Saturn import Q

[kimenon69]

Ive heard there isnt a boot disc for playing imports on the Saturn. Seen around on the net that an ST Key cart lets you do this or even an Action Replay cart. Anyone know where i can get one of these?

(I dont really want to chip yet as i'm assuming it'll be a tad more expensive than a cart).

[kimenon69]

...maybe i should just open my eyes. found one at liksang. (didnt know they had a retro section)

[Geezer]

Chipping doesn't change region, it just lets you play pirates!

[kimenon69]

Oh right...but my first Saturn had 2 switches put in. I assumed these were for region unlocking and 50/60hz option. Is switching the same as chipping?

[Geezer]

The 2 switches are all you need to play any Saturn game perfectly

All chipping does is let the Saturn boot CD-Rs.

The ST-Key or Action replay etc. will let you play imports but they'll be at 50Hz on a PAL Saturn!

[kimenon69]

Ah. Well i got this on order http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?cat...oducts_id=100&

Should tide me over till i can get the switches. Least i can play Nights again

[Rsdio]

Chipping doesn't change region, it just lets you play pirates!

But you can rip your original games, change the region and burn them. It's pretty straightforward to do and has the advantage of leaving the cart slot free for RAM expansions or memory cards.

[randombs]

rats! if i'd seen this post i woulda sold you mine for a fiver! anyone wants it pm me

btw don't get that cart confused with the action replay 4-in-1. i have both, and the blank white cart is just the old-style action replay without 1m/4m ram for capcom/snk games. it has memory but only for saving...

[kimenon69]

Ah well.

Yeah i saw the Action replay cart, but at 3 times the cost i didnt think it was worth it at the moment. Only have 3 games at the moment. None of them need extended ram. Probly go for the switching if i decide to continue rebuilding my collection.

[randombs]

well what i did was (accidentally) buy the ?5 cart like you did. i then modded my saturn into jap-only mode (i didn't understand how to do the all-region switches) and fitted a 50/60hz switch.

I then sold that saturn and bought another one. This time i managed to get the 4-in-1 action replay (with 4m capcom/1m snk ram) for ?15 which I think is worth it if you don't have a 4m cart already (i didn't). My current Saturn is UK (couldn't be bothered switching it to jap - no point) with 50/60hz switch. I don't need to mod it to jap-only as i just leave the action replay in there and it lets it play all regions. I also have a modchip installed for cdr's. The chip is cool because games load really quickly (saturn doesnt search for boot code so they boot up quicker)

[kimenon69]

Thats some good thinking. Easy way around everything. Think i'll do that.

Cheers.

[Pavey]

I have a Saturn Action Replay cart lying around if anyone wants to make me an offer (not the 4meg one though).
Nick

[kimenon69]

Ok, so ive been running Japanese Nights through this cart on a pal machine. I dont know if its just me but is it running slower than when i had my original pal version? Have i stumbled across the mystical 50/60 htz divide? or am i remembering it better than it actually was?

[Kubrick]

The ST-Key or Action replay etc. will let you play imports but they'll be at 50Hz on a PAL Saturn!

There's your answer.

[randombs]

lol. nope you're not remembering it any quicker it was that fast

what's happening is you're playing the JAP game in 50Hz which it wasn't designed for, so you notice slower stuff (music, etc, or just general slowness) than you would with the actual PAL release.
The PAL release would be quicker than the jap in 50Hz as it has been optimized so the music plays at the correct speed, and the game feels better. It's still not as quick as the JAP in actual 60Hz though, so you'd be wise to consider getting a switch fitted to allow 50/60Hz settings (or do it yourself - it's between supr easy and quite easy depending on your saturn version)

If you're feeling particularly bored, try JAP House of the Dead - you get repeated voices in 50Hz; things like "Save us! Us!" or "Sophie!? phie!?"

great laughs