Saturn proof-of-concept bootloader Pseudo Saturn

Can I just burn the Atlus disk .iso directly to a disc without the .cue and the .mp3? (Trying to find a program to burn with on OS X and I can't seem to find one that will assuredly burn this particular combination of files.)

 

Many programs can't deal with mp3s in cue filles. Try decoding that mp3 to a wav, and edit the cue file accordingly (obviously the track file name, and also the format identifier - it should say "WAVE"). That should improve compatibility.

 

Do I want to burn in ISO9660 mode? As long as the cue sheet is selected to burn, regardless of the program, the cue sheet will do the work of finding the appropriate files to burn to disk, assuming they are wav, correct? Are there any other things to watch out for when burning the Atlus disk? I just want to get the burn correctly the first time so I don't have to keep doing the swap trick with my Saturn all apart (can damage your motor over time, I hear?). Edit: Figured out how to rip and burn my backups using an older version of ImgBurn (the latest is now riddled with adware) I recommend that anyone looking for a ripping/burning solution find an older version online.

So I managed to boot the Atlas flasher and flash my AR Plus 3 in 1 that I got from play-asia just fine, but I can't seem to get it to boot my backups. It sounds like it's struggling to read the disk (humming, starting and stopping). Then it just cuts to the CD menu. The vendor information wasn't listed on the screen where I flashed it like another cart I saw. Bad flash perhaps? Edit: I am still able to flash back to the AR Plus firmwares using the Atlas Disc, but cafealpha2's flasher will not even attempt to flash it due to an unrecognized device and vendor id (both display as just hex values instead of the vendor name). Final Edit: Got it to work! I had converted the mp3 file bundled with the Atlas disc to wav manually and edited the .cue this must have caused some sort of problem. I simply got a new Atlas disc without modifying anything and passed the .cue off to the software for burning and had the new disc work perfectly.

 

Is this actually safe to use on the Action Replay 4m/1m?

 

That was really, it! I think I was actually burning it fine. It suddenly stopped working so I nudged the cart a little and got it working again. cafealpha2's flasher wasn't even recognizing the cart, I believe.

 

Can we compile at the first post a list with supported action replays cartidges. I have two universal adapters can i use these cartidges?

 

Hello everyone! I'm waiting to get my Action Replay I bought recently, and I have a question:


As I will need to Swap Trick to flash my Action Replay with ATLAS, is it really safe to insert the cartridge with the connected console?

PS: Sorry my bad english, greetings from Brazil!

 

Safe enough yes, but....

You don't need to do that at all you can boot the Action Replay 4M Plus with a retail disc inserted, once at the main menu hit start game then change the disc to the Atlas disc at the normal swap point to boot up the Atlas disc (You don't need to do the full CD-R swap to retail disc then swap back to the CD-R to boot the Atlas disc, the retail to CD-R trick is enough with that disc)

The only time you need to insert the Cart while powered on is if it is bricked (will not boot the cart) use the basic swap trick to boot atlas (the Retail disc to CD-R trick) then insert the cart and go through the flashing part of the atlas disc to restore it or flash it with Pseudo

 

Thanks man! So to say that I only need to perform the swap once right?


Better yet, I will make this method even to make sure everything goes well.

By the way, I did a test and that mp3 file that comes with the ATLAS do not have to give written right? I deleted the MP3 and and CUE file information regarding MP3 and recorded to test on my Saturn.

As a contribution, I pass a link of a Trick Swap method very little known and called "Reset Swap", which is much faster and always works on all games!


http://www.theisozone.com/videos/saturn/tuts/sega-saturn-swap-trick-the-easy-way/

 

Great little app. You guys did a really great job! Hope the project will enter another stages of development and it will support saving games

 

Hi, same error as here?

 

I have a bios-modded region free saturn with a modchip installed, but thought I'd try this anyway as I know some friends who cannot get hold of saturn modchips as Racketboy no longer stocks them. So far using the OP's installer fails on my "Action Replay 4M Plus" (this cart doesn't have the commlink port, and when you open it up, you'll see it is much thinner so lacks the ability to solder one on). I used the 'retry' option, it always fails on flash verification. I've uploaded a screenshot, as well as a photo of the PCB inside the cartridge. May be handy for information on the flash chips used *shrugs*






Of course this AR no longer works at all after all this. I've tried cafealpha2's flash utility but got the same error: verification fails. Though I rather like the CEEFAX style graphics I will admit.

Unsure what to do to revive this cartridge, I tried flashing the "Action Replay (PLUS) V2.02" and lower versions, all came up with write verification failure.
I wasn't aware of this utility until digging through this whole thread, perhaps the OP would like to update his first post with the latest information- including the fact that discs don't need to be patched anymore? I was a little miffed that this flash utility doesn't support the 3D action pad, as I had to dig around my attic for the standard controller I'd stopped using ages ago (and was pondering giving it away). Maybe I was being picky as it was midnight when I tried this and there's no lighting up in my attic. Then I read SaveGameManager run via "Atlas" might work, but the rapidshare link no longer works. This one from Isozone does: http://cloudstor.es/file/m1_MTI1Mjk/
I needed to edit the image to add the Pseudo Saturn firmware to it, so I did so using PowerISO. PowerISO refused to overwrite as the image is MDF, so I saved a new image. Only, when I played it on the Saturn, I got "Disc unsuitable for this system".

