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Post by zyrobs on Jan 28, 2016 2:13:37 GMT
Something just occurred to me, I guess I can try to install a switch or something along those lines on my PAL Saturn? If it works, I'll know right away, since most of my games are NTSC. If not, I don't risk ruining my main Saturn. Yeah, but if you want to change between EU, JP, and USA, you'll need at least 2 switches or a more complex mod. If you only want to switch between two of them, then one switch is enough.
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Lilith
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Post by Lilith on Jan 28, 2016 3:40:29 GMT
Something just occurred to me, I guess I can try to install a switch or something along those lines on my PAL Saturn? If it works, I'll know right away, since most of my games are NTSC. If not, I don't risk ruining my main Saturn. Yeah, but if you want to change between EU, JP, and USA, you'll need at least 2 switches or a more complex mod. If you only want to switch between two of them, then one switch is enough. How complex are we talking about? I have some soldering skills (I've taken apart games and replaced the batteries even before there were those batteries with tabs), so it wouldn't be unheard of if I managed to do it. Though...if that doesn't work out, is it possible for a PAL Saturn to skip over the actual PAL part completely and just switch between JP/US?
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Post by zyrobs on Jan 28, 2016 3:52:03 GMT
Something about using a logic gate IC inbetween the jumper pins, so you can use an on/off/on switch to output the desired states. I don't remember the details, but there are guides online.
For a PAL Saturn you'll have other problems since if you set it to jp/us, it'll still output 50hz signal with PAL colour. You'll also have to set it to 60hz. And if your TV set can't handle PAL60 colour, then you also need to change a crystal here or there. Or you can stick to RGB output, then you won't have to worry about PAL colour, but not many TVs support that in the USA.
At that rate you are better off buying a cheap US or JP unit, and adding a us/jp switch, which is just cutting some traces and soldering 2 wires.
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Lilith
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Post by Lilith on Jan 28, 2016 4:45:22 GMT
Well, if region modding it to JP/US is that simple, maybe I'll do that and just keep the PAR for a rainy door or just use it for cheats. I found a 4 part video series on it that looks pretty in depth.
Would I need to order anything for the JP/US switch mod?
I also found a video for a 3 way region mod, but if that's considerably harder, I may stick with the US/JP mod. I don't think there's very many PAL only Saturn games, are there?
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Post by zyrobs on Jan 28, 2016 4:54:48 GMT
For jp/usa switch, you only need to solder 3 wires, and a couple of jumpers. Depending on board version you may need to remove some 0-ohm resistors or cut a few traces on the region jumpers. It's pretty simple.
But honestly you are better off fitting a region free bios... saves SO much hassle.
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Lilith
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Post by Lilith on Jan 28, 2016 5:45:05 GMT
Are there any downsides to using a region free BIOS compared to a JP/US switch?
I assume with region free BIOS I can play US, JP, or PAL, or just JP and US?
Would I need anything to get region free BIOS?
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Post by zyrobs on Jan 28, 2016 14:17:58 GMT
Region free bios will completely bypass all region checks, so all games from any region will boot fine. You can just pop in any original disc and it'll play. I think the only downside is that if a game detects the hardware region and loads different content accordingly, you won't be able to switch around that. But I think this only affects the buggy first print editions of Soukyuugurentai.
If you use it on a PAL console then you'll still need the 50/60hz switch, that one is hardware controlled. Some 60hz games just won't work in 50hz mode.
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Lilith
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Post by Lilith on Jan 29, 2016 22:55:26 GMT
Well, considering I have no actual idea what Region Free BIOs is or how to implement it, I figured I'd just region mod it since I had already ordered the wiring and switch. It shouldn't be much of a problem to actually mod it, I've done more complex stuff inside a game cart before...plus the two region mod is all I'd really need, so I wouldn't need the more complex 3 region mod or the BIOS which I haven't the first clue about. I did find a number of videos on the two region mod that are fairly in depth, so it shouldn't be an issue.
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Post by buckoa51 on Jan 30, 2016 11:25:03 GMT
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Post by Syntesis on Feb 3, 2016 23:54:25 GMT
Cool. The cartridge slots arent as bad as many make out Yes it is.
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sych
"Living for the fantasy" -NIGHTS INTO DREAMS- The Classic Saturn Gem!!!
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Post by sych on Feb 4, 2016 6:14:26 GMT
Cool. The cartridge slots arent as bad as many make out Yes it is. No its not.
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Post by atolm on Mar 17, 2016 18:03:33 GMT
Easiest in my mind now is the Rhea/Phoebe. The "mod" isn't really a mod as it's just plug and play. You could revert the system back to stock at any time. Auto region option easily loads other region games. Plus there's the added bonus of updating disc images with the latest translation patches and you don't need to burn any CD-Rs. I haven't bothered with a 50hz switch, as there's NTSC versions of PAL games floating around (Deep Fear for example) I've now retired my Action Replay for the most part and I picked up a legit Sega brand memory card.
I'm looking at getting an official 4meg ram cart for those imports that require it simply for the convenience of not sorting through the AR menu twice. Otherwise as it stands right now, to boot XmenVSF for example with the AR+Rhea combo it goes: Power on to AR menu, start game to RMENU, select XVSF, back to AR menu, start game to XMenVSF. With the stock 4meg cart it would be a simple power on to RMENU and load the game.
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