Saturn X-Terminator v3.

I've heard rumors about the X3 having RAM expansion capabilities but as I recall, it never worked with 1MB or 4MB games. I did see "SNK" in the manual a couple times so I'll have to try a couple 1MB games again with my working unit and make sure. I'll post results here.

I'll need to round up a PLCC adapter for my programmer before I can flash the A26C010 chips but I'm not sure how to correctly split the X3 ROM that I posted earlier.

UPDATE:

Samurai Spirits (Shodown) 3 gives an error about missing the 1MB RAM expansion:



Metal Slug gives the same error:


I can confirm both of these titles work with my Action Replay Plus & the original RAM carts they came with. Maybe starting a game with RAM expansion is a menu item I need to select but that would be odd. I don't know why it would be required to start without this feature by default, unless the RAM expansion feature was incompatible with certain titles or maybe incompatible with the cheat search function.

 

x

 

I've successfully byteswapped & split the new "headered" ROM for EEPROM burning. As it turns out, I needed to split the BIN file into even/odd. The files match the original dumps I started with, only with the Action Replay header injected into them.

I'm assuming the only reason the header was missing from the original ROMs, is due to the method used to dump them. Can anyone confirm that these are how the files should be to be burned to EEPROMs?

Files are attached:

 

So, does your utility have the ability to dump my 3.52J firmware? I don't have an analog phone line to upload the files with a Netlink modem but I do have Saturn floppy drives. If I dump the firmware to a floppy, would I be able to send the image to you digitally? I don't know of any way to get the Saturn floppy contents to a PC.

 

Did you setup your X-Terminator as described in its manual's page 15 ?
1. Plug X-Terminator cartridge, then power on Saturn
2. From main menu, select "ノーマルゲーム" (normal game).
3. Select "ダイレクトセーブ無" (disable direct save), then start game.
* When extra RAM is used, other extra features can't be used. Also, extra RAM is limited to 1MB.

I'm OK to translate X-Terminator manuals, but that may require some time until I finish to translate. (they are a bit longer than expected, but they describe logic behind cheat codes, which is cool )
And, can I host your Japanese PDFs as well as your ROM on my homepage ?

I confirm theses are error screens due to the lack of 1MB RAM.

Yes, enabling extra RAM requires some non-default setup, in order to disable other X-Terminator features.

I have no idea why the header is missing. That's just 128 bytes on each chips, so there's no reasons to miss it when dumping flash ROM.

I don't have any experience in flashing ROM directly to a chip, sorry.

As far I know, Saturn floppy disc file format is not documented, so dumping ROM to floppy disc unfortunately doesn't helps a lot.
Do you have a modchipped Saturn ? It's necessary in order to run dump utility. (swap trick can do the job too, but modchip is a bit safer)
And do you have a Saturn <-> PC link device such as USB Data Link ?
-> One solution would be to dump X-Terminator ROM to floppy, then download it to PC via USB Data Link and some custom utility on Saturn side (I can do the Saturn utility jobs).

 

I selected the first option to start the Gane normally as it's the only menu option I knew would start the game. I don't read or speak Japanese. I'll try the option you suggested and report back.

You are welcome to do as you wish with the manuals. I posted them for anyone to use and in the hopes of them being translated for everyone.

I don't have a Comms Link card or a USB Data Link, sorry.

I have successfully desoldered the flash chips from my non working unit as well as a Gameshark I never plan to use (It's a model with the thick PCB guilty of killing Saturn cartridge slots). I just harvested its flash chips. I also have a bricked Gameshark Pro 3.0 for N64 that uses the same type and needs repair so I've desoldered its chips as well.

I'm waiting on an ADP-005, extra flash chips and sockets. I'm hoping I can solder the sockets on both the X3 and the N64 Gameshark. I might actually get them to fit as the sockets have very thin walls.

When the parts get here, I will attempt to flash the 3.10J ROM to them and see if I can revive the dead boards and let you know.

Maybe I can get ahold of a USB Data Link, in the future, and dump my working 3.52J ROMs and share them here.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware the X3 had direct save abilities as I've never tried viewing the cart contents via the Saturn's memory manager.

 

Metal Slug booted fine with the option you suggested from the X3 menu. It's a bit strange as it's not just a standard option you select.

After selecting "Start Normally" the first option, you have to use the L & R shoulder buttons in a sub menu, to toggle two options on and off. The selection you pointed out and another selection I'm not sure about. (see screenshots below)

And yes, I have mod chips on several different models of Saturn.

 

This menu is one of the places where my ROM differs from the one that Porchy dumped.

When I go into the sub menu to "Start Game Normally", my 3.52J ROM has two options:

Start Game with Direct Save ON/OFF
Backup CD ON/OFF

The 3.10J ROM has only Start Game With Direct Save & Start Game Without Direct Save:



I'm not exactly sure if the Backup CD is referring to running a backup, backing a CD up to a PC or what. I haven't gotten that far on translating the menus.


UPDATE:

I tried booting a backup in an un-modded US Saturn, using the Backup CD option in the X3 menu and the system booted to the CD player with this message, overlaid on the "Checking Disc Format".



