Sega Saturn region mod help

Started by slayn2034, December 30, 2009, 06:25:09 PM

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slayn2034

Well guys i was doing the simple region mod to my sega saturn and the unfortunate thing happened to me, some of the jumper traces/pads got lifted and now my saturn has noo region.  any advice on a fix or work around? the saturn boots up fine reads games as cd's, just rejects them as not suitable for the system(because no region is set)

my saturn is a model MK80000A
model 2 with the round buttons and one LED light.

any advice would be much appreciated

PS and no advice like buy a new saturn cause that isnt an option right now.

NFG


slayn2034

i dont think that schematic applies to my saturns motherboard. i cant find the IC thats shown. i seem to have the one saturn no one has a tutorial for or atleast a wiring diagram. im still trying to make heads or tails of the gamesx charts. i have the 3rd revision shown on the third picture in the gamesx tutorial. im just lost on what to doo. because 3 of the pads were pulled. i need to know which IC and its pin out. any advice on what i can doo?  i have searched this forum several times and i cant find a straight answer.  what was becoming an easy project is turning in to a major pain in the ass. my saturn current status is there is no region set so i cant play anything. im trying to wire up a DPDT toggle switch for JP/US regions. i think i know what charts but im stumped on how to wire this thing up. im just afraid of frying my saturn.  so advice and help would be much appreciated.

NFG

Find the chip, all Saturns have one, as far as I remember.  Keep looking.

slayn2034

alright i found the chip success! now i just gotta figure out which pin.  my other question(sorry i really dont wanna fry my saturn) im going to use a DPDT toggle switch. just to double check, the common point is basically two jumpers bridged right? according to the diagrams.

GND |       COMMON  | +5V     - USA
-----------------------------------------
GND        COMMON      +5V     - JPN
--------|---------------------|---------
is this how i would wire the DPDT toggle switch???

sorry for the noob questions but i havent dabbled in electronics in years and i really do not want to fry my saturn.

NFG

I can't really work out what your diagram is supposed to represent.  Two things you should keep in mind:

1. When in JP mode, jumper 6/7 is +5V, the other (jumper 10/11) is GND.   
2. Never hook GND and +5V to the same point!  This will blow fuses and cause other troubles.

So, on a six legged switch, the common point of the two jumpers (6/7 and 10/11) should be connected to the centre legs.  On your diagram, you seem to have figured that out.  The two on one end should be GND and +5V, and the two on the other end should be the opposite, like so:

GND    Common1    +5V
+5V     Common2    GND

slayn2034

alright i got the  gnd and +5v wired correctly following your diagram, now my next question is im not sure how to go about soldering the common points on the pins of the chip, because on two of the jumpers the traces/pads were lifted. so im wondering is the common point just one pin or is it two that i have to bridge still????

NFG

Common point is one point.  You can tell by the diagram: one line runs back to the chip. 

You're overthinking this, and trying to work out which two pins to bridge when there's only one shown will make your head hurt.

slayn2034

#8
well i found the pins, but im going to have to get some thinner wire, because my current wire wont stick to the pins and the they are located in a cramped spot, im trying not to use too much solder and accidently bridging pins.  this has gone from simple to major pain in the ass since the traces got lifted >_<.

i have a question though, could i just solder to jumper 6 for the common point? because its pad is still fine same with jumper 10 just 11 got lifted(i couldnt bridge connections).  reason im asking because i just have a feeling the soldering to the pin isnt going to work well for me, the way my luck has been running.

NFG

Replacement saturns are cheap.  ;)

Always use thinner wire.  Thinner is better.

slayn2034

i have a question though, could i just solder to jumper 6 for the common point? because its pad is still fine same with jumper 10 just 11 got lifted(i couldnt bridge connections).  reason im asking because i just have a feeling the soldering to the pin isnt going to work well for me, the way my luck has been running. i just need to solder the common points and i am DONE!

NFG

Well it depends on how you lifted it and which side of the jumper you're using.  Remember that there are four points: two connect to the chip, one to Vcc and one to GND.  You MUST use one of the two commons, and it MUST still be connected to the chip.

If you use either Vcc or GND, you'll blow shit up.  If the common point you use is no longer connected to anything, you're not going to have any luck.

slayn2034

well luck was on my side, i got some thinner wire to solder to the chip so it all works now, thx alot for the help. i appreciate it.