hi there, i just ran into some problems with my Model 1 PAL Saturn. Because I only have 2 games for the system (getting some more soon i hope), i'm using it atm mostly as an oversized CD Player. Well yeah, and today, while listening to a CD, suddenly the BG layers(?) - you know, the starfield, BG of the controls, the "sound cube-thingys" etc. - vanished/blacked out. The sprites were the only things left on the screen - CD control buttons, track/time display, button descriptions. It returned to normal when I entered and exited the system config screen. It happened later again (2 or 3 times). Do you have any idea what happens there and what i could do against it? (hope that post is understandable, i'm German and my english it not that great...)
wow, that sounds cool . I'd love to see that. I remember seeing something like that happen a while ago on a friends Mega CD. THe main CD player was missing but the background was still there. Yakumo
my Saturn also has an odd problem with the video... after I tried to install a 50/60hz switch and I decided it was too difficult, I desoldered the switch again and permanently shorted JP1. However, now my Saturn displays some odd shadowing effect from bright shapes onto darker areas, for instance on the buttons in the CD player :smt017 My guess is it's some teensy solder trace left somewhere but I havent found it yet :smt022 xdaniel: The only thing I know of that might be remotely helpful would be opening your Saturn and checking for any out of the ordinary collections of dust on the motherboard... my slightly educated guess is that there's something wrong with the VDP2 chip, perhaps there's a short on the pins or something.
ok... i opened the Saturn, made my way to the mainboard, checked everything, put it back together and it seems that the problem is gone... Played some tracks in the CD Player, then a few "test rounds" of Panzer Dragoon - nothing wrong. But, well, something was a bit weird anyway: there was almost no dust inside the system. Whoever owned the system before me did a good job with keeping it in good condition... btw, on a different Saturn-related subject: is the Nights Analog Pad compatible with every game or just with ones that support it?
it has a switch on it to select Analog/Digital mode. The odd thing is, some games that dont support analog work fine with the D-pad and the switch set to analog... ah well, get the pad if you're gonna play PD Saga, Nights, Duke 3d, Quake, whatever - especially for Nights its indispensable.
Its not just a fluke... Its not pure randomness...the Nights Analog pad will work with any game that supports the Saturn Steering wheel....(from my experience) They're both analog controllers....I assume they just built the 3d analog controller in a way similar to the wheel.
I can fix saturns, but the postage costs would usually make it not worth it Also taking in broken saturns if anyone has any!
