Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)  (Read 4138 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Howard_Casto

  • Idiot Police
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19399
  • Last login:March 16, 2024, 05:59:16 pm
  • Your Post's Soul is MINE!!! .......Again??
    • The Dragon King
Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« on: September 08, 2017, 10:11:55 pm »
So I've spent the better part of the evening trying to perform the disc swap trick to no avail.  I wanted to make sure I could do it before ordering an action replay to flash.  I don't think I have a snowball's chance in hell of pulling it off. 

So what about mod chips?  Do they even still sell them for the Saturn these days?

They have pre-flashed action replays on ebay, but that sucks because I have amazon credit I'd rather use instead.  I'm not even 100% sure the discs are burning ok.  The cd/dvd writer in my desktop died on me so I hooked up an ancient IDE one via a usb adapter.  They seem to be burned correctly.... I mean verify in imgburn returned an ok and I can play the soundtrack to the panzer dragoon disc on the Saturn. 

I'm just wondering if this is going to result in a rabbit hole of having to buy a bunch of crap to get things working.... modchip, dvd drive, new discs, ect.....

So anyway, modchip or premodded action replay?  Where can I find modchips with a good price? ect. ect.

B2K24

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 216
  • Last login:May 10, 2023, 09:33:05 pm
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2017, 11:20:46 pm »
I thought you were a Hacker and you can't even do a simple swap trick? Did you look at videos on YouTube?

Howard_Casto

  • Idiot Police
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19399
  • Last login:March 16, 2024, 05:59:16 pm
  • Your Post's Soul is MINE!!! .......Again??
    • The Dragon King
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2017, 11:35:41 pm »
Don't need drive by insults, thanks. 


Howard_Casto

  • Idiot Police
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19399
  • Last login:March 16, 2024, 05:59:16 pm
  • Your Post's Soul is MINE!!! .......Again??
    • The Dragon King
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2017, 01:42:33 am »
Got it sorted.  Some of my blank discs were apparently defective, the usb drive I was using was also hosed, and after completely ignoring the recommendation to burn the games at the lowest speed the games boot.  I've got to burn the games on an old laptop for the time being, but that's fine.  I guess I'll go in a time machine and buy a dvd burner. ;) Honestly I haven't touched discs since I was playing with my dreamcast a couple of years ago.  Frikkin hate discs....  if the sd mod ever becomes affordable this baby is getting modded. 

Anyway, I would still like some advice.  Apparently the pseudo Saturn firmware ruins the pro action replay for save backups and cheat codes and most people recommend buying two carts.  Since my last post I stumbled upon a Canadian fellow that sells mod chips for about 18 bucks.  Is there any benefit to using two carts instead of a modchip and a cart (for region locking)?

pbj

  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10871
  • Last login:Yesterday at 11:58:22 pm
  • Obey.
    • The Chris Burke Band
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2017, 03:02:00 am »
You can flash the carts to play burnt discs?  If so, mouthy 90s me is vindicated.  Saturn drive motor was pretty loud, swapping discs was fairly easy.  I paid like $19 20 years ago for a modchip from Australia. 

Howard_Casto

  • Idiot Police
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19399
  • Last login:March 16, 2024, 05:59:16 pm
  • Your Post's Soul is MINE!!! .......Again??
    • The Dragon King
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2017, 04:53:32 pm »
No.  You can reprogram the cart to act as a mod chip with the 4mb ram expansion.  In theory you could put a game on there but I doubt most would fit. 

They do make a sd card adapter, but it's $100+ and I'm far too cheap for that and they are done in small batches, making them hard to get ahold of. 

ark_ader

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5645
  • Last login:March 02, 2019, 07:35:34 pm
  • I glow in the dark.
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2017, 05:34:19 pm »
Got it sorted.  Some of my blank discs were apparently defective, the usb drive I was using was also hosed, and after completely ignoring the recommendation to burn the games at the lowest speed the games boot.  I've got to burn the games on an old laptop for the time being, but that's fine.  I guess I'll go in a time machine and buy a dvd burner. ;) Honestly I haven't touched discs since I was playing with my dreamcast a couple of years ago.  Frikkin hate discs....  if the sd mod ever becomes affordable this baby is getting modded. 

Anyway, I would still like some advice.  Apparently the pseudo Saturn firmware ruins the pro action replay for save backups and cheat codes and most people recommend buying two carts.  Since my last post I stumbled upon a Canadian fellow that sells mod chips for about 18 bucks.  Is there any benefit to using two carts instead of a modchip and a cart (for region locking)?

