Newbe question about sega saturn and playing backups

[meathead42]

Hello, I live in the USA... I would like to order me a Sega Saturn from eBay so I can use the racketboy chip to mod it so I can play backups of games I already own. Are there any specifics I should know about before ordering the system and chip? I mean are there compatibility issues with different versions of Saturn that will not work with the mod chip sold on racketboy? Why do people call out round button models and so on on eBay? Does the white jap units work better or something and that is why they cost more?

I don't have any issues on moding a system technically, I just want to make sure I order the best of the best as I would like to get into the Saturn backup hobby... I know I could have searched for this, but I don't know what to type in to search for...

Thanks!!!

[Ziggy]

The model 2 Saturn has the round buttons, and is the model the mod chip is designed for. You can mod the mod chip to work with a model 1 Saturn, but you're probably better off just getting the model 2.

[Hobie-wan]

Look at ht install information on the page linked from buying the chip here. Aside from the oval 1/round 2 models, there are some different internal revisions, with one being easier to get modded than the other.

[meathead42]

Guess I will just order the round button unit and a chip for it. What about the jap white ones? Will they play USA games when chipped? Just wondering why they sell for so much on eBay...

Is this a safe site to buy from?

[Ziggy]

This is a great site to buy from!

The chip wont allow you to directly play different region games. All the chip allows you to do is boot games off a burned CD. Though, you could change the region code on a game and burn it to a CD and play it in a chipped console.

Example: You have the mod chip correctly installed in your USA Saturn and you want to play Street Fighter VS X-Men (a Japanese Saturn game). Download the game or rip your legit copy to an image, change the region code to USA using a program called Sega Region Patcher, burn the image to a disc and play it on your Saturn.

Additionally, you could perform a region mod to a Saturn to get it to boot legit copies of different regions (though it will not boot burned copies - that's what the chip is for).

Link to download Sega Region Patcher...
http://madroms.satakore.com/#SRP

[meathead42]

This is a great site to buy from!

The chip wont allow you to directly play different region games. All the chip allows you to do is boot games off a burned CD. Though, you could change the region code on a game and burn it to a CD and play it in a chipped console.

Example: You have the mod chip correctly installed in your USA Saturn and you want to play Street Fighter VS X-Men (a Japanese Saturn game). Download the game or rip your legit copy to an image, change the region code to USA using a program called Sega Region Patcher, burn the image to a disc and play it on your Saturn.

Additionally, you could perform a region mod to a Saturn to get it to boot legit copies of different regions (though it will not boot burned copies - that's what the chip is for).

Link to download Sega Region Patcher...
http://madroms.satakore.com/#SRP

Sounds good... One more question, can I copy an original game CD to CD from my PC to back up my originals? Will the latest version of Nero do this?

[Hobie-wan]

I can verify that Alchohol 120% 1.9.7 made images and backups from Saturn originals with no issues.

[Ziggy]

I hate Nero, but use it if you wish.

I use IMG Burn, it's a great FREE program.

http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

What ever program you use, you wanna be ripping your games to the BIN/CUE format. Don't use ISO by any means.

[SpaceBooger]

This is a great site to buy from!

The chip wont allow you to directly play different region games. All the chip allows you to do is boot games off a burned CD. Though, you could change the region code on a game and burn it to a CD and play it in a chipped console.

Example: You have the mod chip correctly installed in your USA Saturn and you want to play Street Fighter VS X-Men (a Japanese Saturn game). Download the game or rip your legit copy to an image, change the region code to USA using a program called Sega Region Patcher, burn the image to a disc and play it on your Saturn.

Additionally, you could perform a region mod to a Saturn to get it to boot legit copies of different regions (though it will not boot burned copies - that's what the chip is for).

Link to download Sega Region Patcher...
http://madroms.satakore.com/#SRP

Woud an Action Replay work with a modded Japanese Saturn to play a US game?