trouble identifying us sega saturn despite massive research!

[kernburn]

before i start, i have googled and googled over again about this issue and don't know where else to turn. also, i have an electrical engineering background so it's not like im a fool stumbling in the dark lol.

so i just bought a racketboy (red) modchip, and wired it correctly for a model 1 saturn (mk-80000, as it reads on the back outside of the console). however, i didnt realize until after completing the tutorial that my saturn (from the inside) looks like a model-2. i have always heard that all model-1's have oval buttons, and all model-2's have circle buttons.

after reading the back of the console, i noticed it said it was manufactured in march 1996 which, as i understand it, was the time they were switching over to model-2's. i found two passing mentions in my search that hinted at very early model 2's having oval buttons.

im hoping someone can shed some light on this, so i can decide whether to find a real model 1 or try and restore the racket boy chip to work for a model 2 (21 pin ribbon/64 pin IC)

thanks in advance,
will take pictures if needed

[kernburn]

[Curlypaul]

Mine is the same, round buttons with a model one board. I got my chip working by bridging the AB solder pads, hopefully yours will work that way too.

[deathsled]

Mine is the same, round buttons with a model one board. I got my chip working by bridging the AB solder pads, hopefully yours will work that way too.

your's is the exact opposite then. He said his is oval buttons with a model two board.....

[Curlypaul]

Your quite right, I totally read that wrong. I've never come across a model 2 board in a model 1 shell. I wonder if someone has switched the original case for some reason?

[D.D.D.]

Your quite right, I totally read that wrong. I've never come across a model 2 board in a model 1 shell. I wonder if someone has switched the original case for some reason?

Could have been a functioning SS but the case was mangled or something.