Your timing is impeccable. I literally JUST got my V-Saturn in the mail today. The seller sent me a game go test the console with, and all I could think of was what a shame it was that I would have to gut the optical drive and store it somewhere safe, even though I knew it was perfectly functioning. Thank you so much for this.
SD Loading while retaining the original GC drive is already a thing. It's called the SD2SP2. Requires a hacked game save + a retail disk such as Wind Waker or a Modchip + Swiss burned to a minidvd.
There's a lot of underappreciated well aged stuff on the Saturn. Unfortunately, almost all of them got stuck in Japan because Sega replaced their US guy with someone who didn't think the US would like arcade style games or JRPGs and thought polygons were better than pixels despite the system being really good for pixels. thankfully some of them have enough fan followers to create English translation patches.
I think another con is how recessed the switch ended up being (though I'm not familiar with the saturn at all, maybe when Will made his it was more flush with the outside and easier to access), I think some way to make sure the switch was easily accessible would be good too. Overall though, a really cool mod! Glad to see ODEs that don't remove the original drives coming out
That’s true, it is quite recessed. I suppose since folks wont be switching it too many times I think it’s okay to be sorta hidden. What would have been really cool is if it auto detected a disc and then played the cd.
I have the Satiator and Rhea too. I have to admit the Satiator is amazing and so easy to use. The Fenrir is a great and ambitious device with wifi loading games ( in the future), and less expensive than the Satiator. The plug and play feature of the Satiator is untouchable from other ODE devices but for now they he action replay feature can’t be used ( at least the cheat feature)
Great Video! I went with the Satiator because at the time it was the only ODE that offered to keep the CD-ROM Drive. It's great to see other ODE's offering this support with the help of the modding community.
@@MachoNachoProductions I also have a Satiator with a 64GB SD card and have it running a different menu system called Rings. It's AMAZING! The menu system is cool and lets it show artwork when you highlight a game, though it's very low resolution. Updating the firmware is easy which is nice.
@@MachoNachoProductions I really like.. it works on both 20/21 Pin Saturn's and its plug and play. The only down side is if you need to use the VCD Card you have to take it out.
I’ve been using the Satiator personally, which has been great for me in spite of some weirdness with the firmware at times. It’s good that more mods are starting to come out that allow you to choose between original discs and the SD card.
@@MachoNachoProductions I like it quite a bit! The default menu is pretty plain though there is a custom one called Rings which is more customizable. I’ve had problems loading games from Rings however so I went back to the default. Load times are very good as expected from an ODE, and the install is as simple as it gets- plug and play. One thing to keep in mind though is that the Saturn’s clock battery has to be functional for the Satiator to boot properly.
Yes! Glad some others know about the Satiator, it goes unnoticed a lot! here is the video of where it all began with the original project ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jOyfZex7B3E.html
Another, sure-fire, way to check if you need a 20 or 21 pin board is to look at the green block that powers the Fenrir (and original disc drive) 4-wire = 20 Pin, 5-wire =21 pin.
Im fairly certain I have the same revision of the 20 pin models. The reason why the sd card pcb isnt locking into place is that it locks down below the expansion card port, but this revision has a separate daughterboard for it which i guess makes the fit a bit tighter. To mitigate this I removed the RF shield and removed the daughterboard then put the SD card pcb into place and added back the exp port board above the sd card pcb to successfully lock it in place. Then just added the rf shield back etc.
Another great video. Price of both the Fenrir and Saturn Switcher is entering into Satiator territory. Both are great options. I have the Satiator and it's nice as a plug and play solution. I can easily transport that to any Saturn I wanted, so that's a bonus. Rings on Satiator does make everything look nice with the game cover downloads. Just waiting on the inevitable firmware update to make a super select few games become compatible.
I hate mutilating drives when the SD can be placed in other spots without cutting or ruining the shell. This is GREAT to hear. The more Saturn's and other optical systems out there with original drives are awesome. Even if the laser is bad, it leaves it for replacing or repairing. We need this for the Dreamcast. Great work!
This is an incredibly effective mod with a low barrier to entry. I agree with you that I can't wait to see all my favorite older consoles get similar mods. Thanks for another phenomenal video!
Tito: Retro console this year are taking over especially when finding out how to install a brand new upgrade/modify chip to have better improvement, I always appreciate it for today video and hits to make our console with a good quality improvement. Thank you Tito!!!
