Sega Saturn Dual ODE Build

I like to mod consoles, and this time around I wanted to build a cool Sega Saturn with some modern features. I like the whole concept of ODEs (Optical Drive Emulators), but since there are some theoretical limitations to each one of these, I went with a dual ODE build. This way, there would be a backup solution to run a game if one of the ODEs should have compatibility issues with a specific title.

When choosing the Saturn variant for the build, I first looked at the JAP Model 1. I really like the looks and color scheme of the unit, but there are some drawbacks in my opinion. The early Model 1s are built a lot differently from the later models, meaning the PSU is top-mounted, the shielding is thinner, and the poles for the CD drive are built right on top of the motherboard, rather than being attached to the shielding. There are also more cables and daughterboards, which make the internal look a lot messier compared to later models. Besides that, the power consumption is a bit higher (15 W compared to 12 W), and the access light would suddenly serve no purpose.

I instead went with a JAP Model 2. This version has, in my opinion, a more streamlined internal build and feels more sturdy. Things that I really appreciate when finding a good base for a mod. Besides that, a lower power consumption is always great, both for the electric bill and lower temperatures.

One of the first things that I had to do was to replace the original power supply. This is because the console is a JAP model, which runs on 110V. That would not work with the 230V that is the standard where I'm from, and I would have damaged the system if I had tried. Instead of using a step-down converter, I removed the original power supply and installed a SaturnPSU, which I bought from AliExpress. I have 3 of these SaturnPSUs, and until now I have had no issues with them. They remove some heat generation from the Saturn, clear up some internal space, and move the power brick outside the console itself. The SaturnPSU is easy to install and compatible with all the Saturn variants.

Even though there are only 2 major Saturn models, there are several revisions regarding the internal build of the console. As far as i know, there are 15 versions of the motherboard, which again has resulted in some different designs of the internal shielding. In most cases - besides the first version with the top-mounted PSU - the power supply is attached to the top metal shielding with a screw.

In this build, which is built from a JAP Model 2 - VA6, the SaturnPSU can be attached with the same screw as the original PSU. It only requires some minor bending of the part of the shielding where the screw is placed.

With the SaturnPSU installed, I went on to install the Fenrir Duo ODE. First, I 3D printed a mount for the Fenrir. There is a greatmodular design that can be downloaded for free, which looks awesome, is well made, and is easy to print. I did some filament swapping along the way to achieve a clear black/white color scheme on the top, making the Fenrir logo stand out. To do this, I simply excluded the logo part of the build from the support feature (in the slicer program) and manually changed the filament after the first ~10 layers had been printed. I also bought a microSD extender cable that makes it possible to insert one end into the Fenrir and glue the other end to the top part for a cleaner overall finish. Besides looking more complete, this method also makes it so much easier to insert/remove the micro SD card because it's much more accessible.

I bought the Fenrir Duo ODE from AliExpress, which means that there is a very big risk that the Fenrir is a clone and not an original Fenrir. When it comes to ODEs and clones of these, there tend to be a lot of opinions around the internet regarding this matter. Many people argue that you should buy the original unit to support the developer, and I totally get that. The reason why I personally don't care that much about this moral argument is because the main appeal of ODEs is to enable piracy. I would argue that ODEs in most cases are bought and used as a tool to play games that you don't own (piracy), wherefore I find it strange to be upset about someone pirating your pirate tool. But yeah, that's just my opinion. As far as I know, some years ago the Fenrir developer put out a firmware update that spots clones and makes these units behave strangely. If you have an original Fenrir, all is good. If you have a Fenrir Duo clone, it is important to download the correct firmware. Both firmwares have the same version number, 1.5.8, but the file size is different. The size of the "clone friendly" version is 494 kb, whereas the newer version (that messes with the clone) is 498 kb in size.

