Some questions before buying Saturn and Dreamcast

[seznam88]

Hi everyone I have some questions for Saturn and Dreamcast before buying
Please ask me

1. I can play all regions on for example ntsc console ?
2. I need any modchip on these consoles ?
3. What type of disc is nedded for this consoles ?

Thank you for your answer

[Ragnar]

1: Dreamcast will play any region IIRC, although it may output PAL games with PAL signals (I seem to recall not being able to play some PAL game I tried on a CRT TV). I don't think that should be an issue if you're using a HDTV?
The Saturn will require an import adapter. You'll want to pick up a ST-Key or one of those 4-in-1 cards or whatever, those will let you play imports and maybe do other stuff too depending on what you buy.

2: Dreamcast, no need to mod. They thought GD-Rom would protect it, you can just use CDRs
The Saturn needs to be modded. Modding it just lets you play bootlegs, it won't enable imports. Your import card won't let you play bootlegs, it just enables imports. If you wanna play bootleg imports you'll need a import card and a modded console together. It's a good idea to look and see what mods are available to you, before you purchase a Saturn. The various mods available are specific to the model of Saturn they fit on, so you wouldn't want to buy a system and find it's half impossible to find a chip for...

3: Both consoles simply use CDRs. A handful of Dreamcast games won't really fit on a normal CDR, but there are rips that span games over several discs, also, you can find some rips made to fit on weird oversized CDRs.

[seznam88]

Thank you for info

[deadlegion]

This guy has mods for Saturn:
http://www.epforums.org/showthread.p...s-and-Pre-Mods

Although I think he hasn't been active much lately.

[Zorlon]

Dreamcast

Dreamcast NTSC models, not all can play CD-R's direct, see Dreamcast versions, Mil-CD/Selfboot Compatibility for more info

Most PAL games support 60Hz anyway and all games in VGA mode the best display possible for the Dreamcast all play at 60Hz PAL and NTSC games

If I was you I would get at least a pack of 99min CD-R's for the few better rips and a couple of games only released on 99min media, even made a few 99min rips myself so I did not have to remove or down sample anything

Most games are fine with 80min CD-R's though

A few more guides that you may find interesting

First is Dreamcast CD-R NTSC-U/PAL-E Releases # to Z lists as many English CD rips as I could find and the basic features of them
Second is Dreamcast VGA Compatability list for if you can get yourself a VGA adapter or mod (semi difficult mod to do, still easy enough though) the console with a VGA port most games play with crisp display on HDTV's and VGA monitors, under 20 can't play in VGA mode some game require modding first
Third is Where to buy 99min 870MB CD-R's (For Dreamcast 99min rips) if you do fancy any of the 99min CD-R rips (just double checked they still sell them )

P.S. the word 'rip' is used loosely as most the rips do not have anything actually ripped, some do though but the Dreamcast CD-R NTSC-U/PAL-E Releases # to Z guide details some of that or I think I included that info I may not of.. :/

EDIT:- No I didn't note what has files ripped or down sampled in there I have those notes in some other post, maybe in my blog notes not sure, will dig those out if you want though..

I also forgot to mention another mod (reasonably easy mod to do, you can add access lights ect but not required)/device that you can get being the SD adaptor, that can be used to play games but I don't recommend it for that to be honest but is great from backing up saves to SD card that can then be backed up onto PC or vice versa or even download saves.



Saturn

Saturn, with no mod chip, you can mod the internal lid switch to make the console think it is always closed and use a swap trick, for PAL games on a NTSC console you will want to mod the console to output real PAL display or some games will not load and others will be out of sync and crash while playing, it is a very very easy mod, just solder in a switch to 2 points, under the bios battery (I can dig out details for that if needs be).

The easiest model to do the swap trick is the model one version of the Saturn that has a disc access indicator light, to make that even easier get the Action Replay 4M Plus , that can be used to make the first part of the swap very easy indeed

Action Replay 4M Plus is not only used to cheat, but is also a save backup device and extra memory for the few games that support it and require it, and can be used to play retail imports, I would also try and get a proper mem cart as well to get everything you can get from the console, comes in handy for games like Shining Force III that uses save data from the previous disc to create save data for the next installation of the story, interenal save storage is not big enough and the Action Replay 4MB Plus is used for backup saves not for games to save to in-game.

The swap works like this

Boot the console with the CD-R in, console reads the toc, if the Action Replay 4M Plus is used as soon as the menu has loaded change discs to a retail disc, Hit Start Game, watch the indicator light to flicker a certain pattern, then change back to the CD-R and it should boot the game fine



The video is not in english that is not why I posted it more for the video showing the disc access flicker clearly (No need to rush this trick as much as most show, best to time it well but swap the discs with a little care as not to damage the system)

The video does not help with the first swap, but shows the light for the final swap, but with an Action Replay 4M Plus, you can take your time with the first swap just change it before hitting start game, not sure the drive stops with the Action Replay though I don't remember off hand, it's been a little while since I booted it and ran out of CD-R's that I do need to get some more eventually for

This is not the only 2 disc swap trick though, there is another that involves a hit of reset between, boot with CD-R swap for retail, hit rest swap for CD-R, for that you listed to the drive rather that just look at the access light

P.S. the model 2 can be modded to have an access light as well it even has a proper solder point for it

Links of interest for Saturn

Carts List and Features (not so much as a mistake but lack of info but the Action Replay 4M Plus has 2 versions one has a serial Comms port the other does not but can be modded to have one, they have is listed as having one, the newer versions don't have it)
List of games that use extra RAM and the Carts that can be used for those

The Action Replay 4M Plus supports all RAM games but there are 2 1MB Rom games but those do not require that mode to be playable, those games came with there own 1MB ROM Cart (Ultraman & King of Fighters 95 both have a 1MB Rom mode that can only be played with there included ROM Cart)