Saturn proof-of-concept bootloader Pseudo Saturn

Sorry for the n00bish question, but in future updates of pseudo saturn, will I still need the swap-trick method even if there´s already a pseudo saturn firmware installed in the AR? Also, can I use AR for saving games or I´m stuck with Saturn´s internal memory only? Thanks in advance!

 

No. For the following reasons :
- It won't bring any new feature.
- This works for some (not all) Action Replay carts, and require hardware mod, so it concerns something like 1% of Action Replay users.
- Flasher sources (including the 512KB -> 256KB tweak) will be released. Please do whatever you want with theses sources.
- I made enough technical support for Action Replay cartridges.

It's not possible to put several firmwares on the same Action Replay cartridge.

If Pseudo Saturn is installed, you don't need swap trick method.

Action Replay firmware, as well as Memory Card Plus firmware allow backup cartridge feature, but Pseudo Saturn doesn't.
New release will include memory cart feature. Please be patient.



Here is updated test report :
- cafe-alpha BFBF/0707 SST29EE010 "Write Verification Success" (v3.745)
- TabajaraLabs 0101/2020 AM29F010 "Write Verification Success" (v3.745)
- A Murder of Crows 53BF/4707 Mix of counterfeit/SST29EE010 chips ? "Write Verification Success" (v3.746)
- nastyvandal 5345/4741 SST29EE010 counterfeit ? "Write Verification Success"(3.746)
- Bruno BFBF/1010 SST29EE020 "Write Verification Success" (v3.751)
- Zorlon : BFBF/1010 SST29EE020 "Write Verification Success" (v3.751)
- A Murder of Crows 0101/2020 AM29F010 "Write Verification Success" (v3.747)
- A Murder of Crows : 1F1F/D5D5 AT29C010 "Write Verification Success" (3.751)
- cafe-alpha BFBF/0808 SST29LE010 (GameShark) "Write Verification Success" (v3.750)
- Sonic Dreamcaster 1F1F/D5 AT29C010 "Write Verification Success" (v3.751)

Except BFBF/1212 chip, all known chips have been tested and could be flashed.
Many thanks to beta testers !

 

The only time you need the swap trick is if for some reason it bricks or you revert to the original firmware but otherwise once Pseudo is installed it boots discs directly including the flasher util to update Pseudo

 

One of the original things the AR cart can do is play imports as well. Can you play imports with pseudo installed?

 

Never mind I found a thread that said it does play backup imports.

 

Yeah it's region free

Do take note that is it not 100% perfect as of yet there are a few issue games, not many though with issues, most run perfect.

 

Great I can't wait to be able to save on the AR cart but will save on the console in the meantime. I hope we can move them to the cart later.

 

Hello guys, first post here. I'm really interested in trying out this on my saturn, but here's the problem: my AR4in1 cart isn't working at all. I bought it around 2009 and it has been working fine until last year when it suddenly erased all my saves, and then it just didn't boot up at all anymore, I can't get to the menu screen anymore, like the cart is completely dead. It's in very good condition and I never removed it from the saturn slot, so I doubt it's physically broken. I only removed it recently to try out if the problem was the slot with another save cart, and it's all working okay.
I seem to remember reading (I think around here in assembler) that the cart might get corrupt because of the flash memory and that it can be reflashed with a method similar to the one used with pseudo-saturn, that is, with a CD-R and the disc swap trick.

Anyone got any idea? I really can't spend on another AR cart at the moment, sadly, so if I can savage the one I have it would be most optimal.

Thanks in advance.

 

x

 

Thanks for the quick reply, I really hope it's just the firmware!
So, using pseudo-saturn I could fix it? nice to know because that'd mean I could take 2 birds in one shot.

 

If you flash it with Pseudo I think you will loose the ability to use codes and cheats but sounds like its worth it

 

mine was just like yours when I got it. Reflashed it and it is working

 

Latest/final version of Action Replay flasher utility and source code can be found here.
This version was heavily tested/fixed/improved on real hardware with many different cartridges, so you can use it safely to upgrade or restore your Action Replay cartridge.

Thanks a lot to beta tester for their help
PS to beta testers : I put your test result pictures on my blog. Please let me know if your picture need to be edited or removed.

 

Great work, cafealpha. I´ve just bought myself a Sega Saturn and I´m enjoying the benefits from your work right now. Thank you so much for putting time and effort into it. Do you know what we can possibly expect from new releases?

 

Very nice and thanks ver much, one question please, memory card function always avaliable after flash?

 

Your newest flasher worked on my AR+ 2.02C! Now I don't have to use Atlas Great work cafealpha2!

 

Thank you for using my flasher utility
Yes, I know some of the new features that will be available in future releases.

...

Thank you !
One of the motivations that pushed me to make this flasher was to get rid of the dependency with Atlas flasher, so it's good that you could safely flash your cartridge with my utility

Note to everybody : I didn't made PseudoSaturn firmware itself, so the first person to thanks is CyberWarriorX, not me.

 

Thanks very much.

If you add the memcard function, the flash will be perfect, is it possible one day?

 

Good stuff. I hope it worked out for Zin, too.

 

And region free for official game is always avallable?