Why are we saying that the DC is the first Internet console?

Hi;

I don't know why we are saying that the DC is the first Internet console; of course, the DC rock, but we know it's false: the Megadrive with the "Internet" access, where you could play Sonic Eraser and others games, and I just learned that the Saturn has also an Internet browser, as well! Not as good as the Dreamcast, but it's a nice feature, that I haven't tried, unfortunately, on any Sega console (Not yet... Will that DC will get connected one day?).

Is this a complete false information? We're possibly refering the DC - not as the first console with an Internet browser -, but the first with a built-in modem, right?

Thanks for the reply.

Dreamcast was the first console with built-in modem.

SEGA was always on the bleeding edge of technology before everyone else. A shame they didn't see they were leading the pack.

If SEGA never canceled Dreamcast. I bet they would have rolled out 10/100 TX ethernet adapters on Dreamcast systems by 2003-2006.

Then launch the Dreamcast successor by 2007.
It would have had built-in HD-DVD, Wireless-G Wifi, 1000 Giga ethernet


(Lets see how Sony gets by with Blu-Ray this time, hehe. :D )


and been amply named Shinecast

http://www.betastart.com/SW/shinecast.jpg

To further elaborate on what Christuserloeser said, The dreamcast was the first game console to come with a modem and internet software as standard hardware. That is, Any Dreamcast, in any region, bought from any retailer, will have internet capability right out of the box.
Sure, previous systems had modems, but They were released separately from the console as a special add-on. Some of Them didn't even make it out of japan, others were so obscure that no one knew They even existed.

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Originally Posted by gamegenie

SEGA was always on the bleeding edge of technology before everyone else. A shame they didn't see they were leading the pack.

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What makes you think they didn't know they were cutting edge?

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Originally Posted by fatboy

To further elaborate on what Christuserloeser said, The dreamcast was the first game console to come with a modem and internet software as standard hardware. That is, Any Dreamcast, in any region, bought from any retailer, will have internet capability right out of the box.
Sure, previous systems had modems, but They were released separately from the console as a special add-on. Some of Them didn't even make it out of japan, others were so obscure that no one knew They even existed.

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The software wasn't standard... the browser at least (ie doing more than playing online games), and if you're talking about special pack-in deals, previous consoles DID do that too. (namely the Saturn)

Well, the browser was what I was talking about when I said standard software coming with the system, but even at launch, online activity was a major selling point. So even if the console didn't ship with a game that had online features, the hardware, browser, and marketing were all there from the beginning with going online as a focus.

As for the saturn, no I wasn't talking about special pack-ins, because they were, well, special. Online wasn't even a selling point when the Saturn came out. I'm looking at the box to My Saturn right now, which has a copyright on it from 1994, and nowhere on the box does it so much as mention going online. It doesn't list the Netlink as a compatible device, nor does it show a picture of it. Also, nowhere on the box does Sega make so much as a hint to carrying online software. Netlink, online gaming, and web surfing came latter, as a special thing. Back in the day, I didn't know any Saturn owners that had the modem, not the spoiled kid across the ally, not any of the stoner dorks I worked with at hell-er, I mean burger king, not that hot goth chick who worked at the music store, no one.

The Dreamcast, however, Yes. Everyone I knew/know that had/has a Dreamcast, had the modem and browser, because they were a stock component of the system.

Crap, that's enough wall-o-text outta' Me for tonight.:(

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Originally Posted by GameX

Hi;

I don't know why we are saying that the DC is the first Internet console; of course, the DC rock, but we know it's false: the Megadrive with the "Internet" access, where you could play Sonic Eraser and others games, and I just learned that the Saturn has also an Internet browser, as well! Not as good as the Dreamcast, but it's a nice feature, that I haven't tried, unfortunately, on any Sega console (Not yet... Will that DC will get connected one day?).

Is this a complete false information? We're possibly refering the DC - not as the first console with an Internet browser -, but the first with a built-in modem, right?

Thanks for the reply.

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Actually you're wrong, the Fimicon was the first, you could bank, trade stocks, exc with it.

As for the pack in modem thing yea, hell until this generation, most consoles didn't come with a modem, you had to buy it seperately.

Was X-Band the first mainstream multiplayer service for consoles?

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Originally Posted by Zoltor

Actually you're wrong, the Fimicon was the first, you could bank, trade stocks, exc with it.

As for the pack in modem thing yea, hell until this generation, most consoles didn't come with a modem, you had to buy it seperately.

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Didn't knew what the Famicom was capable of on the Internet, thanks. Does this work with the NES, too?

Thanks for all these replies, I understand now. :)

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Originally Posted by Zoltor

Actually you're wrong, the Fimicon was the first, you could bank, trade stocks, exc with it.

As for the pack in modem thing yea, hell until this generation, most consoles didn't come with a modem, you had to buy it seperately.

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Since Famicom was just a Japanese only platform along with it's accessories. It's safe to sweep whatever product they tested with under the rug. ;)

Otherwise I'm sure we'll probably find about 10 unknown consoles accessories that attempted internet capabilities.

plus we're only talking about built-in ready-to-go. Otherwise we can include the Mega Drive's mega modem, or even the systems that supported X-band, or Jaguar's netlink.

DC was the first massively wide promoted internet online game system.

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Originally Posted by GameX

Didn't knew what the Famicom was capable of on the Internet, thanks. Does this work with the NES, too?

Thanks for all these replies, I understand now. :)

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I highly doubt it, seeing how the Famicon, and NES have completely different casing. Also I would imagine there has to be a special port, for the modem, and whatnot, which the NES doesn't have.

The ability to dial into a BBS or another system is not Internet or WWW access, it's point to point.

Xband could not access the internet, it could dial into one specific server and information repository, as I imagine the famicom system also did.

As far as I'm aware the first console to give proper Internet/WWW access was the Saturn with PlanetWEB.

There was a modem planned for the 3DO but it was never released.

Don't forget the Game.com! And didn't the Pippin have internet capability? :D

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Originally Posted by fatboy

Well, the browser was what I was talking about when I said standard software coming with the system, but even at launch, online activity was a major selling point. So even if the console didn't ship with a game that had online features, the hardware, browser, and marketing were all there from the beginning with going online as a focus.

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I thought the browser only came when you signed up for SegaNet, not as a standard pack-in.

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Originally Posted by Zoltor

Actually you're wrong, the Fimicon was the first, you could bank, trade stocks, exc with it.

As for the pack in modem thing yea, hell until this generation, most consoles didn't come with a modem, you had to buy it separately.

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Famicom (short for the real name: Family Computer) did have the Famicom modem, but it was pretty limited and without any use for online play. (unlike Sega's MegaNet, and the canceled 3rd party NES/SNES teleplay modem, or the later still Xband -not sure if the satellaview offered multiplayer)

But the DC had the first modem as a pack-in standard.

@Kool Kitty:
Nope, when I bought My Dreamcast at target, oh about nine years ago, it came with the modem, Web browser 2.0 disc (Which even has a game, Sega Swirl, on it!), and roughly 1.5 metric fucktons worth of phone cable. And You don't need to sign up for any specific ISP or service. I didn't use the system online when I first bought it, but some years latter I hooked it up to the phone line, input all the necessary settings needed to connect with My ISP, an that was it! I was off surfing the net, lookin' at naughty girly pics, checking e-mails, everything. All through our local ISP (A mom-and-pop company called Acronet).