Don't get me wrong on this Howard, as I am a recent convert to using publicly available commercial games from a government endorsed website, I think you should buck the trend and get original games off ebay.  You seem to be a man of wealth, so a few bucks to pay for a lot auction shouldn't hurt you, and it shows that you are giving back to the capitalistic deity which we all pray to on payday.
If I had only one wish, it would be for three more wishes.

Howard_Casto

  • Idiot Police
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19399
  • Last login:March 16, 2024, 05:59:16 pm
  • Your Post's Soul is MINE!!! .......Again??
    • The Dragon King
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2017, 07:07:40 pm »
You must have confused me with someone that isn't poor white trash from Cabin Creek, WV.  I'm probably one of the poorest people on here.  A few Saturn games are in the reasonable-ish $20-25 range but they go way up from there.  I can't really afford to collect for the Saturn. 

thomas_surles

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2115
  • Last login:June 19, 2023, 07:20:00 pm
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2017, 08:11:37 am »

ark_ader

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5645
  • Last login:March 02, 2019, 07:35:34 pm
  • I glow in the dark.
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2017, 03:37:24 am »
You must have confused me with someone that isn't poor white trash from Cabin Creek, WV.  I'm probably one of the poorest people on here.  A few Saturn games are in the reasonable-ish $20-25 range but they go way up from there.  I can't really afford to collect for the Saturn.

That might work for the tax man, but not on here buddy.   ;D
If I had only one wish, it would be for three more wishes.

Howard_Casto

  • Idiot Police
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19399
  • Last login:March 16, 2024, 05:59:16 pm
  • Your Post's Soul is MINE!!! .......Again??
    • The Dragon King
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2017, 12:28:19 pm »
So now you are calling me a liar.  Why the hell don't you go away and quit trolling these forums?  Seriously, just go. 

Mike A

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5884
  • Last login:Yesterday at 01:43:45 pm
  • This plan is foolproof
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2017, 12:49:21 pm »
You probably shouldn't be so sensitive to name calling Howard. You flat out called me stupid for daring to sort of disagree with you.
Ark is definitely a ---meecrob--- and should go pound sand.
Howard you are a positive contributor that has been here forever. Maybe you should think twice before insulting someone.

Howard_Casto

  • Idiot Police
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19399
  • Last login:March 16, 2024, 05:59:16 pm
  • Your Post's Soul is MINE!!! .......Again??
    • The Dragon King
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2017, 02:33:25 pm »
I never insulted you.  I called you stupid, while you were being stupid.  I'm fat and bald.  If you call me fat and bald I don't get offended because you just observed me and declared what you saw.  Now I am sorry that I worded it poorly, I truly am, but you frustratingly seemed to keep ignoring the laws of business that I was explaining to you.  I didn't make them up dude, they call them the laws of economics for a reason.  I wrote this big long reply but realized it was far too harsh and I like you, so I deleted it.  So you see, I do think before I reply. 

I don't get why you keep saying I'm insulting people though... I never do that unless someone else does it first because I was picked on mercilessly as a kid and as an adult I don't take crap from anyone, period. 

I'm not sensitive when it comes to most things.  Excuse me for getting offended when I tell someone something that I've been pretty adamant about keeping out of discussions in this forum, just to be straight with them, even if I find my current financial situation embarrassing, and they flat out say I'm lying about it. 

Anyway, I like you a lot man and you need to understand that when I don't let these discussions go, it's because I have something to teach.  I don't do it to be right, despite what others might think, I do it because I see someone that is woefully wrong and I want to help them.  I want everybody to be right... it's about lifting people up, not pushing them down.   

If you want to learn more about what we were talking about in the previous thread here's where I suggest you start:

http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/Supply.html

The law of supply and demand can be a hard concept for some people to grasp, but once you do, you understand that, unless a business is intentionally trying to sabotage themselves, there are certain things that they will never do, because it violates the law and they won't make nearly as much profit.

I'm sure you'll take this the wrong way and get offended and I hate that, but the only way to understand other people is through communication and this is the best way I can communicate my thoughts and feelings right now giving my current stress levels.  By calling you stupid last time I failed you because I should have known that would end the discussion and I am sorry for that.  My words failed me at the time. 

Mike A

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5884
  • Last login:Yesterday at 01:43:45 pm
  • This plan is foolproof
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2017, 02:55:13 pm »
Calling someone stupid is an insult to anybody who has self respect.

I run a successful business. I really don't need a lesson in economics. A discussion of economics would have been fine. Your tone is condescending. Maybe you don't realize it. You talk about teaching people because they are wrong and you are right. That is not how discussions between adults work.

I respect your passion for your beliefs. I respect your contributions to this hobby that stretch back years. I respect your intellect. I do not like the way that you speak to me.

