Sega Saturn Swap Trick - IT WORKS?! Uh huh, video included too

[ProgrammingAce]

1) Start the Machine with the BACK-UP COPY first. (LID OPEN)

It doesn't matter which copy you have in the drive when you boot up first. The first scan just checks to see if the disc is 1st party or 3rd party (and the region).

With your method, you will need to make sure the "backup" and the real disc are either both 1st party, or both 3rd party. With Racket boy's method, it doesn't mater.

The saturn scans the inner ring (the boot sector) to read the developer's ID, then reads the outer ring to make sure the tone matches the developer (there are two tones, one for 1st party and one for 3rd).

As for the reset button, when you press reset the system doesn't actually power off. The system still keeps track of what disc is in the drive after a reset (it assumes it's the same disc until you open the door). In this case, all hitting reset does is give you a longer time to swap discs (which isn't really a bad thing). When you hit reset, the system doesn't scan the inner ring again until you open the door, which it can't do in this case since the sensor is taped down.

Overall not a bad methodology, but i would still recommend having the original disc in first or you'll have to keep track of 1st party vs 3rd party titles.

As a side note, anyone who is going to use "backups" frequently should just spend the $10 on a modchip. You'll grind your motor into dust if you keep swapping discs out like this.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Like VAC said, just get a chip and a Pro Action Replay. All that swapping will kill your drive eventually. The modchip is a simple install, easiest I've encountered by far. With the combo you'll be playing archive copies from any region. No need to region hack the image. Not to mention the RAM and Memory card function you'll get from the PAR. Mod chips run about $20-$30 and the PAR runs about $25-$45. Better than playing disk swap monkey to your Saturn. :P

[madman77]

Yea, it'd seem just dropping a few bucks on the mod chip and spending 5 minutes to install it would be the best bet in the long term.

[Graham Mitchell]

Years ago, I used a similar trick on my Playstation to play imports and burned discs. It was imperfect, though. What you did is you went into the CD player mode and stuck in any US PSX disc. Then, I'd use a pencap to connect the rod on the lid to the "lid closed" button, and the machine would access the disc. When the disc stopped spinning, I would switch the US game for the import disc, and exit the CD player. When you returned to the main menu, it would auto-load the import, thinking the original disc was still in the drive. The problem with this is that the table of contents that the machine loaded into the RAM was that of the original disc, and the machine identifies different tracks on the disc for the red book audio by time, not by track number. As such, it would pick the most bizarre, random spots for the music. It worked well with stuff like Namco Museum or the Gradius Collection, but not so well for, say Twisted Metal with tons of red book audio.

A stipulation on that trick is that it only works on THE first batch of Playstations...the ones that came packed with Ridge Racer in a Saturn Longbox. I had fun with that trick, though.

[SegaAges]

I have a model 1 and have been playing with that for awhile.

I used to be able to swap so good that i could use action replay codes on a burnt game that required a 4mb cart. (swap out the action replay for the 4mb, and then swap out the burnt 1 for a regular 1, and then swap it back again).

Come to think of it, i don't remember if i have a model 1 or 2, i will have to check it out. what you have is good info though.

[PallarAndersVisa]

had a mod chip from Jamdaman (sp?) in my saturn. worked fine for a few months. Went to boot it up one day and it would not work. Re-soldered and still doesn't work.

anyone know a good site for saturn mod chips?

[kazuo]

had a mod chip from Jamdaman (sp?) in my saturn. worked fine for a few months. Went to boot it up one day and it would not work. Re-soldered and still doesn't work.

Solder? Saturn mod chips?

I have a mod chip in my Saturn and it required a grand total of ZERO wires to be soldered. Just a little board with a data cable running to the mobo/CD drive, with the data cables that originally went there running to the chip.

[MysteryRidahz]

I have a saturn cart too, but i also have a model 1 saturn, so the swap is easy. About wearing out the saturn, well i hope not.

I dont know where i can find saturn mods anymore, i dont even see them on ebay or amazon.com , so i just gave up looking for them.