Sega Saturn Rhea installation Guide

[synbiosfan]

A member at NG.com MidnightMonkey has created a detailed guide for installing a RHEA in a Model 1 Saturn (20 pin CD drive).

http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?257098-Sega-Saturn-Rhea-Comprehensive-Guide&p=3856147#post3856147

It's a little pricey but so are some of the better games on the Saturn.

MidnightMonkey makes me think I could install one

No hairdryer is needed for the installation...

[Medic_wheat]

Interesting. Makes me wonder

1). How many games fit on a 32 gb SS card from the SS

2). will it allow you to play import games as well?


and answered:

Several Rheas have already been delivered and these are very common questions:
 ■50/60 Hz auto-switch
 
There is a solder point on the PCB marked "Hz", and a solder jumper marked "Select". You need to route a wire between the Saturn's chip lifted pin and the Hz point, plus solder the jumper to select the default setting. This however is not yet working (the current FW doesn't even support it) so leave it be for now. It's coming soon, I need to test this first to make sure it works as expected.
 ■Region patcher
 
Rhea is region free as is GDEMU – in the sense that it doesn't care about regions at all. The lockout is enforced by BIOS, not the drive. You can however either patch the images yourself (there are tools for that) or have Rhea do it for you during game detection/loading. To enable that you need to tell it what region your console is – create ASCII text file named "Rhea.ini" in the root folder of the card, then place the following entry in it:
 
auto_region = N
 
where N is the code for your console region, or -1 to disable the patcher (the default setting). The codes are:
 
0: JAPAN, 1: TAIWAN and PHILIPINES, 2: USA and CANADA, 3: BRAZIL, 4: KOREA, 5: ASIA PAL area, 6: EUROPE, 7: LATIN AMERICA



So sweet!

This means:

I can play a english verson of Deep Fear!

I can play all three Panzar games without having to touch my originals lol

I can play Elevator Action Returns! (and other import games without buying them) bu wa ha ha!.

[xcrement5x]

Niiiiiice!  I'd seen this mentioned on Sega16 before but I didn't know the hardware was already out.  I've got an extra Model 1 Saturns with a bad laser that this will be perfect for. 

Installation sounds pretty easy, I will need to start saving my pennies for whatever the final price on this winds up being. 

[bartre]

I love that this exists.

fuck that it costs more than 100 real people money.

[Medic_wheat]

I love that this exists.

fuck that it costs more than 100 real people money.

I say fuck real people money.

But my wife disagrees 

[xcrement5x]

I love that this exists.

fuck that it costs more than 100 real people money.

But, like synbiosfan said, that's like less than the cost of some of the really pricey Saturn games.  Also, sounds pretty equivalent in price to like a flashcart.

[Medic_wheat]

I love that this exists.

fuck that it costs more than 100 real people money.

But, like synbiosfan said, that's like less than the cost of some of the really pricey Saturn games.  Also, sounds pretty equivalent in price to like a flashcart.

True that.

I might wait as being an early adopter feels more like beta testing. Also I will need to find a Saturn in good condition but with a bad laser so I don't feel like I am gutting good hardware.

[synbiosfan]

I love that this exists.

fuck that it costs more than 100 real people money.

But, like synbiosfan said, that's like less than the cost of some of the really pricey Saturn games.  Also, sounds pretty equivalent in price to like a flashcart.

True that.

I might wait as being an early adopter feels more like beta testing. Also I will need to find a Saturn in good condition but with a bad laser so I don't feel like I am gutting good hardware.

Right now I don't have a 20 pin with a bad laser so I'm holding off atm.

I do like the idea of having a complete, working backup on hand so if any improvements are made...

[xcrement5x]

All model 2 units are 21 pin lasers right?

[Medic_wheat]

All model 2 units are 21 pin lasers right?

Not sure but it sounds like he is working to make the mode compatable with both versions. But it yet completed.

[synbiosfan]

All model 2 units are 21 pin lasers right?

Not sure but it sounds like he is working to make the mode compatable with both versions. But it yet completed.

I think so, assumed so, but could be wrong.

As Mw pointed out,  the plan is to cover 20 and 21 pins. Solderless too.

[pdiggitydogg]

I really want one of these. I have a model 1 with a bad laser BOARD. Some turd started twisting all the pots and its so far off its not worth trying to adjust. I've been carrying it around for years in my closets.