WHAT? My Saturn has a region-free bios, that error message is not meant to appear ever! Eventually after a lot of hair loss I discovered that when saving as a new image from scratch, the headers are messed up, and the bios won't recognize the resulting CD as a Saturn application. Even if you use Saturn Region Patcher, it won't work. So I downloaded the whole "The Rockin-B Allstars" image which is based on Atlas http://cloudstor.es/f/gnw/ and was pleased to find it was a direct ISO file already. Edited the image to add the Pseudo Saturn firmware file and burned. But, the Saturn only recognized the resulting CD as a music CD. Damn! Tried opening it with Saturn Region Patcher, only to be told it's not a valid Saturn image. Eventually actually bothered to read how Atlas works. Basically you have to use the CD Image creator from the Rockin-B website and put the firmware file in place before running a batch script. FINALLY a CD that boots, FINALLY I can open the SaveGameManager application, and attempt a flash again. SUCCESS!

The PseudoSaturn firmware is finally working on the cartridge. Although it doesn't allow multi chainloading (attempting to launch anything from Atlas results in a loop back to Atlas) it does boot burnt discs without a modchip in the Saturn (I removed the modchip temporarily to test) and works for most games. I think the Atlas loop glitch might well be because Sega never intended for there to be this many bootloaders involved. But I'm not willing to look further into that as I'm exhausted now and my bedroom has wasted CD's all over the floor that I ended up stamping on in my frustration. To save anyone else the hassle, I've uploaded my working Atlas CD image here: http://gargoyle.acns.pns.edu/saturn/atlas_with_pseudosaturn.zip . This contains the (as of this post) current firmware (version 0.831) as 8031.BIN in the FIRMWARE folder on the CD. I hope my rather detailed post is helpful to anyone to relieve from having to go through all this trail and error. A valuable lesson here: Do not attempt to edit Saturn CD images directly, always generate them from scratch! Also, SaveGameManager is a lifesaver! I'm going to bed... zzzz

 

I believe that's the error that I had. Try raising the cart 1-2mm, as I finally realized that was the problem I was having.

 

Hey guys! Today arrived my Action Replay and I could rewrite it with the Pseud, using the Atlas Disc.

It Works Like a boss!

Thank you to everyone involved in this project, finally after years of waiting, someone discovered a cheaper and simpler solution to run backup games on Sega Saturn without mod chip!

 

Glad you were able to flash successfully! I just wanted to add that raising the cart 1-2mm seems to solve an issue I was having where some games would occasionally boot with washed-out looking colors. Don't really know what thats about. Maybe the color palette depends on RAM on the cart?

 

I have a quite regular action replay, at least at first glance.

But when i try to flash it, it tells me the device is not supported. 53BF 4707. I cant believe im the only one with this revision of the action replay cartridge.

Any ideas?

 

I don't know if it's been mentioned here but you can always flash your 4in1 back to stock with the Rockin' B's demo disc. May even flash the ROM that's in the Pseudo Saturn ISO.

 

Is this project done or is it still evolving?

Given that it seems now it can flash a MemCard Plus it should be noted that MemCard Plus not only was a region free boot cart but was also an extended save cart (well it was advertised as such duh )... however because of compression (4:1 attempted) and badly implemented timing not all games would save fine with it.
In specific saving more than one Sega Touring Car Championship ghost would not fail but simply there's not space for the second ghost so it will silently ignore the request and report success (as if) ... also Panzer Dragoon Saga although it can save directly to it generates corrupted saves (cannot be reloaded) funny part is that if instead you save to the internal save memory then copy it over via Sat system mem browser then PDS is fine.

My point is that studying the firmware of such card may help in achieving save mem compat.

On a different note only AR can allow a Jap VCD card to play VCD on US Sat, with the MemCard Plus you get the dreaded "Disc not suitable" .... that is to say that the best region free code was on the AR although the MemCard Plus allowed it as well and the feature was not even advertised but it works most of the time (I guess that's the Plus in the name).

I'm really looking forward to a PseudoSaturn FW that enables save mem + backup mem (where appropriate) on the rightful device.
It will already be a big step forward if the MemCard Plus stops trying to do fake 4:1 compression (sometimes it worked but when the math was wrong then the save would fail with no message .... savegame bye bye ;-)), not sure MemCard Plus can achieve backup mem functionality or AR can achieve save mem status.

Again my point is that studying both FWs there could be enough to get both features in prototype form.

[in any case big thank you to the gentlemen who achieved backup playability without modchip at all .... I guess now it's just a matter to make new "AR" cheaply with the Pseudo Saturn FW ... well now we can call it Backup Saturn FW as the Pseudo part was only used as a proof of concept and what a concept it was;-)]

Just speculating here ... I've been out of Sat gaming for so long ... sorry if I am a little enthusiastic!!!

 

Yeah.. I would really appreciate the ability to play my VCD's again.. lol.

 

I don't know where the OP is but last I checked he hadn't been here in over a month and I would like to ask him if he has made any progress towards simply modding the AR/GS firmwares to allow them to boot the games so we can get all the features back.

I check this thread almost every day just to see if there is any update.