Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- blog:sega_saturn_rmenu_setup [2020/06/20 06:32] – [Second Attempt - Replacement EEPROMs] john
+++ blog:sega_saturn_rmenu_setup [2020/06/27 11:39] (current) – [Testing My Menu Builder] john
@@ Line 127: / Line 127: @@
 ==== Third Attempt - replacement cart ====
-TO-DO
+=== Replacement Decision ===
+Since my original cart was now not working I had to track down a replacement; the options are:
+   * A cheap Pseudo Saturn Kai All-in-one cart - from somewhere like AliExpress; with unknown support and no comms
+   * A Gamers cart from the developer of Pseudo Saturn Kai - but no RAM expansion
+   * Another old-stock Action Replay 4M+
+Ultimately I went with the decision to get another Action Replay, since this was the only option that allowed me to have:
+   * 1M/4M RAM expansion
+   * Save Backup
+   * Pseudo Saturn Kai ROM
+   * Comms support
+All of the others offer a combination of the above, but nothing else has all four facilities.
+=== Flashing the cart ===
+Checking that the cartridge is not showing any flickering byte values (this took a few goes at repositioning the cart, but unlike the original, I eventually got a position where the cart ROM was showing rock steady values).
+{{:blog:img_1413.jpg?400|}}
+Loading the flasher utility which correctly identified the EEPROM chips on the new Action Replay cart:
+{{:blog:img_1414.jpg?400|}}
+The flasher erasing and writing the new Pseudo Saturn Kai ROM image to the cart:
+{{:blog:img_1415.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:img_1416.jpg?400|}}
+Verifying the new ROM image correctly, and viewing the contents of the cart ROM:
+{{:blog:img_1417.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:img_1418.jpg?400|}}
+=== It works! ===
+Rebooting with the Saturn with the Pseudo Saturn Kai cart now active:
+{{:blog:img_1422.jpg?300|}} {{:blog:img_1419.jpg?300|}} {{:blog:img_1421.jpg?300|}}
+----
+===== Testing My Menu Builder =====
+This is about the first time I've been able to test the output of my [[https://github.com/megatron-uk/PyRMenuGen|menu builder software]] and, unfortunately it looks like it didn't work properly:
+{{:blog:img_1444.jpg?400|}}
+That's the Pseudo Saturn Kai BIOS complaining that it cannot find the menu file which is embedded within the ISO file in the `./001/` folder on the SD card.
+Removing the Action Replay cart and relying on the disc image in the first folder (001) had the following output:
+   * Using RMENU - boots straight to CD player - "No Disc in drive"
+   * Using Rmenu Kai - boots straight to CD player - "No Disc in drive"
+All my files on the SD card are in '/XXX/' numbered folders (there are some 120+ games). I found that if I renamed the `./001/` directory to `./01/` I got a different result:
+   * Using RMENU - loads RMENU but then I get a 'menu cannot be found' message
+   * Using Rmenu Kai - loads RMenu Kai and displays game list, but no game boots (just tries loading the ISO and then cycles back to menu)
+   * Using Pseduo Saturn Kai on cart - shows the 'Optical Drive or ODE not connected'
+{{:blog:img_1446.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:img_1447.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:img_1444.jpg?400|}}
+=== Numbers!!! ===
+Turns out the problem was easier to fix than I thought:
+The instructions for the Rhea state:
+> Every image must be put in a separate folder
+> Folder names must consist of:
+> 2 digits for 01 to 99
+> 3 digits up to 999
+> 4 digits up to 9999
+> All file names must have correct extension
+I had assumed that as I had >100 images, all folders needed to be three digits - that isn't the case:
+   * The first 100 folders (0-99) have two digits
+   * The next 899 folders (100-999) have three digits
+   * The next 8999 folders (1000-9999) have four digits
+All I needed to do was rename the first 99 folders to be 01-99, instead of 001-099. [[https://github.com/megatron-uk/PyRMenuGen/commit/6c4938119c79db59c07cf4aacea3ebfc48f951d1|My menu builder code has also been updated to reflect this change]].
+And it works:
+{{:blog:img_1448.jpg?600|}}
+{{:blog:img_1449.jpg?600|}}
+{{:blog:img_1451.jpg?600|}}
+{{:blog:img_1454.jpg?600|}}
+----
+===== Advanced Mods =====
+The Rhea has an optional function that enables it to change the video mode of the Saturn from 50Hz to 60Hz (or vice-versa) depending on the region of the disc image that is loaded.
+By default you don't need to do this, but:
+  * Some titles may not play correctly at the wrong video mode
+  * You won't see NTSC (US/Japan) titles at full speed
+I'd never enabled this functionality with my Rhea, but since everything is now working, this is the next task.