Like most of the things used in this project, the Saroo that I use also came from AliExpress. Where the Fenrir is installed internally and physically replaces the CD-ROM drive, the Saroo instead uses the expansion port in the top/back of the Saturn. This is the same port that can be used for memory cards and RAM expansion cards. One of the cool things about the Saroo is that, besides being an ODE with almost 100 percent compatibility for the entire game library, it also serves as a RAM expansion and memory card. This means that it is possible to run games from the Fenrir that use the Saroo as a 4 MB RAM expansion. That said, I would assume that there could be some compatibility issues regarding using both the Fenrir and Saroo in tandem, but nothing that couldn't be fixed over time with a firmware update.

Over the years, there have been some issues with different kinds of 3rd-party cards for the expansion port. Mainly because some of these either used a PCB that was too thick and/or because the edge of the connector wasn't beveled. This led to damaged expansion ports, but luckily the Saroo has a nice beveled connector and fits perfectly.

The Saroo is easy to set up and use and has some nice features when it comes to uploading custom backgrounds and music. Because of the boot order of the Saturn, the Saroo boots up before the Fenrir. When wanting to use Fenrir, it is very fast to switch over by using the “Load Game Disc” function in the Saroo main menu.

I really do like the original Sega Saturn controllers for the JAP models, and since I wanted to have this Saturn standing on a shelf above the TV, I thought that it would be smart to have a wireless solution before I would pull the cord and drag the Saturn off the shelf. Luckily, Retro-Bit offers a nice controller, that is wireless and has the same layout as the JAP controller. Furthermore, it has dual analog sticks. Overall, a great controller!

At this point the Saturn had no CD drive, which means no mechanical moving parts. Therefore, it would be perfectly fine to place it in a vertical position. I did actually test the Saturn in this position with the CD drive, and it worked fine, but I can't say how and if it would damage the CD drive over time, since the Saturn was originally designed to lie flat.

With a desire to showcase my Saturn in a vertical position, I had to find a solution for a stand. After looking it up, I couldn't find what I was looking for, and because of that, I ended up designing my own Sega Saturn Vertical Stand, which takes inspiration from the PlayStation 2 vertical stand. This design is compatible with both the model 1 and 2 Sega Saturn, and the .STLcan be downloaded for free.

The last finish for this Saturn project was to cover up the worn and scratched case with some Batsugun-inspired art.

Gennemførte spil @ 2026

Unleashing the full potential of the PSTV and PS Vita

Back in the days when the PlayStation TV (PSTV) was announced, I was excited. The PSTV is basically a consolized version of the Playstation Vita (PSV), with some minor changes along the way. The specs are about the same, with some differences regarding the internal storage, but besides that, they perform equally. That said, the PSTV failed to deliver, where one of the main issues was that a big share of the PSV games was not compatible with the PSTV and therefore "blacklisted". This was mainly because of the missing front and back -touchscreen features from the PSV when playing with a PS3 controller, which was the official controller to use with the PSTV at that time. With the firmware update 3.10, the DualShock 4 controller - which has a touchpad - was supported on the PSTV, but this was not enough to fix the overall downsides of the PSTV and the huge list of blacklisted games. Another issue had to do with Sony's proprietary memorycard – used on both the PSV and PSTV - which was very expensive compared to a regular micro SD card with similar storage capacity.

The PSTV had a somewhat short lifespan and never really caught on and was discontinued in 2015/2016.

Concurrently with all of this, the modding scene saw a big potential in the PSTV, since it is more or less a PSV with some different features. The PSV was already a popular console for modders / hackers, and over time there have been some great homebrew apps developed, releasing the full potential of the unit fixing some of the biggest drawbacks.

Some years ago I did hack my PSTV with the software that was available at that time. But over the years there has been developed even more great software and hardware to truly turn the PSTV into a great home console.

In this article, I want to show my PSTV and PSV setup and describe what I have done to these consoles. It boils down to three major points. The firmware hacking and installation of homebrew software, the massive space increase thanks to the SD2Vita solution, and the external representation of the console thanks to my 3D printer (PSTV) and a trigger grip / case (PSV). Since both the hacking- and SD2Vita processes are similar on both the PSV and PSTV, I chose to mod one of my Vitas along the way.

