Sega Saturn Region Free BIOS

I think 2 separately powered circuits would be worth doing...

So if date/time battery dies - you still have your data. But could just replace the date/time battery when needed. As impressive as your mod is - it would annoy the hell out of me in its current state.

 

Lol. I'm sorry but I feel the same way

 

Just leave your Saturn on 24/7. Maybe install a fan. As long as the disc isn't spinning it shouldn't hurt to leave it on!

 

Guys relax ! I'll think of something as a solution and post here ... :lol:

 

Spiffy. I had suspected as much but I didn't want to wire something up only to be unable to track it down as the problem for weeks on end. Still have a TG16 whose cart slot needs to be rewired for similar reasons...

 

Actually the part number seems to be HD49422 or H49422. The Hitachi date code is the 4H code right under the Hitachi logo.

And I found this chip "A12220" on the GD-ROM board (it's the RF amplifier for the optical pickup) which complete code turns out to be HA12220.

http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/63455/HITACHI/HA12220.html


So yes I am more inclined to believe that the long number is the PART NUMBER, not datecode. The HA12220 chip here has "8K" on it btw... Which matters an scheme where the number is the year it was manufacturated and the letter is the week. :033:

 

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Sadly it's not on the original casing... Which was pretty beaten up and damaged.

This is the current S/N in it:


Original number started with an A I think ... Sorry but back then I was more worried about the fucking hole some idiot made in it to fit an region switch than preserving it's S/N. Today I'd act different. :shrug:

Also, the original Yamaha made power supply it had was blown out and beyond repair quite early on it's life.

Sadly that power supply uses an hybrid module as control circuit so it's pretty much non repairable. >_<

 

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The usual 20 pin JVC drive with Hitachi chipset (ENR-007).

 

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If you hear "20 pin saturn" you can be sure it's an ENR-007 drive. MCU is a Hitachi chip.

The first 21 pin drive was of Matsushita make if I am not mistaken. (the one you mention smaller board, less potentiometers). The MCU in it was Matsushita too.

The second type was the "yellow border board" 21 pin type that was used later on the Saturn life. That unit had an Mitsubishi MCU.

The last drive type was almost exactly same thing as the previous model, but the border of the board is white. It's notorious for taking revenge against chips installed in it. :lol:

Sometimes it gets damaged so badly it doesn't even work for games anymore...

The last few thousands of White Saturn units produced had the two SH2 CPUs fused into a single, large chip. A lot of these units ended here in Brazil as surplus from SOJ. :shrug:

 

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Well I didn't remember well. I was SURE that the CD error correction DSP and RF amplifier were of Matsushita make (the board bears the Matsushita logo too if I am not mistaken...) But yes, there were the same Hitachi MCU as there's on the 20 pins drive but it had an different firmware revision. If you pay attention for the numbers on the chip package, the firmware revision is a 3 digit number at the bottom of the part. "CDM102V" for the ENR-007.

ENR-007 is all built from Hitachi chips, being the odd exception a pair of ROHM chips: mechanical/motors driver (BA6798A) and laser diode power control (BA6358FS). :nod:

 

Whoa :/ My Saturn has this drive installed:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e236/Konsolkongen/HPIM0248.jpg

I believe that's the one you're talking about? So if I install a chip the drive will most certainly die? I don't play pirated games, but I do want a chip so I can play fan translations of Shining Force and the upcomming Dragon Force II

I have this spare drive, it looks the same, but without the white stribe:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e236/Konsolkongen/HPIM0249.jpg

Would that survive a modchip and can I swap it with the other one?

 

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But the other drive I have, would that be a suitable replacement, should this one die?

 

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The Yellow and White border drives are not interchangeable. One of the changes was actually the security mechanism. :lol:

The drives with Mitsubishi MCU are also harder to fool with disc swap. They retry reading the barcode if they detect that you swapped the disc. :lol:

 

You are right. I swapped the drives and it didn't work.

But there are several guides that show how to install modchips on models with the white line. These two links both appear to be for the same kind of chip:
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sega-saturn-mod-chip-installation
http://www.segastyle.com/saturnmod.html

And then there is this kind (which is the kind I have):
http://www.robwebb1.plus.com/saturn/saturnchipguide_2.htm

It seems that the last kind needs a jumper connected to work with the white line drives. Doesn't that mean that there is a good chance that it fixes the problem with the drives dyeing? I doesn't seem anyone in the comment section on Racketboy have had any problems either?

My chip (the second version) is currently installed in a Saturn I gave my dad about a year ago, but as he only has original games he won't mind if I take it His Saturn is model 2 PAL, but I don't remember if it had the white stribe or not.