Saturn Modification FAQ

This modification allows the user to switch between Japanese and American modes on the Saturn in order to play both countries' games.

Disclaimer: Do not read unless you have some soldering skills and basic electronics experience. Well, I guess you can read it if you are some sort of idiot with too much extra money who doesn't care if their Saturn gets ruined.

Here's how I did it for those of you with the newer single board Saturn.

1. Take the cover off. (five screws on bottom)
2. Remove the CD drive. Take out one screw, unplug the ribbon cable, and the two other connectors.
3. Take the screw out of the power supply board, unplug the power switch cord, and remove the board while disconnecting it from the main board.
4. Unplug the ribbon cable to the joypad board
5. Remove the screws holding the metal cover plate on. remove the metal cover plate. The main board should also be loose.
6. Remove the main board and take out the battery.
7. Two of the jumpers should have a small 0 resistor connecting their respective poles. It is necessary to remove these resistors. For each one: Use the soldering iron to heat where it is soldered on and pull it off with a pair of tweezers.
8. Find JP10 and JP11 on the top side of the board. When the letters are right side up the common post is on the left hand side. Connect one of the left side post to the center post on a DPDT. Connect each of the right side posts to one of the sides of the DPDT.
   If you have the newer board where JP10 and JP11 are on the bottom of the board along with JP6 and JP7 click here
9. Find JP6 and JP7 on the bottom of the board. When the letters are right side up the common post is on the right side. Connect one of these posts to the other center post of the DPDT. Connect JP6's left post to the other post of the DPDT that is on the same side as JP11 is connected. Connect JP7's left post to the other post of the DPDT that is on the same side as JP10.
   (See the diagram below for instructions 8 and 9)

10. Run the switch out of the machine in a convenient place. I found that the wires ran out easiest by the joypad ribbon connector. Then I cut a slot in the front right side on the bottom half of the body near where the reset post runs. I ran it there because of the big open space there, and because it is convenient for switching back and forth.
11. Reassemble your Saturn.

Diagram:

     !------------------!
JP11 o  o------------!  !
                     !  !
                     !  !
JP10 o  o------------------!
                     !  !  !
                     o  o  o
              DPDT              
                     o  o  o
    !----------------!  !  !
    !                   !  !
JP6 o  o----------------!  !
                           ! 
JP7 o  o                   !
    !----------------------!
  

Warning: This modification should only be attempted by someone with experience in soldering. The very small size of the jumpers make it a difficult and slow process to do correctly. It took me a couple of hours or so. I take no responsibility for those of you who attempt this modification and screw your machine up. This is an example of how I made the modification myself only.