Hacking a PSTV follows the exact same steps as hacking a PSV. This is because they are very similar in specifications and use the same software and firmware. The process of this is very easy and well documented. Besides being simple to perform, another great thing about the hack is that it can be done on the latest official firmware (v. 3.74), which makes it accessible for all users. Furthermore, it can all be done from the PSV / PSTV itself and doesn't require a PC.

In short, the hacking process covers the following points:

• Connect your PSV / PSTV to your WiFi and update the system firmware to the latest version (v. 3.74).
• Open the PSV / PSTV internet browser, and connect to http://jailbreak.psp2.dev

That's about it. After a couple of minutes, the PSV / PSTV has been hacked with custom firmware, and the next step is setting up the console with some awesome homebrew software. The process is very simple and easy to follow, especially because the "hack package" includes all the software needed to install further software. Just use one of the many guides online covering this process.

There is a ton of great homebrew software on the Vita, and here are some of the ones that I found most useful.

VitaShell lets you access all the files on the Vita and enables FTP connection with a single press of the Select button. This is very useful if you want to upload games to your Vita or tweak some files.

VitaDeploy is part of the "hack package". This is used to install another operating system and other homebrew software. VitaDeploy serves as a great tool in the beginning of the hacking / homebrew install process.

VitaDB Downloader is a database with a lot of homebrew software. Some of the games need additional files as a countermeasure to piracy. Besides great homebrew games, VitaDB Downloader also offers direct download of useful homebrew apps, like AntiBlacklist, which open up the PSTV to run PSV games that were previously locked because of the missing touchscreen requirement.

Custom Themes Manager lets you browse through, download, and install themes for your system. There are a lot of well-crafted themes to choose from, and the database is getting bigger.

Adrenaline turns the Vita into a PSP. This is useful to run PSP and PS1 games. Adrenaline offers analog stick support and custom button mapping, which is great for older PS1 titles that didn't have analog support. This feature works very well on the PSV, but the option seems to be missing on the PSTV. I would assume that there is a fix for that, but I have not looked into it. I experienced a minor issue with Adrenaline, where I would have to launch the app 2 times because it would close down after the first launch after a reboot. This can be fixed through VitaShell by adding the following line into the /tai folder ->config.txt

*KERNEL 

ux0:app/PSPEMUCFW/sce_module/adrenaline_kernel.skprx

PKGj is a database that lets you download games directly onto the PSV / PSTV. Remember to own an original copy of the game to avoid being a pirate! In PKGj there are tons of PSV, PS1, and PSP games.

Adrenaline Bubbles Manager can be used to create bubbles on the dashboard that serve as shortcut links for PS1 / PSP games. This makes it possible to boot up these games directly, without the need to go through Adrenaline.

As mentioned earlier, the PSTV and PSV make use of proprietary memory cards that are very expensive. Luckily there is a great workaround for this, with the use of SD2Vita. This hack, using YAMT, exploits the game cartridge slot so that the system can use this interface instead of the memory card / internal memory. Since the system is now fully opened up and games can be downloaded, there is no longer really a use for the game cartridge slot, which makes it a great option.

SD2Vita functions as a micro SD adapter, and there are 6 versions of the SD2Vita, named V1-V6. All the versions do the same, but it is recommended to use one of the later versions because of minor improvements that make the physical appearance of the adapter more compatible and easy to use. These adapters are very cheap, and I would recommend buying a V5 or V6. These are easy to mount and get up and running through VitaDeploy. In my case, I bought 2x 128GB micro SD cards, one for my PSTV and one for my Vita. This should be enough space for a lot of great games!

Now that my PSTV and PS Vita were hacked and full of great homebrew software, it was time to make the physical appearance shine. Some time ago I bumped into a PSTV stand on Thingiverse that was designed to place the PSTV in a vertical position and make it look like a small PS5. This is such a cool design! After downloading the STL files, I did some minor rework on the core / centerpiece of the stand, making it more stable by adding some material to the top back and lower front. After printing the 3 parts, I had to do some sanding to make the parts fit perfectly together and achieve a smooth finish on the side panels. I glued the parts together using superglue, added some bandage tape to the inside of the center piece to make the PSTV fit perfectly and to avoid scratches, and added a bit of nail polish to the PS logo to make it stand out. With that done, my PSTV mod was complete!

