Laser or Chip?

[Bad_Ad84]

I have got a V2 Saturn and a chip from console goods. The saturn reads originals fine, but will not read the backed up media.

The disc I am trying to use I know worked in another saturn (yes yes, all drives are different).

The disk spins, after a little while it says drive empty or not suitable for console, etc.

Does this sound like a know issue with faulty chips? if not, does anyone have any info on what the 3 or so pots do on the drive assembly?

Many thanks.

[jinn]

Did you bridge the point on the bottom of the ModBoard for the correct CD-Rom board version?

[Bad_Ad84]

Yes, its setup for 0014 "old board" (solder jumper to 0014, cut trace, bridge 2 pins on another chip)

as per:
http://www.robwebb1.plus.com/saturn/guide_files/v2_old0014mod_.JPG

[Bad_Ad84]

Oh side note:

I actually have another v2 saturn due tomorrow... I also have 2 different types of chips (racket boy ones) due soon that are destined for V1 saturns, but I can put one into this v2 for testing purposes.

So I should know soon if its the chip by process of elimination - but just wanted to get this running today :)

[Druid II]

There are at least 6 different Saturn drives and saying Model 2 Saturn only narrows it down to half of those. Though, those are all moddable. If you really need the settings on that pic, then you probably have a VA SD (VA5) model, the one with separate controller board, and the cd drive has a 64bit controller and an oscillator on it.

If the drive spins up and reads the disk, then the cd signal gets through at the very least, which doesn't happen if the mod board is not connected properly. So the chip is connected fine. Either the chip is faulty, or you are setting it up for the wrong model saturn.

[Bad_Ad84]

Yes, it's 64 pin and that picture matches how it should be set up. I'm not new to this type of thing after all :-)

But this hasn't really narrowed anything down - it's either the chip or the laser struggling to read the disc.

Does anyone have info on which pot does what? Focus, gain, etc?

Else, I guess I will just have to resolve it myself via trial and error as planned.

[Druid II]

The orange pot on the laser is what you have to adjust 99% of the time, or move the tray a little more up or down.

But, you say the Saturn struggles to read backups, even giving "drive empty" errors. Try running those discs without the modchip, see if it behaves the same. If it does, it's a laser problem.
I have a va5 saturn that reads everything I throw at it, but my va9 one can't read a lot of backups... they boot fine, but past the sega logo some discs just don't load at all, or only after x tries, randomly, etc. I suspect a worn out laser in that case cause my main saturn runs all burns fine.

[Bad_Ad84]

I assume you mean try swap trick and see if cdr will boot? I did quickly try that, but I have never done it before.

I will try and find some brief instructions and try it again.

[Druid II]

I assume you mean try swap trick and see if cdr will boot? I did quickly try that, but I have never done it before.

I will try and find some brief instructions and try it again.

nonono, just put in the cdr and see if the Saturn still spits out "drive empty", or will it find and play at least the audio tracks.

You can also try the swap trick, but there's no point if the Saturn can't see the disc at all, is there?

[Bad_Ad84]

Well, if swap trick didn't work - it would mean its the laser is the fault, as swap trick bypasses the chip being the issue. Nothing else is wrong with the console as it boots all originals fine.

The error seemed to change - sometimes empty and sometimes it would ID the disc, but this was after adjusting the orange pot a little. But still wouldnt boot anything however.

Initially the drive didnt even spin up with the CDR, after a minor tweak it would spin but give empty tray or wrong media, etc.

Its too late here now to mess about with it more and tomorrow I will have another console. So I should get more answers then - I just wanted to get this working earlier.

[jinn]

you might want to check this site out
http://john2kx.blogspot.com/
might explain why you have the problem

[APE]

I had fun earlier with a 64 pin Saturn:
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32705

They're a PITA to work with.

[Bad_Ad84]

I had fun earlier with a 64 pin Saturn:
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32705

They're a PITA to work with.

Yeah, some research seems to point to 64 pins being a pain.

Some guides (different chips) seem to say use 0019 jumper and others say 0014. I will try some variation once I have confirmed the chip actually works in another saturn.

[Druid II]

I had fun earlier with a 64 pin Saturn:
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32705

They're a PITA to work with.

Depends on your chip. The ones I got from Trenton were literally plug and play.

[Bad_Ad84]

I'm due to buy some of his too. Fortunately I am not shy of buying a supply, also they will all get used eventually - so its not a big deal.

Was just being impatient and wanted fast answers :)

[APE]

Depends on your chip. The ones I got from Trenton were literally plug and play.

I actually did for that thread. Had two different types I was trying to use and both worked fine in a 32 pin Saturn but both refused a 64 pin.

[Bad_Ad84]

Tried the chip on another saturn - same issue. Originals would play, but cdr would not. cdr would result in audio, the console locking up or empty tray.

Found out, if I power the console with the disc in it worked perfectly. Basically I just cant power the console on and then insert the disc afterwards.

Is this normal? shouldnt the console act as if its retai (boot from anything?) or should I chalk this up to Saturn inexperience and just thinking it would behave exactly like retail?

[Bad_Ad84]

More info:

When the console is booted with the tray open, CDR's will not boot from the menu (problems described above).

If booted with a CDR in the drive or with nothing in the drive and the lid is shut. Once booted, everything works completely fine.

I suspect I only noticed this as I was testing (initially with the top half of the console off). This wouldnt really be noticed in normal use.

Is this correct for this chip? could anyone please confirm?

Thanks

[APE]

I seem to recall having that same problem with a few chips I've used before. A minor inconvenience but nothing troubling in terms of how it should operate.

[Hedgeyourbets]

I wouldn't have thought it would be a massive problem anyway really? Same as if you're trying to boot mil-cd dreamcast games on a retail console. Though I suppose considering the time and effort involved in mod chip installation it would be nice for it to work like retail

[Bad_Ad84]

Its not a massive problem. Just handy to know the correct boot sequence with and without a chip for future problem solving.

I have confirmation from someone else that this is how their console goods chip acts too.

Only reason I noticed this, was because I was testing the console with the top half of the case off. So as I was pressing the power button, I wasnt holding the lid switch.

[APE]

It would be extremely nice to have it function like a stock retail Saturn albeit with the ability to boot from a CD-R. I like the stock look of consoles, unassuming. Even if I mod the every living hell out of a console with discrete video connectors and an overclock switch I like the ability to make it look like what I did add was supposed to be there in the first place.

I'm always paranoid some idiot will come along and tell me my stuff is broken because of something this minor. People expect things to work the way they should because of their pre-concieved notions, not because of observations of reality.