@@MachoNachoProductions It is, it has its quirks too, if you want to use an AR cart you need to flash but the Satiator itself provides you with the tools to do it. You can back it up and flash it, also you can restore the old image at any time if you want to.
Great video, and nice to see this solution. I personally opted for having multiple saturns, some with fenrir and some without. It worked out since I have multiple TV setups. But I know most people probably just want one
I did essentially this with my Wii years ago, still have it... I installed a Wasabi mod chip to my launch Wii and then later soft modded it... Came in very handy with certain discs that had issues being read from hard drive, like Guitar Hero Games and some GameCube games...
Excellent content per usual, Tito. However, I did want to mention that while this is a new feature for the Fenrir’s original implementation - the Satiator has offered this feature since it’s earliest production, as one of it’s strongest selling points. While this is a new concept to that of a traditional ODE - the Satiator is in fact the first product to offer such functionality, with no modding necessary nonetheless. So, technically, this is not the first to market. anyways, keep up the excellent work !
This is why I appreciate the PSIO so much for PS1 as I have a substantial PS1 collection. My Saturn just has a Fenrir since I won't be collecting for it due to price and lack of nostalgia. It's still great this is an option for those who have physical Saturn collections though.
Yet another awesome video Tito! Such a simple mod with no cut AND you get to keep the cd drive functionality makes this a no brainier for me. Only problem I have is that my Saturn is not the 20 pin variant so I’ll have to wait for a compatible version to be done. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work 👍
This is fantastic! The only drawback is the switch itself, but let's hope that the creator adds a 3d printed expansion bay cover with a regular thumb switch so we can switch more easily.
The Satiator by Professor Abrasive does this without modding the console at all. It’s plug and play with the video card port. You just need to set up the SD card and you’re ready to go.
It can be a little confusing to set up the first time, but there’s a discord for this where the creator frequently posts. There’s also custom menu software for it that makes it extremely nice to use. I highly recommend using it with an Action Replay cartridge, this lets you boot back to the main menu using button combos on the controller.
I love your videos and all these mods are really cool and a few I plan on installing in the future. I will say one thing since I've bought my MiSTer is that it is so accurate and it is now slowly replacing all my oldest hardware aside from a few I am keeping for nostalgia.
I was looking for a fix on my broken Power Switch button and got an awesome solution for when I get to install a Fenrir on mine. I was even thinking about getting another one just to have a CD readable one. I don't think "The SEGA Saturn Switcher Mod" title gives it justice, for how awesome this is. I might have seen this before and thought that it was about a Region Switch mod or to make it read burned CDs.
I was looking at this option but ordered a Satiator in case I need to swap between my two Saturns. The plug and play ease makes more sense in my particular case
Sweet mod again tito i hope these switchable versions of odes continue to pop up. Always great to have a choice. Just curious if you model of saturn i more prevalently found in the states?
That’s a great question! I’m not 100% sure if my model was more prevalent in the US but it’s definitely different than the one Will used which is PAL. The location of the ribbon connector is different as well as the rf shielding. I feel like Sega liked making a ton of revisions of their consoles 😅
Like many have already said, just use a Satiator instead, it does exactly that, both SD and CD at the same time, without having to use a screwdriver at all and open your Saturn.
I have 0 memories from a real Saturn, the only memories are from games advertised and reviewed on old magazines... is a cool mod anyway and a great video as always.
As the man who helped get the whole ODE for consoles going via the infamous Dreamcast GDROM EMU project I approve this. I am the one who put the call out for a Dreamcast ODE several years back and people answered. Since then it has moved on to PS1, Saturn, and other disc based consoles. I would love to see this addition be made to work with those other consoles. Keep the GDROM in the Dreamcast with an ODE. Keep the CD reader in a PS1. So forth.
Have been holding out on GC Loader till there is a similar option for GameCube! Absolutely love all your content. One small piece of feedback is I always find myself thinking Features Overview should come before Kit Parts and Installation so someone knows what the feature set is before deciding if they care enough to watch how to install. And that way by the time you got to Pros in Pros and Cons it wouldn't feel like a restatement of the features that were just listed but rather a review after install. Just my thoughts! In any case love your videos as-is regardless
Is the expansion bay placement simple just to keep the SD/switch pcb in a neat out of the way place? Maybe a better idea is to make a replacement door which as that pcb integrated. The switch and sd slot could be external and easy to access and it won't take up the slot.
