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GD-ROM (an abbreviation of "Gigabyte Disc Read-Only Memory") is a proprietary optical disc format originally used for the Dreamcast video game console, as well as its arcade counterpart, the Sega NAOMI. Developed by Yamaha, Sega intended to use the format to curb piracy common to standard compact discs and to offer increased storage capacity. It is similar to the standard CD-ROM except that the pits on the disc are packed more closely together, resulting in a higher storage capacity of around 1 gigabyte.〔 Sega's use of the format instead of the new DVD-ROM technology supported by the PlayStation 2 and Xbox has been considered a mistake that contributed to the Dreamcast's early demise. The DVD-ROM format allowed for larger storage capacity than the GD-ROM, as well as support for DVD Video playback that the Dreamcast lacked. Despite the failure of the Dreamcast, Sega continued to use the GD-ROM format in arcades with the Sega NAOMI 2, Sega Chihiro and Triforce. ==History== The format was developed for Sega by Yamaha. GD-ROM was created because the standard CD-ROM was prone to piracy and reaching the limits of its storage capacity, while implementing the new DVD-ROM technology would have made console production too costly (in part because royalties had to be paid to the DVD Forum).〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=GD-ROM information )〕 The use of the GD-ROM format, however, contributed to a high failure-rate of Dreamcast laser pickups, because they had not been designed to handle GD-ROMs efficiently. In addition, the Dreamcast did retain the ability to read standard CD-ROM discs, and thus still suffered from software piracy as bootleggers managed to fit certain games on CDs and exploit the Dreamcast console's compatibility with the MIL-CD format. Before the Dreamcast was released, Sega "confirmed that Dreamcast owners will one day be able to upgrade the GD-ROM drive to DVD," as information indicated Sony's anticipated successor to the PlayStation, the PlayStation 2, would use the DVD format with its much larger capacity 4.7 GB single-layered up to 8.5 GB double-layered discs compared to the 1.2 GB capacity of the GD-ROM.〔"Dreamcast Expandability" ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' ZD Inc., vol. 122, September 1999, p. 204,〕 Despite displaying a Dreamcast DVD display unit at E3 2000,〔"Dreamcast DVD" http://dreamcastgaga.blogspot.jp/2013/04/dreamcast-dvd.html〕 the plans for a DVD add-on or fully separate unit never materialized during the significantly shorter production run of the Dreamcast. The GD-ROM format is considered one of the causes that led to the failure of the Dreamcast, since the PlayStation 2 initially sold well for providing DVD video playback at much lower cost than dedicated DVD players of the time, even though the PS2 launch games were lacking compared to the Dreamcast's. Sony was able to provide a larger install base due to DVD, despite the costs being higher to manufacture. GD-ROM was also made available as an upgrade for the Dreamcast's arcade cousin, Sega NAOMI and later Sega NAOMI 2, providing alternate media to its cartridge-based software. It is also used for the Sega Chihiro and Triforce. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「GD-ROM」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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