Sonic and Sega Retro Message Board: JaredAFX - Viewing Profile - Sonic and Sega Retro Message Board

[Not sure if this is the proper thread to be posting in because it involves Sonic and not-Sonic but I'll go ahead anyway]
So I have two GameCubes. A black component-compatible one (I can't get the serial number at the moment; all I can say is that it's obviously older because it has the component cable port, it was preowned so it could be anywhere between launch model-end of 2003) and a DOL-101 silver non-component-compatible one. On the silver one, Sonic Adventure 2 does not work. It works fine on the Wii I've used it on and both copies I have work fine on the black one, but it gives me disk read errors after 5-7 minutes of playing, no matter what I'm doing. I know the SA2B disks are fickle, but is there a reason it only doesn't work on this one GameCube out of the two GCs and two Wiis I own? I've owned three SA2Bs and the two I had when I was younger both worked on my black GC and neither my silver one, at least over time it became worse. I keep most of my games at my dad's with my black GC, but at my mom's I almost exclusively use the GC for its games and it runs everything else fine. It's not an inconvenience if it just doesn't work in the GameCube, but I'm curious as to why this happens. I'd also like to know if I shouldn't be using my GameCube, like if these disk read errors are signs of death or something.

So, I have two computers: ALAN-PC and JARED-PC. The former is my "dad's" (even with my own computer it's still really mine because he has a laptop and a netbook) that has two users on it--Alan and Jared (my dad and I, respectively). The latter is totally mine and was built last year, so naturally I am the only user. Both run Windows 7 Home Edition. They are about 11-12 feet away from each other, but because the room used to be a balcony, the walls are cement. My dad's computer is on the side with the modem and the router, while my computer has a Linksys wireless adapter.

My problem is sharing files. A long time ago I had set up a homegroup on my dad's computer, not really being aware what it did. Whatever changes I've made to that computer over the four years we've had it has allowed my computer to freely access my dad's files. However, my computer will not let my dad's computer access my files. I've done what seems like everything. I've restarted the homegroup multiple times. I've tried looking through all the settings. I've tried using a workgroup. I've tried manually sharing the folders and allowing everyone to read and write. Everything's working; the problem is that it's a one-way street. Does anyone have any idea how to fix this?

I'm pretty knowledgeable about chiptune music. I make stuff in FamiTracker, so I completely understand the NES/Famicom's 2A03 chip and the Famicom's expansions, like the VRC6. I also understand that the Game Boy basically has four FDS (Famicom Disk System) channels. Last, but not least, I get that the Genesis has a Yamaha FM chip and a Texas Instruments PSG chip, and that the two are controlled by a Z80 (the Master System's CPU, as well as a lot of other devices). What I don't understand is the S-SMP, the Super Nintendo/Famicom's soundchip. I've heard that it doesn't make "chiptunes" in the conventional sense because it only uses samples. Is this true? Is there no internal sound that it can make, other than bending the pitch of samples? I'm just confused on the whole subject and I can't find a reliable source; everything conflicts with each other.

EDIT: Changed the topic title to better reflect the conversations going on.

As a Mac user with decent specs half the time and a video card-challenged PC user the other half, it really frustrates me that I can never play any really good games on Steam. I don't want to pay to do the Windows/Parallels option, because I know you can use Wine for free. I just can't find any comprehensive guides anywhere. Does anyone know of a good tutorial that doesn't involve Xcode? I use Snow Leopard and the App Store won't let me download it.

I've been looking for the Dreamcast VGA box for a while, and after discovering that Pier Solar's coming to DC, I decided to go looking again. While this one isn't exactly what I'm looking for, it look like it would work. What do you guys think? Link

Now, on the same site, I found this. What is it? It is just a piece of junk metal or would it be worth it to purchase it alongside the VGA cable?

If I'm totally on the wrong track, can you guys help me out?