Sega Saturn Core in Development

[grizzly]

After doing some tests, It seems there is no difference in dual sdram vs single sdram anymore when using compatible sdram. Maybe if you had non compatible ram, dual sdram would help.

What did you test?
Did you test the 4-5 games (if i remember correctly) that has some very slight audio trouble when running single RAM?

[mike911]

Which ones? Most I have tested have audio issues with both single and dual. Mainly some crackling or missing sound effects, and volume level issues.

[grizzly]

Oooops!
It was the PSX core i meant by the 4-5 games that will have slight sound issues.
So woke up and before i apparently started thinking i mixed that up with the saturn core, my bad!

[benten2000]

I have been testing a few games with the single RAM version and so far its looking great.

Regarding dual ram, from the GitHub page states better compatibility but my problem is I have the Mister Multisystem setup which only has one connector for memory.

Is the dual RAM based on total larger size of the two memory cards are doing different tasks?

[green_onion]

Since the Saturn core was added to the main distribution, I noticed there was a commit on yesterday's build to fix the centering on CRTs:

Code: Select all

Add offsets for 224/240/256 lines
Correct horizontal offsets for 320 / 352 pixel lengths
Tested over the previous week (NTSC/PAL)
Fixes Off center image

Unfortunately I haven't noticed any difference as of yet, the image is still shifted to the left in the same way it has been, and I didn't notice any new menu options to manually set it. Has anyone else who uses this core over VGA on a CRT noticed any difference yet? Am I overlooking something?

[mike911]

I have been testing a few games with the single RAM version and so far its looking great.

Regarding dual ram, from the GitHub page states better compatibility but my problem is I have the Mister Multisystem setup which only has one connector for memory.

Is the dual RAM based on total larger size of the two memory cards are doing different tasks?

I might be mistaken, but afaik with dual sdram you use each ram for different subsystems. Using a single sdram, it has two chips which are programmed to each be used independently, so to pseudo replicate that. The problem was compatibility, most were using V2.5 sdram chips at the time and some were using 4 chip sdram instead of 2 chip. With the latest core updates single core on v2.9+ 2chip seems as good dual sdram.

[Hodor]

Since the Saturn core was added to the main distribution, I noticed there was a commit on yesterday's build to fix the centering on CRTs:

Code: Select all

Add offsets for 224/240/256 lines
Correct horizontal offsets for 320 / 352 pixel lengths
Tested over the previous week (NTSC/PAL)
Fixes Off center image

Unfortunately I haven't noticed any difference as of yet, the image is still shifted to the left in the same way it has been, and I didn't notice any new menu options to manually set it. Has anyone else who uses this core over VGA on a CRT noticed any difference yet? Am I overlooking something?

Most likely because the core RBF release is previous to the commit so a new build is needed to include the more recent changes.

[KOLWE-X]

Today, I've got the saturn core via update_all without BIOS. I've added a Bios File and sometimes it's loading and sometimes not... no Game is working. Everytime I load one the message appears: CD BIOS NOT FOUND"
Any ideas?

[dyne]

Got a couple of translations up and running no problem (Dungeon Master Nexus and Shining Force). However my North American games are all .chd which are not being read. Is there an easy way to fix this or will I need bin/cue for everything?

Converted a bunch of them. So far the only title that won't boot for me is Shinobi Legions. Slipped right back into SEGA Rally after close to 30 years and got 1st place in the championship. Muscle memory is real.

[MikeS1]

Since the Saturn core was added to the main distribution, I noticed there was a commit on yesterday's build to fix the centering on CRTs:

Code: Select all

Add offsets for 224/240/256 lines
Correct horizontal offsets for 320 / 352 pixel lengths
Tested over the previous week (NTSC/PAL)
Fixes Off center image

Unfortunately I haven't noticed any difference as of yet, the image is still shifted to the left in the same way it has been, and I didn't notice any new menu options to manually set it. Has anyone else who uses this core over VGA on a CRT noticed any difference yet? Am I overlooking something?

Changes are not in the release file yet, but you can grab the unstable nightly on discord. It's posted in the Saturn channel for now.

[capitaineflam25]

The "CRT offset" commit doesn't appear in the unstable nightly repo, we'll have to wait a bit more.

[MikeS1]

The "CRT offset" commit doesn't appear in the unstable nightly repo, we'll have to wait a bit more.

Check the pins on the Saturn channel

[Bristles]

This core is now booting everything I throw at it.
Just been playing some Chase HQ Plus. We'll maybe not get a true Chase HQ core, so this is as close to perfect as we'll get on Mister.
The Saturn is home to some awesome arcade ports, from Chase HQ, to Powerdrift, Afterburner II, Space Harrier, Gale Racer - a port of Rad Mobile, Parodius games, Salamander Deluxe, Layer Section games, lots and lots of shoot-em-ups.

[Tulius]

From the games I tested only four dont work properly: Marvel SuperHeroes vs Street Fighter, X-Men vs Street Fighter, Shienryu and Shining the Holy Ark... maybe there some others too, but I think the compatibility is close to 95% working now.

[green_onion]

Since the Saturn core was added to the main distribution, I noticed there was a commit on yesterday's build to fix the centering on CRTs:

Code: Select all

Add offsets for 224/240/256 lines
Correct horizontal offsets for 320 / 352 pixel lengths
Tested over the previous week (NTSC/PAL)
Fixes Off center image

Unfortunately I haven't noticed any difference as of yet, the image is still shifted to the left in the same way it has been, and I didn't notice any new menu options to manually set it. Has anyone else who uses this core over VGA on a CRT noticed any difference yet? Am I overlooking something?

