View Full Version : Just bought a Sega Saturn Development System
So... as the title says... I just purchased a Sega Saturn Dev System (import) online. It's a PSY-Q dev system with a side port (rather than having the blue cartridge) and comes complete with a box, hookups, controller, sealed manual, and all the trimmings. :-D Has a silver sticker on the bottom that says "Property of Iguana Entertainment" and a serial number of some sort. I haven't actually gotten the system yet... just describing from pictures provided to me by the seller.
Being fairly new to collecting I'm pretty happy with this find. Just wondering if/how often you guys have come across these.
-e4g
jupitersj
01-10-2009, 01:12 AM
I found these pages... don't know if they apply but they are interesting
http://superfami.com/ssprog.html
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shrine/7357/
tubeway
01-10-2009, 05:20 AM
From what I recally, Psy-Q was some kind of dev systems at least co-developed by Psygnosis for the PlayStation, but I could be wrong... (Psygnosis... Psy... yeah).
c2000
01-10-2009, 08:11 AM
True, but the Psy-Q was also made for the Saturn. Nice find!
ProgrammingAce
01-12-2009, 04:40 AM
The only difference between that and a retail saturn is the fact it can hook into the Mirage unit. You'll still need the system disc in order to do anything meaningful.
Info on the System Disc: http://www.gamerhistory.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3730
And if you want to see what your unit looks like on the inside. The Cross and the Psy-Q systems are built similarly: http://www.gamerhistory.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=324
A lot of the hardware and software is compatible between the Playstation and Saturn versions of the Psy-Q equipment.
PACHUKA
01-12-2009, 04:34 PM
http://www.sonic-cult.org/!trash/trash.php?path=saturndev/
I found this saturn dev unit in a PC clearing house. $50.
ProgrammingAce
01-12-2009, 07:11 PM
http://www.sonic-cult.org/!trash/trash.php?path=saturndev/
I found this saturn dev unit in a PC clearing house. $50.
That's one of the most fragile developer kits ever made. The failure rate on that thing approached 100%. It's the Cart-Dev Rev. A. Otherwise known as the Target Box. If you ever want to find it a good home, let me know. I could probably get you a nice pile of betas as a trade. = )
You'll still need the system disc in order to do anything meaningful.
Info on the System Disc: http://www.gamerhistory.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3730
I actually found a cd image of the black (3rd party) system disc online. Haven't found a red one yet. I doubt I'll be lucky enough to actually find legitimate copies of either one.
ProgrammingAce
01-13-2009, 02:15 PM
I actually found a cd image of the black (3rd party) system disc online. Haven't found a red one yet. I doubt I'll be lucky enough to actually find legitimate copies of either one.
The CD image for the system discs are worthless. The system won't read a burned disc until you run the system disc, so how is it supposed to read a burned systemdisc?
The CD image for the system discs are worthless. The system won't read a burned disc until you run the system disc, so how is it supposed to read a burned systemdisc?
Haha! Good point. I didn't really plan on doing anything with it except adding it to my collection anyway. It's an import from Japan... and so I doubt I'd be able to use it anyway... I was told by the seller that it boots up fine... but the screen it boots to is all in Japanese. Since I can't read Japanese... I'd be pretty SOL either way.
PACHUKA
01-13-2009, 08:21 PM
That's one of the most fragile developer kits ever made. The failure rate on that thing approached 100%. It's the Cart-Dev Rev. A. Otherwise known as the Target Box. If you ever want to find it a good home, let me know. I could probably get you a nice pile of betas as a trade. = )
It has found a home since then, I think I sold it on assembler years back. Should have been more specific. I never got the fucking thing working anyways, so it's possible it was in that failure range.
samael64
01-14-2009, 03:11 PM
It has found a home since then, I think I sold it on assembler years back. Should have been more specific. I never got the fucking thing working anyways, so it's possible it was in that failure range.
From the photo you posted, I can tell you what the problem with your unit had been. You were missing the ICE pod. I can see the PGA adapter (which is a very important and apparently hard to find piece) that connected the pod and the sophia, but obviously no pod. The sophia only comes with one SH chip, instead of the required two. Normally you would use the ICE pod and a Hitachi E7000 emulator to emulate the other chip as the system can't function without the equivalent of two SH processors. The E7000 is unfortunately very hard to track down, as is the cable that connects the two. I tried for quite awhile. My solution was to get my hands on a graphics box and transplant one of its processors into the programming box, and then presto, working sophia! That is not to say that your former programming box was fully functional otherwise, I've heard the CD players tend to break down easily, but there you are.