We are cool going forward. I just know to leave Nintendo alone. ;)





yotsuya

  • Trade Count: (+21)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19955
  • Last login:Yesterday at 10:19:17 pm
  • 2014 UCA Winner, 2014, 2015, 2016 ZapCon Winner
    • forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,137636.msg1420628.html
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #14 on: September 11, 2017, 03:05:46 pm »
I support both of you in telling Ark to pound sand, though. U.N.I.T.Y.
***Build what you dig, bro. Build what you dig.***

Mike A

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5884
  • Last login:Yesterday at 01:43:45 pm
  • This plan is foolproof
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #15 on: September 11, 2017, 03:16:10 pm »
Oh. Make no mistake. If I met Howard I would definitely drink beers with him. Our difficulty lies in different ways of expressing ourselves. We can get past that.

Ark is a ---meecrob---. He thinks he is way more clever than he is.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2017, 03:17:45 pm by Mike A »

ark_ader

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5645
  • Last login:March 02, 2019, 07:35:34 pm
  • I glow in the dark.
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #16 on: September 11, 2017, 11:59:20 pm »
Oh. Make no mistake. If I met Howard I would definitely drink beers with him. Our difficulty lies in different ways of expressing ourselves. We can get past that.

Ark is a ---meecrob---. He thinks he is way more clever than he is.

I'm more intelligent than all three of you and your outpouring of emotion bears whitness.   :dunno

Howard I'm not calling you a liar, but you are always posting things you found in gaming shops and wallymart.  It takes resources to do that, and you sound like a wealthy man.  I do not sound all that glamorous to the tax man either, and nor would I try to make him think otherwise.  Your outburst is noted and I apologize if I offended you in any way.  Your contribution to our hobby is immense, and we all thank you and respect you for it. I am going to Vegas this weekend, I'll stop at a game store that sells retro and if I find any fun Saturn games I'll post them to you.  :)

Mike, you are a bigger ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- than I am, and in no way more intelligent.  You are just fake news.  You ran a business?  Was it daddy's business?  Howard is right, you are stupid.  Please don't change Mike, I like you just the way you are.  :lol

Yot, please  :censored: off back to your EE knitting circle and quit trolling me.   You can poke the bear all you want, just be civil about it.  Just recently you have been a real jerk about your funfair.  I wish now I didn't offer you any assistance like a good Christian would.  I will pray for you again tonight.  Go read the board rules again.  :bat
« Last Edit: September 12, 2017, 12:10:22 am by ark_ader »
If I had only one wish, it would be for three more wishes.

yotsuya

  • Trade Count: (+21)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 19955
  • Last login:Yesterday at 10:19:17 pm
  • 2014 UCA Winner, 2014, 2015, 2016 ZapCon Winner
    • forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,137636.msg1420628.html
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #17 on: September 12, 2017, 12:06:30 am »
Oh. Make no mistake. If I met Howard I would definitely drink beers with him. Our difficulty lies in different ways of expressing ourselves. We can get past that.

Ark is a ---meecrob---. He thinks he is way more clever than he is.

I'm more intelligent than all three of you and your outpouring of emotion bears whitness.   :dunno

Howard I'm not calling you a liar, but you are always posting things you found in gaming shops and wallymart.  It takes resources to do that, and you sound like a wealthy man.  I do not sound all that glamorous to the tax man either, and nor would I try to make him think otherwise.  Your outburst is noted and I apologize if I offended you in any way.  Your contribution to our hobby is immense, and we all thank you and respect you for it.

Mike, you are a bigger ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- than I am, and in no way more intelligent.  You are just fake news.  You ran a business?  Was it daddy's business?  Howard is right, you are stupid.

Yot, please  :censored: off back to your EE knitting circle and quit trolling me.   You can poke the bear all you want, just be civil about it.  Just recently you have been a real jerk about your funfair.  I wish now I didn't offer you any assistance like a good Christian would.  I will pray for you again tonight.  Go read the board rules again.  :bat

Trolling YOU? Don't flatter yourself, pumpkin. You're the one poking your nose into threads.
***Build what you dig, bro. Build what you dig.***

Mike A

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5884
  • Last login:Yesterday at 01:43:45 pm
  • This plan is foolproof
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #18 on: September 12, 2017, 03:28:33 am »
 :laugh2:

tykenfitz

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 59
  • Last login:January 16, 2020, 02:52:53 pm
Re: Sega Saturn modding woes. (Need advice)
« Reply #19 on: September 29, 2017, 07:13:22 am »
Howard, did you end up going with the Action Replay flash?

I just bit the bullet and ordered one on Amazon, so I'd like to know it went for ya.  So far I was able to boot a backup game w/ the swap trick, so I guess the flash should work.  :dunno
Die Hard Arcade conversion to RetroPie