Changes are not in the release file yet, but you can grab the unstable nightly on discord. It's posted in the Saturn channel for now.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction to find the unstable core, and thanks for your work on the update as well. I've already tried it on four different CRTs so far and it looks fantastic on RGB, S-Video, and even composite.

[diablonet]

I use Phoebe/Rhea ODE on my Saturn and I want to copy all those game images on the mister core, but the ODE images are CloneCD/CCD and they dont run on mister, CUE/BIN is the only supported image?

[jurkevicz]

does anyone know if the Saturn_DS got updated as well to this latest release?

[Jegriva]

I played 5-6 games and I am VERY impressed by it!

My only (very minor) gripes are the following:

• CRT centering wichi is slightly off, maybe because of the Saturn rigid resolution support.
• lack of auto region selection, for a moment I thought I had to use 3 different bios
• lack of CHD support, I kinda gave it for granted for no reason.

Still, congratulations, it's still incredible to me see how great the core runs!

[virtuali]

If you download the 20231011 core posted here:

https://discord.com/channels/6479093974 ... 1295992852

It will fix the left shift on CRT. And, in order to get CHD support, you need the latest Unstable Mister core as well.

[mike911]

I played 5-6 games and I am VERY impressed by it!

My only (very minor) gripes are the following:

• CRT centering wichi is slightly off, maybe because of the Saturn rigid resolution support.
• lack of auto region selection, for a moment I thought I had to use 3 different bios
• lack of CHD support, I kinda gave it for granted for no reason.

Still, congratulations, it's still incredible to me see how great the core runs!

You don't to have to select manually if you use a region free bios.

[HK-47]

I played 5-6 games and I am VERY impressed by it!

My only (very minor) gripes are the following:

• CRT centering wichi is slightly off, maybe because of the Saturn rigid resolution support.
• lack of auto region selection, for a moment I thought I had to use 3 different bios
• lack of CHD support, I kinda gave it for granted for no reason.

Still, congratulations, it's still incredible to me see how great the core runs!

You don't to have to select manually if you use a region free bios.

Which BIOS is region-free among the compatible options? I only see Japan and US BIOS versions in the compatibility list.

[mike911]

I am currently using the 1.01 Japan bios modified for region free. I don't recall the link but found it just doing a Google search.

[Akuma]

I am currently using the 1.01 Japan bios modified for region free. I don't recall the link but found it just doing a Google search.

What's the sha1sum for that bios?

[mike911]

I am currently using the 1.01 Japan bios modified for region free. I don't recall the link but found it just doing a Google search.

What's the sha1sum for that bios?

You could just try it. I used the link at the end to download.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... KTHn18o4Wz

[blueice80]

Hi everyone, I am new here, and while I've had my Mister for awhile now, I consider myself a noob and I do not know how to play around with scripts or edit Mister INI, etc.

I connect my Mister to a flat panel TV via HDMI.

I have tried several games on the Saturn core and have noticed that some games do not expand to fill up my entire screen, while others do. A rough estimate would be that such games take up just half of the screen real estate.

Decathlete (US) runs like this for me, while interestingly Saturn Bomberman (JP) only runs like this in Battle Mode.

I've had a similar issue with the PSX core, where many games run like this in menu screens, but during actual gameplay, the entire screen would be filled up.

Many thanks in advance to anyone who can advise me on what to do!

[DjunF]

hi man，Who can share a 20231011

[Xbytez]

hi man，Who can share a 20231011

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Saturn_ ... 231011.zip

[DjunF]

hi man，Who can share a 20231011

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Saturn_ ... 231011.zip

Thank you for your help

[3style]

I played 5-6 games and I am VERY impressed by it!

My only (very minor) gripes are the following:

• CRT centering wichi is slightly off, maybe because of the Saturn rigid resolution support.
• lack of auto region selection, for a moment I thought I had to use 3 different bios
• lack of CHD support, I kinda gave it for granted for no reason.

Still, congratulations, it's still incredible to me see how great the core runs!

Yes this and ironically the Deamonbite Saturn adapter with Saturn controller does not work correctly yet (other cores work with this adapter).
Controller inputs are not recognized correcty.

[mike911]

Hi everyone, I am new here, and while I've had my Mister for awhile now, I consider myself a noob and I do not know how to play around with scripts or edit Mister INI, etc.

I connect my Mister to a flat panel TV via HDMI.

I have tried several games on the Saturn core and have noticed that some games do not expand to fill up my entire screen, while others do. A rough estimate would be that such games take up just half of the screen real estate.

Decathlete (US) runs like this for me, while interestingly Saturn Bomberman (JP) only runs like this in Battle Mode.

I've had a similar issue with the PSX core, where many games run like this in menu screens, but during actual gameplay, the entire screen would be filled up.

Many thanks in advance to anyone who can advise me on what to do!

First you need to check if vscale_mode=0 is set the mister.ini, easiest way to do it is by using the ini_settings.sh script, just enter the menu for scripts in the OSD and select it. It is quite self explanatory. Just locate the vscale_mode line and if not set to 0, just click on it and change it to zero. You do not even need a keyboard for it. Once changed you select save and reboot.