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mod chip for saturn (old)

gollum - Sep 28, 2001

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		mal	Oct 10, 2001
		I understand people are keen to discover the secrets of the modboard. It would be great if it can be reverse engineered. But if gollum is 'desperate' for a modded Saturn, a Model 2 and a 21 pin board is the only quick fix.

		gollum	Oct 10, 2001
		I could buy a new saturn and play with it ........ but i want to play with my old saturn, not a recently one. Also where will be the fun in buying a "non trouble" model? Also reverse engineering is cool, you "explore the inexplorable"

		gollum	Oct 10, 2001
		If i want to start the "modboard trek" i have to know the insides of a modboard, that's it: 1) components ... PIC model, etc etc 2) a pcb draw would be great If i know what pic do it use i can buy a 21 pin mod and try to dump it. Notice that i have experience with 16xXX models ........ so its better if the modboard uses one of these. Also it will be easier to try to dump. Or perhaps somebody wants to try it with his own mod??? I'm waiting for answers.

		Fabrizo	Oct 10, 2001
		Go to this site: http://www.trsoft.demon.co.uk/saturn.htm... It has quite a bit of infor on mod chips and thier layouts.

		ExCyber	Oct 11, 2001
		That's not "quite a bit", it's "a bit". Here's what it says, summarized: These let you play copied games. There are 20-pin models, 21-pin models, and models with connectors for both. They go between the CD board and the main board. Here are 3 pics that are just barely crappy enough that the chip markings are unreadable. Here's two outdated links to places that might sell them.

		Fabrizo	Oct 11, 2001
		Its not that the site has much info, it doesn't, but it has some links to sites with some info that might be useful.

		gollum	Oct 11, 2001
		For the pictures i can see the bodboards on that page use a pic 16c54. Its a common pic and quite simple, used mainly for controllers and apliances. However, the pics seems to be of older (very old) version modboard. I need to know if current 21 pin modboards use the same chipset, it will point me to believe that also use similar software. So, perhpaps someone could send a detailed photo of both sides of his modboard.

		mal	Oct 12, 2001
		How's this... for an image. That's identicle to my modboard.

		ExCyber	Oct 12, 2001
		Interesting... I can't read most of what's on there, but it looks like there are empty places for a clock crystal and a 7404 (inverter). Maybe the "signal" (clock) wire isn't needed if the crystal and inverter are added? I also saw a label for a GAL16V8, which doesn't seem to be a terribly complex device, though I'm not sure how to design an analysis of it since it could be sequential...

		mal	Oct 12, 2001
		I'd say the clock crystal and inverter were dropped from the manufacture of the board just to make it cheaper. Interestingly this... picture, while no better in detail, shows a very similar board with the 100uF capacitor.

		gollum	Oct 12, 2001
		The capacitor is probably used to give a "sure" current voltage (i dont know how to say this in english, i'm spanish). The other components seems to be the same. So until now we know: 1) it uses a 16c54 pic 2) with a 7404 and a quartz crystal it doesnt need a wire to any other component/pin in the saturn mainboard. 3) the capacitor would be also worth to add/solder. So, at last, you only need to worry about the wires to the power supply just like older models ....... and it still uses the same pic. Now, i / we need to see the back of the board to confirm these hipotesis.

		gollum	Oct 12, 2001
		oops! And i'm still looking for info about the pic firmware/software. I bet that "in a HK web page somewhere far away must be some code/info to allow someone to fake saturn protection" ^_^ Just need how/where to find it

		Service Games	Oct 12, 2001
		Why dont you just get a new sat and a couple of mod boards then you can use one to play and hack on the second. Posible its just a simple ribbon cable pin out that needs to be changed. Seeing a the picture of a mod board with both connectors on it leads me to believe its just a pinout difference.

		gollum	Oct 13, 2001
		After seeing some photos and installation instructions here and there i'm now convinced that the 21/20 pin difference is not crucial. I also have seen a page that told you that cutting out a pin of the ribbon does the trick, the only need are the correct pins fit the modboard to allow the chip to do the fake to the controller. I have currently sent some emails to some companies about their modchips, because i'm trying to buy a good quality board with crystal built-in and then try to solder pin by pin and with another ribbon to my saturn mainboard, just like older modboards with two ribbon cables. The only question i do myself is... why has not anybody try to do this before........¿? Of course, i'll keep the forum informed if i have success.

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