Action Replay vs. Official RAM & Import Switch

[Space Paranoids]

I need some advice. I want to play some import games on my Saturn, but I'm not sure what the best option would be for me. Should I go with an Action Replay cart or put in a region switch and buy an official RAM cart? I currently have a unchanged oval-button Saturn with a internal save battery that's about a year old.
In addition to opinions, I'd like to get some objective answers about some of my main concerns. About the Action Replay, does it really do a lot of damage to your Saturn's cart connection? How many menu screens do you have to go through before getting to a game? And about the other option, is there anything that would make it harder to put in a switch on my oval Saturn than on later models? What are the chances that I would mess up my console if I got someone reasonably skilled with soldering to help me? (I'm a newb when it comes to modding, and I'm a bit nervous about messing with my system... ) And can any 4MB RAM cart (i.e. ones packaged with games like X-Men vs. Street Fighter, etc.) be used with games that need 1MB RAM carts, or do the RAM carts that Racket sells have a dual action quality that others don't?
Thanks for your help!

[Mozgus]

http://www.jandaman.com/games.mvc?p=sat ... y_code=SAT
Just buy it. Don't hesitate. It's the very first thing every Saturn owner needs to purchase. It is useful in so many ways. It let's you play imports AND gives you the 4M RAM expansion right off the bat. It also gives you TONS of storage space for backing up your save files off your internal space. It also gives you the obvious cheat functionality, which does come in handy no matter how legit of a player you think you are. It also can connect to your PC to download Action Replay codes, with the right knowhow. Your questions:

I've never heard of any damage.

I think there are two menu screens you pass through in order to get right to play imports. Hit start twice. Takes a total of 8 seconds, I would guess.

Sorry, I know nothing about region switches for saturn, but I hear they are easy. I just use my cart for that task.

This cart functions automatically exactly like an official 4M expansion cart does. There is a chance you may get one of the carts which has a bug with some of the games which use the ram expansion. If you do, it requires an EXTREMELY EASY mod to fix. Check that out here:

http://www.shinforce.com/saturn/informa ... AM-mod.htm

That's the only real flaw with it. Hopefully you will get a cart that doesn't have that flaw. Half of them are fine. Other then that, besides the fact that it cant support direct saving from the games themselves, it's a fantastic product.

[lordofduct]

I agree with Mozgus

JUST BUY IT!

A region switch is a bit annoying to install if you aren't very good with a soldering iron. Nothing to technical, you have to remove 3 resistors, grab a 3 way switch and 6 wires. The points you solder to though are very small so get some high gauge wire (thin, but still strong).

Real Action Replays don't do much damage... normal wear and tear on the cart slot as any other cart slot I suppose. Just don't be jamming it in and out repeatedly, put it in and keep it in. Booting takes seconds... start up, press C twice and the game boots.

The 4M RAM is great as well.

Downside is that the AR isn't direct saveable in game... you have to use the memory manager in the AR menus to copy back and forth between the AR and the internal memory. But really the ONLY direct saveable memory card out there is the SEGA branded one, all the other ones crash and/or suck big fat nut sacks.

So yeah... AR all the fucking way!

[metaleggman]

I agree with mozgus and lordofduct, but i'd like to add that it really isn't that much of a annoyance to personally back-up the save files. Since you always boot up with the AR in, it really just takes like another 8 seconds including the save transfer time. Just, make sure to put in the panzer dragoon saga cheat, so you never have to take the badboy out. It's on the AR faq on gamefaqs. I'll post the link later...

[Mozgus]

Well you can either lose your saves annually each time your battery dies, or you can keep saves backed up to this baby and be prepared when the battery DOES die. That's really what it comes down to.

[lordofduct]

Well you can either lose your saves annually each time your battery dies, or you can keep saves backed up to this baby and be prepared when the battery DOES die. That's really what it comes down to.

Why I built a rechargeable battery set up using a portable phone battery for mine!

[Pullmyfinger]

Why I built a rechargeable battery set up using a portable phone battery for mine!

That sounds interesting, care to elaborate?

[lordofduct]

Here's the schematic



Very straight forward. D1 is a diode, R1 is a resistor. The number under D1 is the model number of the diode to use, the number under R1 is the ratings of the resistor you want to use.

Here's mine installed along with a region switch, 50/60 hz switch and mod chip

[racketboy]

Or you could mod the Saturn and use my RAM carts

[lordofduct]

Or you could mod the Saturn and use my RAM carts

heh, commercial ploy!!!

yeah Moz... you forgot to mention racket sales them as well!!!

oh and he's got a model 1... hard to mod.