Mod My Saturn, You Get $$

[ParryAll]

Hey is there anyone out here in SRK land who has experience modding a Saturn or knows someone who can mod one for me?

I'm willing to pay for the chip, shipping back and forth, and name your price for labor/etc. I need it modded to play burned games and imports.

It's a U.S. 2nd Model Saturn BTW, not sure if that matters.

[Phil McFly]

I've modded about 5 Saturns. It's not that hard... if you have solder experience (and i mean minimal) I can just tell you how. Where to get the chip, which model, etc.

-McFly

EDIT: I realized that I just condoned this. No more modding stoned.

[ParryAll]

Phil check your PM box.

This offer is still out there to anyone who can do the work for me. Phil I hope you consider my offer.

[laurie47]

I would do it but im in the UK

[ParryAll]

I would do it but im in the UK

How much do you think it would be shipping?

I get shit from UK all the time off Ebay, shipping usually isn't bad.

[tolkien]

Couldnt you just do the swap trick?

[ParryAll]

Couldnt you just do the swap trick?

Hmmm.......??

[laurie47]

How much do you think it would be shipping?

I get shit from UK all the time off Ebay, shipping usually isn't bad.

I would guess about £10, not sure though. Do you have a chip?
And of course you need an action replay to play a lot of backups.

I dont mind doing it if you want to send it all this way.

[tolkien]

Hmmm.......??

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2004/12/learn-how-to-perform-sega-saturn-swap.html

[Dreaded Fist]

modding to play imports requires installing a dpdt switch and is pretty complicated. Backups are much easier. You just need to get a chip and plug the cd ribbon into the chip, then the chip into where the cd ribbon used to be in. They're solderless. I think your best bet is to mod it with a chip, then get a cartridge to play imports.

Man that swap trick is NOT healthy for your saturn.

[laurie47]

I think most chips have 2 solder points, but are still very easy.

[SaBrE]

last chip i new of was just a passthru connector that connected to the cd ribbon cable, and that was it. it only allowed play of backups i believe. as for imports, you still had to use a par (par 4-in-1 i recommend obviously, im sure you know that) or whatever you choose to play import

[ParryAll]

last chip i new of was just a passthru connector that connected to the cd ribbon cable, and that was it. it only allowed play of backups i believe. as for imports, you still had to use a par (par 4-in-1 i recommend obviously, im sure you know that) or whatever you choose to play import

Sabre, do you know of any vendors that sell this solderless modchip? The only chips I could find were solder-only.

Thanks for the input guys. From everything I'm hearing in researching this, the swap method is a pain in the ass, and ruins your Saturns motor. No thanks on that.

Anyway I'm looking at a couple vendors for the mod chip and cart, here's what I found so far:

http://www.racketboy.com/saturn-modchip/index.htm

http://www.racketboy.com/store/ramcart.htm

http://www.jandaman.com/games.mvc?p=satmod&Category_code=SAT


A few other questions I have so far:

1. The racketboy site says that you can change the region from the ISO itself. Is this true?

2. Say I set my Saturns region to Japan (when modding, you change jumper settings for this), would a region cart then allow me to play American games on my machine?

3. Would doing #2 change my Saturns intro to the Japanese intro (with different music and logo)?? (if so) That would rule!

4. For European region games, does the Saturn reset to 50hz mode? If so is there a way to get them to run in 60 (for obvious reasons)?

If #2 is possible, than I may be able to save money on a 4 in 1 solution alltogether, because my friend has spare 4m and 1m carts, and they are official Sega Japan carts which I would rather use anyway. I already beat Panzer Saga 10 years ago (before I chucked it on Ebay for a then impressive 150$), I'm only interested in playing shooters and fighters, 90% of which are Japan-only.

Funny story, I actually went to target yesterday, and I asked the clerk for an SDTV (standard def) that can be placed on it's side. He just kinda looked at me funny and said "what do you need that for?". I didn't hesitate and said bluntly "In order to play import Sega Saturn shooters in Tate mode." He goes, and no lie, "Oh, ok." Like he knew what I meant lol. My friend w/ me was laughin.

Anyway that story was probably funnier to us I just realized but thought I'd share it anyway. They have a couple TV's, a really big one for 119 that we both agreed looked like it could be placed on its side. My Tv, when you place it on its side, turns green. Then again, my sht is a Zenith from 1990.

[Naslectronical]

You can play your imports right now using only the action replay cartridge. There's no modding needed for that.

[shinobi00]

The only reason you'd use a mod chip is if you want to play backups. the 4-in-1 PAR works for everything else.

You can play your imports right now using only the action replay cartridge. There's no modding needed for that.

Somehow i missed this post.

[ParryAll]

^^ I know.

Another question: Do the backups play as well as the real thing? Or are there loading issues, slowdown issues, sound issues, or video compression issues like with burned Dreamcast games?

[shinobi00]

^^ I know.

Another question: Do the backups play as well as the real thing? Or are there loading issues, slowdown issues, sound issues, or video compression issues like with burned Dreamcast games?

The only reason there were issues with playing backups on DC because GD-ROM is a largere format than CD-ROMS. No issues with saturn.

[SpizyN00dles]

I just got a skeleton one brand new. If anyone that wants to help me also (someone closer preferably) pm or im me. Thanks !