I got the mode one. Works as should. No extra soldering required. Just follow the instructions take out disk drive and stick mode inside. There are more stuff you can do that require soldering. Isn't needed thou.
I hope something like that comes to the ps1. As it is a massivly sold console, you still get "new" laser units farly easy and cheap, so I don't see it to switch out a laser forever and only rely on ISO games, as I got a huge game disc collection.
While I do think the more options the better, in Saturn satiator is the way to go. It's expensive, but you don't have to solder and it's portable. This was needed though as ODE, leaving the olders obsolete and I look forward for a Dreamcast counterpart.
I think the Satiator is a better option, you just insert the card in the back port with the SD card and it works, without having to modify the hardware of the console itself.
Grab a Satiator. Well Worth the price. Keep your disc drive. Plug and play , installed in about 5 seconds. And works on all Saturns. This was a great video though.
So, cool, but considering that AFAIK you need to pay 120 for Fenrir plus 45 for the board, you might just as well bust another 35-40 for a solution that does not even require you to open the console at all. Am I missing something?
Honestly, if there was a way which an ODE could be used to dump the CD contents to a ROM file, that would increase the value of having an ODE of that sorts by tenfold. I've been considering buying a Sega Saturn and Dreamcast lately, and I'd ideally want something that will work with the original drives.
This is a really cool mod given that the finrer is really hard to get right now I won't be doing it anytime soon but when I do I'm definitely doing this mod because my CD drive works.
This solves my biggest complaint with sd game mods. I have no issue with mods, but I'm not ripping out a cd to install them. That's like if a ever drive required you to solder it to the gameboy cart reader pins making it unremoveable not allowing original carts.
Going to need replacement lasers at some point. I feel like at some point those are going to start failing. I'm sure the modders will be al over that when the time comes.
Thankfully we can get replacement lasers for some consoles but I would assume that at some point we will run out. New replacement lasers seems like it would be hard to produce, but you never know
Despite not owning any physical Saturn games anymore, if they ever make a 21 pin version of this mod, I'll probably pick one up and install it. I kept my CD drive for my Saturn, and having everything looking stock would be cool, plus if I ever sold my Saturn, I'm sure whoever bought it from me would appreciate it.
wow this mod is nice I want that because I don't want to sell my original Saturn Games, when I put out my disc drive. With this mod I can play my originals and the SD Games very nice
Ooh are there any ODEs that don't replace the CD drive for other systems yet? Now I'm glad I haven't attempted a ODE replacement yet on any of my consoles.
I remember the old racket boy chips and I was finally able to get a phantom chip off ebay, can't wait to get a fenrir next as my laser is kinda dying(freezing on read sometimes and spin down on AR card) definitly replacing my laser. Don't use the swap disc trick unless you plan on replacing the laser every year
Thanks for this content. You will bring new life to my Sega Saturn collection… SB: other than these links do you have another place to get these mod parts…
I would love to see this option for the GameCube if it isn't already out there. I've been keeping an eye on prices of the sdloader for the GameCube for months now ever since I realized how easy to newer ones are to install. Maybe I'll still get one in the meantime. Because I think the disc drive in my system might be going out anyways :/
Man I'm glad I discovered your channel it's rare to find quality over quantity channels nowadays and every video you drop has heart and soul in it, mad respect to you.
Can both work at the same time or is power only provided to one (SD card or CD)? I'm curious if this would let someone back up their library painlessly.
Hi, regarding your SD card board that is moving I had the same issue. If you remove the metallic shield in your Saturn, then you should be able to fix the board properly (it's fixing under the Video Card connector). Thank you for this video
As much as I would like to do this mod I will never use the disk drive and I would probably have the same issues you did. I also have a Saturn with the PSU in the top shell.
I do the soft mod on my Saturn with the action replay cart. I have a model 2 Saturn so this wouldn't work on mine anyways but it's cool to see none the less
@@MachoNachoProductions Nacho Nachito Dios te cuide te bendiga para que sigas haciendo muchos vídeos y creaciones vivan los videojuegos 😃 bendiciones de un amigo mexicano Bro
We need one for the PS1!! I got mine sitting in the closet with a small collection of games. I want to mod it but I don’t want to get rid of the disk drive 😩
have you tried also putting a phantom modchip in the mix as well so you can play backup discs as well 😆 i should imagine it would work just fine as long as it gets enough power.
