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There were two official distribution channels for GameCube software; discs, and preinstalled software.
There were two official distribution channels for GameCube software; discs, and preinstalled software.
The GameCube's disc format, known internally as NROM, uses a custom filesystem and a basic XOR encryption scheme tied to the disc's [[wikipedia:Burst_cutting_area|BCA]] to prevent unauthorized reading and copying. However, the discs are otherwise physically identical to [[wikipedia:MiniDVD|miniDVD]] discs, which in turn are reduced-size standard DVDs; therefore, if the GameCube's disc drive is hacked using an external device to disable the security mechanism, it can read standard miniDVD and DVD discs. Some PC DVD drives can also read GameCube discs, although software such as [https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/RawDump RawDump] is necessary to access their contents.
The GameCube's disc format, known internally as NROM, uses a custom filesystem and a basic XOR encryption scheme tied to the disc's [[wikipedia:Burst_cutting_area|BCA]] to prevent unauthorized reading and copying. However, the discs are otherwise physically identical to [[wikipedia:MiniDVD|miniDVD]] discs, which in turn are reduced-size standard DVDs; therefore, if the GameCube's disc drive is hacked using an external device to disable the security mechanism, it can read standard miniDVD and DVD discs. Some PC DVD drives can also read GameCube discs, although software such as [https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/RawDump RawDump] is necessary to access their contents. Early in development, the GameCube used full-size discs equivalent to DVDs.
The GameCube's capacity for preinstalled software is limited to a ROM chip attached to the [http://hitmen.c02.at/files/yagcd/yagcd/chap10.html EXI] interface, which the CPU boots from by default. This ROM chip contains a boot program which will initialize the system, play the boot animation and start the inserted disc or display the console menu. A XOR encryption scheme is also used on the ROM data.
The GameCube's capacity for preinstalled software is limited to a ROM chip attached to the [http://hitmen.c02.at/files/yagcd/yagcd/chap10.html EXI] interface, which the CPU boots from by default. This ROM chip contains a boot program which will initialize the system, play the boot animation and start the inserted disc or display the console menu. A XOR encryption scheme is also used on the ROM data.
The GameCube has no proper operating system; the boot program does not keep executing after it launches a game or expose any "BIOS" functions, and all code which runs once a game has been started is loaded from the game disc. The Dolphin SDK includes an "OS" library with some basic functions for system features such as thread/memory management.
The GameCube has no proper operating system; the boot program does not keep executing after it launches a game or expose any "BIOS" functions, and all code which runs once a game has been started is loaded from the game disc. The Dolphin SDK includes an "OS" library with some basic functions for system features such as thread/memory management.
== Controller ==
[[File:PrototypeGameCubeController.jpg|alt=A prototype GameCube controller with no D-pad.|thumb|A prototype GameCube controller with no D-pad.]]
''Main article: [[GameCube Controller]]''
The GameCube's controller went through 5 chipset revisions (numbered DS1 through DS5), and several more casing revisions.
The earliest known GameCube controller prototype from 1999 is a bare board with no casing; later prototypes added a casing resembling the final but with a Start button in place of the D-pad, and a later variant was almost identical to the final but with minor differences such as a bean-shaped B button.
==Development Hardware==
==Development Hardware==
======NPDP Writer======
======NPDP Writer======
The NPDP Writer is a special device which can write to NPDP Cartridges. At least two variants of the NPDP Writer exist; the NPDP-SW variant which writes a single NPDP Cartridge, and the NPDP-GW variant which can write up to eight.
The NPDP Writer is a special device which can write to NPDP Cartridges. At least two variants of the NPDP Writer exist; the NPDP-SW variant which writes a single NPDP Cartridge, and the NPDP-GW variant which can write up to eight.
====== Nintendo Test Discs ======
[[File:NintendoTestDiscs.jpg|alt=Two Nintendo Test Discs.|thumb|Two Nintendo Test Discs.]]
The Nintendo Test Discs were test-pressing discs created around 1999, when Nintendo was planning to use a full-size disc format for the GameCube.2 of these discs are known to contain test video files which consist entirely of a colour bar pattern.
=====Unknown Devices=====
=====Unknown Devices=====
[[File:NPDP-SW.jpg|alt=A NPDP-SW model NPDP Writer.|left|thumb|A NPDP-SW model NPDP Writer.]]
[[File:NPDP-SW.jpg|alt=A NPDP-SW model NPDP Writer.|left|thumb|A NPDP-SW model NPDP Writer.]]
[[File:NPDP-GW.png|alt=A NPDP-GW model NPDP Writer.|center|thumb|A NPDP-GW model NPDP Writer.]]
[[File:NPDP-GW.png|alt=A NPDP-GW model NPDP Writer.|center|thumb|A NPDP-GW model NPDP Writer.]]
[[File:StandardGameCubePrototype.png|alt=A possible prototype of the GameCube console.|none|thumb|A possible prototype of the GameCube console.]]
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<references />[[:Category:Consoles|Category:Consoles]]
[[:Category:GameCube|Category:GameCube]]
