Sega Saturn Region Free BIOS

If you find yourself bridging connections left and right you should get more practice. I flux the pads, align the chip and solder the pins one by one. I'm sure drag soldering would work.

Personally I use a flux with the consistency of lotion.

 

from what i seen you say is this the method? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eApVG5GjLbU

 

Basically, yes. I rarely have problems if I do it right.

 

Thank you APE . im looking forward to this project and the dreamcast region free project (with a switch installed to switch between bios). i know this is gonna be kinda off topic but when i do the dreamcast region free mod would i add a little more solder to the pads of the existing bios so i can slide the solder up onto the region free bios?

 

I do drag soldering, its quicker.

 

Oh it is, but old habits die hard. Drag soldering is a lot better for RAM installs on the XBox by far.

 

This chip does support PAL games as well as JP games on a US console, correct? I know it doesn't handle 50/60hz switching but that should be okay for PAL releases that aren't optimized such as Panzer Dragoon Saga.

 

yes

 

Do I need to reset the jumper bridges and such from the switchless region mod before this will work? Or can I just install the chip?

 

Well you probably can re-wire things into a 50/60hz switchless mod. I would expect region jumpers do nothing with a region free BIOS installed?

One thing I've been curious about, is the trigger Soukyugurentai uses to select its incomplete English mode remnants. Update copies like mine don't have that.

 

I don't have a 50/60 since I'm US and I'm just looking for US -> JP. That's encouraging about the jumpers. I won't bother reverting them then.

I have the Otokuyo version of Souky but I could test the CD-R of the original.

 

True. Save that idea for later. The majority of PAL games are fine. 100% wonderful full speed, full screen, full color.
Once you do encounter 50/60 issues... You'll already know how to begin fixing it. :encouragement:

 

So I got it finished and I get no video when I boot up. Any ideas?

EDIT: Checked my legs on the pin and some were up. Works great now, although it breaks whenever I hook up my backup modchip for CD-Rs.

I thought this was supposed to work with the old CD-R modchips?

EDIT 2: DERP! Had the modchip in backwards

 

Good to hear. Companies sure don't make it easy. Multiple separate mods for systems to do everything.

 

Very true. It's definitely a shame that there was no way to get backup/authentication support in the BIOS chip and make modchips obsolete.

 

I suppose so but it simply has little to do with the security for optics. All we need at this point is someone to clone the chips but fact of the matter is you'd have to make a lot of them to break even with no guarantee to sell even half.

 

Hey everyone,
Just got the chips, thank you bad_ad84. Just got done doing the mod again and once again the black screen . i put a disc in and it seems to load up a disc fine though,
i noticed the pattern with the access light. I did manage to get to get the chip in but it seemed like on pin 10 and the pin across from it were soldered in pretty good.
I tried a couple times but no avail so what i did was lifted those pins and rerouted it to the bottom of the board. but while the solder was on the rest of the holes i managed to somehow lift half a pad (weird)
but i soldered it on to the half of the pad. while i was removing the original bios i was using a hobby knife and draging it across the pins to break it off i made a mistake and managed to hit the board (embarrassing) but i checked the traces that the hobby knife hitted and it was fine (used a multimeter). I was trying my best to be very carefull fuck i feel stupid. Heres a pic of my board before the mod was done.


is my board done for, or do i still have another chance/sent in for repair?
*Edit* just tested some pads and it seems some of them are not conneted but im still inspecting

 

I'd find someone more experienced to check it. Better than risking anything else.

 

Im doing a check list right now and i managed to see one pad that wasent connected. im using continuity mode.
i think the one pad was the problem. i think ill try it one more time and if it doesnt prevail then sent to repair it goes.

*my checklist*
Starting from the Bottom
-------------------------

Pad 1 = Ok
Pad 2 = Ok
Pad 3 = Ok
Pad 4 = Ok
Pad 5 = Bad
Pad 6 = Ok
Pad 7 = Ok
Pad 8 = ? (Other Side Of Board)
Pad 9 = ? (Other Side Of Board)
Pad 10 = ? (Other Side Of Board)
Pad 11 = ? (Other Side of Board)
The Rest on the bottom (Other side of the board)

Starting from the Top
------------------------
Pad 1 = ? (Other Side of board)
Pad 2 = Ok'
Pad 3 = Ok
Pad 4 = ? (Other Side of board)
Pad 5 = Ok
Pad 6 = OK
Pad 7 = ? (Other side of board)
Pad 8 = ? (Other Side of board)
Pad 9 = Ok
The rest of the top (Other Side of the board)

*Edit* Just Finished Testing the traces on the bottom of the board and seems like pad 5 on the bottom is bad (Went By the view im looking at on the board)
Still going. ive done alot of research before attemping this, Youtube, sites etc. ive successfully done the dreamcast mod with the switch, Modded the saturn chip to fit the model 1 and modded my ps1 as well (SCPH-5501).

*Another Edit* w00t its working now thank you!

 

If you do more VA0 consoles, Id suggest putting a socket in.

The 2 pins you had problems with were probably ground or something.

You could cut the chip out, then heat the remaining leg from the bottom of the board with your soldering iron and pull the leg out from the top.