Sega Saturn swap trick for model 2 - made easy!

[dentman42]

I hope I'm not just search impaired and didn't manage to find this information already on the site:

I ran across this trick on Google/YouTube while searching for a video showing the normal access light sequence on the model 1.

The trick I've always seen before involves powering on with the copy (backup) disc in the drive, swapping it out when the polygons form into the Saturn logo and the laser moves to the outside edge and the disc slows down, swapping in an original at this point and swapping back to the copy (backup) when the disc speeds up and the laser moves back.

Racketboy even wrote "Us model 2 owners are in for nights of cursing and throwing controllers around. It isn’t impossible, it’s just a major pain to do at first. With enough practice, you may just master the Swap Trick."

I got that method to work once, in over an hour of trying.

I tried this other method that I'm about to describe and it worked on the first try and every try unless I got distracted and completely missed my cue (and I've done it a couple dozen times). It actually involves modifying/adding a step.

You start by taping your door closed switch as the other instructions say (I actually wrapped a strip of paper around mine, then tape around the paper so I won't get adhesive residue on the switch. I was glad when I modded my original model 2 today - I actually tried the new version of the swap trick on another "as-is untested" eBay special that arrived today (interesting timing, modchip and another Saturn in the same day). First I tried about 5 times with the old version of the trick and failed every time.

Here's the altered version that's as easy as it can get (maybe even easier than the model 1 trick with the access light - and I wonder if this version would work on model 1 also).

Start as with the other instructions - modded lid switch, put the copy (backup) in the drive, power on, wait for the polygons to form the Saturn logo. At this point, swap in an original game (only thing different here is timing seems to be almost a non-issue as long as it's still at the Saturn logo). Now, here's the twist. Wait for the blue SEGA logo screen. Here's the big change - instead of a disc swap at this point, PRESS THE RESET BUTTON. Let the polygons form the Saturn logo again with the original still in the drive. With the Saturn logo on the screen, swap back to your copy (backup) disc. As I said, I tried this about 2 dozen times and it worked every time! However, if you want to change to another backup disc, you will have to start over from power on, even holding reset while you swap in another copy wouldn't make it work twice without a power cycle.

Here's a link to the video I found:
http://technorati.com/videos/youtube.co ... ImVFQ8J5ls

And another copy on another site:
http://www.bharatstudent.com/ctv/watchv ... eojdcmihhi

Hopefully these videos will be around for a while, and if not, hopefully my written instructions are clear enough that you can figure it out without a video.

I noticed one thing - in a lot of these swap videos I've seen people grabbing the disc by the edges to pull it off the spindle. I suspect that is very bad for the CD drive. The video shows the way I do it - one finger on the spindle and one on the edge of the disc.

Also, keep in mind that while this makes the swap trick a whole lot easier, it is still two swaps with the motor running and is just as dangerous for your Saturn's CD drive.

(Hmm...I think I like the US version of the Saturn logo better, but the other version sound effects are cooler.)

[gtmtnbiker]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. It'll be good to have a method to rely on if my mod chip ever fails.

[Breetai]

The regular Japanese Saturn's start-up is the same as the American version's. What you see in the video is the Victor Saturn's start-up; a 3rd party Saturn.

[Niode]

I always did it by putting an original in, waiting for it to read the copyright nonsense on the outer edge and then slapping the copy in when the disc speeds up. Piece of cake. Works every time. Not had a problem with my Saturn yet.