I literally had two menus overlapping each other for a couple seconds. Afterwards, my system refused US discs, original or burned. Only Japanese originals would boot but after hitting "A", the only character I understood in the menu, the CD player would reboot with another message and I assumed I was suppose to put in an original then try a backup but nothing worked.

Somehow, I think my X3 temporarily modified my BIOS or at least booted one of its own to accomplish this. I still don't understand what's going on but I can say that I've never scene a cartridge boot to the BIOS with its own message sprawled across the screen.

Maybe this is for legitimately using your own backups and the system gives you time to swap out you original with a backup of the same disc. I recognize the words "Master CD" on the first screen and "Backup CD" on the second. The rest is harder to decipher.

 

Thank you !

OK, please keep me informed

Yes, that would be great. But please note that USB Data Link as-is can't dump saves from Saturn floppy disc.
It's technically possible to do that, but requires a Saturn utility in order to read the save to Saturn RAM, so that it can be accessed from USB Data Link.

I actually didn't knew about that too. Regarding direct-save feature, it seems similar to Memory Card Plus : a boot cartridge that shows up as a big memory cartridge from BIOS or games.
This direct save feature prematurely damages flash chips, which may explain why many non-working X-Terminator can be found in the wild.

Great ! 1MB RAM was (probably) initially added for cheat codes stuff, which may explain why SNK games support is hidden in non-default settings.
"バックアップCD" refers to "backup CD", as you pointed in your next post.

Great ! I just sent you a PM :]

 

I replied

 

Hey Guys

I have an Xterminator cart and a USB Datalink, as well as fully modified saturns. Perhaps I can help here.

 

I replied Sorry for the delay. Busy at work.

Great ! That helps
I plan to add a feature that would compress then copy cartridge ROM to Saturn internal backup memory, so that it would be possible to dump it from USB Data Link after that.
Since internal backup memory size = 32KB and cartridge ROM size = 256 KB, ROM will have to be dumped in several times (up to 9), but at least dumping cartridge without the need to dismantle it would be possible.
I keep you informed when such feature will be available. Maybe this year ... depends on my motivation and my free time

 

Side note, I also have the floppy drive, a null link cable, a pair of Netlinks with a line simulator, and somewhere i've got an original PC Comms Link card, though I don't think i have a built system that can use it.

 

What version is your X3?

I should open my working X3 and make sure it's the same board as the one I'm repairing. If it's different, I'll take some pics and get them uploaded.

Update: It's the same board. Maybe different brands with components but the exact same design.

 

oO
That's more than enough in order to dump a ROM You probably will want to use the floppy + USB Data Link solution, since this is the simplest one. I will keep you updated when Save Data Manager will be available.
BTW, What is the firmware version of your X-Terminator ? That would be cool if different ROMs could be dumped.



To anyone with enough knowledge or experience about legal stuff :
The company who manufactured X-Terminator still exists, and manual mentions that copying it is forbidden ... so what's the risk to put a translated version of X-Terminator manual on an homebrew homepage ?!?

 

I would imagine, if the company had any problem at all with documentation that old, it would be with the actual duplication of the manual itself (which is what I did). I don't see how they could have any issues with creating a translation of that manual, especially if the translation was in your own words but that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

 

By the way, there's supposedly a 3.53J ROM in the wild (newer than my 3.52J). I don't know if it's ever been dumped but I've read a few posts over the years about it being the latest version. Maybe we'll get lucky and A Murder Of Crows has that version

 

That's a nearly vintage device (manual is dated 1998 November 13), not supported/sold/whatever by its maker, and we are making documentation and preservation around it (= not making money with product from somebody else). So it would be surprising to get bothered with legal stuff ... but who know, some companies can be noisy when dealing with copyrights or patents.
I have no knowledge about such legal risk when doing abandonware related things, so if someone could share his knowledge or experience, that would be appreciated

I have no idea if it was already dumped or not, and I personally would be interested even if version is older than your 3.52J : it's better to dump ROMs while it's still possible to do it

 

Agreed

 

i haven't been getting responses to this thread, sorry all/

@AtariBorn , try this for me:

1. Open up an unmodified saturn and tape down the lid sensor as you would in the swap trick
2. Start up the X-Term and try that Backup CD option again. Use an original disc for that region saturn in the tray.
3. Keep the lid open and see if the disc stops spinning after you initiate the option. If it does, pop the disc out and swap it with a backup. I'd say try it with a japanese region encoded backup.

If i'm correct, that feature on the X3 is the same as the one on the Magic Card V2, used to help boot backups using the swap trick method by stopping the motor, similar to what was done back on the modified gamesharks/action replays for Caetla and EZ-O-Ray in the late PS1 days.

@cafealpha2 : My X-Term's firmware is older for sure. I was hoping to update it. I'm also hoping it can be translated into english

I've got the Bluetooth data link on my work bench and will pull out the floppy drive tonight for testing.

You know, speaking of translation projects, that's another one that would be REALLY nice to have.