5 replies to this topic

[Antneed]

Hi all,

I recently purchased a pre-owned Sega Saturn from E-Bay. The unit was in the original box and seems to be in good cosmetic condition.
However on closer inspection, in the back right of the unit, there is a SILVER screw/bolt, as if the unit was opened up.

I hooked the system up, put a game in the drive and fire it up. Up comes the Saturn screen, then the system goes to the 'set-up' screen, and up pops the message that says something of the following:
"The CD is not compatible with this system".

I have tried multiple games/discs all with the same result.
I tried putting a Sega RAM Cart in the slot, still the games do not boot and I get the same message, that the disc is non-compatible with the system.

I know its not my games, for they all work on my other Saturn console.

On looking at the onboard RAM data, I did notice a game save of Radiant Silverstorm, which is an import (as you all know).
What I'm thinking, is with that screw/bolt in the back, that this unit was 'modded' with a mod chip to play imports.

However, I can't get anything to boot up. But I have no imports to try anyway.

I emailed the seller, and he thought that the unit was modded, but was not sure. And he has no idea how to get it working.

My questions:
Is this unit defective?
Does anyone have any idea or any suggestions on getting this thing to work?

The unit is NTSC, says that on the set-up screen.


Here are some pics:


Your help is appreciated,
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[JagMX]

im thinking you must have a Japanese only system can you post a picture of this "bolt" on the system?
i have a saturn with the USA/Jap switch. im curious if it looks almost something like mine

[Ze_ro]

If there's a Radiant Silvergun save, I'd say it's a LOT more likely that the system is modded to played burned games and not just imports. Radiant Silvergun is crazy expensive.

--Zero

[DeV0]

Its probably modded, however i would think any mod without a switch would play all regions. There is a very common cart for the saturn called CD+Plus, I have both the PAL and NTSC one. I say common because ive seen heaps of them for only a couple of $. If you can get an audio cd to run then id suggest the multi region cart.

[Lost Monkey]

The mod chip for the Saturn only allows back-ups, it is not a region mod. It is possible that the system was switch modded at one time and the mod has gone "bad". I find my NCS switch-modded Skeleton Saturn is starting to get flaky, and the original switch modded Saturn I have (which I did myself) ended up a Japan only unit.. it was originally North American.

The area where the switch mod leads are soldered on the main board gets "dried up" (I don't know what the technical term for it is) from soldering and the little "plates" where the jumpers are can come right off the PCB after time. This is what happened to my first Saturn, so I just hardwired it to be J region.

[-^Cro§Bow^-]

I think he simply may have a Japanese Saturn that someone had so they could play imports. That just seems awefully more expensive than just using a region cart or 4 - 1 type cart.

I do know that the serial numbers sticker looks different from most any other US saturn I have seen.