So update:
I removed the mod chip and ID4 booted right up... Also, audio cd's now play fine... odd... So is this mod chip faulty? Not sure what to do next....
Sega Saturn Mod Issues :(
Re: Sega Saturn Mod Issues :(
Well the good news is your Saturn isn't broken!
Obviously, if the problems went away after removing the mod chip, then something is wrong with the mod chip. It could have "went bad" (which we can look into) but first I would look at the pins (the socket that you plug the ribbon cable into and the male pins that you plug into the socket on the drive). Do they appear dirty at all? Even if they don't, it can't hurt trying to clean them. You can clean them just as you would a cart and cart slot. Just be careful with it, since those chips are pretty thin and thus fragile. After you clean it, reinstall it and see if it works (which is why I recommended that thing about the wires).
If it doesn't work after cleaning the pins, then it's pretty safe to say the chip "went bad." You could try and investigate what went bad about it, but it might be something you don't have the means to fix.
Worst case scenario, there's some new methods in the Saturn world. A year or two ago, some one decided to hack the BIOS and remove the region check. So if you replace the BIOS chip, you can get a region free Saturn. What's more, some one created firmware for the Action Replay that'll make it boot burns. I haven't been following it closely, but I read that they're planning to make it work on multiple cheat carts (Game Shark, AR, etc) and hopefully add some cool things like the ability to save to the cart from in game. You can flash the custom firmware to the Action Replay cart with just a Saturn, the only trick is you need to run the utility from a CD-R, so you need the ability to boot said CD-R.
In your first post you said your Saturn wont read burns without multiple tries. So, it'll boot a burn every once in a while? That's good. If you can't fix the problem, at least you'd be able to flash an Action Replay cart. That's assuming you don't just get another mod chip, I don't know what the availability of them are these days.
Obviously, if the problems went away after removing the mod chip, then something is wrong with the mod chip. It could have "went bad" (which we can look into) but first I would look at the pins (the socket that you plug the ribbon cable into and the male pins that you plug into the socket on the drive). Do they appear dirty at all? Even if they don't, it can't hurt trying to clean them. You can clean them just as you would a cart and cart slot. Just be careful with it, since those chips are pretty thin and thus fragile. After you clean it, reinstall it and see if it works (which is why I recommended that thing about the wires).
If it doesn't work after cleaning the pins, then it's pretty safe to say the chip "went bad." You could try and investigate what went bad about it, but it might be something you don't have the means to fix.
Worst case scenario, there's some new methods in the Saturn world. A year or two ago, some one decided to hack the BIOS and remove the region check. So if you replace the BIOS chip, you can get a region free Saturn. What's more, some one created firmware for the Action Replay that'll make it boot burns. I haven't been following it closely, but I read that they're planning to make it work on multiple cheat carts (Game Shark, AR, etc) and hopefully add some cool things like the ability to save to the cart from in game. You can flash the custom firmware to the Action Replay cart with just a Saturn, the only trick is you need to run the utility from a CD-R, so you need the ability to boot said CD-R.
In your first post you said your Saturn wont read burns without multiple tries. So, it'll boot a burn every once in a while? That's good. If you can't fix the problem, at least you'd be able to flash an Action Replay cart. That's assuming you don't just get another mod chip, I don't know what the availability of them are these days.
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that1crzywhtguy
- 8-bit
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- Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 7:49 am
Re: Sega Saturn Mod Issues :(
Unfortunately after cleaning it up and re installing, it still doesn't function... Guessing it's toast for whatever reason...that1crzywhtguy wrote:If it doesn't work after cleaning the pins, then it's pretty safe to say the chip "went bad." You could try and investigate what went bad about it, but it might be something you don't have the means to fix.
It never reads burns anymore unfortunately, so looks like I'll investigate another method or find another mod chip... Thanks again for all the help... -sigh-Ziggy587 wrote:In your first post you said your Saturn wont read burns without multiple tries. So, it'll boot a burn every once in a while? That's good. If you can't fix the problem, at least you'd be able to flash an Action Replay cart. That's assuming you don't just get another mod chip, I don't know what the availability of them are these days.
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that1crzywhtguy
- 8-bit
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 7:49 am
Re: Sega Saturn Mod Issues :(
I don't know if I have the ability to repair this mod chip, so It's definitely a bummer to see they aren't available for purchase anymore... 
Re: Sega Saturn Mod Issues :(
What's sad is that the Saturn mod chip is a fairly simple chip. One could easily make it at home, and most (or all) of the parts can be bought from DigiKey or Mouser. The only thing holding us back is not having the code.
But, like I said, at least we have this now: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... =1&t=47890
And the region free BIOS.
But, like I said, at least we have this now: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... =1&t=47890
And the region free BIOS.
Re: Sega Saturn Mod Issues :(
^
while checking out that site about the flashing memory cards thing i came across other threads mentioning a few guys that were making/selling modchips on there. maybe worth a look.
while checking out that site about the flashing memory cards thing i came across other threads mentioning a few guys that were making/selling modchips on there. maybe worth a look.
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that1crzywhtguy
- 8-bit
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 7:49 am
Re: Sega Saturn Mod Issues :(
True, however I loved the mod chip solution, could still use my codes, memory card, ram, and regionfree cart, with a seamless experience... Thinking about the universal chip... Just too bad I have to dish out extra dollars on something I've already bought...Ziggy587 wrote: But, like I said, at least we have this now: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... =1&t=47890
And the region free BIOS.
I must have missed that... Only chip I found is the v3 universal from segastyle or consolegoods... Strongly considering that chip...stickem wrote:
while checking out that site about the flashing memory cards thing i came across other threads mentioning a few guys that were making/selling modchips on there. maybe worth a look.