The Saturn - The Ram cart - The options!

[Nando]

So last week DragonmasterDAN was gracious enough to school me on the Saturns RAM cart issues. If ya don't know here's a great link from da man him self  http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?203919-Saturn-4MB-RAM-cart-problem

One potential solution was "removing the cartridge slot, and then permanently soldering in an action replay"

Any of you with Saturns thought about or have done this? The soldering job looks like it would be a PAIN IN THE ASS! at least to someone like me with NO, ZERO, NADA, experience with soldering. But it does seem like such a "waste" to not be able to play some games 'cause of this design issue.

[Ji-L87]

Yeah....that cartridge slot is bad.

Usually I just leave my memory cartridge in there and it always seems to work fine. (Seriously, best memory card ever?) But one day I wanted to play my newly acquired copy of Nöel 3 with the 4M RAM and whoopie-do PROBLEMS started happening. Since the game doesn't require a ram cart to run (it will just improve things, the game says) I still don't know if I actually got it to work or not. In the beginning I experienced weird graphics glitches and lock ups. I tried reseating the cartridge a few times and in the end I could play the game normally. I left the card in during the time I played the game, but I have honestly no idea if it worked or not. I would need like, another game that requires extra RAM just to check if it's seated correctly first

I may love my Saturn but that port is not getting any love from me. If you know what I mean. And I think you know what I mean.
Probably wouldn't solder anything permanently in there tho'.

[Chuplayer]

I installed a switch-based region mod and have resigned myself to never removing the memory cartridge from the console. That means I'll never play the games that use the 1M or 4M carts, but that's okay. I can play other versions of Capcom 4M games, and I have a consolized Neo Geo MVS, so I'll never need to play the Saturn ports. Even if I didn't have a CMVS, I would probably still use other ports and emulation to play Neo Geo games.

My Saturn was bought new at K-Mart in August 1999, and the cart port always gave me issues. I had serious problems with losing data on the memory cartridge from day one. Eventually, I got it positioned just right, and I haven't lost a save in years. It was some sort of combination of pushing the cart all the way in, pulling one end up slightly, pushing it back down, etc. When I need to replace the console's battery, I leave the cart in there.

I've heard that the US console got the short end of the stick. It has something like tin-plated contacts. The Japanese version has some sort of higher quality contacts. Maybe gold-plated.

If things get bad enough with my console, I'll seriously consider soldering my cartridge into it.

[roflmao]

My Saturn was bought new at K-Mart in August 1999, and the cart port always gave me issues.

Wow, I didn't know you could still get them new in 1999.   I picked up a used one in '97 and don't remember seeing them new back then.  But my memory is probably fuzzy.

[SignOfZeta]

I've heard that the US console got the short end of the stick. It has something like tin-plated contacts. The Japanese version has some sort of higher quality contacts. Maybe gold-plated.

Ugh...again with ridiculous rumors. All of these systems are made in the same factory. The only difference between them are jumpers and the colors of the case.

As for permamodding the Saturn...I put some thought into this and I've decided that, short of a very high quality IC based switching system that allows you to locate the chips on the cart inside the unit and sill allowed the cart slow to be used, I'm just not interested. I don't have much use for the 1MB or Netlink anymore, but I do use both the 4MB and power memory carts on occasion so I'm not interested in locking out one or the other. If I were to install one permanently though, it would be the 4MB. I have zero interest in the PAR and it would be a shame to see that tacky piece of no-name 3rd part junk permenently stuck in the slot like some sort of...Metallica back tattoo...on a dude. I suppose it would be OK if you had a "burner" US system or three since those are (or at least, were) so cheap they are virtually free. There is no way I'd do this to a Japanese system though.

[Arkhan]

I use a PAR in a grey Japsaturn9000


It looks ugly as shit.   I thought about just ripping the board out and shoving that in.  It'd look better than that retarded cartridge color/label.

[ProfessorProfessorson]

I use a PAR in a grey Japsaturn9000


It looks ugly as shit.   I thought about just ripping the board out and shoving that in.  It'd look better than that retarded cartridge color/label.

Remove the label, sand and paint the cart with acrylic pain,clear coat, then make a new label.

As far as the carts not working, the pins could always be extended out some using a small flat head, and also, open the cart and sand and clean the pins. Either way, I never had much of a problem with the stuff, but whatever.

[Arkhan]

Remove the label, sand and paint the cart with acrylic pain,clear coat, then make a new label.

I thought about doing that, but really, what I'd like is a clear shell to match the clear Saturn controller I have.

If I ever did paint it, I'd bash my face against a wall trying to decide which color to paint it to best match the Saturn.  I've got that gray one with blue buttons and multiple different shades going on.

So I'd have to pick between the base gray, black, blue, light blue...

too many options.  They'd all look cool.

[Nando]

Slap-a-shell option for me would be:




or the low-tech solution

[SignOfZeta]

The pins in the cart slot are very very light guage and wimpy. IRC they are round and not flat, difficult to access as well. It would be hard to reconstitute them without destroying them.

As for making the PAR prettier: you could stick it in an OEM shell, couldn't you? There are grey, smokey clear, black, white, and whatever that blue/green color is that came with the Tokomeki LE. If you have one with a parallel port on it you'd have to saw that off.

Of course, you'd still have that stupid boot screen to click through...

Which makes me wonder, it's been a while since I've owned a SS PAR, can you still access the BIOS with it installed? I think you can, but if not that would be annoying...

[Arkhan]

I don't remember.

I used the PAR mostly to play Japanese games on my US saturn that broke

so now its just shoved into the saturn because it no longer takes up shelf space if its shoved into the saturn.

I would not mind an OEM shell, but I am also too lazy to find one.

Ill bust it out, leave it bare, and get a shell later.

like, in 5 years if I still care maybe!

Or if I see a cart shell cheap in passing.


I might even just sell the thing.  Thinking now, I don't really need the f*cker.

[Nando]

I don't remember.

I used the PAR mostly to play Japanese games on my US saturn that broke

so now its just shoved into the saturn because it no longer takes up shelf space if its shoved into the saturn.

I would not mind an OEM shell, but I am also too lazy to find one.

Ill bust it out, leave it bare, and get a shell later.

like, in 5 years if I still care maybe!

Or if I see a cart shell cheap in passing.


I might even just sell the thing.  Thinking now, I don't really need the f*cker.

SOOOO about that Elevator Action Returns.... 

[Mathius]

I haven't had many problems with my Saturn's slot and a PAR 4MB (knock on wood). The only time I have issues is with D&D Collection where I have to put the PAR through some NES style cart positioning.

[Arkhan]

I don't remember.

I used the PAR mostly to play Japanese games on my US saturn that broke

so now its just shoved into the saturn because it no longer takes up shelf space if its shoved into the saturn.

I would not mind an OEM shell, but I am also too lazy to find one.

Ill bust it out, leave it bare, and get a shell later.

like, in 5 years if I still care maybe!

Or if I see a cart shell cheap in passing.


I might even just sell the thing.  Thinking now, I don't really need the f*cker.

SOOOO about that Elevator Action Returns.... 

I has a Japanese saturn.

I ain't needs no REGION H4x

[DragonmasterDan]

or the low-tech solution

Jamming paper, pen caps etc only works for so long.