Sega Saturn Modchip

[termis]

Yeah, never had this behavior, but just to ring in my experience...

I'm definitely going on fuzzy memory here, but I believe that my modchip does indeed make the Saturn "skip" reading the outer ring. I do seem to recall that the laser moved all the way outside when I had the modchip off (obviously), but with the modchip on, the laser never moves that far out when booting the game.

On a second note, I have one of the really old 20/21-pin combo chips, so there is a small chance that this process isn't the same as the newer chips (though I doubt that).

Statiscally speaking, it's really unlikely that you got two bad modchips in a row. I'd try to see if I can try the chips on a different saturn. From what I've read on a few site, some models of saturns just don't seem to get along with certain models of modchips.

[17daysolderthannes]

Jun 24, 2009 3:01:01 GMT chillywilly said:

The purpose of the modchip (as I understand it) is to fake the outer ring signal for any disc. So it SHOULD go and try to read that outer ring, which the modchip then takes care of. As to burning the CDRs, you should burn them at whatever speed your burner does non-zonal burning. If you watch the data throughput while burning, you will see one of two things: the speed gradually goes from slow to fast as the burning goes from the inner tracks to the outer; or, the speed stays constant for a while, then jumps to a faster speed at certain places. The latter is called Zonal recording and is used at higher speeds by many different burners. Old systems like the Saturn (or older) can't handle zonal type discs.

As for the lid... that's odd. Did you splash any solder onto the Saturn while soldering? Did you accidentally pull lose another cable (make sure ALL cables are tightly seated)?

absolutely not, how can you splash solder anyway? are you using a bucket of the stuff? All I can guess is its a power issue, something, somewhere isn't getting the power its supposed to. The chip is getting its 5V input for sure. When I try the CD-R game, its like it wants to read it, but can't quite get there and keeps trying and almost seems like it will work, then gives up and says "dUrrR, ItS aN AuDio CD!" I could be burning it wrong, like I said, even if the game works in Yabause doesn't mean its properly formatted for burning. Is there some way to test the burned CD to know if it works (like, on my computer) before brining it to the Saturn? Do you think I would have better luck with the other style of modchip (plug the cable into the chip, then the chip into the board)? What sucks the most is that I don't want to be responsible for international shipping because the fucking things won't work on my Saturn. Where do these modchips actually come from? is there ANY possibility there is a wiring diagram or functional manual somewhere? If I knew WTF was going on, I might be able to trouble shoot, but as is, no guide tells me shit except the dumbed down lowest common denominator "put a wire here." Grrr.

If I wanted to try adjusting the laser, which potentiometers should I use and which should I leave the F alone?

[mick_aka]

Hmmm, I suppose a failing power board could be the culprit.

As far as I know Rob's modchip is now the only one available, the Racketoy modchip was out of stock for some time so I would snap one up anyway before they go agiain just for collecting purposes.

This site:

www.angelfire.com/pa/Raluminat/saturnmod.html

Actually gives success rates on installing the racketboy chips.

But like I said before, never had this problem with Rob's chips before on any model 2 Saturn...

[mick_aka]

Here is someone having the same issue with the Racketboy chip:

www.emuasylum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-33321.html

[chillywilly]

Jun 24, 2009 8:20:04 GMT mick_aka said:

As far as I know Rob's modchip is now the only one available, the Racketoy modchip was out of stock for some time so I would snap one up anyway before they go agiain just for collecting purposes.

This site:

www.angelfire.com/pa/Raluminat/saturnmod.html

Actually gives success rates on installing the racketboy chips.

But like I said before, never had this problem with Rob's chips before on any model 2 Saturn...

For the record, I'm using one of Rob's chips as well. I also didn't solder the 5V line to the PSU, I plugged it into the connector as shown on the consolegoods install web page. I also put electrical tape on the metal shielding underneath the chip to make sure it didn't touch the metal at all.

[17daysolderthannes]

Jun 24, 2009 9:18:52 GMT chillywilly said:

Jun 24, 2009 8:20:04 GMT mick_aka said:

As far as I know Rob's modchip is now the only one available, the Racketoy modchip was out of stock for some time so I would snap one up anyway before they go agiain just for collecting purposes.

This site:

www.angelfire.com/pa/Raluminat/saturnmod.html

Actually gives success rates on installing the racketboy chips.

But like I said before, never had this problem with Rob's chips before on any model 2 Saturn...

For the record, I'm using one of Rob's chips as well. I also didn't solder the 5V line to the PSU, I plugged it into the connector as shown on the consolegoods install web page. I also put electrical tape on the metal shielding underneath the chip to make sure it didn't touch the metal at all.

I might have to try that, maybe the amperage is different at that point or something. I was hoping to eliminate any possibility of errors by soldering it, but I may have introduced one artificially. I also put electrical tape everywhere the chip could even potentially touch. I really can't imagine its my Saturn dying, the first time I opened it it was immaculately clean and there's no rust or corrosion anywhere. Even before I cleaned it the outer case was almost new looking. Before I put the mod chip, it never missed a beat when it came to booting games, ever.

So how exactly are you supposed to put that wire in? it seems kind of vague in the picture. It looks like you unplug the CD drive wire socket, put it in one of the holes (whichever one he shows), then plug it back in and pray the copper makes contact with the socket contacts. At this point, that seems to be the only option left.

Has anyone else tried soldering to the 5V power line? maybe this chip just doesn't like that many amps or something...

[mick_aka]

I've never bothered soldering the 5v line, and never had any issues...

[17daysolderthannes]

Jun 24, 2009 19:37:55 GMT mick_aka said:

I've never bothered soldering the 5v line, and never had any issues...

hmmm, well, what I'm thinking is that maybe that particular power line in the plug only activates on certain intervals and if you have the continuous power from the main power board it sends the signal all the time and confuses the CPU or it just ignores it altogether. Hopefully this will work as this seems to be the only thing I'm doing different from the norm as far as I can tell.

[chillywilly]

I just stripped a few mm of the insulation off the end of the wire (30 gauge single strand) and stuck it in the hole, then plugged it back in. The connector holds the wire firmly, and since the holes aren't very big, the wire is almost guaranteed to be held against the plug. Remember, it's supposed to make firm contact WITHOUT the extra wire in there.

[17daysolderthannes]

Jun 24, 2009 20:52:49 GMT chillywilly said:

I just stripped a few mm of the insulation off the end of the wire (30 gauge single strand) and stuck it in the hole, then plugged it back in. The connector holds the wire firmly, and since the holes aren't very big, the wire is almost guaranteed to be held against the plug. Remember, it's supposed to make firm contact WITHOUT the extra wire in there.

the fucking thing works now!

Well god dammit, if it doesn't work with the Power Supply 5V pin, why the fuck is that in the guide? What a load of shit! Had I known I HAD to do it in the CD connector from the start, I would've done that and saved myself hours of attempted troubleshooting and grief and wouldn't be stuck with an extra modchip! I thought soldering to the 5V pin would be better since its a solid connection rather than a clamped connection that could corrode/deteriorate over the years. Oh well, at least it works NOW, I just wish, as usual, people would be more careful when it comes to the directions of these things, if its wrong in the directions, how am I supposed to know how to make it right?

On a more positive note (well, its sorta positive since it works now), at least I know I did the region switch thing right as Radiant Silvergun booted right up first try, because, you know, I love spending $170 on a game to play the backup of it