Keeping Spare Saturns

[calmdownmonkey]

I got a wee scare last night when my Saturn took 5 or 6 attempts to get past the BIOS screen to boot up a game. It works fine now, but it had me wondering...

Would you guys consider it economical to keep a spare Saturn (baring in mind it would need all the mods applied to it again), or is this completely OTT?

On the other hand, is it reasonably safe to assume that the most common Saturn faults can be fixed with replacement parts at a relatively small expense? If this was the case, I'd be less inclined to hunt down a second Saturn.

I can't stand the thought of being without my it, but I don't want to be out of pocket needlessly either if it's likely these things can be repaired cheaply. I wanted to hear what you guys think.

[mick_aka]

Jan 22, 2010 13:00:48 GMT calmdownmonkey said:

Would you guys consider it economical to keep a spare Saturn

Yes, preferably a few.

Jan 22, 2010 13:00:48 GMT calmdownmonkey said:

is it reasonably safe to assume that the most common Saturn faults can be fixed with replacement parts at a relatively small expense?

No, not a good assumption to make.

Jan 22, 2010 13:00:48 GMT calmdownmonkey said:

I can't stand the thought of being without my it, but I don't want to be out of pocket needlessly either if it's likely these things can be repaired cheaply. I wanted to hear what you guys think.

If I showed you my pile of decaying broken Saturns you would cry, put ypur original Saturn on a shelf somewhere as a conversation piece and get yourself another one.

[calmdownmonkey]

Ouch, that's sad... wonder if we're fast approaching the day when no working Saturns exist!

Alright, I'm going to hunt down a spare then. Hopefully if I get another Model 2 I can reuse my mod chip, however I don't look forward to doing the 50/60 mod again, phew that was fiddly.

[mick_aka]

If you get another model 2 you can just try swapping the laser assembley and power board from the new one onto your old consoles motherboard, easy 10 min job.

[LJay]

in the whole time ive owned mines its been 95% since ive owned it(touch wood ive only had the lines on the screen where you double tap the power button quickly to get it to load)i think i bought i when i was 14!

im waiting on a mate digging out a model 2 for me that he has just incase

[Yart]

Yes. It's cool to have a hundred of one console. So other people looking for one have to pay extra amounts for those "LQQK RARE!!1" auctions on eBay!

I say keep only one. No spares. If it breaks, oh well. Give love to another system while you wait for a new Saturn.

My Saturn bit it during Christmas vacation and I ain't complaining. I'm still waiting on a replacement. I find the less games you have available at a time, the more fun you have with those other games that soon become the only options.

One thing I learned is to not be obsessive. You'll live a happier gamer life that way.

[LJay]

Jan 22, 2010 20:15:44 GMT Yart said:

Yes. It's cool to have a hundred of one console. So other people looking for one have to pay extra amounts for those "LQQK RARE!!1" auctions on eBay!

I say keep only one. No spares. If it breaks, oh well. Give love to another system while you wait for a new Saturn.

My Saturn bit it during Christmas vacation and I ain't complaining. I'm still waiting on a replacement. I find the less games you have available at a time, the more fun you have with those other games that soon become the only options.

One thing I learned is to not be obsessive. You'll live a happier gamer life that way.

imagine not having the option to be able to see all the triangles flying into the Saturn sign on start up,or here Daytona blasting out my tv,or using that pad -yuk!im getting a spare!-an im gonna have a few laps to get rid of the shakes now-horrible thought

i promice once ive got a jap one il not buy any more

[Kibbles]

Jan 22, 2010 20:15:44 GMT Yart said:

Yes. It's cool to have a hundred of one console. So other people looking for one have to pay extra amounts for those "LQQK RARE!!1" auctions on eBay!

I say keep only one. No spares. If it breaks, oh well. Give love to another system while you wait for a new Saturn.

My Saturn bit it during Christmas vacation and I ain't complaining. I'm still waiting on a replacement. I find the less games you have available at a time, the more fun you have with those other games that soon become the only options.

One thing I learned is to not be obsessive. You'll live a happier gamer life that way.

Said the Neo Geo collector.

[Yart]

lol... eh shh... I cut down on that too. I only learned my lesson recently.

Just thought I'd share my words of wisdom from experience.

[termis]

I have a spare saturn tucked away in a box, along with some common spare parts (PSUs, and laser assemblies) ready to go. For my primary saturn, I recently had to adjust my laser potentiometer not too long ago, and it now dumps me back to the bios screen for a certain game, so it might not be long before I use up one of the spare laser assemblies...

It's the only system where I have spares/parts though.

[skippybiz]

If you get a spare I suggest you get a model 1, in my experience they are a hell of alot more reliable then the round buttoned model 2.

[calmdownmonkey]

I have a model 1, but I think my mod chip only works in model 2 - also, I think I remember it being a lot harder to do the 50/60hz modification on a model 1? I may be wrong, but I decided to do the work on my model 2 instead of model 1 and I must've had a reason for it.

[syn]

I guess I'm lucky because only one of my (many) Saturns doesn't work. It happens to be a JP model.

I've found them to be quite reliable.

Hearing talk of stacks of decaying Saturns is a surprise to me!

[TrekkiesUnite118]

Yeah, I've had my Saturn since 1996 and I've never had a problem with it. In fact I'd say it's by far one of my most reliable systems. It's more reliable than my Gamecube and PS2 by a long shot.

Only real issue I've noticed with it is in winter when its dry I may build up static walking on the carpet and I get a shock from a screw on the controller which makes the Saturn freeze.

[clerksfan4life]

I don't normally have spare consoles but I think if I spot a cheap Saturn somewhere I'll pick it up. I have a feeling mine is on it's way out. It's freezing quite frequently, mostly on the start up animation.