the Zip Disc format, this Zip drive was made to increase the Dreamcast's storage capacity but mainly for emails, web pages, and other internet based files.

The 100 Mega-Byte storage disk drive is essentially the same as the ones made for PCs with slight modifications made to make it compatible with the DC. "We chose the Zip drive for its durability and low cost. For gaming purposes, durability is essential," said a Sega spokesperson.

The drive was conceived after there was a strong demand for more storage space than Sega's servers were offering to save email and web pages onto. The drive could also save game-updata data so all those extra quake maps could be played at home.

The drive was made to fit under the DC and would connect to the expansion port with the modem, then being plugged into the Zip drive. This was to help promote the DC from a console to a home entertainment/information system with the release of other accessories (which were also never released).

This Zip drive was not going to be compatible with the PC Zip drives, but it was suggested that software for the PC would eventually be released to make it compatible with the DC Zip drive.

The Zip dive was to have a retail price of $199 USD and to be released sometime in the third quarter of 2000.

:: Click Here to Visit the eBay Auction ::
 
Way to expensive. And the seller only has a 6 for feedback. No way would I send that kind of money to a person with that little experience on eBay.
 
I would easily buy it if I had that kind of cash or room on my credit card. Sadly I do not. Though I could apply for a loan LOL. At least there is a drop in price... Maybe it will happen again...
 
I remember seeing this on display back in 2000 (or was it 1999?) along with a DVD Player. I wonder if this is the exact unit I saw on display? I wonder what happened to the DVD player prototype?

Sadly, at $4000 I have a hard time justifying the equivalent of 2 months in house payments to pay for a non-functional museum piece.
 
Q: Did you get any technical information (diagrams, schematics, etc) with the unit?

A: I did, but some of it I'm not at liberty to share, such as how to bridge Sega's Shinobi proprietary G2 bus with the ATAPI bus.
This might have provided a practical way of installing a hard drive in the DC.
 
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