Saturn proof-of-concept bootloader Pseudo Saturn

I did some more digging to educate myself, SST29LE010 Chips are supported and Direct Save is software related.

Unfortunatly I was unable to boot ARP flasher with swap (Ironically it boots with Pseudo) so I compiled a standalone SGM.iso without the Atlas loader to allow easily re-flashing back to stock, Pseudo can launch Atlas but freezes upon launching a second program.

Results:

Flash PS_0831.BIN - Successful.
Pseudo launch - Successful.
Homebrew test (Wolf4SDL) - Working.

Both SGM and ARP flasher return...
Vendor ID 5345 - UNKNOWN
Device ID 4741 - UNKNOWN

I will update once I re-flash with MCP_001.BIN, that is if I can pry the controller from my brother's hands.

As long as the hotswapped cart is detected properly, but if using SGM you'll need a standalone...

 

Thanks

I am sorry what is it SGM? I use a Saturn NTSC/J and Action pro replay. And with I can hotswap instead of a chiped saturn.

If yes I waiting when start game appears, swap Action pro replay for the non flashed and start for flashing.

 

SGM is the SaveGameManager included in the Atlas Pseudo Installer disc, to launch it with Pseudo it needs to be standalone without the Atlas boot menu or it will freeze. CafeAlpha's flasher will boot with Pseudo.

I believe you can hotswap your non-flashed cart just after booting either disc with Pseudo flashed cart (after start game and flasher utility is loaded) and then proceed to flash. I don't have a second cart to test with so maybe someone else will confirm.

 

CafeAlpha flasher allows you to hotswap the cart.
[the latest flasher had MCP FW as well so you can go back and forth all the way]
The issue is the cart can be ruined during the hotswap, or it can ruin the Sat, there's no sure way to do it.

I did it a couple of times and it worked for me, I was desperate and had a spare Saturn sitting around, nowadays one of my Sat is modchipped so booting the flasher is not an issue.

One version of the CafeAlpha flasher allowed to proceed flashing even if it didn't recognize the flash chip assuming it was ST29010 it works for a few more ST chips but obviously not for all.

Vendor ID 5345 - UNKNOWN -> ascii 5345 = SE
Device ID 4741 - UNKNOWN -> ascii 4741 = GA

My MCP has never been recognized (got 5345-4741) but I opened it up and confirmed the chips either ST29EE010 or ST29LE010 (can't remember) and luckily it all works for me.

 

Thanks, it is possible but can be a bit risky

 

Last think, How fo with multi disc game?

 

Are there any multiple disc games that don't allow saving at the end of each disc? If the games allow this, then it's not a big issue.

 

I have not tried many multi disk games but I can speak for "D" which I completed less than a week ago (ouch!!).

A the end of Disk 1 and before starting Disk 2 you can reset the console (and copy the secrete LAURA___.SAV file as you are at it) and repeat the Pseudo load cycle with Disk 2.
So it works just fine.
[keep in mind that "D" Disk2 deletes the savefile immediately as "D" is supposed to be played in one go, the savefile is a necessity for how the Sat works when it detects that the CD door has been opened]

Panzer Dragoon Saga has issues because it detects the cart as a cheating device and it refuses to start, there are AR codes to patch it but because Pseudo as of now does not support AR codes it's an issue with that one game.
http://www.thewilloftheancients.com/articles/panzer-dragoon-saga-action-replay-codes
[I remember that stock MCP was not detected as cheating device and it could be used for direct saving albeit it is pointless as it corrupts each and every save, but you can use to read your saves (if you copy them there first that is)]
So told, PDS saves at the end of each disk and you can always start from the next one after a reset, I've done it many times (even more PDS saves are compat Jap, Us, Eu so you can even mix and match them).

 

Hello all,
I have read through all the pages of the posts.. it took a while.. but i think i have the gist of it.
How does the code run once its loaded into the cart? My AR has flash memory and some sort of cpu on it aswell. Does the code run in that CPU and talk to the saturn? Or is that CPU just doing the "glue" logic to allow the flash chips to be read?
OR..
Does the code run directly from the flash chips read by the saturn? IF thats the case.. Could you manualy Flash a Flash chip in a normal memory cart aslong as the flash chip has the same addressing lines as the flash on the AR cart?

Were is a copy of the BIN file to try some direct flashing? I have a eprom flasher, so should not be an issue....

Thanks. D.

 

The second. Your "CPU" is probably an ancient programmable logic like PAL or GAL, real CPUs were quite slow these days, they hardly had a chance of serving A-Bus accesses. But still it could be some kind of bus-optimized CPU-like chip. Can you post its marking?

You can do it. But power memory uses different chipselect, and is only 8-bit wide. So you will need to switch it to another chipselect (that's easy, cut one trace and solder one wire) and increase its bus width (that's the hard part : you either must add another flash chip with common address and different data, or use 16-bit chip, both require a lot of hardware cart patching).

 

Interesting.. That gives me a starting spot.. I presume the BIN file inside PseudoSaturn-0.831.zip is the latest code?? That i would need to burn into a X16 flash chip?? As long as i can get a few things right.. will make it easyer to de-bug.
Thanks for the info. D.

 

OK, I re-flashed my MCP to stock through Pseudo.

Results:

Flash MCP_001.BIN - Successful
Memory cart function - Working
Direct save feature - Working
Region bypass feature - Working

Both SGM and ARP Flasher worked perfectly with the exception of ARP Flasher not booting when swapped. Maybe something to do with the disc header / IP ? Anyone else experience this issue?

I would like to express my gratitude to all involved in this wonderful project and again Thank You! Hopefully Pseudo along with other recent exploits will attract more homebrew dev's to the Saturn and save many consoles from swapdeath. To anyone attempting this mod through swap trick PLEASE be careful with your beloved Saturn.

 

Do we have any news about the "imminent" [my word not the cyber-warrior-x or cafe-alpha] Pseudo?
Any update worth sharing?
Things like (in no particular order):
1) game X supported
2) MPEG board boots VCD correctly
3) AR codes supported
4) mem card supported (direct save)
5) integrating with region free BIOS
[none of these features were announced, just my preferences here]

 

When it's done ? It's not like this project is supported by a $10M kickstarter ...

About my version of pseudosaturn :
1) loader compatibility is improved with jhl hack.
2) not tested anything.
3) improved a little code selection menu.
4) save from/to sd card half work. need some extra debug.
5) no. I hate bios chip removal from Saturn motherboard.
6) I plan to add an hardware hack for panzer dragoon saga.

 

Made a sticker for my Pseudo

 

- Bruno 53BF/4707 SST29EE010 "Write Verification Success" (v3.751)

 

Thank you, Bruno !
Please let me know if you have problems with carts with unusual/unknown IDs.

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)
- Bruno 53BF/4707 SST29EE010 "Write Verification Success" (v3.751)

 

CafeAlpha, i sent you a PM. still in a stuck phase.

 

Answered. Sorry I was busy with real life/etc things.

About my version of pseudosaturn (updated 2015/08/21) :
1) loader compatibility is improved with jhl hack ... but don't work on some Saturn (?) ... need some beta testing.
2) not tested anything.
3) improved a little code selection menu.
4) save from/to sd card half work. need some extra debug.
5) no. I hate bios chip removal from Saturn motherboard.
6) I plan to add an hardware hack for panzer dragoon saga ... implemented, but not tested yet (won't be available on Action Replay).
7) Backup Memory Manager finally allows to import saves from SD card. (still need to polish/test some things however)

 

CafeAlpha, i'll likely have a few more ARPs to test in the coming weeks if you have any more testing needed before next release.