Regarding my PS Vita, I wanted to upgrade the comfort and protection. When it comes to handhelds, I am a big fan of grips that can be combined with a fitting carrying case. There are great options for this combo on the Nintendo Switch with the products from Satisfye and Skull & Co., but for the PS Vita, the options are limited. Luckily the solution is both cheap and great, with the products from Top Player, which offers a protective case for the system that also uses the back touchpad of the Vita and turns these inputs into L2 and R2 trigger buttons. Furthermore, there is another add-on that expands on the idea and uses the lower part of the back touchpad and converts this into L3 and R3 triggers. Finally, there is a carrying case that fits this setup perfectly, with and without the L3/R3 add-on. A small downside to the grip is that it is not compatible with a screen protector, since the front part of the grip can't align and be locked into place because of the thickness of a screen protector. Since the grip itself protects the front of the Vita, it doesn't really matter, but it could have been nice to be able to protect the screen itself.

That said, this trigger grip, combined with the Adrenaline app that supports dual analog stick remapping, makes the PS Vita a beast for experiencing PS1 and PSP classics. At this point I have completed the From Software classic Shadow Tower with this setup, and this is the perfect way to enjoy these older titles!

SNES Classic Mini microSD mod

I wanted to make the all-in-one mini console for everyday use without having to deal with flaws from the individual variations. The hardware of most of the mini consoles share similar specs, with an ARM-based quad-core processor with a Mali-4XX GPU. Then there is the C64 Mini, which has weaker specs, and the PlayStation Classic Mini, which has some great specs and a lot of storage space (16GB), compared to the others that only have around 256–512 MB.

The games that I want to play on the system are, for the most part, 8- and 16-bit games. This includes primarily games for the PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16, Nintendo NES / Famicom and Super Nintendo.

The specs on the Nintendo Classic Mini, Famicom Mini, and Super Nintendo Classic Mini are similar. Because of this, I chose the SNES Mini to be the platform to build upon, mainly because of the controller, which has all the buttons needed, compared to the NES / Famicom Mini, where I couldn't have used the controller on a lot of 16-bit games. I could have used the PlayStation Classic because of the specs, but since the purpose mainly was 8- and 16-bit games, I wanted to keep the aesthetic from this era.

Often 8- and 16-bit games don't take up much space and only take up a few MB. This is also the case for a lot of great PC Engine games stored on HuCards, but if I wanted to play some of the CD-based games, I would run out of space before I could add a single game to the system. This is why I chose to add more space on the system!

There are different options regarding adding space to the mini consoles. The easiest and probably the most popular method is using an OTG adapter and a USB flash drive. The downside to this method is that it is an external mod, where the USB drive is visible. Besides that, it has been some time since I last used my soldering iron, so this was a great opportunity to do some soldering again.

The mod itself is both easy to perform and cheap. I bought a 32GB microSD card, which included an SD adapter. The SD adapter is needed for the mod, and therefore it's very convenient that these 2 items are bundled together. Besides that, I used some thin Kynar wire and a 100nF 50V SMD capacitor. The capacitor is basically not required, since I will never hot-swap the microSD card with the system on, but I added one just for good measure and for the fun of hand-soldering an SMD component that my old eyes can barely see :D

With the hardware modding done, the next part was to get the software up and running. The SNES mini was already hacked with Hakchi2 CE (v3.93). With the SNES Mini connected to my PC through Hakchi, i used the "Tools -> Format SD card" feature. After completion, the Mini was now booting up, using the SD card as storage.

From now on, there are a lot of free space to play with, and should i need more space in the future, i can just replace the micro SD card with a larger one.

 

Time to play some Gate of Thunder with my modded Score Master!