TDEV

From Rare Gaming Dump

The TDEV (Tiny Dev) is a GameCube development unit released in 2003. It combines the functionality of an NR Reader with the debugging capabilities of a more advanced development kit like the GDEV to allow for full debugging and optical disc emulation within the form factor of a retail unit, alongside the ability to read NR Discs.

TDEV uses USB with a windows xp SN Systems driver to interface with the SN-TDEV devkit it is called Pro-link used to stream assets and send game built .elf code files.

However if you use the Metrowerks Boot NR Disc you do it using BBA(Internet Cable) to stream assets and send .elf code files and can do real time debugging, sending the elf over to the GameCube in secs. There is two NR Boot Discs versions one is for SN Systems Prodg and other is Metrowerks Codewarrior, software.

Hardware differences

The TDEV includes additional debugging ports on the bottom of the unit to allow for debugging and optical disc emulation. Otherwise, it is aesthetically almost identical to a retail GameCube. It features a brown case colouring to distinguish it from retail units and other development kits.

Unlike all other retail-form-factor GameCube units, the TDEV features an expanded 48MB of main memory. This memory expansion is usually only featured in full-form-factor development kits, but its inclusion in the TDEV allows for the TDEV to act as a fully featured development kit within the form factor of a retail unit.

Software differences

The TDEV features a unique IPL seen only on the TDEV, which has strong similarities to the Wii NDEV Menu.

The TDEV uses a suite of PC software for debugging and optical disc emulation.

Distribution

The TDEV was notably distributed to many schools and other educational institutions for use in game development/computer science classes.


Screenshots

SN Systems TDEV Bottom
SN Systems TDEV Devkit
SN Systems TDEV IPL Boot Screen
SN Systems TDEV SN Systems USB2 Screen
SN Systems TDEV SN Systems Boot Screen
SN Systems TDEV Metrowerks Boot Screen using BBA LAN.