My Saturn just dies....

[HHarm]

EDIT: died

Yep, it's dead. And just when I got my hand on Batsugun.

First the game froze a couple of times. Then I had started having trouble turning the power on. The power led lit up, the disc started spinning but the loading didn’t start and the screen stayed black (I could see the screen switching to NTSC-mode though).

Then I figured that if I held reset while I pressed the power button I could get the machine to start. Other games seemed to work fine for a while. Today the Saturn rarely starts and even if it does, the games soon crash.

I’m especially pissed cause it’s a skeleton Saturn. Any ideas if it could be something I could fix myself? Also, are the internal components of the machine similar between the other Saturn models that have the same casing? Could I buy a cheaper model and house it’s internal parts inside the skeleton Saturn?

[Escape-To-88]

Hmmm, I've fixed, modded and generally hammered a few saturns in my time, but haven't done anything recently. Sounds like it could be the psu. If that's the case then it's a simple swap over job. From what I remember though, there are 2 (maybe three?) types of power boards and the mk 1/2 doesn't neccesarily correspond to a certain type of board. When you do find a compatible board (which actually shouldn't be too tough) it's a simple switch over job. From what I remember you can just remove the board and connector and swap it over. You should be able to use a u.k board as well to save the need for a stepdown.

It also could also be the laser; again I've had many machine where the laser's have been notoriously flimsy - but like the psu it's a simple switch over job. And if memory serves me correct all lasers have the same mount so any machine should do.

I had a self-chipped uk machine once that died in a similar manner to what you are describing and I needed to switch the laser and power board; although eventually the chip buggered the lens anyway! I'd swap one or both and if it still isn't working then it could be time to get a new machine mate

[HHarm]

The for the info! With or without a CD the Saturn won't even boot to the startup menu. Do you think that rules out the possibility that the laser is busted?

[Yakumo]

Your month board is dead. I had a skeleton Saturn that did the same thing. What I did was replaced the mother board for one froma dirty yellow (should have been white) Saturn and that solved everything.

Yakumo

[HHarm]

Do you know if the regular black japanese Sat has the same (or at least compatible for the job) mobo? It would be cool to have a Sat that can run all the games of the Sega Ages series. I have Outrun and that didn't work with the skeleton Sat.

[Yakumo]

There is no regular black Japanese Saturn. The only regular units are the grey and white ones unless you count the Hi-Saturn, that's black.

Yakumo

[AndyB]

If you tell me which laser type it is I may have a spare laser you can have (especially if it is a 64 pin - I've got 4 or 5 spare!).

I'm away on my hols from tomorrow, so PM me and I'll have a look when I get back.

AndyB