Posted in the correct thread now, but finally got this set up. Basically had to do all the testing myself as there is almost no info on how to do this online. In case anyone stumbles on this post this post in the future and is trying to solve the problem I solved. I used a Skutch AS-4 telephone line simulator and it was vastly less expensive than the Viking models you will see in other tutorial videos. 
Well everybody. Excuse the shitty eBay picture but this is on its way from Osaka & I have dipped into Sendico land in search of HuCards.
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Also my first Genesis repro carts from AliExpress, because I lost all self-control yesterday. Will post real pics when everything gets here in 12 years.
@Syzygy#27216 So this video was my only real resource for this set up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSUlHkFabN8
But it went like this for me.
Netlink in each machine on boot up. Telephone cord plugged into both the LINE ports and then each into the telephone line simulator. I have ODE's in all my Saturns, so from boot up I loaded Duke Nukem, or Sega Rally, or any of the Netlink capable or [patched to be Netlink capable](http://saturn.dreampipe.net/ ) games.
Once both load the main Netlink menu will appear and you go to Quick Link on both machines
Set one machine to wait and for the other set the dialing prefix to "1" and when it comes time to dial I used the number "1800-555-1212". The main trick was flipping the ring switch on the line simulator at the right time. I got it to work if I did it right before I clicked dial on the machine dialing in.
Once they connect, the connection is rock solid and lag less.
The biggest sticking point is going to be the telephone line simulator as there is little info about them online (especially the model I used) and essential only this one video about using them for this set up. There are guides for making [the connection over ethernet](https://dreamcast-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8453) to a remote system, but for local play you are kind of on your own.
My main reason for trying to get this info out there is that the line simulator I used only cost me $30, but the one in the video goes for about $120. So a significant savings for a very niche project. It would also work with 2 of the Japanese Netlinks and patched US games so there's another potential savings there.
I dunno, I had the Netlink as a teen when it went on clearance, so it has been nice to revisit these menus and ideally, 25 years later, get to have these very unique play experiences again. Glad they patched the JP games, though the only one that really looks to benefit in the interesting each player has a their own screen way are World Wide Soccer and Shadow of the Tusk.
Finally got my PS2 set-up! 🥳
CRT gotten locally on FB marketplace for very cheap. Located a local PS2 as well after my first one got stolen off of my porch lol. Set it up with a game to test out the HDD(thanks @treefroggy for the video in the Hacks thread) and it’s up and running! Now to put...many more on....
Ordered the pc engine mini off of ebay a couple months ago, and scored this 65 inch sony projector tv about a year ago. Close to twice the size of my last tv, but I'm proudest of paying 80 dollars for it! 80 dollars Jerry!
@sabertoothalex#27756 That is an adorable TV & Devil Summoner looks good on it.
my lil CRT baby is back from the repair shop and i gave it a proper rainy-day-in-middle-school setup (yes, it's on wheels)
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@tombo#28765 Wheel carts is actually the most legitimate setup for CRTs in my opinion. I super dislike the current trend of “I'mma buy this huge ikea shelving unit and put every console on it at once”.
Wheel carts, wall mounts, milk crates, desktop setups, CRTs with their own legs and 80‘s style hardwood enclosures are the aesthetic, imho. Great find!
Even in my epic van setup, where having all the consoles out at once is a beautiful sight, I still prefer only having one console out at a time, and having it set beside the CRT, on my desktop. That’s just how it's meant to be :j
for the same reason, I prefer the japanese controllers that have only 3ft long cables that all americans groan and gripe about.
@tombo#28765 That's great! Totally agree with @treefroggy, still trying to figure out a more permanent location for my CRT and wheel cart is very high on the list of candidates
@treefroggy#28801 Good point. My lil guy is on a wheeled tool cart, & I really like the industrial aesthetic. I recently helped a friend get a 125-lb CRT & the biggest struggle (after getting it up the stairs) was finding some kinda furniture to support that thing – highly recommend looking into steel shelving, tool carts or garage-type shelves for that sort of thing, too
This has been my recent gaming set up and I am shocked how much having a screen at perfect eye level enhances the experience 
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@robinhoodie#28823 big sprites look so good on small ass screens.
back on the subject of crt stands...
I once had a solid oak crt stand that had a ball bearing lazy suzan style rotating tabletop to make it super easy to get behind the CRT! Had a 32 incher on it and it was brilliant.
I think it's just as important to recall the more practical ways CRTs were stationed back in the 80's and 90's, before everyone just went to ikea.
My CRT is currently just on this little wooden chest of drawers. I’m moving again in a few weeks so gonna have an opportunity to hopefully better integrate it into the living space. It’s gonna be an even smaller apartment than this one so we’ll see how that goes.
I am guilty of the ikea setup. The boxy open shelves are not really great. I keep rearranging everything. I don’t think a wheeled cart would solve my woes, but I am on the look for a different solution.
@robinhoodie#28823
This is so true dude. I got my first PVM a while ago and set it up like this with a comfy floor cushion and it's a primo gaming spot.
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kitty was the coolest hardware of them all
BTW I‘m just going to say I don’t see anything wrong with putting every game console in one setup and having them all hooked up. In fact, I see a lot right with it! for one thing, you‘ve got any console available at any given time, which rules. for another, you’re not hooking up and unhooking things from your TV which is what wears down the strength of the connection between the component/RCA/whatever ports with the tv's PCB.
Also knowing myself, the less of a barrier there is for me to play a game the better chance I have of trying it. On the other hand, if I have too much choice (like a flash cart) I'm less likely to stick with a game. So for my brain, every console available within 5 seconds of input switching but having to switch individual games in and out is the perfect balance.
Ultimately what I like about an "everything in one unit" setup is that if somebody comes over to my house and looks at my setup they will see, eg, a PC-FX, and say what is that!? And I can just put a game in and show it to them like nothing.
I should really take some pictures of my setup, but I have no less than 20 devices routed through one television, spread across 4 switch boxes and two power strips. and it's great! I respect the wheeled cart but it's just not for me.
@exodus#29320 This is exactly my thinking as well, for both modern and retro setups. It makes for a mess of switch boxes, formats, and cables, but having everything ready to go at the drop of a hat results in me just playing a lot more games, watching a lot more movies, listening to a lot more music. I need to take some pics of my retro setup but I‘m about to redo the whole thing once some new hardware comes in . . . (waiting on a new video switch that was supposed to show up weeks ago lol, and i got my N64 repaired, recapped, and region modded by Christa Lee and I’m gonna go pick it back up this weekend.)
Idk, maybe I could share some old pics in the meantime but that feels like clutter since it's all just going to change again very soon!
Here‘s some Very Unfinished pics of the ol’ retro setup while everything is in a state of disarray. Apologies for the quality, this room is much smaller than it looks and it is very difficult to move around in there and get non-terrible photos lol.
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