Sega Saturn repair service anywhere available?

[SlightlyLoyal]

Hi,

I own a Japanese Sega Saturn Model 2. The problem with it is that shows unusual and strange behavior. When booting, system is randomly restarting or given no signal to the video-output. It's on a loop basically every time it’s trying to reboot. While it's LED-power light is on, so i guess there should be enough voltage. I'm suspecting it's some capacitors that probably died in the motherboard?

Now, i live in the EU. Are there any repairs service available that might diagnose it? I'm open for a eventually cost.

 

[cww80]

It's the capacitors. Probably video related caps. Might as well replace them all. See if there is someone near you who can do it. Look into the FRAM mod too. That makes it so the saves never disappear even if the cr2032 battery dies.

 

[Matilija]

I like the fram mod, but if you want a much cheaper option to at least drastically reduce save loss, it's pretty easy to solder in a 2x series 3v AA battery pack that will last for ~5+ years vs. the 9-12 months of a cr2032, and it would cost less than $6. for the battery holder, which can easily be placed inside the same space where the CR2032 lives.


This also provides the benefit of not having to set the clock or even see the clock setup screen for 5+ years as well, where as the fram mod won't stop that from happening.

 

[FADE]

vs. the 9-12 months of a cr2032

A proper name-brand CR2032 will last several years. I actually went with an LIR battery and charge circuit, I can't stand having to skip the date/time screen. The FRAM mod is nice but the real problem has always been the power-hungry RTC.

 

[nando]

I like the fram mod, but if you want a much cheaper option to at least drastically reduce save loss, it's pretty easy to solder in a 2x series 3v AA battery pack that will last for ~5+ years vs. the 9-12 months of a cr2032, and it would cost less than $6. for the battery holder, which can easily be placed inside the same space where the CR2032 lives.


This also provides the benefit of not having to set the clock or even see the clock setup screen for 5+ years as well, where as the fram mod won't stop that from happening.

9-12 months? are you using dollar store batteries?

when my Saturn was new - I never once replaced the battery. And I played it straight from 1995 to around 2001...

Meanwhile, I will never be able to recover the save games I had. Also, I have the save backup cart too, and I used it - but the memory corrupted itself, so I literally lost every single save anyway. Ugh!

I wonder if the FRAM mod is actually more reliable than a 30 year old Sega backup cart.

 

[Matilija]

9-12 months? are you using dollar store batteries?

when my Saturn was new - I never once replaced the battery. And I played it straight from 1995 to around 2001...

Meanwhile, I will never be able to recover the save games I had. Also, I have the save backup cart too, and I used it - but the memory corrupted itself, so I literally lost every single save anyway. Ugh!

I wonder if the FRAM mod is actually more reliable than a 30 year old Sega backup cart.

I seemed to have to replace my batteries every year or so, using Duracel, Energizer, w/e I had available at the time, I got tired of it and soldered in a AA set about 8 years ago, and the batteries, clock and saves are all still good, and AA batteries are a lot cheaper than coin cells, but I'm glad to know it's just a faulty battery port or something that causes my Saturn to chew up the coincells.